The Thirteenth Witch
by Raine Monday
Chapter 8

Thomas paced anxiously in the living room, gnawing at his knuckle. He knew he shouldn't have left her down there, knew he should have stayed by her side. Then he heard someone screaming in raw, horrid, grating tones, a screech.

One of the witches…he forgot which one, came up. "You can come see her now."

Thomas bounded down the stairs and past the witches who had gathered. In the center stood another of the witches. Why was she naked? And he looked around for Lydia.

Hope's Light

Chapter 34

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Thirty-Four - Departures

Having become acclimated to flying the spaces between realms, the trip was uneventful and direct. Not as quick as an immediate translation, but I wasn’t ready to test such maneuvering to patterns not ingrained in both memory and heart.

Somehow both felt necessary.

Hope's Light

Chapter 33

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Thirty-Three - Prayer

As I wasn’t needed to help Nathanael and the Grigori guide the accelerated evolutions swiftly covering the new planet, I slipped away. And not back to the Citadel.

Without fanfare I sneaked back into the Spires, finding a healed Twitch in the kitchens experimenting with a new soup recipe. Whatever he saw across my face needed no words, and he put down a spice container to swiftly enfold me in his arms, which of course caused tears to flow anew.

Dangit.

Hope's Light

Chapter 32

by Erisian

Book 6

Part Seven

Chapter Thirty-Two - Gifts

Distant birds in Gabriel’s sky hang motionless, and the breeze ruffling through her brother’s soft curls ceases entire. The scene of the mighty slabs guarding the entrance to the Monument below sits frozen, and, unlike before, the page does not turn.

Everything remains still instead, as if suspended by Raphael’s previous words.

Until a different voice entire speaks.

“You have questions.”