Under an Onyx Sky (Elemental Enchanters Series Book 4) (18 page)

The smell of juniper remained on her pillows and sheets long after Gabriel teleported back. Ava pulled one of the pillows close to her, and held it. She was more in love with him now than ever. She wished he didn’t have to leave. Especially since their time was so limited. But she was more than happy that he could teleport now.

She stilled. She hoped Havok couldn’t feel her last night, but if he had, he wouldn’t know who she was with, could he? Maybe Havok wasn’t probing into her mind all the time. She never felt him rummage around, but could he see her memories like she could his? Surely, if he could, he would have known her memories hadn’t been erased.

Ava remained in bed for most of the day, not wanting to venture out. She secretly hoped Gabriel would visit her again, but she knew it would be almost impossible.

She went to the tavern for dinner, and sat with Xavier, Anais, and Donovan. She didn’t talk much to them since she was lost in her own thoughts. Xavier was rather quiet too, but he seemed happy to see her as usual. He asked her to hang out later and have some drinks, but she declined. She told him she needed to rest, but really, she wanted to go to Klaus’s. She hoped the others would be there.

As Ava slowly meandered down the hallway to Klaus’s room, her stomach tied in knots. Would anyone want to see her? Would they welcome her back? She had been outcast by both the Cimmerians and her friends, except for Melissa and Gabriel. Or maybe that was her insecurities getting the best of her.

She put her hand on the doorknob and hesitated. She at least needed to apologize to them. Whether or not they wanted to see her. Chewing on her lip, she turned the knob and entered. It was quiet, and she walked down the stairs to the secret room. When she opened the door, hushed voices spoke in urgent tones and then they stopped talking. Every step she made seemed loud.

When she reached the bottom, she saw her friends gathered, staring at her with fierce gazes, like she was a Cimmerian who had caught them red-handed.

Ava swallowed thickly. “Um, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I just came to—.”

“No, you’re fine.” Melissa stepped forward, her face relaxing. “It’s good to see you.”

“Welcome back,” Nicole said.

Everyone smiled at her, but there was still an awkwardness stifling the air.

“I’ve been such a terrible person to you all. I know you can’t forgive me for what I’ve done, but I am sorry.” Ava broke down in tears.

They each took their turn hugging her and consoling her. She wiped her tears.

Melissa waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. We all know being linked to Havok can’t be a picnic. Those were his thoughts directing you.
His
feelings. Not yours.”

“Besides, now I can officially say I’ve been shot,” Thomas said, earning a few laughs.

“I couldn’t stop it.”

“We know,” Gillian said. “It really felt like Havok was with us.”

Funny. That was what Xavier had told her. “I know. I turned off my emotions, and his took over. I’m blocking him now. Though, I still have visions of his memories.”

Klaus frowned as if it was his fault. “You will for some time.”

“We may have found some help with our army though,” Link said, scratching the back of his head.

“You have?” Ava asked, eager to know more.

A few of them exchanged cautious looks.

“What is it?” She didn’t like their hesitance.

“I know you won’t like this idea, but we’ve decided to call the spirits to help us with the war and your curse.”

She stiffened. “What? Why would you do that?”

“They might be able to help us.”

Ava shook her head. “No. You want to involve a Necromancer? Absolutely not! Don’t you remember the last time? That’s what started this whole mess.”

“We’re going to call them, Ava,” he said.

“How are you going to get a Necromancer to side with us?”

“When I was reading about Necromancy, I learned some Enchanters actually call spirits themselves,” Link said.

“Are you talking about yourself?”

“Yes.”

“That’s out of the question,” Ava said.

“I’ve been practicing for the past couple of months. I know I can do this.”

“What are you talking about? How could you possibly practice that?”

Link jimmied a block loose from the wall, and reached inside. He pulled out a large, antique-looking book that was bigger than a dictionary.

Ava felt her mouth open. “Where’d you get that?”

“I found it in my room. It was under the floorboards.”

“It’s a Spellcaster’s book,” Klaus said.

“It has been a godsend. We can end this war, Ava.”

“You could get killed, Link! How are you all okay with this?” Tears stung her eyes.

