The Time Witch - Part #29
Recap: In the real 2024, Evangeline gets through to Nixie and perhaps the whole Coven, but she wants help in 1910 to stop evil Adas Abernathy, but they need a little help before they can go back in time.
LINKS: The Beginning, Last Part (#28), Time Witch page
“I need the journal!”
Evangeline stormed into Mabel’s kitchen, startling the older woman.
Filling a tea kettle at the sink, Mabel lost her grip. The metal clattered against the enamel sink, echoing throughout the mansion’s kitchen. “Tarnation!”
“Sorry,” Evangeline said, regretting rushing, “but this is urgent.”
“I gave you a key for convenience,” Mabel huffed. “Certainly didn’t expect you to burst upon me like a pig escaping slaughter.” She bristled with her usual snark.
Evangeline had to smile and moved in for a hug, which flustered Mabel even more.
“Stop that!” Mabel slapped at Evangeline’s back. “I don’t want you wrinkling my outfit.”
The black broadcloth skirt was as stiff as a board, but the white blouse with long gossamer sleeves would certainly wrinkle if hugged too long. Mabel wiggled away and stepped back.
“It’s good to see you,” Evangeline said. “The real you, but I need Charles’s journal. I don’t care what was decided. I’ve got to know exactly when to go back in time, and the journal is the only guide.”
“No, no, no! We don’t do that,” Mabel reminded, hands coming to her hips as the rest of Evangeline’s party entered the kitchen. Mabel barely gave them a glance, too intent on shutting down Evangeline’s request. “I don’t know what’s happened, but it can’t be as bad as all that.”
“If Charles says it’s okay, will you let me see the journal?” Evangeline asked, pointing to Charles as he admired the kitchen.
Mabel’s neck jutted forward, and she gawked at her relative, stunned to see the man standing before her, alive and well. “Oh my stars!”
Charles Covington-York did a slow pivot, assessing the space. “It would never occur to me to venture into the staff’s purview,” Charles exclaimed, taking in the long kitchen table and appliances with much interest. “I see we are treating them quite well.”
Mabel slapped Evangeline on the arm. “What did you do?”
“I did what I had to do to save your family.” Evangeline didn’t feel they had time for explanations. With an absent wave of her hand, she said, “Everyone, Mabel. Mabel, everyone.”
The Coven leaders, Nixie and Danna nodded hello, curiosity dampening their initial shock. Having abided by the separation of Founding Families and Coven, they’d heard of the mansion but had never been invited inside. Getting a peek checked off some boxes. However, the Mages hung together, wary of Starlight, who appeared to be out of her element, even compared to the others.
“Mabel, it is an unexpected pleasure,” the Crone said in greeting. Her steely eyes spoke volumes. Clearly, she had not anticipated finding herself in such a situation.
Danna waved to Mabel. “Bet you never thought that I’d be the least shocking person you allowed into the mansion.”
Finding her voice, Mabel smirked at her young woman. “I didn’t let you in, but I can still show you out.”
“Ooh, she is frightfully feisty, as you warned,” Charles said, instantly charmed. He came forward and took Mabel’s hands in his. “A delight, my dear. You have done the family proud, and we are indebted to your loyalty.”
Mabel practically swooned.
Entering last, Samuel filled the kitchen door frame, and Mabel turned to him, agog with awe. To have both ancestors in the mansion, she momentarily lost all ability to speak.
“We need to see the journal,” Evangeline repeated.
“Yes, my dear,” Charles insisted. “It is of the utmost importance.”
Seeing agreement in all the faces present, Mabel sighed. “I can only give you one word.”
“We need more than that!” Danna made a raspberry.
“Charles’s journal—” Mabel began but stopped, directing her words to the man himself. “Your journal was not written as a guide. It’s not full of bullet points of instruction, and I can only believe that was intended to negate an instance like this one. Time will not be manhandled in such a way.”
Charles’s mouth twisted into a smile. “She makes good sense, does she not?” He winked at her.
“Not helping, Charles,” Samuel whispered.
“One word?” Evangeline asked. “I’ll take it if that’s all we’re gonna get.”
“Better be a good word,” Danna grumbled. “If not, I’ll give you a word.”
Mabel wrinkled her nose at Danna.
The Crone hushed the room. “Let us hear this word.”
“Locket.” Mabel nodded as if the one word held all the answers they needed.
Turning to Samuel, Charles shrugged. “What locket?”
“I know not.” Samuel scanned the others, settling a questioning look on Danna, as if he saw something in her expression.
“What did I do?” Danna asked, hands coming up.
Evangeline turned to her friend. “You were in the library when I lost my mother’s locket.” Her eyes narrowed. “Were you playing dumb when you said you didn’t see it?”
“Come clean, child,” Charles coaxed.
Pulling the brass locket from her pocket, Danna held out the missing family heirloom. “I found it on the floor.”
“I threw it on the floor.” Evangeline felt guilty. Seeing the questions in their faces, she told the others, “I’ve got a few old family issues. You don’t want to know.”
The Crone shook her head. “Perhaps we should.”
Danna nodded. “The locket told me to take it and keep it from you.”
“It told you?” Starlight asked, startling everyone since she’d not spoken. “May I see the locket?”
They all came closer as Danna handed the locket to the witch. She opened it, exposing the inside photographs of Evangeline’s parents. Black and white. Portraits. One was a man. In his shot, he reached out toward the photograph of the woman, and she also appeared to reach toward him, although most of their bodies were cropped out. The framing focused on their faces—their expressions tortured.
“Those are odd poses, don’t you think?” Danna asked.
“What did the locket tell you? What exactly?” Evangeline stepped back from the circle. She’d seen the locket before but hadn’t really questioned the photographs. They triggered bad memories.
“The voice just said to hide the locket from you.” Danna went to her side. “Sorry.”
Evangeline glanced over. “No, I’m glad you listened. Maybe it was for the best.”
“Or the locket didn’t like being thrown across the room.” Charles cleared his throat when everyone looked at him. “Just a thought.”
“Why did you throw it across the room?” Mabel asked.
“Not every family is as perfect as yours.” Evangeline cringed. A flash of asmemory hit her. It centered around raised voices and harsh words. It was the stuff of her childhood nightmares.
Charles looked around the kitchen. “Perhaps we should discuss it over a tasty beverage? The right kind have a way of making difficult subjects more palpable.”
The Crone tilted her head toward the refrigerator, giving Charles a good idea of where he could find something to drink. She raised an eyebrow, challenging him to help himself.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Charles murmured, going to examine the big, unfamiliar box.
Starlight held the locket in the palm of one hand and placed the other an inch above. Her brow creased. “It pulses.”
The other witches softly spoke to each other, keeping their distance from the locket. “Perhaps it also speaks to you,” the Crone said, voicing their assumptions. “It may speak in a slightly different manners, depending on the witch.”
“What was the voice like?” Evangeline asked Danna.
“Female.” Danna pulled a face, struggling to add more of a description. “I was going to tell you, but we never got a moment.”
Samuel went to Starlight’s side, staring at the locket. “I have seen this before.” He reached out.
“Don’t touch it!” Starlight screamed, pulling back.
She wasn’t fast enough, but Evangeline reacted—as if time stood still for her—and she touched the locket at the exact same instant as Samuel…
… and a shock wave rocked the room, shattering windows and throwing everyone backward to the ground. As the dust settled, Danna looked around. “Where are Samuel and Evangeline?”