Chapter 19

"Wha..." I mumbled as I sat up off of the cold, damp floor.

Rubbing my eyes, I looked around for what had woken me up. Holding my breath, I tried to see through the shadows. In the dungeon"s stifling darkness, the distant echoes of my friends" voices reverberated through the cold stone walls.

At first, the sound was a distant murmur, a mere whisper of connection to those I loved. I worried it was my imagination. But as the moments stretched on, their voices grew clearer, distinct curses and determined shouts. My heart lifted momentarily at the familiar cadence of Aidon"s voice and Stella"s unwavering resolve.

As if a spell had been cast upon the dungeon, I could hear the ebb and flow of their efforts above. The frantic incantations, the clinking of potions, the rustle of pages in ancient books. It was as if they were right there with me, fighting against the dark forces that had stolen me away. Hope swelled within me, a beacon flickering in the oppressive gloom.

Yet, my joy was short-lived.

The cackles of the witches imprisoning me pierced me, revealing the spell at work. Their laughter, laced with malice, disrupted the comforting connection to my friends above. A cruel enchantment unfolded before my senses, and I realized with a sinking heart that it was a twisted spell granting me this auditory window.

"Your friends came to save you, little witch, but they will never make it," one of the witches taunted, her voice dripping with derision.

My fingers curled into fists as I struggled to control the rising anger. "You won"t break me," I hissed, attempting to muster the strength to cast a hex in their direction. "They will reach me."

Cackles raised the hair on the back of my neck. I continued gathering my magic and threw it at the vile creatures leering at me through the bars. But the magic recoiled, a spectral force bouncing back at me with unexpected vigor. The impact knocked me to the cold dungeon floor, a gasp of pain escaping my lips.

One of the babies within me kicked, a sharp jolt of discomfort radiating through my torso. I winced, instinctively protecting my swollen belly. Fear gnawed at the edges of my consciousness.

"You"re weak, Phoebe," another witch jeered, her face twisted in a mocking grin. "Eris will succeed, and you and your brats will be the keys to her triumph."

Through the haze of pain, I tried to reason with them, to appeal to the humanity that must have lingered within even the darkest corners of their hearts. "You don"t have to help her. You can choose a different path," I urged, my voice strained.

Their response was a chorus of defiant laughter, a symphony of malevolence that echoed through the dungeon. "Eris is our salvation. We won"t betray her," they sneered, their eyes glinting with fanatical devotion.

I gritted my teeth against the pain, my resolve unwavering. "You have a choice. You don"t have to be part of this chaos. You can break free," I pleaded, desperation lacing my words.

But their hearts remained impervious to reason, and I stopped trying. As the curses of my friends continued to echo around me, I faced a very harsh reality. That in this forsaken place, reason and compassion held no sway.

There was a rustle of movement and urgent voices. Straining my neck, I looked down the hall to see what was happening. My heart leaped in my chest and skipped a beat when the flickering torches revealed the weariness etched onto the faces of my friends. Aidon, Stella, Todd, Tseki, and Murtagh were now captives in this grim hellscape. Eris's malicious designs had ensnared them.

My fingers curled around the cold iron bars of my cell. The touch sent a chill down my spine as I called out to Aidon, my voice barely more than a desperate whisper. "Aidon, why? Why would you willingly get caught? Because I know she couldn't have captured you otherwise."

Aidan"s eyes, a storm of emotions, met mine through the bars. "Phoebe," he began, his voice resonating with regret and determination, "I couldn"t let you face this alone. Whatever Eris has planned, we face it together."

The selflessness in his sacrifice tugged at my heart, a mixture of gratitude and concern knotting in my chest. "But Aidon," I protested, "you could have remained free and rescued us."

Stella shook her head as she was forced into the cell next to mine. "We're stronger together, Pheebs."

Aidon offered a weary smile, his eyes revealing the burden of his choice. "She's right, Phoebe. Not to mention that you"re carrying our future. I couldn"t bear the thought of you enduring this alone. At least here with you, I can help."

His words resonated within the confines of the dungeon. It reaffirmed why I was right to have kept the faith in him and us. As the torchlight danced across Aidon"s face, I couldn"t help but marvel at the resilience of our makeshift family. The witches shoved them into separate cells. Aidon and Murtagh were together and Stella was with Todd and Tseki.

Stella stepped to the bars, her eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and concern. "Phoebe, we"re not defeated. Eris may have caught us, but we"re not broken. We"re a family, and families stick together."

Todd nodded solemnly next to his wife. "We may be in a tight spot, but we"ve faced worse odds on this mission. This is just a temporary setback." The witches laughed at that as they walked away, talking about how futile and amusing our attempts at freedom would be.

In the dimly lit dungeon, the air was thick with tension and the scent of damp stone. It was selfish of me, but I was glad to have them there with me. Even if we were confined in separate cells. Just having them near bolstered me, and our determination to break free burned brighter than the flickering torches that barely illuminated the gloom.

