by Nora Lee
No one responded.
Enid knew they might fear Fern’s power, but they would never say so in front of the stranger. The child and her mother were both members of the coven while Rafe was an outsider.
The interloper turned back to Orianna. “You can dictate when and where I train Fern. We can work around your schedule.”
Again, Orianna shook her head. “I can’t allow that. She doesn’t know you.”
The elemental backed away from the dais with his glance flicking around the room. His eyes fell on the spirits near the bridal table. Enid shuddered as the intense blue of his eyes blended with the soft glow of the Spirit World until she felt she’d been shrouded in his magic.
Hephaestus pulled her close.
Rafe looked from Enid to Hephaestus and frowned. He then turned back to Fern, though his words were aimed at her mother. “You need to ask our daughter what she’d like. This is more her decision than ours.”
“She’s too young to make that decision, Rafe. Come back when she’s older.”
The stranger backed toward the door. “Ask her, Orianna. Ask Fern. You know very well that she’s intelligent enough to decide for herself.”
Fern lifted her head from Caedmon’s chest. She stared at her father with wide eyes.
“You’ve been asked to leave several times. You’re not welcome here.” Caedmon spoke up in a strong and sure voice. “Go now.”
Garrett moved to stand next to Caedmon.
Then Rowan got up and joined Orianna.
The rest of the guests got to their feet one by one in a showing of solidarity.
Enid and Hephaestus stared down the elemental.
“Ask Fern,” said Rafe one last time before disappearing out the front door.
The storm faded into the distance as he left the vicinity of the castle.
Looking up to where the bridal party continued to stand together, staring out the still-open door, she got the impression they hadn’t seen the last of Fern’s father. He’d left the door open and the setting sun broke through the clouds to brighten the room with a soft golden glow. No sound but the crackling and popping of the logs on the fire could be heard for several long minutes as everyone struggled to process recent events. Enid understood quite well how the others must have felt. She knew she’d never expected to see Fern’s father. Especially not as they prepared for her the marriage of the child’s mother to another man. Yet she’d had a sneaking suspicion something like this might happen. That’s why Enid had asked Orianna about Fern’s missing parent at Nana’s cottage earlier that week.
“We should be going,” said a voice behind Enid. She turned to see Gemma standing nearby with Fox. “Are you okay?”
Orianna nodded in response to Gemma’s question. “Fine, thanks. Just fine.” She released a breath and laughed. “Guess I’ve expecting this for a long time. I’m glad it’s over.”
“Great party,” said Fox. “I enjoyed the dinner theater.”
Enid shook her head as Gemma nudged her companion in the ribs.
Caedmon’s laughter took them all by surprise. “Dinner theater. That’s great, Fox.”
“See?” Fox nudged Gemma back. “Someone here has a sense of humor.”
Gemma and Enid exchanged glances, but Enid suspected her sister wasn’t exasperated only pretended to be upset for the sake of appearances. Fox was also a newcomer to the coven and Gemma didn’t want to alienate everyone else by siding with her over them. No matter how much she might care.
Something tickled at the back of Enid’s mind. She couldn’t figure out what bothered her, but decided to follow Gemma and Fox out the front door as they left. The other party-goers seemed to be gathering their things in preparation to head home as well.
Everything seemed to be back to normal.
So why did Enid feel so worried?
11
Gemma and Fox stepped outside the castle, and Enid followed. “Should you be out here, Sis? The ghouls are still lurking somewhere.” Gemma asked.
“Don’t worry. I have no plans to step outside the wards.” Enid shivered. “Those things aren’t coming anywhere near me again any time soon.”
“I’m glad. You need to come home soon.”
“Yeah. Bronson’s pining away,” Fox said.
Enid wondered whether Fox might still be joking. “Is he okay?”
“He’s not eating as well as usual because he misses you,” said Gemma as the couple stepped outside the wards. She looked back at Enid. “Stay put.”
“I said I will.”
She waved them off into the fading light of the late afternoon and allowed her senses to expand. Though a stone witch didn’t often use certain types of exploratory magic, most witches could sense the presence of others with power, and she now felt a strong source nearby that seemed much different than anyone else in her coven.
Enid felt a strange sense of relief as she moved to the very edge of the warding. A fresh breeze came up and she wished she could smell the mingled rain and seawater.
A shadow moved out of the tree line. The ill-defined shadow became the figure of a man.
“Rafe?” Enid asked.
The elemental walked toward her with his eyes on the castle. “And who are you?”
“My name’s Enid. I’m an old friend of Orianna and Fern.”
The blue eyes once again fell on her. “You’re confusing. You don’t seem like a normal spirit.”
That’s an understatement. Enid laughed. “You’re not only powerful, but also perceptive. What gave me away?”
“Most spirits I’ve seen don’t show so much…life, for lack of a better word.”
She remembered Nana’s comment about how Hephaestus seemed so much more spirited since she’d passed over. Then she thought about the true ghosts who wandered this side of the veil, drained of any semblance of the souls they’d once possessed, and how much she didn’t want to end up like them.
“I’m glad you’re still here.”
