Page 26 of Witch's Promise

Jessy nodded, clutching her mug of tea like a lifeline. "I understand. I... I don't know who to trust either, to be honest."

Gabe felt the familiar weight of responsibility settling onto his shoulders. This wasn't just a Shadowguard mission. This was his family, his hometown. Everything he'd fought to protect, now threatened from within.

Chapter 7

Gabe

The Wisteria house loomed before him, a sprawling Victorian monstrosity that seemed to glower at him from behind perfectly manicured hedges. It was the kind of place that screamed old money and even older secrets.

He hadn't told anyone where he was going – not his family, not Sean, not even Jessy. This was something he needed to do alone, to get answers straight from the source without any filters or well-meaning interference.

As he approached the gates, Gabe reached out with his magical senses, probing the wards that surrounded the property. They were strong, ancient things that thrummed with power. But beneath that initial impression of strength, Gabe could feel something... off. The wards were weakening, their edges fraying like an old sweater starting to unravel.

"Interesting," Gabe mused, filing that information away for later. He knew he'd need an invitation to get past those wards, no matter how weakened they might be. So, squaring his shoulders and pushing down the knot of anxiety in his gut, Gabe raised his hand and knocked on the ornate iron gates.

The sound echoed ominously, and for a long moment, nothing happened. Gabe was beginning to wonder if he'd haveto resort to more drastic measures when the gates creaked open with a groan that spoke of rarely-oiled hinges.

Gabe made his way up the winding driveway, the crunch of gravel under his feet unnaturally loud in the eerie silence that blanketed the grounds. As he approached the front door – a massive, carved monstrosity that probably weighed more than his car – it swung open before he could knock.

A man stood in the doorway, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit that made Gabe suddenly, acutely aware of his own worn jeans and rumpled button-down. The man's face was a study in polite blankness, giving away nothing as he regarded Gabe with cool grey eyes.

"May I help you, sir?" the man asked, his voice as crisp and formal as his attire.

Gabe cleared his throat, fighting the urge to fidget under that impassive stare. "Uh, yes. I'm here to see Caroline Wisteria. It's important."

The man – butler? majordomo? sentient mannequin? – raised a single, perfectly groomed eyebrow. "I see. And you are?"

"Gabe Reed," Gabe replied, drawing himself up to his full height. "Of the Salem Reed coven."

Something flickered in the man's eyes at that – recognition, maybe, or concern. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Gabe to wonder if he'd imagined it.

"Very well, Mr. Reed. If you'll wait here, I'll inform Mrs. Wisteria of your arrival."

Before Gabe could protest, the door shut in his face with a soft but final click. He was left standing on the porch, feeling like an idiot and wondering if he'd made a huge mistake in coming here.

Just as he was considering saying 'fuck it' and heading back to his car, Gabe felt a shift in the magical energy around him.The wards rippled, then parted like a curtain, welcoming him onto the property.

The door opened again, revealing the butler's impassive face. "Mrs. Wisteria will see you now. Please, follow me."

Gabe stepped over the threshold, suppressing a shiver as the house's magic washed over him. It was old power, deep and complex, but with an undercurrent of... something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Unease? Grief? Whatever it was, it set his teeth on edge.

As the butler led him through winding hallways lined with portraits of stern-faced ancestors, Gabe couldn't help but marvel at the interior. It was like stepping back in time – all dark wood paneling, plush carpets, and furniture that probably cost more than he made in a year.

The butler shot him a look that might have been disapproval, but Gabe was too distracted to care. They were passing by a closed door, unremarkable among the many they'd already walked past, but something about it made Gabe's magical senses go haywire.

He stopped in his tracks, turning to face the door. There was something wrong here, a darkness that seemed to seep out from under the doorframe like an oil slick.

"What's in there?" Gabe asked, unable to keep the tension from his voice.

The butler stiffened, his composure cracking for the first time. "That room has been sealed for many years, Mr. Reed. No one enters it."

Gabe's eyes narrowed. "Why? What happened in there?"

For a moment, he thought the butler might actually answer. But then the mask of professional detachment slipped back into place. "It is not my place to say, sir. If you have questions about the house, I'm sure Mrs. Wisteria will be happy to address them. Now, if you'll follow me?"

Gabe hesitated, torn between his burning curiosity and the need to get answers from Caroline. In the end, practicality won out. He couldn't afford to antagonize his hosts before he'd even spoken to them.

"Right," Gabe said, forcing himself to turn away from the door. "Lead on."

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