Chapter 19
Amethyst and Dillon stood just outside of a circle drawn in chalk on the wooden floor of the magic store, waiting tensely for Amber to finish her last protective incantation. Amber was kneeling next to Soren's comatose body with two fingers of her right hand placed gingerly on his forehead. A brief flash of light from the closing of the spell lit the room as brightly as if the noon sun shone outside. She leaned back onto her heels and sighed.
"That's the last one." She looked over at her companions. "We've used every spell, incantation and charm that we know collectively."
Dillon held out a backpack for Amethyst to put on and grinned. "Well it'll have to be enough. Anyway, if it's not, at least I'll be able to beat him without anyone getting angry."
Amethyst rolled her eyes as she hooked her arms through the straps. "She'd still be angry. And that's why we aren't leaving you here to guard him."
Dillon's brow furrowed in confusion, so he looked to the redhead for an explanation.
Amber's smile was fierce. "My talents lie in tracking and binding. You both know the general direction of Shayla's location, you don't need my tracking. She has no plans to join her father, therefore you don't need me to bind her magic. If daddy dearest should happen to take control of Soren, he'll need to be bound. Even with Lawrence in control, if the means to use magic isn't available to Soren's body, it'll be useless to him."
Amethyst's grin mirrored Amber's. "She'll wait outside the protective circle, cloaked in magic to hide from Lawrence, ready to bind Soren should the magic fail."
The redhead nodded her agreement. "You two, please be careful. Your job is much harder, and more dangerous than mine."
"We will. You do the same. Don't sacrifice yourself for this idiot." Dillon's tone was full of the deep seated dislike he still harbored for Soren. He snatched his bag up with more force than necessary. "Let's go Ame. We're likely to already be too late."
)O(
Lawrence buttoned his shirt slowly, his eyes on Marcie's bared body where she lay on the cot in the corner of his tent. Her lips spread in a satisfied smile as she watched him dress. She pushed up onto her knees and crooked a long finger at him. "We've still got time. Are you sure you don't want to rejoin me? It's awfully cold over here."
Lawrence snorted his amusement. "Perhaps you should dress then. That might help. Plus, I doubt the rest of the coven care to see you naked when you go out to check and see if my daughter is awake."
Marcie's face fell and her inviting finger drooped. "Of course." Her cheeks burned with her embarrassment and, not for the first time, she wondered why she continued to let him degrade her.
Lawrence was filled with glee at her suffering as he listened shamelessly to the thoughts drifting through her mind. "But you know why, don't you dear? You sold out your poor sister to me, hoping that it would sway my affections." He chuckled darkly. "Of course that's before you knew I had no affections, wasn't it?"
The burning in Marcie's cheeks quickly died as the blood rushed from her face. She hated being reminded of what she had done to her sister. She didn't feel guilty, exactly. She had never cared for her sister, but watching what it did to her mother had been upsetting. Of course, Lawrence knew all of this and took joy from reminding her of it.
As Marcie rushed from the tent he laughed again and followed at a much more sedate pace.
)O(
Cold stone bit into Shayla's back as she struggled back to consciousness. With her eyes still closed to avoid attracting attention she tugged slightly at the rope binding her to the altar. There was not enough give for her to do anything more than shift to a more uncomfortable position. She opened her eyes and immediately wished she hadn't. Marcie stood just inside her limited line of sight, wearing wrinkled clothing and a spiteful smirk.
"It's no use. Blaine was a boy scout. He knows how to tie a rope." The self-satisfied woman sauntered up to the altar.
"I figured that out all by myself, thanks." Shayla quipped. She could see her father walking languidly towards them and braced herself for the show she was about to put on. Knowing she wouldn't get free, she struggled fiercely against her restraints. Just before Lawrence came into hearing range, Marcie leaned over to whisper in her ear.
"I think I'll laugh as your blood flows over the altar and dance as you struggle to breathe." The contemptuous whisper nearly caused Shayla to use her magic to untie the ropes so that she could strangle her aunt. She didn't get a chance to respond because her father was drawing nearer and Marcie jerked away so that she could glide to his side.
"She's awake. And quite scared." Her aunt announced joyously. The proclamation didn't get quite the response Marcie hoped for.
Lawrence curled his lip and looked down at her hand resting on his arm. "I can see that." He stated simply and jerked his arm away from her.
Marcie's face crumpled and she looked like she might cry, until her eyes met Shayla's. Her features once again became smug, though not quite as smug as before. As she lay on the altar, she knew she would never understand her aunt, no matter how much DNA they shared.
Her attention was forced away from her happily abused relative when her father stepped between the two. "Dear Shayla. I hope you aren't too uncomfortable."
It wasn't a question, so she didn't answer. Instead her gaze travelled upward until she found his dark eyes. She held his gaze with a defiant stare.
"No response? That's fine. Keep your silence for now. It will only make your screams that much sweeter." He smiled triumphantly at the involuntary shudder that wracked her body. He waited a moment longer to see if she would speak before he turned away and began discussing the coming ritual with a group of his lackeys.
Shayla turned her gaze to the starry sky and started to work the beginnings of the spell she would need to save her life, and take his. There was enough magic being worked in the clearing to camouflage the scent of her own. The cold anger she'd been holding onto bubbled under the surface, threatening to turn hot and ruin her chances. She knew she had a good chance of firing the spell at the right time, but whether Lawrence's followers would intervene and save him would be up to chance. She had no way to know that right then, less than a mile away, backup was coming. And it was coming fast. Her friends were determined to save her.
Not only for her sake, but for them all. If Lawrence took her power, he'd be unstoppable. That possible future was too terrifying to contemplate.
)O(
Dillon slowed his pace as soon as he felt the familiar tingling of magic. He put out his arm to stop Amethyst and nodded towards the dark forest ahead of them.
"They're just up ahead." He whispered just in case anyone was nearby watching for intruders. "If they're expecting us, they'll be expecting us to come this way. We need to curve around to one side."
Amethyst nodded her agreement and began moving towards the right with Dillon close behind. They had one chance to use the element of surprise, and they had to use it to incapacitate Marcie. Dillon had wanted to jump right into the fight between Shayla and Lawrence, but Amethyst knew they would have to trust that Shayla could hold her own.
As they moved into what they hoped would be the right position, many voices chanting in unison filled the darkness. The entire forest seemed more ominous as they watched the start of the ritual through the thick underbrush lining the forest floor.
Dawn had never seemed so far away.
YOU ARE READING
Witch Way
FantasyA Mother's Last Words. A Brand New Town. A Secret Coven. Shayla Cooper is on the run. Her mother was killed in a fire of 'unknown' origins, or at least that was the fire marshal's explanation. She made it out alive thanks to her mother. Her mother's...
