Emmy and the Coven of Witches

by Janine Summers

“I can’t let them to hurt anyone.”

  “I won’t allow that to happen either,” Ayden told her.

  “You can’t protect everyone,” Grammie told the handsome young man.

  “I won’t have to. If necessary, I’ll lead them away from the school.”

  “Ayden.” Grammie looked at him with worry. “You can’t face them alone. You’ll be in danger.”

  “Do not fear for me. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself and Emmy.”

  “I’m afraid for my friends, but more so for you, Ayden,” Emmy told him.

  Ayden smiled, touched by her concern. “I’ll do whatever I must to save you from harm.”

  “I appreciate your help.” Emmy needed time to think. She had to figure this out for herself without endangering anyone especially Grammie, Ayden or Sarah. She sighed heavily, as though the weight of the world sat upon her slim shoulders. “I guess you’re right. I’ll finish my school year at home, as long as I can attend my graduation and the dance.”

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Grammie looked to Ayden for help, since he was the only person who could talk sense into her granddaughter.

  “Please. If I can go to graduation, I’ll stay home with you.”

  Grammie hoped this wasn’t a mistake, but after a moment passed, she relented. “I’ll give my consent, as long as nothing happens prior to graduation.”

  “Deal.”

  “Now that we’ve settled this, I will take my leave.” Ayden stood.

  “I’ll see you to the door.” Emmy followed Ayden to the front room.”

  CHAPTER 19

  GRISANDOLE’S WRATH

  “Where is she?” Grisandole and Bertha arrived shortly after the summons came.

  “Mistress.” One hag approached and bowed before Grisandole. “She is gone.”

  “Why didn’t you detain her?”

  “We tried. I believe our identities have been exposed.”

  “So why didn’t you stop her from leaving!” Grisandole’s voice raised an octave as her anger churned.

  “Well, we weren’t certain she was the one we’d been searching for. I thought she might be from the aura she exuded, but still, we had no proof. Then a young man came and together they returned to the school. We lost them in the melee of identically dressed students.”

  “And you think this is a valid excuse for your incompetence?” Grisandole’s anger turned her face blotchy. Her dark eyes bugged out as she stared each woman down. She wanted to make them pay for this affront.

  “Mistress, I apologize if I’ve offended you.” The old woman bowed before Grisandole’s power, fearing her curse.

  “If we were in our own world, I’d take care of you for this insult, but as we are not, I cannot. I need every one of you to help me find the child.” Grisandole could barely contain her anger. The power was within her grasp, and no one would stop her from getting what she wanted.

  “Thank you, Mistress.” Another bow ensued.

  Grisandole stopped and removed her wand. She pointed it at the annoying woman. A spark flew from her wand, causing the hag to yelp. She touched her nose, and felt a large boil growing. It grew larger and larger, until it exploded and oozed yellow slime.

  Grisandole moved away. “Who will recognize this girl if she is found again?”

  The hags huddled together in fear, avoiding the one with the boil on her nose.

  “Mistress, I’m certain I’d recognize the girl.”

  “Excellent. Now tell me about the young man.” Grisandole started back toward town. Her long black dress brushed the ground with each step.

  “He was handsome with dark hair but other than that, he seemed quite mortal.”

  “And the girl?”

  “She also had long dark hair.”

  “Oh no, Kaula, she had short hair.”

  “No, she did not. She was blond.”

  The contradictions angered Grisandole even more. “Are you telling me, you each saw someone different?

  A rumble dashed across the clear sky. The hags cowered in fear of their mistress, for the only storm approaching, was Grisandole’s rage. Every woman standing near their Mistress cowered beneath the tremor of her anger.

  “Mistress, no one came close enough to this girl to have memorized her features,” Kaula lied, refusing to admit failure.

  Grisandole grumbled a few choice words and stomped away, leaving a dark cloud hanging over the hags’ heads. With a glance, the cloud opened and the downpour she created, soaked the women.

  Grisandole’s satisfaction was completed when her sisters cried out. “Next time, they won’t let me down,” she told Bertha, who quietly followed.

  “Yes Mistress,”

  “So how do we find the girl again?”

  “I may have an idea,” Bertha told Grisandole.

  “You?” Grisandole kept up her harried pace. She never took Bertha seriously, even though she’d been with her for many, many years. She was a payment for a debt her mother owed and only when Grisandole felt the debt repaid, would Bertha earn her freedom. Until then, she would continue to serve Grisandole and the Coven of Maesliff.

  “Yes Mistress.”

  Grisandole stopped. Disgust marred her features. “Well, what is it?”

  “School is nearly over for mortal children.”

  “Brilliant deduction.”

  “I’m not finished, Mistress.” She held her temper in check.

  Grisandole sighed impatiently.

  At Grisandole’s silence, Bertha continued. “Kaula gave a fine description of the young man who came to her rescue.”

  “So, what? We are searching for the girl. This boy means nothing to us.”

  “The mortals hold a celebration when the eldest children of the school move on to the next level.”

  “Yes, yes. It is called a graduation.”

