The Sorceress Read Online Free Page A

daughter was pretending to be brave in order to protect her mother from knowing the depth of her fear. Ajali didn’t know what to do.
    Kali had seen something dreadful in the mirror and though Ajali was as terrified as her daughter, she didn’t want to feed into needless fear. Eris was gone forever. She couldn’t hurt them. Ajali had watched her burn…she’d witnessed the evil entity’s demise.
    With the help of the warrior goddess Kali, Ajali had personally cast Eris back to the Dark Realm. Could Eris have once again broken free? Ajali felt an icy gust at the back of her neck. She shuddered.
    â€œAre you okay, Mommy?” Unusually intuitive, Kali was particularly sensitive to her mother’s mood.
    â€œYes, sweetheart. I’m fine,” Ajali answered quickly, though her thumping heart disagreed. She smiled reassuringly at her daughter, struggling to keep her face composed.
    Should she mention any of this to her husband?
No!
she thought adamantly. The ordeal with Eris had sent both she and Bryce to hell and back. A discussion about Eris would upset the balance of their happy home.
    â€œKali, if you see that scary lady again, or anything that frightens you, don’t be ashamed to tell me.”
    â€œOkay,” Kali responded, her finger making its way to her mouth. It hurt Ajali to the core to see her daughter chewing nervously on her finger.

THE DARK REALM
    â€œThief!” Eris shouted and shook her fist. “You stole my jewels, you detestable little crook!”
    A swarm of depraved souls, who were confined in the bleak environment where the sun, moon, and stars had abandoned the brown-streaked sky, believing Eris’ accusation was aimed at them, went scurrying and shrieking into the shadows of the forsaken place.
    But Eris was not referring to the any of the wicked spirits confined in the Dark Realm. She was ranting at the thieving Stovall child who had suddenly and miraculously come into her third-eye view.
    The pompous brat was masquerading in apparel fit for the mistress of a plantation. But what had really sent Eris into a fit of rage was the audacity of the little rascal to stand, admiring herself, while wearing Eris’s precious jewelry.
    Centuries ago, when Eris was cast out of the Goddess Realm and down to earth, she was expected to learn humility by assuming the guise of a slave. Eris was not interested in learning lessons or returning to the Goddess Realm contrite and repentant.
    Cleverly, she’d seduced the master of the Stovall plantation and then poisoned his wife, weakening the mistress until the nuisance of a woman was bedridden and as thin as a rail. She’dslipped the mistress of the plantation’s very own wedding ring off her skeletal finger. But a nosey slave had caught onto Eris’s scheme and had brought the mistress back to good health.
    Eris was ordered to return the mistress’s wedding ring. Before she was flogged and set afire, Eris had managed to bury a crude wooden box filled with stolen trinkets as well as her own goddess ring, which seemed lackluster compared to the shiny earthly treasures.
    She had buried the treasure box in a secret place on the Stovall grounds, but it was now apparent that her precious jewels had been unearthed and Ajali, her nemesis, was wearing the mistress’s wedding ring.
    â€œGive me my jewels!” Eris shouted. Ajali didn’t seem aware of Eris’s presence, but her little brat had gawked at Eris, recoiling in fear.
    Intending to strangle the girl with the pearls that were draped around her scrawny little neck, Eris reached out to grab her. Instantly, she lost the connection and the revolting little Stovall child vanished, escaping Eris’s murderous grasp.
    â€œCome back!” Eris commanded the earth-bound little girl. “You can’t have my treasures!”
    A fearful hush fell over the creatures. Thinking her eerie cry was shouted at them, a ghoulish throng of known