It had been three long, cold days since the spell was cast over White Manor. The days dragged on and the once seemingly endless white corridors of the manor had now been explored in their entirety. The coven was growing more and more restless as their self imposed imprisonment dragged on.

Clarina could feel each priestess losing hope and she didn’t blame them. This was a new thing for all them, herself included. Reconnecting with powers that had been dormant for many years was proving tricky. Janey, the youngest member of the coven especially seemed to be having real trouble connecting to the Earth to harness her powers and reignite the magic that once flowed through her veins. She found herself, more than once this past couple of days questioning Deandra’s decision to block the coven’s magic to protect them all those years ago. No one could have guessed she would be murdered so viciously before she could reverse the block.

To this day, Clarina could still feel Deandra’s presence and hear her words to this day.  It was one of her talents, to be able to stay connected to priestesses who had since left this world. She knew she was here with them and always would be. But what she wouldn’t give right now to hand leadership back to the most fearless leader of The Order of the Whitening that has ever been and ever will be.

Moving to the rear of the manor to fetch some supplies, Clarina felt a gush of cold air descend on her from above.

Her blood turned cold as she stopped dead in her tracks. The spell was failing but how? They had pulled it off without error. It would take an even bigger spell and an even greater power to destroy it. White Manor was more than just an old house. It was built on a nexus of magical energy that could be harnessed for good or for evil. It had been, for many years now, a beacon of good and light used to drive away darkness and protect all those whose hearts were pure and void of evil.

Unless……

Clarina felt it as soon as she thought it. “Unless the power was tainted.” The magic used to create the spell was unpure and contaminated by the very thing they swore to fight and protect the world against. She needed to get back to her phone now. If she couldn’t trust The Order, her family, who could she trust? Clarina knew there was one person who could help her but being trapped inside White Manor was quickly becoming a terrifying and suffocating situation. All the safety and peace she once felt had dissipated leaving only fear and uncertainty in its place. And Clarina knew someone inside these walls was here to ensure The Order didn’t survive this new attack on them.

Turning on her heel, she ran barely taking in the threadbare red carpet underneath her trainers. Towards the stairs, and towards her suite she ran. It was on the second floor and for the first time ever she wished her power was more than just spell caster and empath to the dead. More than just being able to create spells and connect to souls no longer living in the same living plane as she was. For the first time, she was jealous of the magic Deandra practised. Of being able to transport herself and others to a place in their thoughts. A power since renamed in The Order to simply ‘flashing’ She would never forget that first time Deandra flashed her from one room to another. Nausea and dizziness followed. It was brief but unsettling and whilst she got used to it over the years it never fully went away. God she wished could flash to her room right now.

And that was when she saw it.

Dead square, smack bang, right outside her room. As she turned the corner at the top of the grand, sweeping staircase that stood proud in the centre of the manor. It split around halfway up, Clarina followed the steps to the right leading her up to the second floor and away from the left-hand side of the house housing the rooms on the first floor of the centuries-old building. A manor still standing in its original condition only for the grace of magic.

She had been so wrong. She stood there, mouth open staring at the grey cloud that was suspended in mid-air in front of the door to her suite. Nothing could penetrate White Manor because of this spell. Of that, Clarina was certain. That meant one thing and one thing only, the threat and creator of the entity in the corridor was already inside when the spell was cast. One of the coven members was no longer pure and upholding the virtues of they had once sworn to uphold. But who was it? As High Priestess, Clarina should have noticed something like this.

Frozen as if in suspended animation, Clarina watched as the mist expanded in front of her face. She could sense it breathing in and soaking up the magic contained inside the walls of what was once her sanctuary. She caught sight of movement at the far end of the second floor. It was gone in the blink of an eye, but something or someone was there with her. She was not alone. Before she could focus who or what it was, a scream pierced the silent hallway. A blood-curdling cry that Clarina had heard only once before in her life. It was the sound she made when she found Deandra’s cold and lifeless body on the first floor of the manor all those years ago. At that moment, she knew, whatever it was that had killed her mentor was back. And she was next on its hitlist……

You can read part one of The Order of the Whitening to get up to date before following onto the next part in around 2 weeks time! I hope you are enjoying it so far. you can sign up to receive my emails to be kept up to date for future instalments.