Page 24 of Cursed (Witchbane #8)
SETH
Seth hated walking away from Evan and leaving him behind, although he knew that Evan wasn’t up to joining the fight this time. If Evan went with them to confront Vernon and the curse took its toll, it could be a fatal distraction for them all.
His dream the night before about Jesse made the guilt over not being able to save him stung fresh and sharp. That just made Seth even more determined not to fail Evan.
He said a silent prayer that Evan and Tony could take care of each other. And he said another to any god who might be listening that the dubious spell he had memorized from the grimoire would work.
Evan was right, gray magic was dangerous.
That term applied to spells that didn’t require horrific elements like human or animal sacrifice but which drew on other questionable sources to increase their power.
That might mean tapping the life energy of unwilling donors short of draining them dry.
It might also involve summoning storms for a boost, which could break free of the witch’s control and cause death or damage.
Most ethical witches also considered spells that were overtly suicidal to be undesirable for obvious reasons.
All magic drew on the casting witch’s life energy to some extent.
Part of learning magic lay in knowing personal limitations and not pushing too far.
Ethical witches found other sources of additional power—natural energy wells, ways to store magic for future use, and working with a willing partner—to extend their ability.
Like the music magic Tony and Evan were using to sustain Teag and Rowan.
The spell Seth had found drew on the caster’s and target’s life force, which would allow him to siphon away the witch-disciple’s power. It took the target’s magic and allowed the caster to imbue it into a blade, making the weapon more lethal.
If the spell gave them enough of an advantage, maybe they could kill Vernon before the gray magic drained Seth dry, and Evan would be free.
If not, Seth wouldn’t be left behind, and maybe his soul and Evan’s would find each other in the afterlife.
He knew Evan disapproved. Seth respected Evan’s feelings, but letting him die without a fight wasn’t going to happen. He felt guilty that he didn’t ask Milo or Rowan about the spell as Evan requested, nor had he been fully upfront with Teag and Rowan about the source.
Seth felt certain that Teag and Rowan wouldn’t be happy, but they would understand. He didn’t care about the price as long as Evan lived.
“Heading your way,” Seth said on the phone to Caden as he drove toward the turpentine plant.
“You think that new tech stuff will work?” Caden asked. Seth had gone over the drone and earbuds with him beforehand, planning to use off-the-shelf gear.
“Maybe,” Seth admitted. “If it does, that’s an advantage we didn’t have before. We’ve also got some music magic adding to the energy.” What he couldn’t say because Evan was listening was that he wanted Evan and Tony to feel like they were part of the effort so they didn’t insist on coming along.
“I’m all for progress,” Caden said. “And Nash is driving separately. He said he needed the ghosts for a diversion.”
“Is everyone in place?” Seth asked.
“Teag and Rowan are here with me, and so are my friends,” Caden replied. “Kinsley’s got her people set up, Tristan is checking out the area, and Nash and the ghosts will join us when he finishes his side quest. We should be good to go when you get here.”
“Roger that.” Seth ended the call so he could focus on driving, keeping watch for anything that might suggest Vernon had called in extra help.
Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but Seth knew he couldn’t let his guard down.
Vernon had thrown down the gauntlet, so he knew they were coming.
Either he didn’t believe they could harm him—incredible hubris considering the track record Seth and Evan had with the other witch-disciples—or he felt confident enough in his own plans to draw them in before he made his move.
Just before dawn, Seth joined the others in an alley a block away from the turpentine plant. “Thanks, everyone. It’s going to take all of us to shut down Vernon for good.”
Kinsley’s coven had taken up monitoring points all around the plant, and Tristan had moved into position.
Seth and his strike force were waved inside the perimeter by a large man standing sentry, one of Caden’s military buddies.
Caden, Teag, and Rowan reflected the same mix of apprehension and battle energy that Seth felt.
“Remember,” Seth told them, momentarily toggling off his link to Evan. “Vernon put a killing curse on Evan. Either we kill Vernon, or Evan dies. I’ll do whatever it takes to stop Vernon. If it comes down to me or Evan, well, I’m going to save Evan. And I’ve got a plan.”
He turned to Teag. “Nash and his ghosts went after Vernon’s anchor. Destroying that will weaken him. Tristan will marshal the ghosts here. And remember that grimoire I told you about? The one I’m planning to bring to the store?”
Teag’s expression turned wary. “We have no idea about the origin?—”
“I found something that I think I can do that will help,” Seth said. “Desperate times and all that.”