Rafe stepped inside the wards and walked over to sit on a nearby stone. He exuded a dangerous strength. “Why is that?”
“I want to ask you something.” Enid moved next to him and glanced up to the castle as she wondered where Hephaestus might have gone. They’d reached a bit of a truce before Rafe had shown up so she didn’t want to anger him again. “About your powers.”
“Will you help with Fern? No matter what anyone thinks, she needs my guidance.”
Enid’s eyes flew to Rafe’s. She again felt the unnerving sensation of being cocooned within a shroud of the cool blue magic so prevalent to the Spirit World. “What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. Fern needs training.”
Enid backed away to break the spell between them. “Orianna is a good friend and I won’t go against her wishes.”
He got up and dusted off his slacks. “Very well. I’ll just go now.”
“Wait!”
Rafe turned back, one of his wild black brows quirked.
“Can I at least ask you my question?”
He looked her over before nodded. “Go ahead.”
After she cast another quick glance at the castle to make sure none of the party-goers who’d were heading out into the fading light, she stepped closer, lowering her voice. She feared Hephaestus might be within earshot most of all and didn’t want him to know what she’d planned. “You’re right about me not being a normal spirit. An accident sucked me through the veil a few days ago and I need to get back to the Living World before ghouls can drain my power and trap me here forever.”
“That’s quite the predicament. You still haven’t asked a question, though.”
“Your magic is strong. So I wondered…” Enid hesitated as she considered whether she might be making another mistake by trusting this stranger. The thought of the way Hephaestus looked after seeing the memory of her ancestor reassured her that she’d be doing him a disservice by not asking this man for help to get back as soon as possible. “You possess a strong power o
ver nature. Could you use that strength to help me pass through? We’d planned to perform a ritual when the veil thins on Samhain, but that’s also when the wedding will happen, and I think I need to get back over before that happens.”
Rafe looked off into the distance. His mind seemed to be elsewhere.
“Will you help me?” Enid feared he’d lost interest and would leave before answering.
He stepped outside the wards and turned back to face her. “This isn’t something I’ve ever tried. In theory, my connection with the elements would allow me to do what you suggest. I just can’t promise you success. And I guarantee you that a spell like that comes with a high price.”
Enid clasped her hands together to still their shaking. “I’m not asking for promises. Just help.”
The blue eyes met hers again. Despite the way his look made her feel frightened at her very core, she maintained contact.
They stood that way for what seemed an eternity.
Finally, he held out a hand. “Come along. Let’s go. We don’t have all day.” Unnerved by his impatience, Enid took a step back. “Do you want my help or not?” She nodded. “Then come on.”
Enid stretched her trembling hand out to take his. He pulled her through the wards and started off up the path before she realized what was happening.
Ghouls skittered at the edges of her vision. She sensed their watchful eyes on her.
“Wait! I can’t leave the wards. They’ll get me.”
Rafe pulled her close. Their proximity allowed more of his strength to bleed through the veil to her. Reassured, she fell into step at his side.
“You don’t need to worry about the ghouls.”
She soon realized Rafe knew more about the ghouls than she’d thought and knew they wouldn’t bother her. Perhaps the creatures even feared his powers. Whatever the case, the fact that the little beasties didn’t seem willing to come after her at the moment buoyed her confidence. She allowed her mind to relax and started to take in her surroundings as they strode along the winding path leading into a crevice in the hills behind Secret Hallow. A very familiar path. She soon figured out where they were headed.
“You know about our Elder Tree?”
“Of course I do,” said Rafe. He cast an unreadable look in her direction. “Orianna told me all about her home while we were together so I know a lot about Secret Hallow. The power of the Tree is so strong I felt its pull as soon as I got here.”
Full night fell as they passed into the Samhain Grove.
Enid hadn’t been anywhere near the Grove since she’d passed through the veil. She found the intensity of the blue glow shrouding the trees unnerving. Everyone in Secret Hallow understood that the core of their power came from the Grove and, most especially, the Elder Tree. She’d sensed the power whenever she’d visited the area. Yet this was the first time she’d seen how the magic looked.
“Oh…my…goblins…”
Rafe stopped in his tracks. “What did you just say?”
“Goblins?” Enid looked up at him, uncertain about what had caught his attention.
“That’s what I thought. Shame on you.”
She held back when he started walking again. “What’s wrong?”
“I hope you don’t use that kind of language around my daughter.” Rafe’s brow furrowed. “She’s too young.”
Enid thought he seemed to be overreacting. “I don’t often say anything like that.”
“Good.” Rafe tugged her hand. “Come along.”
She thought about how Hephaestus led her from The Penny Spindle to Nana’s cottage and felt ashamed that she’d left the castle without letting him know. If nothing else, she should have told him she needed to attend to some business. He might worry when he couldn’t find her after everyone left. And he’d be alone again.
The forest thickened as they walked deeper into the central core. Then, all at once, the grove ended and they stood facing the small stream separating them from a lone tree towering over all the others. The Elder Tree.
She stopped short. To her, the tree looked as bare and dead as it had before being healed by Rowan. The gnarled branches reaching skyward reminded her of the ghoulish fingers grabbing at her as she lay in the road. Before Hephaestus had saved her. The impression both unnerved her and reminded her of what she hoped to accomplish here.
