Witching Tree (Alice Gray Book 1)

36

Settled on the floor in Anne's living room around a low coffee table, I crossed my legs and focused on deep breathing to slow my speeding heartbeat.

The air thickened as Anne approached the bookcase. I already knew which book it was. There was no mistaking the familiar weight of dread that settled around us.

It had beckoned me before and I'd ignored its call.

I regretted that now.

Anne dropped the hefty book with a loud clunk. Dust sprang up as it bounced once on the table before finally settling. A heavy, musky scent filled the air around us. Emily's nose twitched, like a cute bunny rabbit. Anne let out a sneeze that rattled the foundations.

"Last time I had this out was when Gran was still alive," Anne said, peeking at me from under her lashes, heat warming her cheeks. "She would read passages from it on Saturday evenings. I knew that I was supposed to study from it, but it just reminded me of her too much. If I'd done my duty, I might already have the answers that we need."

"No need to explain, you couldn't have known. Anyway we'll make up for that now, together," I reassured her.

The three of us sat around the table staring at the book. Anne grabbed my hand on one side and Emily's on the other.

"You've got to be kidding me?" I said, feeling like a twelve year old at a sleepover, "shouldn't we braid our hair before we contact the spirits?"

"Just do it, ok. We need to call the coven past, for their blessing," Anne squeaked, her excitement bubbling out in little bounces that made her curls jump around her shoulders.

Emily rolled her eyes, and then grabbed my free hand.

Electric pulses throbbed through me, one hand input, the other output and me the adapter between the witch and the human. The atmosphere lightened, the energy created by our circle dispelling the ominous weight brought by the book.

My relief was short-lived. Sweat beaded all over my body as heat suffused me. My hair lifted from my shoulders as the charge built, unable to find full release.

Whatever was going to happen, had better happen soon. I wouldn't be able to maintain the connection for long.

"Wait, look!" Emily shouted with uncharacteristic excitement.

The silver tree imprint glowed and quivered like heat rising from tarmac on a hot day. The branches and roots that filled the black worn leather were bright in contrast to the dull cracked cover. Molten silver flowed through the channels that made up the intricate web-like pattern of the tree.

The undulating movement of the silver animated the cover of the book, bringing it to life. Its beauty was almost enough to distract me from the heat that scorched through my veins.

Our circle held firm, keeping the tree's terrible gloom at bay.

Sweat dripped down my face, between my breasts, and down my back. My eyes darted between the others. Wide-eyes brimming with worry looked back. Emily and Anne strained away from me involuntarily, my hands burning theirs with the heat of the energy travelling through me.

One violent shudder wracked my body, jolting our hands free. The room stuttered. Falling forwards, I flung my burning hands out in front of me.

Time slowed as the air got thicker, moving into the space that the circle had warded. Aware that my hands were aiming right towards the shimmering cover, I tried to shift to the side. The dense atmosphere resisted and I continued on course.

There was commotion on both sides. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the manuscript, but in my peripheral vision I caught Emily diving towards me in slow motion. Anne tried to kick the table over.

Past them both, shadowy figures lurked in the corners of the room: brown haired and pale skinned girls, shaking their heads in anger and sorrow. Every single one of them looked at me.

That was not a blessing.

As my hand connected with the cover of the book, bright light blinded me. My ears rang with a high-pitched shriek that pierced through my brain like a million needles. It was the grating sound of metal on metal: the silver tree. But unlike ever before.

The shriek creaked and groaned painfully, as if the branches crashed back and forth, caught in a hurricane, hurling the leaves together in a chaotic symphony. No matter how I tried to unravel its notes, immerse myself in its music, I couldn't make sense of it like before.

Something had changed. It no longer sang to me.

Utterly defeated, I curled into a foetal position as my senses tried to cope with the horrendous onslaught of unbearable light and sound. My head was pressed against the ground, my hair, plastered against my face. Sweat poured from me as the pressure built in my brain.

Straining with the effort, I pushed my shoulders off the floor. Shaking my head slowly from side to side did nothing to dispel the ringing in my ears. Movements sluggish, my body fought against the viscous atmosphere.

My heavy eyelids resisted the effort to open, reflexes fighting exposure to the brightness that was coming from every angle. Managing to gain the thinnest sliver of sight, the intensity burnt my retinas. Shocking pain speared my brain, my scream got lost in the clashing roar of noise.

Just before my eyelids won out and glued themselves closed, I caught movement in the distance. A blurred figure, getting bigger as it approached.

I tried to speak, but my bone-dry mouth contorted the messages from my brain. Only meaningless moans came out, drowned out by the ferocious noise.

This was it. My brain was frying, unable to function under the horrendous onslaught to my senses.

My shoulders gave way. I thought I heard my name, as my head connected with the floor.