Bad Habits: Twisted Book 6

by Ho, Jo

“Life isn’t always fair though, is it?” Daniel snapped back, not giving an inch at all.

  “Please, Daniel. Let me know what happened. I can’t help unless you tell me what’s wrong,” Marley pleaded.

  Suddenly, Daniel glitched away only to appear right in front of her.

  “I’ll do better than to tell you,” he said, brown eyes hard with contempt. Lifting his arms, he grabbed Marley on each side of her head. She felt an intense pressure where his fingers pressed.

  And then everything changed.

  Chapter 15

  MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY, 1693

  The dark, dank cell reeked of human waste while despair clung to the air like a blanket.

  Rainwater dripped in from a hole in the rotten roof which no one had bothered to take care of. It was much the same for the rest of the building. Straw was strewn carelessly across the dirt floor, its thin yellow strands the only barrier from the bitter cold of the ground where The Four huddled together now to stay warm.

  After the mob had taken them, after they had beaten them with sticks, they had been tossed into this cell without any food, water, or explanation where they had been now for two days.

  And they weren’t the only ones.

  There were a dozen or so other cells in the room, each containing several people: a few were men, but the majority were women. Mary had studied the faces of all the prisoners but other than their expressions of utter despair, there were no similarities between any of them that she could find. Their ages ranged from seventy to… twelve. Since their arrival, a young girl had been curled into a ball in the next cell, sobbing, not speaking a word. Even now, Tabitha tried to connect with her. She knelt on the other side of the bars, speaking quietly to the girl, but it seemed as if nothing was getting through to her. More than anything, Tabitha wished she could read her mind and know what was ailing her.

  “We have all tried to comfort her, but I fear something inside her mind might be broken,” came a voice beside them. It was one of the men. A thick gray beard covered much of his face but could not hide his brilliant blue eyes. He was barefoot, his breeches caked with dirt. When he moved he grimaced as if it pained him.

  Catherine’s eyes slid over from the girl to meet him. “What happened to her?” she asked quietly.

  Sadness came over him. “After being tortured by her father for so long, she and her mother had tried to leave, but he found them, forced them back home with him. Then, to punish them, he claimed they were witches.”

  He paused a moment, as the memory of what happened next filled his mind, sending a fresh wave of sympathy over him. “Her mother was tried yesterday. The girl had to watch as they tied heavy rocks around her mother’s ankles then threw her into a lake. If she drowned, then they knew that she was innocent of the charges, but if she floated, then that would be a clear indication of her guilt.”

  Esther’s eyes flashed with fury. “That is ridiculous! There isn’t a way to survive a trial such as that — sink or float, you would lose either way.”

  “Her mother, what happened after they did that to her?” Mary asked, worry twisting her stomach into knots as she steeled herself for his answer.

  “She drowned. And her daughter had to watch it all.”

  Tabitha gasped as her eyes turned bright with tears.

  “She hasn’t spoken a word since,” the man said, finishing his tale.

  “But why is she still in here?” Esther demanded, forcing herself to stay calm even though she wanted to tear through the place with her magic.

  “She is to be tried in the same manner in the morning,” came another voice from across the room.

  The girl shuddered and began to sob more earnestly. Unwilling to let her suffer a moment longer, Tabitha reached through the bars of the cell laying her hand gently on the girl’s shoulder. Muttering under her breath, she summoned her magic, feeling it flow through her fingers and pass into the girl. Within seconds her sobbing abated. Closing her eyes, she fell into an instant deep sleep.

  Pacing the small cell, Esther looked across at the other prisoners. “That’s why you’re in here? You’re all waiting to be tried?”

  Their nods confirmed her worst fears.

  Any who were thrown into these cells were awaiting a death sentence.

  The Four gathered together as one, outrage causing their faces to pale. Mary’s hands were like claws gripped by her sides. “How can this council do this? It’s madness, cruel and absolute madness!”

  “We must put a stop to this,” Esther urged, pacing back and forth, her long skirt swishing as she moved. “I of all people know what it is liked to be condemned to a lifetime of misery based on my appearance alone.”

  Esther was referring to the color of her dark skin. She was one of a handful of dark-skinned people who could freely walk amongst the land, who wasn’t a slave, though that was more due to their nomadic lifestyle which kept them free from the usual bonds that kept others bound.

  “Agreed,” Mary replied, her mouth grim. “We need to gain an audience with this so-called Council if we’re to put a stop to these barbaric acts.”

  Hearing their conversation, the bearded man spoke up. “How will you do that? They never come into these cells and you won’t be able to break out. We have all tried and failed.”

  Catherine peered at him through the dim light. “But you are not us.”

  Snapping her fingers, the gas lights dotting the room suddenly blazed to life, lighting the room.

  “And we will not stand idly by any longer,” Mary finished firmly.

  Chapter 16

  Tyler dug down into the box, pulling out the final bottle of detergent.

  She wasn’t sure how she had done it, but the shelves surrounding her were almost done. After William had left, she’d gotten a second wind — that, or the copious amounts of her potion she had drunk earlier had finally kicked in — and she’d become like a small hurricane, whirling through the aisles, unpacking the boxes and loading the shelves without any pauses until her heart raced and sweat dripped down between her shoulder blades.

