Autumn Awakens

by M. J. Padgett

  “What exactly is that goal, and also, if you ever shoot me in the butt with a dart again, I will eat your entrails for breakfast,” I said to Thaddeus, who I dare say shivered slightly.

  “We’re looking for a witch,” Ross said as he stared out the window. “We’re in a stolen minivan, and we’re looking for a witch after getting attacked by rotting dog things. I think. I’m not sure if I’m dreaming or if this is really happening.”

  I looked around the minivan and saw Henry and Jemma seated behind us. Henry stared at a random point in front of him, probably feeling a lot like I was. I’d only just discovered I had feelings for Ophelia, and she was gone. I couldn’t imagine how Henry felt.

  “So, witches just roam around here in the real world?” I asked.

  Jemma snickered. “As opposed to what world? It’s all real, Parker. It’s fantastic, but it’s real. And yes, witches exist everywhere.”

  “Is Rose a witch?” I asked, deciding that must be how she was able to control the train cars and force me to crash.

  “She is, and with the help of the mysterious woman we have yet to identify, there is no telling how powerful she might be. We’ll find a witch of our own who might be willing to help us, then we’ll locate Seline and Ophelia,” Jemma responded. “I’m sorry, Parker. I was so close.”

  “It’s not your fault. Let’s complete our mission and find my princess,” Henry said sadly, then added, “and Parker’s.”

  We rode in silence for another half hour while I thought back over the time I’d known Ophelia. It was difficult to pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with her, but I knew it had to be a long time ago. I was a fool. I spent my time trying to be a good detective, a good brother, a good everything, but I was so bad at paying attention to what was right in front of me.

  I felt drowsy again but fought the urge to sleep. “I can’t stand this any longer. When we find a witch, she must get this thing out of my head. Whatever Rose is doing to make me fall asleep, just get it out.”

  “I don’t think it’s Rose this time. That was a powerful sedative Thaddeus used. It’s probably still working through your system,” Jemma said.

  “I don’t care. I still want someone to make sure she’s not in my head. I need to be clear and focused,” I snapped, feeling guilty for doing so yet not inclined to apologize. I was still too angry to be in the middle of a war I didn’t ask to be a part of. I agreed to join, sure, but if I had known helping Sierra and Cecily meant losing Ophelia, I’d have politely declined.

  “Stop!” Jemma shouted. I whipped my head toward her.

  “Don’t tell me what to—”

  “No, not you. I mean, stop the car! There, there’s a witch right there!” She pointed out the window, frantically glancing around the car as if we should all see it as well.

  She unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed over Henry as Thaddeus came to a stop in front of a row of dilapidated shops. Before he got the van in park, Jemma pushed the door open and hopped out, then wandered toward one of the buildings. It was once painted pastel pink, but the years had chipped away the color leaving bits of exposed cinder block. The windows were covered on the inside with black paper that was significantly faded. Above the door was a neon sign that advertised a psychic.

  “She’s kidding, right?” I asked no one in particular, but Jemma heard me.

  “I have a gift, Parker. It’s like a buzzy little sixth sense that tells me there’s a witch near,” she said.

  “Lot of good it did back at the train,” Jordan snapped. I knew I should correct him for being so rude, but I agreed with him, so I let it slide.

  “Witches give off a vibe, like an electrical pulse that only some people feel. Think of it as a dog whistle. Some witches cloak their magic. I would assume someone like Rose would do that. Others, mostly those pure of heart, do not choose to hide what they are from those who seek them. Come on, let’s see if this one is willing to help us.”

  Jemma pulled the door open, and I was immediately hit in the face with a myriad of scents. I turned my nose up but followed Jemma. The rest filed in behind us. Inside was just as aged as the outside with cracked walls and faded furniture. An antique velvet sofa held various texts, all worn and falling apart. Bookcases lined the far wall, also filled with old books and stacks of papers.

  “I’ll be right there,” a voice called, distracting me from my observations.