“There’s always a cost,” Rowan warned.
“Can’t be worse than losing Evan,” Seth countered. “I’m willing to take that chance because I can’t live with the alternative.”
Seth activated the comm link as he pulled the drone from a tote bag and turned it on. “We’re in position,” Seth said to Evan. “You should be able to pick up on the drone feed in a couple of minutes.”
“The musicians are ready to play the spell,” Evan responded. “Let me connect to the drone, and I can tell you what I see.”
The drone flew into the plant and then headed to the rafters, settling where it had a bird’s eye view of the main floor.
“I’ve got a visual,” Evan said over the link.
“Someone had to light the candles, so I’m guessing at least a few of Vernon’s coven are present but out of sight.
I can’t tell if Pax is breathing, but he’s not bleeding heavily.
” He paused. “There’s something inside the warding, along with two guards—large men—be careful.
Whatever the other thing is, it doesn’t look human.
More of a dark shape, but it moves wrong to be a person. ”
“Noted. Thanks. And remember, they need Pax alive for the ritual. We’re not too late,” Seth assured.
“We should have the music spell going in about five minutes,” Evan said.
“We’ll be on the move by then. Keep the chatter on this line minimal, but if you see something, let me know. You’ve got the bird’s eye view.”
“Good luck.”
“You, too.”
Seth glanced over to Teag, Rowan, and Caden. “It’s go time.”
Outside, thunder rumbled, and rain began to ping against the building’s steel roof. Teag and Seth led the way, with Rowan and Caden behind them.
“He’s this way,” Teag murmured. “I can feel the magic.”
Rusted machinery and heavy cobwebs made it clear that the old factory hadn’t been used in a long time. Even so, the smell of turpentine permeated the building, sunk into the wooden floors.
“There wasn’t a storm expected today,” Rowan said quietly. “Someone’s conjured what’s out there. And it’s getting stronger.”
“Evan said there’s a ritual space where the main factory area used to be,” Seth reported via the headset. “Pax is hanging from chains in the middle of a warded circle. No sign yet of Vernon and the others.”
“It sounds like everything is ready for the ceremony—lit candles, bowls of materials,” Teag added. “Watch yourselves. Vernon’s got to be heading there any minute.”
“We’re playing,” Evan said over the link. “Sending the music magic your way. Hope it helps.” In the background, Seth heard the sound of drums, a guitar, and a flute.
Rowan caught Seth’s eye and nodded. “Faint so far, but I can feel it,” she replied, following the conversation on her earbud.
“Keep it up,” Seth murmured to Evan. “The power is building.”
“Let’s go,” Seth said to the others. “This might be our best chance to get to Pax.”
“Think it’s a trap?” Caden asked.
“No way to know.” The thought had crossed Seth’s mind.
Despite their research, Vernon was still largely a mystery.
Whether the witch would alter his schedule out of fear that Seth and the others could disrupt him depended on his hubris, although Seth figured Vernon had to know that he and Evan had shut down a growing number of the disciples.
But there’s always the one who figures it won’t happen to him. Vernon’s that kind of guy.
Outside, the storm grew louder, and Seth wondered how much was due to Vernon’s magic.
Kinsley’s witches targeted Vernon to siphon away his mojo.
If they could break Vernon’s hold on the storm, it could replenish Seth, Teag, and Rowan since the energy itself was neutral.
Meanwhile, Tristan’s necromancy gathered the angry ghosts eager for revenge.
“There’s something not human inside the warding,” Seth cautioned. “Got any idea what it is before we have to fight it?”
“The ghosts say there’s a wraith guarding Pax as well as some of his witches,” Tristan warned over the link. “Don’t let it get you.”
Seth glanced to Teag and Rowan, who nodded to let him know that they heard the message. Wraiths were nasty pieces of work, and Seth wasn’t thrilled to add one to the mix of adversaries they already had to overcome.
“Let’s go.” Seth and Caden carried regular handguns as well as knives and a few other surprises. Teag and Rowan also had daggers, but their real defense lay in their magic.
“The wraith is in the shadows,” Rowan murmured, and the headset let her voice carry to them all despite the quiet volume. “The circle is warded, so don’t try to cross it until Teag and I can dismantle that. I’ll go after the wraith.”
“And I’ll hit Vernon and the witches,” Teag added. “The rest of you—work the plan.”