“She did? How do you know that?”
A laugh exploded from Lucia’s chest, the tone different from the girl’s usual voice.
“Helena!” My grandmother was using the girl as a channel.
How long had she been doing that? Probably the whole time. What a crazy and genius witch she was.
“Come to me, Devon. I can show you how amazing you can be. I promise that if you agree to be with me again, like when you were a child, I’ll let all the witches go.”
That sounded like a bargain. One that I’d need to consider. If I could save the witches at the same time as being accepted for who I was, I would be able to stop the whole operation. Saving those who were still suffering.
“You have to promise me you will break apart your ring and release all of the magic that’s not yours.”
Lucia’s eyes screwed up before a smile blossomed on her face. “If you promise to come back to me. I love you, my child. We spent a lot of time together when you were a young girl. I miss you dreadfully.”
The words were truth, I could hear it in the tone of her voice. Even though she was using Lucia, it was Helena I spoke to.
“Okay. Tell me where to meet you.”
Lucia jumped up, jolting the cat in her arms. Trying to clap her hands, she gave up when Sammy clawed her. “Come to London Victoria station. John will meet you there.”
“John?” My palms prickled as I thought of the man.
“I give you my word, darling, that we will not harm you in any way. Please, trust me.”
I had to do it. Yes, it was selfish, but at the same time, it would save the other witches. We had to put an end to her atrocities one way or another. And, if it meant that she got me again, probably to use my power, then so be it. I would end this once and for all.
“Okay, I’ll flash there now.”
“See you soon, my love,” Lucia said before she slumped on the bed, eyes closed.
Going over, I tried to pick Sammy up. She hissed at me, warning me away. Whispering a cloaking spell, I stroked her head before putting her back on the bed. Lucia woke up, her hands instantly grabbing her old familiar.
“She feels different,” she said, her eyes growing wide. “What have you done?”
Standing back, I held my hands in the air. “I’ve disconnected her as your familiar.”
“You bitch!” She went to fly off the bed but slammed straight into my protective wall.
“Listen to me,” I hissed. “I’ve taken the link away, so she can stay here with you.”
Her shoulders dropped as her mouth fell open. Yes, it was probably a stupid thing to do, but my invisibility spell should stop anyone from knowing she was there. I’d even brought a litter tray for her.
“Just feed her some of your food and when you clean her out, flush it down the toilet. No one will be able to see her, I used a very strong spell.”
I didn’t go into details about how I’d used a spell from the grimoire. Centring myself, I’d somehow drawn enough energy from mother earth’s pure magic to cast the spell. My nose had bled, my body collapsed, but I’d done it.
“Thank you,” Lucia whispered. “I… it’s lonely in here.”
Her choices had led her to her cell. I didn’t feel sorry for her because of that. But, I knew that if I’d ever found myself alone, Kingsley would be the only thing I thought about day in, day out. And, maybe Gerard’s strong arms.
Shaking my head to clear the thought, I waved goodbye as I picked up my bag and flashed to London Victoria.
The train station was bustling. People’s energy, harassed, rushing, hit me. I swallowed as I flung my bag over my shoulder and walked towards the food stands. After I’d grabbed a burger, I sat on the floor to eat it. There were no seats in the station, which was stupid.
Two mouthfuls down and nausea flooded my stomach. What was I doing? I was waiting in the middle of a busy station for the man who had tortured me. So, he could take me to the woman who had ordered him to do it.
“Hey, gorgeous,” a young vampire said as he passed. “You wanna share that burger with me?”
Getting to my feet, I handed him the rest of it. “You can have it.”
Moving away, I kept my senses alert. My feet went forward, my heart went back. I was betraying everyone. For my own selfish reasons. No, not just that. Helena had promised me that she would give up everything. I was naive to believe it. But, I would be close to her, able to change my mind if she changed hers.
“Devon.” The voice was sniffy.
Turning, I put a hand on my stomach as it threatened to expel the nibbles of burger I had consumed. John stood there, a smirk on his face. If he wasn’t careful, I’d take his lips off his face. Not that I’d brought my dagger along. That would’ve been stupid. Especially as it was an Essex witch heirloom. No, I’d stolen one of Gerard’s guns. I wasn’t sure if he would kill me for either the betrayal, or the fact that I took one of his weapons. Either way, I wasn’t sure I’d ever find out. If I went with John now, I was cutting all ties with the agency. They would never have me back.
“I hear you made a deal with the devil,” John said, holding out his hand.
Shrinking away from him, I refused to touch him. He was vile. Tall and weak minded, he literally made me feel sick. Especially as the memory of what he’d done to me came flooding back.
“I can’t do this,” I said. “How do I know you’re not going to tie me up again?”
Shrugging, John crossed his hands over his chest. “Because she gave you her word. She rarely goes back on her word.”
“Rarely?”
The smug grin that came made me clench my hands into fists. I would take him down. In fact, going to Helena would give me an opportunity to get her on my side. Then, when we were good, I’d take John down. Just that thought was enough to make me reach out.
