Witch Way

Chapter 21-- Misplaced Blame

Chapter 21

Shayla stared out the slightly fogged window of Dillon's truck as they drew closer and closer to Lox. Amethyst sat between her and Dillon, who was driving. They both shot worried looks in Shayla's direction every couple of minutes, but had given up on starting a conversation. She hadn't spoken at all since burying her father. They might have thought that was what was bothering her, but they had been close enough to see what happened during his burial.

They hadn't heard anything said between Shayla and the man shaped mist, and had kept their distance since they knew she would call out if she needed help. As soon as she'd fallen to her knees and the cloud dissipated leaving laughter floating through the clearing that even they heard, they raced to her side and tried to rouse her from the shocked state they found her in. Eventually they'd gotten her to her feet and convinced her to walk to the truck, but she'd remained silent the entire time. No matter how the questions were phrased, they fell on deaf ears.

Shayla glanced out the back window to check that Marcie was still bound and frozen, lying in the bed of the truck. Satisfied, she resumed her study of the foggy window. The shock was wearing off, leaving the guilt and shame in its place. She burned hot and cold with the two emotions and couldn't seem to organize her thoughts. Her house came into view, then disappeared behind them. She had thought they were taking her home if they weren't going to Amethyst's store. She finally had something unrelated to the night's events to talk about.

"Where are we going?" Her voice was still husky from the damage it had sustained, another reminder of the night's horrors.

Amethyst was so shocked to hear her speak that she jumped and looked to Dillon for the answer.

He took a deep breath, readying himself for the anger he expected from Shayla. "Marcie has to be taken to our true Coven Mistress for judgment. She's been sick for several months, but is finally back on her feet."

"Why do you seem scared to tell me?" She was on a roll now, talking up a storm.

"Because of who she is. Our Coven Mistress is Marcie's mother." Shayla worked through his answer in her head.

"That makes her..." Shayla trailed off as a touch of the shock she'd felt earlier returned.

"Your grandmother." He affirmed.

She had family. Lawrence wasn't the last link she had. Just as she started to feel a little bit less alone, a tiny voice in her head reared its ugly head.

Yeah, Lawrence. The innocent man you murdered. Patricide. That's what it was. You murdered your father.

Shayla retreated back into herself as they turned out of the town center down a little dirt road lined with dogwood trees.

The dirt road was actually a driveway, she found out when they reached the end of the road. It seemed to dead end in the middle of nowhere. No houses, no trees, just an empty plot of land.

"We're here." Dillon announced with an exaggerated flourish.

"Here? There's nothing here." Shayla deadpanned.

Dillon did some kind of spell that didn't require words. She felt his magic flood the area though his mouth never opened. The spell dried her eyes and caused her to blink. A transformation had taken place during that quick blink, because before her stood a beautiful, light blue, Victoria house. The delicate smell of gardenias and hydrangeas filled her nose as the flowers in the garden beds fluttered in the breeze.

"This is the Coven Mistress' home?" She inquired quietly.

"It is." Dillon answered quickly before he hurried away to speak with a group of young men, whom she assumed were coven members, that exited the beautiful home. She stood away from everyone awkwardly, fighting the tears of shame that had been threatening for hours and was unsure of what to do with herself.