Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

The silence in the room was deafening as we waited for Lisa to return, each of us lost in our thoughts and fears. The only sound that pierced the stillness was Maggie's shallow, labored breathing, each ragged inhale and exhale a reminder of her fragile state. I watched helplessly as her face grew paler, the life seemingly draining from her body.

Garrick sat beside her, his head bowed and his eyes closed, his lips moving in a silent prayer. The words were too low for me to make out, but the desperation in his voice was unmistakable. He clung to Maggie's hand like a lifeline, his fingers intertwined with hers, his knuckles white.

I shifted uneasily, my heart pounding as the seconds ticked by with agonizing slowness. The air in the room felt heavy, weighed down by the collective worry and tension. I glanced at Justice, seeking reassurance, but found only a mirror of my concern etched on his face.

The creak of the door startled me, and I whirled, my breath catching in my throat as Lisa entered the room, her bag clutched in her hands. The determination in her eyes gave me a flicker of hope, but I still knew Maggie's life hung in the balance, and time was running out.

Sean came in with a steaming cup of water. "I have what you asked for, Lisa."

Damon lifted an eyebrow. "What is this, some kind of witch's tea party?"

Lisa shot him a sharp look as she took the cup. "If you want to help, stay quiet and let me work."

Staying quiet was never one of Damon's strengths. He glanced at Sean, who lingered in the doorway. "Sean, why don't you grab some crumpets while you're at it? Can't have a proper tea party without them."

I glared at my brother. "Damon, you're not helping."

Lisa ignored us, setting the cup down and pulling various herbs from her bag.

Garrick watched her uneasily. "What are those?"

She crushed them into the cup of hot water and stirred. The room filled with a soothing aroma, a stark contrast to the tension.

Damon moved closer, watching Lisa with an intrigued expression. "You sure this witchy brew is gonna do the trick?"

Lisa didn't answer as she closed her eyes and moved her hand. Her voice changed and became almost sing-song.

"By the moon's light and the earth's grace,

Restore this form to its rightful place.

From darkness deep, bring forth the dawn,

Let her awaken with the coming morn."

Damon edged away. "Well, that's not something you see every day. If she starts floating or her eyes go black, I'm outta here."

I shot him a look, half exasperated, half amused. "Damon, stop."

Damon smirked and shrugged. "Hey, just saying. I've seen my fair share of spells go sideways."

Garrick glanced at him with concern and irritation. "If you're scared, Damon…" He tilted his head. "Go for a walk."

Damon stepped closer, squaring his shoulders. "I'm not scared. I'm cautious. There's a difference. Besides, somebody's gotta keep an eye on all this witchy business. The last ones we met gave me the willies."

His tone piqued my interest. I frowned, wanting to hear what they'd found while I was gone, but this wasn't the time. Only Maggie mattered right now.

Damon shot a glance at Lisa, then looked at Garrick. "If it makes you feel better, I'll keep my commentary to a minimum."

Throughout the exchange, Lisa kept singing the same chant. She slipped her arm underneath Maggie's neck.

Garrick watched her like a panther ready to pounce.

Lisa held the cup to Maggie's lips. "Drink."

The liquid swirled in the cup by itself, and the smell of fresh herbs filled the room, almost as if it was filled with wildflowers.

A soft glow enveloped Maggie, and she started to stir. Garrick broke into a smile. I almost thought I saw tears in his eyes.

Damon's smirk faded into a serious expression as Maggie's eyes fluttered open.

Well, I'll be damned," he muttered with genuine relief. "Looks like it worked."

Maggie smiled at Garrick, and tears welled in her eyes. "You're here," she whispered in a trembling voice. "I never meant…"

"Shhh." He leaned over, gently pressing his lips against hers in a tender kiss. "You're my queen."

She cupped his cheek with her hand, her fingers tracing the contours of his face. "Please forgive me," she pleaded.

He turned his head, pressing a soft kiss to her palm. "You were under a spell," he reassured her. "There's nothing to forgive."

A tear escaped, trailing down her cheeks as she smiled. "I love you," she murmured.

He laughed, the warm, rich sound filling the room. "I know," he replied, his eyes sparkling with adoration.

