by Tish Thawer
“Jesus, like what? It’s not like we have a piece of her clothing or a strand of hair lying around.”
“Perhaps one of your dolls will suffice,” Trin winked.
“Oh man...I haven’t thought of those things in forever.” Kennedy laughed. “How many do you think I made that summer?”
“Honestly, I lost track. I just knew it was your way of healing after Mama passed. You never used them with ill intent, only as a way to find solace within your grief, so I didn’t mind.” Trin continued. “You had one for each of us, including Jason, Papa, and Ms. Bishop, and also for a few of your friends from town. You were adorable.”
The sister’s laughter filled the hut as they worked side-by-side to prepare the spell. Kennedy constructed the doll for her representation magic, while Trin pinched some of the lavender she’d picked from the woods into the bottom of the bowl. Caris and Jason returned from the creek and joined them on the center of the floor next to the low-burning fire just as they finished.
“Are we ready?” Caris asked.
“Almost.” Trin squeezed her sister’s hand in gentle thanks as she took the skin full of water from her grasp. “Kennedy, will you and Caris cast circle around us?”
“Of course.”
Kennedy and Caris stood and moved to take their place on the opposite sides of the fire, each standing behind Trin and Jason who remained seated. Taking a deep, grounding breath, Caris began. “I cast this circle, once around, all within magic bound. Protected from harm, and shielded this day, let the Goddess’s light show us the way.” They walked deosil in unison as Caris’s magic rose to produce the first layer of energy in their sacred space.
“I cast this circle, twice around, all within magic bound. Cleansed with water and strengthened with earth, safe from harm with Spirit’s mirth,” Kennedy added, sprinkling salt and water from the palm of her hand.
“We cast this circle, thrice around, all within magic bound. Inspired by air and sealed by rite, protected from harm by Spirit’s might,” they finished in unison, each blowing a glowing breath to seal their magic in place.
“Thank you.” Trin nodded to each of them as they reclaimed their seats around the fire.
From the skin, Trin poured a steady stream of water over the lavender snips and the miniature doll, filling the scrying bowl until it was halfway full. Raising the vessel into the air, Trin released it and sent it floating into place above the flames. Instructing everyone to stand, she handed each of them a piece of black string. “Wrap one end around your index finger and hand the other end to the person next to you who will then tie it off to their thumb, connecting us to each other.”
Trin led by example, demonstrating exactly what she needed them to do. After everyone’s string was criss-crossed and tied off between their thumbs and fingers, a net had been formed, leaving only a circular opening in the threads right above the scrying bowl.
Trin inhaled a deep breath as the flames boiled the water and permeated the air with the scent of lavender and magic. “Focus your energy up and down the strings, exchanging and sharing our magic like we did in the woods,” she guided the group.
Caris, Kennedy, and Jason did as Trin asked without thought. The magic being passed between them flowed freely and energized the strings, sparking them to life. Trin smiled as power sizzled along the threads. “We’re ready. Now repeat after me. Goddess of love, Goddess of light, join us for this important rite. Guide our magic, straight and true, finding the one at odds with you.” She nodded at Caris who repeated the spell, then Kennedy followed suit, with Jason finishing up after her. “Now all together,” Trin instructed.
“Goddess of love, Goddess of light, join us for this important rite. Guide our magic, straight and true, finding the one at odds with you.” They all chanted together, repeating the spell three more times.
A collective gasp escaped the group as the water froze solid. The fire continued to pop and snap, caressing the bowl with its warm fingers as a purple light radiated from the repaired crack in its side. Trin, Jason, and her sisters stood in place, so as not to disturb the strings still pulsing with golden magic between their fingers, but leaned forward to peer over the edge to see what was happening within the bowl. The lavender snips shifted rapidly beneath the surface, attaching themselves to the doll representing Ann that was illuminated by the glow. Suddenly, a surge of purple light shot up through the opening of their web, projecting an image onto the roof of their skin-covered hut.
