Chapter 2

Danielle

Dre turned into the lot for Willowberry Plantation. It was our sanctuary nestled in the embrace of ancient oaks. It had felt like home from the first time I'd seen it. The familiar symphony of rustling leaves and the heady aroma of Louisiana humidity greeted me as we got out of the car.

My vision for the life we'd live after buying this place was nothing like reality. I'd pictured us coming home each day carrying fresh flowers and ribbons. Not the weight of a new supernatural case. As usual, this mission was woven with threads of history and curses.

Cami opened the door when we returned, and we trudged down the hall to the Ladies Parlor that served as our mystical war room. The crackling fire was a nice surprise to walk into. Not only did it warm us, it illuminated the space making it cozier than the formal decor. The scent of burning wood mingled with the faint aroma of spices from the dinner simmering in the kitchen. It completed the comforting atmosphere that contrasted with the seriousness of what we needed to discuss.

"So, what could possibly be causing supernaturals to act out and risk exposure to mundies in Lia's vision?" I asked, breaking the heavy silence. "You think it's just the well?"

"I didn't see a connection in the vision. I just got a sense of chaos," Lia said as she leaned forward, her brow furrowed in thought. "One possibility is a disruption in the natural flow of magic. You know, like when the ley lines get all twisted and tangled?"

Dre nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that could definitely mess with shit. Imagine trying to cast spells when the magic"s all wonky. And if you're a being who relies on that power to survive, things would be even worse."

Dea, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, chimed in. "Or perhaps it"s a rebellion against the supernatural hierarchy. Specifically those in power. We already know they"re tired of being told what to do and how to do it. I bet they're done hiding in the shadows and want to assert their dominance."

Kota grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her chest as she leaned back on the sofa. "Or maybe they"re just bored out of their minds. After all, eternity is a long time to be stuck in a rut."

Phi's fingers were flying over the screen of her tablet. She was the one of us that kept us organized and on track. I bet she was taking notes so we didn't forget any good ideas we might come up with. "Those are interesting theories, but I'm not sure we've hit the one at play. What other factors could be involved?"

Lia smirked mischievously. "How about a magical contagion? Like a supernatural plague that"s spreading like wildfire?"

I couldn"t help but roll my eyes. "Oh, sure, because that sounds perfectly reasonable for creatures that aren't susceptible to illnesses."

"Actually, it"s not entirely out of the realm of possibility," Phi interjected as she worked through the ideas. "I've done a little research and discovered magical diseases do exist, albeit they're rare. We"ll need to investigate further."

As the conversation unfolded, we delved deeper into each potential cause, dissecting the implications and brainstorming strategies for gathering more information. Cami cleared her throat and said, "I'm not sure we should remain focused on the vision. The well is a real thing. Granted, I have no idea precisely where it is, but it poses a serious risk if it has been unearthed by that magical storm."

Dre nodded in agreement, her eyes alight with curiosity. "Absolutely. We need to understand what happened with it and where. It's the only way we will be able to locate it."

"And what happened with the wishes being twisted again?" Lia added.

"Things with it took a dark turn," Cami continued, her expression growing somber. "Whispers began to circulate about malevolent wishes and twisted desires."

Phi leaned forward, her eyes wide with intrigue. "What do you mean by that?"

Cami paused, searching for the right words. "It"s difficult to explain," she said finally. "From the stories going around, the well seemed to have been tainted by darkness and it was twisting the desires of those who approached it."

A chill ran down my spine as Cami"s words sunk in. The thought of such evil lurking in our midst was unsettling, to say the least.

Dea chimed in with a question of her own. "You never said what happened to the witch responsible after she was bound to the well. Did she die in it?"

Cami hesitated, her brow furrowing in thought. "Legend says that after cursing the coven, Agnes Cornwall jumped inside and was never seen again. All I can say for sure is that her curse lingered, causing problems for anyone involved."

Dre raised an important point. "What are we supposed to do once we find it? Remove the curse? Destroy it? How can we be sure anything we do doesn't backfire on us?"

