Shadow Bend (Witches of Sanctuary Book 3) Page 3

  Reid rushes around the table. “What is it?”

  “There’s a door. It was hidden behind one of the bookshelves in the Cote room. There are carvings on it.”

  He motions toward me, the hope so bright on his face. “C’mon. This could be it.”

  Hope should have filled me too in that moment, except it didn’t. There is too much at stake for hope. Hope unfulfilled will break me. Losing Julien Cote a third time will be the final jab to crush my already fragile heart.

  Julien disappears from the door, blinded by this new revelation. Reid sees it, though. He reads my features like a textbook. He places his arm around my shoulder as I pass by him and kisses my temple. “We will figure this out. Everything will be fine. You’ll be fine.”

  None of them really understand. Even my sweet Reid misses the point to my pain. My survival means nothing without them. I’ve been alive for twenty-one years, but I only started to live that night Reid broke into my house. It is because of them…my family, and I include Julien in that group, that give me a reason to finally smile. I will never be fine without them.

  A vision of Zeke flashes in my head, and I realize too late I’ve allowed Reid to see it. He stops me, his hands grabbing my shoulders to pull me around to face him. “Wilhelmina—”

  “Don’t say it,” I beg. Another tear falls.

  “Zeke’s death wasn’t your fault.”

  It was my fault. It will forever be my shame to bear. It’s why I can’t make Julien that promise. I will do everything, even if it requires my life, to save them. Reid can’t hear my thoughts, but he knows them. His thumb grazes my cheek. “We will discuss this later.”

  He will fight me too. But the choice is my own.

  I follow him down the hallway to the Cote room. Abby, Lyric, and Julien stand in the back of the room. A bookshelf has been moved away from the wall, and they huddle behind it. Abby provides a shining light that bounces off every corner in the room. I peek over Julien’s shoulder, and he moves to let me through. “Look at the symbols.”

  The door is wood with sturdy black metal hinges. In the middle is a tree that looks something like a weeping willow, except the limbs are whimsical. They weave and wind in all directions, spreading across the door. Above the tree in the sky are two circles and below it are the symbols of the Haunted. The Raven, Fox, and Mountain Lion stand stoically in front of the tree as if on guard.

  Lyric glances over at me. “So, what do you think?”

  “Can you open it?”

  Lyric shakes his head. “It’s not like the front door. Apparently, it requires more than the benefits of a curse.”

  I study the images. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen them all together like this. I reach up and touch one the circles in the sky above the tree. They are identical, so I’m not sure which one is meant to the be the moon until I touch the second one. The second circle starts to glow a brilliant blue beneath my fingertips. I immediately grab Reid and pull him to the door. “Touch the other one.”

  He does, and the circle turns a shining yellow. I step back to allow Julien to the door. “Try the Raven.”

  It turns purple, and I finally let out a breath. “I think we’re going to need a Bessette and a Prescott to open this door.”

  “Well, we have Grady in custody, but Erika is the only Prescott left. We’ll have to wait until she wakes up.”

  I let out a ragged breath. “It better be soon. If this door doesn’t lead us to the tree, we’re simply wasting time.”

  Julien touches my elbow. “I know this is it. I can feel it. I mean—there is a tree on the door, for crying out loud.”

  I press my lips together, uncertain. “Let’s go back to town. I want to check on Erika’s status.”

  Reid looks down at me, eyeing me as if my chilly attitude toward her is off. “You know she might not want to help us if you don’t ask nicely.”

  I cringe at him as I go to the door. That girl won’t get an ounce of nice out of me. “Well, then, maybe we’ll just have you do it. She won’t say no to you.”

  Wilhelmina.

  His voice in my head stops me in my tracks, but I don’t turn around. Yes?

  Everything will be okay. I promise.

  I want to believe him. Everything inside of me wants to trust those words. I want to feel that hope I see in Julien’s eyes. I want to save them all from the shadow. I want to save myself from the pain I know is coming for me.