“Just hear him out.” Melissa placed a hand on her shoulder.

Ava bit her lip, and shifted on her feet. She didn’t like the idea at all. But she stayed quiet, letting Link explain. “How could the spirits help?”

“They would possess—.”

“Are you insane? No possessions! Why are you even considering this?”

Link sighed. “They would possess a Cimmerian body, and would fight alongside us.”

“It’s too dangerous. What if they possess ours? We can’t use Peter and Katarina since they’re protecting Havok around the clock.”

“There’s a way to protect us from the spirits. We’ll be wearing amaranth. It protects against evil.”

“It wards off spirits? It won’t work. Last time it only took seconds before the spirit possessed me.”

“Several of us will be watching and making sure it goes well.”

“No.”

The group exchanged wary looks with each other, but Link’s eyes trained on Ava. “We’ve already decided to do this. We had to think of something, and you weren’t here.”

That stung. “I’m here now.”

“And now it’ll work even better. Come on, we need an army.”

“And you think calling the spirits is the answer?”

“It’s all we have for now.”

“How are we even doing this?”

“The six Elementals will be in the circle as I call the spirits. The rest of the group will keep a lookout, and the amaranth will help keep the spirits from possessing us. I’m hoping we’ll call some sprits on our side.”

Ava crossed her arms and chewed on the inside of her mouth. She didn’t like this at all. But they seemed determined to go through with it.

“It will be in a safe environment,” Link said. “We’re strong enough to defeat them if anything happens.”

“Yeah until one of them possesses our bodies. Then what?”

“I know how to call them properly unlike what you experienced, and we will be protected.”

“Fine. I guess I don’t have a choice. Anything in that book regarding breaking curses of linked souls?”

“There is a way to break the curse, but we’d still need an Elder. Unfortunately, to sever the souls’ connection, Havok must be present.”

Ava’s heart sank. “Of course.”

“How long do you think the spell will take?” Thomas asked.

He let out a long breath. “At least thirty minutes.”

“Okay, so we attack the castle and hold him hostage long enough to sever the souls, break the spell, and then kill Havok,” Thomas said.

“That’s about the only option.”

“Except, we need an Elder with powers,” Ava reminded them.

Thomas cursed.

“That’s another reason why I want to call the spirits. Maybe by some miracle we could ask an Elder who has passed for help.”

“Spirits can’t do spells,” Klaus said.

“But maybe there’s something else that’s not in this book that can help us.”

“I think it’s worth trying,” Nicole said. “The Cimmerians won’t bother us when we do this since they think we’re on their side. And there are more of us, so we can protect each other.”

“Where are we supposed to do this?” Melissa asked. “And when? Havok’s got us running around all over the place.”

“Here,” Link told them. “And we do it tonight at midnight.”

His answer sent Ava’s nerves into a frenzy. Tonight? She didn’t even have time to prepare. Everything was moving too fast for her. How did she not know Link was studying all of this? But she knew the answer. She hadn’t known her friends in the last couple of months. Not knowing what to expect, she certainly didn’t want to endure the darkness of some evil spirit possessing her again. She’d had enough of it.

Ava’s palms sweat, and her stomach coiled and uncoiled itself. There were too many people in the room. It was hot, and she’d been chewing on her lip so much that it started to bleed. But they had to call the spirits.

Klaus set a bundle of candles in the center of the drawn circle. It hadn’t been there before, and it only made Ava more nervous. The soft, yellow flames flickered, casting shadows on the walls. Link had prepared several bunches of amaranth for everyone to wear. It was a scentless, beautiful, blood red flower that had been strung together so they could wear it around their necks. The petalless flowers had bloomed in narrow, drooping panicles.

“This is an unusual flower,” Gillian said.

“Yeah, it’s unique,” Link said. “It’s also called Love Lies Bleeding by the way it blooms and grows. They hang straight down and some drag on the ground. Put them under your shirts. The closer to the skin, the better.” He squeezed Ava’s hand and gave her a reassuring nod. “It’ll be okay. This will protect you.”

