Everly (Everly Series Book 1)

by Meg Bonney

  “What was he looking for?” I asked.

  “Well, you, of course. He wanted to find you and avenge his family’s demise. He sought to kill you. It was then that I realized I could use the boy’s ambition for our coven’s rebirth!”

  “What? Ren? No, you’re wrong,” Jason stated. “Ren would never try to hurt Maddy. He loves her.”

  I blinked slowly. He wanted to kill me?

  “Ren told us everything,” I said. “He told me about my father and about what my father was doing to the Magics. I know about his family. He told me everything.”

  “He may have ended up choosing a noble way, but it does not change his intention. He meant for you to die,” Kaya said. “And how do you know he still does not plan to kill you?”

  I opened my mouth but did not speak.

  Sinder moved closer to me. “Because maybe he does not intend to do it himself. Did your Porter tell you that your existence threatens the powers in Everly? That if your father sees what you truly are, he will kill you? You are Magic and Strongblood. You are the only link between the two, so he will seek to sever you. I wager that the Porter failed to explain the threat you face while you are here. You must stay with us. Stay with your kind. We will free Ruth, kill the Strongbloods, and find your mother. It is the only way to end this.”

  I didn’t answer. I just tried to take it all in.

  “And when I was little Lacy Rosewood, I sent a Cypher Fairy to your dear daddy to let him know you are in Everly. He is already looking for you, so you have little choice. You must stay with your coven, girl,” Sinder said.

  I let out a sigh and looked at Jason out of the corner of my eye. He squeezed my hand. The fairy—the fairy Ren had intercepted from Lacy. My father has no idea I am here. That was a welcome revelation.

  “Sinder, do not be so harsh,” Kaya said, and then she turned to me. “Your cause was sweet and well intentioned, but now it is no longer needed. We are thinking bigger in this war on the Magics. And after Dax falls, we are going to find your mother and fix all this. Reunite the coven. We need four. Since Ruthana is otherwise engaged for now, we have you.”

  “She is not otherwise engaged! Sinder got her captured to force her back into all of this!” I yelled.

  Sinder groaned and stomped her foot. “Ruthana deserves what she gets. It is because of her that we are in this mess. Our coven fell because of her—because we did not have the four. First she followed your mother to the temple, which weakened us, but then she left Everly and we crumbled. Without the four in Everly, the coven cannot stand. She doomed us. Doomed your mother and doomed you.”

  Sinder spun and walked back to her sister’s side, laying her hand on her head like a dramatic actress after a lengthy scene.

  “Do you know where Madison’s mother is?” Jason asked, letting go of my hand.

  “Who is Madison?” Kaya asked.

  I raised my hand. “That would be me.”

  “I forgot, yes. Yes, that is right.” Kaya nodded.

  “No, we don’t know where Madison’s mother is just yet. I imagine she is looking for you, too. Ruthana used her powers to keep Madison hidden from the coven. She was one of the most powerful Witches in Everly before she left with you. To be your guard,” Sinder stated bitterly. “Haven’t you heard all this before?”

  I shook my head.

  “She left to guard me? Guard me from what?” I asked.

  Kaya and Sinder exchanged confused looks and turned back to me.

  “You really do not know. Ruthana left Everly to protect you from yourself, dear,” Kaya said. “You have evil inside of you.”

  CHAPTER 22

  “Evil inside of her? What does that mean, exactly?” Jason asked.

  “Her father is a Strongblood. They are all that is evil and wrong in Everly. But the king is the worst of them. He is of the Ember family, the most ruthless of the Strongbloods. When Dax took the crown, he went mad with power. Ruthana gave up her life, her coven, and her power and fled from this place to protect you from it all. It was the best way to ensure your safety,” Kaya said, concern showing in her eyes.

  I looked to my feet and tried to mask my emotions.

  Sinder crossed her arms. “Are you sure you do not know the story? It is very popu—”

  “No, Sinder! I do not know the story, okay! I do not know the story,” I yelled.

  Sinder turned up her nose. “I don’t see how. It is very well known.”

  “Sinder, shut up!” Jason shouted.

