“But Ayden, I’ve never even met the members. Why would they risk their lives to protect me?”
“When the time comes, they’ll be there. In the interim, I’ve been appointed your personal protector, and I take this assignment quite seriously.”
“And is that what I am…an assignment?” Emmy wasn’t sure if she was upset by this news, or if she already knew that’s why he was here.
“Albeit a very pleasant one.”
“Gee thanks,” Emmy said, and looked away from him. She stopped walking when she heard his laughter flow over her. “It’s not funny.” The sun cast its rays on the world below and Emmy raised her face to capture its warmth.
“You’re also my friend, and I’m honored to be assigned to you.”
“I’m not sure that sounds any better, but I guess it’ll have to do. I see Sarah coming up the road.”
“Then I will see you at school’s end.”
“Bye Ayden.” Emmy met Sarah at the lights as she did every morning. They walked to school together. She wished she could share her feelings for Ayden with her, but she didn’t want to complicate matters by discussing an invisible guy with Sarah.
CHAPTER 18
THE HAGS
“I understand the initiation has been completed,” the Professor stated rather than inquired.
“Yes. Everything went according to plan.”
“Excellent, but I must warn you, Grisandole saw the moonbeam, as it reached the earth.”
“Does she know our location?” Grammie feared she’d put Emmy in danger. She gave the Professor her reasons for not completing the initiation, but he and Malka were adamant about performing this right, giving Emmy more protection. Marsilia argued on Emmy’s behalf, but gave in and agreed to perform it. As an elder, she had the rank to fulfill the ceremony.
“My guess is no. If she did…” He paused.
“She’d already be here.” Grammie finished his sentence.
“Yes. The exact location has been preserved, but for how long, I do not know.”
“At least this gives us a little more time to mitigate the danger she poses.”
“Unfortunately, there may be less time than we anticipated. Her hags are combing the streets, in a desperate search. They cannot and will not stop until they have found her. Grisandole decreed that whoever finds the Valittu, will be recompensed with riches beyond their imagination”
Grammie was horrified by the Professor’s statement... horrified, but not shocked. She knew the hags and Grisandole would stop at nothing to find Emmy and demand the Crystal Wand. “I can’t allow them to find Emmy. There’s no telling what she’ll do to her.”
“You know how powerful she is. The only person who can stop her is Emmaria, and that strength and power, depends upon her finding the Crystal Wand.”
“You can’t mean to leave the child unprotected.” Grammie’s surprise turned to anger.
“Of course not. Emmaria is very important to the magical world. Ayden will stay on guard. He will watch over her until we discover the identity of the traitor in your coven.”
“Thank you, Professor, but won’t Ayden’s presence give up our location?” Grammie didn’t know if staying in Salem was the best thing for Emmy. There had to be a safer place for them to hide.
“Do not worry, Marsilia. Ayden’s cloaking tactics are superb. The best I have seen. No one, other than Emmy, has seen him and for now, it must remain that way.”
“I sense that before long, Grisandole will discover her identity and our location.” Grammie feared this day since she and Emmy traveled to Salem more than twelve years before. She chided herself for becoming complacent. She’d felt that if no one knew Emmaria’s identity, they’d remain safe. Now that Emmy was about to turn fourteen, and her powers blossomed, there was no way to hide her from the evil that arrived on her doorstep
“I agree, but until such time, you need to work with her and prepare her for what lies ahead. Strengthening her skills is the best way to protect her, and once she is strong enough, she will have the knowledge to defend herself.”
“I’ve begun her training.”
“Perhaps you need to accelerate her progress. Teach her all you can, and hope it will be enough to save her in case she is found out.”
“I’ll teach her all I can, but I’m not certain it’s enough. There isn’t much time.”
“I have the same fear growing in my heart.”
“I guess there’s really nothing more that can be done. I’ll teach her some tactics I’ve learned over the years to help her in case she runs into the hags.”
“Excellent. In that case, I will take my leave and watch over everything. At the next meeting, please try to discover the one who must be found.”
“I’ll do my best, but I fear tipping my hand to whomever we’re searching for. Still, I’ll see what I can discover.” Grammie escorted her guest to the door, and checked the street for anomalies.
“I will be close by should you need my assistance, Marsilia.”
“Thank you, Professor.” Grammie closed the door and returned to the kitchen. She opened the drawer next to the stove and placed her hand inside. She found the envelope and retrieved it. If she read the signs correctly, then she was doing the right thing. She had to protect Emmy in every way possible.
She went to the table and sat down with a heavy thud. The envelope was carefully held in her hand for a moment longer, and then, she removed the parchment nestled within. She reached for the quill and ink she’d place on the table and carefully penned the most important letter of her life. Tears clouded her eyes, as each word she wrote upon the pages brought her toward something they feared.
A short time later, Grammie signed the letter, returned it to the envelope and secured it with wax and her personal seal. Grammie’s thoughts traveled to her youth and the joining of the coven. She’d been told that one day her spirit guide would visit her. Every witch was blessed with her very own guide: Grammie’s was a fox. She fashioned the shape onto her personal stamp, which she used to seal this special envelope.