As soon as our fingers touched, we landed in front of a mansion. The one in the painting from the hospital. Justina had studied it for prints and searched the database, but nothing had come up to match it. And, yet, here it was.
“Helena is waiting in the rose garden for you.”
Gesturing to a walled area at the side of the house, he went up the steps and entered the front door. I clung to the strap of my bag, horrified by what I’d done. Every second that ticked by was a betrayal. Not only to them but to myself. I had given up, when I most needed to keep fighting.
“Devon!” Helena called me from the entrance to the rose garden.
She wore a long, red flowing boho dress that moved as she waved her arms in the air, indicating that I join her.
My boots crunched the small stones of the driveway as I made my way over. This place was ridiculously grand. Grand was an understatement. How had my grandmother owned so many amazing houses, including a bloody castle, when she’d been cut off from her Essex line?
“My darling, I’m so pleased to see you. Before anything, I want to apologise for what we did to you. It wasn’t fair. I was out of my mind, I treated you terribly.”
She went to reach for me, but I stepped out of the way. Nothing could make me embrace her as I would a loved one. I didn’t even hug my parents that often. Only when the emotions took me.
“You did treat me badly. Very badly. I’ve not forgiven you.”
Helena’s face softened as she cocked her head. “Why have you come here?”
Her voice was soft, kind. She really was the spitting image of me, it was a little unnerving. If she did follow through on her plan to give up the magic, she would age very quickly.
“My memories have been coming back. The ones of us when I was young. You… really did love me.”
And, she did. My dreams had shown me flashbacks to times when she would read to me at night, tucking me in and making me feel safe. She had adored me, even more than my parents had. Okay, so it might have been a little obsessive, but I remembered the feeling I got whenever I saw her. Acceptance, pure acceptance.
“Come, let me show you my roses.”
/>
Walking ahead, she trusted me enough to turn her back. Hesitating for only a second, I followed her into the walled garden, my eyes instantly drawn to the thousands of different coloured roses. There were even colours that weren’t physically possible. White roses with a rainbow glitter on them, black and red swirls. They were oddly gorgeous.
“You have a thing for the rose,” I said as we stopped in front of a traditional red rose bush.
Holding up her arm, she pointed at her tattoo. It was the one in Lucia’s picture. I had noticed it when she had kidnapped me.
“Yes. My father was a gardener. His Essex ancestry adopted this witch coat of arms to show their legitimacy. Although I gained my ley line connection from my mother, naturally, I always wanted something to remind me of my father. His love of roses was inherited by me.”
Glancing at her sideways, I marvelled at the softness in her gaze. A woman so able to hurt other witches had some sort of heart. Otherwise, sentiment wouldn’t be possible.
“Well, you’re more thorn than rose, if we’re honest.”
My blunt words made her brow furrow. Was she…? Did she seriously feel offended by what I’d said? Oh, please, grandma.
Keeping my mouth shut, I studied the garden. If the woman could weave words of poetry, when she drained people of their magic, she could cut my throat in a second. And, I didn’t want to get blood on my top. I’d just brought it the other day.
“When you were a child, your mother tried to get you to honour both sides of you. One day, you’d learn about witch history, the next she’d rabbit on about warlock rubbish.”
Not bothering to batter an eyelash, I listened as we stood there. I’d let her waffle on about my childhood, maybe her view of things might help me.
She tucked her hands into the big pocket on the front of her baggy dress. “Every time we spoke, I taught you magic. You wanted to learn spells from a very young age, but your mother was adamant that we wait until you were older. I disagreed, training you when they weren’t around.”
That made sense. My mother had been surprised by how well I could perform magic when she had started to teach me. I had obviously blocked the memories of my grandmother from a very early age.
“You were so gifted, even with your warlock side. I could feel the Essex magic coursing through you. That’s how I realised that you were connected to the ley line, like your mother. I was shocked, considering you were part warlock.”
Anxiety suddenly hit my body, making it harder for me to breathe. A memory, clear as anything, flashed into my mind. One that I had completely forgotten.
“You made me use the ley line magic when you got me to write that spell,” I muttered. “But, when mother found out, she dragged me away from you. Told me that I would never see you again because you’d made me do something evil. You… you caused the ancestors to disconnect me from the ley line.”
Grabbing my chest, I walked backwards, away from her. The creation of the spell had ramifications. If pure magic was used for dark, there were always consequences, without fail. “You’re the reason my witch magic is so weak.”
For so long, I’d blamed my warlock side, but what if my disconnection from the ley line had gradually decreased my witch power? It would explain why using my warlock magic drained it even more. That imbalance was always supposed to be balanced out with the great pure magic I was connected to from birth.
“Devon, your witch magic is weak because you refuse to choose a side. Your body cannot handle the power you used to be able to harness. You’re so extraordinary, my child. I knew that, I could see it, which was why I had you doing spells from the age of two.”
Reaching for me, she managed to grab my wrists. Pulling me towards her, she looked into my eyes. “I’m the one who told you that no matter what anyone else said, you are amazing, Devon Jinx. You will always be amazing whether you’re part witch and warlock, whole witch, or whole warlock. And, I truly believe it, darling, I really do.”
