A Sorcery of Shadows: The Westwood Witches 2

by Sarah Northwood

  She pressed her mind to turn to the situation at hand. She went to the wooden door and pushed. But no matter how much weight she gave it, the door did not move. Aero chastised herself. Of course, the fairies didn’t want her to leave. They were afraid, but the fact they were able and willing to lie to her had caught her off guard. It had taught her a sharp lesson.

  This was not a make-believe world, where fairy tales were fiction and the fairies which inhabited them were good and kind and truthful. Just like people in real life, they were complicated beings with emotions and feelings. Deceit being one of them. That wouldn’t be a mistake to repeat.

  Her thoughts turned to her dad, Lilly, and Fred. Her heart filled with longing just to know they were safe. Since her decision to set off after her mother and aunt, there had been scarcely a moment to think of them. How wicked when they too must have been terrified. She had left them.

  If her dad were here to look after her, then things wouldn’t feel so horrid, but this too was a selfish, mean thought from the part of her which didn’t care about the danger they’d be in, and only sought to ease her own pain.

  Chapter Thirteen

  A Story Remembered

  Louise was alone in a cell, but she could hear tiny drops of sound coming from the other side of the wall, a scratching record of half conversation. “Hello? Hello?” she called out, her voice fast and uneasy.

  A suspicion grew in her. The ethereal sounds coming from the walls were those of a child, but her darned poor hearing did not allow full recognition.

  “My name is Louise. I’m sorry, I’m a little hard of hearing. I wish I could hear you properly. I have a niece, you know; her name is Aero. I think you’d like her. Ahh, my ears. I wish they worked better, but it’s there as a reminder. Every day the things I miss out on remind me of a young girl and what she missed out on growing up. I know you’re saying something. Did I catch it right, is your name Amanda? Perhaps I should tell you about it. I’m an old fool, probably talking to myself, but that’s okay.”

  Louise thought she heard a flicker of sound and carried on.

  “It had been a bright, beautiful spring day. The sort which sticks in your mind because the weather is so perfectly in balance.

  “My mother told me we were going to a place to help someone because she had seen it in one of her visions. My mother, Joanna, was a gifted witch, but she was also a seer. She told me of a vision which had come to her of a girl who needed our help. A witch so powerful she could alter the ways of time itself, like a beaver can alter a river’s path with its dam.

  “I just remember feeling happy because I loved being with her and it was just the two of us. The girl we were going to help didn’t matter, so long as I was with my mother.

  “The familiar grey tarmac rumbled beneath our wheels. Similar hills and patches of grass fluttered past our window and I remember how we drove until it became tedious to sit and I grew tired of the endlessness.

  “Mother watched the sky intently, following clouds or some other such thing I couldn’t see, until at last we came to a small crop of houses and even I noticed the air had become thick. Electricity seemed to be visible, but it came neither from a storm or cables.

  “My mother had stopped the car by this point, proclaiming we’d found the right spot. But I heard neither joy nor relief in her voice, however, and her shoulders were heavy with some unseen carried weight.

  “She gathered some things together and asked me to wait for her in the car. I did what she asked of me for a time, but I was already restless and ready to stretch out my legs. I didn’t know where my mother had gone, but as I’d watched her go off, I got out of the car and followed in the same direction. I wish so badly now I had stayed in the car.”

  Louise drew a breath. The horror of it all was speeding towards her and she needed to stop. Although certain the girl on the other side of the wall was listening still, she needed time to gather herself. She had told no one this tale before and the only other person who’d known it, her mother, was gone now.

  “Instead of staying in the car, I found my way to where my mother was and saw she was not alone. What I discovered when I found my mother was a sight so terrible, I have often wished since I had been a more obedient daughter. I saw two blackened twisted bodies, adults, dead on the floor, and I saw how my mother wept for their passing. Glancing up, she noticed me briefly before returning to her task. I saw she was talking underneath her breath. In her hands, she held a most peculiar instrument. It was then she spoke to me.

  “‘You should not have come here, Louise, but perhaps this was always meant to be the way of things.’

  “As if realising only then that her tears were evident to me, she told me they were not for the dead strangers I didn’t know. Instead, they were for what must come next. It was then I noticed the girl and saw her hands were as black as the dead bodies, and saw tiny sparks of electricity jump from finger to finger, as if she held a small toy in them.

  “I wish I could describe to you the poor girl’s face, for it was so much more dreadful than grief. I knew at once, it was she who had caused their deaths. I should have known it even if I had not seen her hands, because her face was filled with wretched despair. The poor thing had not realised how uncontrollable her magic was, and seeing her parents dead, the consequences proved too much for her to bear.

  “Faced with the most impossible choice, my mother looked at me again. I saw in her face this was now the time for the thing to happen which caused her to weep.

  “She slid the instrument over her hands. It looked rather like several gold rings strung together with beading. Her eyes became darker and small like crescent moons. I understood all indecision had left her, the task had compelled her into commitment and action. My heart was filled with the most contrary feelings. Her wisdom, born of hardship, was thick with dreadful moments like these, yet my love for her ran deeper than tree roots.

