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"The Salem Thirteen is, was, a coven of elder witches," she began, her voice smooth and measured, each word hanging softly in the air. "Each of us powerful in our own way, but we united under a single cause," she said, her voice steady.
"To stop the Volturi?" Jasper interjected; his tone sharp. Her gaze flicked to him briefly, acknowledging his question, but offering a moment's pause.
"No," she said quietly, her head sweeping across my family. "The Volturi were merely a façade, a convenient distraction if anyone probed too deeply... Our true purpose was to protect a prophecy written thousands of years before."
"What prophecy?" I interjected, unable to contain myself any longer. I needed answers, I needed to know the truth about who they were and what they wanted.
"One that was written by your own ancestor... Sabina," she revealed, her voice weighty with significance. My eyes widened at the revelation. There was nothing in the Book of Shadows about a prophecy, nothing that hinted at this.
"Sabina was a powerful witch," the woman continued. "She possessed the rare gift of foresight, though it was the only skill she could never fully control. Her visions were erratic and fleeting. Sometimes they were of trivial moments, but other times... they were glimpses into futures yet to unfold."
"That sounds a bit like my ability," Alice chimed in, drawing everyone's attention.
"Indeed, Alice," the witch replied, her tone calm as if the name belonged naturally on her tongue. The attention in the room shifted back to her as she continued, her words heavy. "One day, Sabina experienced a vision unlike any other, a powerful, overwhelming glimpse into a future. She did not speak of what she saw, but transcribed a prophecy with her Book of Shadows,"
"I've gone through that book countless times," I said, disbelief in my tone. "I would have remembered seeing something significant as a prophecy." The Book of Shadows held many incredible secrets, but a prophecy was not one of them, or so I thought.
"She concealed the pages within," the witch revealed, her voice calm yet laced with certainty. In an instant, she vanished before our eyes, only to reappear moments later, the familiar sight of our family's Book of Shadows clutched firmly in her hands.
She extended her hand as though she might drop the book, but instead of succumbing to gravity, it defied gravity and hovered midair, suspended by an unseen force. The book was opened, before the pages began to flip wildly, as if caught in a violent wind, tearing through the book at an unnatural speed.
Gradually, the frantic movement slowed, each turn more deliberate, until it came to a stop halfway through. Yet, when the book lay open, the pages were blank, worn and aged, but devoid of any text or drawings.
"It needs her blood," the witch declared, her voice calm but weighted with meaning. All eyes immediately turned to my Grams, the last living descendant of Sabina. My entire body went rigid, tension coursing through me like a current. My throat felt parched and painfully dry, as every suppressed thought rose to the surface, threatening to overwhelm me.
