linked to. With the exception of Taylor
Robert McQueen, our Uncle, no one else knew.
“Much like us,” Rose squeezed Storm’s hand and smiled at him.
“Micah was there to warn her, too.” Viola looked down at her hands.
“Of what?” Jasmine asked as her eyes widened.
“The impending darkness. That part of the McQueen family history that, until now, has been
hidden between the eldest members of our family. You see, Clara Rose’s mother made her share
of mistakes.”
Rose clutched Storm’s hand tighter and snuggled up close to him. “No one had ever spoken
about her mother. There’s nothing written in the book about her.”
Viola closed her eyes, then opened them. “Such frightening, trying times for our family back
then. “Shawn, have you ever told Rose about our origins?”
“Only briefly.”
Rose nodded. “Yes, in Salem, Massachusetts. Because of the witch trials, our family
scattered in various directions. ”
“Some settled in New Orleans,” Shawn added.
Rose squinted. “Mom, you never mentioned New Orleans.”
“Unfortunately, I’m as much in the dark as you are, sweetheart.”
Viola smiled. “She wasn’t supposed to. You see, our ancestors settled in New Orleans for
years after leaving Salem. They flourished, and lived happy lives. But when one side of the
family began practicing dark magic, the discrepancies began. The light witches cast out the dark and they fled to Maryland, along the Eastern Shore, and Cambridge. Many were captured,
rounded up and forced into slavery.”
Rose gasped.
“Come on Rose, surely you didn’t think all our ancestors were honest, hard-working
people?” Viola inquired. “I mean, some were, in the beginning, but after being treated so harshly, they sought an easy way out. Aunt Celeilia possessed great power but never wanted to use it.
Unfortunately, after an incident with Cyrus her thirst for revenge was her undoing. It all began with her attraction for him. That man promised her the world, with his beautiful eyes, long
flowing brown hair and a face that appeared to be crafted by the hands of the most talented artist.
Although brutally handsome on the outside, he was a savage, nasty soul on the inside.”
“We all could see, he’s quite the charmer,” Dehlia muttered sarcastically.
“Hmm, like Niall?” Jasmine snickered.
“Jasmine.” Dehlia narrowed her eyes.
Viola clapped her hands. “Ladies, this isn’t the time for bickering. This is a part of the
reason why Elders of our family have kept this secret. The inward bickering and back-biting
amongst ourselves must come to an end. We possess the power to be our own worst enemy.
There was a time when our family came close to annihilation; that is why Clara and Micah did
what they had to do. The raven and the McQueen witches are powerful forces to be reckoned
with, oh, but once combining their powers? Unstoppable!”
Rose squeezed Storm’s hand. “I know. I’ve never felt so connected to Storm the way I do
now.”
“And you must remain that way,” Viola told them. “Now, that dog of a man, Cyrus wooed
Celeilia. He tricked her into thinking he had eyes only for her. He promised to free us all from slavery; said he wanted to settle down and make a life with her. Ha! Evil assed bastard.” Viola shook her head and balled her hands into fists. “That bastard.” She had to stop and take a few
breaths before holding up a hand. The ground began to shake and a vase fell from the mantle of
the fireplace and shattered.
“Aunt Viola, breathe.” Rose coaxed as she watched Walter rub her back, in an effort to
comfort the woman.
“Please forgive me.”
“It’s okay Viola,” Storm urged in a low voice. “There’s no need to rush through this. I’ll get
the vase don’t worry.”
“Leave it,” the witch demanded. “You all need to do is listen to everything I say since The
Heightening will be here, staring us in our faces.”
Obeying, Storm retrieved his seat,
Robert McQueen, our Uncle, no one else knew.
“Much like us,” Rose squeezed Storm’s hand and smiled at him.
“Micah was there to warn her, too.” Viola looked down at her hands.
“Of what?” Jasmine asked as her eyes widened.
“The impending darkness. That part of the McQueen family history that, until now, has been
hidden between the eldest members of our family. You see, Clara Rose’s mother made her share
of mistakes.”
Rose clutched Storm’s hand tighter and snuggled up close to him. “No one had ever spoken
about her mother. There’s nothing written in the book about her.”
Viola closed her eyes, then opened them. “Such frightening, trying times for our family back
then. “Shawn, have you ever told Rose about our origins?”
“Only briefly.”
Rose nodded. “Yes, in Salem, Massachusetts. Because of the witch trials, our family
scattered in various directions. ”
“Some settled in New Orleans,” Shawn added.
Rose squinted. “Mom, you never mentioned New Orleans.”
“Unfortunately, I’m as much in the dark as you are, sweetheart.”
Viola smiled. “She wasn’t supposed to. You see, our ancestors settled in New Orleans for
years after leaving Salem. They flourished, and lived happy lives. But when one side of the
family began practicing dark magic, the discrepancies began. The light witches cast out the dark and they fled to Maryland, along the Eastern Shore, and Cambridge. Many were captured,
rounded up and forced into slavery.”
Rose gasped.
“Come on Rose, surely you didn’t think all our ancestors were honest, hard-working
people?” Viola inquired. “I mean, some were, in the beginning, but after being treated so harshly, they sought an easy way out. Aunt Celeilia possessed great power but never wanted to use it.
Unfortunately, after an incident with Cyrus her thirst for revenge was her undoing. It all began with her attraction for him. That man promised her the world, with his beautiful eyes, long
flowing brown hair and a face that appeared to be crafted by the hands of the most talented artist.
Although brutally handsome on the outside, he was a savage, nasty soul on the inside.”
“We all could see, he’s quite the charmer,” Dehlia muttered sarcastically.
“Hmm, like Niall?” Jasmine snickered.
“Jasmine.” Dehlia narrowed her eyes.
Viola clapped her hands. “Ladies, this isn’t the time for bickering. This is a part of the
reason why Elders of our family have kept this secret. The inward bickering and back-biting
amongst ourselves must come to an end. We possess the power to be our own worst enemy.
There was a time when our family came close to annihilation; that is why Clara and Micah did
what they had to do. The raven and the McQueen witches are powerful forces to be reckoned
with, oh, but once combining their powers? Unstoppable!”
Rose squeezed Storm’s hand. “I know. I’ve never felt so connected to Storm the way I do
now.”
“And you must remain that way,” Viola told them. “Now, that dog of a man, Cyrus wooed
Celeilia. He tricked her into thinking he had eyes only for her. He promised to free us all from slavery; said he wanted to settle down and make a life with her. Ha! Evil assed bastard.” Viola shook her head and balled her hands into fists. “That bastard.” She had to stop and take a few
breaths before holding up a hand. The ground began to shake and a vase fell from the mantle of
the fireplace and shattered.
“Aunt Viola, breathe.” Rose coaxed as she watched Walter rub her back, in an effort to
comfort the woman.
“Please forgive me.”
“It’s okay Viola,” Storm urged in a low voice. “There’s no need to rush through this. I’ll get
the vase don’t worry.”
“Leave it,” the witch demanded. “You all need to do is listen to everything I say since The
Heightening will be here, staring us in our faces.”
Obeying, Storm retrieved his seat,
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