The Fire Witch (The Coven: Elemental Magic Book 7) Read online

  THE FIRE WITCH

  THE COVEN: ELEMENTAL MAGIC BOOK SEVEN

  Chandelle LaVaun

  WANDERLOST PUBLISHING

  This one is for Emersyn.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  EMERSYN

  This was not how I thought Samhain would end.

  Most of me was convinced we were going to fail, that the Gap would remain open forever and it would be my fault. I kept having nightmare after nightmare that my sister would be there in all her magical glory and somehow I’d manage to screw things up. I wasn’t sure when I became such a pessimist, either.

  But nowhere in all of those doubts and fears did I expect to be standing with my bare toes in the cold November sand on the beach of Salem. It hadn’t even been an hour since we closed the Gap. The black sky was dusted with twinkling stars like diamonds. The wind coming off the ocean was sharp and ice cold, slicing into my skin like tiny little knives. My jacket did nothing to keep me warm. Or maybe it had nothing to do with the temperature at all.

  Deacon’s big, warm hand took mine. He didn’t look at down at me or say anything, he simply squeezed tight to let me know he was there. I leaned my head against his shoulder and took a deep breath.

  Tegan stood in front of me, but off to the side a bit. Her long black hair whipped around in the wind. She shivered and wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. I didn’t need telepathy to know what she was thinking. She was blaming herself for this as much as I was.

  Up ahead of her Willow and Tennessee stood ankle-deep in the ice-cold water. I didn’t want to watch. I didn’t want to see this again. But I forced myself to look. For Larissa. Henley had pulled the moon lower and brighter, so I watched with vivid clarity as the dark water carried her flaming raft out to the horizon.

  Willow whispered something but she choked on a sob. Her shoulders trembled. Her strawberry blonde hair was tangled and sticking out in every direction. She tried again to speak but no words came out. She spun on her toes and stumbled away from the water, with tears pouring down her face. Uncle Kessler caught her and held her tight in his arms as she cried.

  Tennessee said something in our ancient language, but I still hadn’t learned enough of it to know what he said. He sighed, then turned and walked the few steps over to Tegan. They wrapped their arms around each other tight, like one might float away in the breeze if they didn’t hang on. Something in my heart hurt watching them. I wanted that. I wanted it real bad. And there was no reason Deacon and I couldn’t have that…except something was holding me back. All of the feelings were there, his near death showed me that.

  Can I take you home to meet my parents?

  I was still getting used to being his girlfriend so the idea of meeting his parents already sent my brain into a tailspin. It felt so fast. So soon. You’re his soulmate, Em. Soulmate. This isn’t fast. I peeked up at Deacon. His sharp jawline and high cheekbones were highlighted by the bright moonlight. His violet eyes glistened and sparkled. They were warm and kind, yet a little bit wicked and mischievous. I never knew eyes could hold so much emotion and personality in them. I also never would’ve thought the Devil Card’s eyes would be purple, but it was perfect. They were entrancing, tempting…and looking right at me.

  Oops. I looked away but my cheeks burned so I knew I was blushing.

  He squeezed my hand tighter and kissed my forehead. A fire bloomed in my chest and my heart fluttered. I bit my lip and tried to focus on absolutely anything else. My gaze swept over Uncle Kessler, who held a crying Chutney and Willow, then back over to my sister and her soulmate. It was like they were a magnet for my eyes. I was happy for them. Happy to see them so happy. They deserved to be happy. I wanted to be happy like them.

  So why wasn’t I?

  Because I’m scared.

  I squeezed my eyes shut and groaned internally at my own intrusive thoughts. Was I scared? If so, why? I had no reason to be. I’d only had one boyfriend before moving to Tampa, before my life changed irrevocably. That was Chris, my all-American, country-lovin’, good ol’ boy ex-boyfriend. The captain and quarterback of the football team. Except I was the one who broke up with him. I’d broken his heart. Not the other way around. So it wasn’t like I had reason to be bitter or afraid.

  Oh, Goddess. Is that it? Am I afraid of myself?

  “Girls,” Uncle Kessler said softly, “look.”

  I jumped and my eyes flew open just as Uncle Kessler pointed out toward the horizon. I gasped. Larissa’s raft of flames and flowers was a tiny beacon of light out where the sky matched the water. She sparkled against the darkness like a single torch atop a lone tower. The rest of my Coven-mates whispered their goodbyes. I realized far too late that I never really got to know her, not enough. I’d thought we had more time. I’d thought once we closed the Gap I’d have the chance.

  But I didn’t. Now I wouldn’t.

  “Goodbye, Larissa,” I whispered. I’m sorry I didn’t get to know you better, but I will miss you.

  The moon, which had been half full, shimmered a soft golden color then suddenly changed into a deep crescent shape. Stars twinkled extra bright, like spotlights on diamonds. They moved, swarming togethering and twirling around. When they finally settled my heart sank and tears pooled in my eyes. They’d taken shape in The Tower’s symbol. XVI.

