We walked through the door to our house laughing about Melissa's fate but our
laughter died when we saw our mom standing with an angry scowl on her face. "You
girls are late," she said her anger coming out in her words. "The meeting was
supposed to start five minutes ago. You two had better have a very good excuse why
you're late or I'll bind your powers for two months." She was very big on punctuality
and would get mad if you were even a second late.
"We had to test the ring Richelle received Mom," Brie said doing a good job of being
brave but I knew she was scared shitless.
"And what ring is this?" Mom asked her tone making it plain that she didn't think much
of the excuse.
"The Ring of Mordroch," I said lifting my hand so she could see it.
When Mom saw the ring her face turned from one of anger to one of surprise. "But
that's impossible," she said shaking her head, "the Hag of the Shadows was
imprisoned within the shadows over three hundred years ago when the Salem witches
found out it was she the children had been seeing and having a reaction to."
"It does grant wishes though," Brie said trying to convince Mom that I did indeed have
the ring.
"What wishes has it granted?" Mom asked looking a little pale.
"Well I made the clothes of a woman disappear then I caused Melissa Thompson to
need diapers," I said smiling. "Her purse changed into a diaper bag. Also that she
would have an irresistible compulsion to have someone change her and made sure
that she couldn't kill herself."
Mom became stern and said, "You better not be lying to me about this."
"I wouldn't Mom," I said my voice a little whiny. "Try to take it off if you need more
proof or I could make another wish."
"Don't you dare use any power on me without my permission," Mom said her face
becoming red and me and Brie shrank back. Mom calmed down enough to say, "If I
can't get it off then that will be enough proof." She took my hand and tried pulling it off.
When she couldn't get it off she mumbled, "De Lapsus," and tried again. I knew that
spell was to make something slip off of something else but the ring stayed on my
finger. Mom's eyes went wide and she said, "It's true then. The ring has finally found
it's way to where it belongs." Her face broke out in a huge smile as she said, "This is
fantastic news. Come we need to tell the coven about this. We can finally rule the
world as we should have been all along."
As we entered our basement we saw the members of our coven sitting in chairs
around the room. There was Elijah Banks our headmaster at school, Carla Hades the
librarian at the public library, Douglas Wood and Tim McQueen detectives on the
police force, Gina Frost who had just turned nineteen, Michael and Rachael Frost
tellers at the largest bank in town Gina's boyfriend Mark Galloway, Brie's boyfriend
Damien Wools, and my boyfriend Daniel Faust. They looked up as we entered and Mr.
Banks asked, "Why are you smiling Annabelle? You're usually in a foul mood when
anyone's late."
"Well I was but now I'm in a good mood due to some news I just received," Mom said
almost jumping for joy. "Before I tell you though this meeting will come to order." Brie
and I sat down on either side of Mom as was our custom and everyone straightened
up. "Now as you know our coven is dedicated to ruling the world to make it a better
place. This was the vision of my ancestor Mordroch. He created a ring to help him
achieve that goal but the fool Brondich and the Avalon elves deemed him evil and
killed him before his vision could become a reality. His ring was taken by the Hag of
the Shadows and has passed into the possession of several individuals since that time
until the Salem witch trials when the Salem witches trapped the bag in the shadows."
She smiled before continuing with, "That has changed though. The hag is no longer
trapped and has given the ring to my daughter Richelle." There was a collective gasp
at this news.
"I don't mean to be rude," Ms. Hades said, "but we need to know. Are you sure that
she has the Ring of Mordroch?"
Mom nodded and said, "I tried getting it off her finger myself and it wouldn't budge. It
matches the description of the ring. We all know that fakes have popped up from time
to time granting wishes but they never matched the description, were never unable to
be removed from the wearer's finger, and were never given to them by an old woman
after returning something she left behind. Those rings were never able to transform
something within minutes."
"That's true," Mr. Frost said nodding. He looked at me and asked, "Could we have a
demonstration?"
I looked at Mom and she said, "It's your decision. By rights you now lead the coven."
I smiled and said, "Well then I guess a little demonstration is in order." I looked around
to gain some inspiration on something to transform. I wasn't going to transform a
member of the coven so it would have to be something else. I would need to make
sure that it couldn't be explained away as a glamour either. The problem there was
that my glamours were so good that my mom had trouble seeing them for what they
were. I looked down at the ring and an idea started forming. "The ring's powers aren't
dependent on the wearer's powers are they Mom?" I asked.
