by J. S. Malcom
Sarah reaches for a glass of water, taking the tiniest of sips. Almost like the glass is more a prop than something required for her thirst. “Can you tell us about this team?” she says, clearly suggesting that the request is at Phillip’s discretion.
“Not their identities, of course. However, these individuals have a great deal of experience in examining supernatural crime scenes.”
“Experts in magical forensics,” Sarah offers.
“Yes. As well as making arrangements to obscure the occurrence of such events.”
So, cleaners, basically. Obviously, had the police gotten involved to discover bodies reduced to ash, bone and advanced decomposition, they would have had a whole lot of questions. Phillip’s team prevented that from happening.
“What kinds of details did this team report back to you?” Sarah asks.
“The house had been forcibly entered,” Phillip says. “No doubt by supernatural means.”
“Can you offer any specifics?”
Once again, Phillip nods. “The perpetrator used witch magic, definitely. The door, which had been secured, no longer had a locking mechanism. It had been melted in what could only have been an instance of extreme and precisely focused heat.”
Sarah lets that resonate for a moment. “What, if anything, ruled out that having been done by a member of a different supernatural faction? Or, for that matter, at the hands of our non-magical counterparts?”
Wait, did Sarah just suggest it could have done by someone other than Autumn? I have my doubts, which are quickly confirmed when Phillip responds.
“A number of things, actually. The door itself was unmarked and undamaged, the lock, as I said, liquefied. While a vampire or werewolf could easily rip a door from its hinges, that wasn’t the case. Also, there is no human technology allowing for what we observed.”
“I see,” Sarah says. “You felt sure it happened through witch magic. Was there anything suggesting a specific kind of witch?”
I brace myself, but Phillip shakes his head. “No. To the best of my knowledge, many witches could utilize this kind of magic. Most commonly, perhaps, elemental witches, but we couldn’t be sure.”
Another buzz comes from the crowd, as those gathered comment on what Phillip just said. Sarah seems not to notice, keeping her focus on Phillip as she stands almost perfectly still. For that matter, Phillip’s posture is similarly immobile. For a vampire, that’s not unusual, since they rarely shift on their feet or fidget. On the other hand, Sarah is said to be at least eighty and she shows no sign of fatigue.
My concentration breaks when Sarah says, “What else can you tell us about the crime scene?”
“There were almost no signs of struggle,” Phillip says. “This suggested that the events must have transpired quickly.”
“Did you consider that unusual?”
Phillip lifts an eyebrow. “Extremely.”
“Why was that?”
Phillip looks out at us this time, as if to make sure we’re paying attention. “As I’m sure you know, vampires are capable of reacting quite rapidly. However, in this instance, the victims appeared to have been immediately overwhelmed.”
“And they weren’t discovered to have been in a state of repose.”
Sarah’s formal phrasing indicates the sensitivity of the subject. Naturally, vampires don’t like talking about the one state that leaves them completely vulnerable. In other words, when they’re asleep. Dawn had been approaching fast, which would have left them supernaturally comatose until nightfall.
“That’s correct,” Phillip says. “Every sign indicated that they were awake at the time. Meaning, someone not only entered a house occupied by four vampires, but also managed to quickly kill them.”
Okay, here we go. I feel certain that this is where Sarah will go in for the kill.
Sure enough, she says, “Please tell us about the state of the bodies.”
Phillip shifts his attention to Autumn for the first time. She doesn’t look away. Instead, she keeps her gaze fixed firmly on his.
“Essentially dust and bone,” Phillip says. “There was very little left of the victims.”
“And again for the record,” Sarah says. “You felt sure the victims died at the hand of witch magic.”
Phillip doesn’t hesitate. “Absolutely.”
“And did you eventually surmise what kind of witch?”
