Divination (Spells and Sins)

Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

"What is feared is often misunderstood, and what is misunderstood holds great power."

Elysia

“ W hat in the world is going on?” Cassia asked, one eyebrow arched precariously high. “And did she just whisper I love you?”

My face warmed and I was pretty sure my whole body had turned a blushing red. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But then the weight of Lunara’s decision pushed me down. I crumpled to the floor in a pool of heartbreak and grief. I’d lost so much today.

“Elysia!” The crystals in Rowan’s palms clattered to the hardwood floor as she rushed to my side. “What just happened?”

“She’s gone,” I whispered.

Everyone jumped as a high-pitch scream pierced the night from somewhere down the street and the windows darkened as if the streetlamps had gone out. I wasn’t sure if it was a power outage or if the shadow figure was looming outside, blocking our view.

I was in no hurry to find out either. Staying inside seemed like the best chance for survival.

Cassia shuffled over to where Rowan and I sat on the floor. “What did Lunara mean by Morrigan’s curse?”

My bottom lip quivered. “The orb—the orb was never meant to be here.” My body continued to shake with my uncontrollable emotions as I conveyed all I’d learned about that artifact. “It has to go back to Faerie before it’s too late.” My hands, clasped together, wrenched tighter as I longed to see Lunara just one more time. “A witch centuries ago stole it from them, and in turn, they cursed our town.” I lifted my gaze toward the windows. “Chaos reigns outside. That’s what the screams are. The curse is taking root and affecting both witches and humans.”

Rowan glanced at the door and shivered. “Is this unyielding cold because of the curse?”

“It’s the shadow figures outside. I’ve felt them following me and Lunara.” I swallowed hard. “Gods, I hope she’s okay.”

“Wait, where’s Morgana?” Cassia’s gaze wandered around the room, glancing at the stairs and kitchen doorway. “Wasn’t she just here?”

I choked down a sob for the loss of the woman who was like a mother to me. She was still alive, but she wasn’t who she claimed to be all these years. “She’s up in the attic.”

“Is she coming down soon?” Cassia asked. “She said she was going to make a feast for our Circle of Remembering.”

“I don’t think she’ll be cooking anytime soon. She—she.” On shaky legs, I stood up and made my way to the couch, settling on its once comforting cushions. “You’re all going to hate me.”

“Why would you even think that?” Cassia smiled as she sat down next to me on the couch.

Rowan nodded her agreement. “We’re family, Elysia.”

I sighed, feeling my shoulders sag with the weight of the last two days. “Morgana’s unconscious.”

“What?” Rowan fumbled backwards, bumping into the coffee table as she backed away, putting not only distance between us, but what felt like a chasm as her eyes spoke volumes.

“Morgana tried to attack Lunara and me.” Fidgeting with my hands, I kept my gaze on my lap, afraid of their reaction. Would they even believe me?

Cassia grabbed my hand. “She has been acting out of sorts lately. But, why did she attack you?”

“Gods…” I dropped my head back and looked up at the ceiling trying to keep the tears from falling. “We found the orb upstairs and Morgana insisted it was Lunara’s fate to touch it, but Lunara knew if she did, it would mean certain death.”

“You’re kidding!” Rowan plopped down on the other side of me. “If she’s still up there… is she…is she dead?” She stood back up abruptly. “I should go check on her.”

“She’s not dead, Rowan.” I twisted my hands in my lap. “She’s just unconscious.” I shook my head. “We dealt her a heavy blow when she came after us and she ended up in a heap on a pile of her boxes upstairs.” I could no longer stomach the sight of all of Morgana’s things around me. “I—I can’t stay here.”

“What do you mean unconscious?” Rowan’s eyes narrowed. “I’m going upstairs to check on her.”

“I need to find Lunara and make sure she’s okay.” As I rose from the couch, the door swung open, and Aeron walked in. If I didn’t get out of here soon, I was going to be way outnumbered, and Morgana would wake up in time to spin her tales once again.

Aeron sat a grocery bag on the floor. “What’s going on? Why do you all look like someone ran over your cat?”

Rowan pointed a finger in my direction. “Elysia tried to kill Morgana.”

“I did not try to kill her!” I yelled. “She attacked me. I was defending myself…and Lunara.” My heart hurt just saying her name.

Cassia sighed. “I know there’s two sides to every story, but Lunara is part fae and doesn’t deserve to be protected. She’s the enemy.”

“She’s not our enemy.” I stomped my foot, furious that they weren’t listening to me. “Lunara’s done nothing but try to help us.” I threw my hands in the air.

The windows began to rattle, threatening to shatter. Everyone in the living room crouched to the ground and covered their heads. Sirens blared in the distance from both police and EMS. Things were getting worse by the minute. Had Lunara made it to the portal to return the orb to her Elders?

Aeron quickly shut the front door and backed away. “If she’s not our enemy, then why is there still a shit show outside.”

“Yeah.” Rowan slowly gained her footing but flinched when the wind howled outside. “If she’s not our enemy, where is she now? Why did she leave in such a hurry?” Rowan marched closer, staring down her nose at me. “She’s gone, with the orb, and we’re all fucked.”

“Don’t you hear the havoc outside.” I pointed at the madness that had grown so loud it sounded as though the windows were wide open. “She had to maneuver through that shit storm to make it back to Faerie.” I was done.

