Fiery Gemstones (A Heston Witch Novella) Read online

  “It’s the Alichynes isn’t it?”

  Evie’s slow nod confirmed she was right.

  “The Alichynes?” Edna queried. “Who or what are those?” She’d never heard of them before. Something told her she wasn’t going to like what she was going to hear next and Evie’s next words confirmed her fears.

  “The Alichyne Order of Black Knights is a magical council of sorcerers who claim to be descended from Seth, Adam and Eve’s third son. In actual fact they are descended from the fourth son of the Earth Mother and Father, Ramon, but they prefer the pedigree of someone who was actually named in Genesis.” The distain Evie felt for the Order was evident in her voice.

  “But what does that have to do with us? Or with Red Rock Haven?”

  “Everything and nothing, if you can believe that, my dears.”

  The blank looks on Ethos and Edna’s faces confirmed that they hadn’t a clue what she meant. She gestured at Eden to fill her sisters in, then leaned back with her eyes closed as her eldest daughter continued. Though she appeared relaxed, she was listening carefully to every word.

  “They are a vengeful bunch of hooligans and for some real or imagined slight that happened centuries ago, they hate the Hestons and all that we stand for. They keep trying to get back into the Garden of Eden as well.”

  “But that’s impossible. No one can get back into Eden.” Ethos said in hushed tones.

  “Tell that to the Alichynes.”

  “But why now?” Edna wanted to know.

  “They have a ruling council of thirty sorcerers. Their council members get elected following a fight to the death using magical means once a council seat becomes vacant. It doesn’t happen often and once elected, the new member always tries something stupid like trying to run us off. Preston Williams must be the newest council member and that would explain his presence here in Silverline City and also how he knew how to combat your powers.”

  “Well done,” Evie said quietly. “You covered almost everything, Eden. However make no mistake, the Alichyne Order of Black knights have a darker purpose than just returning to Eden. The Order is evil. They are also relentless and extremely powerful. They have targeted Red Rock Haven in the past because of the wealth of power that flows beneath the house itself and also because they need access to the River Pishon. Every person that bears the Heston name or lives within our walls is at risk. Girls, we are at war.”

  Though her tone was quiet and sombre, the words she spoke echoed in the hearts and minds of all of them.

  “Right,” Ethos said. “Alichynes, evil personified, the end of the world, got it. Any more bad news we need to hear before we get to the good news I’m dying to hear? Essentially, the news that tells us how to kick these guys asses?” She prompted when the room remained silent.

  “I’m not sure we can defeat them,” Ethos said sadly and Evie did not contradict her. That in itself was scarier than anything she had said or done that evening.

  “What do you mean?” Eden huffed. “Of course we can defeat them. We are Hestons aren’t we? We have the greatest witches of all time on our side and we have magic literally flowing through our veins.”

  “I’m not saying we should concede defeat just yet,” Evie said. “It’s just that no generation of Hestons has been able to eliminate this threat completely. All we can hope for is to foil whatever plot they have hatched for this foray into Silverline and be on the alert against them. And pray that we are not overwhelmed by the forces of evil. It is no coincidence that we live at the border between the world and the Garden of Eden. If we fail, and the Alichynes somehow gain access to trees in the garden, then…” Evie heaved a deep sigh. “Then all is lost and the world will be subject to a force of evil so great that I fear it will never recover.”

  I have to tell them. They have a right to know.

  Edna’s common sense and her need to protect her family were at war in her head. She knew she was taking a big risk but her mind was made up. If she told them about Preston’s plan to have her assassinated, they would try to interfere. Not only would they be unable to change the outcome of what she had seen, they might get hurt in the process. She didn’t know why he was resorting to physical methods instead of magical ones but it didn’t really matter. The risk of the attack was the same. Rather than being reassuring, his willingness to commit a crime that could be policed by mortals made her more wary.

  No, I have to be strong. My plan has to work. It has to.

  She clung desperately to the positive mantra and refused to entertain any doubts. This was the only way. Her path had been chosen. Now all she needed was the courage to follow it through.

  Outside the windows, the winter wind wailed softly through the trees, almost as if nature herself was lamenting the possibility of the dire predictions Evie made coming true. All four women shivered and huddled into their clothes a little more. No one said anything though. There was nothing more to be said.

  #10

  Let us eat and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

  The girls crept away from the door and made their way up to the third floor of Red Rock Haven where they had rooms connected through an adjoining en-suite. They didn’t dare acknowledge the fear and hopelessness that they had heard in the older witches’ voices as they discussed the threat that the Hestons were facing as a whole.

  “What’s going to happen, Esther?”

  “Nothing is going to happen, Elvira, we are going to brush our teeth and get to bed like we ought to have done an hour ago. Things will look better in the morning.”

  “Promise?” Elvira asked.

  Although she looked almost the same as her cousin, she was still one year younger and looked up to her older cousin for reassurance.

  “Of course I promise. I don’t know what gramps and the others are fretting for anyway. There is no way we can’t beat these low lives. We just need a plan.”