Phillip remains staring at Autumn. “Yes, based on several key elements. First, the crime was first discovered by someone who’d gone to investigate a breach in the veil. And, as I’ve explained, multiple victims were overwhelmed and reduced to a state of decomposition commensurate with what would have been their corresponding human age. Again, this appeared to have happened within a matter of minutes. Therefore, we felt entirely sure the crime could only have been committed by a veil witch.”
As the crowd reacts, conversation rising through the room, Sarah raises her voice to be heard. “Of which we have only two,” she says.
“That’s my understanding,” Phillip says. “Both of them sisters, one of whom had an ironclad alibi.”
The hubbub around me continues to grow more loud, during which I hear both Autumn’s name and mine repeatedly mentioned. The crowd starts to grow quiet again when Sarah raises her hand.
“Thank you, Phillip,” she says, and then turns her attention to Isabel, who stands to her other side. “Isabel, you have offered to represent the defendant tonight. You’re also doing this of your own free will.”
Oh, my God, I want to murder this bitch. The implication being what? That one of us might have placed her under a spell? Given that Autumn doesn’t currently have powers, the question barely makes sense. Although it still somehow manages to cast a nefarious light, which I suppose is Sarah’s intention.
“I’m under my own free will,” Isabel says. “Autumn is a friend of mine.”
Sarah nods. “I see,” she says, the simple phrase laden with unspoken suspicion. “You may proceed in the manner you best see fit.”
Hang on. Let me get this right. After nearly leading the first testimony from beginning to end, she intends to let Isabel wing it? Apparently, that’s the case. Fuck this supernatural trial bullshit. Sensing my growing rage, Phoenix tries again to help me calm down. It doesn’t come close to working.
Still, somehow Isabel remains composed. She even manages to say, “Thank you,” before turning to Autumn, upon whom she softly smiles. She hesitates for just a moment as she draws in a breath. Then she says, “Autumn, please tell us where you were that evening.”
Considering the fate she’s facing, Autumn looks remarkably poised. She calmly states, “Earlier, I was returning from the beach. After that, I stopped to see a friend at a bar. Then I went home, where I remained until morning.”
“What time did you get home?”
“Around eleven-thirty.”
Isabel nods. “It’s been noted that you typically attend coven meetings, but that night you didn’t. Why was that?”
I know what Isabel is doing with the question. People within the witch community have been talking about Autumn not attending the meeting that night. In most ways, that’s completely irrelevant, but it still shows a departure from her usual behavior. For that reason, Isabel can’t simply ignore it.
“I was weighing a personal decision,” Autumn says.
“Which involved you thinking about your recently deceased husband.” Isabel speaks softly, her tone sympathetic, but her voice still carries enough to be heard.
Autumn nods. “Yes. I needed some time alone.”
Another soft murmur of conversation follows, presumably because so many people don’t know that Autumn lost her husband. While I know Autumn was hesitant to discuss this part publicly, it still helps to show her in a sympathetic light.
Isabel looks out at the observers, and those still speaking fall silent. She turns back to Autumn. “As you stated, after you got home, you stayed home. Obviously, at some point while you slept, four vampi
res were murdered. Were you in any way involved in that crime?”
“I was not,” Autumn says.
“Did you know any of the victims?”
Autumn shakes her head. “I didn’t know them.”
“So, you had nothing against them.”
Autumn speaks calmly and evenly. “No, I had nothing against them.”
Isabel considers for a moment. “And yet you’re a veil witch. Aren’t you supposed to hate vampires?”
Another good move by Isabel, calling attention to the elephant in the room. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Sarah interrupted to make the same point.
Again, Autumn answers calmly. “We’re not predisposed to hating anyone. Veil witches simply have the power to remove supernatural threats.”
“I see,” Isabel says. “So, you wouldn’t break into a house where vampires lived and kill them for no reason.”
Isabel poses this as a statement, not a question. By doing so, she makes the idea seem ludicrous.
“Of course not,” Autumn says.
“As you stated earlier, when you got home you stayed home. When did you next leave your apartment?”