  Chapter 3

  SLEEPING BEAUTY

  It’s past midnight. Pearl-colored flecks of snow dance outside the window, mocking me. Another day has passed. I tug my giant knit sweater tighter around my shoulders. It’s colder upstairs, further away from the blazing fire in Sera’s stone hearth. I glance over my shoulder at Erika, still fast asleep or whatever her condition can be considered. She isn’t conscious, and that’s all that matters.

  Six days.

  I want to scream at her. The compulsion is almost too strong to deny. Every second she lies there, eyes closed in her Snow Whitish slumber, is one second I don’t want to give. She has to wake up soon. There has to be a way.

  Well, I hope you don’t think Prince Charming is going to come give her a kiss.

  I throw a glare over my shoulder at Reid. He’s propped up in the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. I didn’t realize I was sending him my rambling thoughts.

  This isn’t funny.

  I turn my back on him and Erika, staring hopelessly at the snow. His arms wrap tightly around my waist, his lips at my ear. “I know, sweetie. But sitting here, depriving yourself of rest, isn’t going to make her wake up any sooner.”

  I give in and lean back against him. “She stirred once. I could have sworn I heard her gasp.”

  His breath brushes my neck. “Come home. I won’t be able to sleep without you there.”

  I know he’s right. But how can I sleep? My mind is like Times Square. Horns and whistles mixed with bustling streets going seven different directions. It’s just as easy to sit here and fret as to lie in my bed.

  Reid hums softly in my ear, barely rocking my body back and forth. Before I know it, my limbs go heavy, and he’s supporting more of my weight. He’s about to pick me up when I push him away. “No. No. I can’t go.”

  “You have to rest, Willa. Is this what you’ve done while I was gone? Is that why your eyes are so tired?”

  I don’t answer. What’s the point? I’m an open book to him. His hands grab my hips, lifting me off the floor, and I push away again. “No, one more minute. Please?”

  He frowns at me. The crease between his eyes is deep. “Fine. I’m going downstairs. You have two minutes, or I will drag you out. Tornado and all.”

  I nod curtly, but he takes his time leaving. I go to the bed as soon as I’m alone, glaring down at the blonde figure.

  “Wake up.” She doesn’t even flinch. “Wake up, you little—”

  A low chuckles creeps into the room. I twirl around because it’s obvious I’ve been caught red-handed. Julien grins through the darkness at me. “Have you tried magic?”

  I move around to the other side of the bed, shoving my hands into the pockets of my sweater. “Sera said we shouldn’t.”

  Julien steps into the room almost silently, as if his footsteps might wake her. “Well, Sera isn’t here. Neither is your boyfriend.” He stares across the bed at me. “Just you and me. You know I won’t tell.”

  I glance at Erika. His offer is tempting. What would it hurt to give her a little shock? Anything is better than this limbo. Julien peeks at the empty doorway. “Hurry, before your two minutes are up.”

  “You were listening?”

  “Not intentionally. I don’t actually enjoy overhearing your intimate conversations.” He makes an almost painful expression before catching himself. “I was merely sitting in the hallway, waiting for you.”

  “Why?”

  He lets out a chuckle. “I have no idea.”

  I start to question him, but he interrupts me, gla
ncing back at the door. “Hurry,” he insists. “Before we run out of time.”

  Time. It’s constantly escaping me. I have to do something.

  Only six days before the Winter Solstice.

  I place my hand over Erika’s chest before I can think about it, and the power bursts from my fingertips, igniting her skin. Her body jerks, and she gasps. Wide blue eyes stare across the room, her fingers scratching at the point on her chest that I singed. Julien and I both freeze as Erika’s gaze darts back and forth between us in a panic. It finally lands on Julien and stays. She scoots back, further away from him, as if he might bite. “Who are you?”

  “Who is he?” I instinctively move closer to her. “You shoved a knife in his chest, and you’re going to sit there and act like you don’t know him?”

  Julien leaps onto the bed and then across it to grab me. I hadn’t even realized I’d started to climb onto it until he pries my hands off the mattress. “Erika is awake! Somebody better get up here,” he yells toward the open door.

