Page 39 of Fallen Angel

“You desire to join our coven.” He traced a finger over the lines on her palm.

Raven’s lip quivered.

“You do not desire to resist us. Experience what the darkness has in store for you,” he continued. Raven’s eyes filled with tears, and she grit her jaw. She shook her head back and forth, and Callan dropped her hand.

“You see?” she said. “Your tricks do not work on me.”

Murmurs spread throughout the circle of witches. Mara’s eyes widened, and her wispy shadows manifested in the palms of her hands.

Raven turned to Callan and took his hands in hers. “Come with me. I shan’t let her harm you.”

“He cannot leave,” Mara said.

“Because you do not let him. Would you not rather he stand by your side because he truly desires to?”

“He chooses to be here. Do you not, Mr. Delmonte?” Mara placed her hand on Callan’s cheek. Tendrils of black smoke emitted from her fingers along with the faded sobs and shrieks of her past victims. Hazy coils crawled around his neck, toward his nose and mouth.

Raven’s fingertips sparkled white. She wrapped her hand around Callan’s arm, trickling a current of bright light over his skin. His hairs rose, and goosebumps tingled his flesh. The glowing light gathered beneath Mara’s touch, and zapped her smoke away from Callan.

Mara backpedaled and gaped at the shock in her hand. She rubbed it and snarled.

“You are not the only soul who is gifted, Mistress Eden,” Raven said. She turned and faced the rest of the witches. “Though Mara may have made you promises, or compelled you with her darkness, it is never too late to walk away. Though it may not seem so, you do have a choice.”

Whispers slithered through the circle. Hannah stood in awe at how Raven’s declaration caused such a stir.

Mara stepped forward in desperation. “They are all here because they know that the old ways of magic only limit us from our full potential. Here, with me, they may experience power they have never before imagined.”

“At what cost?” Raven’s voice was sharp and cut across the cold night air. “They have sold their souls for a taste of your black magic in exchange for their undying servitude. You are not trying to enlighten them or help them find power. You are creating an army to serve at your hand.”

“At the hand of darkness,” Mara retorted, a conniving smile creeping up her face. “I myself am only a humble servant to that of black magic.”

“The magic that made you kill your own parents?”

Mara’s face tightened.

“You promised them that you would try to be good, remember?” Raven continued. “But your magic corrupted that promise, just as you are corrupting these people now.”

Mara’s jaw clenched, and her eyes darted back and forth.

“Look at you,” Raven said, staring at Mara with a pitying gaze. “Look at what you have become. You too have a choice, Mara. You do not have to live like this.”

Mara’s upper lip quivered with utter disdain. “Senties dolorum,” she muttered.

Raven fell to the ground and thrashed in pain. Hannah rushed to her side, but was useless. Callan lunged toward Raven, but Mara quickly outstretched her hands and impaled every crevice of his body with wisps of black smoke. The more magic Mara emitted, the louder the cries and fear of her past victims.

“She is your enemy,” Mara said. She turned to the other witches and declared, “She shall try and poison you against me, derail you from the greatness you are destined for.”

Callan’s eyes glowed green. The crowd stilled. Mara returned her hand to her side, and her tendrils of darkness seeped back into her fingertips.

Raven writhed against the dehydrated pine needles, but managed to utter a short spell. “Though this darkness causes pain, from my body let it drain.”

After a moment, Mara’s spell diminished. Raven lifted herself off the ground. She staggered to Callan and took his hands once more. “You see what she has done to me? She spreads pain and takes pleasure in it.”

Mara grinned at the desperation in Raven’s voice.

Callan’s facial expression remained steady—vacant. “Mara warned that you might try and sway me.”

Raven’s eyes gushed with hopelessness, but only for a moment. She pursed her lips and gulped. “She is controlling you. You are under her command. Do you really want to be doing this? Helping her change these innocent witches into creatures of the night?”

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