“Early the next morning, I woke up to find that I’d been taken.”
Isabel frowns. “Taken where?”
Autumn shakes her head. “I don’t know. I was in a dark room lit by flames floating near the ceiling.”
Isabel glances up to the ceiling of the atrium. “Like those flames?”
Autumn nods. “Yes. Flames without candles, clearly created by magic.”
The observers all look up, of course, then back to the dais again when Isabel next speaks.
“Who took you there?”
Again, Autumn shakes her head. “I don’t know. They were wearing masks.”
Isabel raises her eyebrows. “Let me make sure I understand. You were somehow transported from your home to another location. When you woke up, those surrounding you wore masks.”
How Autumn holds it together is beyond me, but she simply says, “Yes, that’s the case.”
“Please tell us what happened next.”
“I was held bound. They took my blood and cast a spell removing my magic. Then they blew a powder in my face. That’s the last thing I remember before I found myself back home again.”
Autumn’s words produce way more than a murmur in the crowd this time, as conversation openly breaks out and voices rise. I hear surprise, indignation and confusion in the comments of those around me. Nice, Isabel. Very nice. After all, bindings are very rare, so presumably the methods involved aren’t often brought to light.
My eyes go to where Sarah stands at her lectern, somehow maintaining her impassive expression. Apparently, she considered it within her rights to do what she did, but it seems evident that many around us feel differently, even despite their prejudice against veil witches.
This time, it’s Isabel who holds up her hand to quiet the room. Then she shifts her attention back to Autumn. “So, you were detained by witches who didn’t identify themselves. Were you ever given the chance to submit for questioning of your own free will?”
Despite the humiliation she suffered, Autumn still manages to hold her head high. “No. I was not given that chance.”
Isabel turns from Autumn to the jury. “It seems to me we might need to later revisit whether any other crimes occurred during the course of these events. If not magical crimes, certainly criminal offenses. Clearly, Autumn Winter’s rights were violated in a number of ways. But that’s for us to determine later. Right now, it’s for you to decide whether Autumn should be found guilty of the crimes for which she’s been accused. As you can see, there’s no reason to think so. She didn’t know the victims, had no quarrels with them, and there’s no clear evidence connecting her to their murders.”
Sarah, who has remained silent this whole time, finally speaks again. “So, you’re saying you can’t offer any evidence supporting the defendant’s claim?”
“We have her word,” Isabel says.
Sarah lifts an eyebrow. “We have her word? Why would that possibly be good enough?”
Isabel cocks her head, suggesting that Sarah isn’t making sense. “Why wouldn’t it be? Autumn Winters is a valued member of our community. Not only has she never caused any of us harm, she’s protected us on a number of occasions. You’ve presented no solid evidence linking her to the crime. Essentially, you’re asking the jury to take your word regarding a matter you didn’t witness, following which you took the law into your own hands.”
Sarah’s eyes light up with fury, even as she manages to still speak calmly. In fact, a small satisfied smile remains on her face. “You seem to be forgetting one key element. Those who were murdered, met their fate at the hands of a veil witch. We have only two in our community. No one else possesses these kinds of powers. Of the two, one was at the coven meeting and then later seen in the company of her fellow witches. On the other hand, the defendant claims to have been home asleep.”
Isabel considers for a moment. “So, what you’re saying is that if I could offer evidence of there being a third veil witch, this case would have to be dismissed.”
Sarah hesitates, her eyes tightening as her gaze bores into Isabel. Then she says, “Can you offer such evidence?”
“I can’t,” Isabel says.
Sarah’s smile widens into a grin. For a few moments time seems to stop, the room around us utterly silent.
Then Isabel speaks again. “Perhaps we should ask those around us here tonight. Would that be okay with you?”
Sarah’s face tightens more, her eyes suspicious. All the same, what choice does she have? “Of course,” she says. “Although, I can’t imagine—”
“Over here!” I say, rising to my feet. “I might have something.”
