Chapter 7: Chapter. 7 Coven Mother

Present time.

“Steady, steady Diana, you’re safe now.” Diana snapped her brown eyes open and trashed against the hands that held her arms down byher sides. “Diana, stop, you’re safe now.” The voice repeated, pulling her mind the rest of the way through her night terror. “That’s it. Calm. You’re safe now. I promise you’re safe.”

“…?” Diana gulped thickly through her dry throat and stared up at a woman who for a moment, she thought was her mother. Long blonde hair, kind hazel eyes, and a beautiful smile. But a moment later her mind fully connected with the here and now, and she realised this woman looked younger than her. 16 maybe? 17 at the most? “Who…are-what the hell!?!” Diana dragged herself up the bed and snapped her head left and right as she realised just where she was. She’d dreamt of this room nearly every night for the last 2 years. It was her childhood bedroom. Hard wood floor and orange sunset walls with darker orange leaf print to make it look like autumn. Brown curtains and a stain glass windchime by the window to cast colours onto the far wall. Her bedding was orange with cream pillows, and a yellow comforter rolled up at the bottom ofthe bed. The stranger moved to sit on the edge of the bed and held her hands together on her lap. She wore a very pretty and expensive looking chiffon pink dress with lace gloves on her hands and white heels. Her long blonde hair was soft, golden and had a natural wave to it from a side parting. She was so pretty even without any makeup, but did sport a touch of lip balm.

“Do you…know where you are?” She asked Diana gently.

“This is my childhood bedroom.” Diana answered quick as awick. “How am I in my childhood bedroom?”

“I-” Diana cut her off and narrowed her brown eyes on the younger woman.

“Scratch that. Who are you?” The blonde chuckled and reached behind her. What she held on her lap made Diana’s heart drop into her stomach. It was a very familiar, old black leather bound book.

“Do you recognise this?” Diana decided not to answer her. She was still struggling to come to terms with being on her own bed one minute, falling through the sky the next, nearly dying, miraculously not dying, and then waking up the next moment in her childhood bedroom. The childhood bedroom where she was raised by cultists who thought they were witches.

Show and tell was therefore not at the front of her list of priorities. “It’s the Couper family legacy. Our bloodline. From the 12th century to today. Inside are the names of-”

“I know what’s in there.” Diana snapped again. Her last nerve was about to blow. “Who are you? Why, and whilst we’re at it, how am I here right now?”

“…the answer to all those questions is on the last page.” She smiled sadly and offered the album to Diana with both hands. It seemed symbolic somehow…and Diana felt wary as she accepted it. “Go on.” She encouraged her with a gentle smile.

“I know what’s on the last page.”

“…it’s changed since you last saw it Diana.” She seemed hesitant, but nodded at Diana to take a look. The raven head slowly opened it up and felt a twinge of sad nostalgia as she saw so many familiar faces. As she turned the pages and got closer and closer to the last page, she felt herself choking up. They may have been a group of crazy cultists, but they were also her family. She gulped and braced herself as she found the last page…and noticed a picture that wasn’t there last time she saw it in herchildhood and her dreams.

Beside the picture of a teenage Diana in her mother’s arms, was another picture of her mother. But she stood beside a man with blonde hair and they both posed regally with a young teen stood between them. A youngteen that had her mother’s beauty, kind smile and hazel eyes.

The young teen, who was a tad older and now sat on her bed. “I can answer your questions now. I am Anna Couper, daughter-” Diana’s eyes were wide as she snapped her head up to stare at the woman with shock.“-of Isabella Couper and Bradley Robinson. I am 16. I believe you are 18?”

“But that makes no sense.” Diana pushed the book awayfrom her in disbelief. “You’re only 2 years younger than me? I left when I was 13, and I don’t remember having a 10 or 11 year old sister?!”

“That’s because you…didn’t know I existed.” She sighed and looked very uncomfortable as she shifted subconsciously. “I was born shortly after you, but my father and your mother weren’t married. In fact my father was married to another woman when they…conceived me.”

