Page 33 of Pure Magic
The sound of my mother’s weeping still rings in my ears.
“The Order sent three witches to evaluate Ariana. With their black robes and dour faces, they were terrifying to me.
“At the full moon, they made a sacred circle and placed Ariana in the center. They threw spells at her to see if she would block them. I remember that one caused a rash. Ariana didn’t cast against them, but she healed her itching skin with ease. They flooded the circle, cast fire and a whirlwind. Each spell dissipated when met with Ariana’s magic.” The memories grate on my mind. All the things I’ve tried to forget flood back as if they happened yesterday.
Drawing a long breath, I pray for Goddess’s strength. “Perhaps they grew angry at her for her power, or perhaps they were desperate. I don’t know, but the spells became more harmful and vicious. Ariana continued to fight the spells, and then cast one against a witch. It was a simple air spell that only pushed the witch back three steps.
“When that didn’t stop their assault on her, Ariana ripped through the veil with magic. I think she intended to escape through the other side, but it wasn’t Goddess’s arms she lurched for. What I saw in that hole was evil and full of horror.”
I have to stop and close my eyes to shake off the images that haunted me for years. Sara Beth presses her hand to my shoulder. “If this is too difficult, we can talk again later.”
Shaking my head, I look into her dark eyes for strength. “No. I’ll tell the rest.” I sit up straight. “The holy order deemed her evil but savable. They bound her magic and took her away that night.
“For the Inverness coven, our clan, our family, it was too much. No one could have guessed that Ariana would search out enemies of Goddess for protection. The high priest listed everything any of us had ever done to offend him right back to the frogs in his banishment of our family. He gave us until the new moon, but we left while the moon was still bright.”
“Where did you go?” Prudence’s eyes are kind and full of sympathy.
“We traveled south to be closer to Ariana. Mother hoped that she would be healed and returned to us. We settled a few hours’ ride from Glasgow. Mother wrote to the Order weekly but was told each time that Ariana had not improved.
“We didn’t know Kaden also wrote directly to Ariana and had his letters delivered by a pigeon he’d enchanted. Ariana convinced him she was fine and had repented all her dark ways. He was so convinced, that on Ariana’s fourteenth birthday, he went to Glasgow and helped her escape the holy order.” My gut twists with regret. I should have known what Kaden was doing. I should have stopped him. But after what I had seen in that evil place, his support of Ariana angered me, and I kept my distance from him. Maybe if I’d been a better brother, Kaden would be in the light.
Swallowing my guilt isn’t easy, but I’ve spent years perfecting it. “Ariana could have just walked out with Kaden’s help. From what I know, there was no resistance as the witches were in prayer. It wasn’t enough for her. She entered the sanctuary and killed three of them.
“When Kaden arrived home with Ariana, we knew nothing of the murders. My parents were overjoyed to have her home. She was happy and sweet. Kaden was ashen and refused to speak to me of his troubles. Honestly, I didn’t try very hard to get him to open up. I didn’t think a witch who would run into hell should be in our midst, even if she was my sister.
“A few days later, Father received a letter with the horrors of Ariana’s exit from Glasgow. When he confronted her, she grew ugly with fury and slit his throat with fire magic. Mother ran to stop her, and Ariana set her aflame.” I’m shaking with the memory, but I need to get the rest out before I lose my courage.
Sara Beth takes my hand. In my head, she says, “I’m with you.”
That reassurance is more than enough to calm me. “I threw a blanket over my mother and put out the fire, but it was too late.
“Kaden stared wide eyed until Ariana took his hand. She said they had to leave, and he followed her without a word. She told me to come with them, but I stayed and buried my parents. After I’d said all the prayers I could think of, I ran the other way.”
Calmly, softly, Prudence asks, “Did you ever see your siblings after that?”
I nod and wonder if I’d have been better off if Ariana had killed me too.
“No,” Sara Beth whispers softly in my head.
There is comfort in her caring that I live. “A year after she killed my parents, they found me working in a potato field. We made arrangements to meet the next day as I had the day off. They both looked as if nothing had ever gone wrong. They were clean and well dressed, without a care in the world.”
“You didn’t meet them the next day.” Sara Beth squeezes my hand.
“No. I ran that night and have kept ahead of them for the last seven years since. Yesterday was the first time they caught up to me again.” Exhausted, I finish my story and wait to be banished from Windsor and Sara Beth.
Chapter
Eleven
SARA BETH
The terrifying tale sends shivers through me, but also relief. I tug his hand, so he looks me in the eye. “What you have told us is one of the most dreadful stories I’ve ever heard, Adam. You know you are not to blame. If you’ve told us the truth, and I sense no falsehood from you, you are not at fault. Your guilt is understandable but unwarranted.”
His shoulders straighten as he stares at me and then looks at Prudence. “You’re not sending me away?”
“No,” I say.
Patting his cheek, Prudence smiles, revealing a few missing teeth. “You are not to blame for the actions of your sister. I even feel sympathy for Kaden, though his path has not been totally in the light. I’m not convinced that path isn’t determined by Ariana.” She shrugs her thin shoulders. “That is not as troubling as why they keep trying to gain access to you.”
