Chapter 11
We sat around in a circle and watched with careful eyes as Penelope studied each sea-based ingredient, and time ticked along as the bright-haired witch drummed her fingers along her lips and narrowed her chestnut-brown eyes in concentration. We waited patiently until she finally reached for the shard of lavender sea-glass and raised it high above her eyes.
Without saying a word, the vivacious Wicca swiftly slashed across her palm, and she didn’t even flinch as thick beads of blood dripped from her deep, open wound. Then, with her hand tightly clutched, she glanced up at Vanessa and pursed her lips.
“I’ll need a cauldron, Professor,” she said.
“Er, of course,” Vanessa mumbled as she shook her head. “How forgetful of me.”
With one quick flick of her wand, an empty, medium-sized black cauldron appeared before Penelope, and the tangerine-haired witch smiled and rubbed her hands together so both of her palms were painted with deep red blood.
“Thank you, Professor,” she said without lifting her eyes. “Now, I believe the first ingredient to boil will be the rubal seaweed… Morgana, would you mind filling the pot for me?”
“No problem,” the bookish brunette responded in a steady voice before she pointed at the pot and cleared her throat. “Aqua fortis apparet!”
“Perfect.” Penelope smiled when the cauldron was filled to the brim with steady, clear water.
We watched in silence as Penelope carefully counted each long, slimy strand of seaweed before she tossed them into the water, and when it appeared like she was satisfied with the amount of seaweed in the cauldron, she grabbed her wand with her bloody hand and aimed it underneath the pot.
“Illuminana!” she said in a loud and confident voice.
A small fire burst beneath the black cauldron, and a foul, fish-like smell wafted through the cool air. Bubbles brewed over the water’s surface, which was slowly changing into a sickly pale-green color. Then Penelope dipped her bloody hand into the brew without a word, and I watched with wide eyes as the potion turned from green to vibrant red.
“Why did you cut your hand before you began to concoct the brew?” Circe asked with a raised blonde eyebrow. “As far as I recall, I’ve never seen that done before.”
“Every ingredient I touch needs to be tainted with my blood,” Penelope explained as she stared long and hard at the lilac shell.
The ocean shell glimmered beneath the white-wine sunshine, and its beauty and rarity radiated off its exterior before Penelope slowly picked it up and sighed.
“What’s wrong?” Vanessa asked. “Is it the wrong ingredient? Do we need to find another shell?”
“No…” Penelope muttered with a bitter groan. “It’s just such a shame. These are very unusual shells. You can only find them in realms as north as this--”
“Which is all well and fascinating,” the professor interjected impatiently, “but we must carry on, Miss Penelope. There is no time to waste.”
“Yes, of course.” The orange-haired witch nodded. “My apologies, Professor.”
“None necessary,” Vanessa answered. “Just keep focusing.”
Penelope nodded once more before she cracked the shell like it was an egg, and a glittering sludge seeped from the split opening and then dripped into the potion. The water quickly changed from sunset red to shimmering purple in the blink of an eye, and we held our breaths as the bright-haired witch mumbled an incoherent spell until the bubbles began to brew more violently.
“Now, I will need…” Penelope muttered to herself as her bloody hand hovered over the remaining ingredients. “Ah, yes, the egg of eel.”
The egg was relatively large and shaped more like a diamond than an oval, and it was colorfully-scaled and almost looked like it was made from stone. Penelope bit on her bottom lip as she carefully lifted the egg and tore the membrane around it, and I expected something vicious to spill out, but instead, a small, live eel wailed and curled its slim, slimy body in a panic.
Alexander gasped in my head as Penelope snatched the creature from its broken home and quickly thrust it into the boiling brew. The little beast screeched as it burned alive, and when the noise came to a dead stop, Penelope glanced down at the other ingredients splayed out on the sand.
“How much longer do you think this will take?” I asked in a gentle tone just so she wouldn’t assume I was rushing her.
“Not much longer now, master,” Penelope replied. “Only the pearl is left.”
