Chapter 25

“How did it go?” Keith asked, looking up and interrupting his own conversation.

“Abbey was arrested.” I told him, joining the table, “How is Wes?”

“Wes is resting. Elona seems to think he’ll survive.” Keith replied, giving me a little nod.

"Wes is down here?" my mother asked, eyes narrowing. "isn't that a little suspect?"

"Wes is a witch mom. He's transitioning late and quickly." I explained. "I don't have time to explain everything, but he's safe. He's on our side. Oh and Tara is a demon."

"I knew it!" Sara said, speaking for the first time since we left the house, "I knew she had to trap him somehow."

"Yeah, well, she is. And he found out. And he killed her." I told her.

"Oh. That sucks. For him anyway." She frowned a little.

"Yeah, so he's probably going to be shocked for a while."

"And no use to us." Keith broke in.

“What’s our first task?” Dad asked, jumping into the conversation.

I paused. “Getting our magic stuff from the house. Then figuring out what Hades is doing with the witches he’s not burning.”

“What do you mean not burning?” Keith asked, frowning.

I sighed. I hadn’t had a chance to tell him that part yet. “Whoever burned on the stake yesterday wasn’t Lil. It might’ve looked like Lil to everyone else, but I saw something else.”

“What did you see?” Keith asked curiously.

“I saw a woman with red hair. A demon. Which, by the way, I didn’t even know existed.” I shot him a glare.

Keith just shrugged. “Demons haven’t existed on our plane since the beginning of the witch trials. They treated to their hell homes believing it was safer.”

“So the demon traitor and whatever Burned are special occurrence?” Mom asked.

“If it’s true.” Keith nodded.

" Wait, You knew Lil?" My dad asked.

"Yeah. I did. She was one of the best witches I ever met. She found me when I was transitioning and helped me through it and then helped me get Sara and Abbey through it as well." I explained.

"And she's not dead?" My mom and Keith asked at the same time. I shook my head.

"Hades killed a demon?" Keith asked in surprise, "Why?"

"I don't know." I shook my head again.

"Maybe it was to make some sort of point?" Sara suggested.

"That's a possibility." Dad agreed, “Captains and leaders of militia’s do it all the time. Stand with me or stand against me, do the last one and you die."

"That makes sense." I nodded in agreement.

"SO where is Lil?" Keith asked quickly.

"I don't know." I told him honestly, "She could still be in holding in the cells."

"Oh god, she must be going through hell." He mumbled, shaking his head.

"Lil is your wife?" Dad asked, looking down at Keith. Keith nodded.

"She's a Familiar. I'm a Protector. We were never supposed to be together." Keith mumbled and I could see the pain laced in his eyes.

"Sorry, but what are those?" My mom asked curiously.

"A Familiar is like...a witch’s assistant. They help do research and find answers and stuff and help cast spells." I explained. "A protector is like a guardian. A healer of sorts for the witches. Usually each witch or family has one familiar and one protector."

"Protectors usually mate with their witch. Familiars usually don't mate at all. They dedicate their live to the craft and to their witches." Keith added, "Only, Lil refused to take on a single family. She helped anyone she could. I refused to do the same. Lil was the person I was born to protect."

"I'm so sorry." My mom said, frowning as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

“If she’s alive I will do whatever it takes to find it.” Keith promised.

"We need to find a way to stop Hades." My mom said softly.

"Yeah, killing a good ins impossible so good luck with that." Keith mumbles.

"Actually, maybe not. We just need the right tools." I tell him, he looks up.

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"When sunsets I need to go back to our place. Everything I need is there." I told him.

"Didn't the Inquisition take everything?" One of the men that Keith was talking to spoke up. I shook my head.

"Abbey hid it before they could. I know where it is. I just have to get around the guards tonight." I Explained. The two men looked at each other.

"We can help with that." He suggested.

"Fantastic." I nodded in agreement.

"What can we do?" My father asked.

"Nothing right now." I shook my head, "We can't move until sundown. Then it'll be safe."

"By the way. We had another visitor." Keith informed me. I lifted a brow.

"Who?" I asked.

"Someone who says he knows you. He's an inquisition officer, so I had Manus lock him up in a cabin." Keith pointed to another guard at an entrance. Curious I made my way over; I could hear Sara and my parents following. The guard stood aside as soon as I met him. I walked into the small cabin and nearly jumped back in surprise.

"Owen?" I asked in shock. He looked up from the little bed he was sitting on.

"Thank god. I've been trying to tell these guys that I need to see you." He huffed.

"Own what are you doing here?" I asked, shocked.

"I heard what happen to Abbey. I'm so sorry. Is she okay?" He asked curiously. I grabbed a wash cloth on the stand next to his bed and reached up to brush away some of the blood caked to his forehead. He winced in pain.

