Chapter 17

Dahlia

The afternoon light filtered through the verdant foliage, casting a soft glow over our group gathered in the tranquil yard I could not believe that Pathiel was standing there with us. His presence was alarming and confounding.

"How did this happen?" I asked.

"I have no idea," he replied as his frantic gaze went from me to Dre and over the rest of us. "Was I too close to the gateway?" His voice wasn't nearly as calm as it had been when we were in Luminaria.

I was distracted from responding when his majestic wings caught the sunlight. The radiant reflection of them on the ground was just as unreal as looking at them. Mundies would freak out the second they laid eyes on him.

Dani's voice startled me out of my thoughts when she said, "It"s impossible to say without knowing more about how your gateway works. This is the first one we've ever encountered. We've traveled through portals, but nothing like what you have."

Dre's brow furrowed. "I imagine the spells running it are unpredictable like anything else. That would explain why they'd been dormant for so long, as well."

Pathiel nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed, the nature of magic is elusive. I was not within the expected vicinity for the gateway"s pull, but perhaps fate had other plans."

Kota snorted and rolled her eyes. "Fate again, huh? Seems like everything is written in the stars these days."

Phi's gaze moved from our surroundings to the angel. "Maybe it was meant to be. We could sure use your help."

Dea offered a theory. "Perhaps the magic sensed a strong connection between us and pulled Pathiel through with us. There are forces at play beyond our understanding. I agree that this feels... destined."

As Pathiel listened to our theories, his smile turned serene. "I have always believed the threads of fate weave intricate patterns that involve the plans for our lives. A part of me knew the second we met that I was meant to aid you in your journey. Of course, I had no idea it would involve interdimensional travel."

I wanted to believe him but had a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea. Dre didn't have the same problem as she took charge and moved the conversation forward, "Fate or not, we need to figure out a way to get you back to Luminaria before you"re spotted here. Supernaturals live in hiding on Earth. If mundies see you, shit will hit the fan and life will become dangerous for us all."

Pathiel "s brow furrowed with confusion as he held Dre's gaze. "I have no idea what you said, but if you live in hiding, I understand the need to have me gone. My wings are rather obvious. And while I would have liked to explore why I was brought here more, I should get back swiftly. As the leader, I ensure the Dark Radiants remain under control."

"How do we get you back?" Kota asked. "The way we came is closed," she gestured to the scar above our heads.

Pathiel cocked his head to the side and assessed the situation for several silent seconds before he said, "We will need to build a structure to house the gateway to return me. I know the herbs and crystals needed. And I have studied the archway in Luminaria in detail and know the sigils to engrave on the surface."

I sucked in a breath and gaped at the angel. "Umm, trying to build a gateway here in the park wouldn"t be wise. We"d attract too much attention from mundies. Not to mention that you would not be able to use it in the future. It would not be safe for any involved."

Kota nodded in agreement, her eyes scanning the terrain thoughtfully. "It would draw unwanted attention and would more than likely be torn down anyway. Building it at Willowberry would be the safest place. We have enough property that we could hide it, and it would allow you to visit freely in the future."

"That's what I was think..." Dre's reply trailed off as a sudden noise shattered the tranquil air.

We all turned in unison, our senses on high alert, trying to discern the source of the disturbance. I swear the backyard seemed to hold its breath at that moment. The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. Each of us stood poised, ready to react.

Dre"s hands clenched into fists as her eyes scanned the perimeter. "Did anyone else hear that?"

Kota pursed her lips and said, "Yeah. Something"s not right. The yard has felt off since we returned but I can't put my finger on it."

Dea nodded in agreement. "You're right. I sense a disturbance. I can"t tell if it's the spirits Agnes has roped into serving her or not."

Phi"s sharp focus took in everything. "Could Dark Radiants have come through?"

Pathiel shook his head. "I highly doubt that. There were none present when we conducted the ritual. I did not detect any in close proximity to the gateway."

My senses were on high alert. "We should assess the situation before we"re caught off guard and attacked."

Pathiel"s pale eyes snapped in my direction. "Does that happen often here?"

We all snorted in response, and Kota said, "That"s a typical day in the life of the Six Twisted Sisters. Killing demons, stopping chaos, and saving our city is a typical Wednesday afternoon for us."

My sisters and I laughed in response while Pathiel's expression became uncertain. "Is that why the air feels charged?"

"There"s not always this sense of foreboding hanging over everything like a shroud. It's usually not discernable," I explained.

Dre gestured to the left. "We should check this out before we head back to Willowberry. We can't leave whatever chaos has been unleashed for mundies to encounter." She started leading the way with purposeful steps. Not very long later, she suddenly raised a hand, signaling for us to halt. Her gaze swept over our surroundings, her brow furrowing in concentration.

"We need to tread quietly," Dre whispered, her voice barely audible. "Someone is close. Let"s mask our approach so we can take them by surprise."

Dea and Phi"s powers were already bubbling up, and they cast a silencing enchantment before the rest of us could help. The magic flowed around us and I was shocked to note that it was imbued with a newfound strength and resonance. What the hell was that about?

