Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 68024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Jonas and I spend the next hour explaining everything to the twenty people gathered. Xander’s dark eyes narrow, and he crosses his arms, but he’s quiet as he seems to take it all in.
When we finish, there are a few moments of silence as everyone processes the story we just told.
“This is at once amazing and horrifying,” Astrid says, finally breaking the silence. “Jonas, what you must have witnessed over the past few centuries is just incredible.”
“And sad,” I murmur. “There has to be a way for us to break the curse. We have the person who cast it here with us, but I’d like to hear Xander’s thoughts.”
“I have heard of Hallows End,” Xander says, and I feel Jonas tense beside me.
“That’s impossible,” Jonas replies. “The curse itself wiped it from existence.”
“There is mention of it in ancient texts,” Xander continues, frowning. “I don’t know if it’s because it was mentioned in a Book of Shadows that it ended up safe from being completely erased, but the lore states that it’s located in Europe. Not here in New England.”
“It’s fifty yards from my back door,” I say, my tone as dry as the Sahara. “I’ve seen it.”
“And everyone in Hallows End is caught in a time loop,” Margaret Sanders says thoughtfully. “That’s interesting to me.”
“It was done on purpose,” Jonas replies. “Because although we all agreed that it was the only way to protect us all from persecution, we are also human. The fear that someone would try to leave Hallows End to see their family was great, so we included the time loop—and the memory loss—on purpose.”
“When the curse is broken,” Percy McGuire asks, “will they remember? And will they immediately age and die? Or will they just continue forward as if only a month has passed?”
My head whirls to Jonas, and my jaw drops. “I hadn’t even thought of that.”
Jonas grips my hand, and not one person in attendance doesn’t notice, though they don’t say anything.
“I don’t know,” Jonas admits. “You need to understand, I never intended for the curse to last this long. It was supposed to be just a couple of years, at most. I suspect that once it’s lifted, the citizens of Hallows End will simply go on to live their lives. However, they won’t remember. Only I will know everything.”
“Gods, they’ll be thrust right into the twenty-first century,” Giles says, speaking for the first time.
“What’s the alternative?” Xander asks. “We leave them there for eternity?”
“That’s not what I’m suggesting,” Giles says, shaking his head. “It’s just…the people they love will be gone. I can’t imagine what that would feel like, and—”
“It’s unthinkable,” Jonas adds with a nod. “Because it is unthinkable. I understand that none of this is your responsibility. If you are unable or unwilling to help, I completely understand. I don’t know what’s kept us in Hallows End all of these years. I do know that each time I try to lift the curse, something blocks me. I don’t know what entity might be trying to stop me and wanting to keep us in Hallows End in 1692. If you are willing to consider the possibility of helping, however, I can’t express to you how grateful I am.”
“When did the mark appear on your hand?” Xander asks, surprising us all.
“What mark?” Hilda demands, and I hold up my hand for all to see.
“It appeared when I reached the other side of that bridge and entered Hallows End.”
Without a word, and with his eyes on Xander, Jonas lifts his hand.
“Soul marks,” Astrid whispers.
We hear a door slam inside the house, and I smile at my cousins.
“Seems my mother has something to say about that.”
“Oh, your mother has had plenty to say this whole time,” Lorelei says. “But I’m not allowed to share it with you. Not yet, anyway.”
For the first time, Lorelei looks Xander in the eyes and addresses him.
“We have to do this, Xander. We have to do whatever we can to lift the curse of the blood moon. Because it’s no longer stuck in the past.”
“No, it’s not,” Xander agrees with a sigh full of confusion and questions. “It impacts us all. There is work to be done. It’s up to each of you how much you want to be involved.”
“I think it’s safe to say,” Percy says slowly, his old, lined face solemn, “that if there’s anything any of us can do, you’ll have it from us. How many of us have ancestors stuck there?”
“There’s no way to know that, given things were wiped from public record,” I say softly. “But whether they’re linked to us by blood, religion, or simply because they’re people, I think we should do whatever we can to help.”
“Agreed,” Hilda says.
Everyone nods in agreement, and when I look at Jonas, I can see that he’s overwhelmed by gratitude.