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“People are scared. A large group of bodies left at the gates not once, not twice, but three times? While the desert and illness are logical answers, this is a religious town. Their minds will go to witches and demons.”

His worried eyes looked to hers, and she knew that worry was more for her than anyone else. She was the witch of Ifreann after all.

Bryn turned to the gathering of people entering the church. Oh, to be a fly on the wall...

She wished she could skip over to Faerie and straddle the veil, but without a way to tether herself, she worried she may be lost there if she tried on her own to cross. Callum had promised to help her practice more that night, but she was worried leaving and looking for him now would cause issues. The sun was almost down, but the people were still out and about.

“Cyerra,” Bryn gasped as Jace turned to give her a look of confusion.

“Who?” Jace asked, but Bryn ignored him as she reached out to see if she could speak to Cyerra and initiate a conversation. She hadn’t tried it yet as the crow usually spoke to her first. Perhaps opening a line of communication was something else she would need to practice.

Bryn felt like an idiot for never trying before.

“I am already listening in on this madness, you have no need to take over my mind. Get to a spot where no one can see you, and I’ll share my eyes with you.”

Stepping away from Jace, Bryn had no idea what Cyerra meant, but she trusted the crow.

“What are you doing?” Jace whispered, following her.

“I am going to see what is happening in that church without going in there myself.”

Turning, she ran up the stairs to her bedroom. She didn’t need to ask Jace if he was following since she heard the stomp of his boots on her heels. She was sure he had officially concluded she had lost her mind. Powers or not, there was still the possibility she was mad. She smiled a little at the same thought that used to terrify her.

“Let me know what you see. I’ll watch your back,” Jace whispered, as he moved to stand guard. He had to be the best cousin, trusting her as he did after she withheld so much. She couldn’t help but relax knowing even if he thought her crazy, he believed in her.

Lying back on her bed, she closed her eyes, letting Cyerra do whatever it was she needed to do.

“Relax your mind, Phantom Queen,”Cyerra ordered, and Bryn was suddenly happy she couldn’t hear Cyerra in Faerie now. It was a nice break from the angsty crow with far too big an attitude for her little body.

Closing off the rest of the world, Bryn let Cyerra tug at her consciousness. She’d have to see if there was a way to do this without being vulnerable to the world around her like Callum said she’d be capable of someday.

That day needed to be sooner than later.

An out-of-focus picture played across her eyelids, and she waited as Cyerra pushed the picture further into her mind, putting it into focus for her.

Bryn could see the inside of the chapel from high up in the rafter overlooking the entire sanctuary. Arioch was at the front as he always was as the scrios. His brother, Daran, sat with Mallory in the front pews facing Arioch.

The giant painting of Balor at the head of the chapel had her sneering, and she could feel Cyerra’s agitation at seeing her former foe being honored.

She went to the services growing up. She’d heard of Balor and his greatness. Smiting people with his poisonous eye that he kept hidden under a patch to protect his followers.

The same god that created their very town and kept them trapped there through fear.

Bryn had wondered about the old religions, like Christianity and Judaism, that she had read about in Sage’s secret book stash. It was obvious they were not kept from leaving their towns. Bryn had always wondered why Balor required its disciples to stay holed up in the pit of the desert. Required them to never leave their little spot on the earth.

Now she knew.

Cyerra hopped to another plank, one of the townspeople looking up, and Bryn realized Cyerra must have made a noise.

“Be careful, Cyerra,”she warned into the crow’s mind. A sensation that made Bryn dizzy came over her, and she wondered if the crow was trying to purposely make her throw up by moving around so much.

“Not the first time I’ve scouted. Pay attention and quit blathering.”

Scolded, Bryn focused on where Arioch, in his golden scrios outfit that Bryn thought was a dress as a child, stood at the front of the chapel.

“Calm yourselves in the name of Balor, our great god!” Arioch lifted his hands above him, and all the people whispered the name of Balor the Great.

“Now, I know the last few days have been trying on our town. The sin of the nonbelievers is bringing death and doom on our people now.”