Page 21 of Bad Witch

She was talking about Mother Nature. She traced her finger across the lines again, and this time the smoke dissipated. “They weren’t just powerful priestesses, they were sisters. Their magic was unsurpassed. They were from one of the first covens, Stonebridge, and there have never been witches more powerful since. Well, that’s what I was taught.”

“What happened?”

“One winter morning, Brigid, the youngest, woke to find her two older sisters gone. She followed the echoes of their magic and found them slaughtered in the forest. Eartha and Petra had been murdered, their bodies torn apart, their skin flayed, flesh stripped from bone, and laid out in a gruesome display. Brigid vowed to find who did it, to avenge their deaths. As far as I know, she never got the chance.”

“How long ago did this happen?”

“I’m not completely sure, but at least eight or nine hundred years, but maybe more.”

“You think she was in possession of the weapons?”

“Possibly.” She continued to study the pages.

“Why? Why would a witch have need of them?”

She glanced up at me. “I’m not sure, but why else would the book...or whoever it was, show us this?”

“Is there somewhere we can get more information? Is there someone we can talk to about this?”

Her finger slid gently over the brittle pages again. “I’m not sure. The last known priestess died several hundred years ago, but they’d been around for thousands of years before that. I’m sure there are witches who specialize in these histories. I’ll need to ask around.”

I nodded. “So, what was a priestess’s role?”

Tempest sat back, lighting up again. “So many things. They moved among the covens, leading them in worship or performing sacred rites. They often communed with the mother, or with our ancestors. They counseled those who needed it and provided leadership when it was necessary, and that’s just a few of the things they did. But most importantly, they helped connect their followers with the earth, with the goddess, and with their magic.”

“So they were powerful.”

“Oh yes,” she said.

“Who could have killed Brigid’s sisters? Who would have had that kind of power? And why?”

She slid another of the books over and reverently opened it to the back. There was a depiction of what looked like an angel, light glowing from behind him, while broken and bloody bodies lay at their feet. “At one time the gods walked among us, they warred, they let their jealousy and mistrust rule them and tried to destroy one another. Witches are pagan, and just the fact that we refused to worship anyone but the great goddess made her, and us, targets. I’ve never heard of a battle between witches and angels, but there are images like this one and stories that have been passed down that no one has been able to prove…or disprove for that matter.” She looked up again. “But why else would images like this exist?”

“You think this priestess, Brigid, gathered these weapons and hid them?”

She chewed her lip as she looked over the page again. “I honestly don’t know…but I think it’s a definite possibility.”

Chapter

Six

Tempest

* * *

As we headed up the stairs and out of the den, my belly was all light and fluttery. Going over those books, searching for the missing weapons with Fender, had been highly enjoyable. Watching the movie with him before that, with everyone else, had been so much fun. Tonight was one of the best nights I’d had since I’d made the decision to venture from the cottage, which was probably why I said more than I should have. Things that should be Matilda business only.

But for the first time since Matilda W died, I didn’t feel alone, and that was an intoxicating feeling. Next time, I just had to be more cautious about the things I said.

We neared the top of the stairs and I glanced at Fender. He’d been kind to me tonight when I’d basically fallen apart in front of him. And later, when we were back in his quarters, he’d listened and made me feel as if I was an important part of our little team. Is that what we were now? The thought made me giddy. I’d agreed to help him with his hunt, and I was so excited to keep going.

My gaze slid over his profile, and he glanced my way. His lips curled up when he caught my eye. My belly went all flippy again. He really was a handsome male. Fender pushed the door open and I froze.

The room was full of people. He said they were having a gathering, but I’d forgotten.

“War thought it was time for the witches, wolves, and vamps to come together,” Fender said. “Uriel and his angels may have gone quiet for now, but he’ll be back, and we need to be ready.”

He meant war…with the angels, or at least the ones Uriel had on his side. I tried not to think about it, but there was no denying it, especially now that I was helping Fender find weapons that would be used in the fight.