Witch Hearts by Liz Long Read Free Book Online Page A

real thing?” Ruby asked Michael.
    He shook his head, regret on his face. “They’re being quite secretive about the whole thing. All I know is that the burns on their chest are in the shape I sketched. Some sort of mystical weapon, I assume.”
    “Do the police know that it’s witches this person is hunting?” Andrew butted in. He no longer looked skeptical, his face pinched together with worry and fear.  
    “My source says that Courtney was the third woman to be an active participant in Wicca. I have met with the High Priest and Priestess of the two covens the other victims were part of and they told me the women were quite powerful within the group.”
    “It’s been only females?” Vivian, another witch, spoke up.
    “So far,” Michael said. “Ruby and I thought it best to tell everyone tonight at the meeting.”
    Ruby raised an eyebrow at him; he lifted a shoulder ever so slightly in apology. She shook her head an inch in either direction. She didn’t want his apology or to be included in any of his coven business. She refused to be dragged back in.
    “Courtney didn’t trust everyone she met,” Cooper reminded them. “She was careful with who she talked to, especially about witchcraft and her power. He must have been watching her. I have no idea how someone could overtake her; he would’ve had to surprise her.”
    “I would strongly suggest no one here mention anything about his or her abilities. If you’ve talked about them in public before, make a list of those you’ve told. They could be possible suspects,” Ruby said.  
    “Where were the other two victims found?” someone asked.  
    “Courtney and another were from here; the other from two towns over. They were all, however, found in or near the river,” Michael answered.
    “He favors water,” Ruby said without thinking. The others looked at her and she caught herself. “Uh, I mean, that’s my guess. Whatever he’s doing, it requires some sort of water element.”
    “He’s not drowning them, is he? I mean, before or after the…heart thing,” Lacy asked, her voice faltering on the last part.
    “I don’t know,” Michael said with a frown. “I can ask my source and see if they know or at least have checked for it. That might show us something more if you’re right, Ruby.”
    An older woman named Pearl spoke up. “I was wondering, what do you think about a séance to call Courtney's spirit? Perhaps she can give us details to help.”
    Silence coated the circle; the group looked from Michael to Ruby to Cooper in question.  
    Ruby saw the look on Cooper's face and pulled the attention back on her. “We’ve been part of séances before and quite frankly, those never seem to work out the way we want. I would rather not, to be very honest. I don’t want to see Courtney like that and I’d really appreciate it if no one else tried.”
    She kept her voice light, but everyone nodded in agreement. When a séance brought a spirit back, it was as that spirit had died. Under no circumstances did Ruby want to see Courtney with her heart cut out, plus she was afraid it might send Cooper over the edge. She could already see the struggle he had with being here, with hearing these things about his dead sister. She couldn’t bear to allow such a terrible sight.
    Cooper reached for Ruby's hand and gripped it tightly. She laced her fingers with his and squeezed to let him know they were almost done. She noticed both Rebecca and Michael’s eyes on their clasped hands. She took that as their exit cue.  
    “I think I’ve had about enough tonight. I’m sorry to bail on everyone, but it’s been an exhausting few days.”  
    Lacy nodded fervently in agreement and the others also seemed eager to be done with the circle for the evening.  
    “That’s probably for the best. If everyone else is ready to go, please feel free. If you’d like to stay and practice, that would be all right, too,” Michael said.  
    Every single person stood up and