Supernatural: The Infernal Book

Connect the Dots

"Well, it's nice of you two to join us," John grumbled when Dean and Ryder returned to the house, both of them looking a little flushed and moon-eyed.

"We were...checking some suspicious noises," Dean said with a cheeky grin, not even bothering to sell the lie.

John rolled his eyes and nodded to Sam and Miles. "We've got a lead," he declared.

"What is it?" Ryder asked, moving over to the table.

Dean watched Ryder with undisguised attraction. He looked over at John, noticing the stern expression on his father's face. Ryder noticed the silent play of emotions and felt an immediate sense of guilt. He didn't know the extent of what Dean's father's opinion of his sexuality might be. But if that look was any indication, he could sense disapproval and disappointment.

"'The coven of witches that first united on the coast of the Black Sea was led by a witch named Yelena Abramov. Through a pact with the demon known as Niazoth, she learned the black arts. In order to house the spells, Niazoth instructed Yelena and her coven to cut the incantations into the flesh of innocents, which Niazoth then peeled off of and used to make the Infernal Book. To keep the book from being used by anyone else, Yelena was entrusted with the Infernal Key'."

"We know all of this," John grunted.

Miles read the irritable look on Sam's face and hurriedly butt in. "Yelena and her coven used the book for years to spread chaos and terror until a group of demon hunters, armed with Demongard, Hellsbane, and Deviltongue, confronted them and ended their reign." He looked at Ryder and smiled faintly. "Our ancestors."

"And then your ancestors took the book and key and here we are," John sighed. "Anymore details you want to remind us of?"

Miles folded his arms across his chest. "Only that Yelena's daughter- Mara- survived. She fled the battle and went into hiding, slowly amassing her own followers and building a secretive underground coven. But without the book- and Niazoth's favor- the coven eventually resorted to sending an agent into the Remington household." Miles's expression softened into one of sorrow as he looked at Ryder. "Ryder...the timeline...I think the agent was..."

"My mother," Ryder said in a distant and small voice. He felt like the room around him was slowly closing in on him. Flushed and suddenly very warm, he shook his head. "That...can't be?" But it seemed to fit perfectly. He could practically feel the rightness of puzzle pieces locking together.

Miles stood up and pulled Ryder into a hug. "It doesn't say that specifically. But the timeline fits with when your mom met Uncle Leo. And it would explain why she left without an explanation."

"It's true," a familiar voice spoke.

The entire group spun around as Uncle Julian stepped out of the shadows. Though he looked beaten up from his recent attack and still wore his hospital bracelet, his expression was as sharp as the gleaming rapier in his hand- Deviltongue. The blade was pristine and formed from the same black metal as Hellsbane and Demongard. The hilt and guard were an ornate swirl of otherworldly metal, held tight in Julian's grip.

"Julian," John said as he walked forward and offered a hand.

"John," Julian greeted him.

"What are you doing out of the hospital?" Ryder gasped as he and Miles hugged their uncle.

"Don't you worry about me, boy. I'm well enough." Julian let out a tired sigh. "It's true. Your mother- Ariadne- was a witch."

Julian took a seat at the table and set Deviltongue down, its blade glistening in the light. "Leo met Ariadne when they were both still kids. They fell in love. Had you, Ryder. And they were happy. All was right. Until it wasn't. Eleanor and I had suspected her for a while. We don't trust her. Your mother...she had a way about her. Something in the way her eyes studied everything. A secretive, snake of a woman." He paused and smiled apologetically at Ryder. "But Leo wouldn't believe us. So we waited for her to strike. Six years after you were born, Ariadne chose her moment and tried to take the book. But Eleanor and I were ready for her. We confronted the bitch and sent her packing. And...well...Leo was none the wiser."