Aidon"s eyes glinted with a steely resolve. "We can"t stay here. We need to find a way out. And quickly. I can feel the toll this is taking on you, Phoebe."

Stella nodded in agreement and tried to look at me through the bars. "I can try to reach Phoebe"s cell. Like I said, we're stronger together. If we can connect our magic, we might be able to break free."

A shiver ran down my spine as I squared my shoulders, ready for whatever it took to escape this dungeon. "I'll reach out, too. We can"t afford to wait."

Turning to the side, I extended my arm and reached for my best friend. She stuffed her hand through, trying to make contact. I sucked in a sharp breath when I pressed against the bars. The sharp pain in my chest made it difficult to breathe. It felt like the baby broke a rib when I fell.

I did what I could to reach her. Seeing I couldn't do more, Stella pushed herself to the point a loud cracking pop echoed through the dungeon. "Are you okay?" I asked frantically.

With a grim determination, Stella reached through the bars, "Just a shoulder dislocation. No big deal," she said as her fingers brushed mine.

My stomach churned, and I wanted to tell her to stop, but she'd already done the damage. We shared a look of silent solidarity. The physical contact allowed us to channel our magic, combining our efforts to weaken the enchanted locks. We cast together and poured all of our effort into the spell. Meanwhile, Todd attempted to pry the bars apart with a makeshift tool he"d fashioned from a loose stone. Murtagh used brute strength while also keeping a watchful eye on the corridor outside our cells.

As the bars finally gave way, a triumphant surge of adrenaline coursed through us. I flew into Aidon's arms and practically crumpled when the pain worsened. As I bent over, I noticed Todd wincing and looking at his bloodied hands. To my surprise, his injuries healed almost instantly. I was still getting used to him now being a supernatural.

Our collective gaze shifted to Aidon. "The stairs are our way out," he said, his eyes scanning the corridor. "But be careful. Eris has set magical traps on the floor."

"I can guide us," I said. "I've been watching these witches come and go and have memorized their patterns."

Navigating the dungeon became a delicate dance, each step a calculated risk. I led the way, my eyes attuned to the ground and the subtle magical disturbances that lingered in the air. The others moved cautiously, avoiding invisible snares that threatened to entrap us.

As we neared the stairs, a sense of anticipation mingled with caution. The echo of our footsteps resonated through the damp dungeon. It was a symphony of determination that drowned out the distant whispers of people in the house above us.

The ascent to freedom became a precarious journey. Each step was carefully calculated to avoid triggering Eris"s mystical defenses. As the stairs loomed before us, Aidon"s hand raised, signaling a moment of stillness.

"We"re close," he whispered, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "Don"t let your guard down. The real challenge awaits above."

With a collective nod, we continued our ascent, ready to face whatever Eris threw at us. Climbing the stairs to the main level of the house felt like scaling a mountain. The air grew heavier with each step, and the oppressive atmosphere of Eris"s domain pressed down on us.

With the dimly lit dungeon behind us, our group quietly passed through the door and navigated Eris"s stronghold"s treacherous halls. Shadows clung to the stone walls like malevolent specters as we moved cautiously. Always aware that every step could lead us closer to freedom or deeper into the clutches of chaos.

"I"ve imagined taking these steps dozens of times," I whispered, my voice a mere breath in the oppressive silence. "Time to make these bitches pay so we can get out of this wretched place."

Aidon nodded, his eyes reflecting a mix of determination and concern. Stella, Todd, Tseki, and Murtagh fell into step behind us as we used stealth to search for Eris and the way out. We could simply escape right now, but we needed to stop Eris, or she would keep coming after us. And I was not going to allow that to happen.

We ducked into alcoves and concealed ourselves in rooms whenever the clatter of footsteps or the eerie sounds of creatures signaled the presence of Eris"s minions. The journey through the house was a dangerous ballet, each movement choreographed to avoid detection. Whispers of incantations and the ominous echoes of distant laughter filled the air, heightening the tension that clung to us like a second skin.

As we advanced, a flicker of familiarity hit me. We were nearing the heart of Eris"s lair. My pulse quickened, and my stomach churned. I led our group through the labyrinthine corridors, avoiding the watchful eyes of the creatures that prowled the halls.

The final stretch brought us to an ornate door, its imposing design hinting at the grandiosity of what lay beyond. I pressed my ear against the door, listening for any signs of danger. Satisfied that the coast was momentarily clear, I pushed it open, revealing Eris"s version of a throne room.

The room was a twisted spectacle of opulence, a nightmarish blend of ethereal beauty and malevolence. And Eris was seated on a throne adorned with sharp thorns. She looked up from her contemplation of a map spread out before her.

A predatory smile curved her lips as she beheld our group, standing defiantly at the entrance. "Ah, the wayward heroes, attempting to escape my carefully woven trap. How quaint."

Our eyes locked with Eris"s and a silent challenge passed between us. Mine said I wanted to kick her ass down to Tartarus. The air crackled with tension as we prepared for the confrontation that would determine the fate of my babies and the lives in Salem she had ensnared.