  “Well, at this graduation, a dance is held.”

  “And this girl will most likely attend with her Prince Charming.”

  “Exactly.” Bertha’s pride showed.

  “So, we wait until this dance and have Kaula identify this boy. We’ll get the girl the moment they are spotted. Very good, Bertha. You did not waste my time. Well done.” Grisandole continued toward home.

  “Thank you, Mistress. I am happy to have been of some help to you.”

  Grisandole didn’t even bother to answer. She simply made her way back to Dina’s house. She had plans to make, while continuing the search. in case the girl failed to attend this celebration. The sooner she found the Valittu, the quicker they’d set out to find the Crystal Wand.

  CHAPTER 20

  THE BOOK OF MAGIC

  Emmy paced back and forth. She walked around the kitchen and sat down. She stood and paced again.

  Grammie watched her granddaughter and smiled. “You have questions,” she stated

  “Of course, I do.” Emmy sat down, her eyes wide with curiosity. If she knew all the secrets Grammie kept to herself, she might understand more about Grisandole.

  “First, tell me what you’re feeling.”

  “I’m not myself, Grammie. That’s why I left school early and…” She turned away in shame.

  “You had a run in with Grisandole’s hags.

  “Yes.” Emmy’s voice barely rose above a whisper. “I’m sorry, Grammie. I didn’t know what was happening to me. I couldn’t sit still. I thought my skin would jump from my bones and run away from me.”

  “You wanted to come home and talk to me about these emotions.”

  “Yeah. I was scared by what I felt.” Emmy hoped Grammie didn’t think she was being a baby by complaining. It was a great honor to be embraced as a member of a coven, but she didn’t know how to calm the sensations wreaking havoc with her body, mind and soul.

  “I know. I felt the
same way after my initiation into the coven. Your body is changing. The magic you kept buried for thirteen years is burgeoning. It needs release. Soon, your mark will appear and take life’s breath.”

  “Okay, that’s what I mean. You say things that don’t make sense to me. This is one more thing for me to figure out. This all feels like a dream… or a nightmare?”

  “Neither.” Grammie removed her sweater, raised her sleeve, and there nestled on her shoulder, the witches’ mark. “Your mark appears shortly after joining the coven. This is the true witches’ mark.”

  “I don’t have a mark like yours.” Emmy watched the fox stand, walk around and sit down. It watched her with glowing eyes. A shudder ran through her. Will she have some animal moving on her arm?

  “Yes, my guide is a fox.”

  “It’s alive.”

  “Yes, it is. This is my most trusted friend and guardian.”

  “So, I’m going to get a mark like that?”

  “You will receive your own guide and mark.”

  “When will that happen?”

  “I don’t know. Now, I want you to go upstairs and put on your robes from last night. We have some work to do.”

  Emmy did as she was told. She returned a few minutes later dressed in her crimson dress robes, and saw Grammie’s dark robes magically appear.

  “Excellent! Now, come here.”

  Emmy loved the feel of the soft material of her dress, as it fell to the floor. Around her waist a corset style belt was tied in a crisscross design across the front. A sweetheart collar flattered her burgeoning figure, while the sleeves came to a point and tied around her finger with a loop. The crimson slippers completed this witch’s outfit, or so she thought.

  This is for you.” Grammie place a pointed, crimson hat upon her hair. The hat’s point reached for the stars and was covered in crimson brilliance, which shone in the pale light of the kitchen.

  “Grammie, this is awesome.” She ran to the bathroom to see her reflection. “I can’t believe this.”

  “Do you understand that everything I’ve told is true?”

  “I guess I do.”

  “Are you ready to become the witch you were born to be?”

  “Yes, I am.” Pride filled her words. Emmy knew in her heart that this was where she belonged. As a member of the Coven of Orenda, she was ready to take her place among her sisters. She felt ready to do whatever it took to be the best witch she could be. After her encounter with the hags, Emmy sensed what true evil was, and she had to do whatever was necessary to protect herself, and those she loved, like Grammie and her coven.

  She took her grandma’s extended hand. Together they moved to the table where a leather-bound book lay in wait. They sat next to each other before the magical book and waited.

  “What’s that?” Emmy looked at the ancient book. Her hand hovered above it and felt a power emanating from its pages, and wondered why she had such a book, in her possession. Emmy feared opening it and releasing its power.

  “This is the Book of Magic. The witches of old put all their spells, potions, thoughts, and beliefs, into these pages. Every witch is given a book such as this one. You, my dear Emmaria, are charged with safeguarding your book for as long as there is breath inside your body. Do you so swear?” Grammie stared long and hard at the young girl.

  Emmy swallowed hard, but the look on Grammie’s face gave her courage. “I swear.”

  Grammie placed the book in Emmy’s hands.

  The moment the leather touched her hand, a light crawled through each design on the front and back cover. The light eclipsed the moment the cover was opened and the printed words embedded themselves upon the crisp pages, that only moments before were blank.

  “What’s this book used for?” Emmy passed a hand over the pages enjoying the feel of the power contained within. Strange, she didn’t fear this book, instead she wanted to hold it forever

  “You will learn all the secrets held within… secrets given to us by our ancestors.”