  I’m still honed in on Erika. All the anger…all the stress, fear, and pain flood me. I push as hard as I can against Julien’s chest, screaming across his shoulder at her. “You killed him!”

  Julien maneuvers me against the wall, holding my hands, as if that could stop me. I could dismantle this house board by board if I want.

  “Look at me, Willa.”

  I shove him again. I don’t want to use magic on him, but I will. “Let me go.”

  “I said look at me.”

  I begrudgingly make eye contact as other people rush into the room. Julien holds my focus though, his stare intense. “I killed one of your best friends after I transformed, and you forgave me. It’s the same with her.”

  “It’s not.”

  “Yes, it is. You have to let it go. If you want in that door at the tower, you have to remember the sympathy you felt for her that night at the Grand Hall. You chose not to kill her then. You chose to let her live.”

  “I’ve changed my mind.”

  “Wilhelmina.” It’s Reid. I can’t see him in the crowd of people behind Julien, but it’s definitely his voice.

  Julien throws a glare over his shoulder. “I have it under control.”

  It’s too late, though. Just the sound of Reid’s voice, so controlled and calm, curves the edge of every emotion inside of me. I deflate against the wall, and Julien lets my hands fall with me to the floor. He peers down at me, bewildered. Reid steps up beside him, and Julien’s brows draw together. “How do you do that?”

  “I’m her Sun—her opposite.” Reid picks me up from the floor, holding me tight against him.

  Sera talks quietly behind us, and I turn around to find her sitting on the bed next to Erika. She has the same welcoming smile on her face that she gave me not so long ago. I want to be jealous, but suddenly I can’t seem to find it inside me. All I can think about is the fear and uncertainty I had that morning, waking up to a stranger sitting on my bed, and everything that smile meant to me.

  “Do you remember me?” Sera asks Erika.

  “You’re Seraphina Thomas.” Erika studies the room, her gaze falling on Sadie. “Why am I here? Where is Zeke?”

  Sadie walks to her. “Erika, what’s the last thing you remember?”

  She touches her forehead then studies her fingers. She seems confused by the dirt smeared across her hands. “I was sitting at the table, eating breakfast with Zeke and Reid at my house.”

  She glances up, her stare connecting with Reid. “You were going with Sadie and Zeke to watch some movie about Aliens for his birthday. I asked if I could go, but you said you didn’t want me to get the wrong idea.”

  Reid steps toward the bed. “That was three years ago.”

  Sadie sits down beside her on the bed, tentatively reaching for her hand. Erika takes it. “Sadie, where is my brother?”

  Sadie clutches her with both hands, her eyes low. “Could you give us some time alone?”

  Lyric is the first to speak up. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  Sadie turns sideways on the bed. “Look at her. This isn’t the girl we saw on Main Street. This is the girl the darkness ruined. She needs to know everything that darkness took from her, and she deserves to hear it from me.”

  Seraphina stands. “Let’s give them some time.”

  Reid starts to pull me with him, but my feet won’t move. I want to stay, but the look Reid gives me clearly says that isn’t an option. I begrudgingly follow him out of the room.

  “This is good news,” he whispers in my ear. “The old Erika is much more likely to cooperate.”

  I hope it’s true, but a part of me still wants to enforce my will on her just for the fun of it. This entire ordeal has my emotions too torn up. They swing back and forth like a pendulum, taking my logic and rationality with it. Once downstairs, I search the room for Julien, but he’s gone. I don’t have the energy to deal with him right now.

  I find a spot on the couch and cuddle into the corner to wait it out, but Reid grabs my hand. “We’re going home.”

  “What?”

  He starts to drag me away from the couch toward the door. “There’s nothing we can do tonight. Erika is about to find out her brother is dead and she killed her own father. We can at least give her until daylight before dragging her off to the tower.”

  “You say that like us figuring out this spell won’t save her life too.”