  “Ok, if you say so.” Elvira replied docilely. She wanted to believe that Esther had the right of it but there was no way to tell for sure. Feeling very subdued, she soon made her way to her own room, her mind whirling with thoughts on how she could help make things better.

  Esther sighed as she finished up in the bathroom and climbed into her bed with loads of fluffy pillows. She had at least half a dozen pillows piled all over her bed. Her pink and purple chequered duvet and sheet set added a burst of symmetry to the ordered chaos of her bedroom.

  As she fell asleep her mind drifted to her upcoming fifteenth birthday. It was less than a week away and she knew her mum and aunts had something big planned. They didn’t think she knew but it was hard for them to keep secrets.

  When a Heston witch reached her maturity at fifteen, she came into her full powers. Among all the rituals and ceremonies that took place around the coming of age process, she was required to climb one of the two trees that stood on opposite sides of the River Pishon.

  Climb one of those massive older than old trees, without the use of ropes or a net. Wonder who came up with that fine idea.

  At the top of the tree, there would be a pod growing on the topmost branch of the tree. The Heston witch was then required to harvest the pod and climb back down without dropping it. They then had to sleep with the pod under their pillow and in the morning it would break open to reveal the gemstone for which the Heston witch had been chosen and whose properties they would exemplify. They could also draw power from their particular gem and while each witch wore a ring with a smaller version of her gemstone mounted on it, their original stones from the pod were kept in the Harmony Den and used only in emergencies.

  Esther’s mind flittered about with the different possibilities. Would she be getting a diamond like her aunt Edna and be strong, resilient and unbreakable or would she get a sapphire like Evie? The more she thought about it, the more convinced she was that she’d get an unusual gemstone like an opal or onyx. It was just a feeling she had.

  Yeah, everyone likes to think they’re unique don’t they. She gave a mental shrug
.

  No matter what I get, it’ll be me. It will suit me and I will learn to work with it and harvest all the positive properties of the stone, she thought as her eyes began to feel heavy.

  Whatever the case, she would know soon enough. With all that was going on, it would be a good thing if the clan had one more matured witch in the mix.

  She fell asleep.

  Soon she was walking through the Garden of Eden again. She was walking hand in hand with her mate, Adam and the Infinite One, the Creator. He had called her Woman and this felt right because this was what she was. Yet she knew she must have another name. She turned to her mate and he smiled at her again, sensing what she hadn’t asked him.

  “Eve,” he said aloud, “your name is Eve.”

  She discovered that she found his voice pleasing as well. She tested the name he had given her in her mind, saying it over and over under her breath until she was satisfied that it fit her as perfectly as ‘Adam’ fit him.

  “Adam and Eve,” the Creator said with a smile, his pleasure in their existence evident. “The Earth Father and Mother, just as I intended. Be fruitful, be more than what you are. Have joy in one another. This is my gift to you.”

  Without any obvious sign, he departed and left them there in the middle of the garden surrounded by the beauty of the most exquisite of flowers and the most exotic of scents.

  “Come, come with me, my Eve,” Adam said, tugging gently on her wrist. “Let me show you the wonders of our home.”

  Outside her room, Ethos, Edna and Eden listened to Esther crying out in her sleep.

  “Adam… Adam wait. Adam…”

  “Ethos, do you think we should we wake her?” Edna asked.

  “No. Let her see what she is meant to see. Her time is near.” Ethos said.

  “Yeah, I guess you are right. Even without knowing she’s having the dreams about the Garden, it is her fifteenth birthday in a couple of days after all. I can’t believe she’s is all grown up.”

  “I wonder what gemstone she’ll get.” Edna mused.

  “Probably something sparkly like a ruby or an emerald.” Eden said with a laugh.

  “I do hope she can make the climb, she really doesn’t have much of a head for heights.”

  “Stop worrying, she’ll do just fine, just like you did, and me, and all the Hestons who have gone before her.”

  “She’ll make it. She’s a Heston and she is going to make one fine witch.”

  “You are right of course. But I still worry.” Ethos had an uncharacteristic frown on her face.

  “You’re a mum. It’s in your job description to worry.”

  The three of them stepped away from the door, speaking softly so as not to wake the sleeping girl.

  “Hey, are you alright?” Eden asked Edna. “You’ve been awfully quiet tonight.”

  “I’m fine, I just have a lot on my mind.”

  “Haven’t we all. Care to share?”

  For a brief moment, Edna was tempted to share what she had seen, to unburden herself and tell them everything. Having been reminded that Esther’s ceremony and ball were only a couple of days away helped her put the vision she had seen into perspective. She now had a timeframe. Lester was going to shoot her in the head on the day of Esther’s coming of age party. She looked over at her sisters, strongly tempted to share her revelations with them but something held her back.

  How can you be so selfish? Haven’t they got enough on their plates?

  Impulsively she reached out and pulled both her sisters into a hug.

  “I love you guys,” she said. “I love you both so so much.”

  “And we love you too, you weird huggy monster,” Eden quipped.

  They shared a brief laugh to cover their deeper emotions. In the background, Esther cried out again in her sleep.

  “Adam!!”

  “Poor thing,” her mother said. “Pity that tale is already written and there is no changing the ending.”

