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Chapter 26
Last Updated:
2024-10-30 02:53:51
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Shadows In The Fire Chapter 27
Faye felt the warmth of the sun on her body, and she heard waves crashing against the rocks as she slowly removed her hands from her face. Why was she on the beach? Only moments ago, she’d been next to Deb’s body, calling out to Bess.She turned around, seeking the voice which had spoken her name. It wasn’t Deb. The woman was shorter, with blonde hair and dark eyes, wearing a long, flowing white dress which reached to her ankles. Her feet were bare, and she played with the sand, running her toes through it, smiling joyously at Faye. ‘You have called for me, ’she said softly, ’and I have come.’Faye smiled nervously, feeling the water from the ocean wash over her feet. ‘Bess?’‘Yes, Faye. I am Bess.’‘You don’t look anything like Deb.’Bess smiled again, her eyes lighting up with emotion. ’This was my first life, as Bess. . . . you are seeing me as I was, not what I became in my other lives. Like the ones before her, Deb was merely a vessel for my soul. It took me
Last Updated : 2024-10-30Shadows In The Fire Chapter 28
She stirred in the darkened cavern, deep under what was once the church, which had burned down so long ago. Her body felt sore and tender, after slumbering for more than 200 years. Her muscles ached, as she stretched and purred on the altar which had been her resting place for so long.Whisper adjusted her eyes to the darkness, and she sensed she was not alone. Mathilda was there, and Bess. Their presence granted her peace and comfort. Had it happened? She was only to awaken once the chosen one came into her full power, to guide and protect her on this journey through absolute darkness. If she received this reprieve from her slumber, it could only mean Magnus had returned, and the final battle was to be fought.‘Whisper, ‘Mathilda said, reaching out to stroke her pitch-black fur. ‘We have missed your council greatly, old friend. I fear we need you once more.'Whisper purred contentedly as she fully stretched beneath Mathilda’s caress. Her mind grasped the words she heard, but she str
Last Updated : 2024-11-01Shadows In The Fire Chapter 29
Eli had fallen asleep, soon after their conversation ended. Looking at him, sleeping soundly, Faye felt a moment of contentment, where everything that happened the past few days, seemed a million miles away.She understood why Eli had been less than thrilled to learn she had gone to the morgue to speak to Bess. He wanted to be with her, for all of it. His only motive was to protect her and she adored him for it, but the situation had left her no other choice. She was certain Bess would not have appeared to her, with him or anyone else there.In the darkened room, a voice gently called her name.‘Faye...’A comfortable warmth ran the length of her body. Peaceful, and gentle.‘Esther, is it you, sweetheart?’Instinctively, her hand went to her abdomen, feeling the roundness of her ever-growing bulge. The baby moved inside her, bringing a smile to her lips, tinged with both hope and despair.‘Yes, it’s me Faye.’From the shadows Esther came, gliding across the floor in the soft glow of
Last Updated : 2024-11-01Shadows In The Fire Chapter 30
‘Do go with them, Father, ’Mary said. ’Magnus will not begrudge you, one final goodbye.’Tobias slowly rose from the stool, a look of madness in his eyes. He was a broken man, staring at his condemned wife and daughter. ‘Will you be alright?’ he managed in a hoarse whisper, directed at Mary. ’The night is cold and dark.’‘Father, ’Mary said sternly, ’what darkness can befall me, when evil itself was amongst us all along? Fear not, for my faith protects me.’Mary turned to Mathilda and Esther once more. ’Mother, why not call upon your dark allies to free you? Or has the evil of your soul perished, as the evil of your flesh soon will?’Mary motioned to the guard to remove Mathilda’s gag. She coughed as the filthy rag was pulled from her mouth. ‘The only evil, is you, Mary!’Mathilda spat. ’Since the moment I first held you in my arms, I knew that you were the one tainted by evil. The cursed fruit of my womb, and today, all my fears have come true!’For a moment it seemed as
Last Updated : 2024-11-01Shadows In The Fire Chapter 31
