by A. J. Macey
I’ll knock him out, I decided quickly. It wouldn’t cause too much of a scene. It should be easy enough to pull the oxygen from his vicinity long enough, he’d pass out. Forming a circle with my fingers, I focused on pulling the air from near the door. A swirl of wind formed between my hands, growing into a small tornado.
It didn’t take long for my plan to work. My grimace grew when he started to struggle to breathe, but I kept on, promising as soon as his eyes started to droop, and he fell to the ground, I would stop. I wouldn’t kill him, I reminded myself, that’s not who I am. A long moment later, he fell to his hands and knees, his body wobbling before finally giving out. I immediately released my hold, letting the wind rush back to him. Running forward, I bent down, pressing a finger to his neck, thankfully finding a pulse. Taking one more moment to make sure I hadn’t gone too far, I eyed him closely, sighing in relief when I saw the slight rise and fall of his chest.
Holy hellsticks, that could’ve been close. Definitely need to practice more.
“Let’s go, Aris,” Gabriel murmured, ushering me to the door that was now propped open to the darkness of night.
We moved quickly as soon as we were free, Josephina leading the way toward one of the abandoned roads. No one was out. Since shops were closed up for the night, most witches were either sleeping or getting ready for bed. Unfortunately, there were things that hadn’t been around last time we were in Divus—automated holos, rotating in a circle… featuring the guys and me.
My chest tightened when I saw the ‘wanted – dangerous witches on the loose,’ flashing brightly over our faces. They had the holos hovering above the shops and houses, much like the boards back in Aureus.
Nausea rolled through me, panic winding tighter as we moved through the city. Everywhere we went, there were posters plastered on walls, our names and descriptions littering the capital’s streets. As we neared the edge of the sleek center of the city and started weaving through the market district where businesses and their shop owners’ homes lined either side of the cobblestone road, there was a recorded video playing on repeat.
Hells bells and tarot tells. I gasped when I saw my parents on the holoscreens. I knew I shouldn’t listen to what they had to say, but bits of the conversation blared through the streets as we ran by. We didn’t have time to stop and watch them, but the message was clear. They spouted how I was always a problem, no doubt whatsoever I was a bad witch, bent on causing nothing but destruction. I could barely breathe, bile rushing up my throat until I had to stop our jog to heave.
I will never be safe. No matter where my guys and I go, we will be hunted.
“Shh, it’s alright, Aris. We’ll get this fixed,” Lyra cooed, patting my back with her bound hands as I retched.
It took a good few minutes before my stomach settled, and I no longer felt like I was about to throw up my insides. Standing, I gave Lyra a small smile as thanks, but when we started moving again, a hollow bell dinging rang throughout the city, the holos all changing to a sigil of the council.
“Oh, Goddess, they know we’ve escaped,” Gabriel murmured. His eyes widened, but much to our surprise and utter horror, a single line sounded.
“Enforcer security round now in effect. If you spot the wanted witches, do not approach. Alert the enforcers walking the city. This precaution will be completed in the next half hour. Next rotation set for three a.m. Please stay within your homes or shops during this time. Do not interfere with the inspection.”
“What now?” I asked, my words cracking in the midst of my growing panic. There was no way we could get out of the city during the sweep.
“Quickly, in here,” a frantic female called from behind me. Whirling around at the sudden voice, I saw a robust woman leaning out the door to a shop. “Come on before they reach this block.” She waved her hand, signaling us to come inside.
None of us moved right away, suspicious of the offer, but when she said it was only another minute or two until they got to this section, we ran to the awaiting safe haven. We had been lucky with our escape until this, but all I could think at that moment as I crossed over the threshold was, hopefully, it hadn’t just run out.
Only one way to find out.
November 30th
Saturday Right After Midnight
Torryn
My mind was racing with all the ways this could go wrong. It would honestly be ridiculous for them to not guard the portal at this point. Though they had what they really wanted, the thought of Aris down here grated at the last of my patience.
