Unfamiliar (Unfamiliar Series #1)

Chapter 45

"Well, let's get this over with then," Astrid says as she gets off of her and Indigo's horse and dusts at her jeans.

I grudgingly get down from my horse as I have the sudden sense that something horrible has happened here. Tessa shares a look with me as the horses disappear and I'm left feeling cold and exposed at the edge of the grassy field.

"Lead the way," Indigo murmurs as I look to her for guidance, only to have something catch my eye.

I take a step forward, but stop as I grip the wand in my hand more tightly, "Do you see that?"

"What?" Tessa asks as she gives me a quizzical look.

"Something's glowing," I tell her as I start walking.

It's like a flashlight has been turned on and is shining over the headstones as I start running. The dark headstones whip past as I sprint up the hill, tracking the light down as I pause in front of a large oak tree that is sat at the top. The light is coming up from the ground and I stoop down and start to dust some of the dirt away.

Though I don't get to see what lies beneath the dirt as light is suddenly blinding me and my eyes close.

                                                                         ****

I open my eyes to find that I'm lying on my back, the oak tree much smaller now as it sways in a breeze, a thick blanket of stars glowing coldly over me. I sit up to see that I'm still in the graveyard, but it's nighttime and I'm alone as the season is also different since there are no leaves on the trees.

"Lilith Moriarty," a voice booms over the dark graveyard.

I squint as I spot several torches being carried by people who are walking in the distance as they speak in hushed voices. I get to my feet to carefully follow them, the tall grass swishing as I walk through the graveyard to where a group of people are waiting and stop well away from them. A tall post has been erected in the center of a flat clearing and I recognize Lilith Moriarty from where she stands tied to it, her hands behind her back and a small gathering of people clustered around her as they hold torches that illuminate her face in the flickering light of the fires.

"Do you understand why you have been brought to trial?" a male voice says as he stands facing Lilith.

The woman sets her jaw as she shakes her head, "I know why you have decided to kill me, but I do not understand why."

"You harbored Unfamiliars, a dire crime in this world," the man snaps and several people from the crowd yell a few curses at Lilith, who merely lifts her head against the cries as her eyes narrow.

"They are fellow witches-," Lilith protests, but he cuts her off as he lifts a hand in a silencing motion.

"They are monsters, and they need to be eradicated, therefore I am putting Elijah Hallewell in charge of Greenwood Academy as its headmaster," the man says as he beckons for another man to step forward.

The man looks so much like Astrid and Eleanora that I can see then where their inherited looks came from. But what is he? A great grandpa? I wonder as I watch from where I'm standing dozens of paces away as I crouch behind a headstone. He's tall and broad-chested and has light colored hair that is neatly combed as he glares up at Lilith and readjusts his coat, a leer curling across his face.

"Do you swear to uphold the code?" the first man asks as Elijah obediently dips his head.

"I do," he says in a voice that carries over the crowd, contempt dripping from his words.

"Do you swear to pledge one child to the continuation of the hunting of Unfamiliars?" the man inquires.

"I do," Elijah swears as he touches a hand to his heart.

"Very well, from this, I order the execution of Lilith Moriarty for the crime of helping Unfamiliars," the man says and the crowd comes alive with shouts and whoops.

"Burn her!" one woman shrieks and the other people take up her cry.

Several men lope forward, their torches held aloft as they begin to light the logs that Lilith is standing on. I want to run then, to stop them but I'm frozen in place as the flames begin to rise, the orange flickering and climbing higher as it starts to obscure Lilith's legs. Smoke fills the air, along with the crackling of burning wood as tears sting my eyes.

Lilith opens her mouth to scream as I brace myself for the horrible sound that is sure to come.

                                                                         ****

"Kara, hey, you still here?" Indigo asks me, her voice splitting through the vision like a streak of lightning.

I open my eyes and glance around to see that Indigo is crouched beside me, I myself lying on the grass under the oak tree. I scramble to my feet, the air leaving my lungs when I realize what all happened in the vision.

"Hallewells, they're...they're hunting Unfamiliars," I whisper as I stare at Astrid uncomprehendingly.

"What do you mean?" she blurts, her voice startled as she looks from Tessa to Indigo, her eyes wide and innocent.

"They murdered Lilith for helping Unfamiliars and they put Elijah Hallewell in charge, he pledged one child to them so they could continue hunting Unfamiliars," I elaborate as I can only stare at her in horror.

Surely she would have killed me by now? Is she the murderer?

"Kara, I would never do that," she whispers as she makes a calming motion, "no Hallewell would do that, you have to believe me."

"But they did, Elijah pledged himself," I insist, "and so would more Hallewells, I know the truth, your ancestors hunted Unfamiliars."

"And that's where you're right, unfortunately," a voice suddenly interrupts.