by Tish Thawer
“Have a great night, Mia. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Trin waved to the receptionist and pushed out the door.
The setting sun cast the perfect hue against the evening sky. Dusk was Trin’s favorite time of day, except for lately when it meant she’d have to face her “sister.” Trin climbed into her car and took a moment to reinforce her mental blocks before turning the key. She had to stay strong so that Caris, Jason, and Kennedy could move forward with their plan tonight.
She’d devised multiple scenarios as to how she could join them tonight for their trip to the woods, but in the end, she knew it wasn’t possible since she was meant to serve as the distraction.
Kennedy had expressed concern that Kit might be able to sense someone nearing her power source, so Jason had suggested a sister’s night out, hoping dinner and a movie would keep Kit occupied for at least a few hours during their search.
Trin reached for her cell phone and typed out a message.
Trin: All done. See you at Milano’s in a few.
Kit: Sounds great. I’ll be there.
Trin took every side street she could, creeping at a snail’s pace while heading towards the restaurant. Kit had suggested the pizza place closer to the spa, but since she needed to waste all the time she could, Trin opted for Italian food, knowing it would take at least an hour to get through dinner.
“Hey,” Trin greeted Kit as she slid into the booth.
“Hi. How was your day?” Kit asked with a smile on her face.
“It was good. Busy.”
The waitress arrived with their menus within a split second of Trin taking a seat. Dammit, slow down, Trin thought. Why the one time she needed to waste time, everyone was the picture of proficiency?
“Thanks,” Kit offered, placing her order without even looking at the menu. “I’ll have the chicken parmesan with a Caesar salad, dressing on the side, please.”
Kit looked up and smiled, causing Trin to have a severe deer-in-the-headlights moment.
“Um...actually, can I have a few minutes?” Trin asked the waitress.
“Of course. Can I get you both started with something to drink?”
“I’ll have a water,” Kit answered.
Trin swallowed hard. “I’ll take a glass of your pinot noir, please.”
“Pinot noir? That’s not your usual poison,” Kit teased.
“Yeah, I think I’m going to try some new things tonight.” Trin forced a smile that she was sure didn’t reach her eyes. Hearing Kit throw around words like ‘poison’ had a different effect on her now, making it clear that this was going to be more difficult than Trin thought.
Trin buried her head in the menu, trying to think of something to eat that wasn’t her usual fare, but would still be good and hopefully take a long time to prepare. She ordered as soon as the waitress returned with their drinks. “I’ll start with an order of risotto, then have the pork lasagna and a side salad. Oil and vinegar on the side please.” Trin handed back the menu and looked up to find Kit staring at her with opened-mouth suspicion.
“What?”
Kit shook her head, “I’ve never seen you order that much food. Are you feeling okay?”
Trin faked a laugh. “I told you I wanted to try new things, and after the busy schedule I’ve had lately, I’m running low on energy.” Trin patted her stomach. “Bring on some good food.”
Kit cocked a brow. “And about ten extra pounds.”
“Well, it’s not like I’m seeing anyone, so that shouldn’t matter.” Trin couldn’t help herself. She knew her snide comment would bring Jason’s name into the mix, but maybe if they talked about her lost chance at love, that would help prove to Kit that she’d truly cast him aside.
“Just because you’ve been deceived by a local Wiccan hottie, doesn’t mean you won’t find someone else,” Kit snapped.
Trin’s nostrils flared as she clenched her jaw. She took a deep breath and reinforced her mental blocks. “You’re right, I guess, and honestly, I’m not looking to start a relationship with anyone right now. I’m not ready. Besides, it’s not like I want kids anytime soon.” Trin shrugged and prayed her lie was convincing.
Kit’s head jerked to the crying baby across the restaurant and Trin witnessed something she’d never seen before. Pure anger radiated from Kit’s entire body. If Trin opened her third eye right now, she had no doubt she’d see a bright red haze surrounding their table.
“Kit. What’s wrong?” Trin asked, nervous to know the real answer.
“Nothing.” Kit shook her head, visibly forcing herself to relax. “I just don’t understand why parents bring infant children to public places. It’s like they have no respect for others.”
Trin frowned and took a sip of her wine, trying to process the odd comment. Thinking back, though, she couldn’t remember a time in this life or the past where Kit had shown any interest in children. Weird.
Trin spent the rest of the meal trying to lighten the mood and searched for anything that would keep Kit engaged. Wiping the corners of her mouth she leaned back in the booth and checked her watch. “So, what movie do you want to see?”
“Are you still able to move with all that food in you?” Kit joked.
Stuffed to the gills, Trin stretched, miserable inside but convincing none the less. “You betcha.”
Kit chuckled and slid out of her seat. “Maybe we should go dancing instead. Burn some of this off.”
“Nope. I’ll exercise tomorrow. Tonight, we’re relaxing.” Trin waddled all the way to her car.
“Do you want to drive separate or just ride with me?” Kit asked.
Knowing she’d need to check in with the Hardys, Trin quickly opted for the first. “I’ll drive. I don’t want to have to come back for my car later.”
“Okay. Meet you there.”
