Solstice - The Goddess Awakens

‘Surprise is the key, Aibgrene!’ urged Lola, struggling to keep her nerves in check. ‘Remember we don’t know where that lift will lead us!’

Without a word, Aibgrene turned and bolted up the stairs taking two at a time, with Lola struggling to catch her up.

‘Wait, Aibgrene! I can’t protect you if you’re that far away.’

But Aibgrene didn’t care, all she wanted was to get to her mother, and Lola could understand that. Finally Lola caught her at the top of the stairs. The chanting had stopped and the only sound now was the languid and silky voice of Carl Stein.

‘My brethren, you’re all most welcome here tonight on Samhain Eve to celebrate in the offering to our great deity, Mollach. As we usher in our New Year, we have much to give him thanks for. The Ancient Order of the Golden Dawn has been destroyed, and its servant Arthur Delphian disposed of.’ Cheers and laughter rang through the air in approval. ‘But that’s not all. We are close to acquiring the ring and the Cube and we all know what this means, my brothers,’ laughed Carl Stein. ‘This means any opposition to our new world order will be destroyed.’ Again a roar of appreciation rang through the air. Lola stood rooted to the spot; an indescribable rage surged inside her. She wasn’t sure when to make her move, or even if she could, it felt as though she was paralysed.

‘But now let’s get back to the matter at hand,’ continued Carl Stein. ‘Tonight we offer the most prestigious sacrifice to our Lord. I have had the pleasure of sampling one of the legendary Moone family in my day and I must say I am most looking forward to this.’ Unable to stand it anymore, Aibgrene burst into the room before Lola had even realised what had happened.

‘Get your filthy hands off her, you bastard!’ shouted Aibgrene at a bemused Carl Stein. Celeste lifted her weary head searching for her daughter, who was now hurtling towards her. But Aibgrene never even got within a yard of her mother as she was lifted up and thrown against the wall by a flick of Carl Stein’s hand. Dazed, she fought to get to her feet, but she was no match for Carl Stein who stood over her, pinning her down onto the stone tiles by some invisible force.

‘Well, well. What a treat. Now I have completed the set,’ he sneered. Thick globes of blood oozed from Aibgrene’s head. Kneeling down beside her, Carl Stein ran his fingers across her head. He examined the blood before smearing it over his thin lips.

‘Mmmm, such life. Such energy!’ he cried, as he gave a nod to two of his cloaked followers to pick the dazed Aibgrene up. Lola was still rooted to the spot not sure what to do as Carl strutted around the large stone table where Celeste lay with the blood weeping out of her arms into the thirteen small recesses carved in the stone table. Her hair had turned white and her once vibrant violet auric shell was a dim glow. Lola could see that she fought to hold onto life as the last drops of her life blood spilled onto the sacrificial table.

‘I’m afraid you’re too late, my dear,’ declared Carl with mock apology. In a few moments your mother will be gone, but fear not, you won’t be far behind,’ he laughed.

Struggling to break free, Aibgrene threw herself at the table, and sobbing, she kissed her mother’s pallid forehead. ‘No please! No! Mum, it’s me. It’s me, mum! Please stay with me, it’s okay we’re going to get you out of here!’

‘How touching,’ scoffed Carl, much to the amusement of his flock. ‘We?’ he said, turning around to the gathering dramatically. ‘But you are completely on your own, my dear.’ Carl looked dramatically around the circular room. It was now or never, thought Lola as she stepped out of the shadows.

‘Well, that’s not entirely true, Mr Stein, or do you still prefer I call you Carl?’ She knew she had succeeded in the element of surprise; the mocking smile on Carl Stein’s face was gone, replaced with a look of rage.

‘This is going to be a most interesting night indeed,’ he said, opening his arms towards his followers, calling for their assistance. Lola tried to blank out the faces around her so she wouldn’t have to look at Alex, but another familiar face suddenly emerged from the group and tried to grab her. She wasn’t at all surprised to see him there. It all made perfect sense – the cuff links, the Victoria Jones story and it must have been him that had told that young boy that she would be with Felix Tennyson the night she had gone to see the old solicitor. He must have been listening to her calls.

‘I wouldn’t try that if I were you, Bryce,’ said Lola, her voice calm and unwavering. It felt as though someone else was speaking. Her old editor ignored her words of caution. Stretching out her index finger, Lola could feel the power and rage rise through her body, and she knew that what was coming would be much stronger than what she had conjured outside Mystic Moone all those months ago. Again it all happened in a blink of an eye. As he tried to grab her arm for the second time, a white bolt of pure light rippled across the circular room shaking it to its core and sending Bryce hurtling across the room. He collided with Carl Stein before sliding to the floor. Unlike the last time, Lola was totally focused now, her doubts and fears replaced with courage and absolute trust.

‘Aibgrene,’ she commanded, ‘get Celeste, it’s time we were going!’ Grabbing her mother, Aibgrene pulled her off the stone table and into her arms.

‘Do you think you can outwit me?’ snarled a still visibly disorientated Carl Stein. ‘Do you think that ring is any match for me? Even if you do get out, where are you going to go from here?’ Lola moved to position herself between him, Celeste and the door.

‘Aibgrene, get her out of here now!’ ordered Lola. ‘I’ll meet you at the bottom.’ Aibgrene hesitated for a second. ‘Go now!’ shouted Lola, never once taking her eyes of Carl. She could feel his power trying to break through her defences, as he regained his composure.

‘I’ve outwitted you once before, sir, and it looks to me like its checkmate, again,’ threw back Lola smugly. Gradually the rest of the men started to get to their feet, except Bryce who was still out cold. Inching forward they began to form a wide circle around Lola. Stepping back she tried to reposition herself nearer the exit.

