Destiny's Witch (BxB)

Chapter 38: It Came from the Fog

Perry

Alan allows me to pick my weapons before we leave for the Domus. My selection of a crossbow and a short sword confound him. It turns out the duffle bags I spotted in the living room are Alan's version of gift bags.

A hunter to his core, the bags are filled with crosses and holy water, as well as a few other assorted essentials. I manage to slip the potion from Katrina into the bag without anyone being the wiser.

Penny was incensed that my father is allowing me to carry weapons and barely let us leave the house. Alan was able to talk her down from her ledge enough for us to sneak out.

The butterflies in my stomach flare on the way to Wardwell Park. I fiddle with the radio until Alan testily questions me. I settle on one of his pre-programmed stations as an old school song plays. The crooning of a guy group singing about a woman standing too close brings back memories of riding with Alan to various places when I was younger.

Alan softly drums his hands against the steering wheel before he softly sings along with the lyrics. The moment is bracing. I cannot help but singing along as well.

Soon, the two of us are singing loudly. The butterflies have cocooned themselves, leaving me with the calm of singing with my father.

We pull into the parking lot of the park to find David standing beside his truck and the twin-pires standing beside a black Roadster.

Alan and I unload the weapons and head to meet David and the twin-pires, who are already at each other's throats, specifically David and Lucas. Alan quiets them by reminding them of what is at stake. His censure works perfectly to quiet the David and Lucas.

Alan leads the way as we head into the park. I follow closely as we pass the park and head directly into the woods. Our journey is quiet, with only the sounds of the forest around us.

Twenty minutes into our traversal, we are deep in the woods. My attention is acutely on the breaking branches and the cicadas chirping around us. A loud crack brings a silence to the entire forest. I stop as we come upon a large, open space. Alan stops as well, looking back at me.

"What's wrong?" Alan asks.

"How much further? We should be pretty close, right?" I ask.

"He's right. We should at least see it now." David says.

"Something is not right." I say.

Lucas snorts. "Yes, we're heading into a witch fight without an actual witch. That is what's wrong. No offense."

"Offense taken." I say.

"Perry is a witch, he just doesn't have much experience." Finn says.

"Thanks for the reminder." I say as I notice a thick fog slithering around our feet. "Oh no! I don't think we're close to the Domus. I think we're already here."

Alan looks to the fog as it lifts around us, before looking into the distance. "Oh sh—"

Alan is pulled into the fog, followed by David and the twin-pires. Something pulls me through the fog and I tumble back, landing on my back. The duffle bag of weapons is lost as a figure appears in the thickening fog.

"I've been waiting for this moment." Zachary's voice comes through the fog.

I sigh to myself as I roll my eyes. He disappears as I open my eyes again. I can feel him circling me as I begin pulling the ambient energy from the air, empowering myself. The energy, as it siphons into me, begins to fade and I feel the power leave me again.

"Nora told me about that little trick. Did you really think we wouldn't be prepared for that?" Zachary asks.

"Why are you working with the woman who actually killed your sister."

"What are you talking about?" Zachary asks.

"Nora killed your sister and Elliot. She's the reason we were all in the forest, and your sister happened upon us. Nora killed her without a second thought." I say. "And she's played you."

Something moves through the fog behind me. Zachary appears from the fog in front of me. I am not fast enough to avoid his hard, cold body slamming into me. A stream of curse words tumbles from my lips as I crawl towards the fog.

Zachary grabs my legs and pulls me back into the open. My mind sweeps through its reserves for any of the spells Patricia gave me. Only one spell comes to mind.

Before I can open my mouth to chant the spell, Zachary kicks me in the stomach hard enough for me to be punted into the fog.

The pain in my stomach is intense. It feels as if his foot is still against my chest as I roll over onto my side. My eyes land on the duffle bag. I waste no time in reaching out and pulling the bag to myself.

Zachary's feet against the forest floor alert me he is close. I find a small vial of holy water near the top of the bag. When he is standing above me, I remove the cork from the vial and splash it towards him.

Zachary cries out as he stumbles back. Shots from a gun ring out as Zachary's shoulder jerks forward. I reach down in the pocket of my pants and retrieve the list of spells.

"Ignis!" I chant.

A stream of flames jettison from my palm, engulfing Zachary. He screams into the air as he disappears in a blur through the fog.

"Ventos maga oriuntur!" I chant into the air.

A gust of wind blows past me, pushing the fog back, revealing Alan, David and the twin-pires. Each looks as if they have been through the ringer.

Behind them, the Domus stands in shambles. I bend down and begin rummaging through the bag as Alan walks up behind me.

"Grandma's spells are scarily accurate to the situation. Care to share on why she knew I would need such a spell?" I ask.

"She 'sees' things. I don't know how it works." Alan says.

I find the bottle from Katrina at the bottom of the bag. I pop the top from the small vial and drink the contents of the vial.

Another breeze rolls against my face as a light feeling runs the length of my body. It feels as if I can breathe correctly for the first time.

"David, twin-pires—"

"I vote we not be called that." Lucas says.

"Make sure nobody comes into the Domus." I say.

I pull the crossbow from the duffle bag and toss it to David. Alan does the same for Finn from his duffle bag. Lucas stares at me until I toss him the short sword.

"What did you just drink? And what about you? You don't have a weapon." David asks.

I slide a crucifix into my jacket pocket before I take one last look at the list of spells, somehow committing them to memory. The list burns in my hands as I look between the three men. "I wouldn't worry about that."

"How'd you do that?" Lucas asks.

"He's the Zion." Alan says. "You ready for this, Bumble P?"

Lucas snorts. "Bumble P?"

"I thought we agreed you'd stop calling me that. Forever." I say.

"That is exactly how we feel about twin-pires." Lucas adds.

Alan laughs as he gestures toward the Domus. The Domus projects a feeling of foreboding but something courses through my veins. A feeling of power boils just below the surface.

It feels as if I am on the cusp of something.