A Moment of Darkness (The Chronicles of Elizabeth Fairbairn Book 3)

by Cheryllynn Dyess

  Her father hesitated, “The park. Where we fought?”

  Chuckling a bit, she replied smoothly, “Yeah.”

  “Sure, see you at eight!”

  “Can we make at six?”

  A small hesitation could be heard in his voice, but he his cockiness got the best of him, “Absolutely.”

  Turning to her mom and aunts, “All set.” Her smile hadn’t faded since she woke up that morning. Two days ago, she enlisted the help of the elves and fairies and had managed to create a plan they all felt was unbeatable. They had two hours to go, but things were already in motion.

  Going over to Reba, Elizabeth asked, "Did we get an earth mover?" Reba nodded no. "It's okay we can make it work still." Elizabeth walked away.

  The park was eerily quiet when Edom arrived an hour early. Thinking he needed to protect himself he figured going early enough to allow him time to set up wards. “Jeremy, check the woods and be careful. Devlon, come with me.”

  “No problem,” Jeremy replied way to coolly. He didn’t think his sister wise enough nor conniving enough to set a trap so when he walked to the woods he didn’t notice the fairies above him in the trees, nor the shifted elves in their animal forms only feet away itching to pounce. “All clear.”

  “Seems awful quiet for an all clear. You sure?” His father quipped back.

  “Yeah dad. It’s probably quiet cause a storms brewing,” He pointed to the sky, “or didn’t the all-knowing notice.”

  “Don’t be a smart ass. We can’t ever be too careful.”

  “Wards seem to be working fine.” Devlon countered.

  “Good cause here they come.”

  Elizabeth led the group of women up the benches where her father sat with Jeremy and Devlon. “Father. Brother. Devlon.” Her words were short and angered. She had to reign in the fire, this wasn’t the time to lose control.

  “I thought it was just going to be us?” Edom stood walking up to his daughter. Jeremy rolled his eyes. Elizabeth caught the action.

  Sari spoke up this time, “Oh Edom, now you didn’t think we’d allow you to continue twisting Elizabeth’s emotions, did you?”

  “Geez mom, straight to the point, aren’t you?” Elizabeth retorted.

  Sari just shrugged but stood her ground. Edom stopped about fifteen feet from his daughter and wife. Devlon walked up and took his place on the other side of Edom. Elizabeth frowned, “Are you sure that is the side you want to stay on?” Her eyes hopeful and pleading but her heart told her he’d not leave his mentors side. He confirmed his position by looking down at his feet and setting them again. “Your choice.”

  Raquel stepped out from behind the twin witches. Her white hair flowed freely down her back, the wind picking up a few strands blowing them across her face. Edom looked shocked to see her. Elizabeth’s suspicions were confirmed right then but it was Raquel who spoke, “You didn’t kill me. That’s twice now. You’ll not get another shot.”

  Edom sneered, “You foolish witches. We came prepared.” Raising his hands a few more of his followers walked into the park and stood behind the women.

  Elizabeth looked over her shoulder and smiled. Turning back to Edom, “Oh? Backup? They didn’t help you last time?”

  “Last time you had The Veil,” Sneered Jeremy.

  Elizabeth blinked slowly and twisted her wrist giving the signal for the fairy and elven to make themselves known. Raising a hand, the coven members walked up silently behind the followers Edom had enlisted. There were completely surrounded. Devlon tapped Edom on the shoulder and pointed behind them. “Um, what now.”

  “We stand our ground. She wouldn’t dare hurt us now. You two are bonded.”

  Elizabeth bent over forward laughing, “Is that what he told you? We never bonded. Not once.”

  Devlon’s face reddened with embarrassment and shame. Edom quickly turned towards him, grabbing his shoulders. “You told me!”

  “I told you I was working on it. She… She never would.” Devlon pleaded just before Edom hit him squarely on the jaw with a closed fist.

  “You damned fool.”

  Elizabeth raised a brow, “Oh no. It was me who was a fool. I believed you actually cared about me… not my power. I won’t make that mistake again.”