Kennedy gasped. “Oh my god, it can’t be!” There, clear as day, was an outline of Tawni, the young Indian maiden who had befriended Kennedy and led her to the portal trees in the first place.
“Stay still. We need to end the spell and close the circle.” Trin’s voice was stern but rang with a soothing calmness.
As the energy in the room died down, Trin brought the spell to a close. “My Lord and Lady, thank you for joining us to witness this sacred rite. Your magic and guidance have led us true, blessed be, and thanks to you.”
“Blessed be and thanks to you,” the group repeated, as the threads of their web dissolved and fell from their fingers and into the fire.
“Caris, can you close the circle, please?” Trin asked, still focused on the task at hand.
“Of course.” Caris raised her right hand and pointed her index finger at the circle to pierce the energy surrounding them. “I part this circle, all is done, magic forged by moon and sun. To all who came here thanks to thee; go in peace and blessed be.” The energy dissipated by sinking into the ground, leaving the hut charged and protected.
“Okay, so clearly we’ve been fooled again by Ann’s shape-shifting ways,” Kennedy snapped. “But how is that possible if she doesn’t have her full power?”
“I’m not sure but assume it has something to do with her finding her siblings,” Trin replied. “All I know is that we now have a leg up and we’re not going to waste it.” She walked over and retrieved one of the baskets Nadie left with their breakfast and handed it to Kennedy. “You’re going to go help little Tawni gather more trinkets in the woods today, and we’ll be there, lying in wait.”
“Good morning, Tawni! I thought with the free-time we have today, maybe you’d like to return to the woods so we can gather more shells and nuts for your gifts.” Kennedy’s smiled never wavered as she stood outside the impostor’s hut.
“Oh, Mama, can I please go with Ketnu?” Tawni bounced on the balls of her feet as she waited for her mother’s reply.
“Of course, just be back before dark.”
Kennedy nodded then followed the bubbling, bouncing fraud down the path and into the woods.
“Thanks for coming to get me, I was going crazy at the thought of being cooped up inside all day.” Tawni kicked a rocked from the trail.
“Of course, I promised I’d help and today seems like as good of a day as any.” Kennedy grinned, forcing her teeth to unclench.
“How are your sisters doing? And the new warrior that joined the tribe last night,” Tawni asked.
“They’re fine. Just focused on doing a good job to make sure we help the tribe in the best way we can.”
“It’s a blessing our tribe took you in. I’ve seen others who weren’t so lucky.” Tawni continued walking, straight-faced and revealing nothing of her true self.
“Really? Like who? I’ve only ever seen your tribe show kindness and acceptance to strangers.”
“That’s because Nadie spoke for you all. She’s the Chief’s daughter, you know.”
“No. I hadn’t realized that. But you’re right, it was a blessing she spoke for us and we’re so grateful that your tribe accepted us upon her word.” Kennedy fell quiet, contemplating exactly how Ann could be pulling off this ruse.
If Tawni was a real member of the tribe, did that mean there was a little Indian girl somewhere, tied-up or dead, while Ann paraded around pretending to be her? Or was Ann’s illusion just that, a figment meant to fool everyone into believing Tawni was a part of their tribe w
hen in reality, the girl didn’t even really exist?
“Tawni, the last time we were here, you said that the trees really speak to you. What did you mean by that?” Kennedy asked, hoping Ann would stumble and reveal the witch she was.
“Just what I said. I find peace within this forest and when I’m alone I can hear them speaking to me.”
“What do they say?” Kennedy asked tentatively.
“That an evil is spreading across the land, and that I should be careful.”
“What kind of evil?” Kennedy palmed the arrowhead knife Jason had made for her earlier this same morning.
“A woman and her sisters.” Tawni turned and met Kennedy’s wide eyes just as they approached the portal trees.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Grab her!” Trin exclaimed as she jumped from behind a nearby bush.
Kennedy snatched Tawni by the arm, yanking her close and holding the makeshift knife to her side.
“Ketnu, what are you doing? I don’t understand.”
