“Just a sleight of hand. Something I learned from Josslyn.” She stuck her hand through the bars, sticking the key in the lock and turning it.
“You do know that she learned that from me, right?” Elijah asked, raising a brow at her.
“Of course. You were quite the influence on her,” Jade said, as she shoved the door to the cage open, and started down the hall, unlocking the cages as she went. She stopped at the far end of the hall, staring at the cage in front of her. It’s so dark, she thought, walking forward. “Hey. Is somebody in here?” she asked, unlocking the cell.
“Jade, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Elijah said, as he walked out of the cell. He stopped at the steps, glancing over his shoulder. “Who knows what be in there.”
“He’s right, Jade,” one of the leprechauns told her. “It could be a monster.”
“Why would they keep…”
“Roar!”
The loud sound suddenly filled her ears, and Jade stumbled back, her eyes widening as a three-headed lion suddenly walked out from the shadows, lunging forward.
“No!”
A hand wrapped around the door of the cage, slamming it shut.
“Hey!” Jade whipped her head around, glaring at the vampire. “What did you do that for?”
“That monster is for the new uprising evil,” the vampire informed her, as he wrapped a hand around Jade’s arm. “And you, are coming with me.”
“What? Why?” Jade asked, struggling to break free from his hold.
“Because you’ve been summoned…. To Alana’s chambers,” the vampire said, laughing.
“Jade!”
Ashwin and Elijah rushed forward.
“I don’t think so.” The vampire struck his hand up, a forcefield suddenly surrounding him and Jade, knocking the men back.
“Hey!”
“Jade!”
Ashwin jumped to his feet. “Elijah, do something!”
“Jade, duck!” Elijah tossed a fireball forward, and Jade ducked, watching as the fireballs bounced off of the force field. “Ashwin, it’s not working!”
“I can see that!”
The vampire just laughed. “Imbeciles. You’re not breaking this forcefield. Come on, Jade. Alana’s waiting for us.” They disappeared in a blur.
“Jade!”
Chapter 26
“Jasmine! What do we do?” Josslyn asked, stumbling back, as Tony strode forward.
“Hell if I know!” Jasmine cried. “It’s not like we can fight him! We have no powers!”
“That’s right. You don’t have your powers,” Tony said, his forked tongue slithering out from his mouth, his sharp fangs beaming underneath the moonlight. “Liam took them.”
“Yes, he did, but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless!” Jasmine cried, swallowing, as she stared into Tony’s dark eyes, shuddering at the scales that were now covering his face. “We are still witches!” She glanced over at Josslyn. “Joss, he’s full snake now!”
“Yes I know,” Josslyn whispered back, staring at Tony, uncertain what to do. “I can see that!”
“But he’s a snake. Snakes can die, right?” Jasmine asked as Tony took another step toward them. She backed up a step. “Ah, Joss.”
“What?”
“The bridge!”
“What?” Josslyn jerked around, her eyes widening, as the bridge suddenly collapsed. “Oh my God! Jordyn! Mark!”
“Joss!”
She swung back around, just as Tony rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Jasmine and squeezing.
“Let her go, you big brute!” She shouted, rushing forward. She lifted the stick in her hands, stroking it across Tony’s back.
“Ugh!” Tony jerked his head around, just before he struck his fangs into Jasmine’s neck, glaring at Josslyn. “You always were the tough one of the bunch,” he said, tossing Jasmine to the ground. “I want to kill you instead!”
“You’re not killing anyone!” Jasmine shouted, jumping to her feet, and racing forward. She lunged forward, jumping on Tony’s back, wrapping her fingers around his throat. “Die, you reptile!”
Tony jerked left, then right, trying to dislodge her. “You witches! You’re nothing but trouble! I just want to feast on you, so I can get the hell out of this place!”
“That’s never going to happen!” Jasmine cried, yelping, as she flew through the air, landing on the ground with a hard thunk.