"Your magic feels... different," I remarked to my sisters.

Pathiel looked over with a smile. "I can feel the energies of Luminaria intertwined with their magic. It seems it has left a mark on you."

"Is it permanent?" Kota blurted at the same time Dre asked, "What does it mean for us? How has it changed us?"

"I cannot say for certain," Pathiel replied with a frown. "It could be temporary, but it's as likely it is permanent. This is the first time I have experienced this. But it will not harm you. The energy inside you is of the light."

Before we could delve deeper into its effects on us and our journey, Dre redirected our focus. "That is something we can delve into another time. Right now we need to keep moving," Dre urged, her eyes fixed ahead. "We need to discover what"s causing this disturbance."

As we continued our silent advance, the once-vibrant greenery of the park now appeared withered and desolate. It seemed like some unseen force was draining it. The very essence of the surroundings seemed to pulse with dark energy. It made me shudder. I had to fight back nausea as the oily feel of it coated me like a smelly, weighted blanket trying to suffocate me.

We froze when we saw the cursed wishing well in the distance. Nudging Dea with my shoulder, I gestured to the sight before us. "We really need to cordon off this section." There was a group of mundies gathered around it, chatting obliviously. They were unaware of the malevolent influence surrounding them.

Dre"s jaw clenched and a vein throbbed in her forehead. "We have to intervene and stop them from making a wish that will go bad. Does anyone have any ideas?"

Pathiel"s gaze was somber as he assessed the situation. "I do not know what is going on here. But I can see how that well is drawing in energy, affecting everything around it, including those individuals. I assume you want to stop this malevolence."

"Yes. A witch cursed this well," Kota said as she shifted her stance, poised for action while explaining what we were trying to stop.

Pathiel's wings shifted restlessly. "It would be easiest to disrupt the well"s influence while avoiding detection."

Dre gave him a droll look. "Good idea. Let"s move closer to get a better idea of what is happening. We don't want to cast any spells that will fuel Agnes's power."

With that shared understanding, we moved closer. The air was thick with tension and anticipation. Each step brought us nearer to the source of the disturbance. The park was cloaked in a somber atmosphere. The mundies" voices mingled with the gentle rustle of leaves overhead. Shadows danced around us, elongating as the sun dipped lower on the horizon. As we approached the well, the mundies" conversation grew more intense. They stood in a tight cluster, their faces etched with sorrow and fear.

"You shouldn"t have made another wish. It"s madness," one of the mundies exclaimed, his voice heavy with regret.

"I told you, Martha! Our daughter already made those wishes, and look what happened. We should be at the hospital," another responded, his tone laced with anguish.

Their words hung there like a bomb going off in my head. They were a reminder of the perilous consequences that accompanied making a wish at this particular well. Dre and I shared a look and were about to approach the mundies when Dea grabbed my arm.

She pointed to something near the well. "It's Agnes. She's there and her spirit is pulsing with a strange, sinister light. She"s also drawing something from the mundies," she observed quietly. "She's pulling a blue light from them."

"We have to do stop her," Dre said and then stepped forward with determination. "It"s not safe for you to linger here. You should leave," she told the mundies.

Their fear was evident as they turned to look at Dre. It eased a second later when I felt Dea's empathic abilities rolling out of her. She was calming them down. I held Pathiel's arm and stood on my tiptoe to whisper, "You can't let them see you. Your wings will cause an uproar."

He nodded in response, and we watched as the mundies hesitated as they'd been startled by Dre"s sudden approach. Dea's soothing energy allowed Dre to clasp the hand of the woman and tug her away. Knowing Dre, she was using her healing powers. My suspicion was confirmed when she touched each person on the arm as she guided them away and told them to head right to the hospital.

The mundies exchanged wary glances before nodding reluctantly, their gratitude mixed with trepidation. With a last glance towards the well, they retreated, disappearing into the park"s deepening shadows. It wasn't until then that the rest of us came out of the shadows.

I leaped into action when Dre staggered and collapsed to the ground. Her usual strong demeanor faltered entirely. Her complexion paled against the gathering shadows and her movements became sluggish.

"Dre, are you okay?" I asked, my voice tinged with worry as I dropped down next to her.

Dea and Phi joined me at Dre"s side, their expressions mirroring my concern. Together, we helped Dre up. "Dre, we need to get you away from here," Dea urged, her eyes fixed on something by the well. I'd bet my share in Willowberry she was watching Agnes"s spectral form. Kota and Dani joined us, their gazes trained on Dre"s weakening state. I processed what spells I could do as we linked arms around Dre and attempted to pull her away from the well and Agnes"s sinister grasp.

"Dre, come on," Dani encouraged, her voice filled with urgency.

"I'm trying," Dre mumbled.

Kota added her strength to our efforts, her eyes narrowed with resolve. "We"ve got you. We aren"t going to let her have you."

Despite our combined efforts, Dre"s struggle against Agnes"s influence was evident. The dark magic seemed to cling to her, resisting our attempts to break its hold. Phi gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with determination. "You can"t have her, witch."

