breathing heavily with his elbows resting on his knees, staring at the mutilated thing. After a while he looked up at Parris, who hadn’t moved.
“This is but the beginning,” Corwin huffed. “Is it not, Sam?”
“That it is,” Parris replied sadly. “Yes. That it is.”
100
CHAPTER NINE
Walpurgisnacht
Roger Harrington’s Journal—
9 April—It has been more than one fortnight since I have seen Susanna. Reverend Parris and Judge Corwin paid me a visit the eve Blayne spirited her away from Salem Prison and told me of Blayne’s traffick with the Devil and his desire to see Susanna freed. This information is cause of a great distress unto me, more so now that Martha is ill. A gathering of men on horseback have been searching the wood for Blayne and Susanna, but as of yet have failed to discover their whereabouts. It was my wish to join in the search, but my immediate concern is for Martha, O Lord, please do not take her from me. It is with sincere endeavor and unwavering faith in the Lord that I continue to beseech Him through prayer and hardship to see my family through these most grievous events, that they may come to pass with mercy and love from He who is all powerful and all merciful, our beloved God Almighty. I pray, dear God, look after my sweet Phoebe’s spirit and guide her in Your way, and have mercy on us of the living, Your faithful servants, that we may continue to pay You homage and worship.
101
The Necromancer
Ambrose rode north toward Portsmouth, Jessica riding on one horse, Susanna riding pillion on his. His dog, Anster—a gray husky—ambled beside them. They had been riding all day since late that morning when Ambrose and Susanna fi rst left the prison, and now they were fi nally at the house Ambrose often retired to whenever he felt the need to be alone.
Susanna had been in no position to question him
about her release from prison—she was just grateful to be free—but when he denied her request to stop home and see her parents, she grew suspicious.
“No,” he had said. “There is time enough for you to visit your mother and father. I would like for you to come with me. There is something wondrous I wish for you to see.”
Susanna consented silently, with some reluctance. She felt indebted to him for freeing her and thought it would be thankless for her to object.
They stopped before the large bramble-fl anked house.
Ambrose would often come up here to meditate or perform some ancient ritual the profane should not see. This place was much more isolated than the cottage he owned in Salem Village. It had to be. There were conjurations to be made, demons to be summoned, dead to be resurrected. These operations required solitude and communion with nature.
They couldn’t be held indoors, although there were rituals that could—and some that must—be concealed from even the open air. But it was only in the bosom of nature that the majority of his powers could seek full reign and reach complete fruition.
Susanna knew nothing of these things, and she
knew nothing of her reasons for being here. What was it that Reverend Blayne so much wanted her to see? Did he have 102
Walpurgisnacht
some ulterior motive for bringing her here? She didn’t think so.
After all, he was a minister, and therefore beyond reproach.
Ambrose stepped down from the horse and looked
the building over. Everything still seemed intact.
“We shall stay here for a time,” he said, helping Susanna down. Her face was fl ushed as if she were overheated or embarrassed about something. It wasn’t a very warm night, and she hadn’t exerted herself, so Ambrose determined that it was the latter. But what did she have to be embarrassed about?
“Are you well, Susanna?” Jessica asked with a wicked smirk.
“I am,” Susanna replied. She sensed that Jessica knew what had happened and was toying with her.
“Good,” Jessica said. “It would be most distressing if you were to take ill.” This, Susanna
“This is but the beginning,” Corwin huffed. “Is it not, Sam?”
“That it is,” Parris replied sadly. “Yes. That it is.”
100
CHAPTER NINE
Walpurgisnacht
Roger Harrington’s Journal—
9 April—It has been more than one fortnight since I have seen Susanna. Reverend Parris and Judge Corwin paid me a visit the eve Blayne spirited her away from Salem Prison and told me of Blayne’s traffick with the Devil and his desire to see Susanna freed. This information is cause of a great distress unto me, more so now that Martha is ill. A gathering of men on horseback have been searching the wood for Blayne and Susanna, but as of yet have failed to discover their whereabouts. It was my wish to join in the search, but my immediate concern is for Martha, O Lord, please do not take her from me. It is with sincere endeavor and unwavering faith in the Lord that I continue to beseech Him through prayer and hardship to see my family through these most grievous events, that they may come to pass with mercy and love from He who is all powerful and all merciful, our beloved God Almighty. I pray, dear God, look after my sweet Phoebe’s spirit and guide her in Your way, and have mercy on us of the living, Your faithful servants, that we may continue to pay You homage and worship.
101
The Necromancer
Ambrose rode north toward Portsmouth, Jessica riding on one horse, Susanna riding pillion on his. His dog, Anster—a gray husky—ambled beside them. They had been riding all day since late that morning when Ambrose and Susanna fi rst left the prison, and now they were fi nally at the house Ambrose often retired to whenever he felt the need to be alone.
Susanna had been in no position to question him
about her release from prison—she was just grateful to be free—but when he denied her request to stop home and see her parents, she grew suspicious.
“No,” he had said. “There is time enough for you to visit your mother and father. I would like for you to come with me. There is something wondrous I wish for you to see.”
Susanna consented silently, with some reluctance. She felt indebted to him for freeing her and thought it would be thankless for her to object.
They stopped before the large bramble-fl anked house.
Ambrose would often come up here to meditate or perform some ancient ritual the profane should not see. This place was much more isolated than the cottage he owned in Salem Village. It had to be. There were conjurations to be made, demons to be summoned, dead to be resurrected. These operations required solitude and communion with nature.
They couldn’t be held indoors, although there were rituals that could—and some that must—be concealed from even the open air. But it was only in the bosom of nature that the majority of his powers could seek full reign and reach complete fruition.
Susanna knew nothing of these things, and she
knew nothing of her reasons for being here. What was it that Reverend Blayne so much wanted her to see? Did he have 102
Walpurgisnacht
some ulterior motive for bringing her here? She didn’t think so.
After all, he was a minister, and therefore beyond reproach.
Ambrose stepped down from the horse and looked
the building over. Everything still seemed intact.
“We shall stay here for a time,” he said, helping Susanna down. Her face was fl ushed as if she were overheated or embarrassed about something. It wasn’t a very warm night, and she hadn’t exerted herself, so Ambrose determined that it was the latter. But what did she have to be embarrassed about?
“Are you well, Susanna?” Jessica asked with a wicked smirk.
“I am,” Susanna replied. She sensed that Jessica knew what had happened and was toying with her.
“Good,” Jessica said. “It would be most distressing if you were to take ill.” This, Susanna
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