No matter what I said, they weren’t going to believe what I said. Morgana had tainted their opinions and they were dead set on thinking Lunara had royally fucked us over. But I knew better.

The stairs creaked and we all turned to find Morgana clutching the railing, eyes bleary as they zeroed in on me. “Rowan is right.” I wasn’t sure if she’d aged in the last thirty minutes or if I’d been too blind to see how alarmingly gruesome she appeared, but my blood ran cold as her icy stare bore into me. “You let her leave with the orb. You let her take the one thing that could have protected this town.” Just as I’d predicted, she was spinning her tales again. “How are we expected to fight off the darkness now?”

“Don’t listen to her!” I locked eyes with each and every coven sister in the room. “She’s lying to you. She’s trying to turn you against me because I have faith in Lunara.” I narrowed my gaze. “You’ll see. Lunara will put an end to this and save us all.” My heart hammered in my chest. Lunara and I were bonded. I’d have known if she was going to betray me, wouldn’t I?

Cassia glared in my direction. “You’re lucky Morgana’s alive.”

An explosion outside rocked the foundation of the house. My screams blended in with the others in the room as picture frames and glassware rattled, some crashing to the floor.

Something wasn’t right.

Morgana descended the stairs slowly, one shaky step at a time. “You’ve doomed us all, foolish child. If you’d have listened?—”

Another smaller explosion vibrated the walls.

“I’m going to lose everything, thanks to you.” Morgana sat down and settled on the last step with a wince.

Rowan padded over to the window and pulled back the curtain. “There’s a car on fire up the street.” She threw the curtain closed and ducked down. “Whoa.”

“What’s wrong?” Aeron asked.

Rowan’s face paled. “There are several black, cloudy shapes flying around outside. What the actually fuck?” She brought a trembling hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I—I think we should go to the basement.”

“Lunara needs help. She must have had trouble getting to the portal.” I grabbed my jacket and keys and headed toward the door. The judgmental stares and accusations were getting old. I needed to prove to them that I’d done the right thing in trusting a fae.

Aeron blocked my path, hands up. “Are you crazy? You’re not going anywhere.”

“She’s right.” Morgana rose, one palm held out with her magic coalescing within it. The power wasn’t as bright as normal, signaling her weakened powers from the attack. Still, I wasn’t taking any chances.

“You can’t keep me here.” The fae magic within me swarmed to the surface, mixing with my own. My skin flushed with its intentions and I knew if one of my sisters assaulted me, it would retaliate, but I didn’t want to harm them. I just needed to escape and find Lunara. I could feel the connection between us grow thinner and thinner the further away she got.

Would it snap? Could our bond be broken?

I wasn’t sure I was ready to lose her so soon.

Morgana narrowed her eyes, surveying every inch of my bare skin. “She’s tainted you, hasn’t she?”

Cassia and Rowan moved in closer, surrounding me. Morgana’s tactics had worked. She’d brainwashed the rest of the coven into thinking Lunara was the enemy—that all the fae were.

“She’s made me whole!” I refused to use magic against any of my sisters, but I wasn’t going to be a prisoner in this house. Glancing behind me, I shot Cassia and Rowan one last sad smile before I pushed Aeron out of the way and reached for the door handle.

I screamed as silver magic exploded against the door, barely missing me. Morgana’s aim must have been off and for that I was grateful. Yanking the door open, I ran into the night.

Several people lay in the street unconscious, black shapes hovering over them as slivers of silver mist swirled up from their bodies.

Glowing red eyes tracked my movements as I ran for my car and fumbled with the keys. The shadow creature broke away from the others torturing a human and made a beeline for me.

“No!” I screamed as I found the unlock button on my key fob and dove inside. Quickly, I locked my doors then started the car, speeding away from the curb to tear down the street. Driving a straight line wasn’t easy with debris, bodies, and trash littering the roadway; not to mention the hellacious wind that whipped the car from side-to-side as I drove away from Morgana’s home.

Ash fell from the sky as I made my way to my cabin, cluttering my view through the windshield, but all I could picture was Lunara mouthing I love you as she left.

I skidded to a halt outside my home and jumped out, racing into the woods.

“Lunara! I’m here. Where are you?” The portal had to be out here somewhere. I tried to get a grip on the new magic within me to help me locate the entrance to Faerie, but it contained a defiant streak and refused to help.

Howling broke out in the distance, echoing through the night. I hadn’t spotted any shadow figures yet, but that didn’t mean they hadn’t followed me.

Suddenly, my skin tingled as I passed through something. The air rippled around me. Backing up, I noticed a slight shimmer in the air. “Lunara?” No one answered me, but as I reached out my hand, I could feel the otherworldly magic creating a veil to the other realm.

I’d found it, but no matter how many times I walked into it, around it, or alongside it, I didn’t pass into a new world. I simply skimmed by the magic hanging there.

Lunara was nowhere to be found. Had she made it through? Had she even made it to the portal in the first place? The only answer I could stomach for our fading connection was that, yes, she’d made it to the other side.

With our connection withering, I slumped against a tree and slid down to sit on the forest floor, staring at the last link that remained of her.

She’d left. She’d deserted my world and escaped with the orb and my heart in tow. If I was lucky, when the shadow creature found me, he’d make it a quick death.

Suddenly, the portal began to glow and ripple. Scurrying behind the tree I’d been sitting under, I hid as a silvery glowing figure emerged, too bright to make anything out.