  “What kind of secrets?” Emmy flipped through the pages. Pictures of witches stood out on the parchment. Ancient words filled the pages.

  “As you read the book you’ll make your own discoveries.”

  “These look like recipes.”

  “To create potions, a witch needs different ingredients to make the spell she wishes to cast, work.

  “This is happening so fast.”

  “I know it seems that way, but no one is pressuring you. I will teach you to cast and how to prepare different potions and their uses. We study medicinal properties to heal the body and soul.”

  “When do we start?” Emmy smiled at the thought of preparing potions.

  “Now if you’d like.” Grammie didn’t want to push Emmy into anything. “I know the past few days have been traumatic for you, but the sooner you learn to tap into your powers, the sooner you’ll be able to stand up to Grisandole and her hags.

  “Okay, let’s begin.”

  Grammie took the book. “Let me choose a chapter for you to read.”

  “Sure. Can I change my clothes?”

  “If you like.”

  “I’ll be right back.” Emmy ran upstairs and gently removed the dress and hat. She put them lovingly into her closet and put on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. She ran down the stairs excited to begin her lessons. “That’s better. I didn’t want to wreck my outfit,” Emmy told Grammie when she entered the kitchen, and sat down at the table.

  “Have you tried any magic since that one time?”

  “A little. I guess I’m still afraid of doing something wrong.”

  “As a member of the coven, you will need to tap into your powers and make every effort to use them. Remember the more you use them, the more comfortable you’ll become with the powers given to you. In time, you will learn to control them the way we have.”

  “How do I do that?” Excitement rushed through her.

  “It’ll take time, but with my help, you’ll learn control instead of allowing the magic to rule you.”

  “I’m ready to learn, Grammie.”

  Grammie reached out and touched Emmy’s cheek with genuine affection. “I’m happy to know you intend on doing your best for us.”

  “Well, whether I understand everything or not, I trust and believe in you.”

  Grammie’s eyes glistened when Emmy wrapped her arms around her, the way she did as a small child.

  “Now then, let’s try a little magic.”

  Fear and excitement coursed through Emmy at the thought of practicing some new magic. She wondered what else she could do. This was something she never thought she’d have to worry about, but here she was about to use her powers. She wished she could show Sarah what she could do.

  “Now that you’ve had some time to think about your powers, is there anything you’ve tried or would like to try?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ve been a little scared to use my powers.”

  “Why?”

  “In case Grisandole followed the trail and found us.”

  “No. She can only focus on your first burst of uncontrolled magic.”

  “Can I use my powers?”

  “Yes, but only with me and not in front of any mortals.”

  “Okay.” Emmy looked around the room. She didn’t hesitate to figure out what she wanted to try. “I’m thirsty.” She looked at a cupboard and watched the door swing open. A glass floated to the table and gently landed on its surface.

  “Excellent. You’re a natural, Emmy.” The glass never wavered. “Keep going.”

  The refrigerator door opened and a pitcher of water floated to the table, but instead of setting it down, the pitcher was tipped and clear liquid filled the glass. She kept it under control, but from time to time, the pitcher quivered. She balanced the jug and the liquid.

  “Wo
uld you like some, Grammie?”

  “I would, thank you.” She leaned back and watched Emmy with pride. “Concentrate.”

  Another glass floated to the table. Emmy stared hard at it and kept it in the air, while levitating the pitcher. She poured the water into the glass, and the pitcher landed on the table. The glass floated toward Grammie’s extended hand.

  “That was amazing. Are you sure, you haven’t been practicing?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “The magnitude of magic suppressed inside of you is immeasurable. I’m astounded by its intensity.”

  “Is that good?”

  “Yes.”

  “So, when do I get to meet the sisters of our coven.” This was still something she really wanted to do. The other magical people she knew were Grammie and Ayden, and she thought it would be awesome to finally meet others like her.

  “Not until Grisandole has been disposed of.”

  “Can we do that?”

  “I don’t know. She’s been a thorn in the side of many covens, but this time she’s here, for you. She wants you to lead her to the location of the Crystal Wand. That’s all she cares about and she’ll dispose of anyone who gets in her way.”

  “Will I ever meet this Professor?”

  Grammie thought for a moment. “I don’t know.”

  “Can you tell me something about him?”

  “You want to know about the Professor?”

  “Yes. I’ve heard you and Ayden talk about him, but I don’t know who he is or why he’s here.”

  “I’m sure the Professor will meet you, when he’s ready. But for me to tell you who the Professor is well… I can’t. You see the Professor must be experienced, and I hope one day, you’ll have the honor of meeting him.”

  “What do you mean by that? What does he do?”

  “He helps people whose hearts are pure. When he senses danger is stalking someone deserving, he’ll come to whoever is in trouble, and do whatever he can to help them.”

  “So why haven’t I met him.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Grammie…”

  “I’m telling you the truth. I’ve no doubt you’ll meet him before this is over, but I can’t say when or under what circumstances.”