Rose

Chapter 21

I ducked down behind a stack of Synthies crates just as two of the vampire guards came running out of a room across the hallway. They headed off down the corridor in the direction of the explosion. I stepped out from my hiding place about to head back upstairs to free the girls when I sensed movement seconds before the door to Wynne's room opened. I darted into the open room the Vampires had come out of and hid behind the door holding my breath.

"Stay here" commanded Ansuradon. "Make sure the Maiden and Mother are kept safe. They do not leave this room." I felt his dark energy move off in the same direction as the guards had run.

I peeked through the gap in the door to see the third guard posted outside in the hallway. Darn it! How was I going to get out of here and up the stairs now? I scanned the room for any ideas. My eyes landed on a pile of jewellery on a table to my left. I recognised some of the bracelets: The Black Tourmaline and Chakra bracelets Willow had bought me, along with some leather ones I had transmuted myself, and that was definitely my Grisgris bag. I slipped the bracelets over my wrist and smiled; I felt more like me when I had them on, I realised. I grabbed my Grisgris bag and tucked it in my bra, then put the other bracelets on my other arm, and placed the necklaces over my head. I was betting they belonged to the girls upstairs and I was going to return them to their rightful owners, along with their magic.

I felt inside for all the different signatures and started sifting through them and separating them. I seemed to have a knack for vibrational energy and it was coming in very useful now. As I continued to organise the different magic within me I noticed another signature I had not expected - Miss Sage. I followed it to that shield I had felt earlier within me. That must be the potion to help control my magic. I wasn't sure I had much as I remembered dropping most of the potion at Moon Circle. But there it was, and it seemed to be doing its job. I now understood that had been what had slowed down my Mums magic and stopped me from passing out. I studied the shield. It was a barrier that was basically slowing down the release of power so as not to overwhelm me, much as the power had overwhelmed Tulipa when her own magic was boosted. That gave me an idea.

I peeked back through the gap in the door - the vampire was still there. I sighed. I needed to get past him somehow. I looked down at my bracelets. Was there anything in my Book of Shadows that could help? Or in my Grisgris bag? My fingers stroked the crystals on my bracelets and I remembered back to Miss Camellia's Tea Room and Willow explaining what they were for. The Black Tourmaline bracelet seemed to be calling to me and I remembered Willow saying it was one of the most protective crystals in the world and when activated it would create a forcefield of protection. I wondered if she meant literally because that would certainly come in handy about now. How do I activate it? My grandmother had placed her crystals directly in the moonlight to activate hers, but I had no moonlight on me right now. Or did I? I opened up my Grisgris bag and picked out my vial of ash from Moon Circle. That had been directly in contact with the Moon, surely that would work. I popped the cork and gently poured a few of the ashes onto my bracelet. Come on Goddess, I prayed, please work. I felt a slight warmth spread up my arm and across my body and when I relaxed my eyes I could see a slight shimmer coming off my skin; the energy felt just like the beads on my bracelet. It worked! Relieved, I turned back to the door.

The vampire was still standing guard outside the room where my mum and Wynne were. I hadn't heard Lab Coat come out so I was presuming he was still in there. I needed to get them out, but I also needed to help the girls upstairs. I was torn. But I knew what my mum would do, what my grandmother would do, what I needed to do. As much as I wanted to get my Mum and Wynne out, I knew I had to help the girls first. I had sworn to protect them, but more than that - I was The Maiden and it was my duty. I looked down at my hands as they started to glow. I smiled. Showtime!