  “She placed her hands on the child’s temples. The girl at once became aware of her and ceased wailing, but she gave no struggle as my mother, with black eyes, cast out a spell. Though I knew it was kindness which forced my mother’s hand, the sight of it was horrid and made my heart pound at such a rapid pace I feared it would stop.

  “As she worked, she talked to the girl. ‘Memories of this day will be like shadows on the moon, phantoms without pain. You will not remember your power. From this day onwards you will be an orphan whose parents are dead. As ordinary as any other child. You will become like every other human being on this planet, a traveller, simply making her way through the world.’

  “My mother had arranged for the girl to be looked after, and sometime later we were again alone in the car. Between the edge of the back seat and the floor of the car rested my mother’s open bag. I saw the glinting metal of the instrument. It glistened, imbued with the magic taken for safety from the girl. At once I became possessed by the strongest urge to touch it. It had become deep pools of the brightest yellow to my eyes. Oh, how it shined, and I could not resist. I did touch it. Oh, but I did, and the brightness swallowed me up whole. Until I heard a loud pop and felt my mother’s hand yanking me away from it with such a fierceness, my arm stung for countless days after.

  “Afterwards, my hearing never worked properly again, but I mourned the emptiness in my soul far worse. And I longed to touch the cool metal again. You might imagine my mother would have been angry with me. Surely a mother would get angry in such a situation, when a daughter does not do as she was told? But not mine. Instead, her words were meant to soothe and calm me, and after we got home, she mixed a special tea for me to drink until I fell asleep and put the day behind me.

  “The next day I asked my mother the name of the girl so I could keep her in my thoughts. It’s a name I remember still, and not a day goes by when I don’t think of her.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  A Hunt for Witches

  Ahunt was on for the witches who had disappeared without a trace. Whilst they couldn’t be
seen from Earth, Jason had confirmed to Arianna they were in fact in the Shadow Realm. Work on breaking through the dimensional barriers had been underway for months, but Jason knew his thoughts on their whereabouts were like an earworm to Arianna; a song now stuck in the director’s head, providing the catalyst to succeed and helping him to achieve his own goals.

  Gentle at first, a hum blossomed outwards, filling the room as the two watched on, safe in the control node. Jason worked on keeping his face neutral, wary of giving anything away, but he saw the deep wrinkles of a frown upon Arianna’s face and saw her looking over everything.

  If he showed his feelings and Arianna spotted him, Jason knew her suspicions would be aroused. As it was, she felt she could rely on him. He knew his calm exterior gave her added confidence that he could be trusted. His blandness and ability to keep his emotions in check were essential qualities of a good spy. It was a momentous day for them both.

  The electromagnetic wave propelled through the metal coils with intense power, pulsating. They were of an unknown and new material; he felt the tingle of his hairs standing on end. Even from the lined and protected control area, the electrical surge was tactile and vibrant.

  Inside the vast, hollow test chamber, which rose up higher than his own house, workers wore cumbersome radiation suits and standard ear defenders, which were not entirely suited to the dextrous work required.

  The energy needed to open a portal between Earth and the Shadow Realm was not only enormous but secret, and the use of its source illegal in most countries. But this was not a problem for the team, who were under no illusions about the consequences should something go wrong. For most, this was an act of love to protect their country, and for others, the fat bank accounts proved loyalty and silence were commodities to be bought, just like any other.

  As the operatives prepared the test, Arianna clicked on the intercom. It wasn’t customary for her to give a speech, but Jason knew this test was special. They all felt the untouchable was about to be made real.

  “Today we go behind the curtain between our worlds. It is imperative our test today be successful if we are to make it to the Realm before the extremists do. Make no mistake, this is a race, more important and secret even than the space race with the Russians. But, just like that, we will be victorious, and we will beat the enemy to it. I want to be the first to put the metaphorical flag on the surface of the Realm and claim it for not only Britain, but for the secret intelligence unit. We are not only making careers here but history. It is your hard work, vision and constant endeavour to protect your country which will make this a reality. And I promise you that, whilst the public will not know of your achievements, the world will be safer for your sacrifices.”

  Knowledge of the location of the underground chamber remained in the hands of a select few. Jason relished his own intelligence which had brought it within his grasp. Megan had told him of her plan to infiltrate the Shadow Creatures and dispose of the witches. Her trust in him to help would not be misplaced. If the test today was successful, he would propel her cause into history and just maybe win her heart for good.

  With a bulky gloved hand, one of the operatives in charge of this test pressed a button. The wailing alarm added to the intensity of the moment and the operative announced the calibration had begun.

  At the eastern point of the room, a film of silver soon began to form, hanging between two suspended metal amplifiers like a sheer blanket. The gentle hum had become a hammering throb which rippled throughout the entire facility.

  The film of its surface stood like a giant mirror, the light in the room reflecting and bouncing off its glinting exterior. Impossible to see directly, from their higher position both Jason and Arianna had an advantage and knew the testing had proved successful, even before the digital feedback in the test room confirmed its truth. The gateway between the worlds was open.