Lola remained calm, looking at the men around her, surprised at how many faces she recognised. There was a High Court Judge; she couldn’t recall his name, but remembered seeing him on television recently. Another face stood out, he was a politician with a prominent role in local office who often referred to himself as being a committed Christian.

‘Well I must say, Mr Stein,’ shot back Lola, ‘you have some very esteemed guests tonight.’

‘This is nothing, Ms Paige,’ he snarled. ‘I’m sure there are some you know and others you don’t. But you are familiar with my son Alex, aren’t you?’ Lola hadn’t seen him behind the others, but as he emerged from the group with a cold, emotionless expression on his face, she began to lose her resolve. She had to get out of there and quickly. ‘I believe you two know each other quite intimately. Alex and I usually like to share our playthings, it’s a pity you didn’t stick around a little bit longer, Lola.’

‘I’m afraid you’re not my type, Mr Stein, but I imagine that hasn’t stopped you in the past. I’m sure you weren’t Karen Watson’s type or Victoria Jones’s type either. Raping and murdering is hardly a consensual thing after all.’

‘You really are very astute, Lola, but I can’t take all the credit,’ chuckled Carl. ‘Alex, perhaps you could persuade your friend to stay.’ Suddenly Alex began to edge closer to her.

‘Get back, Alex, or you’ll end up like poor Bryce over there,’ cautioned Lola trying hard to keep her voice from breaking. But he continued to move forward. Lola had no idea if the ring’s magick would work to repel him. After all, he had broken her defences before. His face wore a stony expression. He looked at her as though she meant nothing to him. The words of the song that he had sent her came into her head making her stomach churn. How could she have believed that what had happened between them was real for him? He was almost within reach when the ring ignited again, sending him hurtling across the room. It was much stronger than before as all the windows exploded sending shards of glass raining down around the room. The blast threw Lola backwards towards the door.

Darting out to the stairwell, she slammed the oak door shut and headed for the lift. Once inside, it seemed to take forever to descend towards the small craft, where Celeste lay half-dead in Aibgrene’s arms. Jumping into the carriage they headed back towards Chateau Bacchus. They wouldn’t have much time. There was no way Carl Stein was going to let them get away.

‘She’s lost too much blood, Lola,’ sobbed Aibgrene. ‘I tried a spell, but the wounds are too deep.’ Aibgrene continued to whisper her spell rapidly, but there was no change in Celeste. Without knowing why, Lola ran her ring down the deep vertical slits in Celeste’s arms, then watched in amazement as its light began to heal the wounds.

Finally the craft came to a halt. ‘You take her legs and I’ll take her arms,’ ordered Aibgrene. Doing as she was told, Lola grabbed Celeste’s legs as they climbed the staircase. Celeste weighed very little – she was a shadow of the woman that Lola had left after Arthur’s cremation. Making it into the library, they quickly moved out into the hallway on their way towards the glass staircase. Lola turned to check if Celeste was still conscious, but the shocked expression on Aibgrene’s face wasn’t warning enough and suddenly she felt herself being knocked to the floor, after being hit across the face with what felt like a slab of stone.

Disorientated, she writhed around on the floor, with blood pouring from her mouth. Aibgrene’s screams sounded suddenly distant, as Lola’s vision slowly returned. She quickly realised that the weapon that had struck her was a fist and it belonged to the man-mountain, who was now standing over her, readying to pummel her again.

‘Didn’t your mother tell you that it’s very rude to walk out on your host? Mr Stein would like you to stay,’ he said in a thick Belfast accent. Lola recognised him immediately. It was the man who had tried following them to Tara. As if he had read her thoughts, he drew his arm back again. ‘That was for Mr Stein, and this is for my tyres you bitch!’ Grabbing Lola by the hair, he drew back his fist, but Lola got in first. Lifting her foot, she drove it as hard as she could between the legs, managing to roll out of his way before he fell. She clambered to her knees, while he writhed about on the floor. Lola stood to catch her breath while trying to help Celeste up onto her feet. It looked as though her assailant might get up again, and reaching out he tried to grab Lola’s leg. But this time Aibgrene came to her rescue. Lifting the only thing that was to hand, Aibgrene pulled one of the paintings off the wall and struck their assailant over the head with it.

‘I hate to waste a Jackson Pollock on someone like you, but didn’t your mother tell you never hit a lady, you piece of shit!’ spat Aibgrene. ‘Now can we please get the hell out of here?’

‘Please,’ smiled Lola through her bloodied mouth. Aibgrene hoisted Celeste up, throwing her over her shoulder, as the three of them broke out of the house sucking in the fresh air. They were halfway up the driveway when Lola noticed Alex’s car with the keys still in the ignition. ‘Aibgrene give me your mum,’ said Lola, stopping.

Aibgrene tried to urge her on. ‘What are doing, Lola? Are you mad? Come on now.’

‘No,’ continued Lola. She’d had another brainwave and her instincts hadn’t let her down. ‘Put her in this car, Aibgrene.’ Lola pointed to Alex’s sports car.

‘What are you on about, Lola? Come on we need to get out of here. Now!’

‘I’m going to take Alex’s car,’ said Lola, already in the driver’s seat. Reaching over, she opened the door. ‘Put her in, Aibgrene, this car will get us to safety in half the time. You take my car; they won’t be looking for us in this car. It’s her only chance!’

Aibgrene put her mother in the passenger seat, gently placing her seat belt on.

‘Are you sure you can handle this car, Lola?’

‘We’ll be fine. I’ll meet you at mine. Now go!’ assured Lola.

Aibgrene kissed her mother then turned and ran towards Daithi who was still waiting in their car as Lola sped off up the street.