Chapter 87
Chapter 86
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. A gasp left my mouth only to be covered by my hand. I was now, more than ever, so very
thankful for two things. One, Dexter, was dead, thankfully. Two, the alternate reality I was sent to. Without it, we never would
have come across this. I went to take a step into the large underground steel box when Everest stopped me.
"Avalynn, this may be a trap. Don't." He urged me and I paused.
"Then why was I led here then?" I countered him, he couldn't answer me.
"I am with Avalynn, she was sent here for a reason," Brent told Everest.
Everest let out a sigh and allowed me to go inside first. The smell was overwhelming, but I could understand, especially with the
conditions that were being forced here. I was angry and sad at the same time. My emotions were swirling together like a
dangerous vortex, destroying everything in it's path.
A voice that was so very soft, barely audible even came from the darkness below as I was stepping down the steps, "I told you
she would come for us. It was just a matter of time."
I looked around the room as my eyes adjusted quickly and what I saw was so very disturbing. Hands were chained together, the
chains were linked to the wall. Clanking sounds and grunts were heard as the people were standing, probably the first time in a
while. Who knows how long these people have been down here?
"Hello." I said cautiously and a woman, whose face was extremely dirty, offered a surprisingly warm smile.
"Hello, are you Avalynn?" She asked, sounding hopeful.
"I am. Who are you?" I asked her.
"I am Melissa, one of the good witches from the council." She stated. "I am so very happy that you have found us, I knew the
spell I placed on those documents would do the trick. Is it what led you here today?" She glanced behind me and smiled at them.
"Wait what? Well yes, it sent me into an alternate dimension or timeline, I don't know, but the world was different. Hold on, let's
set you free." I motioned for the others to come and help.
"You will need to use magic to free us. A powerful spell that lies in one of the many books inside Dexter's safehouse." These
cuffs are spell binding and they block our magic and our ability to use magic to free ourselves. The entire place may be spell
blocked as well, but the book I left in the bookcase has a protectant spell. The protectant spell on it allows whoever is holding the
book to do the spell, but a hand must be left on it to work." She told us.
"What does the book look like?" I asked her.
"It is a navy book with swirls of silver on the spine. There is no name on the cover of it anywhere. You will know when you see it."
She smiled. "Go ahead and go find it, we are not going anywhere. Oh, but if you don't mind, leave the steel hatch open, the fresh
air is nice." She instructed us and we all left.
"Dexter has an entire library and then there is a bookcase in almost every single room. We do need to be quick. I am sure the
council has been notified already of everything that is going on and the death of Dexter." Brent told us all.
When we reached the house, we walked inside and began our search. Who would have ever thought that looking for a book as
simple as this one would end up being so difficult? We looked and searched every bookcase twice and sadly could never find the
book. We were all sitting now in the library looking around at all the books.
"It has to be in here. He must have found out what the book was or could have done and hid it in there." Everest motioned to the
walls and walls of books."
"Maybe so. Maybe he could have ripped the pages out of a bigger book and hit it inside of it? If we check the entire library and
come up short-handed, we will have to open every single book to make sure there is not a book inside of it hidden." Miranda
sighed.
"This is frustrating. Dexter was too smart for his own good. I wonder how he knew this book was magic?" I asked the entire
group, hoping someone could shed a little bit of light, maybe get Brent to think about how his brother acted. It seemed to work as
it looked as if a lightbulb went off in his head.
"He was very particular, even when we were kids. Everything had a place, a special spot I guess? Anyway, if anything was
moved from its designated spot, he would know almost instantly. He used to throw small tantrums when we were kids and my
other brother and myself would mess with some of his things as a joke. If he noticed something was different he would have
either found it a new home, probably here in the library." He paused as he looked around the room, thinking for a moment. His
hand went to his mouth, his thumb resting under his chin, lost in his thoughts.
We all sat there patiently waiting for him to continue. I ended up crossing my legs and leaning back on my hands. When he
spoke again he had a smile. "I know where it is. I am sure it is in the same place where he used to hide things when we were
kids."
He left the room and went upstairs to his brother's bedroom. We all stood following closely behind Brent as he made his way into
the room. When he lifted the mattress with ease, it toppled over to the other side, knocking a lamp and a crystal vase full of fake
flowers off the table with a crash. "Look, here we go." He pointed to a small patch that appeared to have been sowed up recently.
His claws elongated as he ripped open the box spring. Sitting there was the book that the witch had told us about. Navy with
silver swirls and trim throughout the cover,
"Huh, that's odd. Everest, take a look at it. I don't really know what to make of it." Brent commented, flipping through the pages.
