Evernight (The Night Watchmen Series Book 2) (47 page)

“Wait,” I shout out, unable to accept what’s happening. “The Witch, she used magic on the paper. She altered that document. Reverse the spell! The proof is there! You murdered my parents!”

Everyone is shouting to each other now, unsure of who to believe. Unsure of what’s happening.

“Silence!” Clara yells, banging and banging on the desk. “You’re being tried for treason, and I command you to show your Priesthood the respect we deserve,” Clara says mirthlessly.

“Since when did we have to swear our allegiance to you? To any of you? We took the oath of the Night Watchmen in honor of the Coven!’ Weldon shouts out, turning to the crowd of citizens behind us, trying to rally them together.

“We
are
the Coven!” Clara retorts, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets, “and you went against it the day you crossed me.”

Jaxen struggles against the magic holding him down. He groans, pushes, and somehow manages to make his way to his feet. A deep, angered growl erupts from the depth of him, quieting the entire room. “You’re the one who’s crossed this Coven, Clara. You set Mary and Russell Middleton up. You captured them when they discovered you were working with the Darkyn Coven. You tried to break their daughter in hopes that you could control her and use her, and now you’re trying to take over the Priesthood.”

She slowly rises from her chair, her hateful glare fastened on Jaxen. “You dare accuse me of murder?”

“Do I need to repeat myself?” he asks.

She turns her head to Edgar, whispers something to him, and then turns back to Jaxen. She lifts a file into the air. “This,” she says, “this is the Gramm file. Your file. You think the Priesthood doesn’t know of your wrongdoings? You think Maddock could hide your crimes?” She eyes every one of my friends. “Joe Bordon. A Witch, a part of the Night Watchmen. He was on his way to meet his Hunter when Mary and Russell Middleton apprehended and brought him to Gavin Gramm’s apartment on Ludlow. There, he was executed in ritualistic fashion, in hopes of erasing the infamous Gramm Curse placed on your bloodline.” She drops the file with a loud bang and leans forward, eyes piercing through us. “Tell me, Jaxen Gramm, did the spell work? Will your precious love now be saved?”

Jaxen and Gavin both struggle and fight against the volation, growling and yelling out.

“Enough of these games,” Clara says forcefully. “I, High Priestess Clara Ravensmoore, on behalf of the remaining members of the Priesthood, find Jaxen Reade Gramm, Gavin Amery Gramm, Jezibelle Darlene Beaumont, Cassandra Lynn Reed, and Weldon James Jacobsen guilty of committing murder against a fellow member of the Night Watchmen. I sentence you to an eternity in the Underground. All in favor, say aye.”

The entire Priesthood before us says aye.

“High Priest Seamus Everett Sullivan, and Faye Hadley Middleton, you’re sentenced to the Correctional Facility where you will be held in the Disciplinary Ward. Take them away.”

I don’t breathe. Not even a little bit. My whole body has gone numb, cold, lifeless. All I can feel is my hands. All I can see is them wrapped around Clara’s neck, squeezing the life from her eyes. I make a move against the volation I’m uncomfortably cocooned in. It doesn’t budge. Not at first. But then I push, I shove, and I put everything I have into my movements and somehow, the energy I’m chained in snaps loose and is absorbed by my skin.

I’m left standing in front of everyone, in front of the entire Priesthood and Coven, with a spelled shield around me and a look of murder in my eyes. I know what I must do now. I know the choice I’m supposed to make.

Stand and fight. Fight for the Coven that she’s destroying.

“You’re a liar,” I say, my blood boiling beneath my skin. I look up from the ground and meet her gaze with more hate than I’ve ever felt in my life. “You’re a traitor. You’re a thief. You’re sick. You took my parents when they found out about you, and now you’re doing everything you can to cover your tracks.”

Clara’s mouth startles open. She’s caught off guard, and it gives me more delight than I could ever ask for. She scrambles for words as a hushed murmur spreads like wildfire across the room. I watch as shade by shade, her skin changes from a pale white to a rattled red.

“You’re a Darkyn disguising yourself as a Priestess, and if you aren’t removed, you will bring this entire Coven down with the awakening of Mourdyn Roush, the Divine who is responsible for the making of the proclamation!”

“Heresy!” Edgar shouts as he jumps out of his seat.

“Seize the Witch-hater now!” Evelyn Carter shouts before smirking in my direction.

Clara slams her fist against the desk. “Take her away!” she yells at the top of her lungs.

“No!” Jaxen yells out.

Jaxen and Gavin fight against the volation holding them down. Veins bulge. Words fly aimlessly. Jaxen is the first to break, but he’s taken down by three more, who barely have enough power to hold him back. I lock eyes with Weldon, and in that moment, I know what I have to do.

The only thing that will save us all.

I darken the room with one blink.

S
CREAMS ERUPT AS THE EMERGENC
Y
lighting flicks on.

There are so many bodies, so many people running, that it takes me a moment to locate everyone. I tug hard on all the energy in the room, directing my drain to every Elite and member of the Priesthood. I take their magic and energy filling me, using it to form shields around my friends and me.

“Let’s go,” Weldon shouts out, offering his hand out to me.

Jaxen grabs my hand and tries to pull, but I stand still. He looks back at me, confused.

