Page 25 of Midnight Witch

Nikolai spotted the muddy footprints she’d seen amidst the decaying leaves. He squatted, touched one of the marks, and rubbed some of the dirt between his fingers before bringing it to his nose.

He frowned. “It’s red clay.”

Mae’s face tightened. “I didn’t see any red clay outside.”

Unease churned Nikolai’s stomach. “I’m pretty sure this island is made of volcanic rock.”

They straightened, senses on alert.

“Didn’t Leta say the last person from her coven was here a while ago?” Mae muttered.

“She did.”

Another growl rumbled from Brimstone. Crimson shimmered around Hellreaver.

Alastair squawked threateningly and flapped his wings on his shoulder. Nikolai startled. Heat warmed his belly as he unleashed twin spheres of white and Moon Magic, the power thrumming through his veins making his muscles quiver.

Devourexploded above Mae’s right hand.

“Nullify!” she barked.

Rain fell and thunder boomed in the fraught silence that ensued, echoing her voice. They scanned the interior of the church.

There was no one there.

The globes of magic flickered out above Nikolai’s fingers. He lowered his hands, still on edge.

Mae narrowed her eyes. “Brim?”

The fox was glaring at something behind them.

A low susurration sounded in Nikolai’s ears as he turned. His pulse quickened.

The altar was quivering.

Mae stared. “What the—?!”

The whispers grew louder. Ice crawled across Nikolai’s scalp. He could hear a faint voice inside his head.

The altar came apart with a suddenness that made them gasp and drew a snarl from Brimstone. Nikolai’s eyes rounded as the wooden pieces constituting the table levitated silently into the air.

His gut twisted when he saw what was hidden beneath it.

A square block made of obsidian rose from the foundations of the church. It was engraved with runes made of blue flames.

Darkness started pooling above it, the shadows inside the church converging onto the eerie monument as if it were drawing them in. They merged, forming a black globe that throbbed with corruption.

Mae’s eyes glazed over. She took a step toward the stone block.

“Mae?!”

Alarm twisted Nikolai’s stomach at the sight of her blank expression. He grabbed her arm.

She resisted his attempt to stop her.

Brimstone pawed at her leg with a soft whine. Hellreaver trembled against her chest.

Mae blinked and stopped. She shook her head, as if coming out of a daze. Awareness returned to her face.

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