Relish: A Vicious Feast Book 2 (30 page)

“I didn’t say that.”

Hope, a fragile thing, grew at the center of my chest. I wiped the back of my hand across my face, drying my tears. I sniffed. The air around me warmed, suffusing me with comfort. “What?”

She grabbed my arms and pulled me to my feet. “Like I said, the more you stay here the more you will understand. I’m pretty sure you’re already feeling the woods responding to your moods. You are the Vessel of the Strega Compound.”

I pushed out of her hold. “Currently not ringing any bells.” Well, that was a load of shit. Her words did ring some sort of bell, I just couldn’t put all the information together yet. I felt like a dyslexic made to read aloud. My eyes saw one thing, my brain processed another, and my mouth said something else entirely. “Help me out here.”

“Then let’s walk toward the palace.”

A name popped into my head as she entwined her arm with mine. “The Solstice Palace.”

“See?” She smiled, taking a step forward. “You’re starting to remember. Soon your powers will follow.”

I let her navigate us out of the woods. The scent of moss growing on the side of the trees choked me. The moment the thought entered my mind, the wet smell receded, replaced by the scent of the wild flowers I was growing to love. It really did seem the forest responded to what I was feeling. Trippy. Moira spoke the entire time we walked, so it took every ounce of concentration I possessed to pay attention. I slowed my steps to match her shorter legs.

“The Solstice Palace is located at the center of the Strega Compound, flanked on three sides by?”

She waited. I racked my brain until the answer came to me, “The Solar Fortress, the Eclipse Keep, and…” I swallowed, my heart fluttering inside my throat. “The Lunar Manor.”

“Yes.” She nodded like a pleased teacher. “The compound is composed of four of the most powerful covens in the area and you rule them all.”

Yes. That sounded so familiar. Like a lesson that had been drilled into my head long ago. Another truth revealed itself.

“I’m a witch?” My statements still came out as questions.

“Not just a witch, my dear. You are
the witch
. The Vessel. She who controls all.”

“The ruler of the compound, all powerful, savior of my people, I get it.” I didn’t know where the words were coming from, but they all seemed correct. Impatience to know more took over, pushing me to say, “Can we move things along?”

“No need to be rude.” She smacked my arm. The ground shifted from a flat surface to a slight incline. We climbed, my knees straining. “Because you’re the Vessel, there is always a threat against your life.”

The meaning of her words slammed into my chest so hard I barely kept myself from doubling over. “My parents.” A distant memory flashed. I couldn’t quite see it fully, which frustrated the hell out of me.

“Yes,” Moira continued. “They sacrificed their lives to keep you and this compound alive until the threat is neutralized.”

The image of a woman with long black hair standing beside a man with a full beard twisted my insides. “When I turned sixteen.” Filling in the blanks got easier. Moira was right. The longer I stayed in this world the more I remembered. It was like breathing in the air shook away the cobwebs.

“There was a celebration. You were just coming into your Vessel powers—”

“I was in the great hall,” I cut her off, my gaze dropped to the ground as the events played out in my head.

I ran in, the skirt of my dress billowing around me. My parents sat on their thrones, whispering to each other like lovesick teenagers. I smiled when my father took my mother’s hand and kissed her palm, eliciting a giggle. A giggle! Then a hand closed around mine, pulling me toward a private corner—the one behind a massive marble column. No one could see us there. I stared at a mass of blond curls, glinting from the light cast by floating globes. When we reached the column, he pushed me against it so my back was flush with the stone. My palms flattened against its smooth surface. I looked up into the most beautiful blue eyes in the compound and beyond. He caressed my cheek, whispered my name, and took my lips in his. As if on cue, music swelled. I shifted onto my toes for better access to his kiss, but he ended it faster than what I would have wanted. I pouted then he lifted a simple silver ring. On the inside was etched his name entwined with mine. He greeted me a happy birthday and slipped the ring up the fourth finger of my left hand.

