Chapter Twenty-Eight
Rachel
I cannae believe my magics are working so well, precisely when I need them the most. It's almost...unbelievable. But the being who calls himself An Bodach has been using dark magics for longer than I've been alive---or that my father or my great-aunts have lived. Do we have the power to stop An Bodach ?
Joey clasps my hand, giving it a firm squeeze.
When I glance up at his face, I see love, trust, commitment, and so many other wonderful things. Joey Finnegan saved me from a life of boredom and solitude. He changed my world in ways I cannot even fully explain. I now realize I've loved him since the moment he fell from the sky and plunged into the depths of the moat.
'Twas magic that brought us together. But our love will stop the evil that threatens us today.
"Together, we're stronger than any dark magic," I whisper, not intending to speak but unable to silence my voice. Something inside me urges me to keep talking. "You, An Bodach , do not control the magics of all these good witches. You are of the darkness, but we are made of light."
"That's my girl," Joey says with a grin. "We've come too far to back down now."
I take a deep breath, drawing strength from his unwavering confidence. The air crackles with energy as my witchcraft responds to the intensity of the moment. Joey may not have magic of his own, but his presence amplifies mine in ways I never thought possible.
I square my shoulders and lift my chin. "Let's show this Bodach what happens when he messes with a coven of MacTaggart witches and my time-traveling lover."
Joey chuckles, the sound warming me despite the chill of anticipation. "Lover, huh? I like the sound of that, though I'd prefer 'dashing rogue' or 'strapping hero,' if you're taking suggestions."
"Dinna push your luck, Mr. Finnegan. We've got a battle to win first."
The air grows heavy, thick with malevolent energy. The shadows at the edge of the clearing begin to writhe and twist, taking on grotesque forms. An Bodach 's voice, cold and ancient, echoes through the trees.
"Foolish children," he hisses. "Your light is but a candle flame against the vast darkness I command."
I feel Joey stiffening beside me, but his grip on my hand remains steady. I draw upon our connection, feeling the magic surge within me, a crackling current of power that makes my skin tingle and my hair stand on end. I can feel Joey's strength flowing into me, his unwavering belief in us amplifying my abilities beyond anything I've ever experienced.
"A candle flame, ye say?" I call out, my voice ringing clear and strong. "Then prepare to be blinded, ye auld demon!"
With a flourishing gesture, I summon a blinding burst of light that cuts through the writhing shadows. An Bodach shrieks, a sound that chills me to the bone, but I stand my ground.
Joey's arm wraps around my waist, steadying me. "Go for it Rach. Show this creep what a MacTaggart witch can do."
The shadows retreat, but I know it's only temporary. An Bodach 's power is ancient and vast. But so is the legacy of the MacTaggart witches. I can feel the spirits of my ancestors stirring, lending me their strength.
"You think you can defeat me with parlor tricks?" An Bodach 's voice booms, shaking the very ground beneath our feet. The shadows surge forward once more, tendrils of darkness reaching for us like grasping fingers.
I raise my free hand, channeling every ounce of power I can muster. "These are no tricks, ye monster. This is the light of generations."
A blinding white light erupts from my palm, spreading outward in a dome that pushes back the encroaching darkness. Joey gasps beside me, his eyes wide with wonder.
"Holy shit, Rachel," he breathes. "You're like a supernova."
I can't help but grin, even as sweat beads on my brow and my chest is heaving.
An Bodach grins like the evil creature he is.
We do seem to be outdone in terms of magic. My parents' tale of a battle they won years ago taught me that what seems to be is not always so.
The mafia riatach , Fulvio, erupts into evil laughter as if he believes he's won---because An Bodach seems to be on his side. But I suspect the Old Man won't remain loyal to the mobsters for much longer.
"What are you thinking?" Joey asks, his voice hushed. "You've got the 'I have a plan' face."
I didnae realize I made a special face when I'm plotting something. But Joey knows me better than anyone else. I hiss out of the corner of my mouth, "Aye, you are correct. I have a plan. But I cannae guarantee it will work."
"How can I help?"
I glance at the mafia men. "Do you intend to live in the year 1621?"
Fulvio rolls his eyes. "Of course not. There's no percentage in living in ye olden days. I make a mint off crypto."
Whatever the word crypto means, I'm fair certain it's of no importance to me. I set my hands on my hips while my magics continue to swirl around me. "An Bodach is a trickster and a shapeshifter. His intentions are always malevolent and never benefit anyone but himself. You are a fool, Fulvio, if you believe he will protect you during the battle that will surely come."
The mafia moron wields his little gun, waving it about as if that will cow the Scots who have gathered here. "Four of us can mow down plenty of you hicks, especially with our friend here to provide a magical assist."
Joey has mentioned that guns can be deadly and faster than a sword. But with so many Scots from so many clans here with us, surely we can prevail.
My great-aunts gather round me, forming a circle within which I stand. The power of our magics crackles in the air like tiny golden sparks.
"Screw this," Fulvio snarls, as he and his friends pull out their weapons. "Old Man, get your ass in gear and take down these chumps."
An Bodach sniggers---softly, darkly, the sound imbued with the darkest intent. His voice reverberates with ancient, unyielding power as he taunts Fulvio. "Ye pitiful mortal. Did ye truly delude yourself into thinking I would conspire with such insignificant wretches?"
Fulvio's face contorts in confusion and anger. "What the hell are you talking about? We had a deal!"