  “What are you going to do have me mauled by your pet elf?” Edom’s cockiness again slithered to the forefront thinking he had an edge.

  She smiled, “My friends are there to make sure you don’t leave.” She turned away from him to walk back next to her mother, “Oh. And to also make sure those wards you set failed.”

  Reba and Raina stood to the left of Elizabeth, Sari and Raquel to her right. Looking down at her feet, she called up the flames. “You have one chance to submit. One. When you submit you will forfeit your magic forever?” Elizabeth started to chant the spell she had mastered, a binding spell that ripped magic from the soul of the practicer. “This is going to hurt.”

  Edom held his hands out facing the ground, “I will never submit.” The ground began to rumble, and shards of earth came shooting up around the women.

  Elizabeth sneered. “I’d hoped you’d submit.” She looked to the women on either side of her, “Now!”

  Elizabeth scorched the ground around the men with a ring of fire that quickly dissipated leaving only ash. Raina called on the stream and the water that was building in the air for the upcoming rain. The water lifted and grew into a giant snake that encircles the men.

  Jeremy called out, “is that all you got great sister of mine.” He lifted a hand and the boulders from the stream lifted and were thrown at the women.

  Sari hissed as the wind pushed them back causing them to land nearly hitting the men. The animals behind the men growled, jaws snapping and legs kicking wanting their chance to join the fight and Devlon gave them that when he fled towards the woods. All you could hear was his screams, animal cries, and then silence. Elizabeth watched and waited for some sign of his status. Reba spoke, “He is alive, mauled a bit, but alive. They’ll carry him off to the healer and bind him until you come to remove his magic.”

  “No. He stays. I’ll do it before he gets healed. It’ll be easier.” Reba nodded and conveyed the message. The animals held the man hostage barely clinging to life in the woods nearby.

  Turning back to Edom, Elizabeth could see Jeremy and her father chanting together. She knew this spell, they planned to erupt the group underneath them and suck them in. She watched them practice it many times.

  She smiled and turned to Raquel, “Now.” Raquel stepped forward, pointed at the ash and made circular motions as she whispered to them to do her bidding. Slowly the ash began to rise and form a rope, then flew at the men trying to bind them. Edom deflected it easily letting Elizabeth know it was her turn.

  “Father don’t make me do this.”

  He cut his eyes at her but continued to chant.

  “May one day you forgive me.” Is all she said before raising her head back and calling on all her gifts. The pendant around her neck pulsed and glowed. The winds picked up and the rain began to fall, she knew her aunts were doing their parts. Throwing her hands out with her palms up, she whispered a spell. The spell.

  Fire erupted on the wind and Elizabeth threw her hands towards her father. First encompassing them in a globe of fire, hoping that would stop them. She felt the ground beneath her feet rumble. He would not give up. Slowly she closed her hands into tight fists bringing the fire in closer and closer to the two men. Inch by inch the fire danced towards its prey, its victims. The fire was alive and wanted a feast. “Stop now.” She shouted above the fire, wind, and rain.

  Jeremy’s voice yelled out, “Never!”

  Elizabeth whispered one last time, “forgive me” and then closed her fist the rest of the way.

  She closed her eyes as she felt the fire taste their flesh. She could hear the screams from inside the ball of fire but soon they stopped. Sari stepped up and put a hand on her daughter's shoulder as the signal to stop. Elizabeth hesit
ated but soon regained her wits and tamped down her anger. Lowering her arms, she stopped whispering. The fire began to ease back, and the others pulled the wind and rain back as well. What was left was two very burnt bodies in fetal positions. The smell of charred flesh wafted around nearly making Elizabeth vomit. Sari pushed the air back and created a breeze to carry the stench away.

  Motioning to the fairies to come forward, they gathered around in a circle. Hand in hand, they swayed sealing the fate of the two men. Walking up to the bodies, Elizabeth stood over them. She knelt and placed a hand on each one. Closing her eyes, she chanted,

  The Seraphim gave you what I now remove,

  take the power of these and leave them empty,

  By the whispers of the wind and the kisses of the rain,

  may the earth swallow up and take back what is his.