  Feeling a huge sense of achievement, she smiled to herself as a buzz sounded in her skirt. It was a message from Ally. A growing horror came over her when she realized that she had forgotten to call her sister that morning, and in fact, hadn’t contacted her at all today.

  The message was short and to the point which only made Tyler feel worse about herself:

  Where are you? I’m getting worried. Please call me! Bug xoxoxoxo

  Sneaking a quick look around, she saw a few of her co-workers across the way, but no one within earshot, hopefully, not if she spoke quietly. Dialing Ally’s number, Tyler put her back to her co-workers, ducking her head so they couldn’t see what she was doing: making calls from the shop floor was one thing they had been warned from doing.

  The call barely rang before it was answered by Ally’s breathless voice.

  “Tyler! I was so worried!”

  There was actual fear in Ally’s voice, the kind of utter panic that normally would not be caused by a missed phone call by a regular person, but for the two of them, who had lost their parents and only had each other… A terrible weight fell on her shoulders as she heard Ally’s worry. “I’m sorry, Bug. Things just got on top of me, are you OK? You sound breathless?”

  Tyler lowered her voice into a whisper, hoping no one would hear her.

  “That’s because I heard the phone from the bathroom and ran all the way back to make sure I didn’t miss you.” She paused a moment before continuing. “Why do you sound so weird?”

  Tyler’s eyes slid around the room. “I’m at work and we’re not allowed to take calls on the shop floor.”

  “Oooh. I’m sorry. I’ll go then!” Ally immediately apologized.

  “OK. We’ll see each other tomorrow, make sure you get enough rest for the big B-Day celebrations!”

  “I can’t wait! It’s going to be awesome!” Ally replied. Tyler could almost hear her bouncing up and down on
the carpet back at Cheryl’s house.

  “See you then,” Tyler whispered, hanging up just as William appeared by her co-workers, making his hourly rounds. She slipped her phone back into her pocket, turning back to the empty boxes ready to flatten them. Giving the shelves a final once over, Tyler suddenly froze. She blinked, unable to believe her eyes.

  The shelves were wrong.

  She’d stacked the liquid detergent in the aisle labeled 'N’, and the powders in ‘M’. A cold sheen of sweat burst out on her brow. She’d heard William’s instructions very clearly, could, in fact, picture him right now in her head, telling her how the shelves were to be filled.

  But somehow, in her heightened work state, she’d done it completely wrong.

  William said something to the co-workers that had them all awkwardly laughing then his eyes looked over their heads at her, and she knew without a moment’s doubt that he would be heading her way next.

  His earlier warning sounded like klaxons in her head. He would not let her have tomorrow off if she didn’t get this fixed! There was no way that she would miss Ally’s birthday, yet she couldn’t risk her job either.

  Digging her nails into her hands, Tyler did the only thing she could. Focusing on the shelves, she began to channel her magic. She had no idea if what she was about to attempt would even work, but she had to try. A strange noise sounded in her head as pressure built up inside. Turning to one of the shelves, she began to mentally picture the products as she wanted them: liquids on the left, powders on the right. In her mind’s eye, she saw the molecules of the products changing, morphing into what she wanted.

  As the pressure of the magic built up, she felt herself become detached. All sound from the shop floor receded until there was just the rushing, pulsating sound of the magic.

  Holding up her hand, she made a gesture as if she were wiping from left to right. As her hand went past the products on the shelves, they morphed into what they were supposed to be.

  Tyler felt a jolt of electricity from the shock of seeing it work, but there was no time to celebrate. William was fast approaching, and she needed to finish. Pushing herself to continue even as an all encompassing weariness started in on her, Tyler reached the last shelf just as William appeared by her side.

  He stared at her work, wide-eyed and silent. Taking in the sight. Finally, he turned to her. “Well, this is very good work, Tyler. I didn’t expect you to get this all done.”

  She tilted her head up at him, frowning. “If you didn’t think I could do it, then why did you say it had to be done in time?”

  William looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights, but he quickly recovered. “I only meant that you — new to the store — might have some difficulty. Of course, any of the others could have finished this too, and probably much sooner.”

  Tyler knew he was lying, she could recognize the bluster, but she didn’t really care. She was exhausted and all she could think about was getting enough rest so that she’d be sufficiently energetic for Ally’s birthday.

  “Well, I’ll be off now. Good luck on the opening of this section tomorrow,” Tyler said. Without waiting for a reply, she hurried away leaving William to frown at her retreating back.

  Chapter 17

  It had taken some doing, but Eve had finally managed to persuade Si to leave her alone for a few minutes.

  She stood outside Juju, the magic store, pretending to stare at the glamorized “coin display” as she surreptitiously watched Si cross the street to the Starbucks opposite. He’d only agreed to leave her when she said that it was Tyler’s birthday tomorrow and she needed to grab her a present. Si had seemed surprised that Tyler would like antique coins while Eve had been surprised that Si had thought about Tyler at all.

  At least, he was gone now for the moment. Just long enough for her to do what she needed to.