"What is it?" Everest asked.
"Have a look for yourself." Brent passed the book over to Everest.
"Well, hell! That is odd. It''s blank!" I watched as Everest was also flipping from one page to the next.
"Really?" Miranda and myself both said at the same time.
"Here, let me see." I asked as I stepped up to get a closer look.
When I looked at the book I was confused. I looked up at Everest as my brows furrowed. When I was looking at the book, as
Everest was flipping from page to page, it was not blank. In fact, every single page was filled with hand written spells and
different types of magical potions, among other things.
"Seriously? It is full of stuff!" I exclaimed.
"Can I see?" Miranda asked.
Everest passed the book over to her. I watched her open it and when her eyes lit up with excitement I could tell that she could
see everything I could. "This is fascinating! This has old world magic in it!"
"I know!" I told her and we huddled closely together, leaving the guys looking back and forth at one another strangely.
"Are you guys kidding?" Brent asked.
"Clearly they're playing a prank on us!" Everest laughed.
"No, we are not playing a prank on you two," I said.
"Nor are we kidding. This book is loaded with knowledge and information about spells and potions, from love to death to even
healing people." Miranda commented.
"Hmm, you guys can't see it at all? It''s filled to the brim with words and photos." I asked them both and they both just shook their
heads no.
"I bet it is protected against people who do not possess magic." Miranda told all of us.
"That makes sense and I bet it left your brother confused and that is why he hid it. I would be willing to bet he was saving it there
until he could either find someone to read it for him and tell him what the book was or he was going to return it to the council." I
said to everyone.
"We should go let them all out." Miranda said, and I nodded in agreement.
We all left and made our way back to the steel pit in the ground. When we were approaching, I looked over at Miranda, who was
holding the book tightly in her arms.
"Hey, would you mind helping me? I think two would be better than one." I told her and she nodded her head. I turned to the
men, "And I think it would be best if you stayed out here, you know, kind of like a look out or guards." They both wore a frown but
neither argued with either one of us to stay. I kissed Everest on the mouth before dropping back down into the steel pit.
Melissa was standing there and looked relieved when we had returned. "What took you guys so long?"
"Well, Dexter found it and ended up hiding it." I told her.
She laughed "I wish I could have been a witness when he opened the book and it was blank for him."
"Me too, me too." I agreed as Miranda laughed behind me.
I opened the book, holding onto the left side with one hand as Miranda held the right side of the book with one of her hands. I
watched as her free hand waved over the book, it flipping to the spell we desired.
"Oh nice!" I told her and she smiled.
"Okay, you going to both do it then?" Melissa asked and I nodded my head.
"Yes, she is a strong witch. I figured it would be best if we both did it together." I told Melissa honestly.
"Excellent. Speak your words clear and strong." She stepped away as her and others backed away from us.
We spoke the words from the book, tongue-tied rhymes, leading us to what we were seeking. When the chains clinked and
dropped to the ground, shouting was heard throughout the room.
"You were right Melissa, the prophecy you told everyone that day at the gathering does include them both. They are the ones!" A
young girl with chestnut brown hair spoke. "Thank you both so very much."
When we handed Melissa the book she shook her head at us. "I know all of the spells in that book already. Besides, Avalynn,
this book belonged to your mother." She smiled at me as she handed the book back to me. "I believe it has found its rightful
owner again. Feel free to make copies so you can both share." She told us both.
We helped them all out of the steel pit and escorted the twenty of them back to Dexter's house. They all took turns getting clean
as we prepared dinner for everyone. We wanted to know more about why Melissa, one of the head members of the Witches
Council, along with the others who were imprisoned down below. For now, though, we would allow them the time that they would
need to get their strength back and recuperate. People were scattered throughout the house, chatting with one another. We were
told thank you so many times, multiple times by the same people even, that I have lost count now. From what I can tell, everyone
here, with the exception of Everest and Brent, was a witch. When I went into their minds, I saw how powerful some truly were. If
they bounded together against who did this to them, we would be a force to be reckoned with. I was hopeful that they would
choose to fight with us. We need all the help we can get.
When I sat next to Everest, he linked me. "You feel safe with them?"
"Yes, do you?" I asked him.
"I don't really know how I feel. Should we put all of our faith in Melissa?" He questioned.
"I don't think we should." I looked around the room.
"I think she needs to prove herself more to us." He told me.
"I agree. Dinner is great, by the way." I smiled at him. He opened his arms up and I leaned into his body, letting him hold me.
Tomorrow will tell us more. I could wait until then.