Cami shrugged, her expression troubled. "That"s the million-dollar question," she said. "Perhaps there"s more to the story that we haven"t uncovered yet." The way Cami"s eyes lit up, and her gasp before jumping out of her chair I'd say an idea dawned on her. She raced up the stairs, returning with a dusty trunk in tow a few seconds later.

"I think I might have something that could help," she exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.

With bated breath, we watched as Cami opened the trunk. She revealed a treasure trove of old journals and artifacts. It was as if we were peering into the past, on the brink of uncovering secrets that had long been forgotten.

"These belonged to my mother," Cami explained in a rush of words. "Maybe there"s something in here that can shed light on the situation." As she began to sift through the journals, the room fell silent. The only sound was the rustling of paper for several long seconds before Cami gasped and a smile curved her lips.

Using the telekinetic trick she'd been practicing, Dre flicked her fingers, and a worn book sailed out of an armoire in the room and unfolded before us. "Do you have a location in the park for us?"

Phi, our seer with an affinity for ancient symbols, leaned forward, tracing images on one of the pages. "These symbols," she murmured, "are connected to the curse. She was out for blood when she did this. Does it say where she saw them?"

Cami shook her head. "It says inside the well, but that doesn't even make sense."

Lia shrugged a shoulder. "They could be on the top portion of the inside. Or, perhaps your mom went down it for some reason. You could ask her if you want to know. The question is how we find the well. Too bad this witch's ghost wasn't still hanging around to ask."

Dea was an empath whose powers danced with the souls of the departed. "If we come up empty, I can try to summon her and talk to her."

"I say we don"t call on Agnes Cornwall. She's an evil witch. I can ask my mother what she knows," Cami said with a deep breath.

"That would definitely be preferable," Dre said.

Cami closed her eyes and the room fell silent. The only sound was the soft rustle of fabric as we waited with bated breath. "Mama," Cami"s voice quivered slightly, "I need your help. We need information on where the cursed well is?"

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, a soft whisper seemed to fill the room and the image of Mary Alice appeared in the room next to Cami. The ghost wore her old-fashioned dress and was smiling at her daughter. "That's the first time you've called me that." The emotion in the ghost's voice was evident.

Cami dropped her gaze and said, "It seems right to call you that now that you've been a mother figure to me. Can you help us find the well?"

Mary Alice's smile fell off her face. "It's a dangerous object. You don't want to go near it. And you cannot ever make a wish there. It is not safe."

"Please," I said. "It seems as if it is causing problems for mundies in the area and we need to neutralize it."

Mary Alice turned her gaze from me to Cami who nodded and said, "I will not go near it, and they are only going to do so in order to remove the curse."

Mary Alice sighed and dipped her head once. "It"s called Agnoria"s Abyss," her voice wavered as she relayed the message. "And it"s in City Park."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise at the name. Agnoria"s Abyss—it sounded ominous, to say the least. But there was no time to dwell on the implications. We had a location. We thanked Mary Alice and grabbed our purses. Dre took Lia's keys, saying she would drive again.

As we stepped out of the Ladies' Parlor at Willowberry, I felt a sense of trepidation settle over me like a heavy cloak. The dim glow of the antique lamps cast long shadows across the cobblestone path. The cool night air was filled with the faint scent of lavender and old magic.

"Are we sure about this?" Dea"s voice cut through the silence, her brow furrowed with concern. "Visiting Agnoria"s Abyss in the dead of night is not exactly what I"d call a relaxing evening out."

Lia rolled her eyes, brushing off Dea"s worry with a wave of her hand. "Relax, Dea. What"s the worst that could happen? We"ll go and remove an ancient curse. Or perhaps we will destroy the well itself and reduce it to rubble. Sounds like a blast, right?"

Dre shot Lia a skeptical look as we walked to the car. "Something about this whole situation gives me the heebie-jeebies."

Phi, always the voice of reason, chimed in from beside me. "Perhaps we should approach this with caution. Agnoria"s Abyss has a reputation for being... unpredictable and malevolent."

