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Alex deposited Avery at her door with a kiss that left her tingling right down to her toes.
“You’re not coming in?”
“I better put in a full day at work tomorrow. And besides, I think you deserve some time to examine the book. I’ll see you tomorrow, though?”
“Yes. And thanks for tonight. I really enjoyed it.”
“Me, too. Stay safe.” And then he disappeared, leaving her with an ache that she wasn’t sure the book was going to fill.
After making herself a chamomile and lavender tea, she headed to bed and curled up with the book on her lap, a cat on either side. She could barely believe it. After days of searching, she finally had it. Thank the gods it hadn’t been put in one of those crazy rune boxes.
The leather creaked under Avery’s fingers as she eased it open and she felt a tingle of magic run through her.
Like the other grimoires, a long list of names filled the front pages of all the witches that had gone before her, and Helena’s was the last. She stroked the page, feeling the worn paper, soft beneath her fingers, and suddenly, the awareness of a presence nearby. She looked up, as did the cats, rousing from their slumber as they looked wide-eyed at the door. The room remained empty, but a soft breeze fluttered around her carrying the scent of violets, and she felt a breath on her cheek and the sensation of a kiss, and then it was gone.
Helena.
Avery’s hand flew to her cheek and tears filled her eyes as an aching loneliness and sorrow swept through her—and then something else. Relief.
She called out, “Helena, don’t go. Talk to me.”
But Helena had gone, leaving her blessing, or so it felt to Avery.
She wiped away a tear and turned back to the book. She took her time, turning the pages carefully, trying to decipher the spidery writing. A witch light hovered at her shoulder, and she could see runes and symbols marked on the pages. Unable to contain her curiosity, she headed to the end of the grimoire and found the hidden spell. It began: The First Part: To Gather the Four Points and Bind them to the Task.
But then, rather than the spell, there was a note written by Helena.
“It is with great trepidation and sorrow that we make this spell. We have lived in White Haven for years, healing, making charms, protecting the poor and rich alike. We seek to do no harm, only good, and we have promised ourselves that we will not bend from our task. And yet, circumstances have made us change our decision.
“And it is my fault. So here I make my confession, for it is because of me that this spell has come to pass. Before I met my husband, when I was young and foolish, I lay with Thaddeus Faversham, and before long found that I bore his child. He promised me everything, but in the end, gave me nothing. I could have got rid of the child, it is in my power to do so, but I could not, and so to conceal my shame, I married my husband, cast a spell to delay the birth, and then lied to say it was not full term. And he knew nothing.
“My daughter, Ava, is now eight, and is a great joy, and a sweet sister to Louisa. But recently my dear husband Edward died, and Octavia Faversham has decided that Ava must live with them now. She and Thaddeus have finally acknowledged (privately) that she is a Faversham, and is arrogant enough to believe that I do not deserve to raise my own daughter. Ava already shows signs of power well before one would expect it, and I believe it is her power rather than blood that motivates Octavia. And Octavia is powerful enough to steal her, too, and nobody would know or remember.
“I will not countenance it. I am furious, and have devised a plan to silence her forever. She will never rest until she has what is mine, and neither will Thaddeus. They think I am alone and vulnerable without my husband, but they are wrong. My power has never been stronger, and the other four families will stand with me. We will banish Octavia forever, locked within the earth with her pet demon she threatens to unleash. Thaddeus will think twice before he threatens me again.
”But it shall come at a cost. With great spells come real sacrifice, and I am sacrificing my power to keep my daughter. It will weaken all of us, and it may be that the others will live to regret it. But they are also now being threatened by the Favershams, and so they must do this to protect themselves, too. A life without magic—or very little, at least—will be like a life half-lived. It may well be that it takes my daughter’s power, too.
“It is my intention to break this spell, when the time is right. I have no idea when that will be, but if not in my lifetime, maybe by the hand and tongue of some ancestor I shall never know. I have therefore written the spell that will bind Octavia, and also the spell to break it, and the exact orders of these incantations are described below. This grimoire is the key to all.
“The spell has been split into five parts, and all five witches must be present to cast it, and all five to break it. It encompasses White Haven itself, bound within the very earth of the town, cast in the heart of it. My part is written here, the other parts are hidden in the other grimoires.
“I have no idea of the repercussions it may cause. It may be that this spell echoes through the years, and I would beg forgiveness of anyone who reads this.
“But a warning to those who choose to break it—the power that is bound within the spell will be unleashed. If you are my descendant, your powers will grow, and your rightful inheritance will be replenished. And I encourage you to do so. You will claim your place within the world, as will all the other witches who stand with you.
“I wish you luck, for once the spell is broken, Octavia will also return. Beware her demon.”
Below the note was the spell, complex and layered, with half a dozen ingredients, and then below that, a final word.
“It is done, and I am left weaker than I ever imagined. I fear I have cursed White Haven forever, and our enmity with the Favershams will be sealed down the years. And now I hear the Witchfinder comes, and I must hide the grimoire forever.
Forgive me,
Helena”
Avery felt tears pricking her eyes again. Poor Helena. To have had a child with Thaddeus, and for him to abandon her was awful in itself, especially at that time, but to then threaten to take her was even worse. No wonder Helena had chosen to perform the spell. No wonder either that she could not fight back when she had been accused by the Witchfinder—Thaddeus would have known her powers were almost gone. He must have hated her to condemn her to such a death.
And Avery’s true powers—hers and Helena’s, now one in the same—were bound beneath White Haven, as were Alex’s, El’s, Reuben’s and Briar’s. Did this mean that the powers they had now were a fraction of what they could have? Did it still apply? Or had their powers eventually returned over the centuries?
Avery flopped back on the pillow, her head spinning. Helena said the powers would be unleashed. What did that mean? Would they flood through them like a tidal wave—would it flood the town? Or was all this just a fairy tale? A tale of long ago that had no power over them now, other than with words?
But then she thought of the Favershams. Why would they attack with demons if they didn’t think the threat was real? She laughed. No wonder Sebastian had gone along with their conversation the other day. He didn’t give a crap about Octavia’s soul. He just didn’t want them to get their powers back. Why, though? It wasn’t as if they would attack the Favershams. They could co-exist as much as they had for years.
So many questions. Avery needed to speak to the others. One thing was certain, however. She knew she wanted to release their powers, regardless of crazy Octavia and her demon. It was their birthright, and she wanted it back. And that meant getting Reuben’s grimoire back, as well.
Avery pulled the book to her chest and settled in for the night. She was going to study this book from cover to cover, in case there were more hidden secrets yet to be revealed.