“Jasmine!” Josslyn raced forward, grabbing Jasmine by the arm and dragging her to her feet. “Come on! We’ve gotta go!” She glanced over at Tony, as he struggled for breath. “We’ve gotta find another way across the river!”
“But Tony!” Jasmine cried as they disappeared into the forest, zigzagging through the trees. “We have to get rid of him!”
“How are we supposed to do that?” Josslyn asked. “We have no powers!”
“But we’re still witches!” Jasmine cried as she brushed a vine to the side. “Even if we don’t have our powers, it was something we were born with. Something that is a part of us. That doesn’t just go away. Do you remember the spell we used to vanquish Tony?”
“Uh…” Josslyn stopped. “Wait, I think so! Didn’t it go something like reptile boy of scales?”
“Yes!” Jasmine cried. “Oh my goodness, I think I remember it! Come on, we’ve gotta try it!”
“You really think this is going to work?” Josslyn asked as Tony broke free from the trees, racing forward.
“You’re mine, witches!”
“Now!”
Jasmine and Josslyn linked hands.
“Reptile boy of scales and fangs,
Your venom is a death of pain.
Leave my sight on this night,
And let your souls be released into the night!”
Tony laughed, charging forward. “You think you can stop me, witches? You’re powerless. Liam stole everything from you, and you, you are mine!”
“Liam has nothing on us!” Josslyn shouted, raising her chin. “Just like you. You’re a demon, Tony. A vicious creature, who we got rid of once, and who we will damn well get rid of again! We’re witches. The chosen ones and as long as we’re alive nothing will keep us from our destiny.” She glanced at Jasmine. “Come on! We’ve gotta say it again!”
“Right!”
“Reptile boy of scales and fangs,
Your venom is a death of pain.
Leave my sight on this night,
And let those souls you have taken be released into the night!”
“Joss, do you feel that?” Jasmine asked as a whirl of wind rushed around them.
“I feel that!” Josslyn shouted, shuddering. “It’s so cold!”
“And he’s coming!” Jasmine shouted as Tony raced toward them. “The spell didn’t work! What do we do now?”
“We run!” Josslyn shouted, and they split, racing around Tony and back through the forest.
“Josslyn, we’re right back where we started!” Jasmine cried, sliding to a stop, and staring down at the rushing depths. “He’s going to kill us!”
“And right you are, Jasmine,” Tony said, laughing, as he slowed to a stop behind her. “But which one should I choose?” He tapped a gnarly nail against his lips, pointing a finger. “Inny.” He pointed a finger to Josslyn. “Minny.” He pointed a finger to Jasmine. “Miney. Mo!”
“No!”
Josslyn struck her hand up, as he raced forward, reaching his arms toward her. Ice struck from her hand, streaking toward Tony.
“Oh my God! Josslyn! Your powers!” Jasmine cried, her eyes widening, as Tony turned to ice. “They’re back?”
“I guess so,” Josslyn said, staring at her hands. “But how? I didn’t even do anything!”
“Yes you did,” Jasmine said, grinning. “You believed! We both did!”
“And what do we do now?”
“Well first, we get rid of him,” Jasmine said, flicking her fingers. Tony’s body floated toward them, and she jerked her arm to the side, sending him flying down
into the river. “Exactly where he belongs,” she said. “He’s caused enough trouble for us, for how long?”
“For a year now,” Josslyn said, clasping Jasmine’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go find the rest of our family.” They disappeared in a reign of icicles.
Chapter 27
“Ahh… does anyone know what these things are?” Josi asked, staring at the demons as they strode toward them.
“I think they’re the spider demons,” Jorja said, backing up a step. “I read about him in the book. Your mother and aunts vanquished him in the underworld. Did you know that he turned Jade into a spider!”
“Almost turned Jade into a spider,” Jessi put in. “She never fully transformed, and neither are we!” She narrowed her eyes, staring at the spider demon. A sharp pain hitting her in the head, and she cried, out stumbling back. “What the hell?”
“You can’t use your powers on me, witch,” the spider demon said, laughing, as he raced forward. “I’m immune to your powers! And with the chosen ones without theirs, well, you’re ours for the taking. Spiders, let’s go!”