“…but this doesn’t look like you were a secret love child.” Diana accused and thrust a hand towards the offensive page in the book.

“I was not a secret love child. I was just…a secret from you.” Anna exhaled and fussed with her hands on her lap. “Mother had me raised with the Robinsons because she thought it would be best for me to be raised there. If I was raised as a Couper then she thought you would never be…accepted.”

That stung. Her own mother knew that if she’d been raised along side this perfect carbon copy, fair skinned blonde beauty, no one would have accepted her as a real Couper.

“Well from what little I remember, that was a waste of time. I was never accepted as a Couper. Probably because whilst the rest of you were all pretending to be witches, I wasn’t, so, you’re welcome to the name.” Diana tried to get up, but found her legs wouldn’t move. She looked down at them and couldn’t see any straps, but she felt like she was strapped down. “Why can’t I move my legs?”

“Because I don’t want you to leave until I’ve finished telling you everything.” Anna cleared her throat and at least had the decency to look sheepish. “We aren’t pretending to be witches Diana. We are witches. You are too.”

“No, I’m not. I’m a regular and sane human being. So thanks but no thanks. Whatever drugs your redhead friend laced the envelope with to make me trip all the way to Salem seems to have worn off now? So I’m going home.”

“Go ahead.” Anna got off the bed and held her hands in front of her. “If magic isn’t real, and I’m not a witch, and my spirit guardian Knox isn’t holding you down, then by all means? Walk out of here.” Anna folded her arms and waited. The hair on the back of Diana’s neck stood on end. She scanned her eyes nervously over her body to see any signs of another of those blue glowing people like ‘Yani’. She saw none, but when she tried to move her legs, she felt hands.

Many…many hands… They all palmed and squeezed her shins and thighs once in warning. She felt fingers and sharp nails, and she felt her heart drop through the floor.

“Holy crap!” Diana took hold of her headboard and tried to throw herself off the bed, but the hands on her legs held her steadfast. She shook and looked to Anna with tears in her eyes. “M-make him let go.”

“Him? Him who?” Anna challenged. “I thought magic was pretend? That witches weren’t real?”

“You’re hilarious kid.” Diana seethed. “Get handsy to take his gazillion hands off me. Now.”

“I will.” Anna promised as she slowly lowered to sit on the bed again. “After I’ve told you our story.”

“…can I get the summarised version?” Anna giggled and shook her head.

“You’re funny sister.” Diana bristled. She did not like the idea of this girl calling her sister. She was a stranger, and far stranger than any 16 year old had any business being. However, she also had some sort of spirit guardian holding her prisoner to the bed, so she’d hold her tongue…for now. “I was raised as a Robinson, but I knew Isabella was my mother. She would visit me regularly and I admit, it was difficult pretending I didn’t know who you were. But you were the Couper heir, not me, so I accepted I wouldn’t be your sister until you were already the Coven mother.” Diana narrowed her eyes on Anna and raised her brow. “…Coven mother? The leader of our coven? Head of the council of high priestesses? Our mother was the Coven mother. You don’t remember that? I knew your memories of Salem were sealed, but so much so that you don’t remember mother’s role in the coven?”

“I don’t remember much.” Diana folded her arms and shrugged. “…my memory is a bit…repressed from my childhood. My therapist Dr Jones says it’s my mind protecting myself from childhood trauma.”

“…no, it’s nothing to do with any of that.” Anna shook her head. “Your memories are not repressed. They were sealed. For your own protection. As was your transportation out of Salem.” Diana raised a brow sceptically. Of course the cultists would say my memories have been magically sealed. “But I’ll get to that. Now, you were the Couper heir. You were the one who would take mother’s place as Coven mother. A Couper must always reside within Salem and maintain the protective wards. Otherwise darkforces that seek the power locked in this land will come for it, and leave nothing but blood and terror in it’s wake.”