Kit was the first to leave the parking lot, giving Trin a moment to send a message.
Trin: Leaving the restaurant. Heading to the movie. You’ve got 2 hours.
Jason: Thanks. About to cast spell. Be careful.
Trin: You too.
Trin erased the messages and put her car in drive, making a beeline for the theatre. They’d be watching some Jane Austen-ish romance Kit had suggested which was fine by her, since the play time was one hour and fifty-eight minutes.
Pulling into a parking space at the far end of the lot, Trin searched for Kit’s car, which was nowhere to be seen.
Recalling Jason’s last words, Trin cussed. “Oh shit!”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Do we have everything?” Jason asked.
“Yep. All the hiking stuff is loaded, and Caris already climbed into the back seat with her basket.” Kennedy winked.
“Okay. Let’s do this.” Jason jumped into the driver’s seat of Caris’s Jeep. He’d bookmarked the location of where he’d been left on his GPS and was anxious to reach the spot as soon as possible.
Trin was going to be keeping Kit busy tonight with a dinner and a movie, which meant they’d only have around four hours, including travel time.
“Do you have the tooth?” Jason asked.
“Yes. I have everything we need,” Caris reassured.
In Jason’s mind, it was no coincidence tonight was the new moon. The timing of everything seemed to be on their side, which left him excited and confident about their plan.
“Let’s cast a cloaking spell from inside the Jeep when we get close. That way, we can block our presence from the get go,” Jason suggested.
“Good idea. Just let me know when to start,” Caris replied.
They drove in silence for forty minutes until Jason gave the signal.
Kennedy turned around at Caris’s instruction and watched as her sister sprinkled angelica root into the palm of her hand. Reaching for hers, Caris began to chant once their fingers were entwined. “Goddess dark, like the moon, we ask you shield us from evil’s view. Boost our strength and hide our link, as we search for the source we seek. So mote it be.”
“So mote
it be,” Kennedy and Jason intoned.
A silver energy burst from the girls’ hands, settling over the entire Jeep like a protective, transparent bubble.
“Great job, Car.” Kennedy smiled and turned around just as they rolled to a stop.
“We’re here,” Jason announced.
With the Jeep safely off the road, they all climbed out and retrieved their gear. “I figure a straight cut through here would be our best bet to start. Then, once we reach this clearing we’ll cast the spell.” Jason folded his map and took the basket from Caris who fell in line between him and Kennedy.
They hiked in silence and on full alert. After thirty-five minutes, night had fallen. They paused for a drink and to retrieve their flashlights at Caris’s suggestion. She thought it best if they didn’t use magic until absolutely necessary. So, after checking the compass, Jason led on, following the small beam of light.
The hike was easy, the terrain mostly flat and compact, but the lack of light was definitely becoming a hindrance.
“Car, do you think we could do something to boost the flashlights’ output? That way we’re not casting a spell for light, but simply enhancing the mechanism?” Kennedy asked.
“Sure. We can try.”
Jason sat the basket on the ground and took a seat on a fallen tree trunk while the girls worked.
“Here, take this.” Caris handed Jason the end of a red rope. “Wrap it around your flashlight then your wrist.”
Jason stood and did as he was told, then waited as Caris took the middle of the rope and repeated the process herself, then had Kennedy do the same with the end. With their hands bound in a tight circle, the light cast from their flashlights shot straight up into the night sky.
“Charge this light, brightest bright, concealed within our space this night. Never to be seen but by us three, as I will it so mote it be.”
Kennedy laughed out loud when they were suddenly bathed in a bright white light that filled up their protective bubble. It looked like they were encased in a miniature version of the sun.
“Damn, Caris. I didn’t realize you were getting so good,” Jason boasted.
“I think working with Trin and Kennedy has definitely boosted my powers. They’re not fully restored, but we’re definitely on the right path.”
“Well, I hope that’s not the only path we’re on that’s right. We need to hurry this along if we’re going to get out of here before Trin’s ruse is up,” Kennedy piped in.
“You’re right. Let’s get going.” Jason untied them all from the rope, stuffing it in his pocket, then took off again at a clipped pace.
In just under an hour later, they’d reached the clearing.
“The hills begin to rise from here, so I think the chance of us finding a cave in the area is pretty high,” Jason expressed, placing the basket in the center of the small meadow. He and Kennedy patrolled the boundary while Caris set up her tools. About halfway through his scan of the woods, his phone buzzed. It was Trin.
Trin: Leaving the restaurant. Heading to the movie. You’ve got 2 hours.
Jason quickly typed out his reply.
Jason: Thanks. About to cast spell. Be careful.
Trin: You too.
“Okay, come on,” Caris announced minutes later, her timing spot on.
Gathering around the makeshift altar, Caris handed each of them a candle to hold, then cast her circle using the salt she’d packed. “I cast this circle, once around, all within magic bound. Earth and dust, salt and sea, protected now, by one by three.”
Caris nodded at Kennedy, who flicked a finger and set their candles alight then chanted, “Fire strong, fire bright, guide our passion on this night. Reveal what’s hidden that we seek, evil’s lair, curses keep.”