“Excellent,” Vanessa said without giving me a chance to respond, “and we still have plenty of daylight left. Well done, Miss Penelope.”
“Don’t applaud me just yet,” the orange-haired Wicca sighed. “We still need to make sure it works.”
“Of course, it will work,” I said as I stared down at the lovely and intelligent witch. “You’ve always exceeded my expectations. I have all my unholy faith in you.”
“Thank you, master.” Penelope blushed before she gave a long and drawn-out sigh. “Alright, let’s see if this works… everyone should take a small step back.”
When we were at a safe distance, the determined witch carefully wrapped her bloody hands around the snow-white pearl. It was about the same size as the orb we used to travel here, but judging by Penelope’s labored breathing, it was twice as heavy. Her arms trembled as she held the pearl over her head and prepared to drop it into the potion, and once she let go, the brew splashed in every direction, and Penelope scrambled to get back.
A giant haze of deep, plum-colored smoke exploded into existence, and it spread like an inky cloud toward us. We coughed and coughed as it grew, and the pungent, metallic smell reminded me of bloody water.
“Fuck,” Akira hacked, and she tried to wave the smoke out of her face. “Was that a good sign, Penelope?”
“Yeah,” the orange-haired witch coughed. “It means it worked.”
“Let’s just wait for the potion to clear, and then we can drink it before we begin practicing spells,” Vanessa instructed.
“So, this p-p-potion?” Circe choked. “What is it s-s-supposed to do again?”
“A restitutio industria gives one special defensive strength,” Morgana explained in a tight voice. “It will prevent us from passing out once we initiate the ancient incantations. Right, master?”
“That’s the gist of it,” I rasped, and it felt like my lungs were filled with dark-purple smoke. “You’ll see as soon as this smoke disappears.”
“It should be gone in a few more seconds,” Penelope said in a sure voice. “Just inhale it… it’s a part of the process.”
“It’s impossible not to,” Akira grunted as her black eyes welled with tears.
We waited a few more seconds as the air cleared, and then we looked back at the bubbling cauldron and its black-ink brew. The texture was thick, and I knew it wasn’t going to feel pleasant going down our throats, but we needed to do whatever needed to be done to wipe out Samara’s fucking scouts.
“This potion is pure darkness,” Penelope explained in a faint voice like it was a dangerous secret. “It stems from underneath the bottom of the ocean and all the way down to hell. This is pure river water from Satan’s domain. It’s lethal to anyone who doesn’t possess magical abilities, and just as a warning… it’s going to burn like a fucker once you drink it. But don’t spit it out. In fact, don’t waste a fucking drop. Just imagine it was our master’s thick, creamy cum. You wouldn’t waste that, now would you?”
“No,” my coven responded at once, but Vanessa looked away with an uncomfortable scowl plastered across her face.
“Good,” I said before I approached the cauldron. “I’ll start… does anyone have a vial?”
“I do!” Beatrix said before she reached into her robes and pulled out a small glass container. “You never know when you might need one.”
“Very true, Miss Beatrix,” Vanessa added in an impressed tone. “Now, Cole, I would advise that you drink it slowly. Don’t pour it all the way down your throat at once.”
“Understood,” I said before I dipped the vial into the thick, black brew and studied its bubbling texture. “Here goes nothing…”
I tipped back my head, and it was like I was licking hot coals as the potion grazed my tongue. My body shivered from the pain, but I refused to stop drinking the hellish brew. I forced the searing liquid down my throat, and it took all my willpower not to gag or retch it back up. The sensation was so overpowering, and the heat was so intense, my eyes watered, and there was a heartbeat in my eardrums. I could feel the elements of hell running through my veins and seeping into my bones. Every inch of me was on fire, but as the seconds ticked by, the sensation became less painful and almost turned arousing. I felt like I was capable of anything, and my thirst for blood and bone became agonizing, like a rabid wolf starved for days deep inside a winter cave.
“Unholy shit,” Akira gasped as she stared at me. “Master… for a moment, your eyes burned bright red.”