“How is this empty?” Caspian asked, the hand not holding Coral already up and ready, magic flaring on his palm. Pride swelled in my chest, seeing him snap out of his worry and into his protector roll. I was seeing more and more how he was growing comfortable with the others, and into his confidence, both as an individual and as a part of this coven.
“I’m guessing it’s a trap,” I cautioned, setting Ruby and Mr. Stripes down, so I could scan for magic. Walking slowly, I let my magic spread through the room, closing my eyes to block out anything but the feel of magic pushing against my own.
“It’s not magic,” Kye said with a dark laugh. My eyes shot open, and I followed where he was pointing. A small device stood on the side of the door, close to what was in the monument in Aureus, but it was too small for a hand.
“What is it?” I asked, hopeful one of the guys who’d actually mastered the human tech could tell me. Kye and Xan both moved closer, studying it.
“It’s an alarm,” Xan muttered, shaking his head. He pointed to a small wire that blended in with the stone wall, following it behind the portal to where it was plugged into a black box. I could feel waves of power emanating from the box, confirming it was a power source.
“Wow, the council is using hybrid magical tech? That seems out of character,” Caspian ground out. I couldn’t disagree; this seemed out of character for a council that wanted to keep Akasha pure and worshipped the big five powers.
“They’re as slimy as a toad, so I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Drayce said with a false calm; the storm brewing in his mossy green eyes said he was anything but. I was slowly learning the guys’ tells. It was the little things, like being able to read their emotions and moods, that really solidified in my mind that our bonds were really strengthening. We were a coven, yes, but we were so much more. On the run together and with the freedom to not hide what we were, it felt like we were given an opportunity to truly get to know each other.
“Think we can shut it down without setting it off?” Kye asked, back to his usual pacing.
“Not unless we have a way to suck the power out of it. If we overload it, it will likely set it off,” Xan said with a frown.
“Okay, hear me out,” Drayce mused, setting Petunia down next to Ruby and Mr. Stripes. “What if we combined powers, creating a sort of vacuum? Xan could heat the air with Caspian. The steam will help keep the air heavy and the magic easier to expel. Kye and I will create a shadow cyclone, pulling the air and magic away. Torryn, you pack dirt around it to keep it contained in case this goes wrong.” The take-charge attitude was odd for Drayce, but we all listened intently. The more I thought it over, the more I thought his plan held merit.
“It sounds good to me,” I agreed.
“Just keep your magic at the ready in case it doesn’t work,” Drayce said, shaking out his shoulders and holding up his hands.
“Wait.” Collecting Raptor and Hedgie, I put them in the corner with the others and created a quick shield barrier to keep them safe. “Alright, let’s try it.”
The air in the room morphed from stale to electric. Our combined magic was a thing to behold, and I couldn’t help but take a quick second to appreciate the magnitude of the moment. This was us, working as a team, without our conduit holding us together... and we were killing it!
“Let’s do this,” Drayce said to Kye as they faced each other, palms out and magic forming a swirling shadow cyclone between them. Caspian and Xan were next
, Cas slowing the flow of his magic just enough to create steam as the cyclone drew the magic from the device into the air with a sizzle of vibrant green lightning. The steam did its job, keeping the air heavy and the magic from growing volatile.
“Fuck, what do we do with the cyclone?” Drayce asked through gritted teeth, sweat forming on his brow. I packed dirt around the device before mulling it over.
“Don’t shoot it into the wall,” I cautioned.
“If you guys can hold the cyclone steady until the rest of the magic is dispelled, Tor can open a hole up. I’ll fill it with water to contain the magic, then we can cover it up and let the ground disperse it,” Caspian offered with a shrug.
Choosing to trust his judgment, I turned toward the empty corner, and with my magic, the stone and dirt fell away, forming a pile to the side, the hole empty and ready for Caspian.
The less time they hold this cyclone of magic, the better.