They each smiled as the flame on all three candles elongated and pulled in one common direction.
Caris moved to the altar and placed the lemongrass and sulfur in her pestle and mortar, then gently retrieved the black box that contained the demon’s tooth.
Sliding off the lid, Caris carefully pulled back the black satin cloth and used its corner to grab and toss the shard into the mix.
The sulfur bubbled around the tooth, dampening its vibration. Taking a deep breath, Caris opened her mind and inhaled the smoke.
Transported instantly, Caris flew through the night sky, joined by Kennedy and Jason’s astral bodies on the hunt. Jason’s thoughts pricked her mind as he plotted the land that passed below. Kennedy used her mental clarity to search the woods for any sentient presence, while Caris opened her heart in an effort to sense any magic in the air.
Hills rolled and grew in size, merging with rocky buttes and small creeks. Waterfalls ran nearby as they continued to soar deep within an untouched part of the forest. Jason finally pointed to what looked like a small crack within the rock face. As they touched down, Kennedy put up a hand, stilling their movements. She used her mental link to share her thoughts. “There is definitely something evil residing within this cave.”
“I agree. I can see a red aura radiating from within,” Caris added.
“This is it. I’ve marked the location. Now, let’s get back to our bodies and return for real,” Jason stated.
With the speed of the Goddess they were all hurtled back into their physical bodies, aware and ready to face what was coming next.
Caris closed the circle, carefully depositing the demon’s tooth back into the box and placing it in her pocket. Jason quickly gathered their flashlights and checked his map, preparing to retrace the trek back towards the cave.
Kennedy grabbed her service pistol from her bag, and shrugged when Caris cast her a skeptical glance. “What? We have no idea what’s going to be in there. Besides, it makes me feel better.”
Jason laughed and could obviously relate. He too had brought his gun and winked at Caris as he withdrew it from his back holster. “It should only take about twenty-five minutes to get there on foot, so we should have plenty of time to search the cave and destroy his power at its source.”
Kennedy and Caris nodded and fell in step. An anxious excitement could be felt in the air, and with any luck, this curse would be over in a few minutes and their powers fully restored.
Jason brought them to a halt outside the mouth of the cave. He crouched down in the bushes next to the opening and whispered to the girls. “Caris, do we just go in, or should we cast a spell from here?”
“We already have our protection in place, so let’s go in and have a look around. Kennedy, be on the lookout for an old talisman, something that’s tying him to this place.”
Kennedy and Jason both nodded and gripped their guns a little tighter as they all crept forward.
Suddenly, a massive blast of air threw them backwards onto the ground. A loud screech resonated from inside the cave followed by a thick black fog that billowed from the opening.
Caris screamed and Kennedy gasped as they all squirmed to get away from the demon’s face that had taken shape within the fog.
“He’s in there, Jason. We have to get out of here.” Caris grabbed her pocket, trying like hell to keep the box from ripping its way out of her jeans.
Jason gathered the girls and ran back the way they came as an eerie laughter echoed off the hills.
Chapter Thirty
“Trin. What the hell happened?” Jason’s message confirmed her fears.
Trin had arrived home to an empty house and thought the worse. At least hearing Jason’s voice meant he was okay. She quickly dialed his number.
“Jason. Is everyone okay? Did she hurt you?”
All Trin wanted to do was race straight to the Hardy’s and wrap herself in Jason’s arms, but that was still not an option. They had to maintain the distance they’d been keeping, in case this ruse was something that needed to continue.
“Trin. We’re all fine, but Kit was there. She cast a banishment from inside the cave that knocked us all on our assess.”
“I don’t understand how she could have gotten th
ere that fast. She was literally out of my sight for no more than five minutes while we drove to the theatre.”
“Well, you of all people should know how powerful magic can be. I’m sure she just teleported into the cave when she sensed someone was near.”
“That or she has it booby-trapped,” Kennedy called out.
“At least you found it. When do you think we can all go back together and end this?” Trin asked.
“Caris isn’t sure. She thinks we missed an opportunity tonight by not having you with us on the new moon. She’s going to do some scrying and try to pinpoint the best time for us to try again.”
“Okay, but what the hell am I supposed to do until then? Kit probably knows I was involved.”
“Involved with what?” Kit’s voice sounded from behind her.
“Hey!” Trin spun around, wide-eyed and petrified. She debated hanging up, but knowing Jason was still listening on the other end of their call gave her a small measure of comfort.
“Sorry I had to bail. I got a call from Harold who demanded I meet him immediately to discuss tomorrow night’s celebration, which from the sound of it, you already know about. Are you in on this damn party, too?” Kit smiled as she set her purse on the table.
An excruciating laugh tore from Trin’s throat. “Dang it! It was supposed to be a surprise.”
“Well, you guys blew it, then, because the second Harold said he was in town, I knew something was up. He hates traveling this far North.” Kit laughed and waved goodnight as she climbed the stairs.
Trin waiting for Kit’s bedroom door to close then whispered, “Did you hear all that?”
“Yes. It sounds like Kennedy was right, the place was booby-trapped, and it looks like you have a party to go to tomorrow night,” Jason replied.
“Oh joy!”
