The Windhaven Witches Omnibus Edition : Complete Paranormal Suspense Series, Books 1-4 by Carissa Andrews (graded readers txt) 📕

“A sense of calm, for starters,” I say, raising my eyebrows, but keeping my eyes shut.

“That is but a side effect of turning inward, calming the mind to embark into stillness. Being what we are requires a certain amount of strength and concentration. It also demands our intentional efforts to be but one with our gifts. Necromancy is not simply the resurrection of another. It is about immersion beyond the veil—to the heart from where all energy springs. We cannot do this properly without learning how to calm the storm raging within our own minds,” she says, circling around me. “You will be your own worst enemy if you cannot quell its beckoning. You must not allow yourself to be tormented by it.”

I shift awkwardly, unsure what to say to something like that.

“Move beyond the serenity. What senses entice you forth?”

Inhaling slowly, I allow the stillness to overcome me until everything else is completely tuned out. The room falls deafeningly silent and it’s as if the whole world falls completely away. Then, almost like a single candle was lit inside the darkness, behind my eyelids, I can make out the entire room. Only, rather than seeing it in three dimensions, it’s more like looking through thermal imaging or an infrared camera. Some areas around the room are a cool blue, all the way up to a deeper cyan. Then there are areas around the room that are red, orange, and even yellow. Turning my head to face the ground, the salt glows a bright, crystal white, but the blood splatter shows up as an intense, fluorescent yellow.

Curious, keeping my eyes closed, I bend down and touch it.

“Speak your truths. What observations do you witness?” Abigail says softly.

“Colors—everything is bright,” I say, standing back up.

“Exemplary.” There’s a hint of satisfaction hidden in the tone of her voice. “Your gifts have returned with haste. Manifold objects require that you must be in alignment with their essence before they reveal themselves. I am quite sure you can appreciate there is much in this world that hath not yet shown themselves unto you.”

I open my eyes, glancing over at Abigail. After realizing I can see spirits who are trapped, it’s definitely occurred to me once or twice that there are many levels to reality.

“I do,” I say, nodding.

Abigail clasps her hands in front of her body and smiles. “Dimensions overlap each other repeatedly. Sometimes, the only way to detect a rift is by honing our abilities. Other times, we require tools to be one with the universal energies. I am certain you have calculated that you have been miraculously gifted with both my ability for resurrection and Warren’s ability to behold the unseen. I believed this to be true from very early on, but I had no way of being certain. It was not a proven theory until your successful reinsertion of the Gilbert girl’s soul.”

“That’s a good thing, though. Right?” I say, quirking an eyebrow.

Abigail tilts her head to the side, considering. “It may have its benefits.”

“Well, super,” I say, making a face.

“Direct your attention inward yet again and tell me what it is you sense about this chamber. From whence did it arise?”

“Why?” I ask, wondering what she’s trying to get at.

“We shall see,” she says, raising an eyebrow expectantly.

“Fine,” I mutter under my breath. Again, I close my eyes and turn inward. I shut down all of my other senses until the calm returns and the strange colors flicker to life inside my inner sight.

“Have you regained the clarity of sight?” Abigail says from somewhere behind me.

I nod. “Yes.”

“Good. Now, turn widdershins very slowly with a watchful eye. Tell me what impressions you get of this chamber from this sacred level.”

“Widdershins? What does that even mean?” I say, shaking my head.

“Anti-clockwise.”

“You mean counter-clockwise,” I mumble.

Swallowing hard, I use my internal sight to look around the room. The stones on the wall vibrate in varying degrees of colors, some brighter than others. As I rotate a little more to my left, I can make out the stairwell and the dimming light from the window. It appears as a greyish radiance, bursting out from the edge of the stone wall. Continuing counter-clockwise, I view the back wall and the myriad stones and mortar work. Flashes of centuries’ worth of memories begin to flicker through my mind’s eye, flooding past more quickly than I can keep up.

Shaking my head, I turn again to my left. The memories continue to flood in, and I raise my hands to my head, trying to stop the dizzying sensation.

“There’s so much residual energy. It’s almost…too much,” I say, trying to tune it out.

“Many lives have come and gone in this chamber. Its echo can certainly be deafening for someone unfamiliar to its pull,” Abigail agrees. “Allow your senses to dive deeper. Their calling will cease.”

Nodding, I try to submerge myself through the energy to find a sense of calm. When the images and information slow, I turn again, sweeping my internal gaze across the remaining wall, and the memories and visions abruptly cease. Instead, the energy is replaced by an intense level of tranquility—more potent than anything I’ve ever felt.

“What’s happening here?” I say, reaching out with my left hand as I walk forward from the circle. Despite having my eyes closed, I can see where I’m walking as clearly as if they were open. When I reach the wall, I place my hands on the stones, unable to pick up on any energies at all from them.

“Speak your truths,” Abigail urges.

“There’s—” I begin, unable to form words with the level of insights coming at me. Despite having no immediate energy signature, there is still a web of magic that blankets the wall. I inhale sharply, realizing what it is I’m sensing.“There’s something behind this wall.”

“Indeed…there is.”

Chapter 18

A Wellspring Of Veneration

Surprised by the revelation, I open my eyes, and turn around to face Abigail. Only, she’s gone.

“Abigail?” I call out,