  I waited, but my nerves were shot. I didn’t know how patient I could be, but luckily, we didn’t have to wait long. A woman much younger than expected emerged from behind a curtain between two bookcases. The moment she took in the group before her, she grew leery.

  “What can I help you with?” she asked, clutching the curtain in her hand.

  “I was hoping you might help us with a problem. We need a witch,” Jemma said bluntly.

  “A what?” she asked, then said, “I’m a psychic. I read palms. I don’t perform spells or whatever it is you’re looking for.” The woman had waist-length blonde hair she tied back into a ponytail. Her clothing was a bit unusual—deep purple leather pants and a sparkly pink shirt that had I love unicorns printed on it. It wasn’t something I expected a grown woman to wear, but it seemed oddly fitting for her. She continued to grip the curtain nervously.

  “I can tell you’re lying by the way you hide and keep darting your eyes to the left. I promise no one here is a danger to you,” I said. “In fact, two of us are police detectives. We just need help...” I trailed, not entirely sure what it was Jemma wanted her to do.

  “Just a locator spell, that’s all. We need help finding our friends who’ve been taken,” Jemma added.

  The woman took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Forgive me, but you all reek of hellhounds. What has happened? Are they here?”

  “No, they’re gone now,” Jemma said, which must have been the magic phrase.

  The woman pulled the curtain back and motioned for us to follow her into the back. Jemma was the first to trust her and disappear behind the curtain, then I followed. Once we were behind the curtain, we continued down a corridor which made me mighty nervous. Chris was also on high alert. I desperately wanted to know what a hellhound was and where they came from, but it seemed no one else cared. They probably wanted to forget them altogether after spending far more time fighting them than I had.

  The woman paused at a door and raised her hand. A pink glow emanated from her fingertips, and the door seemed to take in a breath, then release and click open. It was the strangest thing I had ever seen even after the events on the train. She pushed the door in and entered a secret room. Inside the room was like walking into another world. It was far larger than the rest of the building, which made me wonder just how they fit it all in such a small building.

  “This is just like Fiona’s library. Well, the one she had in Philadelphia,” Jemma said as she ran her fingers over a shelf filled with antique books.

  “We do like our reference materials,” the woman said. “My name is Nikola Grocka, a member of the House of Rudzinska. Welcome to our coven headquarters.”

  “Your... what?” Jordan asked. He still held his arm tightly.

  “Did no one think to have Jordan’s arm fixed before trotting off to find witches? What were you doing while I was out cold?” I snapped.

  Nikola’s eyes moved from the expansive rows of books to Jordan. “Oh my, that must be painful,” she said, then reached for his shoulder. Jordan flinched, but she caught him before he could get away. Her fingers lit again. Jordan’s eyes grew wider as her fingers glowed brighter.

  Jordan rotated his arm a few times, lifted it up and down, then dropped it to his side. “It’s better. She fixed it!” He turned his attention to Nikola. “Thanks, that was awesome.”

  Nikola smiled, then turned her focus back to what we’d come for. “Where did you encounter the hellhounds?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure what they’re called, but we ran into a few nasty dog things on the train about fifty miles from h
ere,” Henry said. “The people on the train, they just morphed into grotesque, rotting monsters.”

  “Indeed, those were hellhounds. You’re dealing with a nasty witch. I’ll help you find your friends—” she stopped short and looked directly at me. “I should say, I’ll find the truest love of your life and his,” she said, glancing at Henry. She chuckled. “I’ve never met a true love before. This gives me hope David in accounting might come around some day.”

  “David in... Can we just get on with finding my... my...” I didn’t know what to call Ophelia at that point. Calling her my sister felt all sorts of wrong, but she wasn’t my girlfriend either. My three brothers glanced at me, still confused about my new feelings. The very thought sounded weird in my mind, so I shook it clear and refocused. “Can you just find them?”

  “Easy there, just give me a few minutes to feel out the situation. It’s easier for me to find your friends if I can get a sense of them from you. That said, I think I’ve got something. Come,” Nikola said.

  “This is different from magic I’ve seen before. I’m not sure I’ve seen a location spell performed like this,” Jemma said conversationally as the woman gathered several items from beneath a counter.