Sarah’s eyes meet mine, amusement showing in her superior gaze. “And you’d expect us to believe you?”
I shake my head. “Me, no. You hate veil witches, obviously. At least me and my sister. What I’m thinking is that we hear from some of our most bitter enemies.”
Then Sarah stares, her mouth dropping open, as at the back of the room John, Eric, Stephanie and Nora rise from their seats. When I thought they’d fled last night, that hadn’t been the case. Even though they could have easily died, Nora convinced them to stay in case they could help. Now they approach the dais where, one by one, they each tell their story so those gathered here will know what they witnessed.
As Sarah Wellingsford’s credibility crumbles in front the witch community, I keep wondering about that magic I still feel simmering within me. I’m beyond curious, but I guess it will have to wait. And when the jurors announce Autumn innocent, I look to my sister, who returns my gaze. Within her eyes, I see that same girl who once sat with me watching the Powerpuff Girls as we imagined ourselves future heroes. My big sister, who’s always been there for me and always will be. Then my gaze goes to Isabel, who I know must be thinking of her daughter, and I start to plan my next steps.
Book 6 of the Fae Witch Chronicles will be out soon! Be the first to find out by joining J.S. Malcom’s Reader Group at the link below!
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Watch for more books coming soon in the Fae Witch Chronicles series!
In the meantime, go back and read what came first starting with Autumn Winters: Realm Watchers Book 1! Grab your copy here!
A supernatural world alongside our own. A paranormal enemy we face without knowing. And only one woman with the power to stop the threat.
Autumn Winters can suddenly see into another world, one full of supernatural beings that can't possibly exist. But another window has opened within her, bringing memories of when her sister also displayed magical abilities. That was just before her sister went missing, and she hasn't been seen since.
Autumn believes there must be a connection between what's happening to her now and what happened
years ago. Determined to discover the truth, she sets out with the mysterious private investigator, Ian, to track down who was behind her sister’s disappearance. What Autumn doesn't realize is that she’s coming into her powers. And when the powers of a veil witch awaken, there are those who'll be waiting. Getting closer to the truth only means getting closer to danger.
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About J. S. Malcom
J. S. Malcom is the author of the Realm Watchers urban fantasy series, of which Autumn Winters is just the beginning. J. S. lives in Richmond, Virginia, a town full of history and ghosts (not to mention, many other supernatural creatures, including Autumn and Cassie).
Author Note
I have to say, these books just keep getting more fun to write, and this fifth installment in the Fae Witch Chronicles series was no exception. When the idea of Cassie being forced to team up with a vampire first occurred to me, I knew I had to at least give it a try. There seemed to be so much potential for Cassie—our highly opinionated and impetuous hero—to grow when faced with an arrangement she'd normally avoid at all costs (or by simply reducing the vampire to a pile of bones). The result of this exploration in character development is this book which you, presumably, just finished reading. I hope enjoyed the adventure as much as I enjoyed creating it.
As always, I owe thanks to all who “beta-read” an earlier draft of this novel. I greatly appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts, as well as helping to catch those edits that still needed to happen. Thank you to Carmen Repsold, Jennifer Mantura, Joe Estanelle, Jennifer Ryan, Deborah MacArthur, Marja Coons-Torn, Patti and Patrick Winters, Rachel Karfit, Lacey Lane, Lori Kis, Susan Warr, Andrea van der Westhuizen, Tammy Baker, Diane Changala, Tamara Ingram, Maria Mybeck, Jana Gundy, Joe Estanelle, Kim Brown, Tammy Gowen, Sharyn, Jenine Hightower, Heather Price, Shauna Joesten, Jen Simmerman, Gretchen Bayard, Darcy Smith, Judith Cohen, Gary Webber , Vicki McCreary and Rory Pond. Many thanks also to Kim, Darja and Milo at Deranged Doctor Design for creating such stunning book covers.
