Page 33 of Fated Midlife Christmas
Amanda smiled at her mom. She’d always encouraged her girls to talk about whatever was bothering them, and Amanda had lost track of that lesson somewhere along the way. “You’re right. Listen, let’s not sit here and watch me cry. We’ve got things to do. Someone needs to wrap some garland around the banister, at least.”
The lights dimmed, pulsing for a moment or two before returning to normal.
“Maybe we should call the electrical company,” Jace speculated.
The kitchen door popped open, and Kendrick staggered out. He was white as a sheet, and he braced himself against the doorway. His knees buckled beneath him.
Maeve rushed to him, catching him just before he fell. “Kendrick!”
Amanda’s issues were forgotten completely as the witches sprang into action to care for him. Jace and Dex helped get him to one of the downstairs bedrooms so he could lie down. Amanda made him a warm drink. He hadn’t managed to fix himself any food while in the kitchen, so Jamie handled that. Tina fetched crystals, candles, and herbs from the altar room and brought them down so Maeve could begin working some healing magic over him.
“I’m sorry,” Kendrick gasped. “I don’t know what happened. I’ll be fine, though. Really.”
Maeve looked doubtful about this, but the worried lines on her face turned to deeper ones of pure anger by the time they all returned to the living room, giving Kendrick the privacy he’d asked for. “It’s the damn Crimson Veil!” she snarled.
Lucille nodded. “My research hasn’t turned up much, but I’m more and more convinced that this issue is being caused by the lack of ley energy. It’s the equivalent of draining the lifeblood out of them.”
“Kendrick isn’t the only one who’s doing poorly.” Kristy held up her phone. “Chelsea just sent me a text. The rest of the Alexanders have taken a turn for the worse, too.”
“We’ve got to do something,” Jamie asserted. “Maybe we just need to go over there and demand that they stop.”
Maeve was pacing back and forth in front of the couch, her fingers fiddling nervously with her necklaces. “Corinna Blackthorne is arrogant. She’s not going to listen to anyone. If we go over there, it’s going to turn into more than a discussion.”
“It would be a hell of a risk to just start up a battle against them,” Lucille said quietly. “Depending on what happened and how far things went, other covens could end up choosing sides. It would practically be a magic civil war, and no one would win.”
“Lives are already on the line, though,” Amanda pointed out. She’d been there when they’d first talked to Corinna, and she didn’t have a good feeling about confronting her again, but they’d reached a point of having to take some sort of action.
“Yes, I agree. Whether this Corinna knows it or not, she’s forcing our hand,” Erin added.
“There would be more of us there than the first time,” Tina pointed out. “That could make a difference.”
“I think you’re right, but I can’t leave Kendrick,” Maeve whispered. “I’m worried about him.”
“Then you stay here,” Amanda suggested. As worn out as she felt over her own problems, this was one that she felt up to tackling. “None of the dragons should be alone right now. Chelsea must have her hands full. Jace and Dex, you can take the kids and go over there to help them out. Not that we don’t want you with us, but?—”
“We get it,” Dex interrupted.
“What about the trees?” Arden asked.
“We’ll come back and finish them later,” Jace promised.
They all jumped when a heavy pounding sounded on the door. As if on cue, the lights flickered once again.
Lucille swept the door open. Amanda recognized the young blonde woman who stood on the porch from their visit to The Crimson Veil’s covenstead. Last time, her wide eyes and high cheekbones had made her look sweet and innocent. Now she looked absolutely terrified. “Oh, please help me!”
“Come in. Tell us what’s going on.” Lorelei was so frantic that Lucille had to take her by the wrist and gently pull her inside.
Dex started herding Sage and Arden into the kitchen. “Let’s get some food into you two before we leave.” Whatever was happening, the kids didn’t need to be involved.
Lorelei gasped and gulped as Lillian guided her to the couch. Her hair had been pulled back in a braid, but several strands had come loose and hung down around her face. “It’s Corinna,” she whispered.
“What did she do?” Maeve asked, sounding surprisingly sympathetic.
“Something awful.” Lorelei swiped at her tear-streaked face and looked fearfully at the witches surrounding her.
“It’s all right.” Now it was Amanda’s turn to hand someone a tissue. “You’re safe here. Tell us, and maybe we can help.”
“I’m not sure anyone is going to be safe after what Corinna has done.” Fresh tears spilled over her cheeks. “When you came over…when you were asking about the ley lines…she was trying to summon Mary Riddle.”