The Wilding Estate, London...Anna Wilding sneered contemptuously at the woman seated opposite her. What drivel was she preparing to spew? And how did she manage to slither onto the grounds, at this hour of the night? Clearly, security was lacking on the estate.‘And what did you say your name was?’ Anna asked coldly.‘Eva Miller, Dr. Eva Miller. We have met before, Mrs. Wilding. I treated your daughter in law after her fall down the stairs a few weeks ago.’Anna bristled inwardly, remembering her last confrontation with Faye. For some reason, the little bitch seemed…stronger…that day. The way she stood up to her, was unlike anything she had ever done during her marriage to Nolan.Perhaps Nolan's fists, had beaten her into growing a backbone.‘That woman is no longer a part of my family, doctor. If you came looking for her, I would suggest trying the closest gutter, from where she came. If I never see that worthless garbage again, it will be too soon.'Eva Miller smiled wryly. ‘The p
Last Updated : 2024-11-01Shadows In The Fire Chapter 32
At the first peal of thunder, Clarissa lifted her gaze to the darkened sky and pulled her shawl over her head. The rumblings in the village at this late hour could not be true. Surely not Mathilda and her beautiful daughter. Captured by the monster, Magnus. The commotion had woken her up from a deep sleep and when she looked out, she saw Magnus’ guards dragging two figures off towards the cells. It was her neighbors who told her in hushed whispers who it was, and, in that moment, she nearly collapsed in shock. Mathilda was the bravest and kindest of them all. Who could have delivered her into the hands of that demon?It began to drizzle as she finally arrived at Mathilda’s home. Tobias would surely have an explanation for all of this. Perhaps her neighbors were wrong. Perhaps both Mathilda and her sweet Esther were sleeping peacefully in their own beds. Either way, she had to know for sure.The door was opened at her first knock. Mary gave her a withering look and Clarissa felt inwa
Last Updated : 2024-11-01Shadows In The Fire Chapter 33
For a moment, it felt to Faye, as if a fog was lifting from her mind. A weight, pinned with a lifelong undercurrent of uncertainty, was being replaced by something concrete, something tangible and all was beginning to make sense.Time froze…even the drops of rain appeared to be suspended in mid-air, as a torrent of memories came surging back. Yet far from being overwhelmed, she welcomed it, feeling the uncertainty slipping away, dropping from her mind as if a gossamer veil was being lifted, layer upon layer.‘They were my sisters and brothers,’ she whispered as if to herself. ‘They lived, they laughed, they loved….and he took it all away. He took them away, one by one, without thinking twice. He took their lives, perverted their legacies, and made it seem like the will of God. I remember all of it now.’‘Then tell me Faye, what happened next?’ Esther asked. ‘What happened after this moment?’‘I went home,’ Faye answered. ‘I was broken at the thought of what you and Mathilda were goin
Last Updated : 2024-11-03Shadows In The Fire Chapter 34
The English Coast, 1794‘Those who lose piety, lose their place in God’s kingdom. Therefore, we as the righteous, must ensure that evil has no place amongst us. We must cleanse these witches by fire, so God can look down upon us with mercy.’The cheer erupting from the crowd, as Magnus concluded his sermon, was deafening, and Mary smiled in absolute pride, clapping and cheering with everyone else. Truly, his force of faith, left everyone in awe.She turned to face her father next to her. Tobias had his head down, wringing his hands, a sign that he was anxious. Surely he could not still feel pity towards his wife and daughter, witches who glorified the works of the dark one himself.Mary knew he wished to see them, one last time. She would not permit it though. She would speak to Magnus and convince him Mathilda and Esther deserved no such mercy.She felt a warmth of satisfaction rising within her. She imagined it would take longer to expose Mathilda, but surely fortune had smiled upon
Last Updated : 2024-11-04
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Shadows In The Fire Epilogue
