The Witch Hunter (29 page)

Sophia turned the grimore around and pointed to a page. Gabby began to read, but realized it was in the same language as lot of the pages in her own grimore. 

"I can't read this," she said, frowning.

Sophia smiled and pushed the grimore closer to her. "Its witch speak, dear."

"You mean you can read it?"

"And you can't?"

"No, I can only read the ones in English." Gabby was confused. Was she meant to be able to read this, regardless? 

"You can read it if you try. You're a witch." Sophia said it like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Aya could read it, but I assumed it was because she's old."

"This is the woman Katrin took?" Sophia asked.

"Yeah, but I don't understand how she could have if it's only meant for us. She's a vampire. Witches who've turned loose all their powers."

"Then she must be one of the stars," her grandmother concluded. 

Gabby obviously had a lot to learn. "What do you mean, one of the stars?" 

"In our stories, there are the ones known as the stars, the beginning of the witches. If your friend still has ability after being made vampire, then she must be a star. There is no other explanation," she said, seriously. "If that is the case, then she is in much more danger than you think."

"How...? What...?" 

Sophia smiled warmly. "I think it would be reasonable if a star was turned into a vampire, it would still shine a little."

"What can we do?" Gabby began to panic, but tried to keep herself in check. She didn't understand what her Grams meant about Aya being one of the stars, but she did understand the part about danger.

"One, we need to call the grimore home. Two, you need to realize your true potential," Sophia reached over and took her granddaughters hands in hers. "Read the page again. You cannot have practiced magic and not know this language."

Had she been speaking this language unknowingly all along when she had been practicing? When she performed the spell that had called Aya? Tenderly taking the grimore, she looked again and began to read the words as they appeared. The ink seemed to shift around, like it was trying to pry itself away from the page. As she read, she realised it was an incantation. The further she went down the page, the more power she felt building inside of her, but regardless of her sudden wariness, she kept going. Sophia had asked her to read this page for a reason. 

She was calling forth her power. The power that had been born inside of her. She
understood
.

When Gabby had read the last word, she looked up to the smiling face of her grandmother and said, "Thank you."

Sophia seemed pleased, "It's my pleasure, dear. We should have done that a long time ago. Now, you are who you were meant to be."

"It was an unbinding, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but in this case it was used to wake what couldn't naturally. You just needed a little prod," she explained. "Now, if you're up for it, lets call our grimore home where it belongs."

"Oh, I'm up for it," Gabby laughed, feeling better than she had for a long time. 

Gabby positioned herself on the other side of the coffee table, pulling up a footstool. As they linked hands, she felt her Grams' power for the first time and it was...
epic
. She couldn't think of another word to describe it. Sophia was a very powerful witch and it seemed to run in the family. Gabby now felt like she could do just about anything and she knew that she would have to be very careful.

"Follow my lead, dear," Sophia said and began a simple incantation. After the first time through, Gabby picked up on the words and spoke them, their voices echoing eerily around them in the cozy living room. 

The incantation was weaved with words that called back what was bound to the two witches by blood. It was theirs and theirs alone. No one else had a right to possess the grimore, not even another witch. Their call was infused with the longing of an age, the trials of their ancestors, their own stories echoing through the wave of power that seemed to warm the room around them, like the sun was beating down on their shoulders. 

Gabby felt the building power within her flow down her arms into their linked hands, merging with that of her Grams. It wasn't long before the air between them began to glow with a point of golden light. Sophia began to speak the incantation more forcefully and squeezed Gabby's hands reassuringly. It was
working
.  

Just when Gabby couldn't bear the flow of power anymore, the point of light flared brightly and they were plunged into darkness, the electric lights flickering off for a moment. When they came back on, she gasped. Her grimore sat on the coffee table.

She dropped her Grams' hands and grabbed it, holding it close. It felt warm, like it had been left in the sun. "Incredible," she cried.

"Indeed," Sophia chuckled. "You're a rare witch, Gabrielle." When her granddaughter looked at her with a big question mark on her face she explained, "You're powerful, dear. Probably even more than me. Be very careful how you chose to use your gift."

She understood fully now, what it was to be a witch. How easy it was to be corrupted. The power she now felt was intoxicating and would take her down dark roads if she let it. "We have to go back," Gabby said, suddenly. "A lot of time has passed and we need to help Aya."

"Then go," Sophia said kindly. "There is much at stake. We
will
have time together."

"But, Grams," Gabby said, her eyes wide. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"No, dear. I can imagine the reception I would receive from your parents," she chuckled. "My place is here. This is your time." Gabby went to open her mouth to protest further but she was interrupted. "To save the star you must look deep inside yourself, child. You'll find what you're looking for there."

They hugged tightly for what felt like an age, but Gabby soon pulled herself away, knowing that Aya's fate was still in her hands. She had to go back to Ashburton and find out where the vampire had been taken. Her fate depended on everything.

After leaving Sophia's, they went straight back to the manor. It had been more than a day already since Gabby and Alex had slept. Liz could go without sleep for a few days if needed, so she was still bright, doing the honors of driving them home so they could doze for a little while on the way.