The moment the box was drained, I could feel it, the magic no longer pushing against mine. Caspian and Xan relaxed as Cas filled the hole with water and held it steady.
“Now, guys,” I ordered, readying my magic to cover up the cyclone and dispel it into the ground below. They shoved the cyclone into the pit, the water doing as Caspian thought. The green magic danced under the surface before slowly seeping into the dark abyss. Once it was gone, we all relaxed, drawing our magic back in and collapsing.
“Fuck, that nearly killed me,” Kye groaned, his shirt clinging to his muscles as he sprawled out on the stone floor. I dropped the barrier over our familiars, and they rushed forward, offering strength to us. Kye let out a grumble as Raptor flopped herself on top of him—always the sassy one of the bunch.
“We need to move,” Xan said once he caught his breath. “There’s likely to be guards or a failsafe that alerted them.”
We stood and gathered our familiars up, and I made sure we were ready before easing the door open. I held my breath as the door creaked, releasing it when no alarm rang out.
The hall was silent, no sound of guards’ footsteps or even a hint of life. That only made me more uneasy, but I stepped out into the hall, pretending I was confident. We made our way down the hall toward the dungeon. Not wanting to cause alarm, I tested the door before deeming it safe and yanking it open. The noise was like a gunshot as it reverberated along the small stairwell leading down to the row of cells. Without hesitation, I rushed forward, the others on my heels, desperate to see our girl.
The cells in the front were empty, not even a sign of Delilah as we scanned each one. When we got to the final cell, my heart stopped. Inside, Brynn and Sebastian huddled together for warmth, looking as if they could use a good meal. Xan stepped around me, using his fire to try to melt the hinges on the cell door.
“Stop. Leave us in here,” Brynn demanded, her voice shaking and full of unshed tears. “They’ll harm us worse, and I’m not cut out for running.”
“Where’s Aris?” I demanded. Sebastian flinched at my tone and pulled Brynn protectively behind him.
“What the fuck?” Xan’s hands fell away, and he kicked the bars in anger.
“She escaped. That’s why we’re stuck in here,” Brynn explained, her tone soothing, though it didn’t help.
“She’s alone out there?” I demanded, panic rising until Kye reached out and rested a hand on my shoulder.
“No, your parents are with her,” Sebastian supplied quickly. Xan gasped loudly in the otherwise quiet area. Caspian and Drayce stepped to either side of him, lending support.
“My mother?” Xan gasped, his voice shaking with the depth of his worry and hope.
“She’s alive. She was wounded but healing,” Sebastian promised, his face softening as he explained. “Your dad kept it clean and covered.”
“And my parents?” Kye asked in a quiet voice.
“They’re fine, too. They left together only a few hours ago,” Brynn reassured him. “But you need to go. They’ll be back to question us again.”
“And you want to stay for that?” Kye asked, clearly questioning their judgment.
“We do. We have to be here,” she pleaded, keeping whatever secrets she had, clearly not willing to share.
“Okay, then we have to think. Where would they go?” Xan said, his voice still wavering.
“Her summer home is all I can think of,” Kye offered. “I don’t think they’d go the Calisto residence.”
“We don’t know where it is,” I pointed out, running my hand through my hair in frustration. It was longer than I preferred, but a barber hadn’t been a top priority in a while.
“Is this something we should even be discussing in front of them?” Drayce murmured, eyeing the two behind the bars.
“I can help find the Calisto summer home. I just need a Witches Glass,” Brynn whispered. Before we did anything else, I looked to Drayce.
“I can spell them, so they won’t be able to talk about anything that happened here,” I explained. “When this is over, I can dispel it.”
“You sure that’ll work?” Sebastian asked, his voice wavering slightly. “I don’t want to spill any kind of secrets to the council under truth potion… or worse.”
“You’ll be physically incapable of talking about it, and they won’t be able to remove the spell,” I reassured. “I know it’s not the best option, having your freedom of speech restricted, but I swear when this is over, I’ll remove it.”
