Theo and I kept moving forward because there was nowhere else for the wolf to have gone. The overhead bulbs grew fewer and farther between, but at least they were still burning. The air grew colder too. I didn’t know if that was because we were moving away from the active boilers, or because we were going deeper underground.
The corridor narrowed and the steam pipes ended as we reached a wood-frame doorway. Beyond was darkness.
I stopped. As much as I wanted to find that altar, I wasn’t about to walk into the pitch dark after a supernatural wolf.
“This is the end of the foundation,” Theo whispered while tugging on his ear.
“Then what’s through there?” I asked.
“Maybe the remains of a different structure. This building has been here a long time. They probably built it around whatever was here before.”
I poked my head into the dark space, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the dark. It smelled like old, wet wood.
“It’s like finding an archaeological site,” Theo said.
“Or maybe the perfect place to hide a witch’s altar,” I added.
I took out my phone. I couldn’t get a signal, but the flashlight still worked. I aimed the beam at the floor, keeping the light from shooting too far ahead.
“Let’s go find it,” I said.
Theo’s curiosity was stronger than his fear. He followed me without hesitation through the doorway and even deeper into the past. What we found was a long, dark tunnel with a dirt floor. The walls were no longer cement blocks. Instead, they were made up of thousands of stones perfectly fitted to one another. The low ceiling was made of rotted wooden planks and more stones. It seemed like one sneeze and the whole thing would tumble down on our heads.
“We’re nowhere near the school anymore,” I whispered.
“This tunnel wasn’t part of the original building,” Theo whispered back. “Maybe it was built for something else.”
“Like what?”
He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. We were both thinking the same thing. This tunnel could have been built by the witches when they first settled in Coppell.
We moved forward quickly but cautiously. Since I kept the beam of light on the dirt floor, we couldn’t see very far ahead.
“Ahhh!” Theo let out a muffled cry.
“What?” I whispered.
“Something grabbed me,” he whispered, frantic.
He was struggling with something I couldn’t see. I reached back to grab him, but my hand found something else instead. At first I thought it was a snake and nearly screamed, but I quickly realized the truth and kept calm.
“Roots,” I whispered. “From the trees over us.”
Roots dangled down like thick strands of hair. I shoved a few out of Theo’s way, causing a shower of dirt to rain down on us. We both covered our heads, expecting a cave-in. I held my breath and waited, but nothing else fell.
“Dumb roots,” Theo said, brushing the dirt out of his hair. Theo hated being dirty.
“Stay focused,” I whispered. “And be quiet!”
We continued on cautiously, holding our hands out to brush aside any other stray roots that might be in our way. My heart was pounding. I didn’t want to say it, but I was afraid the next thing we’d touch would be the fur of a wolf.
“Look,” Theo whispered, pointing ahead.
The tunnel continued for another thirty yards or so. At the end was a faint, warm glow. I turned off the flashlight and our eyes quickly adjusted enough for us to be able to shuffle forward without it. We must have walked a few hundred yards away from the school. But to where?
We slowed down when we reached another doorway framed by rotted wooden beams. Theo and I exchanged nervous looks. There was no turning back. We cautiously moved forward and poked our heads through the doorframe to see…
…a huge underground room.
It looked to be the subterranean foundation of an ancient building. The walls were made of the same type of rocks that we had seen in the tunnel. The ceiling was much higher than the tunnel, though it didn’t look to be any sturdier. It was at least twelve feet from the dirt floor and looked as if it would crumble if I so much as farted. Daylight filtered down through cracks in the uneven dome, giving the room an eerie glow.
The rotten ceiling planks were shored up by several columns of heavy, dark timber that looked to have been cut from the skeleton of an old ship. At least twenty columns ringed the room. Close to the walls and roughly five yards apart, they ran from floor to ceiling like a rack of ribs.
The ancient vault must have been a couple hundred years old, but what stood in the center of the cavern was much newer. It was a modern wire fence, the kind you see around a school playground. It formed a five-yard-wide circle that stretched nearly to the ceiling. A heavy padlock sealed off a hinged door. The fence was there to keep people out, and away from what was inside.
It was a table.
An old stone table.
An altar.
We’d found the hollow of the Black Moon Circle.
The altar was a large slab of granite, the size of a door, lying flat on top of two large stones. It was solid. Flintstone solid. It must have taken some serious muscle to get it down there. Or some serious witchcraft. The surface was around three feet off the ground and covered with candles of all shapes and sizes. None were lit, but they had been at one time: wax had dripped down from them and hardened on the slab’s surface. There were a few ancient-looking books open on top of the altar, as well as some hand tools that I couldn’t identify from where Theo and I stood.
I took a step closer, but Theo stopped me and pointed to the far side of the cavernous room.
The white wolf was there, prowling around the outside of the fence.
We backed off and ducked into the tunnel to stay out of sight.
The wolf did a few laps, then padded over to an archway on the opposite side of the cavern. She stood there for a moment, looking into the darkness.
