The Promise Path

~ Chapter Eighteen ~

Authors' Note: We hope you like our story! Feel free to voice your opinion, ask any questions and point out any mistakes we make.

Avery stands still, frozen in place due to the fear running through her body. The nine men sat at the end of the room behind a long table all radiate immense amounts of power, even more than Axel, the most powerful Warlock in her home village. Avery can't do anything but watch as Lucy and the stranger walk forward towards the Coven. She feels her body shake, but Avery has no control over it. She doesn't have control over any part of her right now. Fear is running the show, and Avery doesn't know how to take it back.

After a few steps, Lucy realises that Avery is no longer at her side. She stops walking and looks back. Worry flows through Lucy like an avalanche at the purely petrified look on Avery's face. Lucy immediately rushes back to her side, wanting to help Avery break out of her fearful stupor.

"Avery." Lucy calls to her, with no response. She then grabs onto Avery's shoulders and shakes her, hoping it'll at least cause Avery's eyes to move away from the nine men at the other end of the room.

"What's going on?" The stranger asks, rushing over as well.

"She has a lot of bad experiences with powerful Warlocks and Witches. She's so terrified right now that she has frozen up," Lucy briefly explains before looking back at the woman she loves, calling out desperately for her, "Avery!" Yet again, there's no response.

"Dimitri, what is going on here?" A loud, intimidating voice from behind them booms. The stranger flinches and turns around to look at the speaker. At the sound of the voice, Avery's heart jumps in her chest, she begins to hyperventilate, then her eyes roll back into her head and Avery starts to fall. Lucy screams out,

"Avery!" Then rushes forward, catching the taller teen. The stranger, or Dimitri, as Lucy now knows him, looks at Avery in a concerned manner before a sharp,

"Dimitri!" coming from the man sat at the middle of the table has him turning back around.

"Yes, my Lord?" Dimitri responds, getting on one knee and lowering his head, his left hand across his chest and placed in a fist below his right shoulder.

"Rise," The man commands. Dimitri nods and does so. "and get rid of that ridiculous thing around your head!" With a sigh, Dimitri follows the command, finally revealing his appearance to Lucy. His voice is also now no longer muffled. Dimitri has tan skin that is slightly darker than Lucy's lightly tanned skin, long, dark brown hair pulled together at the nape of his neck in a ponytail, and light brown eyes. The man, that Lucy notices shares some of Dimitri's features, speaks again, "Now, Dimitri, tell me what is going on with these two girls behind you."

"Of course. Well, they appeared at the mouth of the cave wanting to come in so I was taking them here so they could talk to you and the rest of the Coven about their purpose here and why they were trespassing on our land. The taller one has apparently had many bad experiences in the past, so the Coven's power overwhelmed her and caused her to faint." Dimitri explains in a monotone voice.

"Very well then. I will speak to them alone once the taller Witch has awoken." Lucy looks down at Avery then back up at the man that has been speaking the whole time. With a deep, shaky breath out, she stands up, hoping they can't see how her legs are shaking.

"Or, you could speak to me now." Lucy says as bravely as she can manage. The men all look at her in varying states of surprise, the apparent leader of them hiding it the best. He leans forward, resting his arms on the bit of table in front of him, speaking in a slightly condescending tone,

"Come forward then, Witch." Lucy takes another deep breath in and out before walking forward as steadily as she can. When she passes Dimitri, she murmurs under her breath,