"I trade only in chaos and suffering," An Bodach snarls, his form warping into an even more monstrous visage with every passing second. "And now, I shall gorge on the despair of all involved."
Dark, vicious tendrils of magic explode from An Bodach , striking out with relentless fury at both the mafia men and our group. I hear blood-curdling screams of terror from Fulvio and his cohorts as the shadows consume them. But there is no time to ponder their doom---the malevolent magic is surging towards us, poised to crush our defenses.
"Now, sisters!" I cry out to my great-aunts with desperate urgency.
In unison, we raise our hands, channeling our combined might into a blazing barrier of light. The darkness assaults it with the force of a raging storm against a cliff, yet our shield stands unwavering. Joey is at my side, his presence lending me strength too, even as his eyes widen in awe at the fierce magical battle erupting around us.
"Rachel, this is incredible," he breathes. "But how long can you keep this up?"
I grit my teeth, feeling the strain of maintaining such powerful magic. "Long enough, I hope. But we need to do more than just defend. We need to strike back."
Joey and my father raise their weapons---Joey's dirk and Father's claymore. Though fighting a demon with mundane weapons doesn't seem helpful, as I had realized earlier, this is only the first salvo. My great-aunts and I, working as one, can and will play a pivotal role.
All the men of all the twelve clans are swarming us, protecting us as best they can, for the real battle is about to commence.
As if in response to my words, An Bodach 's form shifts again, growing even more monstrous. His body stretches and twists, becoming a grotesque amalgamation of shadow and flesh. Tentacles of darkness lash out, seeking any weakness in our defenses.
"Rachel!" Great-Aunt Efrica calls out. "We must focus our attack!"
I nod curtly, instantly understanding what she means. The five of us---myself and the aunts---begin to move in a circular pattern, our steps in perfect synchronization. The men around us watch in awe as golden light begins to swirl at our feet, rising up to envelop us in a shimmering vortex.
The figure An Bodach melts into a seething cloud of black and purple that intensifies quickly as the air pulses with raw power. I feel the magic coursing through me, stronger than ever before. The combined strength of generations of MacTaggart witches flows through our circle, building to a crescendo.
"Now!" I holler, my voice ringing with authority. Och, is that my voice? Aye, it is.
As one, we thrust our hands forward. A blinding beam of pure light erupts from our circle, cutting through An Bodach 's dark cloud like a sword through mist. The demon shrieks, a sound of rage and pain that shakes the very earth.
His distorted voice reverberates through time stream and all of Scotland. "Noooo! You witches will suffer for this, and I shall have my vengeance!"
The whirlwind of black and purple rises high into the sky, blotting out the light. My great-aunts and I continue chanting as our voices gradually grow louder until the very air around us vibrates with the power of our words. The golden light emanating from our circle intensifies, pushing back against the swirling darkness above.
"Keep going!" I shout, my voice strained but determined. "We're weakening him!"
Joey steps closer, his presence bolstering my resolve as he shoves his dirk into its sheath, and his magics meld with mine. "You've got this, Rachel. Show the demon what a MacTaggart witch can really do."
Drawing strength from Joey's unwavering faith, I dig deeper, tapping into reserves of power I never knew I possessed. The light from our circle surges upward, piercing through An Bodach's dark form like shafts of sunlight breaking through storm clouds.
The demon's screams grow more frantic, more desperate. "Impossible! You cannot defeat me! I am eternal!"
But I can feel the tide turning. An Bodach 's darkness is fragmenting, breaking apart under the onslaught of our combined light. "Ye may be eternal, but so is the light of the MacTaggart witches!"
With one final push, we channel every ounce of our power into a blinding explosion of golden energy. The light engulfs An Bodach 's writhing form, shattering his darkness into countless fragments that dissipate like smoke in the wind.
But he roars one last time, leaving us with these words: "I have multiplied your enemies, doideagan ! They shall avenge me!"
As the last echoes of the demon's wailing fade away, an eerie silence falls over the battlefield. I sway on my feet, exhausted but exhilarated. Joey's strong arms wrap around me, steadying me.
"You did it, Rach," he whispers, his voice filled with awe and pride. " An Bodach is no more. From now on, he'll only be a bugaboo, a myth to scare naughty kids into behaving."
The aunts and I break away from our circle. Aye, we have won the magical battle and destroyed An Bodach . But he left behind enough monsters to do considerable damage. A battle must be fought now---a battle for the souls of the twelve clans.
"Oh, shit." Joey's eyes widen briefly as he realizes what has happened. Then a steely resolve hardens his features. "I wish I was hallucinating, and there aren't really an army of duplicate mobsters with guns ready to attack us."
My father sets a hand on Joey's shoulder. "Dinnae fash, laddie. Scots have fought worse battles than this, and our numbers are far greater."
"But guns can splatter your brains within a matter of seconds."
"Have ye lost yer faith in the clans?"
Joey raises his brows. "Did I say I was giving up? Hell no. It's time to show those mafia assholes what a bunch of Scots and one New Yorker can do."
I love his resolve, but I need to make sure all the men understand. "I'm afraid the members of our coven have depleted our magics---for not. We'll need time to replenish it. More time than this battle can handle."
My father grins like a feral beast. "Dinnae fash, Rachel. After all, 's e Albannaich a th' annainn ."
Joey's brows lift. "And that means..."
Father raises his sword high and shouts, loudly enough to hurt my years, "We are Scots!"
And just like that, battle begins.