As we continued to pull Dre away from the well, the atmosphere crackled with an unsettling energy. Agnes"s presence loomed over us like a dark cloud, her influence casting a palpable shadow over our group. With every step, we felt the drain of our energy. It fueled the urgency of freeing Dre from Agnes"s grasp. As we moved, I was hit with a sense of dread. I noticed it shortly after we arrived back home. But with so much of my focus on Dre, I could feel how dire things had gotten. How had things changed so drastically in less than a day? We hadn't been gone that long. Had we?

Despite our concerted efforts, Dre remained trapped in the spectral grip, her condition worsening by the moment. Pathiel"s voice was reassuring as he said, "You are making progress. You can't stop trying to disrupt the ghost"s hold on her. She is using Dreya to become stronger."

His guidance spurred us into immediate action. I focused my energy, summoning a gust of wind aimed directly at Agnes. The air swirled around her with unexpected force. "You caught her off balance momentarily," Dea told me with a smile.

Score one for being changed by Luminaria. I couldn't have done that before. We seized the opportunity, redoubling our efforts to pull Dre away from the cursed well. With each tug, we gained precious ground, retreating beyond Agnes"s immediate reach.

Pathiel approached us and helped move her the rest of the way. "You must act quickly," he urged us. "Use one of your containment spells to keep her influence at bay. Like you did with the Dark Radiants."

Dre shook her head and leaned against Kota. "Why didn"t we think of this sooner?" Her voice was tinged with frustration.

"None of that matters now," Kota told her. "Are you okay?"

Dre straightened and took a deep breath. "My energy is coming back to me. Let's contain this bitch."

"We need to form a barrier," Phi suggested, her voice tinged with urgency. "Something strong enough to withstand her influence."

Kota smiled wickedly. "Bullet proof glass should keep her put."

Dea"s eyes glowed with eagerness as she added, "That's the perfect starting point. We need to make it magic-proof, too, so she can't hurt anyone else."

"And Dea needs to make it spirit-proof so she can't escape. It will be easy to deal with her after we unravel her curse," I said as I gathered my power and solidified my intent.

Together, we began weaving our magic. Each of us contributed our unique abilities to the spell. The air shimmered with faint traces of light as we concentrated, forming a barrier that surrounded Agnes.

As the spell took shape, the park seemed to shift around us, responding to our combined efforts. It was as if the plants wanted this as badly as we did. In no time, the containment ward was solidified. It was an invisible barrier that pulsed with our magical energy.

"Thank the gods," I exclaimed with relief.

Dre managed a weak smile, her strength slowly returning. "One step down. A dozen more to go."

Kota rolled her eyes at Dre. "What's with the negative bullshit? There's always a to-do list a mile long. We accomplished something huge here," she said and then threw a thumb over her shoulder. "And pissed her off."

Dea chuckled. "She's banging against the shield. Oooh, she's really mad now. She turned red and grew to fill our entire bubble." I could feel Agnes's spectral form pulsing angrily.

"We can"t linger," Dani"s voice was urgent, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of unwanted attention. "We need to get Pathiel home and end this curse. We contained her at her well. Being near her place of power gives her an extra boost. She will likely get free soon."

Dre cursed and said, "You're right. There's no way to cut her off entirely."

My mind raced as I surveyed the dimly lit park, shadows dancing eerily around us. "We can"t just stroll through town with Pathiel looking like this," I remarked, eyeing the angel's wings.

"We need a glamour," Dre suggested, her expression thoughtful. "Something to conceal his true nature until we can get back to Willowberry."

Phi nodded in agreement. "We can pool our magic to make him look like a regular guy walking down the street."

Dea clapped her hands together. "What are we waiting for? Let's do this."

Kota looked to the angel. "Are you okay with us disguising you?"

Pathiel's fear was evident on his face. "Will this hurt me? Or be a permanent change?"

Dre shook her head and placed a gentle hand on the angel's arm. "It will not hurt at all. And it will only last a few hours unless we cast another spell."

Pathiel exhaled and smiled. "Alright, then put a glamour on me."

"That"s a relief. None of us want to barter with Kaveh and owe a djinn to get you back to the plantation," Kota replied. She wasn't wrong about that.

Together, we focused our energies, weaving a complex illusion around Pathiel. As we channeled our magic, the air shimmered with faint traces of light. It obscured his angelic features beneath a veil of deception.

"Is it enough?" I asked, my gaze fixed on Pathiel.

Phi walked all the way around him. "It hides his wings and most of his luminescence. No one will know he glows."

We all nodded and then set off with purpose. The closer we got to the edge of the park, the more evident it became that something in the city was off. "We need to reach Willowberry," I said. "I can text Lucas and have him gather items to create the gateway so we can work fast. We need to get back out here and stop Agnes."

Kota ran her hands up and down her arms. "Yeah. Something doesn't feel right."

Dani nodded in agreement as she stepped onto the sidewalk. "Once Pathiel is safe, we"ll figure out how to break the curse on the well."

I glanced at Pathiel, reassured by the disguised angel"s calm demeanor. "Stay close, and don't move too fast. The glamour might slip if you do," I advised. I knew enough about glamours to be dangerous but not enough to know all of their limits.