The Last Harmon [Complete]

Chapter 8

"Did it work?" Joey whispers.

At first, I am afraid to open my eyes, I squeeze Joey's hand a little tighter when I do. I didn't feel anything different happen when I cast the spell, I'd imagine something would happen, like a jolt or a phase of dizziness, but it feels as though we never left the library.

It's only when I open my eyes that I realise that isn't the case. I get a small glimpse of Amara walking across the Summit grounds before Joey pulls me to a side wall, out of view.

"It worked," I confirm, glancing behind us as Joey peers around the wall. We're to the left of the Summit stage, like a backstage, and we're alone in a small passageway. "We won't have long before she senses me. She smells Harmons like humans smell gas."

"Uh, Theresa," Joey mutters. "I don't think that will be a problem."

"What are you talking about?" I demand, moving him out of the way of the gap. I hesitate for a moment, terrified of what I'll see, but I compose myself enough to look. Amara still wanders around the stage, talking to her audience of thousands that are gathered around the stadium, and though their presence confuses me, when I look down, I understand why they are here.

My heart beats faster as I see the bodies along the back wall, first I see my cousin Lucas, then my cousin Anna; all along that wall lies the lifeless corpses of the remainder of my coven; my family. I count ten. I don't see Victoria.

"This witch stands accused of conspiring with Slayers to kill me," Amara yells, her finger pointing to a blind spot. "She has been seen talking to them, summoning them, and even trading vital information with them. This is the reason that the Harmons can no longer be trusted, and why I had to do this. These are such dark times that are befalling our world, hopeless times, and removing the Harmon bloodline from existence will be in our greatest interest to secure our safety." As the audience roars in agreement, Amara turns directly to the blind spot and scowls. "Do you have any last words, traitor?"

"Rot in hell," says a voice.

Victoria. Joey attempts to stop me, but there is no stopping my rage, my desire, my will to save her. I run through the gap, bursting into the widen open light like a crazed madwoman. I see Victoria's body fall to the floor before Amara sees me, her throat is slit with merely a movement from Amara's fingertips. The metal from the shackles echo around the walls, and they pierce straight into my blood.

"No!" I cry. "Victoria!"

Amara stands still for a moment as she absorbs the magic from Victoria's death. The stadium falls quiet at my arrival, and I am glancing at my fallen coven in despair.

"How did you get free?" Amara says, blinking at me in a panic. "Who helped you?"

"You killed them," I say. "Murderer!"

"I did what was necessary," Amara says. "I was saving your ritual for this evening, but now you've saved me a job." Amara's voice gets louder as she addresses her audience. "Theresa Harmon, the last of the Harmon bloodline, the last threat to our new world. Her ritual is a little earlier than planned but we will proceed regardless."

I look behind me to see Joey mouthing frantic words and signalling for me to run back. I shake my head, turning back to Amara. She is using the audience as an intimidation scheme, to frighten me, to weaken me, to make me believe that no one cares. It is her greatest manipulation and it has worked on dozens of others. When humans are executed, the crowds cheer and scream, but when it's one of their own, a wiccan, there is silence.

I only thought I'd be dying, that was her threat. I should have known it wouldn't have ended with me; I should have been smarter. I could have protected them; I should have protected them. Now they're all dead.