The Second Covenant

Twelve ghostly figures, my grandfathers, fathers, father and so on. “Hey baby.” The man, who looked so very much like my father blew me a kiss. “What’s kicking?” Another man, my great grandfather, dressed in a tie-dyed shirt, shorts and Birkenstocks said with a grin. Sixties. “Young woman, I detest it when you do this.” Another Danvers ancestor said grouchily. “And who the bloody hell are they? Have you finally gone and blabbed our secret to humans?” He pointed his finger at another ghost imperiously, with a look of triumphant disgust. “I told you! Didn’t I tell you? Mark my words, I said and she’s gone and betrayed us. Little misfit, are we even sure she’s really a Danvers?”

I rolled my eyes and flicked my fingers at that ghost, Great grandpa Silvis, and he exploded in a dusty cloud. “Save the insults for someone who cares.” I said dryly and my grandpa grinned with a wink. Silvis pulled himself back together and sniffed elegantly in his courtly attire. He was circa the fifteen hundreds, one of the ancestors from Europe. “Twit.” he sniffed and I flipped him off.

The rest of the ghosts laughed. “So are you going to introduce us to your…friends?” My grandpa William said with a twinkle in his black eyes. I waved my hand at the men behind me and told their names to my family. “Werewolf pack.” I said and eyebrows shot up with interest. Great grandfather Lucas stepped forward out of the back and narrowed his eyes at me. “Your eyes child, what’s different about you?”

I shrugged and twisted my shirt at the waist. “They changed when I ascended.” Druex’s hands came down on my shoulders to squeeze gently. “You protected a werewolf during the Trials.” Lucas inclined his head. “I did. What of it?” Dax stepped up a little. “She was an ancestor of mine.” The ghosts twittered and Lucas grinned. “Fine woman, Aria. I was sorry when Drustan left for the wilds. But I see you’ve all flourished well. Funny how things work out, you‘re back with my coven now.” He beamed but I shook my head slowly. Grandpa William waved his hand through Lucas. “What’s that got to do with my girl?”

“She was bitten by a wolf as a child. She’s my Lupa now.” Druex said and, gasp, the witches, the dead ones, all gaped at me. “Extraordinary! Can you shift shape my dear?” Lucas asked and I shook my head again. “Not yet, maybe never. I’m sort of stuck half way between. But that’s not why I called. I need some help, trouble‘s come for the Coven.” Instantly expressions hardened. Even Silvis looked pissed. “Ask and we will do our best.

I sagged back against Druex, not aware I’d been so worried they wouldn’t help me anymore. “There’s some kind of shadow hovering near. It comes from the East, I’ve felt it during the day but it‘s strongest at night, it can project dreams through the wards on the house, I banished it twice, but it’s not gone. The coven is going through the books, for the god knows how many bajillionth time. I thought perhaps the knowledge of you fine gentlemen can gather might speed us on our way.”

Lucas rubbed his jaw and looked around at the other ghosts. “From the East?” I nodded. “I think Salem. I was there visiting Peyton and felt some kind of…echo. Power. At the time I thought it was just left over magic from all the people killed during the Trials.” Lucas waved me forward. “Come into the circle and let us read this from you.” Druex’s hands gripped my shoulders and I looked back up at him. “It’s fine. Nothing bad should happen.” He scoffed. “You’re supposed to say nothing WILL happen.”

I kissed his jaw. “But then I’d be lying. Because something bad could happen. If it looks bad, you can pull me right out.” He nodded sharply and let me go. I stepped through the barrier of living and dead and stood in the midst of my ancestors. All of them glowing in my head, powerful, old. My blood. One by one they passed through me, electrical jolts that made me shudder with each power surge. “Cherish?” I held my hand up, and shook my head and Druex’s worried call. I felt the spirits sifting through my memories, looking closely at each encounter I’d had with the Shadow since the night of my Ascension.

When they were done, I swallowed thickly as they put their ghostly hands together and searched for the dark power. “It is in Salem.” Silvis said slowly, eyes closed, heads tilted back. “It has been there since the Trials, an evil creature, drank the blood and fed from the suffering of innocents.”

My skin shivered, prickled with the soft whispers fluttering around the room. The whispers only the dead can hear. “It was bound to the soil, and has remained, starving, hungry, waiting.” I wanted to interrupt and ask what it was waiting for. But I had a fairly good idea. “It was cast from hell, bound to the earth, denied heaven. Evil, truly evil.” Grandpa William said and then all their eyes flew open. Black as pitch.
Scary.
I swallowed again and waved Druex back when he meant to pull me out of the circle. “So what do we do?” The ghosts of my ancestors all looked on me with smiles. Condescending, gentle, somehow sad smiles. “You know what it wants.” Lucas said and I did. “Me. My power to lift it from it‘s prison to this plane.” He nodded an behind me the wolves all growled, a soft warning sound. Grandpa William kept that soft sad smile and reached out to touch his fingers to my forehead.

Knowledge slammed into me and I gasped as the cold sensation and his ghostly voice, for my ears alone. “Which it cannot have. There are three choices, only three options. Our blood runs strong in you. The power you hold is boundless.” He looked behind me to the pack and his smile strengthened a little. “You have your pack, and your Coven to help you.” He looked back at me with his black eyes and spoke aloud. “The magic you work is wondrous, but it always comes with a price. Even for one so special as you. And you’re right. The Coven is a bit backwards, us being men and all, so you’re going to have to try and help move them forward. You work a good spell.”

His hand dropped and he sighed, “Time’s up honey, we’re very proud of you.” Silvis snorted. “Except for him, but that’s okay.” He continued and then, with a kiss to my forehead whirl of warm wind they were gone. “Blessed Be.”