"Not according to the stories," Mom said nodding. "I think I know what you're thinking
and if you're sure I will do it." I nodded my head and Mom pointed a finger at me
saying, "Alligo sua opis nam duo horarium." I felt the binding power of the spell and
knew that I wouldn't be able to use my powers for two hours.
I smiled and said, "I wish that the chair in this room that Mr. Banks is sitting in would
turn to lemon jello for two minutes and then reform as it was as soon as I finish
speaking this wish and that every member of my coven present here is exempt from
any mental change that may happen as a result of this wish." I watched with a smile
as the chair changed to lemon jello starting from the bottom and working it's way up.
The jello spread out as Mr. Banks fell through it and everyone looked at the chair in
surprise. Mr. Banks took a piece of the jello and first sniffed it then licked it. "It's really
lemon jello," he said in surprise. "It's not a glamour but a real transformation. Richelle
has to have the Ring of Mordroch on her finger. This is great news indeed." He stood
up and waited for the chair to reform before sitting back down.
"I know there's more on tonight's agenda so I'll let my mom continue to run the
meeting," I said with a smile.
"Thank you sweetie," Mom said with a smile. Turning back to everyone she asked,
"Are there any possible converts who may join our coven?"
"There are a couple girls who like my stories about Mordroch and are interested in
magic," Ms. Hades said. "I've spoken with their parents and they are willing to let the
girls explore their interest. When I told them that I might know a coven that would be
willing to teach them they seemed interested but want to check us out first."
"What are their parents like?" Mom asked.
"They are big on capital punishment," Ms. Hades said. "They do want a better world
for their daughters and said they would sell their souls to the devil if it would bring
about that world."
Mom looked at me and said, "Since you lead the coven now you get to decide if they
can be brought in."
I thought for a moment then said, "Bring them here tomorrow and I'll interview them
myself. Anyone else have any possible converts?"
"Michelle Barns wants to see the end of war," Brie said. "Her brother was recently
killed in an ambush."
"Just the type we can use," Mom said with a smile.
"I'll talk with her tomorrow after I talk with Ms. Hades' people," I said nodding. "Any
others?" Everyone else shook their heads so I asked, "Is there anything else Mom?"
"Yes there is," Mom said looking grim. "Yesterday Elijah and myself caught one of the
students listening in on our conversation. She ran when we noticed her which gave us
cause for concern so we called Douglas and Tim to talk to her. They've brought her
here to be questioned by the coven."
"Well then bring her out," I said a scowl on my face. No one would run if they just
overheard an innocent conversation so there was more going on here.
Douglas and Tim left through a secret door and were soon back with who I recognized
as Allison Rhodes between them. She was naked as was custom for those being
brought forth before the coven. It was usually symbolic of one having nothing to hide
but in this case it was done to emphasize our power over her. "Let me go," she was
saying as she struggled in Douglas and Tim's grasp. "This is kidnapping and you can't
treat me like this." Her eyes fell on Brie and she asked, "Why are you here Brie?"
"That's not important," I said before Brie could respond. "What is important is why
you're here."
"Why am I here then?" Allison asked looking at me.
"You tell me," I said with an icy tone to my voice which made Allison shrink back a bit.
"You overheard a conversation between Mr. Banks and my mom then you ran when
you noticed them. Why would you do that?"
Allison looked around and said, "I was afraid."
"Why would you be afraid overhearing a conversation?" I asked frowning.
"Well because of what I've heard," Allison said looking down and looking like she really
was scared.
"What have you heard and how?" I asked not liking where I thought this was going.
"Well a man came to our house last week," Allison said looking back up. "He said he
was with the FBI and he wanted to talk to us. My mom and dad invited him in and he
started telling us a story. He said that a long time ago there was this sorcerer named
Mordroch and that he tried taking over the world until one of his ancestors stopped
him. He said that there was a group today that wanted to continue where Mordroch
stopped and that people tended to end up dead around them. He said that they have
a suspicion that Mr. Banks is one of these people."
"I see," I said nodding. There was no sense that she was lying to us. "This puts us in
an awkward position. We can't just let you go after what has happened."
"I say we behead her," Mr. Frost said.
Allison went pale and said in a tiny voice, "Please don't kill me."
"See she knows too much," Mr. Frost said.
I looked at Allison trembling and then glared at Mr. Frost saying, "Well she didn't know
so much before you opened your mouth."
"You can't talk to me like that," Mr. Frost said.
"Uh Dad," Gina said in a fearful tone, "Richelle has the ring."