“Not yet,” I say, turning in Clara’s direction.

“Apprehend the Everlasting now!” Clara shouts as she stumbles back against her chair.

I stalk toward her, hell-bent on ending her existence. An Elite Hunter and Witch rush either side of me, but I send them flying with a simple flick of my hand. And it feels good. So, so good.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Clara asks, scrambling backward.

“You said I was weak, that I was an abomination. You said I needed to learn how to control my powers.” I stop right in front of the desk, staring up at her. “I’m in full control now, Clara, and I’m ready to avenge my parents.”

Edgar’s the first to jump out of his chair and rush out of the side door. Evelyn, Celeste, and the rest follow, leaving Clara behind.

I blink, sending a wave of energy out toward her. She flies back into her chair. I put all of my intent into my hand, using my magic to lift her into the air. She scrambles against the invisible hold on her neck, her legs kicking aimlessly.

“Put me down!” she shouts as Elites continue to try and rush me with magic. “Shoot her, damn it!”

I hear the guns clicking—hear the deep inhales settling the nerves of every shooter. And I hear my friends taking them out, one by one, as I drop Clara onto the ground like the garbage that she is.

“You’ll stop this now or I’ll have every head that you love,” she says, working her way to her feet with murder in her gaze.

“No, Clara. I’ll have your head,” I say with so much absolution that it makes her eyes widen. I squeeze my fist shut, and she falls as the breath is choked out of her. But it’s not good enough. I want to feel her life slip away. I want to watch the light dim from her eyes.

I see the blood of the Elite she killed. I see the look in Jonathon’s eye. I see every life she’s threatened, my parents, and all of the novices back at the Academy wondering where Mack is, and I’m sure I’m drowning in rage. I’m burning inside the flames of revenge.

I. See. Red.

I jump on top of her, replacing my magic with my own hands wrapped around her neck.
“You killed my parents! You took them away from me! You’re horrible!”
I squeeze and squeeze. All I can see is my mom’s face and my dad’s smile and this rage unlike anything I’ve ever felt ripples through me. I’m delirious with power. Unhinged with the need to fill the hole gaping wide open inside my heart.

She’s going to die. She’s going to die because I
will
it to be. I want it to happen.

“Faye!” Jaxen shouts desperately. His arms wrap around me and lift me off her. “This isn’t you! Stop!”

“She has to die!” I shout, struggling against him, trying to get back to Clara, who rolls over, coughing.

He pulls me tighter against him, my back pressed against his chest. “No,” he says calmly into my ear. “You’re not a murderer. Don’t do this.”

She fumbles over to the desk, reaching for something as Jaxen spins me to face him. “Killing her won’t bring them back, Faye. It won’t make the pain go away.” He kisses me once and says, “Come on. We have to get out of here.”

I nod as guilt slams into my very core. He pulls me over to Weldon and shouts for everyone to get together. Gunshots fly through the air. A smoke bomb is dropped, filling the room with Belladonna. I use the last of my magic, trying to keep a shield large enough to protect us all, but I can feel myself slipping. I’ve already used so much and only just recovered from yesterday.

“Hurry,” I tell Jaxen as he stops just in front of Weldon. We’re crouched down behind a bench.

“Where to?” Weldon shouts with his arms extended.

“Somewhere safe,” Gavin says. “Somewhere they can’t track us.” He pulls Cassie closer to him.

“I-I don’t know anywhere,” Weldon says.

He looks to everyone, and they all take turns shrugging.

“Wait. I know a place. My dad, he… he always kept a safe house,” Jaxen says.

Gavin looks over at him. “The Manor?”

Jaxen nods.

“Faye Middleton! Where are you?”
Clara shouts out. I hear her steps pounding closer, pushing through the Belladonna in search of me.

“The Manor it is. Let’s go,” Weldon says. “There’s a shadow large enough over there.” He points to the desk the Priesthood sat behind.

“We’ll never make it!” Gavin says with disbelief.

“I can hold the shield long enough if we run,” I say, fighting against the fatigue setting in.

Weldon’s gaze wavers, as if he knows I’m on the edge.

“We have to try,” Jaxen says.

“Damn it,” Weldon says under his breath. “Let’s go.”

He makes a run for the desk, followed by Gavin, Cassie, Jezi, Jaxen, and me. I focus on Jaxen’s feet until he pushes me forward. Jezi’s hand latches on mine, and I take Jaxen’s. The minute my foot steps in the shadow, my magic disintegrates. A gunshot goes off as time shifts around us, moving us deep into the shadow.

The last thing I hear is Clara’s murderous scream as warm, sticky blood coats me.

“
W
E MADE IT,” GAVIN BREATHE
S
out, toppling over from dizziness. “We freaking made it.”

A crow caws in the distance and swoops overhead, welcoming us to the enchanted grounds of the Manor. Fate lingers nearby, whispering in my ear that it’s not over yet. That it’s only just begun.

Gavin’s crazed laughter fills the chilled night air with puffs of white as he pulls Cassie down on top of him and kisses her desperately. Weldon grabs Jezi by the waist, pulls her against him, and plants his lips on hers. She matches his kiss as Gavin and Cassie’s laughter grows louder and louder.