I looked to Theo. What is she doing? Theo could only shrug.
The wolf suddenly threw her head back and let out a piercing howl that shook the ancient foundation. It kind of shook my confidence too. It was so sudden and so chilling that I had to cover my ears. It was a long, sustained wail that I feared might rattle the support columns and bring the ceiling crashing down on our heads.
The wolf stopped to take a breath, then wailed again.
I thought I’d go out of my mind. The sharp yowl was ghostly, as if coming from a creature not natural to this life, or any other. It cut through to some dark part of my brain and made me want to howl back. I think I might have, if the wolf hadn’t stopped suddenly. The cavern was once again silent. The wolf focused on the archway as if waiting for something.
Another sound grew louder. Something was moving beyond that archway, coming closer.
“I don’t want to be here,” Theo whispered.
A moment later, there was a flurry of activity at the mouth of the archway. The wolf’s howl suddenly made sense. She had sent out a call. A summons. A pack of white wolves flooded into the cavern, bounding over one another, growling and whining.
Theo took a step backward, and I had to force myself not to do the same. I had to see.
The wolves scrambled through the archway like a pack of wild animals. Because they were. I almost expected them to attack one another, snarling and nipping like angry dogs. But when they hit the open space, they fell into an intelligently formed line and circled the fence like they’d practiced the routine. Like perfectly trained dogs, they formed a circle around the fence until every last one had joined. Then, as if on cue, they all sat down facing out.
We had found the rest of the Black Moon Circle.
I had been so focused on the wolves that I hadn’t been watching the librarian-witch-wolf. Tomac. While the animal ballet was going on, she had transformed back into human form. Or was it witch form? She was wearing the long white dress I had first seen her in.
T
he animals sat quietly as Tomac strolled slowly around the circle, looking at each in turn, touching some on the chin and others on the top of the head, greeting them all individually. The animals looked up at her like obedient puppies. Big, scary puppies.
“Welcome home,” she announced to the group. Her voice was calm and sweet, as if she were about to read a bedtime story to this freaking pack of wolves.
“It has been such a long time since we were together last. Thirteen years. In some ways the blink of an eye, in others an eternity. We gathered here those many years ago to begin the ritual of the ascent. Tonight, it will be completed.”
She walked slowly and deliberately outside the fence to a smaller stone table tucked up against the wall. It was a miniature version of the altar, complete with candles.
“I know some have doubts,” she said to the group. Or the pack. Or the coven. Or whatever the heck they were. “We have attempted this ritual four times and achieved nothing but frustration and failure. I swear to you, this time will be different.”
She reached down and picked up what looked like a small doll from the table.
“This time there will be no outside interference. As the black moon ascends, our brothers and sisters will rise to shine our light on a world that has forced us to cower in darkness. Not any longer. When the shadow of the black moon stretches over their spilled blood, we will be avenged.”
I glanced at Theo. He looked about as sick as I felt. Everything we feared was true. The books said it. Something horrible was going to happen that night.
“Now, run with me,” Tomac commanded. “But return here by sundown, for by night’s end the Black Moon Circle will once again run free.”
With a quick series of violent cracking sounds, the witch transformed back into the white wolf. As soon as the change was complete, the other wolves jumped up, ready to roll. The Tomac-wolf took off for the archway. The other wolves howled and barked as they ran after her. They disappeared through the arch in a flurry of fur and fangs, their growls and grunts growing faint as they left the hollow behind.
Theo and I didn’t move. I don’t know if it was because we were shocked by what we had seen, or because we were afraid one of the wolves might come back. We stood there for a good five minutes before I dared to take a step into the cavern.
“Don’t,” Theo warned.
I ignored him and walked up to the fence to peer at our target.
The altar.
“This is it,” I said. “We have to destroy it.”
I now had a better view of the tools on top of the altar. Besides the candles there were various plates and books, along with a nasty-looking dagger with a blade that had to be at least eight inches long. It was the same silver blade that the cardinal had transformed into. I hated to think what it might be used for. Tomac had said something about spilled blood, and the day before, she had looked as though she was going to cut Ainsley. The idea made me want to tear down the barrier with my bare hands. I curled my fingers around the fence’s links and shook it. It barely budged. I yanked on the padlock, hoping it was unlocked. It wasn’t.
“There’s no way we can get in there,” I said. “That’s why she said there won’t be any interference. The altar’s totally protected.”
“Uh, Marcus,” Theo said, his voice shaky. “I don’t think that’s what she meant.” He was standing next to the smaller table, against the wall. “You gotta see this.”
On the table were a few more melted candles, a couple of smaller knives, and a crude doll made of cloth. It looked like something a kid might make by stuffing a sock. It was the doll that Tomac had picked up to show the others.
“She said there wouldn’t be any outside interference,” Theo said. “She wasn’t talking about the fence.”
“Not following,” I said.
