After being tortured by my mother and her set of dressing piens for an hour, I escaped into the backyard. Poe's screech caught my attention and I found him sitting on an open stall door of the stable. He took off, gliding away from me toward the grove of trees that sat in the middle of the Manser's land. I followed, looking forward to a chance to release some power and meditate.
The hemlock trees encircled a small clearing where a stone Altar was set up. I'd read once in one of old Stanwood books that this was the oldest relic in all of the Necromantic Families, moved only once, when the Mansers fled the Witches from their previous estate. Potted plants and flowers were placed around the wooden pillars that supported the heavy, stone slab.
I sat in the grassy clearing facing the Altar, criss-crossing my legs in front of me. Talent crawled along my arms, like thousands of tiny spiders.
Taking a deep breath, I shoved my worries about tomorrow's ceremony aside. I cleared my mind of all the questions I had about the Reinhardts, and my lingering doubts of Nathan's intentions. I focused only on my power -- Controlling it, pulling all the warmth that radiated from my skin back into myself, and shaping it into a ball of energy at my core.
But as soon as I got the ball to form, I'd feel the energy slip away as my concentration wavered, and I had to start the process all over. It was aggravating.
The energy raced along my skin, and the more I attempted to control it, the faster it slipped from my fingers. I let everything go and cleared my mind again. There was a stillness that hung around the altar, that even the breeze couldn't touch as it whispered through the trees. The new spring leaves sang against each other as the birds added their own chorus to the nature song.
I reached for my Talent and this time it came willingly, gathering itself tightly into the ball, and stayed there. Having it all in one place was taxing and a little frightening. The sheer amount was more than I thought I could ever have. It was too much to release in a spark like that night in my bedroom. It would be more like a lightening bolt, with me at the end of it.
Decision made, I opened my eyes. "Vershala tulian das lo berruas."
The red circle glowed bright and violent against the grass in front of me. "Kalha vas notha rak! Kastem!" I released the Talent into the spell, enjoying the rush of cool sensation racing along my skin as the summoning circle shrank to a pinpoint, then exploded in a burst of light. The doglike demon, Kastem, stared at me, waiting.
I sent the demon a silent command, but Kastem ignored me. Instead, he chose a spot in the clearing almost as far as possible from me and still lay in the sun. To say that connect between us was strained, would be an understatement. But, maybe that could change in time.
The snap of a twig set both Kastem and I both on edge. I turned to see Avery standing near one of the trees.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
I shook my head. "You're fine," I said, and silently told Kastem she was not to be harmed, that she was a friend.
The demon stood and walked up to her, his tails high like a banner. I followed, trying not to let my worry show on my face.
Avery offered a hand to the beast. "He seems so much friendlier than the last time I saw him."
Shrugging, I watched the two of them interact, ready to dismiss the demon back to the Half-world at the first sign of aggression. "He really isn't all that bad, I guess."
Silence stretched between us as Avery affectionately patted and scratched the demon. He stood tall enough that his head came up to her chest.
Her hand stilled on top of Kastem's head. "I found something today." Avery's voice was slow, its expression unsure. "I've been going through my Dad's office, getting it organized for when it's all official." She reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out an envelope.
Avery opened it and handed me a bit of folded paper. "We've some extended family out near Virginia Beach. They wrote about some - disturbing news. They claim the witches have started gathering forces and supplies again."
"What?" I said, dismissing Kastem with a thought as I unfolded the paper.
There was urgency in her voice. "It was overnighted the day before Dad died, so it's been on his desk this whole time..."
I stared at her for a breath of a moment before skimming the letter. It detailed a few dates from the days before Mr. Manser's death. The location was a number of warehouses along the coast of Virginia. Listed below that were items that didn't seem to make any sense. Different types of wood, essential oils and herbs, and a large number of unspecified planets.
"How much of this can we trust?" I asked Avery slowly, looking at her over the edge of the letter.
She shrugged. "The Hendersons are known for their accuracy and they take extra care when it comes to family business." She paused, reaching for the letter. "Although, I will admit they are still upset about the war with the Witches. It was a concern of Dad's."
"You don't think they would plant the evidence, do you? Make it seem like the witches are up to something to force our side to attack?"
"I hadn't thought about that. I don't think they would."
I glanced at the letter again. "What are you going to do?"
She shook her head. "I want to be sure before I have to tell the other Heads. I don't want to say something and have it turn out to be a mistake."
"Can you call them? If they still believe the witches are up to something, we should check it out as soon as possible."
Avery's eyes widened. "What, now? We can't leave! Not only is it crazy dangerous, we're about to do the ceremonies. We can't just go wandering off into Witches circles."
"We'll leave tomorrow night, after the ceremonies. If we can find some concrete evidence, then we can tell the others."
"Tell the others what?"
I turned and found Liam standing behind us. He looked at each of us in turn, a worried expression forming on his face.
"What's going on?"
I glanced back at Avery. The letter was intelligence from her family. It wasn't my place to share the news. That had to be her decision.