I flashed them a reassuring smile. "We have to do this sometime. No one else if going to tackle this, and we can't let mundies continue to be tormented like those tourists. We just need to buck up. We"ve faced worse than a spooky old well. Besides, if things get hairy, we can always make a quick exit. No harm, no foul."

Kota nodded in agreement, her expression stoic as she climbed into the passenger seat. "Let"s not dawdle. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can return to the comfort of Willowberry and some home-cooked food. It smelled like Cami was making her chicken and rice."

With a collective sigh, we piled into the car and set off into the night, the winding road leading us ever closer to Agnoria"s Abyss. As the headlights cut through the darkness, I got the feeling that our evening was about to take a turn for the bizarre. Then again, when dealing with ancient curses and restless spirits, what else should we expect?

The parking lot was dark and empty. Walking through the park was eerie as hell. "How do we find a well in over thirteen hundred acres?" I asked as we started out.

Lia froze and started laughing. "I never stopped to think about it. Maybe we can do a scrying spell."

Dre shook her head. "We don't have a bowl or any scrying water. Let's do a spell to reveal the path to Agnoria's Abyss." She extended her hand to Kota and me.

Figuring that was our best bet, I grabbed it and then Lia's. Within a second, we were all holding hands. Fixing the desire for the location in my mind, I chanted with my sisters. My magic warmed my middle and spread out of me. When it connected with my sisters, it flashed teal and burst out like a fire work.

Dre smiled when it condensed into a line leading through the trees. "At least it's not the yellow brick trail," she joked as we started following it.

"I'd rather face the wizard than a cursed well," I replied as we walked.

That prompted the rest to say what they would rather be doing at that moment. The ridiculousness helped lighten the mood. To our surprise, it wasn't all that hard to find the cursed well. Our steps slowed as we approached.

Gathered around Agnoria"s Abyss, we were enveloped in an eerie silence broken only by the faint rustle of leaves overhead. An otherworldly chill sent shivers down my spine as we faced the ancient well that was the source of so much negative energy. I had to block that out so I could get a good look at the thing.

As expected, the stone walls were weathered and worn with age. They were draped in a cloak of moss and ivy that didn't diminish the thing's ominous presence. The old well was a forgotten relic of the past. And it seemed as if it was nestled in the heart of the forest when it wasn't too deep in City Park.

At its center, a dark abyss beckoned. It swallowed the feeble light that dared to penetrate its depths. Jagged edges framed the opening, worn smooth by the touch of countless hands over the years but still ready to close on anyone who got too close. Or perhaps that was just my imagination running away from me.

Above it, a rusted iron pulley hung precariously from a rotting wooden beam. I could picture what it looked like in its former glory days. It would squeak gently when the bucket was lowered to quench the thirst of the surrounding community. Now, it groaned with every gust of wind in a mournful echo of its former usefulness.

Around the base, gnarled roots twisted and snaked like grasping fingers. It added to the eerie ambiance that enveloped the clearing. It was as if the magical storm enchanted those roots, and they brought the well from the depths of the earth.

Despite its dilapidated state, there was an undeniable aura of power emanating from the well. I'd swear there was a tangible presence that prickled the skin and sent shivers down the spine. It stood as a silent sentinel, guarding its secrets and true purpose. It didn't want anyone stopping it.

As the scientist of our group, Phi took charge of the investigation. Her keen eyes scanned our surroundings for any sign of lingering magic. With each step she took, the ground seemed to pulse beneath her feet as if the very earth itself was alive with hidden energies waiting to be unleashed. And none of them felt good.

"This place gives me the creeps," Dea muttered, her voice barely audible over the eerie silence that enveloped us. She clutched her arms tightly around herself as if seeking protection from the invisible forces that lurked within the shadows.

Phi"s expression was grave as she surveyed the well before them. "I wonder how it makes the mundies feel. If they're making wishes and activating the curse, they must feel a lure that we don't.