  It was hard not to notice the deflation of Arianna’s chest as her long breath let out, and Jason noticed too the sparkle in her eyes before she quickly pressed the intercom button again.

  “Is it stable?” she asked, her voice monotone and measured.

  “Yes, ma’am,” the lead operative replied.

  Arianna’s lips flashed a brief upward curl at their edges. “And you’ve confirmed the location?”

  The operator glanced across at one of the numerous control desks in the room and saw the man nod in approval. Before replying he strolled over and conversed quietly with the man in charge of the interdimensional navigation, to confirm the details for himself. There was no room for error.

  “As much as we can, ma’am. According to all known star systems the portal leads to nowhere. We have no mapping of this dimension and no interplanetary knowledge or satellites to map direction with. The concept of dimensional direction is entirely unknown.”

  The frown on Arianna’s face as his reply met her dissatisfaction returned. “Make a satellite and probe your priority. I will not risk anyone going through until we are certain.”

  “Of course, ma’am. They are ready to go now.”

  The breakroom was alive with speculation about the unknown world on the other side of the portal. Employees slouched around the table drinking coffee and talking about the day’s events, but Jason kept his focus on Arianna. After the testing, she retreated to her office, but he knew better than to chase after her. He would wait and take the opportunity to cool down. A glass of iced water was not only welcome but necessary. The underground facility had cooled filtered air, but it did nothing to combat the heat of the machines.

  Some time later, Jason knocked lightly on Arianna’s closed office door. Opening it a crack he asked, “Is it okay if I interrupt?”

  “Sure, come in,” she replied, but kept her eyes fixed on the readouts from the test, which were open on her otherwise tidy desk.

  “How much longer till we get the feedback from the probe?” Jason asked, hoping to engage her.

  “It should be imminent. So, what brings you here? I hope it’s good news,” Arianna asked.

  “It’s not entirely good… and I know the timing could be better.”

  Without thinking, Jason sat down. Seeing a glare flash across Arianna’s face, he realised in retrospect he should have asked for her permission first. Ex-military, she oozed discipline and, even with him, she demanded he met her standards.

  It was her nature to reprimand those who failed to meet her expectations. He’d slipped up. Waiting for a tongue lashing to come, or more likely worse punishment, he sat in silence. Thankfully, though, Arianna seemed for once to have her mind on other things.

  “Well, you impressed me with the intelligence on the witches’ location. Let’s see if you can do it again.” Under the glare of the artificial light, he saw her twisted face relax and continued.

  “I will do my best. A day after my sources told me about the disappearances, I came across more intelligence. I have discovered the witches are working together to reclaim the Shadow Realm, but there’s more.” Jason then chose to do something unusual and dangerous. He dared to look her directly in the eye. It crossed the threshold of etiquette but was a necessary risk if he were to convince her.

  “Well, what are your sources saying, Jason? You can see for yourself it’s chaos in here.”

  Jason saw her clasp her hands together and rub her thumb impatiently, as she was prone to do when frustrated. “I have learnt it was a mistake for us to work with them, Arianna, and the Earth is now in great danger. A crisis is coming, if we don’t stop the witches from completing their mission. We can’t be a group with principles anymore, we must destroy them. If we don’t, the Earth will perish under the parasitic influence of the Realm.”

  “You are a skilful agent, but what makes you think one drop of this so-called intelligence is true? Why would I risk lives to this cause, based only on your word? You don’t reveal your sources, you bring no evidence to support your claims,” she replied briskly, but straightened up in her chair.

  “
I understand this is a big step…”

  “A big step? It’s a colossal leap, Jason,” Arianna replied, springing from her seat.

  Jason felt a surge of panic. He was dangerously close to angering Arianna beyond all hopes of redemption. He thought on his feet. Failure was not an option.

  “I have placed a spy inside the Realworlders' group, that’s how I know this is true. His name is Mark. Whilst he is young, he is ambitious, like me. Mark told me the precise location of the witches in the Realm and provided a map. They are being held in a fortress; a castle which protects them from invasion. Whilst the Shadow Realm grows in power, Earth is depleted. They are corrupting the balance between the two worlds. This is the reason the ozone layer is being stripped away and why the ice is melting. Where one gives the other takes. The witches have learned this and intend to take the Shadow Realm for their own. They no longer care about Earth or it’s human occupancy.”

  Jason breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Arianna’s face soften. Perhaps he had done enough to convince her.

  “I’m not convinced, Jason, not by a long stretch. Don’t get me wrong, I have no love for the witches, but we’ve worked together for a long time. Joanna Westwood grew to earn my respect and my trust.”

  “Forgive me, ma’am, but Joanna is dead. Everything is different now they have turned against us.”

  “Uhm… well, I can see how that might be true. I’ll tell you what, as soon as we can figure out a way to navigate in this new dimension, I will send out a scouting party. If your intelligence checks out, we’ll talk again.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. In future, you’re not to have operatives working without my permission. I do not want to be blindsided again. Have I made myself clear?”