“Stop playing games, Ann. We know it’s you,” Caris spat as she joined her sisters from behind the trees.
“Ann?” The young girl frantically shook her head. “My name is Tawni, and I’m your friend. Why are you doing this to me?”
Trin frowned and approached cautiously, reaching out and placing her fingers against Tawni’s temples. The young maiden calmed instantly as visions from her life filled Trin’s mind––her excitement at meeting Kennedy and finally being able to talk to someone new, the sweet first kiss she’d shared with a particularly shy Indian boy, and the sorrow she shared with her family when they lost her oldest brother in the war.
Digging deeper, Trin focused her thoughts on Ann and tried to draw out any magical tie that lay within Tawni’s memories. Caris, Kennedy, and Jason stood still while she worked, not wanting to disturb their psychic link.
“There,” Trin whispered. “I see it.” Trin pulled her hands away from the young girl’s temples and held her gently by the shoulders. “Tawni, I’m sorry we scared you, but just like you, we too have felt an evil in this forest. Today, when we went searching for it, we were guided to you, but it’s okay. I now understand why.”
“Care to share?” Kennedy asked impatiently, as she stuffed the knife back into her waistband.
Trin turned to face her family, taking hold of Tawni’s hand. “Because Tawni carries a very special magic within her. She is able to speak to the trees and that’s why we were guided to her by our spell. Not because she is Ann, but because the trees told her where to find Ann, and more importantly...how to stop her.”
Everyone looked at Tawni as she wiped her eyes and smiled. “The trees here do what I say, so just tell me how I can help.”
Two hours later in the softening light of dusk, Trin, Caris, Kennedy, Jason, Nadie, and Tawni all crept towards the burrow where Ann and her sisters had been hiding. Shown to Tawni by the trees, the hidden grove had been buried after a battle in the surrounding forest earlier that same season.
“Are we all clear on the plan?” Jason asked.
Receiving affirmative nods and a couple of thumbs-up, Jason led the way to the opening and motioned for everyone to fan out. Standing in a semi-circle, blocking the entrance to the burrow, they readied themselves to face the enemy within.
Tightening her grip on her rustic weapon, Kennedy stepped forward. “Ann Putnam, come out and face us. It’s time for you to go home.”
A malicious laugh drifted from the hole in the ground, followed by a bank of sickly gray fog. “Home? What would you know of home? Your sister made sure none of us had that pleasure the moment she cast her selfish spell.”
“That spell saved us of all, including you. Do you think Heinrich would have let you live after he’d feasted on the last witch alive? No! He would have turned on you just like he did in the cave,” Caris snapped.
The fog parted and out stalked Ann dressed in all black. Her fingers were marred with an inky substance that matched the dark circles around her eyes. “DO NOT SPEAK HIS NAME!” she screamed, waving her arms wildly in the air.
The sky split with a thunderous crack and rain pelted down on the group in an angry deluge.
“Aww, still sore that your boyfriend left you high and dry?” Kennedy egged her on, exactly as planned.
“He is my past, but now I have a bright future. One in which none of you will exist.”
“Oh yeah, about that...” Trin stepped forward, holding Tawni’s hand. “Now,” she whispered to the young maiden.
Tawni knelt down, digging her fingers into the ground to tap into the roots of the surrounding trees. Branches swayed overhead as a protective umbrella formed over the group, shielding them from Ann’s pounding rain.
“What is this?” Ann cried out.
“This is the Goddess’s magic, and your foul attempt at harnessing or changing things in her world have come to an end.” Kennedy stepped forward, her knife raised in one hand and magic pulsing in the other. “You and your sisters will leave this place and stop attempting to alter the timeline, or we will destroy you here and now.”
Roots shot out of the ground, circling and ensnaring Ann where she stood. Screams and yelps rang out from the burrow as Tawni’s magic guided the trees up through the ground, stopping Ann’s sisters inside before they could join the fray.
“The outcome of this battle is up to you, but you will stop fighting one way or another,” Trin stated flatly. “Please make the right choice.”
