Elodie takes a deep breath, and looks at Fletcher, eyebrows raised.
“That’s why you’re not supposed to open your eyes. The book plays tricks on you if you do.”
“So none of that was real?”
He shakes his head and I feel like an idiot.
“Close your eyes. Don’t open them until I say.”
Elodie tries again, and this time I bunch my hands into fists and hold them over my eyes as we chant and the book does its thing, so I can’t ruin it again.
4
The spirits from the book fill the room. The magical ancestors they need help from, and a thick, pulsing thrum in the air; the magic itself.
It doesn’t take long for the help to come, to summon the answers, especially when they all keep their eyes closed.
Elodie opens her eyes, a look of calm on her face, where there had only been anxiety before. “We’re ready.”
Nobody questions her, they all just rise from the floor, stretching and smiling.
“We’ll fly to the portal. It won’t be pleasant, but at least I know what to do now. I need you all to hold your nerve.”
They all nod. Ember and Fletcher, far more experienced than Ellis will ever be, look serious and determined. Ellis is pale.
Fletcher takes her hand. “Just do what my mum says, and you’ll be fine.”
“I’m scared.”
“We all are. We haven’t done this before. You imagine how happy the demons were when they came out of the portal – they had their freedom again. So imagine how angry they’ll be at being forced to go back.”
“But, the portal is open, so will any of them try to get out?”
“I think we have to summon them, but I wouldn’t put it past them.”
“We must be on high alert,” Ember says, plastering her lips in bright red lipstick. Ready for battle.
Elodie smiles at the three of them. “I’m very nervous. If this goes well, it’ll still be frightening and harrowing. If it goes wrong... well.” She cannot even finish her sentence, but then she nods. “If it goes wrong, Fletcher, you must do everything, anything, you can to get Ellis out of there. We need her there, for the re-calling, but we need her to survive. We’ll be next to the portal, a circle of four, so much more powerful than a circle of three. The other witches will circle us in rings, moving outwards, powerful witches, withes who can help if it all goes wrong. They know to get Ellis away too. We might not survive this. I need you to know.”
They all huddle together, and the weight of her words has them all serious and sombre. “Ember, if you survive, you’re to take the other witches, the ones you and Griff worked with, and make sure there are no other stragglers, no other rebels still working. This has to end.”
Ember nods. “I’ll find the council members too. I have an idea where they might be.”
Elodie smiles at her sister, touches her arm. “Thank you. I love you.”
“I love you too. We can do this.”
“Fletcher. You need to figure out why nobody has given the autonomy back to the supernatural creatures.”
“What’s this?” Ember asks, a frown on her face.
“Just something Fletcher asked me the other day. Ember, you knew Adam. Wasn’t he the kindest man you knew?”
She nods, unsure where this is going.
“So if he could have, wouldn’t he have given the creatures their autonomy back, removed our leadership over them, undone the magic?”
“I think so, but-”
“Exactly! Fletcher realised that there must be a reason the head witches have never given the other creatures what they want the most, what they always ask for. These are our friends, so... anyway, it’s not something we need to worry about today. It’s a puzzle for another day. We have to get through this first.”
They all nod, realising that they cannot put this journey off any longer. Elodie checks her phone. “The witches are on their way to the portal. It’s time to go.”
Fletcher tucks Ellis into his arms. “I promise to keep you safe. I’ll do everything I can.”
“Thank you. I want to run away.”
“Please don’t. I need you there. You give me strength.”
“Do I?” She looks pleased and Fletcher kisses her in reply, then follows his mum and aunt out of the house.
“This might be the last time we do this,” Ellis says as Fletcher slips his arms around her, ready to fly.
“Don’t say that. We’ll be okay. We have to be.”
Ellis presses her head against his heart and keeps quiet. Fletcher kisses the top of her head and then they are off.
It takes no time at all before they land, joining hundreds, maybe thousands of other witches, just beyond the portal.
The mood is serious, but there are lots of hugs, smiles, kisses, and people catching up quickly, aware that there is work to do, but also giving comfort and support to each other.
After ten minutes of greeting friends and distant family, and giving out orders, Elodie gathers Ember, Fletcher and Ellis and brings them to her side. “It’s time.”
They follow her lead, walking to the portal, as the witches they leave behind get into formation, circle after circle after circle, each one strengthening the entire group.
The portal looks the same, beautiful, with the ominous black rip in it, made bigger by Gregory.
“Ember, did you kill Gregory?” Fletcher asks, kicking at some bones with the toe of his boot.
She looks surprised at the question, but recovers quickly, nodding her head. “On the pier.”
“Ready?” Elodie asks, shaking out her hands and feet, like an athlete before a run, or a footballer before a penalty.
They all nod.
She shows them where to stand, the portal between them. “We need to link hands and we cannot let go. Even if it feels like you have to.” She looks particularly