“Did they?” I grunted before I wiped my lips. “Perhaps the same will happen to you--”
“I don’t think so,” Penelope interjected in a small voice. “I’ve never read anything mentioning that kind of side effect.”
“Well, anyway, it doesn’t matter right now,” Vanessa snapped before she took the vial from me and dipped it into the cauldron.
We watched as she drank slowly but deeply, and her entire frame trembled as she struggled to keep the potion down. When she was finished, she grasped the glass so tightly, her knuckles were snow-white, and her nose was scrunched into a mixture of distaste and pain before she handed the vial back to Penelope.
The orange-haired witch drank the brew, and so did the other women. Once everyone was finished, and the potion was gone, Vanessa snapped her fingers to vanish the empty cauldron.
“I think it’s time for our lesson to begin.” I smiled.
Vanessa shifted her feet and crossed her arms in disdain, but she knew better than to argue with me. My coven did their best not to look in the professor’s direction, but I knew they could feel the wrath radiating off her body like an overpowering perfume. None of the women said a word, but I could see Akira and Circe doing their best to maintain a straight face while the corners of their mouths trembled. They were dangerously close to forming a smile, but then Morgana shot them a stern glare, and they quickly regained their demure composure.
“Should we form a circle, master?” Morgana asked in a perky voice. “We can pretend we’re sitting at an oval desk in a classroom.”
“You’re such a nerd,” Akira playfully chuckled.
“I think that’s a great idea, Morgana,” I said as I stared at the beautiful and bookish brunette with her long, dark-chocolate curls and sea-blue eyes. “Everyone, form a circle around me and stand as straight and as still as possible.”
“Yes, master,” my coven responded while the familiars watched from a fair distance away.
“Now, there are three components to this spell, and none of them require a wand,” I explained. “All three must be said aloud to kill the scouts. The first spell is easily memorable, so once you’ve completely opened your heart to Satan, say the words, ‘da fortitudinem.’”
The women repeated the spell, and a gentle breeze swept across our faces and blew past our skin. I could feel the same sweltering sensation coursing through my body as I stared at each resilient and powerful woman. Their faces were stoic yet determined, and I could sense their growing power as it blew through the wind.
“Now what?” Vanessa asked in an edgy voice. “You said there were three parts.”
“Patience,” I firmly reminded her. “This won’t be easy, even with the potion in your veins.”
“Fine,” the hot-tempered professor scoffed.
We all knew she hated the fact that I was in charge of teaching a lesson, but she would just have to deal with it, even if it bruised her ego. Still, I had to admit to myself, a part of me was enjoying this rare moment. I seldom had control over the professor since she was so unobtainable, and as I stared at her, I couldn’t help but picture how she would behave once I had the power to get her into my bed. A small smile spread across my face as I imagined her expression when she came long and hard, but I quickly shook my head and returned to the lesson.
“Now,” I continued. “Hold onto the darkness you feel inside your heart and keep it attached to you like your own shadow. Don’t you dare let go of it, not even for a second. Then I want you to repeat after me… ‘ostende mihi viam.’”
Once again, the women did as they were told, and a more powerful wind quickly raged over our group. I could feel the witches’ hearts beat faster, and their breathing suddenly became more erratic. I knew they were in pain, but not as much agony as I’d been in my dreams. Still, I knew it was taking a toll on their bodies, but no matter what, they had to cling to the dark, evil sensation and let it pierce their hearts and bones. They were as strong as hell, and the thought of that only made me love them more.
Then the air settled, and I looked at each woman and grinned.
We were nearly there.
“And now for the last part of the incantation,” I said. “Hold on to that power inside you, no matter how painful it might be. Don’t let go, and when you’re ready, say, ‘ut interficias eos, qui in virtute dei seniorem magicae!’”
The women screamed the last part of the spell, and their voices rang over the furious wind that threatened to knock us off our feet. I thought I could hear a chorus of voices inside my head as we were wrapped up in a cloud of pure, delicious evil, and the women grinned as immoral power flowed through their bodies until their eyes burned bright with supremacy and strength.