The men and women raced across the field on their eight legs, and Jorja frantically looked around them for a way out. A hand grabbing her around the ankle, pulling her downward.
“Hey! Let go!” she shouted, trying to break free from the demon’s grip. She reached her hands forward, digging her fingers into the ground. “You can’t have me!” She wrapped her hand around the sharp rock laying next to her, and swung it around, striking him in the eye.
“Agh! My eye!”
“Then leave me and my family alone!” Jorja shouted. “You can’t have us! We are the chosen ones!”
A loud roar filled her ears, and she raised her head to the skies, as the skies opened up. A whirl of wind rushed downward, circling around her. “What the hell?”
“Jorja! Help!”
Josi yelped, as a female spider demon wrapped her arms around her, dragging her to the ground. She winced, kicking her leg out, dislodging the demon’s grip, and reached for the tree branch lying next to her. She slung it around, and the spider demon laughed, wrapping a hand around the branch.
“Nice try, little witch,” the spider demon drawled. “But this won’t do you any good.” She broke the branch in half, lunging forward, and slamming Josi to the ground. She opened her mouth, her fangs striking forward.
“Hey! Stay away from her!”
Josslyn and Jasmine appeared in a reign of icicles on the lawn, racing forward.
“Take this!” Josslyn shouted, raising her hand, and striking it forward. Ice spreading from her fingers and freezing the spider. “Smash him, Josi!”
“With pleasure!” Josi cried, shoving the now ice, covered demon off of her, and jumping to her feet. She raised her leg, stomping her heel, the demon shattering across the lawn at her feet. “Come on, we need to help the others!”
“Ahh!”
The loud shriek filled their ears, and they all winced, as Jorja let out a loud scream. The spider demons shook from the noise, and Jorja grinned, glancing over her shoulder. “Hey sis, looks like I got my powers back.”
“Yeah, and it’s really loud!” Jordyn cried, scrambling back from the spider demon, and rising to her feet. “So when do I get to know what power I have?”
“All in due time, Cuz,” Jessi said, as she dragged Jami to her feet, staring at the spider demons writing on the ground. “So, what are we going to do with them?”
“Get rid of them,” Jasmine said. “Think a spell will work this time, Joss?”
“Man, I hope so?”
“Which one?” Josi asked.
“How about an old one, for old time sakes,” Josslyn said. “Repeat after me girls! Eight times this spider has been a pest…”
“Eight times this spider has been a pest.”
“Erase this evil from my sight.”
“Erase this evil from my sight.”
“Through time and space let this evil be erased.”
“Through time and space, let this evil be erased.”
“And send him to a place of nevermore.”
“And send him to a place of nevermore!”
“Wait that’s now how it goes,” Jasmine said, frowning. “You changed it!”
Josslyn laughed. “I had to! None of my sisters are under his spell!”
“Uh, Josslyn, it’s not working!” Jordyn cried, as the demons rose to their feet, and strode toward them. “They’re coming!”
“We have to say it again,” Jasmine said, linking hands with her sisters and nieces. “Come on, we can do this!”
“Eight times this demon has been a pest,
Erase this evil from my sight.
Through time and space let this evil be eased,
And send him to a place of nevermore!”
“No!” The spider demon raised his head, staring at Jasmine and Josslyn. “I hate you witches!” he shouted, as his body shook, his eight legs falling from his body, and disappearing in a cloud of dust.
“And we hate you,” Jasmine said, laughing. “Please be the last time we ever see that monster!”
“I second that,” Josslyn said. “So, Jorja, where’s that stone?”
“She doesn’t have it anymore,” Jordyn said, raising the gem in her hand. “I do. My mother was having issues destroying it.”
“You were going to choose a stone over us?” Josslyn asked, staring at her sister in disbelief. “Jorja!”