“We’ll need to create a ritual space.” Enid got down to business right away. “I’ve been tutored on how to use my powers to move objects, but I’m not very good. Could you help?”
“Tell me what you need.”
So the two of them gathered up the supplies she’d need to cast the spell. She’d never before attempted to perform such a ritual and feared she might be mistaken in her choices so she took a long time to selecting the proper ingredients. Enid asked Rafe tear a piece of cloth from his shirt, take up soil from the base of the tree, and to cut a few roots from nearby bushes. She managed to unearth a couple mushrooms and then told the man to tie everything up into a pouch. A quick rub of the bag between his hands captured some of the essential oils from his body.
Enid told him to tuck the bag into a notch at the base of the tree.
When he’d finished, the elemental stood before the tree with his arms out, his face to the heavens. He spoke a spell in a voice she couldn’t quite make out though she could easily see his lips moving.
Blue light rippled between her and her companion as the separator between the two worlds fluttered. She saw strands of Rafe’s power pierce a single point in a focused way that reminded her of Hephaestus’ tutelage.
A bright circle of blue appeared in the center of the veil.
Enid watched the rippling edges of the circle expand outward. The light around the hole glowed brighter as the opening continued to enlarge and she saw the clarity of the Living World on the other side. Entranced by the appearance of her portal out of the Spirit Realm, she ignored the sound of scuffling behind her.
“Don’t just stand there. I can’t hold this open forever.”
The sound of Rafe’s voice broke her out of her reverie and Enid stepped forward.
Brilliant blue magic continued to ripple around the edges of the opening.
Enid put one hand through. Then another.
Her body vibrated with magic as she passed between worlds.
Then her feet came through.
Followed by a large popping sound.
Enid was back in the Living World.
She looked over to see Rafe had relaxed. He stood watching her, wiping his hands on his pant legs, with a strange expression on his face. The scuffling noises she’d heard before grew louder. Turning, she found the portal between worlds remained open.
“What happened? You said you couldn’t hold that for long,” she said.
Rafe shrugged and dug his hands into his pockets. “I’m not holding it open.” He didn’t seem the least bit worried.
Skeletal fingers grasped the edges of the portal and wide glowing eyes stared out.
“They’re coming through!” Enid cried, leaping away from the portal.
Once the first ghoul passed through, the rest followed with frightening speed.
“I warned you about the consequences. This kind of thing can happen when you mess around with elements,” Rafe said.
Looking at the strange warlock she’d convinced to help her return to her own world, she came to the horrifying realization she’d made a mistake yet again. A huge one. And this time she wouldn’t be the only one to suffer the consequences.
Bony fingers grabbed her ankles and pulled her off-balance. She fell to the ground with a thump that jarred her entire body.
Rocks and twigs tore at her skin as the ghouls pulled her into the thickest part of the Grove.
Rafe waved a hand to fend off the little creatures who’d dared to approach him. They respected the power of an elemental too much to attack harder.
“Help me!” Enid shouted.
He didn’t seem to be in a hurry to rescue her
. In fact, he looked almost amused. “I wouldn’t let them drag you into the ocean. Don’t forget that saltwater binds spells so you could make that gateway permanent.”
A permanent door between the Spirit and Living Worlds?
Yes, Enid had made a very big mistake.
Spirits of the dead wafted through the portal and headed toward Secret Hallow.
Enid began struggling harder when she realized the little creatures did seem to be dragging her straight for the beach. Her time on the other side of the veil seemed to have drained her strength and she felt the little she had left draining the harder she fought them.
Everything seemed so much more vibrant now that she’d returned to the Living World. The caress of the breeze on her bare skin. The comforting autumn scents of her village. The soft kiss of silvery light from the rising moon. All the things she’d taken for granted before now seemed so precious and dear to her.
She realized with frightening clarity that, if she couldn’t escape, the ghouls and spirits would be free to roam the streets of Secret Hallow forever.
Enid couldn’t allow that to happen. She had to get away.
12
Rafe’s laughter fed her anger and helped strengthen her in the fight against the ghouls. Enid gathered all that power into a ball within her to expand the range of her senses as she searched for someone to help her escape her current predicament. As the ghouls dragged her along the winding path through the Grove, she allowed her mind to seek out the rest of her coven, connecting with them through the cables of magic that flowed out of the Samhain Grove.
A vision of the group still gathered at Castle Hallow filled her mind.
Orianna crossed the room to Caedmon’s side. “I talked with her like he suggested.”
“I can’t believe you listened to that man.” Caedmon frowned. “He’s not to be trusted.”
“Now, don’t be jealous. You’re her daddy and my love. He can’t change that.” She placed a gentle hand on Caedmon’s arm as she smiled up at him. “He was right about asking Fern. She may still be a child, but she needs to have a say in her future. I can’t take that away from her. And I can’t deny that her powers are more than any of us can handle.” She shook her head when he opened his mouth to interrupt. “Fern wants to learn from Rafe. Seeing his power made her feel more comfortable about her own.”