  “We do our magic a little different from most. You are German, correct? The Black Forest region if my ear serves?” Nikola asked.

  “Wow. Yes, we are,” Henry said.

  “That magic is quite unique. Its power comes from one of two forces, lightness or darkness. Where I come from, our magic comes from the earth, nature, the physical manifestation of the spiritual essence of mother nature herself. It’s not nearly as powerful, but then, nothing is more powerful than a Black Forest Witch. Don’t you know that already?” Nikola seemed surprised.

  Jemma licked her lips seeming a bit uncomfortable. “We uh, we don’t really leave our corner of the world much.” It was a bit of a lie considering she grew up in Philadelphia, but I didn’t dare speak out against her. She had her reasons for keeping secrets, and I assumed they were to protect her family.

  Nikola eyed Jemma with a suspicious gaze. Like a light bulb flickering on, her eyes opened wide, and she smacked the table. “It can’t be. No, this is too crazy. The odds of you walking into my shop are slim to nothing.”

  Henry and Thaddeus tensed and sneakily placed themselves on either side of Jemma. Nikola darted off down a long corridor, leaving us all staring after her. I, for one, considered running while we had the chance.

  “I’m not comfortable with this, Princess Genevieve,” Henry said, catching me a little off-guard. I didn’t ask about the name. Instead, I readied myself to shift if necessary. Ross and Chris stood by Jordan, already in protective big-brother mode. When Nikola reappeared carrying a book, we all relaxed a little.

  The book was older than anything I’d ever seen. Tan like parchment, a little worn on the edges, but for the most part, it seemed well cared for. The spine was gilded with unique, fancy lettering I couldn’t read, and just below the script was a symbol—a wolf head howling.

  “I think this belongs to you,” she said, then flicked her fingers. The book flew open, and the pages turned without her touching them, then stopped on a page that had been ripped in half. The upper half was missing, but the bottom half contained two stanzas of what I thought was a poem or song.

  Jemma picked up the heavy volume and peered at the stanzas. She gasped and nearly dropped the book on the floor.

  “Oh, my—the song! It’s the Song of the Lost!”

  “What?” Henry asked, taking the book.

  “There’s more to it just like Annabell said!” Jemma was awfully excited about a song and someone named Annabell. I was ready to find Ophelia and get her to safety. I assumed Henry felt the same about his wife, yet there Jemma was casually reading a book.

  “Anyone want to explain what this is?” Chris urged, growing as impatient as I was. Instead of giving us an answer, Henry simply read the portion of the song given to us.

  “Seven shall thee mark by the moon, seven shall thee lead from doom. Seven shall bear the burden of death, seven shall rise from the dead with life’s breath. Oh, come to us, child of light, set back the time to do what’s right. Take the hand of the princess of Snow, unite, and set the world aglow.” Henry placed the book gently on the table. “How do you know of these things?”

  Nikola hesitated momentarily, then said, “If you can prove I am not wrong about your identities, then I will reveal my true identity to you.” I was clueless, but Jemma was not. She shifted in front of the strange girl without a moment’s hesitation.

  “Okay,” Chris said with a sigh. “I guess we’re showing everyone our party tricks these days.”

  Thaddeus scowled at Chris but said nothing.

  Nikola’s smile grew wider. “I never thought the day would come. I thought surely my generation would never see the day, just as the generations before us. My how lucky I am!” Her small hands covered a squeal, then she practically danced in place. “Oh, I can’t stand it. I can’t believe I get to do this alongside you!”

  “Who exactly are you?” I asked, wondering why no one asked the obvious questions in the group but me.

  Nikola smiled. “I am the descendant of Nine, and we’ve been waiting for a very long time for this day, son of Thirteen.”

  I wasn’t usually taken by surprise, but I dare say Nikola threw me for a loop. If what she said was true, she was a distant cousin to me. Everyone in the group wore a shocked expression, though for many different reasons. Chris, Ross, and Jordan appeared as lost as I felt with wide eyes and partially agape mouths. The others appeared to be wrapping their minds around something I was sure I would never comprehend.

