“We're stopping you and Eric,” I snapped. “What are you doing with him, anyway?” “He's helping me. You have to leave. I don't want you to get hurt.” He held out his hand with travel potions inside.
“And what about Eli?” Oni said, turning to him. “I can't do anything for him,” Connor said, not moving. “You're just going to let us go?” I took a step towards him. “Just like that?” He didn't say anything. I wanted to shake him, but he seemed so far away. I didn't want to give up on him and I wouldn't.
“Come with us,” I said, taking another step. “I can't. I have to get my sister back,” he sat the potions on the table to his left and turned to walk from the room. “You have to get out of here fast. They won't be as nice as me.” He opened the door and walked from the room.
I glanced at the potions and then slipped them into my pocket. A part of me wanted to just sit down and cry, but I knew Eli needed us and now was not the time to give up.
“I've got what we need,” Oni said, smiling. He eyes shot up as the door swung open and Eric walked in.
“Well, well. I guess you wanted to be a part of the ritual after all.” He smiled and flicked his hand. Guards walked around them and grabbed at us. I punched at the one reaching for me and thought about the travel potions. I closed my eyes and through the potion to the ground. I thought about the forest and how it could be safe for me. I felt my breathe sucked from my lungs and pressure pushing me down. When it was over, I opened my eyes and found myself in the forest just outside of the commune.
I collapsed on the ground and sat against a tree. All I wanted to do was cry. Everyone was gone. Eric won. There was no way I could stop him on my own and that's all I had. I closed my eyes and hung my head.
I can't do this on my own, I thought.
Ten
I heard footsteps crunching leaves not far from where I was sitting feeling sorry for myself. I held my breath, but didn't move. The steps got louder and closer. I slowly raised my head to look and saw someone I didn't expect.
The Oracle. She smiled and watched me for a minute. The woman didn't look like she did when I'd first met her. She was brighter and more ghost like. I furrowed my brow and watched her.
“How are you here?” I asked. “I'm an Oracle. I travel where I'm needed. That doesn't always mean different worlds.” She took a step towards me. I wanted to stand up, but my legs just didn't want to work.
“I can't do this on my own,” I said, feeling the tears start in my eyes. She smiled and cocked her head to one side.
“You don't have any other choice. Your destiny is here and now,” she said, knelling down to me. “But I can't stop him.” “Maybe you're not supposed to, not yet,” she said. I met her gaze and held it. A part of me wanted to know if that was true, but how could it be? If Eric gained his powers, he would destroy everything.
“I'm just supposed to let him win?”
“I didn't say that. I simply mean there are things you don't know going on here. Things that could change you and everyone you know.” She sighed and looked away then back to me. “No matter what you do, it will play out the same way. It's written.”
“But I always thought the future was fluid. It could be changed,” I said. “Not everything. Some things are just meant to be.” She stood and turned from me. “This is your choice, but to do nothing will have consequences too.” With that she was gone and I was alone again. I sighed and picked myself up. I couldn't choose to do nothing, not now.
*** I waited until the sun was down to sneak back into the commune. It was not as heavily guarded as it was in the past. I carefully walked to the door of the big room with the crystals hanging from the ceiling. When I opened the door, I was almost floored with the energy coming from the large room. I listened with my eyes closed, but it seemed I could see what was going on in the room. It seemed slower, more defined and the energy made it's own light.
I opened my eyes and watched for a moment. The group, dressed in red robes, were standing in a circle around Eric and the crystals hanging from the ceiling. They were chanting something I couldn't make out, but it was raising energy and working with the crystals. I glanced up and could see the odd shade of blue coming from them. Everyone was too busy to notice me standing there at the edge of the room.
Eric smiled at the group and held his hands in the air. I stayed still, watching. “We have waited a long time for this and now I will get my powers back and the power to change the world,” he turned to each of them and then to the other doorway. “Bring him in.” I watched as two large men dragged Eli into the room.
He looked pretty banged up, but still knew what was going on. The men dropped him in front of Eric and took their places in the circle.
“Finish the spell,” Eric said, pushing Eli over onto his back. Eli swallowed hard and started with the spell. I tried to move to help him, but it was like I was glued into place.
I felt my heart beat faster and pain in my chest. I fell to the ground, holding my chest and trying to breathe. My hands grabbed at the dirt floor. I closed my eyes, figuring I was going to die right there in the middle of their ritual. Even with my eyes closed, I could still see the blue of the crystals getting brighter. It seemed like the light was holding me, heating up my body and making the pain bearable.
I felt the pain start to level out. My heart slowed and I opened my eyes. Everything was the same, but I was different. I could feel it in my bones. I stood and glanced at Eric. He was smiling and looking right at me.
Eleven
“Glad you could make it, but you are way too late,” he took a step in front of me and flicked his hand. I fell back and out the door I'd came though. I hit the ground hard and a part of me didn't want to get up.
I rolled to my side and put my feet underneath me. I shot back through the door to see Eli fighting the large group of witches with powers I'd never knew he had. He knocked them down with energy and turned to me, a smile on his face.