Ava nodded. She deeply feared another possession. It was one of the worst things she’d ever experienced. Aside from torturing Gabriel or killing a bunch of Ephemerals.

The rest of them had already planted their feet around the circle, waiting for her. Ava hesitated, and then joined them, taking Thomas’s and Jeremy’s hands.

“Okay, each of you imagine someone and concentrate on them,” Link said from behind.

Ava closed her eyes and thought of Colden. His warm smile and friendly personality.

Behind her, Link began speaking in Latin. The words sounded familiar, but Ava focused on Colden. Then she opened her eyes, and the yellow flames turned blue. As they grew, the colors reflected on everyone’s faces. Then black shadowed figures came forth from the flames. One by one they walked out of the circle, and stood behind the Elementals as they began to take form.

Ava’s heart stilled once she saw Colden smiling at her. Her vision blurred, and she couldn’t hold back her tears as Savina appeared. Thomas’s father. Seth. Aidan and Ronan. Nathan. Ava’s heart sank once she saw the New Orleans coven. They had killed them.

There was a large group of spirits. Ava didn’t know how so many got through the barrier, but more and more crowded the room.

“Colden?” she said.

“Hello, Ava.” He gave a warm smile. It was him, but he was ghost-like.

She wanted to hug him and tell him so many things. “I miss you. I’m so sorry for what happened. I—.”

“No apologies,” he said. “It’s good to see you.”

“Dad?” Thomas said, and Ava glanced at Mr. Arrington.

“It’s good to see you all,” Lance said to Seth, Aidan, Ronan, and Nathan.

They nodded in acknowledgement.

“We’ve been watching you all,” Savina told them. “We are incredibly proud of you.”

“Proud of what?” Thomas asked. “We’ve been doing terrible things.”

“But only to defeat Havok.”

“That’s why we’re here,” Mr. Arrington said. “We’re here to help you win this.”

Tears formed in Thomas’s eyes.

“We need to break the curse on Ava,” Link said.

“I can help with that,” someone said. Ava knew the voice. She hadn’t heard it in years, and couldn’t be sure she actually heard it. A woman moved to the front, and Ava froze as she stared at the woman who was the same height as her with long red hair and a confident gaze in her eyes. Jeremy squeezed her hand.

“Mom?”

“Hello, Ava. I know I did a terrible and unforgivable thing. I was young and naïve. But I love you very much, Ava. Which is why I am offering my soul in place of yours so that when you kill Havok, my soul will die. Not you.”

Ava didn’t know what to think or say.

“Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself and Connor and tell him I love him.”

Ava couldn’t control the tears. Jeremy squeezed her hand once again.

“I’m so proud of you,” her mother said. “I’m so proud that you’re my daughter. I love you.”

Ava stared at her mom. “Why?” she asked.

Her mother frowned, and Savina squeezed her shoulder. “We were going to kill Havok. He was supposed to die. I did it because I never once thought it would ever become true. There were too many obstacles in the way.”

“But it did.”

“I know, Ava. And I am so sorry. That was why I had Savina protect you all those years.”

Ava couldn’t respond.

“How will you all be able to help us?” Link asked.

“Just call us right before the war,” Colden said. “We’ll be there.”

“How long will you have?”

“When you call us, we will have limited time, but enough to do some damage.”

“If you possess Ava’s body, will she have control?” Melissa asked Luci, crossing her arms.

“Yes. I will not control it. But when Havok dies. I’ll come forward so that death takes me.”

Ava couldn’t stop looking at her mother. The same woman she’d hated for months. Her mother had jumped the gun and given up on her daughter. And now she offered to save her. “Thank you.” It was all she could think to say.

“We need to go,” Klaus said.

“I don’t want to say goodbye again,” Ava told Colden and Savina.

“Then don’t,” he said. “We will see each other again.”

Ava nodded.

Then Link spoke in Latin once more and one by one, the spirits disappeared, leaving them in stunned silence. Ava was sure no one knew what to say.

Her mother offered her soul in place of Ava’s. Now the question was, could they call the spirits in time for the war? And would her mother actually show? Ava guessed there was only one way to find out. It was her only option.