  The Heston sisters made their way back downstairs.

  “So have you decided on a theme for her manifestation yet?” Edna asked as they got to the bottom of the steps.

  It seemed a little odd for her to be thinking about planning a party on the day she was going to get shot but she was determined.

  Nothing was going to ruin Esther’s party.

  The day dawned bright and early with the sun shining pleasantly through the light fog that covered Silverline City. Both girls got ready in their separate rooms and then walked down the steps of Red Rock Haven and out of the door together. It was time for them to get back to school, the new term was starting and for once they would not be together. As Esther was turning fifteen, she was moving on to the Silverline City College while Elvira had one more year in the Silverline Senior School. Since both fine institutions were side by side, smack in the middle of Silver, they could still go to school together. They just wouldn’t be in the same building. It felt like torture.

  Still, with all that was going on in the family at the minute, both girls had more than just different schools on their minds. Neither girl said much as they walked along, bundled up cosily in their matching red winter coats and black boots, barrettes and hand muffs until Esther noticed a sly smile crossing Elvira’s face.

  “Hey, what are you smirking about, Coz? Is there something I should know?”

  “Huh. Shouldn’t I be asking you that question, Esther?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Who’s the guy that’s gotten you so hot and bothered he’s invaded your dreams? Where did you even meet him? Do I know him?”

  “What on earth are you blabbing on about?” Esther asked with exasperation in every syllable.

  “Adam, oooh Adam”, Elvira cooed, mimicking Esther’s voice breathlessly.

  She crowed in delight as her cousin flushed, her cheeks turning a bright crimson easily seen in the bright winter sunlight.

  “Ooh, you are blushing. He must be something. Go on, tell me everything. Spill. Details. Now!”

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “And what exactly do I think, Ms Heston?”

  “It isn’t anyone you know.”

  “So there is a guy? The man of your dreams?”

  “Yes. But he isn’t real… I mean he was real but he isn’t any longer.”

  Elvira planted her feet in shock.

  “Oh my God. You are time travelling and loving it up with some ancient dude.”

  “No!”

  “Then what? Just tell me already.”

  “Look, apparently it has to do with this whole manifestation thingy that is coming up soon.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep! I’m afraid so. So you have this to look forward to as well.”

  Esther was surprised to feel a mild twinge of jealousy and possessiveness running through her at the thought of her cousin spending time with her Adam but she shook it off rapidly. He wasn’t her Adam. He wasn’t her anything except a long distant ancestor, same as any other member of the human race.

  “So, part of the manifestation process huh. Funny I don’t remember them telling us about hot guys as a part of this before.”

  Both girls had been thoroughly schooled on what to expect once they had reached the age of ten. The ‘Talk’ at Red Rock Haven covered a whole lot more than just the birds and the bees.

  “So Adam, huh,” Elvira prompted casually, then her eyes widened as realisation dawned.

  “Oh. Adam!!”

  She struggled for words for a couple of moments while Esther watched her with mild amusement. It was a rare occasion indeed if Elvira Heston was lost for words.

  “You have been having hot dreams about that Adam. As in The Adam?”

  “Yes that Adam. I mean no. Not hot dreams about him. Of course not.”

  “Esther…?”

  “It’s more like I am getting to see what happened all those years ago in Eden. From a first-hand point of view. Aunt Edna said it is normal this close to a manifestation.”<
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  “You talked to Aunt Edna about this?” Elvira asked, slightly miffed. “And you didn’t tell me?”

  “Well what was I going to say huh? Hey Elvira, you’ll never guess… I had the most a-mazing dream last night,” she said in a mock cheerleader-esque voice. “Caught a glimpse of the very first make out session that ever happened on earth too. It was like, Awesome?”

  “Well yes, basically, but I’d need a lot more details.”

  Both girls burst out laughing.

  “Come on, we are going to be late for school.”

  “Ahh, the joys of education. Yes, let’s try not to keep the real guys waiting.”

  “You know you are totally weird, right?”

  “Of course I do. But weird in a totally lovable way.” Elvira snickered as they parted ways at the fork in the road that led to their different schools. Just one more year and they’d be together again.

  Just one more year.

  As she turned into the central hallway, alone for the first time in years, she felt out of place and very conspicuous. Most people along the corridor didn’t make eye contact with her. They just walked by. A few nodded in greeting and a very minute few waved.

  It’s not too bad. I can do this. She thought to herself.

  Just when she thought that she would be alright, the whispers and snide remarks started and they carried on all down the hall till she got to her locker. Usually she and Esther could drown out the chatter by talking to each other but this time she was on her own. Was it her imagination or were they louder now?

  “Don’t look at her…”

  “Will you stop staring at her? It’s a waste of time.”

  “Everybody knows the Hestons are all a bunch of snobs.”

  “They don’t date boys from around here.”

  “I heard they don’t even like boys,” another voice chimed in. “Or men either for that matter. I mean really. Are there any guys in that family at all?”

  Elvira ground her teeth. This would be an opportune time to turn all of them into Chihuahuas for a fortnight. She took a deep breath.