  Pushing open the door, she went inside, and just as in the first time they had come here, she marveled at the change in the place once the door was closed to the public. Where once the coins were, they now reverted to their real appearance. Magic items of all kinds were on sale to any buyer.

  Moving towards the front counter, Eve saw the store’s exotic owner, Helena, frowning into her laptop. Hearing Eve’s approach, she glanced up. Seeing who it was, however, she pulled a face.

  “Oh. It’s you,” she said without any hint of welcome.

  If Eve was taken aback by the greeting, she tried not to show it. She needed the woman’s help after all.

  “I’m sorry if we came across as ungrateful last time,” she began by way of an apology.

  “You didn’t come across as ungrateful, you were ungrateful,” Helena said, arching a perfectly plucked brow at her. For the second time since meeting her, Eve was taken aback by her directness.

  “We’ve had a lot to deal with lately,” Eve replied. “It’s not an excuse, but an explanation. It’s not easy to suddenly learn that you can do magic.”

  “I wouldn’t know about that. I’ve known what I can do since I was a little girl,” Helena said, not quite bending just yet.

  “Did you come into it by accident?” Eve asked, partly from genuine curiosity, and partly as she wanted to warm the other woman up.

  “No. My mother was a witch, and my grandmother too. I grew up studying the craft; magic has been a part of me since I knew how to speak.”

  Eve felt such a flash of resentment that shocked her. She wished someone had taught her all she needed to know about her powers. Life wouldn’t be quite as frightening, without that prevailing sense of unease she could always feel hanging over her now. As if she had read her mind, Helena shot her a look.

  “Simple magic such as elemental spells, truth and location spells can be taught to some if they have the innate ability but others, like you and your friends, come into your power all on your own. The most powerful of witches don’t require spells that use ingredients or words, they can just do things using only the power of their mind.”

  Helena snapped her laptop closed, drumming her painted blue nails on the glass counter in irritation as Eve’s eyes grew round, realizing what she was saying.

  “You mean us? The Four of us are more powerful than you?”

  The question slipped out without any thought. Helena’s face turned hard, her lips pursed into a thin white line.

  “Is there a reason for your visit today, or did you just want to rub my face in it?”

  Embarrassed, Eve got quickly down to business before Helena threw her out again. Opening her bag, she took out the yellow dress. Even though she had seen it several times over the last few days, the sight of it still caused terror to strike. Flashes of her time wearing it, of the attack… and the subsequent event made the blood drain from her face.

  None of which Helena seemed to pick up on.

  She stared down at the dress as her face ran a gamut of emotions: confused, irritated, and dismissive all in one.

  “Why are you showing me that?”

  “I wanted to know if there was a spell or test you could do on it,” Eve answered slowly.

  “A test for what, exactly?” There was that arched brow again. Apparently, it was Helena’s default expression.

  Eve felt her mouth turn dry as her throat closed up. There was an uncomfortable scratch at the back of it that she wished she could get rid of even though she knew it was all in her mind. Her nerves were shot. Adrenaline spiked through her body so that she felt everything tenfold, but she couldn’t stop now. She had come this far already, there was no turning back.

  “To see why it’s haunting me.”

  Helena’s expression finally changed as her eyes grew dark with interest. She stared down at the dress as if she would be able to answer Eve’s question just by looking at it. Slowly, her gaze raised back up to Eve.

  “And what would make you think such a thing?”

  “Because no matter what I do to it, no matter how many times I throw it away or burn it, it keeps coming back,” Eve admitted. A wave of
relief washed over her as she was finally able to tell the truth, to voice the words that she hadn’t been able to say to anyone until now. Having been in this voiceless position before, she hadn’t realized just how much pressure she had been under. Somehow, the very act of speaking the truth out loud now released some of the terrible stress she had been keeping in.

  Helena’s lips pursed as she ran her fingers through her hair absently. “You can’t be haunted by an object, only spirits. If only you can see it than someone must be doing that to you, but since I can also see it, it seems more likely that this dress has been cursed so that it will keep returning to you. The question is why? What does this dress mean to you?”

  Eve fought to keep her face stoic. Helena didn’t need to know the details after all even if Eve could tell her. “That’s not important. I just needed to know that I wasn’t imagining things or going crazy.”

  “Well, no you’re not. But this isn’t the kind of magic that regular magic users can do. Something like this requires advanced knowledge and a lot of magical power.”

  A lightning bolt flashed through her mind.

  “The kind of power that could be granted by destroying powerful magic objects?” she asked.

  “Yes, of course,” Helena replied. “Magical objects often act as conduits or they can be used as batteries essentially. The user can drain the object of its magic and channel it into their own spell or some such thing.”

  As soon as the dress had reappeared in her life, all the fear she had buried away had risen to the surface. Thrown into a pool of terror, she had jumped to the natural conclusion that although impossible, somehow he was back. And if he wasn’t then even worse than that, it meant someone out there knew what they had done — what Si had done.

  But with Helena’s answer, everything had changed.

  Eve had to stop herself from physically gasping, not wanting to give too much away to the woman. Of course! It wasn’t who or what she had been scared of all at.