“I knew you'd end up here,” he said grabbing my arm and pulling me out the door. I held my ground just outside of the door.
“What about the others?” I yelled.
He turned towards me and put his hands on my shoulders.
“We have to come back for them. Eric is just too strong and you're not ready. Not yet.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, confused. He simply smiled.
“You did everything right, Lucy,” he said, pulling me a couple of steps. “I can't just let you leave now,” Connor said, in front of us. “You should have just stayed away. If you would have left, you wouldn't be in this kind of danger. Now you're a target. I can't even let you leave.” He was standing there, hands clenched and his robe disregarded. I met his eyes, but they seemed empty and distant.
“I have no idea what you're talking about,” I snapped. He didn't move. “Not yet, but you will,” he took a step forward and I felt the ground shake. I'd never known what his ability was, but it seemed to be powerful.
Eli took a step in front of me and shook his head at Connor. “If you ever truly loved her, you would let her pass,” he said. Connor glanced back to me and then to Eli.
“What would you know about love. You've never been in this world. You have no idea how to love someone,” Connor said. The tree closest to me bent and started to break.
“Maybe not, but as far as I can tell, you don't either.” Connor let loose on his power and the trees started to break. I reached into my pocket and felt the other travel potion Connor had given to me before. I grabbed Eli's arm and broke the little bottle on the ground and closed my eyes.
When I opened my eyes, I was back at my fathers home. I glanced at Eli and then fell into the sofa. I was so tired it wasn't even funny, but my mind kept racing. I had a ton of questions for Eli about what was going on and what Connor meant.
“I know you have a ton of questions, but it's not safe here, not now.” He glanced out the window as though he was looking for trouble to be coming my way.
“Is th
ere any place to safe, now?” I closed my eyes and sighed. Eric had all the power he needed to take over the world. Any witch that went against him would regret it and it was my fault. I did this and now I can't fix it, I thought.
“You didn't do anything. This was the way it was supposed to be,” he said, pulling me to a standing position. “There is only one place that is safe now.”
Twelve
I knocked on the door and waited, watching for anyone that may be waiting to catch us off guard. When the Oracle answered the door, she seemed to already know we would be coming.
“I've been waiting for you,” she said, directing us to the circle she already had set up. I wanted to talk to her about that night when she helped me. I wanted to know what she meant, but the time just didn't seem right. I felt Eli squeeze my arm and pull me to the circle.
“All in good time,” he whispered. I turned to him, confusion on my face. “This time, your body will not stay behind. You will be fully in the world of the Fae,” the Oracle said, putting her hands on my shoulders to reassure me.
I stepped into the circle and sat on the floor. Eli followed and glanced at the Oracle. She smiled at us and then started the spell. I closed my eyes and felt my body float away. When I opened my eyes, I was sitting in the middle of the same field as before. Eli watched me for a moment and then it all came crashing down for me. I started to cry. I just couldn't hold it back any longer. We had to leave the only world I'd ever known and come to the world of the Fae to be safe. I'd lost everyone that I loved to my own birth father. It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Eli pulled me to him and comforted me. He didn't let me go until I stopped crying. I pulled away, feeling like an idiot and wiped the tears from my eyes.
“I'm sorry,” I said starting to stand. He grabbed my arm. “Don't be sorry. You've been though a lot and you have a lot left to deal with.” He let out a breath and stood. “We have a lot of work to do before we can go back.”
“First, you're going to tell me what's going on.” I hoped that knowing would make things not so hard for me. Right now all I could think about was my dad and the people I loved trapped in the middle of this nightmare.
“Of course. What do you want to know?” Eli said, pulling me along. We were walking towards someplace I didn't know.
“What did Connor mean?” Eli almost stumbled at the question. “You were supposed to be there when we finished the ritual.” He glanced at me and I raised my eyebrows. “Eric got the power surge that could change the world, but so did you.” He looked away.
“What does that mean?” “It means you are special. You have the power to defeat your father once and for all, but you have to tap into it.” He grabbed my hand and held it to him. “Don't be afraid of what you have inside you. It's the only thing that can give you what you want.”
“I'm not sure what I want,” I mumbled. “You do and you have to fight for it.” He stopped. “We can start right now.” He held his hand out and motioned for me to do something. I gave him a funny look. What did he want me to do?
“See if you can tap into it,” he said.
“You want me to do what?” I crossed my arms. He sighed and created this bubble thing in front of me. “Break through it.” I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. I reached down into myself, trying to find the magic that would get though this bubble. I felt a prickle on my skin and then my heart starting beating fast. A part of me wondered if I was having a panic attack, but I knew better. Once I realized that, I pushed the panic feeling away and reached for the magic inside. After a second, I had it and my breath caught. I opened my eyes and concentrated on the bubble. It melted away in front of me. Eli smiled.
“See what I mean,” he said. I stood there, unsure of how I'd just done what I did. Eli seemed to believe in me and what I was doing, but I didn't know if I did. “So, it's time to get started. We don't have a lot of time.”
