Page 37 of An Ancient Power's Revenge

"Precisely," she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

We reached Ana's apartment, a modern high-rise overlooking the town square. Stepping inside, the cool air and familiar home scent washed over me.

"Hungry?" she asked, gesturing towards the kitchen.

"Not really," I replied, feeling exhaustion wash over me. The events of the day had taken their toll.

Instead, we opted to step out onto the balcony. The moon hung full in the night sky, casting a silvery glow over the rooftops below. Ana poured two glasses of wine, a deep red that shimmered in the moonlight.

"Here's to a night of peace," Ana said, raising her glass in a toast.

I clinked my glass against hers, the sound echoing softly in the stillness. "A night of peace and a solution to this mess," I amended.

We sipped our wine in silence for a moment, enjoying the cool night air. Despite the turmoil of the day, there was a sense of comfort in being with Ana, and her calm presence was a soothing balm to my worries.

"We'll get through this, Alexei," she finally said, her voice laced with quiet confidence. "We always do."

I nodded, taking another sip of wine. Her words were a beacon of hope in the darkness threatening to engulf Harmony Grove. We had faced challenges before, threats to our existence and our way of life. But we had always emerged stronger, our bond as siblings an anchor in the storm.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed, shattering the peaceful silence. Pulling it out, I saw an incoming call from Evelyn. My stomach clenched.

"I hope there’s not another body," I muttered, answering the call.

Chapter 21 - The Search

Evelyn

Frustration prickled at my skin as I pulled up outside Sarah's house. It was a quaint little two-story nestled right in the heart of Harmony Grove, starkly contrasting to the secluded coven building.

Sarah lived a normal life, blending seamlessly with the human population. Perhaps too seamlessly. Her students seem to have loved her and I wonder how long it will take for the poor children to let go of the trauma of seeing her dead on the floor.

I stepped out of the car, the silence pressing down on me. Taking a deep breath, I approached the front door and rang the bell. No answer. I tried again, waiting with a growing sense of impatience. Maybe she had a roommate or something, I wouldn’t want to intrude.

The school didn’t have much information to offer us, except that she lived a private life and she wasn’t always present in the coven so they really can’t say much about her outside life either.

Finally, I gave up and tried the knob. It turned easily, swinging open with a groan. A wave of stale air washed over me, carrying a faint scent of herbs and something… else. A metallic tang that sent shivers down my spine.

Stepping cautiously inside, I called out, "Hello? Is anyone here?" The answer was a resounding silence. The house was eerily quiet, dust motes dancing in the shafts of sunlight filtering through the windows.

My gaze fell on a small desk tucked away in a corner. Sarah's journal lay open on its surface, a half-written entry scrawled across the page. My pulse quickened with anticipation. Maybe, just maybe, this journal held some answers.

I scanned the entry, my heart sinking as I read. It was a cryptic message about a dark presence, a feeling of being watched, followed… targeted. Sarah mentioned the Coven, some kind of ritual planned for the following night. Then, the writing stopped abruptly, a jagged line marking the end of the entry.

A cold dread washed over me. The feeling of being watched, the paranoia Sarah described. It mirrored my own experience perfectly.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I had to talk to Karla, had to get some answers from the coven. This wasn't just about Sarah, it was about all of us. If she was targeted because she was a Luminara witch, others were in danger too.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed Alexei's number. It rang twice before he picked up.

"Evelyn," he answered, his voice warm. "Everything alright?"

"Not exactly," I admitted, my voice tight. "I need to talk to Karla. Now."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. "What happened?" Alexei asked, his tone serious.

I took a deep breath, quickly summarizing what I found in Sarah's journal. When I finished, there was a heavy silence.

"Alright," Alexei said finally. "Stay put. I'll come get you."

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