  Smote it be.

  The ground shook, and the bodies trembled as the earth took back the power it once gifted. Elizabeth’s body began to glow as her brother's power was ripped from him and seeped into her, she turned her hands over and back watching the ground ripple just a bit with that simple motion. They would never possess magical powers in all their lives, should they live from the fire.

  CHAPTER 21

  The elves surrounded Devlon as he ran into the woods. Turning panicked from side to side Devlon had no escape from the gnarling teeth and razor-sharp claws of the shifters who circled him daring him to run some more. One of the large male wolves shifted, standing over Devlon he spoke softly, “You will not run. You will wait for justice to be served.” He motioned to three smaller animals, two wolves and one large cat. “You three will watch him,” looking back at the scarred warlock with eyes that bore into his soul, “I don’t think he will give you any trouble.” With that he turned his back and shifted all in one smooth motion and led the rest of the shifted toward where Elizabeth stood. Thinking with his injuries, Devlon would be an easy watch.

  The three who remained behind were young, maybe fourteen at the oldest and they made sure to stay focused. Devlon watched the three circle him at a steady pace. They would change position and continue, giving each one a chance to be the alpha. He knew they had to be young because the older elves would never give up an alpha position. He dug into his pocket and pulled out some herbs, the large cat hissed. Devlon smiled. He took the herbs and rolled them between his hands, causing the oils and scents to weep into the air and hit the animal noises quickly. The herbs combination not only messed with the scenting ability of the animals, but it also made them confused. If they could not focus, they could not track him. Once the herbs were near dust in his hands he blew it out towards the three who had stopped pacing and was watching curiously at what the warlock was attempting.

  As soon as the dust hit their eyes, the animals whimpered, Devlon took off running and threw more herbs on the ground as he went. Holding his side where blood seeped from his injuries, he didn’t stop running until he reached his cabin in the woods. Throwing the door open, Devlon rushed in and blockaded himself in. Panting leaned over with hands on knees the warlock looked up and took note that no one was there with him. He was so scared he didn’t even think to look when he ran into the cabin. Once he caught his breath, anger took over. Screaming at the top of his lungs and throwing things, “Damn! Damn! Damn!” Devlon knew winning this would be near impossible but he had given his oath to Edom and had to fulfill it.

  During the fight, the other witches who had come up behind the women had scattered as soon as they saw the fighting began. They remembered what Elizabeth had done on her own the last time and knew that she was much stronger, even more so with other witches standing by her side.

  Afterwards, the ambulance was called, the report read that the two men were mysteriously struck by lightning and caught fire. Elizabeth would be the only witness and had mercy on them. No one else remained once the fairies released the seal on them, no one except Elizabeth. The young witch was determined to make sure they were given medical care from the fire she had inflicted. She never wanted to hurt anyone, but they gave her no choice. Elizabeth refused to be manipulated or weak again, but she surely hadn’t wanted to be the person she had become recently.

  Both men were placed in ICU’s burn unit of the hospital and only family members were allowed to visit, which left them Sari and Elizabeth for their comfort. For two weeks every day, the women would come in and sit by their beds. They barely spoke to them or one another while there. Jeremy regained consciousness, but he’d never speak again. His throat had been burned beyond repair and he was lucky he could even swallow. Edom never woke up.

  Finally, the doctor counseled the women on their choices. Elizabeth’s only reply was, “Let me be the one to turn off the machines.” The doctor nodded thinking her strong to handle such responsibilities for her mother, when in truth she just wanted it all to end. Edom had done all he could to bring Elizabeth to his side in his twisted scheme of how the witches should be. He had ruined her family and torn apart the only life she’d ever known. She felt she had to be the one to end it all.

  “What about him?” She motioned to her brother’s empty bed.

  The doctor looked at the long man sadly, “He will live. He has signed some paperwork to be moved to our sister facility in South Dakota. He left this morning. He wrote a statement saying he can’t live here anymore and needs to start over and didn’t want to stick around any longer than necessary.” Elizabeth nodded and smiled. She was glad this would soon be over. Sari wasn’t so sure Jeremy would leave them alone once Edom was truly gone forever.