She studied the piece of paper in her hand a moment longer before stepping across the clearing to pass it to Liam.
He looked confused at first, but his eyes grew wider as he skimmed the letter. "Is this true?" he asked, looking sharply at her.
Avery shrugged. "We were just talking about it. Ezra and I want to be absolutely sure, before we tell the other Families." She paused, looking at her hands. "This could bring about an all-out war. People's lives, our lives, are at stake. I have to know for sure before I say anything else."
Liam's eyes returned to the paper, reading it one more time. He passed it back to her when he finished. "How are you going to verify the information?"
I took a deep breath, preparing for the argument I knew was coming. "We're going to go see for ourselves. We'll leave tomorrow night."
He looked at me as if I'd just walked over and slugged him across the face.
"Are you insane?!" he yelled. "You just can't go wandering off looking for Witches! That's how you get yourself killed. Besides, how are you even going to get there?"
Liam's question hit me as hard.
"We'll take my car," I said, slowly calculating everything we would need. Money for food and gas was a priority. How could we manage that without involving our parents?
My concerns must have shown on my face, because Liam looked away.
"I thought so. You haven't thought this through it all."
"That doesn't mean anything! Avery just found this, of course we need a few hours to plan a trip out."
He scoffed. "Just a few hours?"
"Enough!" Poe's voice erupted from the trees behind us.
I turned in time to see him step up to the Altar in his human form..
"Your bickering is giving even the birds headaches."
Liam and Avery step back, worry on their faces.
"How?" I asked. "I thought you said only in the Vault –"
Poe shrugged. "This place is sacred ground, like your Vault. I can stay this way within the grove."
"Do you know this man?" Liam asked, coming to stand beside me. The cool brush of his power brought goosebumps to my skin.
"It's Poe."
Liam shot me a look of disbelief as Poe turned his attention to Avery and held out a hand.
"May I see the letter?"
Avery glanced at me. I nodded, and she handed over the letter. Poe read through it quickly before handing it back to Avery.
"What do you want to do?" he asked her.
She glanced at Liam and me. "We were just discussing that."
Poe hoisted himself up to sit on the Altar. "But ultimately, it is your decision as Head of the Manser family."
Avery gave him a startled look. "But Ez and-"
"They can offer suggestions and opinions, but the decision is yours alone, just as it will be for them when they become the heads of their own families."
"What about your opinion? What do you think I should do?" Avery asked.
Poe glanced around at us and sighed. "I think they are both right."
"How can we both be right?" I asked.
"Liam is right because it is a fool's errand to go out there unprepared and alone. However, I also agree with you. You are right to question such a letter. Confirming its validity is a good idea."
I turned back to Avery, trying to think of something else to help her. She stood studying the letter in her hand.
"We have to find out if what my cousins wrote is true, and I'd rather wait to involve the other Heads of the families until I know for sure. I would hate to stir up unnecessary trouble."
"This is insane!" Liam shouted. "We can't."
Poe shot him a look that stopped his shouting as quickly as it started.
"We have to do this. I'm sorry you disagree, but there's no other choice." Avery stated..
"We just need to figure out how," I said, "and how to get it done quickly."
Liam threw his hands in the air. "I just can't with you all."
"If you're so concerned, come with us," Avery said. "You have more experience as a practitioner; you can be a big help."
He glanced at her, and for a moment I thought he'd start yelling again. Finally, he closed his eyes and sighed.
"Fine."
My eyes drifted toward the sky as the tension released in my body. "Now we just need to sort out the details. We'll have to drive, so when-"
"Actually," Poe interrupted, "you don't."
We all turned to him.
"The key to this sort of mission is stealth and quickness. The faster you can get in and out the better, for numerous reasons."
"How then? We don't exactly have the spare cash to take a flight," Liam quipped.
"There is another way. A way that necromancers used to travel with the help of the Reinhardts."
Liam's eyes widened. "You can't be serious." He shifted the stare to me, looking more awestruck than upset.
"What?" I asked him.
Liam turned back to Poe. "Can he really do that, too? Create portals like the Reinhardts could?"
I was so confused. What portals? I watched Poe's expression shift to careful thought.
"It takes years of training in a very exact use of Talent to manipulate portals. While Ezra cannot do that sort of spell at the moment, I have no doubt he will be able in the future."
"Then who?" Avery asked. "Who will open a portal for us to use?"
Poe gave a smug smirk. "I will open the portal and follow you through. It will not be difficult."
Liam gave him a look of respect. "Then all we need to decide is when to leave, right?"
Avery nodded. "Tomorrow night, after the ceremonies. There's too much attention on me and Ezra at the moment, but no one would think twice of us disappearing a few hours afterwards." She blushed a deep crimson, avoiding my gaze.
I cleared my throat nervously. "So tomorrow night then?"
Liam nodded and Poe slid from his perch on the Altar.
"Tomorrow, after dark. Here in the grove." Poe jumped and shifted, taking on his other form to fly towards the house.
"I had no idea," Liam mumbled, watching him. "What is he?"
I wish I knew.
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Until next week,
<3 J.D.