Theo picked up the doll and pointed to a tuft of dark hair pinned to the top of what was supposed to be its head.
“Look familiar?” he asked, and held the doll next to my face.
It took a second for me to register what he meant.
But I got it.
“Is that my hair?” I yelled in disgust, and grabbed the doll.
“It’s a voodoo doll,” Theo said. “This is how she casts those spells on you. You’re the one she’s preventing from interfering.”
“Why is she so worried about me?” I asked, stunned.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Theo said. “Maybe because you’re the only one who knows about Ainsley and what’s really going on? And the only reason the witches failed before was because agents from the Library stopped them? Do you think that might have something to do with why she’s worried? Hmm?”
He was making way too much sense.
“Yeah, well, she’s not gonna mess with me anymore,” I said with defiance, and pulled the straight pin out of the doll. With two fingers, I removed the hair and jammed it into my pocket.
“Done,” I said. “Now let’s figure out how to crush this thing.”
We heard a sound coming from the tunnel that led to the school. It was an unmistakable whimper and a short howl.
“Another wolf,” Theo gasped.
I looked around frantically, desperate to find a place to hide. There was nothing. We had only one choice.
“This way,” I said, running for the archway that the wolves had disappeared through.
“After the wolves?” Theo asked, horrified.
“Or we could face the one that’s about to show up,” I said.
There was no debate. He ran after me. We sprinted for the archway as another howl sounded from the tunnel behind us. The wolf was getting closer. I could only hope that it hadn’t smelled us.
The archway led to a set of stone stairs. I stumbled on the uneven surface as I quickly climbed, headed for the light above. The stairs were steep. They twisted once, then continued higher and finally led out into the sun.
We climbed out of the dark hole and found ourselves surrounded by a jumble of boulders covered in weeds and vines. If you didn’t know what was underground, the hole leading to the stairs would look like nothing more than a narrow opening to a cave. The only hint that it was anything more than that was a rusted DANGER: KEEP OUT sign fixed to one of the boulders. The sign was so old I could barely make out the letters. It wasn’t until I climbed up and over the pile of rocks and jumped down to the ground that I realized where we were.
“Oh man,” I said, breathless. “This is it.”
Theo jumped down next to me, brushing dirt off his nicely ironed shirt.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“This is where Ainsley and I met Tomac.”
The vine-covered rock pile was in the center of a clearing sealed off from the rest of the forest by a ring of thick brambles. The growth was so dense there was no way anybody could accidentally stumble upon the place.
“They’ve probably had their hollow protected like this for centuries,” I added.
“This is bad, Marcus. I don’t see how we can destroy that altar.”
I stared at the rock pile that stood like a fortress, protecting the hollow of the Black Moon Circle. My mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. Any plan.
I came up empty.
“Look,” Theo said, pointing to the sky.
I looked up, not sure what he was pointing to. The sky was clear blue, without a single cloud.
“What?” I asked.
“Don’t you see it?”
It took a few more seconds, but once I spotted it, it was all I could see. Looming in the vast blue sea of the sky was a perfect dark circle. It was faint but unmistakable.
“It’s the black moon,” Theo said in awe.
It hung over us like an ominous hole in the sky, a dark warning of what was to come.
“We’ve got to stop Ainsley from getting to the dance,” I said, barely above a whisper.
Theo and I had to get back to Coppell.
I went straight for the wall of bushes that ringed the sinister cove
n circle.
“Whoa, you sure about this?” Theo called to me as I was about to dive headfirst into the wall of thick growth.
I didn’t stop to answer. With my arms held out in front of me, I leapt into the brambles, pushing aside branches to keep my face from getting slashed. The witches’ route in and out of there wasn’t clear, but the thicket was no more than five yards deep. We’d be through in no time.
Or so I thought.
The more branches I pushed aside, the thicker they seemed to grow. I had picked the worst spot to charge through, but it was too late to go back. We were halfway out of there.
“There must be a smarter way,” Theo whined.
He was right behind me and had to keep ducking to avoid getting hit by the branches that snapped back in my wake. The brush was so thick it was like fighting through a pot of spaghetti. I stopped, caught my breath, and looked around for an easier route.
“I don’t remember the way I went yesterday,” I said, breathless. “It can’t be far. We’re probably only a few feet from the other side and—”
The words caught in my throat as I realized the truth. I hadn’t made a mistake. This was the exact same spot I had pushed through the day before. But things had changed.
No, they were changing, right before my eyes.
The branches directly in front of us were growing fast. Impossibly fast. Vines twisted and spread as leaves and thorns sprang from the new growth. Hundreds of new sprouts appeared as the vines interlaced to create an impenetrable living wall.
I could only watch in wonder as the unnatural show played out before my eyes.
“She knows we’re here,” I said gravely.
“What?”
A long black vine reached from behind Theo like a predatory python and wrapped around his waist. Before either of us could react, it tightened and, with a powerful jerk, pulled him back the way we had come.