The metal hadn’t even warmed against my finger when the great hall doors crashed open. A massive dark cloud swept in. My parents stood from their thrones and confronted the cloud. It laughed at their words. I couldn’t remember exactly what was said. I tried to peek around the column, but he yanked me back. It was too late. The ominous mass had noticed me. It flew toward us and entered my body before I could build walls of protection against the invasion. Screams and chaos followed. My last image was of my father and mother running to where I crumpled to the floor in the arms of the man I loved.

“They cast a sealing spell,” I said finally. I reached for my patch. “Until I defeat my possessor, the compound will not return to life.”

Lost in my memories, I hadn’t noticed we’d reached the top of the hill we’d been climbing. In the distance stood a once splendid castle, now overrun with massive vines covered in thorns the size of my leg. Nothing stirred within the castle’s walls. The stillness dredged up a longing in me something fierce. It seemed like I was grasping at straws that immediately slipped away the second I captured them in my hand. What was I missing?

“She’s a powerful witch.” Moira looked from the castle to me.

“I don’t remember her.”

“Oh but you do. You’re not just ready to face the truth yet.” She pointed at the tallest tower near the back wall. Its pristine white stone stood out among the weathered appearance of the rest of the palace.

An invisible force tugged me toward it. “I should go there.”

Moira clapped her hands and in a blink we were inside a circular room with a single window and a heavy wooden door. At the center sat a massive four poster bed. Wispy white curtains obscured the figure laid out on the mattress. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward and pushed the curtain aside.

On equally white sheets lay me. Not a sixteen-year-old anymore. The me of today only slightly different. Someone took great care in combing out my long, wavy black hair to fan out over the pillow. My hands lay on top of one another, resting over my belly. The cream, floor-length dress studded with pearls I wore clung to my curves.

“I don’t have a patch,” I said in awe, staring at the paleness of my skin. My long lashes cast shadows against my rosy cheeks and equally rosy lips. I looked like a princess out of some fairytale.

Hands squeezed my shoulders gently. “The scars you have on you are from your battle. In order to survive, you created a whole different world outside your body, outside this compound until such time you were strong enough to fight again. The first time almost killed you. The trauma of it manifested as your scars.” She touched my patch.

“What happens now?” I asked around a growing lump in my throat.

“Now you make a choice.” Moira turned me to face her. “If you chose to fight, I will return you to your body, to the battle you must fight.”

“My dreams.”

“That was the first battle. The one you almost lost. You were young, unsure of what you could do. You’re older now. Albeit still shaky and not fully aware of your powers yet, but I believe reentering your body will solve that.”   

“And the other choice?”

“I can return you to the world you created.”

“But you said—”

The seriousness of her gaze interrupted me. “I should correct myself. It is the world you created but at a reset. You won’t remember anything and there are no guarantees that what has happened to you so far will happen a second time. Things may change. And…” She glanced over my shoulder at my body on the bed before returning her eyes to me. “I don’t know if you’ll ever return here.”

A fist of anguish tightened around my heart. If I didn’t stand up and fight, my parents’ sacrifice would be for nothing. And I’d already lost the world I’d come from by returning here. What was the point of going back if I wouldn’t remember the first time I saw Luka through the lens of my camera. Or Dray’s splatter drumming session at the hedge maze. Or the love Demitri and Phoenix share. Or Yana’s drive to manage Vicious. Or the way Deidra lived to serve. None of it would matter.

“If…” I swallowed. “If I returned to my body, would I be able to keep the memories I have now?”

Moira considered this. “I believe so since you’ve accumulated it through the years. The distorted dreams will be gone though.”

“I don’t care about those.” Yet my relief whooshed out of my lips. “And if I don’t win?”

“Then the witch takes over your body and you lose everything.”

“Basically, I die.” She didn’t need to confirm my statement. The stern look on her face said it all. “Then I just have to win.”

That coaxed out a small smile. “Basically.”

I stepped out of her reach to stand beside my body. “Then let it rip,” I said before I could change my mind. Moira moved to raise her hands above her head to clap. Right before her palms touched, I waved both of my hands at her. “Wait!”

