Chapter Six
Monica
As soon as I figured out that Henrik had been manipulating my parents, I packed a bag and ran into the woods. Henrik and Ligeia had told me that whenever I needed the coven, all I had to do was think about them and their energy. But this time, it wasn’t proving so simple. I wandered for hours before I smelled the familiar, tangy scent of the herbs and rushes used by the witches.
Henrik didn’t seem surprised to see me. He was sitting in front of the hearth, poking at something in a large cauldron. It smelled delicious, but I made a vow not to eat or drink anything offered to me by the coven. I was done with them, and I wasn’t going to let myself get sucked back into their ways.
“I know why you are here,” Henrik said. He didn’t glance up from the cauldron, but merely reached closer to stir it.
“Good,” I said. “That means we can get this over with. I’m done.”
Henrik chuckled under his breath. “This is not that simple, Monica. You have obligations. You cannot escape as easily as you think.”
I groaned. “I don’t give a shit,” I said honestly. “I’m never coming back here again. This is too crazy. It’s changing too many things in my life.”
Henrik finally turned to face me, raising one eyebrow. In the light of the fire, he almost looked young.
“You think that we are to blame for all of the upsets in life?” Henrik chuckled.
“Yeah,” I said. I crossed my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling foolish. “I do. Ever since the first time you kidnapped me, things have been completely crazy, and I’m sick of it! I want things to go back to normal.” Tears came to my eyes, and I sniffled. “My parents don’t even care about me because of your stupid spell! They don’t even care when I’m gone for weeks at a time!”
Henrik narrowed his eyes. “It isn’t fair to pin that on me, Monica,” he said calmly. “Your parents have always been like that. I was only able to sway them with the power of suggestion. Nothing more, nothing less.”
I felt like someone had punched me in the gut, but I didn’t dare react.
“It’s true, Monica,” Henrik said. “I wouldn’t be able to change them completely. I’m not that powerful.”
My shoulders sagged, and I closed my eyes, sighing heavily. “I don’t care,” I whispered hotly. “I’m not doing this anymore. I just want my regular life back.”
“You’ve never had a normal life,” Henrik said coldly. “You’ve been destined for this for hundreds of years, Monica. You are the true heir to the coven, and nothing will change that. No amount of anger on your part will reduce your role.”
I glared at him. “I hate this,” I mumbled. “I’m going home, and I’m never coming back here ever again. And if you try to make me, well, fine. Then I guess you might as well kill me.” I grabbed Henrik’s athame from the table and held the blade to my neck. The tip was so sharp I didn’t even feel it slice my skin, but seconds later, warm blood was pooling around my collarbone.
“Go ahead and try,” Henrik said. He shrugged. “You can’t kill yourself, Monica. You’re immortal.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s fucking insane,” I snapped. I gritted my teeth, pressing the knife harder into my skin. No matter how hard I pushed, the blade wouldn’t budge. Groaning in exasperation, I threw the athame to the floor.
“I know you are weary,” Henrik said. “That will not change. But I promise, you will learn to cope better with these stresses.”
“I’m not doing this anymore,” I said. But I could already feel my resolve weakening. I glared at Henrik. ‘Damn you,’ I thought. ‘You may be able to manipulate my parents, but you can’t manipulate me!’
Henrik’s lips curled into a faint smile. “You are correct,” he said slowly. “I cannot manipulate you. I can only make you see what will happen when you refuse to obey your destiny.”
I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Henrik used an iron poker to lift the cauldron from the fire before setting it down on the stone hearth.
“Come here, child.” Henrik beckoned toward the fire. I swallowed a lump in my throat and walked closer until I could feel the heat of the flames burning my face. Henrik gave me a stern look, then reached into his pockets and tossed a handful of herbs onto the flames. Purple clouds of smoke billowed through the room, stinging my eyes, and I coughed until I felt like I’d spit up my lungs.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw modern-day Jaffrey. There were cars and people walking with cell phones on the streets I recognized. I gasped as the scene shifted to the inside of a church. Andrea’s petite figure was standing at the pulpit, glaring angrily and screaming. I couldn’t make out the words – everything was hazy – but the congregation was going crazy for whatever she was saying. Everyone was screaming and cheering and fervently clapping their hands.
