Page 31 of They Were Broom-Mates

The zombie was now only a foot away from her. Amelie clenched her fists, ready to defend herself when she heard the sound of Hestia’s voice.

“Get to your post, Amelie!”

Instantaneously, all the zombies turned their attention toward the sound of the other witch’s voice. When Amelie looked, she saw Hestia, clear as day, in the center of the circle, having just placed the last stone.

She wanted to call out, ask her what she was doing, but that would only ruin the chance the Illusion Witch had given her. With a new target locked on, the zombies began shambling away from her and toward the center of the circle.

Then the next moment, Hestia was gone. Amelie let out a breath of relief as the other witch reapplied the Illusion to herself and finally started moving again. Quicker this time.

When she finally reached her spot, she looked inward to ensure that everyone else was in position, then gave the signal.

“Hestia, now!” Amelie shouted.

And then all hell broke loose.

Chapter twelve

Amelie raised her arms out in front of her body and focused her power into the palms of her hands as she stood directly on the ritual circle line. She felt it when the others did the same, as the wind shifted and the illusions dropped from all their bodies.

Hestia’s little stunt had bought them a little bit more time as now, most of the zombies were already at the center of the circle. But they still had to hurry.

Amelie put all her energy into channeling her power into the circle as she watched Delia begin the chant.

“Ab intra

Abyssus abyssum invocat

Ex silentio

Ad pulverem

Te expello

Consummatum est!”

Amelie felt the pulse of her magic with each word mingling with the auras of the others. Hestia’s warmth, Regina’s soothing cool, and Delia’s invigorating cold mixed within her veins along with her own magic. From across the way, Amelie could see Delia’s hair rising up around her as she received the borrowed power and channeled it into the circle.

In her mind’s eye, she saw the purple energy of all their colors mixed together pulsing through the shape of the ritual circle, flowing through each rune point and then back again. The air crackled with power, and Amelie held her breath as she waited. For a moment the zombies stood still, their attention pulled in four different directions, but then they began moving again.

Amelie’s heart dropped.

“Delia.” Hestia’s concerned voice rose over the sound of shuffling and the whirr of the magic in the air. “It’s not working.”

“I can see that!” Delia replied, panic evident in her voice. Replanting her feet, Delia took a deep breath and, even louder this time, she tried again.

“Ab intra

Abyssus abyssum invocat

Ex silentio

Ad pulverem

Te expello

Consummatum est!”

With each line spoken, energy crackled through the air in the circle, following the lines Hestia had drawn, but aside from temporarily slowing the creatures crossing the lines themselves, nothing happened. Amelie watched in horror as the zombies continued to lumber toward each of them, the majority on their way to the redhead.