Faye basked in the soft rays of sunlight, streaming through the window, where she sat in the nursery. After the events of that night, she packed up and moved in with Eli, beginning their lives anew. They hadn’t gotten around to getting married yet, but they would soon.Mathilda Evans made her way into the world, two weeks before Christmas. Her birth was a joyous moment. She came into the world, kicking and screaming, a fighter from day one.Eli had been with her through it all, and when they finally held their daughter in their arms, their lives felt complete.Now, their little fighter, was peacefully asleep in her cradle. Faye smiled contentedly, gazing out the window, to the garden, where Eli, Sybil and Mark were having a snowball fight, as a light dusting of snow began to fall once more.Sybil and Mark were married soon after that night and shortly after their wedding, they had the biggest surprise of all. Sybil was pregnant and their baby would come in the summer.As for Janice L
Shadows In The Fire Chapter 62
The English Coast, 1794How long she sat in the darkness, Mathilda did not know. Everyone she ever loved was gone and she was truly alone in this new world, tasked with the overwhelming responsibility of keeping watch, until the day Clarissa and Magnus, would face each other for the last time.Clarissa had already been reborn. How many lifetimes would it be, before she was strong enough to defeat the demon? How many years, would she, Mathilda, wait before being granted the gift of sleeping, until it was her own time to be reborn?She was so tired. All she wanted was to rest, but the will of the Goddess had been communicated to her, clearly and concisely. She had a sacred duty, and she would see it through.When she finally had the strength, she made her way to the village square where the smoldering remains of Clarissa remained. Already the dogs had begun their feast. There were more than 10 of them, each one wanting its piece of flesh and bone.They dispersed, whimpering, when Math
Shadows In The Fire Chapter 61
‘Are you sure Janice? Working a double shift?’Tim Conway looked sheepish as he stared at her and momentarily, Janice felt a pang of guilt. He was supposed to take over her shift at the morgue, but he began complaining about stomach aches and feeling unwell. So, she offered to cover his shift, but not out of the goodness of her heart.Because they wanted her here…They said they needed her here…When the two living corpses appeared in the morgue earlier, she’d been shocked and astounded. Even more so when they spoke to her and it felt as if she entered a lucid dream, from which she couldn’t wake up.In all the years she’d worked at the morgue, she always suspected someday, something like this would happen. The pills she’d put in Tim’s coffee earlier, appeared on her desk out of nowhere. That’s why he was feeling ill. He’d gratefully accepted the cup from her hand, glad for the warmth away from the biting cold and rain outside. He never suspected she’d drugged him.They didn’t want a
Shadows In The Fire Chapter 60
Night had fallen and Faye was happy to be back in her own body. As exhilarating as the experience was, of merging with Whisper, it wasn’t something she planned to do again anytime soon. How Clarissa managed it, and enjoyed it, all those years ago, was beyond her understanding. It was a complete reality shift which defied all logic. Beyond belief, her spirit had left her body and merged with another living being.And considering their bloody return when Whisper killed the demon in her room… She could still taste its foul blood in her mouth but was happy that no harm came to the people she loved. If anything, ever happened to them, because of her and the situation they found themselves in, she would surely die.Sybil and Mark seemed fine. Mathilda explained to her that it was some sort of sleep spell the demon performed on them, and it would have no lasting effect on them, or August. They were a bit groggy and disorientated after waking up from their impromptu slumber, but copious amoun
Shadows In The Fire Chapter 59
‘Think about it, my dear boy. Only by killing the witch, will you ever be free from her temptations. The evil in her soul is too powerful. She will corrupt you and you will never enter the gates of Heaven. You will never be reunited with us, the people who love you more than life itself. Kill her, Elijah. It is the will of God that she must die…’Listening to it speak, in his mother’s sweet voice, turned Eli’s stomach. How was this foul creature so good at playing its part? Had Mary and Magnus become stronger, instead of weaker? Their hijacked bodies would soon decay completely, yet they had enough power to cast this illusion.‘I’m no killer,’ he said coldly. ‘I will never take another life, especially the woman I love. My mother would never ask such a thing of me.’Momentarily, just for a split second, he noticed how its eyes changed color. It went from the radiant green of his mother’s, to pitch black. Lord, was this a demon? He wanted to call out to Mark and Sybil, but the house ha