When they pulled up out the front, Sam was waiting for them.

"Nice to see Zac's car is back in one piece," he grinned.

"Our pleasure!" Liz chirped as Alex and Gabby dragged themselves inside.

He shook his head and followed them into the parlor where Zac was waiting, still as agitated as when they'd left.

Gabby placed several things on the coffee table, the grimore, several folded maps and an atlas. One of the United States and one of the entire earth. Beside them, she carefully placed a crystal pendant with a long silver chain.

"How are you?" Sam asked, making Zac almost explode at the delay.

"I'm okay," she smiled as Alex and Liz sat beside her. "Better than okay, actually."

"Can you find her or not?" Zac interrupted.

Gabby nodded, ignoring his impatience. "I need something of Aya's so I can scry for her. I should be strong enough now to get a read on her." And she hoped desperately that she was alive, otherwise it could only mean one thing. If she couldn’t find her, then it would be extremely likely that Aya was dead.

"Aya doesn't have anything," Sam said, remembering the day she moved into the manor. The same day they found out who she was. "She only has her clothes."

"I don't know if that'll work."

"I'll see what I can find." Zac was already half way out of the room. 

Opening the door to the room that had become Aya's, he felt like a trespasser, even though this had been his when he was human. As they had thought, the room was bare, apart from some clothes in the closet and dresser. He pulled the pillows from the bed and saw a red leather bound book hidden underneath.

It was his father's copy of Shakespeare's 
Julius Caesar.
 There was a slip of paper in the pages like she had been reading it. Flipping through the pages, he scowled, knowing she'd taken it without him knowing. Irritated, he snapped the book shut. He'd repeatedly asked her not to go into the study, but she had ignored him. It would be ironic if this small, insignificant defiance was the thing that helped them find her. 

Returning to the parlor, he noticed Sam's frown as he saw the book in his hands. He knew who's it was. "This is all she had," he said. "It was our father's, but she's been reading it. Will it work?"

"I'm not sure," Gabby said, raising an eyebrow. "Give it here." She took the red leather bound book in her hands and closed her eyes before saying, "Yes. This will do."

Zac groaned. Of course it would.

"Why the two maps?" Sam asked as Gabby spread out the map of the United Sates.

"I'm starting small," she said. "If nothing comes up on this, then we go bigger. She was summoned, so she could be anywhere."

Gabby closed her eyes and held the book in one hand and the crystal in the other. The pendant swung back and forth across the map for almost a minute before it shot to a location and stuck there as if it were magnetised. She heaved a sigh of relief; wherever she was, Aya was still alive. They all peered at the map, seeing where it had landed. It was in the middle of nowhere, but reassuringly close and still in the US.

"It's too vague," Gabby said, reaching for the atlas. Laying it open at a page that showed Memphis, and the surrounding area, she let the pendant swing again. This time it landed on a more distinct location.

"She's in fucking Tennessee?" Zac exclaimed like it was the most horrifying place in the world.

"Technically, it's Mississippi," Alex said, looking at the map. "Off route 61."

"Well, lets fucking go."

"Wait," Alex said as he got out his cell. "Let me look it up. See what you're walking into."

Zac sighed, and sat down again.

"It looks like a factory or a silo of some kind," Alex said after a moment. "It's not marked, but it's on the satellite image." He gave the cell to Zac, who handed it to Sam. 

"It could be abandoned," Sam said, grateful for the technology.

"Good bet," Alex said.

"Right," Zac declared. "Tabitha, you're with Sam and me. C'mon."

"Wait," Liz began to protest, obviously wanting to go along with them.

"No," Zac sat her back down. "We're walking into a fight, Liz. It's not a Sunday picnic."

"He's right," Sam kissed her. "It's safer here. Leave this to us. We'll be okay, I promise."

Alex nodded his agreement, "I'll stay here with you, if you want. They can let us know the moment they're on their way back."

Zac was already gone, having pulled Gabby out the front door with him. Sam followed, glad that Alex was there to keep Liz with him. There was no way that he'd willingly let her come along when there was a chance that none of them might come back. If he lost her... Then he would know how Zac felt.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

M
emphis was an eight-hour drive away across state lines and to Zac, it felt like the other side of the world. As soon as Gabby pulled up a map on her cell they got into the car and were on the highway. Alex and Liz remained at the manor as promised. The sooner they left, the sooner they got there.

Zac hardly said a word to Gabby, still angry that she had allowed the grimore to be taken. But, he hardly gave it more than a brief thought. He was focused on Aya. If she'd been hurt, or worse, dead, he didn't know what he'd do. It was partially his fault that she was in this mess. After all, he'd been the one to convince Gabby to summon her in the first place, alerting Katrin to her whereabouts. It was the first time in a very long time that he felt responsible for something other than what happened to their family all that time ago. He couldn't help Sam more than he had, but he could at least attempt to get Aya out of this, whatever condition she was in.