*** The training was hard and more intense than anything I'd done before. Even though Connor and I worked on spells when I found out I was a witch, I still never thought I'd do anything so intense.
Eli worked with me for what seemed like months before he finally said the words I was waiting for. “I think you're ready.” My head shot up from the table, a smile on my face. I wasn't even worried about the food in front of me. I was ready to go back. I was ready to see my family again and to help them keep the world together. Who knew how bad it had gotten while we were here.
“Really?” I wanted to go back and was ready, but a part of me had become okay with living in the Fae world.
“We'll leave in the morning, but we have something else to do first,” he said.
Thirteen
The night was dark with the exception of the moon shining brightly overhead. We walked along the path until we were standing at the edge of the river.
“Do you remember this place?” He asked. I looked around and smiled. It was the place were the water seemed to have it's own light inside it.
I knelt down and ran my hand through the water. A light streamed behind it under the water. I smiled when I remembered the last time I was there. This was one of those life changing places you never forget.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, not looking at him.
“You have to give it back.” I watched him in confusion. “What do I need to give back?” I was partly confused by what he was asking. His gaze fell to the crystal I had around my neck.
“You are more than you give yourself credit for and that crystal was just the vehicle to show you the way.” He smiled and knelt beside me.
“Where will it go?” I asked. “Back to the commune to wait for someone else that may need it,” he said, dipping his hand in the water beside mine. I thought about what he was saying and smiled.
What if this was a defining moment as much as the day I'd been given it? I thought. I didn't say anything, but slipped my hand to the small chain and pulled it over my head. I glanced at the crystal for a moment before dropping it into the water.
The river glowed a bright white before fading to the dark water I was used to seeing. I looked up to Eli and smiled.
“Let's go home,” I said. I followed Eli to the same field we had come to the Fae world in. It looked just like it always did and made me feel at home. I hadn't missed the tall grass as much as I did right now.
“Things will be different when we get back,” Eli said, sitting in the grass. He motioned for me to join him and I took my place in the grass. “We've been gone a long time in your worlds standards.”
“A long time? How long are you talking?” I asked.
“Close your eyes.” I did as he asked and felt the ground fall from beneath me. When I felt the hard wood floor of the Oracle's home, I almost jumped up. I opened my eyes and looked around myself. What I saw shocked me.
The windows were boarded up and dirt lined the floor. There was a faint salt line where the circle was lined. I stood slowly and walked towards the front room. That room didn't look any better. I couldn't find the Oracle anywhere and it frightened me.
“Where is everyone?” I said, walking back into the room. Eli stood and rubbed his hands on his jeans. “I was afraid of this,” he said, pulling at the board over the window.
“Afraid of what?” I snapped. The room shook with my emotions. “You have to get a handle on that or you won't be as useful as you need to be.” He turned back to me. “It's been longer than you think.”
“How long?”
“It's been a year.”
The 13th Witch Book Three Final Stand One
I could hear my heart beating in my chest. The fear of what I had to do was taking over. I couldn’t help but wonder how we had gotten here. What could I have done different? I was alone in what I had to do and there was no way I was going to get another choice.
*** I sat up, holding my chest. The wind was whirling through the broken building and kicked up some of the dust in the home we were staying in.
The Oracle was gone
when we got here, leaving only myself and Eli to understand what was going on. I glanced to where he was sleeping on the wood floor near me. He seemed at peace considering what we were facing.
My birth father was now in control of the area. He had started a war between witches, hoping to eliminate the ones that could or who would stop him. I was on that list and now it seemed I was the only one that could change anything and help those I loved.
“What are you doing?” Eli rubbed his eyes and sat up to face me. “Nothing. I just had a bad dream,” I answered. I smiled and stood so I could see out of the window better. “What do we do now?”
“We have to find who’s left,” he answered. I watched him stand up and rub his eyes. “It’s getting dark and that’s probably going to be the best time to go.” He turned back to me. “We have an advantage because Eric doesn’t know we’re back.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. He sighed. “There’s always a chance he felt us come back through, but that would mean he’s a lot more powerful than we realized.”
“Great,” I said, grabbing a small bag of supplies I’d gathered from The Oracle’s home. “I guess we should get going.”
As we walked out of the home, I took in the way the world had changed. It was frightening to know I’d been here not long ago and everything had changed. The Oracle was gone. My family was still missing and the one man I could trust was not even human. At least fully. I glanced at Eli as he walked in front of me.
“Where are we going to find everyone?” I shoved my hands into my pockets and kicked at the dirt on the ground.
“You can do that. All you have to do is feel them,” he said, not looking at me. I considered his words and took a deep breath.
My powers had changed when I took the same power surge as my birth father. It made them stronger and better than before. Plus, when I tried hard enough, there were amazing things I could tap into. Right now all I needed to do was find where the good energy was at so I could find the people who could help us the most. A part of me wondered if Eric could find them too and if they were still alive.
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