When everything settled once more, each woman took a sharp breath and looked down at their trembling hands.
“Unholy fuck,” Nyx whispered as she marveled at her sapphire palms. “I feel… something I’ve never felt before. It’s more delicious and addicting than any drug I’ve inhaled or eaten.”
“I feel like an entirely different person,” Morgana breathed as her breasts heaved up and down. “I-I didn’t know such power was possible.”
“And now it’s a part of you forever.” I grinned. “Bask in it… you’re more powerful than any other students back in Scholomance, and you should claim that notion with pride.”
“Cole speaks truly,” Vanessa remarked, and her eyes were as wide as dinner plates. “These incantations haven’t been used for years. Even before my time. The only other person who has felt this kind of power is Theodora.”
“Well… now what do we do?” Beatrix asked as she looked around the group. “Do we wait for the scouts and take them out?”
“No,” I answered. “We shouldn’t stay here any longer. We’ll continue to follow the compass until we meet our enemy.”
“Agreed.” Vanessa nodded. “Now, Cole, where does the compass say we should go?”
I inhaled sharply before I touched the relic around my neck, and when the tips of my fingers brushed against the rough wood, I could already feel the compass beating against my chest. I knew, even before I pried the lid open, I would see the silver arrow spinning out of control. Then I opened it, and I was right. The needle didn’t seem to know which way it wanted to point until suddenly it came to an abrupt stop. I gazed upon the direction and could only see miles of snow-white grains of sand, but I knew, deep in my bones, something vital was beyond my view. The more I thought about it, the more I felt a sense of urgency to reach wherever the compass was leading us.
“It says we need to head northeast,” I replied in a steady voice, even though a deep, nervous feeling nestled in the pit of my stomach. “Let’s go. We can’t waste any time.”
The women didn’t need me to repeat myself before they quickly followed behind me. Alex hovered just above my head as I stared down at the compass, and for some reason, I could feel myself going even faster. It was like my feet were moving for me, like they were silently warning and begging me to tread as quickly as possible.
Cole, Alex said in my head. Something ails you. I can feel your concern like it was my own. What’s wrong?
“I don’t know,” I responded in a quiet voice so the others wouldn’t hear. “I don’t want to alarm the women until I know for certain what I’m feeling… but I think it would be best if you flew ahead of us and kept a lookout.”
Of course, my loyal familiar responded before he shot higher into the sky and soared beyond us.
“Is something wrong, master?” Vesta purred from behind me. “I can feel your tension, and your movements are growing faster by the second.”
Before I could open my mouth to respond, I sensed a familiar presence somewhere in the back of my head. It was not an intrusive feeling, but it was something I certainly needed to investigate. I remained quiet as I dug deeper into my own mind, and there, in the darkness, I could see a pair of ocean eyes and a hunger for Wicca blood.
“Samara,” I whispered as I clutched tightly onto the compass. “I can see you.”
She couldn’t break into my thoughts anymore, but she still retained the power to hover along the edges, like someone knocking on a door or peeping in a window. Since she was already here, I decided to open the door just a bit, and a moment later her voice flowed into my mind.
I know, she replied without an ounce of concern. I’ve come to accept the fact that you can penetrate my mind whenever you desire, but I don’t even care. Do you know why?
“Why?” I asked, even though I hated to play along with her sick games.
Because soon you and your precious little bitches will be dead, she cackled, and that’s when I felt a shift in the ground. I will destroy the holy beach, and you will all drown in its grains. Then you can reunite with your precious Satan and be gone from this world.
Cole, I think I can see a mountain just ahead! Alex suddenly interrupted. It’s surrounded by clouds, and it’s not that far away. It’s northeast and about ten minutes away by foot… give or take.
“That’s good, because we need to run,” I said before I swiftly turned to look at the others. “Grab your familiars if you have to and then fucking run. Now!”