She had to find a safe place to hide this letter… a place where the Professor would find it, but somewhere Emmy wouldn’t accidentally stumble upon it. She went upstairs and removed her leather-bound book from the center drawer of her dresser, and opened it to the page depicting the induction into the coven by the witches of old.
“Perfect.” She tucked the envelope between the crisp pages of her bible ─ a book given to each witch when their respective marks came to life upon their mortal form. At the tender age of twelve, Marsilia became a full witch and now it would be Emmy’s turn to receive her mark. This was an exciting time in a young witch’s life.
Emmy looked at the clock perched on the wall above the blackboard wishing the hands would move faster. For some reason her senses peaked, her body felt foreign and she was unsettled… skittish. Emmy wasn’t exactly sick, but she wasn’t well either. She couldn’t sit still. She wanted run. She wanted to sleep. She didn’t know what she wanted. There was no explanation for how she felt.
Her skin was alive and ready to jump from her bones to create a life of its own. Were these feelings due to the initiation or did she want to see Ayden? She felt closer to him than Sarah. With Ayden, she could voice her fears, ask him questions about the magic she feared, but came to respect. Ayden was honest with her except on one topic... a topic she desperately sought answers for… Grisandole. This subject seemed to be taboo to her and she resented the secrecy.
She looked at the clock and watched the hand crawl to the next number. Even time mocked her. If school didn’t end soon, she’d jump out of her skin. She had to get up, but the teacher stood in front of the class explaining Shakespeare, one of her favorite topics, but not today. She couldn’t stop thinking about the changes happening to her body, and to her mind. She had to get out of here.
&nb
sp; If only Miss Norris stopped talking and assigned their work, she could sneak away and walk off this strange feeling.
“All right class, I’d like you to tell me what Shakespeare was trying to say in the final act. Everyone may leave.”
Emmy jumped out of her chair and pushed her way through the open door. She ran to her locker and took a moment to draw a deep breath, as she tried to control these peculiar sensations. She felt a hand upon her shoulder.
“What’s up?” Sarah came up behind her.
Emmy jumped back unable to tolerate anyone’s touch. “What? Oh, nothing.”
“You couldn’t sit still in class. I saw you. What’s going on?” Sarah was worried about her friend. “I’ve never seen you act this way before. Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m not myself today. I feel totally off.”
“I’ve got news for you. You’ve been off for the past few days.”
Emmy laughed. “I guess, I have.”
“I don’t suppose you’d want to talk about what’s bugging you.”
“There’s really nothing to tell. I don’t even know what’s wrong.” Emmy opened her locker and removed her books. She put everything inside her backpack.
“Hey, what are you doing? There’s still Math class.”
“I’m going home. Grammie will write me a note.”
“You’re not feeling well?” Sarah worried.
“Not really. Maybe it’s some sort of bug.”
“Well, if you’re up to it, give me a call later and let me know how you’re doing.” She looked skeptical.
“I will. See you tomorrow.”
Emmy left the school and searched for Ayden. She wanted to ask him if these feelings were normal, but he wasn’t there. Of course not. He wouldn’t expect her to leave school this early. She still had another hour or so in class. She started home, but missed Ayden’s company. She’d grown accustomed to his presence, and felt a little lonely by his absence.
Emmy wanted to talk to Grammie about these weird sensations she’d been experiencing, but came to a sudden stop. Her eyes focused on a woman standing further away from her. She sensed this woman’s intensive gaze. The lone woman, age undetermined, stood on the corner, watching her. She wore an ankle length black dress, but the look she wore on her aged face made a shiver run through her. She approached Emmy.
“Hello,” the woman said.
“H…hello.” A strange essence reached Emmy, but her senses weren’t developed enough to discover the meaning of the warning crawling over her skin.
“What’s your name?”
Emmy stared at the old woman, whose pale eyes, dulled by age, stared intently at her, causing a ripple of what? Fear? Perhaps. Something set off a warning deep inside of her. This wasn’t someone she should talk to. This was the type of person, you ran from as quickly as possible, but Emmy didn’t want to draw any undue attention to herself. She tried to curb her fear, and stare this woman down.
“Why?” Emmy tried to pass the woman without being rude. When the woman looked her up and down in a very disturbing way, Emmy thought of running away, but held her ground and tried to find out what this woman wanted.
“Curious. Where are you going?” She stepped in front of Emmy blocking her progress.
“I’m going home,” Emmy said, as she tried to sidestep the woman blocking her escape.
“And where’s home?” She asked innocently.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
The woman stepped in front of Emmy once more and smiled showing crooked, yellow teeth. “I’m sure you can spend some time with me.”
“Really, I can’t. I’m late. Please excuse me.” Emmy didn’t want to be rude, but this woman wouldn’t let her leave. She fairly pushed her way past her and started home.
The woman leaned against the wall and watched her.
