Page 94 of Hallows End
“Cast the circle,” Xander says as Lorelei and Lucy immediately begin to pour salt around Giles and Breena, and Xander starts chanting an old, simple spell that I remember hearing when I was a child.
I join him, remembering the words.
Evil be gone, washed clean away, leave this witch free of affliction today.
Over and over again, we repeat the spell, until Breena coughs, gasps, and then falls limp in Giles’s grip.
She’s sweaty but breathing and conscious.
“What in the world?” she asks as she looks up at Giles.
“You had an intruder,” he informs her. “But it’s been evicted.”
“I feel so cold.” She burrows against him. “Will you please take me home? I want to get under the covers and warm up.”
“I have a guest room here,” Xander says, but she shakes her head.
“I really want my own house,” she insists. “With my things. I’ll feel better.”
“I’ll take her,” Giles says. “And I’ll stay with her.”
“We will all come to you,” Xander decides. “I don’t want anyone alone tonight. We’re safer in numbers, and if this son of a bitch comes back, I want all of us together to fight it.”
“You know,” I say, remembering the wand that Louisa gave me earlier. “I was given a wand that once belonged to a very powerful witch. It may just help us in this fight. I left it in Hallows End, but it won’t take long for me to go and get it.”
“I think we need all the help we can get.” Giles helps Breena to her feet. “I’ll go get her settled and see you all there soon.”
“Lorelei, I’d like to get some things from the shop,” Lucy says. “Will you come with me?”
“I’ll take you both,” Xander replies and simply raises his brow at Lorelei when she starts to decline. “We can swing by your place, as well, and then go to Breena’s for the night.”
“I like the idea of the three of you together,” I say, agreeing with Xander. I pull Lucy to me and kiss her, hard and fast. “I won’t be long.”
“Just be careful.” She clings to me. “And quick. Because I’m freaked out.”
“I’ll hurry,” I assure her.
I ride with the others as far as Lucy’s house and then, after agreeing to see them at Breena’s shortly, I hurry to the bridge and cross into Hallows End.
It’s not quiet in the village tonight as everyone celebrates Samhain—as they always do, every month without fail.
I hurry to my cabin and find the wand right where I left it earlier today, then turn to return to Salem.
But when I arrive at the foot of the bridge, I hit a wall.
I can’t move forward.
I can’t cross back into the modern day, back to Lucy.
I narrow my eyes and reach out with just my hand, but it’s like touching ice-cold glass.
“Is everything well, Jonas?”
I turn to see Alistair standing not far behind me, a congenial smile on his weathered face.
“Yes, thank you. I was just thinking of a walk on this fine evening.”
“Yes, ‘tis a fine evening indeed. Enjoy it.”