  “She’s with the Goddess now,” Henley said softly from somewhere behind me.

  “How do you know?” I heard myself whisper back.

  Henley’s pale hand shot out beside me and pointed up at the crescent moon. “That’s the Goddess’s moon, the golden crescent.”

  “She wanted us to know Larissa was with her.” Bentley sighed and walked by me toward the shoreline. When he reached the water he knelt down and sat something on the surface, whispered something to himself, then stood back up. He turned toward us and arched one eyebrow. “Paulina?”

  “She’d want us to be happy, celebrating our victory.” Paulina smiled and shook her head. “Let us leave this place and enjoy the lives we still have to live.”

  Everyone fell silent.

  A loud shrill alarm ripped through the silence. We all jumped. Tennessee pulled out his dagger. Tegan’s rainbow magic swirled around her hands.

  “Just my phone, y’all.” Timothy chuckled and shook his head as he dug into his jeans pocket for it. “Disengage, soldier.”

  Tennessee cursed.

  Easton ran his hand over his blond hair. “Jeebus, Tims. What the hell kind of ring tone was that?”

  My father scoffed. “Billy Idol, educate yourself, youngster.”

  Timothy still had one of those old flip phones, which I definitely
didn’t think they even made anymore. He frowned down at the little screen then flipped it open and held it to his ear. “Hello? Jackson? You alrigh—whoa, whoa, slow down. What happened?”

  Everyone froze. My pulse skyrocketed. Jackson was the Sword student at Edenburg that Timothy sent into the Old Lands to get Lonan’s help. What happened? Is Lonan okay? Is Edenburg okay? Did someone get hurt? I grabbed Deacon’s arm and braced myself for more bad news.

  Timothy pulled his phone away from his mouth and looked over my shoulder. “Can you portal me to Eden right now?”

  “Of course,” my sister answered without hesitation.

  “Jackson, listen I can barely hear you. Just hang tight. I’m coming.” He shook his head. “No, no. Stay at school. I’ll be there in a minute. Stay where you are.”

  “What happened?” Constance asked with fear pouring out of her eyes.

  Timothy shoved his phone in his pocket. “I’m not sure. Jackson said they just got back from the Old Lands—”

  “Just now?” Constance interrupted.

  “No, sometime before midnight. But they should’ve been back days ago.” Timothy scowled. “But something’s wrong. He said they need my help but that’s all I got.”

  “Then let’s get you back.” Tegan stepped away from the group and waved her arms around. A white box appeared in the sand right behind her. She nodded her head toward it. “Constance, you too. I’m sure Daniel is beside himself with worry.”

  “Tim, you need backup?” Tenn asked, his weapons still gripped in his palms.

  Timothy shook his head as he walked toward Tegan, with Constance on his heels. “No, let me go check it out. But stay by your phone just in case.”

  Tennessee nodded. “Okay. We’ll be there if you need us.”

  Timothy squeezed Tenn’s shoulder as he walked passed him. “I know.”

  Once both Coven Leaders were standing by the portal, Tegan turned to the rest of us. “I’ll drop them and come right back so we can go home.”

  I blinked and then they were gone.

  Royce giggled. “Speaking of home…Emersyn, you ready to meet the fam?”

  Henley smacked him on the arm. “Stop it,” she hissed.

  My heart skipped a beat. Butterflies danced around in my stomach like they were Irish Tap Dancing. I licked my lips and tried to keep my breathing calm. Let us leave this place and enjoy the lives we still have to live, Paulina’s words echoed through my mind. Life was short. There was no guarantee on how much time you got, especially when you were a Card in the Coven. Especially when you just released thousands of demons into the world.

  I looked up and found Deacon glaring at his cousin. He seemed to be mouthing something to him but I couldn’t see. I tugged on his arm and smiled. “Yes. I’m ready.”

  Deacon looked down at me and beamed.

  Royce scoffed. “Not lookin’ like that you’re not.”

  “Okay, he may have a point there.” Henley chuckled. “You can’t go like that.”

  Deacon rolled his eyes. “We’ll go home first, obviously.”

  Bright white light flashed in my peripheral and then Tegan appeared. She wiggled her eyebrows. “Get your boots on, folks. I’m ready to go home.”

  Chapter Two

  EMERSYN

  Ten minutes later I stood in the driveway to my house.

  And surprisingly, it was the most surreal moment of my entire existence. This summer everything had happened so fast. I was alternate for the marching band thrown in as quarterback of the Superbowl without a single practice or warm up. It was a here’s your helmet and jersey, now go get ‘em!

  Who was I kidding? We weren’t given helmets.

  Yet somehow this weird, freaky, magical life became the norm with barely a blink. But now standing in front of my house at two in the morning on a Thursday after just saving the world from an apocalypse felt super freakin’ weird. What were we supposed to do now? A few days ago we’d been three hundred years in the past…were we supposed to just go back to high school like nothing happened?

