Hybrid Trilogy

Chapter 38 Unfinished Business

Charlotte came out of her apparent trance & turned back to the house "I don't rightly know to be honest with you " she said to Ruby & Theon "but she is real trouble for all our peoples" she added in a subdued tone, suggesting to both that her mind was somewhere other than here. She stopped dead in her tracks that caused Theon to bump into Ruby, turned abruptly & began to head towards the openness of the fields "go check on Unity" she directed firmly to Ruby, and then faded into the sudden white smoke that had appeared. By dawns light a cloud of white smoke appeared in the courtyard & Charlotte emerged from it, Theon looked up from the stool by the door to the house where he had been snoozing "WOW who needs a car" he said under his breath "no car can take me there" Charlotte replied patting him on the shoulder as she strode into the farmhouse.

In the kitchen Ruby sat drinking some tea whilst holding Unity, just then George put down a plate of breakfast in front of her & called out for Theon to join them as he put two more on the table. Theon rushed in "mmm yah man just the ticket" he chuckled deeply rubbing his hands together "hello Charlotte where have you been?" Ruby asked, "I have been home" she answered quietly "what home to Guildford?" George interjected. "No!" she replied looking sharply at him "home to my dimension, I have had one or two pressing matters to deal with" Charlotte finished gravely Ruby jumped up, handing baby Unity to George & gave Charlotte a hug "what ails you my friend?" She enquired. "it would appear that Cassandra can also travel between dimensions all be it a little slower, but when you have been alive & practicing for nearly 2000 years its more than likely that these skills would be possible." She started sipping the hot green tea that George had poured for her. "She has murdered Magrat" Charlotte concluded softly & with much sadness Ruby jumped up again rushing over to embrace her "OH, my dear friend wasn't Magrat like a mother to you?" She asked "yes she really helped my mother especially when she became the lady Magrat took over as my mother. It appears that Cassandra has learnt a little of me and thought this would somehow scare me off. "I am so, so sorry" Ruby said releasing her grip. But isn't killing another Witch considered a sin?" asked George "yes in my world it is known as occidit fratres, but it just serves to prove that Cassandra is consumed by evil & is an exceptionally dangerous Witch, who can never be brought back in to the sisterhood," she replied "but grief is a luxury I can ill afford, I am comforted by her 250 years of life. after I had dealt with that, I went to see my mother, the lady Alcina, and told her that I didn't know if I could protect you all" Charlotte said fearfully "and then I stopped off to feed Abyss" she added "you my friend are the only reason that any of us is alive & here, as well as being the only reason that Unity was even born" George began "don't worry about us Charlotte, I will not let that bitch or her monster near my family" he finished defiantly " I was banking on that, you see you both have the benefit of two lives, but Unity only has one & because her life can & will unite all three races, Vampires', Werewolves' & Witches' & by this unity protect humans, her life must be protected at all costs" Charlotte continued somehow reinvigorated by George's statement of defiance, sitting down to drink more of her green tea "so, much like the spell I cast back in 1814, I'm going to cast one known as (Vinculum inter animam) this will link all our lives" she stopped because Theon had thought (she couldn't possibly be over 200 years old) she smiled and said softly "never assume that looks govern the age of anyone. To kill Unity, they must first kill you...twice, & in order for any of you to truly die they have first to kill me & I will not fall so easily" Charlotte finished once again in her confident tone of voice. "But it will take me a month to gather the appropriate components, before I can cast the spell" she added. "If you think it a wise move my friend then I am more than happy to be guided by your wisdom, please make it happen" Ruby pleaded to Charlotte taking Unity back from George & holding her ever closer.

Charlotte spent the following month working to prepare the spell & as the moons three-day cycle started she began to cast it. As with every night Vampires & Witches descended on the farmhouse, all the changelings in the pack went to defend dressed only in their underwear, knowing that they would lose their clothes when the moon came out. As the night wore on Charlotte was surprised to learn that Mandrake & Cassandra were not among the attacking force, but rather than relief she had a very unsettling feeling of doom, but then discounted it as a return of her previous feelings of self-doubt. The night went on into day & Charlotte was pleased to confirm to Ruby & George that the spell had been cast & that Unity was safe. Once again, the night fell, an oddly dark cloudless night, a brighter than usual, huge hunters moon with its orangey, red tinge in the sky offering more than sufficient light making the night almost day. George went out into the courtyard and at his bidding he went painlessly & almost seamlessly from being a 6ft well-built human to a 8 & a half foot hulking mussel bound werewolf, around him Theon & the other changelings went through the same metamorphosis, Ruby & Charlotte came out into the courtyard ready to do battle & both saw Mandrake striding purposefully toward the gate all the other Vampires & Witches seaming to yield in his wake, almost like he were there king, just behind him Cassandra followed wearing a rye confident smile on her face. "Will you be ok?" Asked Ruby when she spied Cassandra "I'll be fine my friend, she & I have unfinished business" Charlotte spat confidently, marching defiantly to meet them at the gate. She turned & warned "the protection spell may not hold, so be ready!!" then Ruby shouted after her OH, WHAT ABOUT UNITY?" Charlotte looked over her shoulder "don't worry about Unity she is well protected, just be ready!" As she reached the yard gate, Cassandra was there to greet her "hello sister" she sneered. Witches often referred to each other as siblings, as the coven of all Witches was governed by the mother Witch known as the lady Alcina. "Sister!" Charlotte returned the snide comment "you will not make it through, this is very powerful magic, only the lady Alcina could breach it!" Charlotte said calmly.