Mr. Frost didn't back down saying, "The chair was just a glamour. Annabelle knows
that some of us have been getting tired of her leading the coven and came up with
Richelle getting the ring so they can keep control. You all fell for their trick. Come on
Rachael, Gina we're leaving the coven."
"Honey you know I love you but I'm not leaving the coven," Mrs. Frost said. "I want a
better world for Gina and our grandchildren."
"I'm not leaving either Dad," Gina said.
"You both will do as I say," Mr. Frost said. He then pointed at Gina and said,
"Especially you. You're still living under my roof and as long as you do I forbid you to
be in this coven."
"Then as of this moment I no longer live under your roof," Gina said glaring at her dad.
"You are free to leave the coven of course but you can not make others leave," Mom
said looking coldly at Mr. Frost. "Just remember what betraying the coven means."
Mr. Frost glared at my mom and said, "That's just something to keep you in power
through fear."
"You know that it was established after our coven was nearly wiped out by someone
betraying the coven," Mom said her gaze turning cold.
"We just have your word for that and I don't believe it," Mr. Frost said his face getting
red. He then made the stupidest move any member of the coven could. He raised his
hand toward me, Mom, and Brie saying, "Incendo." His face became filled with
surprise as nothing happened and he was seized.
"You have betrayed the coven in front of the coven," Mom said her tone icy and her
face red.
I was just as angry as my mom was and since I was leader of the coven now it was
up to me to pronounce the sentence though I could tell my mom really wanted to.
"There is but one punishment for betraying the coven," I said my voice icy, "and that is
death. I sentence you to be beheaded immediately. Remove his clothes." I looked at
Gina and her mother saying, "Since he is related to you I won't force you to watch but
I will need you two to reaffirm your oath."
"I'm staying," Gina said tears running down her cheeks but otherwise she was
controlled. "Oh and I was the one that bound your powers Dad. I thought you would do
something like this."
As Mr. Frost's clothes were removed Mrs. Frost said, "I'm staying too."
"How can you just stand there and let them kill me Rachael?" Mr. Frost asked.
"It's the law," Mrs. Frost said. "I can feel it. It's real."
"Please don't kill him kill me instead," Allison pleaded and meaning it.
"That is very noble of you Allison but we can't do that as you're not a member of the
coven," Mom said as the chopping block and ax were brought out.
"You'll do anything to stay in power," Mr. Frost said venom dripping in his voice. "I
knew you would do this so I took precautions. I will return soon and have my revenge."
"I don't think you will," I said through narrowed eyes. "How would you like a daughter
Gina?"
"I would like one," Gina said with a nod obviously catching on to what I was thinking.
I looked at Mr. Frost and said, "You obviously planned on possessing someone if you
died by our hands. Well you will be reborn instead and have no memory of this life."
"You don't have the power bitch," Mr. Frost growled as his head was secured to the
chopping block.
"That's where you're wrong," I said in a low voice. I pointed at Mr. Frost and said, "I
wish that your soul will remain in your body until you die and when you do die your
soul will immediately be transferred into your daughter's daughter who was recently
conceived with no memory of this life of yours." I lowered my hand and said, "Proceed
with the execution."
I saw Allison just sitting there in shock evidently unable to move as Douglas raised the
ax. Before he brought the ax down Mr. Frost said, "You'll all see that they have been
lying to you. I will be back in the body I had planned on and then we'll take control of
the coven from these tyrants." Douglas brought the ax down slicing through Mr. Frost's
neck cleanly. His body jerked and convulsed as blood flowed from his neck.
I went over and released Mr. Frost's head. Holding it up I smiled and said, "I takes six
minutes for a person to die so I'll let you watch the rest of the meeting from my lap. At
least as much as you can see before you die." I sat back down and looked at Allison
asking, "Now what do we do with you?"
Allison screamed and tried to run but was caught by Tim. "Please don't kill me," she
pleaded tears streaming down her cheek.
"Oh but you were willing to die for him just moments ago," I said petting Mr. Frost's
head and watching Allison shake with fright and pee where she was standing. I smiled
and said, "I'll tell you what. I'll give you several options I'm considering and I'll let you
pick which one will happen to you. The first one I'm considering is making you part of
the coven. The second one is transforming you into a statue. Third is transforming you
into a doll for Gina's daughter. Fourth is transforming you into a self-cleaning diaper for
Gina's daughter. Fifth is transforming you into a swimsuit for me. Sixth is transforming
you into a necklace. Seventh is being executed like Mr. Frost was. Pick which one you
want or I'll pick for you."