  I had the horrible sinking suspicion that was exactly what we were expected to do.

  That was so Uncle Kessler.

  It’d been so long since I’d slept in my own bed I wondered if it would even feel like mine anymore. Just the image in my head of my room felt foreign. I tried to imagine going in there and going to sleep, yet I couldn’t.

  Everything around us was just so normal. The sky above us was black and sprinkled with twinkling stars. The moon poked out from behind a few random clouds. We’d only been standing there a matter of seconds and sweat was already beading on the back of my neck. Humidity weighed down on me like I’d stepped into a sauna. I felt welt and sweaty, like I’d walked through a river with all of my clothes on.

  Apparently Florida didn’t participate in autumn.

  Braison laughed, making us all jump. He grinned and looked down at his feet while shaking his head. “I just remembered I brought Albert a souvenir.”

  “Well you better get moving…” Chutney chuckled and nodded her head in the direction of Braison’s house. “That puppy of yours has a strong nose, he already knows we’re home. I can hear him from here.”

  Paulina wrapped her arm around his. “Come on, boyfriend. Let’s go see him.” She smiled and tugged him down the sidewalk. They both waved at us as they left.

  Chutney’s smile dropped. “Willow, do you want to see our aunt and uncle now or in the morning?”

  Willow sighed. “Now. Larissa would want us to go now. We owe that to her.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Uncle Kessler said softly. “Then I’ll go over to the infirmary to check on Kenneth.”

  Bentley gasped. “I should go, too—”

  “No. You’re going to get some sleep,” our mother interrupted. “Uncle Kessler will notify us if anything has changed.”

  “But mom—”

  “But nothing. Hierophant or not, I am still your mother.”

  He sighed. “Okay, but can I at least have food before bed?”

  “You’re the psychic one, you tell me.” She winked and ruffled up his hair, then wrapped her arm around his shoulders and led him in the house.

  A loud growling, grumbling noise ripped through the silence. My father laughed and shrugged. “He said food.” He nodded to us then followed my mom and Bentley into the house.

  “Come on, girls. Let’s go see Larissa’s parents.” Uncle Kessler shook his head. He wrapped his arms around Chutney and Willow’s shoulders. “Tennessee, make sure to get some sleep tonight. Please.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Tennessee answered back as his father headed down the sidewalk.

  “Speaking of gettin’ some…” Easton turned to face his girlfriend and wagged his eyebrows. “Let’s go take a celebratory shower.”

  Lily rolled her lavender eyes. “Put it on ice, Lover boy. I’m going home to see my family.” She looked at us and smiled then turned to walk away.

  Easton groaned and followed after her. “Fiiiiiiiine. But what would happen if you found me in your bed in the morning…”

  Deacon chuckled. “I’m buying the neighborhood earplugs.”

  For a second we laughed but it quickly faded away. That was when I noticed the only ones who hadn’t gone home yet were the ones who traveled through time with me. The seven of us just stood there staring at the ground in tense silence.

  “This is weird, right?” Royce whispered. “I’m not the only one?”

  Henley closed her eyes and shook her head. “You’re not the only one.”

  “Super weird.” Cooper looked up at the stars like he wished they’d tell him what to do. “I don’t know what to do with myself now.”

  If Easton had still been standing there he would’ve made a highly inappropriate joke to ease the tension and make us laugh. I thought about saying it myself, but it wouldn’t have been the same. I sighed. “I was just trying to remember what my room looked like.”

  Deacon laughed in one soft, short burst. �
�It feels like it’s been so long.”

  Tennessee’s eyes darkened and his jaw flexed. It reminded me of what he looked like when we first met him.

  “I made Saffie a promise,” Tegan whispered. It was the first she’d spoken since we got back.

  Tennessee gasped. “Oh my Goddess. Saffie.” He ran a hand through his jet-black hair.

  Tegan nodded. “When we were leaving to take Leyka to Cronos in pig-form…Saffie looked…well…I promised her that as soon as we closed the Gap we’d come find her.”

  Henley’s eyes filled with tears. “She’s been waiting a long time. Too long.”

  “This whole time…” Tennessee cursed. He scrubbed his face with his hand then shook his head. “Let’s go now.”

  I smiled. “Tegan? Care to make another portal?”

  My twin’s smile turned absolutely wicked. “Thought you’d never ask.”

  Chapter Three

  EMERSYN

  We landed on the wooden balcony of Lookout Tower, tucked and hidden away within Forbidden Forest of Hidden Kingdom. The trees in this area of the park were ridiculously tall for normal Florida trees, but witches were good at that kind of thing. Especially when trying to hide something of our own.

  There was no door to our treehouse so there was nothing blocking our view. For a moment none of us moved or made a sound. We all just stood there staring at the vibrant, fiery red hair popping out over a blanket and spilling onto the couch. Saffie. She was cuddled up and sound asleep. Part of me didn’t want to wake her, but the other part couldn’t wait to thank her for saving us.