“What now?” She cocked an eyebrow, her arms frozen mid-clap. I would have laughed if I wasn’t about to fight for my life and the life of my subjects. A freak out would be good right about now.

“You still haven’t told me who you are.”

“I’m the witch you’re supposed to kill,” she said then clapped.

Before I could react, another flash of light blinded me, trailed by the words:

I call upon the powers that be,

Merge with the strength in me.

Unlock the gate,

Of which sealed the Vessel’s fate.

Return her to that faithful night,

And guide her in the fight,

To save our people with all her might.

This is my will, so mote it be.

C
HAPTER
T
HIRTY
-F
OUR
S
UMMER

I stand in front of an ancient oak with a smiling face on its bough. It takes four people holding hands to circle the gentle giant that watches over us. I rub my hand along its bark, my palm tingling at the roughness. Its life energy greets mine as warmth running up my arm. I smile up at the tree. Silently, I thank it for the protection it provides. Should anything happen it will send a silent signal to the adults inside the manor and in seconds the most powerful witches and wizards in the land will converge upon us. We couldn’t be safer with it around, not to mention the other guardians that kept close watch in the shadows. Our magical babysitters, I call them. A breeze rustles the oak’s leaves and I almost hear it sigh in pleasure. It’s been particularly hot in recent days. I squint at the sun’s rays peeking through the gaps the leaves and branches make. A short distance behind me, children my age and older wait in anticipation. The boys joke around, teasing each other, while the girls giggle at their antics. If I don’t act fast a wrestling match will surely break out between two or more of the boys.

“I love you, too,” I whisper to the tree.

“Are we doing this or not?” Demitri whines. He likes schedules. When we decided on hide and seek in the Lunar Manor garden, he expected we’d start playing like yesterday. I roll my eyes at that. An “Ow” follows his whine.

“She’ll start when she’s good and ready,” Luka says. He’s always ready to defend me. It annoys me most of the time because I can definitely defend myself, thank you very much! Boys. I shake my head and sigh.

“No cloaking spells,” I shout over my shoulder.

“She means you, Dray!” Moira teases from somewhere. I know without looking that they are ready to dash when I start the count. Dray cheats. Everyone knows this. But we include him in our games anyway.

“Come on!” Yana shouts. “I’m getting older by the second here.”

“Is that a wrinkle,” Phoenix says. They must be standing together, preparing to hide in the same place. I wish they’d change it up sometimes, but hey, two birds one stone and all that.

“Okay!” I declare, cutting off a potential hair-pulling fight between Yana and Phoenix. It was a disaster last time. Clumps of blond and brown hair everywhere. Their mothers weren’t happy. None of the mothers were. Even mine, the queen, and I hadn’t done anything. I cover my frowning face with my hands. “One! Two! Three!”

With screams of glee, feet scramble in all directions. When I reach ten, I whirl around, my stupid skirt tangling with my legs. Mother insists I wear dresses—the more lace and ribbon the better. I secretly think she makes it her mission to find the most elaborate dress possible just to torture me. Once she made me wear a frock studded with crystals from head to toe. The second chandelier light fell on me I practically blinded everyone in the ballroom. Luka teased me all night. She says it’s unbecoming of a Vessel to walk around in trousers and tunics like boys. I vow, when I ascend into my powers, my first order of business will be to cast a spell that rids this world of skirts. Pants and boots for everyone!

Excited by the thought, I begin my search. No one said anything about not using sensory spells. I mumble the incantation as I reach one of the gigantic fountains.

Sense and sensibility,

Spread out for me.

Help me find what hides,

And show me what I seek.

This is my will, so mote it be.

My aura stretches away from my body. The spell allows it to act like whiskers on a cat, but way cooler. If there’s anyone hiding nearby, I’ll feel him or her. Of course, I’m totally misusing the spell because it’s supposed to find intruders or missing objects. Not unlike a locator spell, but more dependent on the person’s sensory sensitivity. Call it practice. Our tutors will be so proud.