Nathan and Rose were on the left side, and Robert and Sarah Burke on the other.
Robert looked cocky as he took my gun from my hands, and Sarah looked submissive as she stared at the nicest place settings my parents had.
“Let her go.” I would tell them only one time and that was it.
Both men shook their heads as if I’d told them a funny joke.
Nathan’s fingers rolled over a syringe that was filled with what I could only assume was ketamine. Rose’s eyes looked down at it and back up to me. She was scared; I could see that.
“Her powers are useless right now,” he stated bluntly.
“She would have been able to escape with ease were that not the case. Just a few drops of the tranquilizer drug we use at the hospital was enough to calm her powers but keep her coherent. Couldn’t have our angel flying away without being set free first.” Nathan smiled at Rose in that same creepy way he did at me.
“Why the bloodletting? Why angels and demons?” If we were going to pretend to be civil, then I could get some of my questions answered.
Robert looked at me and answered for the doctor.
“There are angels and demons in all of us. Those of you with your powers are closer to the heavenly plane than we are. You can be set free to fight in the war of heaven and hell that’s been going on for eons. Your powers were given to you from either the Devil or God. We are simply doing what he cannot.”
These two men were certifiably crazy.
“Looks like you need to check into the psych ward together,” I told them with a curl to my lip.
Nathan grimaced and then sipped on his glass of wine that they had apparently brought. My parents weren’t drinkers. He set the glass down and looked me straight in the eye. I swear I saw a man in turmoil in those depths, before he spoke.
“Let me tell you a story, Echo.”
And then the doctor told me his story.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Asher
The last thing I heard, Phillip was talking with the mayor of Seahill, who had publicly spoken to the citizens of the city and any guests who were here for the New Year’s party. Everyone had been urged to go home, and most listened. The chief of police was working with Charles, organizing his forces to sweep through the city with hoses and tear gas to stop the violence that was spreading.
Leon had been roaming the streets, moving the cars that had been abandoned or damaged in the middle of the road to the side, so they wouldn’t obstruct the roads.
Mina and AJ were the eyes of the city, letting everyone know through the communicators where they should go.
Lilith had found the worst of the rioters and was subduing them, with her number one rule being not killing them, just knocking them out or being sneaky and zip-tying their hands until they stopped freaking out. Draco was helping people who needed it get to the hospital, which was filling by the minute with the injured. Dorian had his hands full but was handling the madness flawlessly.
I was currently sitting on the roof of Griffin Enterprises, freezing my ass off and preparing for the peace inducement spell.
It was difficult to do, and truly I should have more energy wielders with me to make it work, but I was as strong as five of my coven, so I was giving it a shot anyway.
After the Salem witch trials, my people found a way to bring calmness into people’s lives. It wouldn’t last long, just a day or two. But it was enough for people to have time to think things through without the emotions of fear, anger, and sadness driving them.
I hoped it was enough to give us a chance at saving the city.
My moon crystals hadn’t seen the light of a moon in months, and I felt bad, knowing I should have taken better care of my magic supplies just in case I needed them. But the moon was full tonight, so it should charge them up with energy in no time.
I looked over my spray paint drawing of the pentagram on the roof, to make sure everything was touching: earth, fire, water, spirit, and air.
“Let’s get some magic on.” I lifted my hands and the candles at each point lit. It took some extra energy of mine to keep them lit up here in the blasphemous cold and wind. The higher up I was, the worse it got.
I sat in the middle of the star, my hands touching the two small mounds of dirt from the forest of Salem itself, and began the chant.
“I call upon earth, grounder of the body.
