And our numbers dwindled with the barrier between us and the outside world.
Avalon was located along the United States and Canadian border, deep within the Rocky Mountains, away from humans. To separate our worlds, the combined forces of all the covens erected the dome a few hundred years ago to protect us.
When humans stared at it, all they saw were majestic mountains in a treacherous landscape. But that’s what we wanted humans to see. The difficult terrain kept them away from the barrier.
Over the years, a few have made it through, but they were either taken captive or killed. It’s too important to our survival that we remain hidden from the outside world.
Not an easy feat as human technology has advanced.
But it’s worth it. The last thing we needed was another era of witch hunts. I shivered at the thought of the burning times.
Not that I experienced them firsthand. But with the power of spirit, I could walk into a place or touch an object and see the ghosts of the past. Our coven had a few items that belonged to the witches in Salem. I’d held them. And the horrors visited upon those witches were unconscionable. The real evildoers had been the ones holding the fucking torches.
My heart lodged in my throat as we entered the clearing. The meadow was an oblong shape, surrounded by dense trees and vegetation. Soft grass and wildflowers in a shocking, vibrant red filled the field. As if even the forest understood that blood would be spilled here.
The caravan led me to the altar in the center of the clearing. Crafted from obsidian, it had fifteen-foot obelisks carved from the same stone on either side of the raised dais. On each obelisk, there were heavy silver chains. The same chains I would be bound to as I awaited my fate.
Shivers of fear skittered along my spine. This couldn’t be how my life ended. I was only twenty-two. I wanted to run. Grab my sister and escape into the human world.
I mean, how bad could it be there?
With my magic, I’d make a decent life for us, away from the ever-present threat of Grayson Grant, Alpha of the wolf shifters and King of Avalon. He ruled our land with an iron fist. And his alliance with the vampires, necromancers, ogres, dark witches, demons, giants, dragons, griffins, mermaids, orcs, jinns, goblins, fairies, and sirens still held true. The coalition was forged during the Witch Wars and was the only reason we were defeated. Because they banded together against us. Even our allies, the sirens, fairies, and mermaids, turned against us.
It happened well before my time. But from what I’d seen, it had been a wholesale slaughter of witches. And they had exacted revenge upon us ever since. They never allowed us to forget we lost the war.
Mariposa and Bartholomew helped me step onto the altar. And I was glad because my knees were knocking together. They followed me up and slid supple leather cuffs around my wrists. The cuffs were attached to heavy silver chains that had been mounted on the obelisks. There was no turning back. This was happening. I was being offered up on a platter to our enemies. It should be comical. I stood with my arms wide open to welcome our oppressors. Except, the reality of the situation was dire.
Juno, the coven mother, stepped before the altar and raised her arms, effectively silencing the crowd. Her long mane of ivory hair flowed around her in the slight breeze on this warm spring evening, and her violet gaze pierced through the gathering. With golden rays from the setting sun illuminating her form, it made quite the statement.
“Tonight, our coven honors your sacrifice, Ember Meadows. May the grace of the maiden, the mother, and the crone be with you. Know that our hearts beat for you this night and all nights to come. Blessed be, child.”
“Blessed be,” the crowd intoned. The sound carried through the glen.
They waited. Like I was supposed to say something, words to provide them comfort when it was my head on the chopping block. Instead of words, I lifted my head and stared straight ahead into the trees.
It was all I’d give them. We could fight. It had been two hundred years since the war was lost. We didn’t need to continue sending witches to be slaughtered by our enemies.
With a final glance my way, the group fled back into the woods. Cowards. The lot of them. They left me alone in the clearing to face what came next.
At least Iris didn’t leave the village and stayed behind at my request. I didn’t want her to see me this way. Offered up like a lamb to slaughter.
Fireflies danced in the air as darkness descended over the clearing. An owl screeched nearby, capturing its prey.
It’s what I felt like. Prey. Caught in a trap I couldn’t escape.
Awaiting my fate was torment. Dread settled over me. I had no idea how long I would be forced to wait. I had no idea what was about to happen.
Not a single witch did.
Once the witches left the clearing, they didn’t return until they brought the next sacrifice three months from now. By then, my bones would be carrion feed.
But what I hoped for, what I planned to enact should I get the chance, was vengeance. The fact that two hundred years later, witches were still being made to pay for the war was asinine.
The forest came alive at night with the scurry of rodents, the rustling of hunters, and the serenade of insects added to the cacophony.
And I waited. The quarter moon rose, shining its light upon me. My arms grew tired. My mouth grew dry.
I wanted to conjure up some water but couldn’t use my hands to drink it. And while I could use magic to lift the cup, I wasn’t willing to display just how powerful my magic was before my enemies. Better to keep my powers close to my chest than allow the enemy a single inkling of the forces I could use against them.
Silence descended over the clearing. It was the first sign that the enemy approached. My heart thumped wildly beneath my breast. I was thankful I wore a dress because it hid the trembling in my legs.
They emerged from the trees like wraiths.
Silent.
Deadly.
Fucking massive. In numbers too great to count while I attempted to keep myself from hyperventilating.
I’d never been this close to a wolf shifter before. Their heads were at least a foot or two taller than me. Not that it was hard to do since I was on the short side of things. But their sheer size intimidated me nonetheless.
As it was meant to.
There was one wolf who stood out above the crowd. He had fur blacker than midnight with ice-blue eyes that blazed his hatred for me. Menace emanated from his being. Flutters of fear over how truly fucked I was wreaked havoc in my belly. Because those eyes, full of danger and darkness, pierced me. Penetrated through layers of protection I’d carefully woven about myself in preparation for tonight.
And I stared, transfixed by his magnetism. It wound around my being in a suffocating fashion until I fought to keep myself from fainting. A blindfold was placed over my eyes. The world around me went pitch black.
Trapped. Every instinct demanded I curse them and free myself, but I ignored the warning bells and curled my hands into fists to cease their shaking.
How long did I have before they attempted to kill me?
2
Without my sight, I called upon the elements to elevate my other senses. Air caressed my cheek and whispered, they come.
My arms were jostled without a care for my well-being. Chains clanged against the stone as I was released. But I wasn’t given use of my hands. The cuffs remained. With a rough yank, my hands were bound before me.