  “I know one way to keep me occupied,” Sinder said, and made a kissy face at Jason.

  “Sooooo not going to happen, hagatha.”

  Sinder jutted her lip out in a pout and put her hands on her hips.

  “Everly was led by Magics. It was ruled by our coven, not Strongbloods. But now Witches are few in number. This was our land, and we intend to take it back,” Kaya explained further.

  “If Maddy is half Witch, then why doesn’t she have powers like you do?” Jason asked.

  Kaya took a step toward me, looked me up and down, and smiled, making her gray eyes gleam. “She does. She draws out a little every moment she touches the handle.”

  The blue light is my magic? “It’s in the sword,” I said.

  “Yes, girl. Ruthana stored your power in it so that you could live an impossibly boring, simple life,” Sinder said. “And she put a spell on you to hinder your Strongblood side and hide you.”

  “Then how did you find me?” I slid my sword back into its sheath.

  “You are in your eighteenth year now. You can no longer conceal your powers, and neither could Ruthana. Your beacon grew brighter. I did not even need much magic to break Ruthana’s protection spell,” Sinder explained.

  I bit my lip. Ruth was protecting me. She gave up her life here for me. I shook my head, thinking about the last time I spoke to her. “She didn’t want any of this life for me,” I said.

  “Ruthana was such a talent. This is not the first time she had put others before the coven. She wanted to renounce us and marry that soldier who is always following King Dax around. ’Tis a pity. Our little sister was by far the most gifted of the four of us,” Sinder said.

  “Sister! Bite your tongue. Vilda is the mightiest of us,” Kaya exclaimed.

  “Who is Vilda?” Jason asked.

  Kaya and Sinder exchanged looks.

  “Ruth’s sister and our sister. The youngest of the four of us,” Sinder answered, her tone even. “Your mother, dear.”

  I took in a sharp breath. My mother’s name. I know her name.

  “Sweet Ruthana! What would she say if she knew you were working with the son of Lawrence Raker, putrid Record Keeper of King Dax? What would she say if she knew that you trusted him more than your own blood?” Kaya asked.

  Before I could speak, Sinder waved her hand at me, and it was like a clamp slammed my lips together. I could not speak. I screamed inside my closed mouth, but all it did was puff my cheeks out.

  “Stop it!” Jason yelled, stepping out from behind me. “Like, seriously, come on! That’s your niece! I guess I can’t be too shocked, everything here is so frickin’ screwed up! There are trolls and goblins and then you two! I think, hey, I’m almost home, and instead I get groped by one of the ugly stepsisters!”

  He turned to Sinder. I tried open my sealed lips to speak, but Sinder’s magic was too strong.

  Jason continued, “No offense, lady, but what the hell is wrong with you?” He was borderline hysterical now, waving the torch as he spoke.

  “I can’t help it. I simply adore young men of your world,” Sinder replied.

  “So do I!” Jason yelled back. “So do I!” He smacked his hand on the wall as he said each word. “But I would never treat people the way you have. What was the point of messing with our minds like that, by pretending to be Lacy? Huh?” Jason was edging on shrill now. “What is wrong with you people?”

  I reached for Jason’s hand, but he
pulled away and kept ranting.

  “And Ren! That dude is great. He really is. He may have this whole awkward, weird vibe and his hair is unnaturally perfect at all times, but he’s a good dude. Maddy, you didn’t see it, but when you were out, he was so worried about you. We were going to save Ruth, and then these evil hagzillas messed it all up.” He stopped pacing and pointed at Sinder. “This is your fault!”

  Sinder was clearly a bit startled. She put her hand on her chest and turned her shoulders as if she were a proper lady at a French court being officially offended.

  I rolled my eyes, still unable to open my mouth.

  Kaya let out a soft chuckle. I felt myself smiling at Jason somewhat proudly, but worry was still at the forefront of my mind. Sinder was unpredictable. There was no telling what she would do.

  She lifted her chin and looked away from Jason like she had hurt feelings.

  Jason raised his eyebrow. “Whoa, Sinder. Your neck—what is that, a neck tattoo? That’s terrifying! Who does that?” He squinted at her. “You people are insane!”