The women’s faces grew pale, but they did as they were told. An echo rumbled through the air as soon as we began to sprint toward the northeast mountain, and it sounded like thunder coming from beneath the sand. I ran, and when I briefly looked over my shoulder, I could see the grains of sand dissolving and dipping inside the open earth. The beach was being swallowed whole, and it made running in a straight line all the more difficult.
Keep going, Cole! the woman from my dreams suddenly ordered. Don’t let her win!
I breathed hard as I forced myself to run as fast as possible. The ground continued to tremble, and my heart raced with fear until I saw the mountain Alexander spoke of. From where I was, it looked like a towering cluster of sandstone peaks surrounded by light-colored clouds, and I also noticed strange but beautiful flowers growing on the edges of the narrow cliffs.
“We’re almost there!” I cried out.
No one said a word as we sprinted toward the lowest cliff of the mountain, and I was running so hard, it felt like blood was going to rush up my throat, and my lungs were going to collapse. My feet burned through my boots as we neared the stone mountain, and when I reached the edge of the first cliff, I scrambled to climb on. It was about eight feet high, and there wasn’t much room for us to sit on, but still, there was enough to hoist the other women on top.
“Grab my hand!” I ordered as the women surrounded the bottom of the mountain.
I snatched Penelope’s hand and heaved her up to my level, and when she was situated next to me, the two of us began to help the others up. The dissolving sand was growing dangerously close to us, and Vanessa and Nyx were still on the ground. The sapphire witch snatched Vesta’s hand and pulled herself up, and I grabbed Vanessa’s hand as she began to try and hoist herself up, but then her boot slipped along the sandstone, and she screamed.
“Professor!” the women shouted, but I still gripped tightly onto her hand.
“Don’t you dare let go,” I growled as I held onto her slippery grasp, “and don’t look down.”
Beneath the professor’s dangling feet, there was nothing but an endless void, yet strangely, only the mountain remained on one patch of sand. A cold feeling swept through my body when I looked down. Who knew what laid down in the abyss?
It didn’t matter, though, because I’d rather die than let Vanessa find out for herself.
“Cole!” Vanessa shouted as she dangled below me. “It’s getting harder to hold on!”
“I’ve got you,” I reassured her, and when she looked into my eyes, something in her changed.
“I know,” she said in a calm voice, and I could see her growing resolve and fiery temper returning. “I won’t let that bitch kill me. Not today… not ever.”
Vanessa grunted as she found her footing, and together, we brought her back up to the cliff. Then, once she was safely situated, she looked at me like I was Satan himself.
“You’re alright,” I said before I brushed a dark strand of hair out of her eyes. “You’re safe.”
“Thanks to you,” she whispered, and her lips trembled. “You’ve saved my life so many times, I’m beginning to lose count.”
“We should probably start climbing,” Penelope wisely pointed out as she stared high above her. “Something tells me Samara isn’t done with us yet.”
“She never is,” I agreed. “Come on.”
We slowly climbed the mountain, and each time we reached a ledge, the cliffs became smaller. It was becoming challenging to keep everyone on one ridge, so we began to climb faster. When I saw the peak, I grew hopeful, but then I felt Samara’s presence in the back of my mind. I could sense her wrath, anger, and frustration, but also a wild and newfound determination.
“I can see you again, Samara,” I whispered into the air. “We’re getting closer.”
You may have eluded me again, the elder goddess sneered, but I have another surprise heading your way.
Before I could respond, a shrill, beastly scream rang through the air, and when I turned around, I saw the scouts on two giant, ivory-scaled serpens. This time, the elder men wore bulkier armor and carried arrows as thick and as sharp as spears behind their backs. Their snake-like dragons were twice the size of the last pair, and I knew Samara had prepared them to face us and our newly developed powers.
“Hate to tell you this,” I whispered as boiling determination coursed through my veins like a river in hell, “but we’re ready to take on your bitches, Samara.”
We’ll see about that, she cackled, right before one of the scouts notched a giant arrow in his bow and sent it flying in our direction.
As the projectile headed right at me, I knew the ultimate battle had officially begun.