“I’m sorry!” Jorja cried. “But you don’t understand! I’ve been searching for this thing for…”
“For years. Yes, we know,” Josslyn finished, rolling her eyes. “Jasmine, do you want to do the honors?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Jasmine lifted her hands in the air, lifting the large boulder next to them, nodding to Jordyn.
Jordyn nodded, setting the stone on the ground.
“And let it go!”
Jasmine dropped her hands, the bounder smashing hard into the ground.
“Do you worked?” Jami asked.
“There’s only one way to find out,” Jasmine said, lifting her hands once more, and lifting the boulder into the air. She swiped her hands to the side, setting the rock behind them, and stepping forward.
“Ah, something’s not right,” Jordyn said, as she stared down at the broken pieces of the stone, watching as it disappeared into thin air.
“What do you mean?” Jorja asked, leaning forward. “It has to be the stone! There’s nothing…” She trailed off, her eyes connecting with Josslyn’s. “It’s a fake, isn’t it?”
“Liam always has a plan,” Jami muttered, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “And I don’t like it!”
“Does this mean what I think it means?” Mark asked, looking at the women.
“We have to go find Liam… again,” Jorja said, scowling. “And figure out how to get out of this damned place.” She glanced at Mark. “How do we get out of this place? I’m guessing we can’t just teleport out.”
“No, that would be too easy!” Mark cried. “But I’ve heard rumors of a hidden key. It’s supposed to reveal a door, that will allow us to return back to earth.”
“Any ideas where it might be?”
Mark shrugged. “I have no idea where to even look.”
“So we’re going on a scavenger hunt?” Jorja asked, her eyes bright with excitement. “I love scavenger hunts!”
“We know!”
Chapter 28
“That was very… informative,” Sky said, as they stepped out from the church, glancing behind him at the family he’d only just met.
“Informative is new,” Connor said, glancing over at Sky. “I take it you’ve never been to church before?”
“I…” Sky trailed off, glancing back behind him at the catholic church behind him. Staring at the bright, white building, standing tall with crosses embedded in the sides of the building, he felt something trying to break free. Was that a cross? Pews that were a golden color?? “I’m not sure
,” he finally said. “I feel like these memories are trying to break free, but something’s blocking them.”
“They’ll come back to you sooner or later,” Winston told him, elbowing him, as they walked. “And who knows. Maybe you have a wife and kids!”
“You know, I’m getting really tired of hearing that,” Sky muttered. “I swear, every single one of you has said that to me!”
“Then how about we settle it once and for all,” Stella said, grabbing Sky’s hand and studying his ring finger. “Hmm. No ring. No mark. I’d say you’re not married.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Shane said, as he looped his arm through Sherilyn’s. “Remember, a lot of men don’t wear their wedding rings these days.”
“And some of them wear it by their hearts,” Sherilyn put in, smiling over at her husband.
“What does that mean?” Matthew asked, glancing up at his father.
“It means, that he wears it on a chain next to his heart,” Connor told his son, winking at him.
“That’s weird!”
“Nah. It’s just unique,” Winston told him, glancing over at his mother and stepfather. “I’m glad she’s so happy,” he whispered to Sky. “She was alone a long time after you and Dad died.”
“Everyone deserves to be happy,” Sky said, as they rounded the corner, jogging down the steps leading them to the basement of the church. “So, what’s next?”
“Well, lunch of course,” Dillon said, as they walked through the doors. “The church always supplies free sandwiches, punch, and desserts after the ceremony.”
“You mean, after they’re done preaching at you, they bribe you with more food to come back?” Sky teased.
“Sky!” Sophia stared at him in shock.
“I’m just kidding,” Sky told her, laughing at the expressions around him. “Now, let’s go eat! I’m starving!”
“Well, he definitely has the family appetite,” Stella murmured.
They all moved down the line, filling their plates with sandwiches, chips, beans, and took a seat at the long table together.
“I still can’t believe we’re all here together,” Sherilyn said, staring at her family with tears in her eyes. “It feels like a dream. I’m sorry.” She wiped a tear from her cheek. “I feel like I keep repeating myself, but I do wish your father was here.”
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