Emmy realized she couldn’t go home in case this woman worked for Grisandole and she followed her. She couldn’t take that chance. Calmly, she made her way to the corner and crossed the street. She’d try to find Ayden, but she didn’t know where to look. He was always there when she left her house or school. She looked behind to see if she was being followed. No one was there, but when she turned back, Emmy saw another woman standing at the next corner watching her with the same intensity as the other woman.
Who were they? What did they want? Emmy’s hands trembled slightly at the thought of these women having something to do with Grisandole. Emmy went in the opposite direction.
Up ahead, another grizzled woman in black watched her approach. She stopped and saw four hags, as Grammie called them, walking on a direct path with her. Emmy looked around. Her retreat was blocked. Panic flooded her being.
Out of nowhere, he was there. Ayden stood next to her. She relaxed, and sighed her relief. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“Come with me.” He took her hand and led her down the street hoping he could get her away from these hags before Grisandole appeared.
“Where are you going?” One bold hag stepped forward.
“Ignore her,” Ayden told Emmy as he pulled her away. “We have to get away from here. I’m sure they’ve alerted Grisandole to your presence,” he whispered the words so that the hags couldn’t hear him.
“How will we escape?”
“We’ll go back to town and walk among the mortals. We may be able to lose ourselves in the crowd.”
“I’ll try anything.”
Unfortunately, the Salem’s downtown core wasn’t as busy as Ayden hoped. He kept walking the length heading back toward the school. From a distance, he heard the school bell ring.
“Come on.” He led her back to school. When the uniformed students filed out, Ayden made himself invisible to all, but Emmy.
“No one can see me. Try to blend in with your school mates.”
Emmy did as she was told and walked with a group of girls from her class including Sarah.
“What are you doing here?”
“I felt better, so I thought I’d hang around and walk home with you.” She laughed nervously. “I just needed some fresh air.”
Skeptically, Sarah accepted the lie and they walked with the other kids and made their way home.
Emmy left her at the corner and Ayden was at her side. No hags were around and once they were certain that no one followed them, Ayden escorted her home. This time, he went inside with Emmy, to speak with Grammie.
“Come on,” she said to Ayden who stood in the doorway checking one more time to make sure they’d lost the hags. “Grammie!” Emmy called out. “She’s probably in the kitchen.
“What’s wrong?” Grammie ran into the room… senses strong.
“They know who she is,” Ayden informed Marsilia.
“No. It’s too soon.”
“I know.”
“What happened?” Grammie led them into the kitchen. She poured three glasses of milk and set out a plate of sugar cookies she’d made that morning.
Emmy related the events of her earlier encounter and the hags who stalked her. She spoke of the fear she’d felt, and Ayden’s sudden appearance.
“How many hags were there?”
“Four.”
“So Grisandole hasn’t seen you?” Grammie worried.
“No, only the hags were there,” Ayden supplied. “I got her out of there before Grisandole’s arrival.
“They must have sensed the change in you, Emmy. Until you receive the mark, you emanate an aura a witch can detect.”
“You should have told me.”
“I know, Emmy. This is my fault.”
“It’s okay, Grammie. I’m fine and no one knows where I live.”
“That’s something. Ayden, did anyone recognize you?”
“I don’t think so. But I cannot be certain.”
“We need to b
e more vigilant.”
“One consolation is that I got Emmy out of there just in time.”
“Thank you. You’re a great help to me.
“There’s no need to thank me. I’m honored to have been chosen to help you.” Ayden stood. “Perhaps, Emmy should refrain from attending school.”
“No way. There’s only three weeks left before exams and graduation.”
“I know Emmy, but this is far more important. Maybe Sarah can bring you your homework.”
“What about my classes?”
“I’ll speak with your teacher. I’m sure I can convince her to help us.”
“I want to finish school and graduate with my friends.”
Grammie was saddened by the turn of events and it showed in her demeanor and her words. “Emmy, you need to realize how dangerous Grisandole and her hags are. If you return to school, which they’ll be watching, you’ll not only endanger yourself and our future, but your friends.”
“What do you mean?” Emmy didn’t know what to believe. Being a witch with magical powers was tough enough, not to mention learning about Grisandole and her hags, but now her decisions will not only affect her but her friends as well.
“They’ll kill anyone who stands in their way,” Ayden stated. This wasn’t the time to mince words.
“I don’t understand,” Emmy said but listened.
“The hags know what you look like. They sensed your identity, and they will continue to search the school for you. That’s why I put you amidst all your classmates. I had hoped it would help to distract them.”
“How can that work?”
“My plan was to confuse the issue. When rendering your description, one may say you were tall, another might say you had blond hair, but another hag may say dark hair and eyes. I had hoped that by placing you among all those girls, who wore the same uniform, it may help to baffle their perception of what you really looked like.”
“Why am I not convinced?”
“If they see you up close, they will without a doubt recognize you, but at least this way, I bought you some extra time.”
Emmy and the Coven of Witches Page 9
