Page 15 of Summoning
“He hit you…” Mrs. Talbot murmured. “You poor boy.”
“He had a relationship with you the entire time he was courting Flora,” Mr. Bale, her uncle, gasps.
“He kept me a dirty secret, like I was something shameful.” Saying it aloud makes me feel better, as if I’m letting go of the trauma.
“Because you are shameful,” Caulder says as he rises from the ground. He pats the dust from his pants, a malicious look on his face. “You’re a pathetic excuse for a witch, and once I realized I couldn’t train you, sex was the only thing you were good for.”
“Why would you do that to him, right after his parents died?” Mr. Lambert asks. “You targeted him at his weakest and made him think you loved him, all while courting Miss Flora. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“It doesn’t matter now,” he says around a laugh. “Ambrose broke Witch Law by summoning a demon. That’s punishable by death.”
“He only did it to protect himself from you. You hurt him, then tried to blame him for it. You tried to burn his house down with him in it. If we weren’t awake, he would have died. I’ll never let your coven take him away from me,” Ciarán growls.My demon uses his magic to strengthen his shield, turning it a bright, shimmering shade of gray that matches his eyes.
“You tried to murder Ambrose…” the young elder says to Caulder as she backs away from him.
“I think he killed Ambrose’s parents. He was there when they died, and could have been responsible for the spell going wrong. I saw the expression on his face in Ambrose’s memory and it’s worth investigating.”
“High Priest Smythe already investigated it and said their deaths were an accident,” Caulder shouts.
“And who helped him with his investigation?” I ask. Then it dawns on me—“It’s odd that he passed away a little more than a month after my parents. Another death from mysterious circumstances…”
The Elders break into frenzied conversations. Ciarán peers down at me, giving me a wink. Caulder’s entire web of lies is crashing down around him, and having a front row seat to his destruction is the best view.
My demon unfurls his shadows, wrapping them around Caulder’s throat and hands, binding him into submission. He forces him to kneel on the ground.
“Silence!” he bellows. “Explain yourself, High Priest. Tell the truth, or I’ll end your life.”
“Someone had to do what was necessary to save this coven! It was crumbling under Smythe’s leadership—he never cared about it the way I do! I had to kill the Stones. Aspen was the next in line for High Priest, and Ellie would have never stopped searching for his killer. So I channeled all of those witch’s magic, took them out in one fell swoop, and made it look like an accident. Then I killed Smythe, so no one would suspect his murder was a power grab. Don’t you see? It was all for the greater good!”
“And why did you set your sights on my little witch?” Ciarán growls. “He wasn’t a threat to you.”
“Because his parents were the most powerful witches in our coven. I assumed that magical prowess had to be somewhere inside him, but he proved me wrong. The fact that he was desperate enough to fall in love with me was a bonus. I tried to use his family’s grimoire, but it wouldn’t open for me while he was alive. Once he threatened to out our affair to Flora, I knew he had to go.”
“Your confession is enough to condemn you,” my demon rasps as his shadows tighten around Caulder’s neck and infiltrate his mouth, choking him quickly and efficiently. His death is short and sweet.
“You murdered him before he could stand trial!” Mrs. Talbot shrieks.
“My judgment is trial enough. My job is to protect my summoner from everything and everyone that tries to harm him.” Ciarán scans the elders, his face stone cold and void of any expression. It sends chills down my spine. “Do any of you want to harm my summoner and meet the same fate?”
“You don’t understand,” Mr. Bale pleads. “Ambrose is a danger to himself and others. His poor judgment led him to summon a dangerous demon. Even though his intention was to protect himself, he unleashed you onto our coven. He needs to face the consequences of his actions.”
Ciarán’s shadows ripple, striking Mr. Bale in a flash and wrapping around his entire body. The other elders scream. Some cower in fear, and Mrs. Talbot runs into the woods.
“Youdon’t understand. I will protect what’s mine at all costs. If you move against us, you will meet your end.” His shadows constrict around Mr. Bale, choking him and turning his face a blotchy shade of red.
“Ciarán and I are going to disappear. Don’t look for us. If you do, we’ll come back and decimate the entire coven.”
“Would you do that to your kin?” Mr. Lambert asks.
“You all laughed at me and treated me like an outsider. Instead of offering to help me with my magic, you laughed at me. You excluded me. You’re no kin of mine. Leave my property and never darken my life again.”
I use my anger to conjure a strong gust of wind that knocks them all into the woods and off my property.
“Are you ready to start your new life?” Ciarán wraps his arm around me, pulling me into his side.
“Only if you come with me. How about somewhere sunny?”
“Little witch, I’ll follow you wherever you go. I’ll always protect you. Because you’remine.”