  Sinder covered it with her hand and looked away. Even with her hand there, I could see that she had a deep red scar that ran all the way around the gray flesh of her neck.

  Kaya nodded. “Oh, that? Yes, Sinder was the Witch who helped King Dax figure out that you need to remove the head and the hands of a Witch, or they will heal themselves. Sinder was one of his first Witch executions.”

  I cringed.

  “Wait.” Jason’s shoulders lowered and his eyes darted back and forth. He stepped toward the women. “So you can heal yourself?”

  “And others, if we desire. It is a gift of the coven. Most of us can, after years of practice,” Sinder answered, still looking away.

  “Sinder, we have explained what we want. Let us let the girl decide,” Kaya said. “And I think you need to give our niece her words back.”

  Sinder pursed her lips to the side and rolled her eyes.

  “She does not get to decide. She comes with us. That is all.” Sinder sighed. “Dax will not turn away his sweet daughter, and then we will strike.”

  I held up my middle finger.

  Sinder grumbled something and sneered. “The one you call Ren—he has no loyalties! He cannot be trusted.”

  “Sinder, dearest. We will go to find Vilda. No need for all this muck. Conflict gives you wrinkles, sister,” Kaya said.

  “I will not let her win. She is a ghastly, unkempt barbarian, niece or not,” Sinder said.

  “Sinder, she is the child of our sister Vilda, the Great One,” Kaya said. “You know what will happen to us if you harm her. Vilda will seek her vengeance and then some. We must not let our pride muddle our judgment. And now I see why she was hidden.”

  I furrowed my brow at Kaya.

  “What does that mean, exactly?” Jason asked.

  “Madison will be great. Sinder has seen it,” Kaya said. “Madison’s power is greater than I could have known. Being a Strongblood and a Witch is a true anomaly. Your friend must pick a side, and I need you to aid us by helping her choose the correct side: the Magics. The Strongbloods can’t stay in power, or we will all suffer. If Madison joins us, the Magics of this land will rule again. If she goes with Ren Raker to the Temple of the Ember Isle, Everly will crumble. He may be a Porter, but at his core, he is a Strongblood, just like his father. Madison must rejoin the coven if Magics are to reign over Everly once more.”

  “Kaya, you mistake yourself. You have not seen what I have seen. Her story is not a happy one. It will end in blood. She will trust the wrong people, she will deny destiny, and Everly will perish in blood and fire,” Sinder said harshly.

  “Okay, pause,” Jason interrupted. “Kaya, you say that Maddy’s blood is full of power and that she will save Everly or whatever, right?” Jason asked.

  “Yes.” Kaya nodded slowly, and a soft, gentle smile spread across her face. “Her past tells a great deal about her future.”

  My past? What does Kaya know about my past?

  I felt my heartbeat quicken. I didn’t believe a word either of them were saying. My lips were still tightly sealed, so I couldn’t interject.

  “And, Sinder, you say that Maddy’s story is not a happy one and all the stuff that Kaya said is crap?” Jason asked.

  “Oh, sweet boy. Your mouth moves with elegance when you speak. It is enchanting,” Sinder said with a devilish smirk.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Okay, gross.” Jason cringed. “Answer the question.”

  “Only because it is you who asks. But yes, I speak the truth. If this beast of a girl puts her trust in the Porter and walks into that temple, she will not walk out. That leads to the end of it all. The nightmares that plague the minds of babes will pale in comparison to the destruction and terror that will fill each speck of life in Everly,” Sinder said.

  “Yikes, okay. Yeesh,” Jason said. “You may be able to work your Witchy magic and make predictions, but I know Maddy better than anyone. She won’t go with you to find her mom unless you save Ruth, and she really won’t kill people.”

  Jason turned and winked at me.

  Oh, no. What is he getting at? I cleared my throat loudly.

  “Sinder…” Kaya said in an urging sort of way.

  “Oh, right.” Sinder shifted her weight, annoyed. She gave an exasperated sigh and twirled her finger in the air, muttering something under her breath.

  My lips tingled. I opened my mouth and closed it a few times.