Lisa flashed a satisfied smiled, her posture relaxing as she observed the couple. "She'll need rest, but she should be fine now," she remarked. "I think we should leave the two of them alone."

Damon nodded with a hint of respect. "Nice work, Lisa. Guess we owe you one." He glanced at Garrick and Maggie, who were embracing, their bodies molded together as if they never wanted to let go. "All right, lovebirds, you get your rest. We've got a world to save out here."

I shot him a disapproving look. "Damon," I warned, shaking my head.

He shrugged, turning to leave the room. "What? Let's give them some privacy." He paused at the doorway and glanced back, his tone softening with genuine concern. "Take care of her, your highness."

Garrick pressed a gentle kiss to Maggie's forehead. "I will," he promised fiercely. "She's mine."

As we gathered in the common room, the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside McDuff Manor drew our attention. I glanced out the window and saw a familiar red jeep come to a stop, its engine rumbling before falling silent.

The jeep, belonging to Brady, Grady, and Scott, had clearly seen better days. A spider web of cracks marred the windshield, the fractures spreading across the glass like a network of tiny rivers. It looked as though it had been through a rough journey, possibly even a collision.

The vibrant red paint was barely visible beneath layers of caked-on mud and grime. Dirt and debris clung to its sides and wheels, telling a story of a harrowing escape or a desperate pursuit.

The jeep doors swung open, and our three comrades emerged, their movements stiff and pained. They looked like they'd been through a brutal fight, their faces bearing the marks of their ordeal.

As they headed toward the entrance, a sense of relief and concern pumped through me. I ran outside with Justice, Damon, and Lisa behind me.

Damon was the first to reach them, his brow furrowed with worry. "What happened out there?" he asked. "You guys look like you've been through the wringer."

Brady grimaced, reaching for a particularly nasty cut on his forehead. He winced as his fingers brushed the wound. "We ran into some trouble," he admitted. "We know what demon we're facing—envy. These demons are powerful, and they plant envy so intense in people's minds that they're willing to kill." He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes darkening. "They wanted our jeep."

Scott, the quietest of the three, simply nodded, his gaze intense and focused. His jaw clenched, and tension radiated from his body.

"We barely made it out of Glenraith." Grady wiped an arm across his forehead. "People were turning on each other, beating and killing each other for crazy, meaningless stuff. It was like we'd stepped into a Stephen King movie." He shuddered.

Brody faced me with a weak smile. "I see you made it back." He gestured toward my hand. "With the mirror."

I nodded. "It wasn't easy, but we managed to retrieve it." I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as I looked at the ancient artifact, knowing the power it held.

"That's not the only thing we found," Justice added.

Brody gave him a curious look.

"Garrick and Maggie came back from the Unseelie realm." He tilted his head. "We need to talk inside."

As we moved toward the house, a tremor ran up my arm. I glanced at the mirror, which seemed to pulse in my hand, drawing my gaze toward the jeep. "Hold on." I stopped in my tracks. "There's something about the jeep. The mirror is reacting to it."

Scott frowned. "What do you mean?"

I held up the mirror, angling it toward the jeep. The surface shimmered and began to show an image. Everyone crowded around, watching as the mirror revealed a hidden compartment in the back of the jeep. Inside was an ancient, glowing jewel in a small ornate box.

Justice circled the vehicle and took out the black box. "Did you know this was here?"

Brody stepped back, but his gaze wasn't focused on us. He was looking beyond the manor toward the thick forest at the edge of Edinburgh. "We need to get that thing out of there. Now. They're coming."

A green-eyed shadowy figure emerged from the trees, eyes glowing with malice. "You found it," the figure hissed. "But it belongs to us."

The figure raised its skeletal hand. Putrid, ink-black tendrils of energy shot toward us like vipers, searing the air with the stench of decay. They coiled around Justice's wrist, and he released a blood-curdling scream as they tightened, the skin beneath them bubbling and blistering. The tendrils ripped the box from his hand with a sickening crack of breaking bone.

"Justice!" I cried. Bile scorched the back of my throat, and my knees quaked, threatening to give out. The figure loosed a rattling, malevolent laugh that scraped my soul and plunged icy shards of dread into my heart.