Andrea smiled wickedly. “Go forth,” she called loudly. “Go forth and do what you must!”
Everyone stormed out of the church. I gasped when I saw they were carrying flashlights and weapons – guns, knives, and even a few crossbows. The view shifted to the road outside of my parents’ home. Everyone was screaming and running down the road, waving their guns in the air.
“No!” I cried loudly. The scene shifted to my kitchen. Jamie and Brian were sitting at the table, their mouths moving. My ears were filled with the sounds of glass shattering, of guns being fired.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I covered my eyes, holding my hands tightly to my face. “No!” I cried out again. “I won’t watch this!”
Henrik clapped his hands. The smell of smoke stung my throat and eyes once more, but the sounds died down. When I could hear nothing but the roaring flames, I slowly pulled my hands away.
“What … what was that?” I asked in a choked whisper. “What’s going on?”
Henrik looked at me very seriously. “That is what will happen if you don’t pledge your loyalty to the coven.”
I shook my head. “No,” I said quickly. “No. There’s no way that’s gonna happen!” I squinted. “Are you crazy? This isn’t the seventeenth century anymore! Things like that don’t happen!”
Ligeia stepped out of the shadows, and I gasped.
“Why do you always have to do that?” I grumbled. “Would it kill you not to surprise me once in a while?”
Ligeia raised her eyebrows. “It isn’t intentional,” she said dryly. “Perhaps you should learn to pay more attention to your surroundings, Monica.” She shook her head sadly. “I am beginning to think that extra time you spent with us was wasted. You have not learned a single thing.”
“That’s not fair,” I shot back. “Everything is going fucking crazy at home. What I am supposed to do?”
Ligeia narrowed her eyes. “You must do as Henrik says,” she said calmly. “You must pledge your life to the coven. You must devote yourself to helping us rid the true evil of the world.”
I swallowed. “You know, you sound just like Andrea,” I muttered.
Ligeia’s nostrils flared in anger. “I resent that comment,” she said icily. “I do not understand the problem, Monica. What is your hesitation? From where does it come?”
“Does it matter?” I tangled my hands in my hair and yanked until my scalp ached.
“Yes,” Ligeia and Henrik spoke in unison.
“I just want things to go back to normal,” I said. “I don’t care what has to happen.”
“Henrik has shown you what will happen if you do not help us,” Ligeia said. “Monica, we are not trying to punish you. But you are strong, and if we survive, it will be because of you.”
“That’s a heavy thing to lay on me,” I grumbled. “Why me, huh? Why not anyone else?”
“I think you know the answer,” Henrik said gently. “You have always been known as something of a prodigy, have you not?”
“It’s not about that,” I insisted. I sighed and flopped down on a rock. “Look, I know how it sounds. I know I’m coming across as selfish. And I don’t mean to, really, but I can’t just give up my life for something I never even knew existed until now.”
Ligeia gave me a sad smile. “You are lucky to live in an age where you have the luxury of such options,” she said. “Had you been born in another other time, you would have no choice.”
I blinked. I knew she was right, but I didn’t want to admit it.
“Besides, people do the same thing all the time.” Henrik raised an eyebrow. “How many people say they will never marry, until they fall in love? Suddenly, it becomes the most important thing in their life – one of the only things they care about.”
“That’s different–”
“It’s not that different,” Henrik said. “Or how about those who feel a sudden calling? What about human urges, Monica? You dismiss those so easily.”
“I didn’t choose this,” I argued. “No one asked me whether or not I wanted to become a witch, okay?! You just fucking kidnapped me, and now here I am.”
“Do you realize that this is the first time you’ve found the coven on your own?” Ligeia asked quietly.
“Yeah, but–”
“No one but a true daughter of the coven could have done that,” Ligeia said. She and Henrik exchanged a glance. “And that proves your abilities.”
I swallowed. I felt helpless.
“You must pledge to join with us for all eternity,” Ligeia said. “If you do not, your immortality will be lost. You, and everyone you know and care for will be slaughtered like sheep.”
I sighed. Why did I suddenly feel as though I had no choice in the matter of my own destiny?