  “Jay!” I whispered loudly in protest and searched Kaya and Sinder’s faces for any sign of aggression. “I know what you are trying to do, but you have to stop.” I waved to him from where I stood, by the cavern wall. Jason had walked toward the Witches and was now standing between them.

  Jason looked at me and then back at Kaya. He pulled himself up, looking more confident than ever. “Can you heal Madison? She was shot—”

  “No, Jason! No!” I grabbed his arm.

  He shrugged off my touch and disregarded me altogether. “Kaya, please?” he asked, ignoring my pleas. His eyes were wide and desperate. “Do that, and we will work something out with you.”

  “Jason, stop it! I don’t want their help!”

  “You still ponder trusting the Porter and going to the temple, do you, dear girl?” Sinder asked, her tone suspicious and heated.

  “Just fix her, please. We can sort all of that out,” Jason said with authority.

  Jason’s new assertiveness toward these dangerous women surprised me. Yes, on paper they were my aunts, but in reality they were strangers, and one was for sure a teenager-groping psychopath.

  “My eye is fine. I told you that. I don’t want her to do anything. I don’t want any magic or Witch healing. I am fine. I will heal on my own.” I felt flustered and spoke quickly.

  “Maddy, I shot you in the eye with an arrow. If your aunts can fix that, then let them,” Jason said calmly.

  “If you come with us, I will heal you. I give you my word,” Kaya said as I grabbed Jason’s wrist and pulled him behind me, away from the Witches. “And for the good of the coven, I will help you extract all of your magic from the sword.”

  “Give us a minute,” I said, and pulled Jason to the other side of the cavern.

  Kaya nodded and even stopped a disgruntled Sinder from following us. “Take a moment to discuss,” Kaya said.

  “What are you doing?” I asked Jason. “I told you my eye was fine.”

  “Is it, though?” Jason ran his fingers through his hair. “I just want to get out of here with you in one piece. They’re your aunts. They can help.”

  “What? Jason, no. No, we can’t trust them. You were just screaming at them for being crazy, and now you want to work with them? You saw what Sinder did. She was screwing with us. Kaya might be telling the truth, but Sinder can’t be a white hat. And there is no way we could be certain she is on our side,” I said.

  “We could ask.” Jason
shrugged.

  “What? No,” I said, miffed.

  Jason looked over at Sinder and Kaya.

  “Um, hey, are you hags good or bad?” Jason asked.

  I rolled my eyes and couldn’t help but smile.

  “Come over here and I will show you a little of both, puppy,” Sinder replied and rolled her hips.

  Jason shivered dramatically. “I’m pretty sure that lady just made me gayer,” he whispered.

  I let out a single chuckle.

  “What if they come with us to the temple to help save Aunt Ruth? We might be safer with them rather than against them, and then after Ruth is safe and sound, you can go with them to find your mom,” Jason suggested.

  I sighed, and he kissed the top of my head, then mockingly spit. “Your hair smells like feet, you little dirtball.”

  I snickered.

  Kaya let out a roaring laugh at something Sinder said.

  I looked back to the exit. “We could leave. They aren’t even looking.”

  Jason looked at them and then at me. “It’s your call, Mads.”

  “What if they are telling the truth about Ren? What if this was all just to get me to the temple so my father would kill me?” I chewed my lip.

  “What is the chosen word, children?” Kaya interrupted.

  We ignored her, and Jason shook his head at me. “You didn’t see what I saw when you were out after the grotto. There’s no way Ren wants you dead. Trust me.”

  “I don’t know who to believe. I don’t trust any of them.” I shook my head as Sinder narrowed her eyes at us and lifted an eyebrow. I cleared my throat. “We are just figuring out the plan,” I said as her eyes pierced me.

  Sinder exhaled loudly. “Okay, enough chatter, kiddies.” She held her hands out. “You want sure sight, niece? I will give you the sight you seek!”

  “No!” I yelped. As if I were being tied up in ropes, my arms were pinned at my sides, and Sinder flicked her wrists. I slid across the cave floor to her. She placed her hand on my forehead and began chanting something.