"Ouch."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well, first Chris and I went to arrest Wes. He…exploded. Literally. Then, I heard about Abbey. Your Maxx wanted me to lead the team that arrested her. I refused." He explained. "I know she's innocent of what he's accusing her of. Chris went psycho on me and tried to beat the shit out of me. He called me names and kept going on about killing all of you."

"Sounds like he has a short temper." I mused.

"He's always been a little loose." Owen admitted.

"Abbey was arrested." I told him, "But we're going to rescue her."

"How?" He asked curiously.

"I have no idea." I sighed.

"Are you really witches?" He asked. I nodded.

"And it seems like everyone wants us dead."

"Sounds life fun." He grinned at me, and I laughed. There was a knock at the door and we both looked up. A young woman, probably a year or two older than me was standing at the door. She had dark, long hair and brown eyes. Her skin was dark and sun kissed. She smiled warmly at us.

“Hello. My name is Elona." She bowed, "Keith told me there was an injury here. I came to heel."

"How is Wes?" I asked, standing up. She smiled at me.

""You must be Khloe. I've heard a lot about you and the battles you face. Your friend is sleeping. He'll survive the transition just fine, though the trauma he has faced to day may be more severe." She explained. Her voice was soft but commanding and it was easy to see she was a leader.

"Thank you for everything.' I murmured quietly.

"I am only doing the wishes of the goddess. You and I must speak before your departure tonight." She told me.

"Of course. Please excuse me while I go check on Wes." I said quickly, standing up and heading out of the cabin and into Wes’s.

Elona was right, Wes was sleeping. I sat in a chair beside his bed and sigh.

"I'm so sorry Wes." I murmured quietly. "I know you didn't want to be a part of this. I know how hard everything's been for you."

I frowned, looking down at my friend. "And I'm sorry I wasn't there like I should've been." Wes stirred; his eyes slowly opened.

"Hey you." He murmured softly.

"Hey. Welcome back to Earth."

"Is that where I am? Feels more like hell." He laughed, and then groaned.

"Close enough right now." I grinned down at him, "How do you feel really?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck?" He suggested.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a witch?" I asked curiously.

"Because I didn't want it to be real." He murmured softly, "I thought maybe I was just going insane, and it would pass."

"You could've died."

"I know. Figured that part out." He moaned softly.

I laughed.

"You're one too aren't you? For real?

"Seems to be the going question today." We both laughed.

"I knew it. I just thought I was imagining it." He sighed.

"You knew?" I asked in surprise, "How?"

"I saw you." He explained. "I saw you climbing out of your window. I mean, I wasn't there. It was like...a vision. I saw you getting hurt. I saw you healing yourself."

"You had visions about me?" I asked in surprise.

He nodded.

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked curiously.

"No. Not necessarily, but I think I know what it means." I told him.

"What?"

"It means, you’re my protector." I explained.

"I have no idea what that means." He informed me.

"I know. But it's a good thing." I smiled at him, and He smiled back. He reached up to brush a hair out of my face.

"I've missed you." He murmured softly.

"I've missed you to."

"I'm sorry about Tara." He breathed.

"Don't be."

"I only went out with her to make you jealous."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Did it work?"

"Yeah." I laugh, "It worked really well."

"You never showed it." He frowned at me.

"I know. I thought you didn't like me." I sighed.

"We're something aren't we?" He asked, grinning up at me.

"We sure are." I agreed, laughing lightly.

"Come here." He beckoned me forward and I leaned in a little.

"What?"

He leaned forward and our lips met. The kiss was sweet, tender, warm. It wasn't passionate or heated like Scotty's and somehow that was okay. I kissed back, his hand slip[ed around my neck and pulled me closer. We kissed until we are both breathless.

"I've been wanting to do that forever." He breathed out.

I grinned. "Me to."

"Better late never right?" He asked, laughing. The sound of someone clearing their throat drew our attention. I looked up to find my father standing in the door way. My face warmed immediately.

"Khloe, you might want to come hear this." My father said.

"What's going on?"

"Elona is having some sort of vision thing and Owen says he might have a way into the HQ." My father replied.

"Help me up" Wes said.

"You should really rest." I told him.

"No, I want to help." He said, already sitting up. I helped him stand.

"Here. I'll help him to a seat." My father offered, taking Wes and leading him outside. I followed. Elona was sitting at a table, her eyes were pure white. Keith sat beside her, and Shane was taking notes. A crowd gathered around, some faces I knew, some I didn’t, but they were all silent.

“His end shall be his beginning, The Dark King shall fall at the hands of the one he loves, The world shall fall into Darkness and Chaos at his death, And the Children shall return to the First Land from wince they came, Until the time of Peace reigns again.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I ask, looking between Keith and Elona.

“Nothing good.”