Shadows In The Fire Chapter 58
July 31, 2016‘Harold, I feel the chemotherapy is helping. I feel a bit stronger today. All the doctors say my chances are waning, but I don’t believe them. I feel God is answering my prayers and soon I will be well again. You and Eli have been so good to me during this trying time. Our family is truly what keeps me going.’Nancy took a deep breath and leaned into her cushions. Speaking had exerted her and the rasp in her breathing, was evident for all to hear. ‘I can’t wait to get in the kitchen and cook Eli’s favorite meal. It’s one of the things I look forward to, the most,’ she continued. Pastor Evans swallowed back his tears. They were sitting in their room, on a small little couch by the window, overlooking the garden. This was Nancy’s favorite spot. She always told him it gave her so much peace to sit there and read, while he and Eli were out for the day. It also gave her the perfect vantage point, to see them come home. The minute they walked through the door, she would be
Shadows In The Fire Chapter 57
‘My darling boy, I have missed you every moment of every day, since I’ve left this world. Yes, Eli, it’s me.’Eli let go of Faye’s hand and made sure she was still comfortable, before slowly rising to face the woman before him.Nancy Evans, his mother, who died 9 years ago.Rationally, it occurred to him it was impossible for her to be standing in front of him. He’d been the one to find her, that horrible night, when she’d drowned in the tub, when the pain from her cancer had become unbearable and ultimately ended her life.He remembered pulling her up from the water where she was submerged. Her eyes were open and she was slowly turning blue. Even as he administered CPR, he knew she was gone. She was limp in his arms and he gently laid her out on the floor, her emaciated form bearing almost no weight. He’d wrapped her in a towel, before breaking down in absolute defeat and agony, his tears scorching his cheeks.When he was done, when he could finally find a semblance of composure, he’
Shadows In The Fire Chapter 56
She was acutely aware of everything around her.As Whisper raced through the woods, kicking up mud with her powerful legs, Faye felt as if it was her, as if she were the one running at breakneck speed. Whisper barely stopped to breathe, hurtling over logs and puddles, not once missing a beat. Her power was primal and it surged through Faye, in a current of strength and instinct. ‘I sense your awe,’ Whisper said whimsically. ‘We have done this before, young witch. Clarissa was the only one ever brave enough to merge with me. That is why it feels so natural to you.She did it purely for pleasure though. She wanted to know what it felt like.’Faye was surprised. It seemed Clarissa was quite the adventurer in her day. Was that why she always wanted more from life? Why she packed up and moved to London? Was a part of Clarissa always awake within her? It would explain so much, if indeed that was the case.Seeing through Whisper’s eyes, Faye recognized the area they were in. They were close
Shadows In The Fire Chapter 55
‘Do not be afraid, Faye,’ Mathilda said gently, as Faye leaned back into her pillows. ‘This will bring no harm to you or your baby.’Faye inhaled deeply and protectively placed her hands over her abdomen. Even with all the assurance from Mathilda and Whisper, a part of her still felt nervous for what was to happen. It seemed unreal that she was about to eject her soul from her body, to track down Magnus and Mary. Next to her, Whisper lay outstretched, appearing as if in a deep slumber.‘I can’t help it Mathilda. This was something Clarissa used to do, and those memories haven’t come to me yet. I could fail and place all of us in even greater danger. Even Esther. How can I protect her, if I’m dead?’‘You carry the weight of a great burden, young witch, but your salvation and the survival of your family, lies in you freeing yourself from fear. We can all only help you to a certain point, and from there you must shoulder this alone. The path of a witch, is not an easy one.’‘Nor one I as