  Reid’s hand goes around my waist, and I stumble haphazardly forward into him. His nose inches down to touch the tip of mine. “Give her until morning. Besides, I haven’t been home in three days. I want to sleep in my own bed.”

  He’s so warm. It will be nice to have him home. Three days without him felt like three weeks. “You mean you want to sleep in my bed.”

  “I have a designated side, and my own blanket. It’s officially my bed now too.”

  I take in a deep breath, my forehead falling against his shoulder. “Okay. You win.” He always wins. “Let’s go home.”

  Chapter 4

  THE VISITOR

  I twirl the spoon in my over-sized cup, happily watching as the cream turns my coffee a lovely shade of caramel. I woke up with a nasty ache in my head. It’s the air. It’s getting colder. The toe of my sock catches on the corner of the hardwood floor, but I casually jerk it free and open the front door. I only want to check the weather, and I’m caught off guard by the chilling wind that gusts inside. I hide my coffee from it, afraid it might somehow defile my steamy goodness. I set my cup down a safe distance away. It’s already ruined my mood. I refuse to let it soil anything else. I’m about to shove the door shut when a figure pops around the corner of my house.

  I stick my head further out the door. Surely, it’s Abby, taking the shortcut through the woods, but the figure is too tall. I tug the hem of my shirt down my bare legs as I stand on my tiptoes to see who’s there. It’s barely past six in the morning. Reid is still asleep upstairs, his mussed hair covered by his multi-colored quilt.

  The figure rounds the corner of my porch. It’s a guy. His brown hair is short and precisely combed to the side, highlighting bright gray eyes. A long, black pea coat lays perfectly tailored against his slim frame. The collar is lifted as if to block the wind from his face. His eyes widen at the sight of me. I reflexively shove the door, but his hand goes in the air. “Wait! Wait.”

  I leave only an inch of the door open, glaring around it. “Who are you?”

  He jogs up my front steps, and Romeo weasels his ways through my ankles to peek his head out the door to stare at the stranger. “Galloway,” he says quickly, trying to catch his breath. “Leo Galloway. Are you her?”

  I must have given him a strange look, because he smiles. “Sorry. I mean, are you Wilhelmina Daniels?”

  He moves closer, his gaze steadying on my face as I move the door open another fraction of an inch.

  “Of course you’re a Daniels. Look at that hair.” His gaze drops from my face down to my bare legs. A
hint of a smile develops on his lips, lifting them up at the edges. “I knew I should have made this trip sooner.”

  I tug harder at my shirt. “What do you want, Leo Galloway? Do you realize it’s barely past daybreak?”

  “I would apologize for the early arrival, but I’m afraid it wouldn’t sound very sincere at the moment. Do you always answer the door like this?” His gaze is still on my legs, his grin playful and very obviously flirty. “I hope so.”

  I snap my fingers before I can talk myself out it. I don’t usually display my magic to strangers, but Mr. Casanova has earned himself an exception.

  Electricity sparks at the tip of his nose. He jumps back, grabbing his face as a fit of laughter burst out of him. “Yep. Definitely a Daniels.”

  I throw the door open, my voice dropping. “I will not ask you again, Mr. Galloway. Why are you here?”

  He tugs his coat a little further around himself, his smile even broader than before. “I’m here for you, Wilhelmina. You need me, and I’m here to be at your service.”

  He takes a courtly bow in front of me as if I’m the Queen of the Hollow or something. My hand rakes down my face as I take in a deep breath. My patience remains inside with my coffee. “Look, Mr. Galloway—”

  He stands straight, his voice slipping into a deeper octave as it takes on a charming tone. “Please, madame. I’m not an old man. Leo will suffice.”

  My teeth clamp together. “Look…Leo. I have enough to worry about without some strange guy parading himself up my steps and gawking at me. And—”

  “Gawking?” He makes a sour but amused expression. “A little admiration can hardly be misconstrued into something so unrefined as gawking.”

  The features of my face are set in stone. I no longer care why this stranger is on my steps. “Go away.”