"We're magical mutts. It makes sense it doesn't hit us in the same way," Dre said as she stepped forward. Her gaze was fixed on the well"s depths as she continued. "What kind of curses are we dealing with here, Phi? Can you tell?"

Phi"s brow furrowed as she began to explain her findings. "The magical imprints suggest a complex web of curses. Not just one. And each spell is more potent than the one before. It"s as if the well itself is a conduit for dark energies, drawing upon the darkest desires of those who dare to approach."

Lia visibly shuddered and wrapped her arms around her chest as if she were warding off a chill. "Are you saying Agnes has been casting new curses over the years based on her spirit's encounters with people all this time?"

Phi cocked her head to the side and considered that. "My gut says yes, that's what is happening. However, it doesn't feel that simple."

I walked closer and had to brace myself against the nausea that stole my breath. "It feels sentient. Maybe she is down there," I whispered. If she was, I didn't want to piss her off. If she was alive hundreds of years later and still casting spells, we were in trouble.

Dre bumped my shoulder. "I'd say it's more likely the well is sentient."

Kota nodded and picked up Dre's thought. "And taking the evil it encounters and adding another layer to its curse."

Lia extended a hand. "If it's sentient, it doesn't give a shit about cursing people that aren't evil. It would be nice is it only made those that deserve it suffer."

Phi looked over at Lia with a furrowed brow. "It doesn't care who it curses, but it does seem sentient. And when I think about the history of the city, I have to wonder if the well had anything to do with the numerous accounts of strange occurrences in the French Quarter dating back centuries. As you know the tales of witches, curses, and supernatural phenomena abound in our fair city. It's what we're known for. I've always wondered how that happened. I used to think it was because of one of Marie Leveau's ancestors, but now I wonder."

Dre typed into her phone as Phi was talking. Dre looked up from her device with a smile. "You might be onto something, sestra. There are so many stories of strange shit happening around the time Agnes was alive. It can't be a coincidence. How cool would it be to end a curse that has afflicted pain on this city for hundreds of years?"

Lia's phone chimed with a text, and she pulled it out. "It's from Cami."

"What does she say?" Kota asked.

Lia's gaze remained on the screen as she read. "She continued asking her mom about Agnes. According to Mary Alice, Agnes was a master of dark magic, capable of weaving intricate spells with a mere flick of her wrist. It also seems as if Agnes had a penchant for manipulating the natural elements to suit her own twisted desires. There are accounts of floods, droughts, and other calamities that coincide with her presence in the area. Maybe she is a mixed breed like us. Most witches can't manipulate the elements like Fae."

Phi gasped, her eyes widening with realization. "If that's true, Agnes"s curse on the well might be part of a larger, intentional design on her part. Maybe she uses it to gain power."

That made all of us take a step away from the well. The night draped over us like a heavy cloak, the moon casting its pale light across the surroundings of Agnoria"s Abyss. There was a sense of foreboding like each breath we exhaled carried a whisper of the ancient curses it dished out. And more.

"Do you think the witch's spirit is still here? I mean it's unlikely that she's still here physically," I said the thought as it popped into my head.

"Umm yeah, possibly," Dea"s voice cut through the silence, trembling with an edge of fear. "There's more than one ghost. Do you hear them?"

I strained my ears, but all I could hear was the rustling of leaves in the wind. "What are you talking about, Dea?" I exchanged worried glances with the others.

Dre scanned the area with a furrowed brow. "It's probably just the wind making our overactive imaginations work overtime," she suggested, though her confidence seemed to waver. She couldn't waffle like that! She was the oldest and we relied on her to ease our fears.

Before we could say anything else, something started pushing me. It was pressure against my back. My head spun around and I shivered. There was no one there and none of my sisters were touching me. An invisible force was pushing against me. The frantic noises of my sisters told me the same thing was happening to them. It didn't take long to realize a ghost was urging us closer to the well.

I stumbled backward, my heart racing with a surge of panic. "What the hell is going on?" I exclaimed, my voice tinged with fear.

Dea"s eyes widened. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "It"s them. The spirits... they"re trying to push us into the well."