They glanced at each other, silently communicating before agreeing. At their ascent, Caspian dug out his Witches Glass and passed it over, the device glowing in her hands when it powered on. She typed away and scanned before a holo of a huge manor popped into the air. “It says the Calistos own three properties, one in Divus from the council and two in Ignus. This one is the only one not marked as a full-time occupancy.”
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my own Witches Glass and turned it on quickly. “Location?”
“It’s on Fierah Lake, property ten.”
“Wait for ten minutes, or you’ll catch the late-night patrol sweep,” Sebastian encouraged, pointing at the time displayed on Cas’s tablet before passing it back.
“Noted. Thank you.” I felt bad for letting them stay here. They needed to run while they could, but we couldn’t make them do anything they didn’t want to. Taking a deep breath, I whispered the incantation, locking the memories of what happened here in their minds.
We waited for the longest ten minutes of my life before finally attempting to hurry upstairs. I followed the directions Brynn gave us, taking the least traveled route to a side door. The moment we stepped into the night air, I took a deep breath, letting it soothe my frazzled nerves. It was going to be a long walk to Ignis. Thankfully, we weren’t starting from Aether, which gave us a bit of a head start, but it still would still take most of the day to get there.
With my coven mates at my side, I steeled my shoulders and took off into the dark of the night. We may have been thrown together by chance, but we were now stronger together and more than capable of kicking ass if they came for us. We would find Aris, then shake up Akasha—the old ways were dead, and it was time for one hell of a change.
We’re coming, Aris.
Aris
“Quickly, get in the back room,” the woman ushered, nodding to where a burly man held open a scuffed wooden door. “They won’t be able to see you when they shine the lights through the front.”
We filed in as quickly as possible, my tired body barely able to stay standing as we huddled in the room. The door closed, leaving us in a pitch-black space. Even with the reassurance the guards wouldn’t be able to see us, I couldn’t stop from holding my breath when a bright light filtered through the edges of the door.
I wasn’t sure who it was, but a dainty hand rubbed soft circles on my back as we waited for the security round to complete. After what seemed like another five minutes, the shop owner returned. With the light finally filling the storage room, I realized it was Lyra who had been rubbi
ng circles on my back. The movement had been small, but it was substantial to me. The feeling of a mother’s love and care was something unknown to me. Knowing she was willing to offer such a comforting gesture made my chest squeeze in longing and gratefulness.
“All clear. Come on out and have a seat. Seamus is making up some nice hot tea for the lot of ya. Must be cold with the winter weather coming through,” the woman stated with a wave of her hand. “Come, come, make yourselves at home.”
Hesitantly, we filtered out of the storage room, Josephina immediately flopping into a chair as Edmund took up residence behind her. Lyra pat my shoulder one final time before perching on Gabriel’s lap.
“Miss Calisto, let’s get your wounds cleaned and bandaged before you take a seat,” the man, Seamus, said, placing a kettle on the table with some empty cups. “You’re bleeding all over the place.”
“Uh, I kind of forgot, honestly,” I muttered, glancing down at my hands. Both the escape and the shock of seeing our names plastered all over the city had numbed the ache. While the pain had faded to the background, the mention of the cuts and scrapes brought it raging back.
“That’s quite understandable, dear. I’m Bernadette, by the way. Welcome to Bernadette’s Bakery. This is my husband.” Seamus was tall, so tall that if he were any taller, his head of russet-red hair would brush the ceiling. A pale hand extended, nudging me toward the sink he had turned on.
I focused on something other than Seamus preparing bandages and ointment, trying to distract myself from what I knew I was about to deal with. Glancing around the room, I noticed tables and shelves filled with baked goods—breads, pastries, and other deliciousness—lined the space next to bowls, whisks, and other baking utensils. There were another two doors other than the storage unit, one looking like it went to a hallway, while the other was closed, probably leading to the bathroom.
