The Bewitching - Midsummer Aine - Book 2

Chapter 28 - The Gateway Home

The room was pitch black save for the few slivers of light escaping through the boarded window. Dantes wasn't quite sure how long he'd been locked up, and he barely remembered much of the trip back to San Diego with whatever spell Aine had cast on him, making him feeling woozy and drugged for most of the trip. The effects had finally begun to wear off, and he was still trying to get his bearings. He wasn't even sure what day it was, although it had to be at least another day or two until the summer solstice since Aine had mentioned holding him until then.

He wondered what her plan was as he struggled again against the barbed wire and chain that bound his arms behind his back and to the floor. His legs too were tied, leaving him stuck in a kneeling position, his weight pulled backwards in the most uncomfortable of positions. The weight of the chains pulled at his arms even more, making it hard to to leverage much strength, and the few times he over exerted himself in an attempt to break free, the wires dug into his skin as he nearly popped his shoulders out of their sockets.

His eyes went to the floor where Aine had drawn intricate symbols around him to act as a secondary prison. Even if he was able to escape the physical bindings, the possibility of him breaking the magical barrier was slim at best. He shook his head in despair. Attempting to free himself seemed almost pointless, but he had to try.

He struggled for several more minutes, until the pain became too much to bear. He had to give her credit. Aine had definitely bound him in a way that ensured he wouldn't be escaping anytime soon without some type of miracle. There had to be something he could do though. Just awaiting whatever fate she had planned was driving him insane.

He closed his eyes for a second, listening to the sounds outside. It was fairly quiet other than a few chirping birds and the sounds of waves crashing upon the beach. Every now and then he thought he could hear a car go by in the distance. They had to be close to a road, although he was curious how close they were to the city. They couldn't be too far away if Aine's plan involved Elyssa and the others, but obviously they weren't close enough to be found easily.

Footsteps echoed down the hall outside the room. They sounded angry, and quick. Sure enough, a few seconds later Aine threw open the door and entered the tiny room.

"Your friends are pathetic, and even weaker than I thought. Why your precious Elyssa is so important...I have no clue," Aine blurted out as she passed behind him and out of his view. A moment later he heard something being scraped along the floor as it was dragged.

"So what's the plan, Aine?"

She chuckled softly in response to his question.

"You think this is a movie where I'm going to spill the whole plan so that you can rush in and be the hero at the last second? Spoil my whole grand scheme?"

"Well, you can't blame me for trying," he said, before smirking as he tried to pull a bit on his chains again to get a look at what she was dragging behind her.

"A mirror?" he asked, a bit perplexed. He had a feeling he knew what she had done, but he had to be sure. If he was right, she was dealing with things far more dangerous than she could ever dream of.

"Oh, I never mentioned what I did with your friends, did I?" she answered as she placed the mirror against the wall in front of him, and then proceeded to wipe the dust off with her sleeve.

"Nope. You've been keeping secrets," Dantes said in a light, but sarcastic, tone.

"Well I'll let you in on just this one. You're familiar with stalking demons, aren't you? The shadows that attack, and their victims are never seen again?" she asked. He nodded a yes.

"I learned something really interesting about them a few decades ago..." She hesitated a moment as she examined the mirror, wiping the last few smudges away.