The Witch Stone - Emily Oakes Page 0,77

tips of his pointy fingers.

The judge leered at her with his oily black eyes. “Prepare to suffer, witch.” He aimed his flaming hand at the base of the stake. Brenna shut her eyes. Her heart slowed, seemingly at peace with what was about to happen. This was it. She was going to suffer the same fate as so many of her ancestors.

A sickening crunch made her open her eyes. Prime screeched. His right left was bent at an odd angle. Behind him stood Ronan, dripping with rain. His boot-clad foot was clamped down on a blackened bone. In his arms, he held the bones Kiba had uncovered.

Prime shrieked and turned back into a black shape, and flew at Ronan. Ronan slammed another bone on to the ground and stomped on it. Prime lurched back in the air. Ronan threw the rest of the bones onto the ground and started to crush them all. Prime fell to the ground.

“Ronan!”

She squirmed against the post. Ronan ran to her and tried to pull her away but she wouldn’t budge. “I’ve only weakened him,” Ronan said, trying to pull her away. “We need to destroy the bones.”

“How?”

“Fire would be good but in this weather…”

Lightning flashed. Prime’s shape shifted into the black wolf. He lunged at Ronan. Ronan raised his hand in time to fend off the bite and shoved Prime to the side. Thunder boomed overhead as Prime jumped to his feet and jumped on Ronan. They fell to the ground and rolled in the mud.

Kiba appeared from behind some trees, holding something in his jaws. Prime turned away from Ronan and leaped for Kiba. Kiba let go of the thing in his mouth. It rolled and landed at Brenna’s feet. It took her a moment to realize it was a human skull.

The big black wolf came at Kiba, going for his neck. Kiba dodged and managed a bite on Prime’s side. Prime snarled. He split himself into two wolves. Wolf one lunged at Ronan, while the other went for Kiba. Ronan vaulted to his feet, only to be knocked down again. The wolf sunk his teeth into Ronan’s shoulder.

“No!” Her shout was swallowed by the deluge of rain and a thunder crash.

You need to banish him. Just until we can destroy his remains.

Ronan! I can’t. I’m powerless without the stone.

The stone only has power because it was imbued by your ancestors. You have the power within you. Now use it.

Kiba and Ronan continued to struggle with the dark wolves. Kiba received a bite on the back. Ronan yelled out and pushed his attacker away, scrabbling to help Kiba.

Brenna wracked her brain for a banishing spell. Usually, she would use oils, candles, and incense. She had to try something.

“Marvin Prime, I banish you. You will cause no more harm. Elements hear me. Marvin Prime, you must be stopped. This is my will. So mote it be!” She raised a foot and brought it down on the skull, crushing it.

The black wolves froze. They turned to mist and vanished. The rain stopped. Moonlight peeked through the trees. To Brenna’s surprise, the old bones turned to dust.

Brenna fell away from the stake. She ran to Ronan and checked his wounds.

“Are you all right?”

“I’ll survive, thanks to you.” Ronan pulled her close and kissed her. They rested their foreheads together.

“Well I had a little help,” Brenna said.

Ronan pulled away and looked her up and down. “Let me see you. Are you all right? We should get you to a hospital to get checked out.” Kiba came over and snuggled into both of them. Brenna rested her head gently on Kiba’s.

“Oh shit!” Ronan said, making her jump.

“What?” Brenna looked up, expecting to see Prime’s evil face.

“We have to get to Witch Hill. We’re running out of time to free the souls.”

Brenna remembered what Prime had said about her parents. She didn’t want them to suffer for another minute. “Let’s get Maggie then get going.”

Witch Hill loomed in the distance. Nestled behind the small town, it was an idyllic backdrop. They drove up the windy tree-lined path until they reached the top where multiple cars were already parked.

Celestine and the rest of the coven waited in the cave where the pool shimmered against their lanterns and flaming torches. Celestine rushed forward and embraced Brenna. “I’m so glad you’re all safe.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s get this party started,” Celestine said.

After opening a circle, everybody linked hands and watched as Ronan stepped into the middle of the circle and raised his hands. “Harken