AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My Lumos wasn’t working as well as I had hoped since it kept flickering in and out, coinciding with the moment I ran into the dresser.
The darkness of theEtherhid all manner of supernatural creatures and entities conjured from dreams and nightmares, but there was one creature that terrified me above all others—the Thrall. While in theEther, witches were always hunted by Thrall, who grew relentless in their pursuit.
Cruel, monstrous creatures bound to this plane only by their desire for living flesh and souls. Hunched backs and abnormally long limbs, they galloped about like wild hairless horses. Thrall skin was tough like animal hide and slightly damp. Maybe they were more like sharks since rows of razor-sharp teeth could be seen from their grotesquely wide mouths. One bite and a Thrall could track you . . . even into the mortal realm.
Yeah, I take that back. The worst part of theEtherwas the Thrall.
I stuck to the path I was on and kept walking since stopping wasn’t an option. The more I moved, the easier it was to keep my scent from attracting the Thrall. Hoping to confuse them, I occasionally darted in and out of buildings and circled trees.
This wasn’t my first trip to theEther.
I’d been here recently, but it hadn’t been long. When the rogue witch attacked and slammed against my shields, I was disoriented. Lost in the darkness, only Gabriel’s voice had brought me back. He led me into the light, where I regained consciousness. Previous to that moment, I had been here several times throughout my childhood.
Witches were often transported to theEtherin our dreams. Our power was attractive to entities of all kinds, and combined with our ability toshadow walkbetween the realms, we were vulnerable to being displaced.
These visits were usually brief but could be terrifying, especially if the Thrall or other beasts attacked.
A different circumstance occurred today. I wasn’t here because of a nightmare. The rogue witchsentme here. I wasn’t sure if I was meant to suffer, become frightened, or remain trapped in here forever. The latter wasn’t possible. The Thrall would devour me first.
Talk about a nasty way to go. Eaten alive wasn’t my idea of a good time. That only counted if I had a talented male between my thighs, and I encouraged his appetite.
The path ahead kept veering off to the left and right, but I walked straight, certain these other options were meant to confuse and disorient me. One thing I knew about theEther, the extra paths were always worse than the one you walked on.
A dim light seemed to surface and hover in the distance above a towering and gnarled tree, the base so wide you could fit a house inside the massive structure. Low-hanging branches swayed without a breeze and held dangling objects in their grasp. As I approached the tree, I noticed the hanging shadows morphed into bodies and became females dressed in long black dresses that swayed against the top of their shoes.
Witches.
Salem witches, to be precise. The original thirteen.
Shocked, I lifted my hands to blast the ropes from the twisted branches, horrified when the bodies of the witches began to twitch and convulse. Their mouths foamed as their eyes rolled back in their heads. Each one reached outward with bleeding fingers as if begging for my help.
This was no ordinary tree.
Gallows Hill was infamous for its mass hangings, including the Salem Witch Trials.
This hit too close to home. One of these women was my ancestor, and the rest were my sisters—witch bloodlines that were as close as real family.
My heart ached in my chest as I realized I could do nothing. I was witnessing the past, not the present or future.
I could never save the original Salem witches. Their sacrifice had already been paid.
Rustling in the leaves and a low rumble that shook the ground were my first indication that I wasn’t alone. Screeches filled the air, followed by a weird clicking sound. The light behind the tree that illuminated the Salem witches moments ago snuffed out.
I was plunged back into total darkness.
Click, click, click.
Silence followed.
I turned to the right, veering off the path even when I knew it was a mistake. Not that it mattered. Unless I summoned another spell for a light, I couldn’t see anyway. At this point, I knew my chances of survival significantly increased by remaining in the dark.
Click, click.
The Thrall followed and tracked me, communicating with those irritating clicks.
I entered an empty building and felt along the wall, moving from room to room until I found the back door and crept outside again. The process repeated several times as I fought against the urge to run.
Running never worked.