  Jemma shifted human and immediately began a barrage of questions. “I thought they were fairies. Are you a fairy? How did you know we’d come? What is the purpose of this book? Can you help us find our friends?”

  “Hang on,” Nikola said. “I can definitely help you, but not here. I’m coming with you” She pushed the book back into Jemma’s hands. “This book belongs to Thirteen. I can’t make heads or tails of most of it, but maybe you can. The spell she used to transport Tristan here—”

  “Hang on there, what?” I asked.

  “What do you mean, what?” Nikola asked. “You don’t know your history?”

  “Clearly, I do not have a clue about any of this. Frankly, I do not care. I just want to find Ophelia,” I admitted.

  “We will find her. I assure you, my cousins are already tracking your friends, but you, Tristan, must understand your past if your future is to make any sense. You all look famished. Have a bite to eat while my cousins work, and I will explain how we think you got here.”

  “I’m not hungry. Explain now and stop calling me Tristan,” I snapped. I was behaving like a jerk, but I couldn’t help myself. I felt like I was wading through thick mud or stuck in one of those dreams you can’t wake from even though you know it’s a dream.

  Nikola sighed and looked around at each face. When she found no support in them, she relented. “Your mother sent you here to protect the future queen of Weisserwald. You were always meant for greatness, Tristan—sorry, you go by Parker, right?” she asked, though I had never told her either name. I nodded, and she continued. “Your mother bore witness to Rose Reichenbach’s treachery, and she immediately knew what had happened to the missing royals in the other lands of Black Forest. She knew she must act quickly, so she sent her only son to protect the true, rightful heir to the throne.”

  “Are you saying Thirteen transported him here, to this life?” Jemma asked.

  “The exact spell she used is ancient, and I cannot translate it perfectly. That’s all I know. How he ended up here at this very moment, I cannot say. I also cannot say where the rightful heir has gone.”

  “Who is the heir?” Henry asked.

  “Her name is Autumn, the firstborn of King and Queen Reichenbach,” Nikola responded.

  Thaddeus sighed. “It is always petty jealousy
at the root of evil deeds.”

  Nikola agreed. “Indeed. I wish I could be of more help, but this is all I know. Tristan was meant to guard the true heir, but they both disappeared. Their son, Joel, also disappeared. Shortly after that, Thirteen went missing. She left no word with her sisters, so they assumed she died. Oh, and yes, I am a fairy.” The little tidbit of information slipped from her tongue as if it bore little significance to our situation. I suppose it didn’t, but it was still odd.

  “You said we could have the book?” Jemma asked, itching to read it cover to cover. “Perhaps Jeanine can decipher it further since it was hers once upon a time?”

  “Jeanine?” Nikola asked.

  Jemma lifted her gaze from the book back to Nikola. “Oh yes, Thirteen is alive and well in Schwarzwald, but she has no memory of anything. She even adopted one of the Salien royals in this life, Katharine of Schwarzwald.”

  Nikola’s smile widened, and she clasped her hands together. She let out a loud squeal, then said, “It is all coming together as it was written. They didn’t fail!”

  “Who didn’t fail? Can someone please say something that makes sense?” Jordan asked, barely hanging on to the last of his sanity. Chris and Ross had checked out entirely and wandered around, looking at books.

  Nikola gathered a bit of composure. “The twelve remaining sisters set something in motion that took many centuries to materialize, but I dare say I am part of the lucky generation that gets to help the Seven Sworn fulfill their destiny.”

  “What did they do?” Jemma asked, hanging on every word Nikola said.

  “They used up the last of their energy to bring you all together at the same time, in the same place to fulfill the song, and then they died—well, most of them. No one knows where Twelve went. Her body has never been recovered, but there’s no way she survived that spell. It took everything they had, including their lives.”

  Jemma lost herself in thought, a million little bits of information seeming to file into place as she stared at the floor, then suddenly she said, “Oh, my Heavens! It’s brilliant!”