  “And when do we… well, turn off the machines?” Elizabeth queried as she looked over the machines meticulously. She had never ended a life. Never been judge and jury and executioner. She hoped this would be the only time this was necessary. Even though her heart tore at her she knew this was best.

  The doctor held his clipboard in hands at his waist with a solemn expression. “Whenever you are ready to let him go.” He pointed at the machine and instructed Elizabeth the order in which things had to happen to allow Edom to go as peaceful as possible. She nodded in understanding. “I’ll be at the nurse's station when are you done here?”

  Sari held Elizabeth’s hand and gave a small squeeze before stepping back against the wall. Their lives had changed so much in the last year and Elizabeth had to step in and take on some major challenges, but she knew her daughter's fate was to do exactly this. Elizabeth looked back over her shoulder at her mom with a small smile she turned back to the machines. Her hand hesitated over the buttons before she leaned into Edom and whispered, “I don’t know if you can hear me… But you lost father. I will keep the witches and our coven safe. I will keep our arrangement with the Seraphim and I will not fail our people.” Standing back up, she began the process of turning switches to end the life of the devil she called father.

  Walking out of the hospital, Elizabeth’s smile grew as she had finally stopped her father and freed her mother at the same time.

  Elizabeth’s joy was short lived, as soon as she pulled up to her house she felt it. Looking to her mom she asked, “Do you feel that?”

  Her mother nodded, “I do,” she sighed, “guess our work isn’t over yet.” Pushing the door open, Sari scrambled out and tried to determine where the eeriness that lingered on the air was coming from. She tapped on the hood of the car to get Elizabeth’s attention and motioned to go around the back of the house on the opposite side she was going. Elizabeth understood and stealthily sneaked around her own house.

  The voices were hushed but angry, almost like grumbles. Kneeling at the corner of the house just next to the back-porch Elizabeth could see the backs of two individuals, one female and one male. Not able to discern who they were she stretched to see if she could see her mother, she couldn’t. She laid on the ground and looked under the porch and then she saw her mother doing the same, but inching her way closer to the intruders, that’s when in their heads they both heard Stay put. Reba had spoken to the
m both. Looking for any clues as to where her aunt was they heard again, ‘stay put we’re safe. They didn’t know we were home, so we hid in the green room.’

  Elizabeth replied, ‘Who is it and what are they doing?’

  ‘Devlon and Jasmine. They broke into the house and caught us off guard but not before we hid. I don’t know what they are doing but we felt the evil enter the house and thought we were in for some trouble. Knew you’d be home and didn’t want to spark a fire, so to speak.’

  Sari looked at Elizabeth and motioned that she was going in, Elizabeth screamed inside her head to stop but Sari was already moving backwards. The next thing Elizabeth saw was her mom casually walking around the house and pretending to be startled.

  “Devlon? Jasmine? What are brings you two by?” Sari tried to sound shocked by their appearance.

  Devlon must’ve believed the act because he gingerly dropped the herbs in his hand trying to cover up his misdeeds. “Mrs. Aiken, what a lovely surprise. I thought you’d be at the hospital with your dying husband.” His words came out thick with venom and slithered through the air towards Sari.

  A breeze picked up and she looked around as if she was unaware of its origins, “Ms.,” she emphasized, “Fairbairn. Or,” she put her hand on her chest, “oh, hadn’t you heard, Edom passed away today from complications of a lightning strike.” She rose a brow as she finished speaking.

  The color drained from his face and then reappeared in a deep shade of red, “You killed him!” His voice rose with each syllable.

  “No, he killed himself,” Elizabeth’s mother replied. “He chose to go against everything the Seraphim and our people stood for.” She looked over at Jasmine, “Are you sure you are keeping the best company?”

  Obviously scared, Jasmine wrung her hands. “He just said he was coming by to visit. I don’t know anything about this other stuff.”

  Sari nodded, “Come here honey. You need to be more careful who keep company with.” Sari waved her over and the shaking young woman slowly went to her. “Did he force you to come?”