Ann struggled against the rough bark, scrapping her skin and making it clear she wasn’t quite ready to give up the fight just yet.
“How dare you!” she screamed.
“How dare us?” Trin stepped forward. “Seriously? The Goddess gave you a great gift when she blessed you with magic all those years ago, but from that moment on, you’ve done nothing but squander and taint it with your poor choices. You could have lived out your life with your family and a coven who cared for you, but instead, you’ve spent your entire existence emerged in a dark magic that has only led you to heartbreak and failure again and again. When will you learn, Ann?”
“When will I learn? Ha! When will you learn to stop meddling?” Ann’s eyes rolled back into her head as she started to chant under her breath. “Great Father bring me back to thee, so that together we may end the three. Through time and space hear my cry, remove me from this witch’s eye.”
Tawni reacted first, slapping a root over Ann’s mouth, but it was too late. There, just below Ann’s feet, opened a dark portal, sizzling with magic and cracking of lightening.
Trin watched in horror as a figure reached through the opening and grabbed Ann by the ankle, burning away the roots holding her with a familiar red energy. The memory of the mangled chord that twisted between her, Ann, and the demon pulled at her chest.
Time fell away as Trin was pulled forward, one step, then another, until she was poised on the edge of the portal.
“No!” screamed Jason.
Trin looked down, ready to face Heinrich once again, but was shocked to find not only one, but two familiar faces instead.
“I did as you instructed, Papa, I altered my destination and you were right, we will emerge victorious this time around.” Ann smiled and sunk through the portal into her father’s waiting embrace while Trin stared, mortified, into the eyes of her very own mother.
“I’m sorry, Karina.”
Her mama’s whisper rang in her ears as the portal snapped shut at her feet.
Epilogue
“Trin!” Jason exclaimed as he ran to her side, gathering her in his arms. “What did you see?”
“It was Mama,” she sobbed. “She was there with Ann’s father.” Trin’s head shook in disbelief. “She said she was sorry.”
Caris and Kennedy knelt beside her, while Nadie comforted Tawni, praising her for being so brave and strong.
“What do you mean, it was Mama?” Kennedy asked.
Tears quivered at the edge of Trin’s eyes as she look
ed at her sisters. “I mean, the Putnams have our mother.”
Caris sank to the ground and started to cry as Kennedy stomped into the burrow, returning as she shoved her knife back in place. “They’re gone, clearly escaped through the same type of portal. The only thing left are seven burnt circles on the ground.”
“I don’t remember their father having powers,” Jason stated. “Maybe it’s just another alteration that Ann created by everything she’s done here.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Trin wiped her eyes and pushed to stand. “Whether he had powers originally or not, he does now, and that means only one thing.”
Caris’s breath hitched on a cry and Kennedy helped her to her feet, both knowing what was coming next.
“We have to go back. We have to go back to 1685 and save Mama, or all our futures will be lost.” Trin reached for her sisters, hugging them tightly as the Goddess’s voice drifted through the air.
“You are my chosen three, Sisters of Salem forever you’ll be. Follow your heart, your path is true, trust in yourselves, for I believe in you.”
The End
About the Author
Award Winning Author, Tish Thawer, writes paranormal romances for all ages. From her first paranormal cartoon, Isis, to the Twilight phenomenon, myth, magic, and superpowers have always held a special place in her heart.
Tish is known for her detailed world-building and magic-laced stories. Her work has been compared to Nora Roberts, Sam Cheever, and Charlaine Harris. She has received nominations for a RONE Award (Reward of Novel Excellence), and Author of the Year (Fantasy, Dystopian, Mystery), as well as nominations and wins for Best Cover, and Reader’s Choice Award.
Tish has worked as a computer consultant, photographer, and graphic designer, and is a columnist for Gliterary Girl media and has bylines in RT Magazine and Literary Lunes Magazine. She resides in Colorado with her husband and three wonderful children and is represented by Gandolfo, Helin, and Fountain Literary Management.