The truth was there, in her words. I could feel it. She had supported me, accepted me as a child. When everyone else in the underground world had rejected me because of being different, she had loved me for who I was. Okay, so she took advantage of that for her own gain, but… she had loved me.
“Let’s go inside, we have so much to catch up on. I want to hear about your handsome witch partner. He’s gorgeous!”
A sharp sting crossed my heart as I thought about Gerard. I was about to answer her when a real sting landed in my shoulder, jerking me forward.
Spinning, I ducked out of the way when an arrow flew straight towards my face. Shoving Helena out of the way, I fell to the ground.
“What’s going on?” Helena cried from beside me.
A heavy weight landed on my back, arms coming around my neck and wrenching. A scream came from my mouth as my spine was almost snapped in two. Black spots came into my vision as I reached into my pocket for my gun. Putting it on the attacker’s thigh, I pulled the trigger.
Choking as he released me, I bucked him off.
Helena was standing beside me, her hand in the air. The spell she whispered was aimed at the vampire who was now hovering in the air. Had she set me up? Why was she now strangling the vampire?
“He obviously wasn’t given the memo that you were coming. He thought you would hurt me. Still, no excuse.”
Twisting her hand, she grinned to herself when the vampire’s neck snapped so violently, his head popped off his body, blood gushing everywhere.
Jumping back, I didn’t get out of the firing line in time. Spots splattered over my top, ruining it. Oh, great, my plan to keep it clean had backfired. If I had to wear one of her stupid dresses, I wouldn’t be able to stay. It was too much of a deal breaker.
“Let’s go inside. John needs to clean up this mess. I can’t have blood and vampire all over my roses.”
In a daze, I walked behind her as she chattered on about the estate. She had just murdered the vampire in cold blood, without even a flinch. Even though he was one of her guards. She might have understood me back when I was a child, but had she always been so cruel?
Once inside, she led me up the grand staircase, showing me her art collection on the walls. I stayed silent as I took in every aspect of the place. Exits, layout, and all the things my training had taught me.
“You’re quiet, my darling. Please, tell me something.” Taking my hand, she led me to a small room that overlooked the back.
The fountain was astounding. The huge sculpture of a woman wrapped in roses spouted a huge shower of water from where she held something in her hand. I couldn’t quite make out what it was from here.
Sitting in one of the chairs next to a fireplace, Helena gestured for me to sit opposite. There was a plush bed at the other end of the room with an en-suite bathroom off on the left. Was that marble lining the walls? Of course it was.
“What do you want to know?” I asked as I sat in the chair, my bag on the floor by my feet.
It was basically my life in there, except for Kingsley, who I had left with Lilia. She had no idea that I was going, but I’d put a note under her door, asking her to take care of my best friend. My throat suddenly closed at the thought of him. Of all of them. My new family.
“Why are you really here? Are you here to kill me?”
Staring at the ground, I wondered if it was possible. Did I want to kill her? If I tried, I wouldn’t succeed. Her power was far too strong.
“No. I’m here because I felt rejected by the others. They basically kicked me off the case. The memories I have of you are different from how you are now. Except for the spell you made me create, of course, but I didn’t realise what you were doing back then.”
Slumping, I looked at the wood in the fireplace. It was waiting to be lit, probably by a slave.
“You know that I need to get rid of the warlocks, right? It’s not that I’m being unkind, but they’re constantly trying to find the link to the ley lines, so they can take control of it. Their meas
ly dark energy isn’t strong enough for them anymore.” Helena also stared into the non-flaming fire.
“I’m part warlock. I’m sure I’d know if that was happening.” My confident statement was followed by silence.
Yes, I had been involved in the warlock community, but as the first female warlock, I’d never been accepted into any coven. Not really. Isaac Senior looked out for me, trying to include me in warlock business, but it never worked.
“I need to show you something, Devon. Something that will probably make you want to run. I hope that my promise will help you to trust me.” Standing, Helena gestured for me to get up too. “Leave your bag here, this is your room.”
Doing as she said, I was dutiful in being the sheep. Going back downstairs, I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. My heart was racing, vibrating in my ears. I just knew what she was going to show me. I also knew that I wasn’t going to like it.
A metal door was behind a bookcase in the library. Not very original, and yet, I wished it led to a treasure chest instead of what was bound to be horrific.
“This is my greatest shame, my love. My greatest addiction.”
Helena asked me to step into an elevator. It grew colder as it chugged down into the depths of the earth. My hair started to stand on end, the electric making it static.
“I don’t know if I can-”
“It’s too late.”
Shoving me out as soon as the door opened, Helena grabbed my arm and dragged me further into the huge stone cavern. My stomach rolled as the fire torches that were planted on the ground lit the huge area.
“What the…?”
Ripping away from the evil woman, I bent over and finally threw up what I’d eaten. My head pounded as I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to get the image out of my mind.
“Please,” Helena started, spinning me towards her. “I need you to accept me as much as I’ve always accepted you.”
Magically Betrayed: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Hunted Witch Agency Book 3) Page 10
