Chapter 1

 

December 29, 1916 – Petrograd (St. Petersburg), Russia

 

     “Matryona.”

     Matryona looked up to see her father standing in the doorway to her room.  She stood, noticing the box in his hands.  “Father?”

     “Take this,” her father told her.  “Hide it.  Keep it safe.  Never let anyone know you have it.  Keep it for me until I can return for it someday.”

     “Father?  Why?” Matryona asked.

     Her father looked down at her, and for the first time in her life, Matryona thought she saw fear in his eyes.  “Some things are going to happen tonight,” he told her.  “Bad things.  They will try to murder me tonight.”

     “Father!” Matryona gasped.  She was tempted to throw her arms around him, but her father wasn’t the kind of person you ever showed affection for.  It wasn’t that he was a holy monk, it was simply the kind of person he was.

     “They will try to murder me,” he told her, “but they won’t succeed.  However, it may be some time before I can come to you again and get my box back.       Don’t fear for me.  If you must, I have already told you where you can flee to, but the most important thing you must do, is to survive.  Do whatever you have to, go wherever you think you must.  No matter where you go, I will always be able to find you.”

     “How long father?”

     “I do not know.  Hopefully, not long at all.  Not even I can see the answer to that.  Now take this and hide it.  Keep it safe for me.”

     Matryona took the simple wooden box in her hands, but she didn’t look at it.  She stared into the powerful face of her father instead.  A dirty unkempt face.  A frightening face.  A face that was hard to look away from.  “I will father,” she promised.

     With a nod, her father turned and walked away.

     To Matryona, it was almost as if one moment he had magically appeared, and the next he had disappeared.  But she had seen him turn the corner into the hallway as he had left the room.  It was just that her father was so powerful that it sometimes seemed as if other things happened, even though they didn’t.

     She stared down at the simple wooden box in her hands.  A box that she knew wasn’t so simple.  There was a trick to opening it that was so confusing that even she had no idea how to do it.  You had to push this spot and pull that spot and…she didn’t know what else.  But only with the right combination could the box be opened.  She seriously doubted that anyone could open the box, other than her father.

But she had seen it open once.  She had watched while her father did it.  She had seen what was in the box, even though what it contained didn’t look like anything that he needed to treasure or protect at all.  She knew what the box held, even though she knew almost nothing about it.  The box held a simple book.  Nothing more.  And stranger still, the one time when she had watched her father open the box and then open the book, every page she had seen him turn to in the ancient looking book had been blank.  Every page!  Why would her father need to hide a book like that?  Why would anyone even want a book like that?

     But she was the great Rasputin’s daughter.  The most powerful man in the world.  The most powerful man who had ever lived.  If he asked her to guard his book and keep it safe, then she would do just that.  She would guard the secret of the box…with her life!

 

 

May 2, 2003 – Victoria’s house in Winchester, Virginia

 

     In the small hours of the night, Victoria peered in through the open doorway and her breath caught in her throat.  In the dim light of the nursery, it almost looked as if her baby was glowing.  Impossible!  She took a few steps closer and studied the situation more carefully.  Inside the crib, she could see her child sleeping.  Her baby, Nelly, had again thrown all the covers off her, which only made matters worse, because without those covers, she could now see that the glow did indeed seem to emanate from her child.  Impossible!

     No witch in history had ever glowed.  It had to be some kind of enchantment placed on her by someone else.  She ran to her bedroom and through the hidden door into her workroom.  She grabbed a mix of ingredients she kept readily available and sprinkled them on top of a thick candle.  She ran with the candle back to her baby’s nursery and with a flick of her fingers, lit it.  Carefully, she held the candle close to her baby and moved it in a circle all around her child.  The candle flame never once moved or even flickered.  If it had moved toward her baby, then that would have indicated some kind of enchantment, but there had been nothing at all.

     Try as she might, Victoria could sense no outside interference from anyone.  Worse, as she picked her baby up and held her tightly, she could literally feel a faint buzz of something coming from within her.  Magic!  And she could tell without a doubt that the magic and the glow seemed to be coming from her baby.  From Nelly.  From Cornelia herself.  But the truth was, from the moment her baby had been born, she had felt the magic of her child…which in itself was – impossible!  Babies didn’t have magic, even witch babies.

     Her older daughter, Francine, had never glowed.  Francine was the most perfect daughter Victoria could ever hope for.  Someday Franny would be one of the most powerful witches in the world.  Just not as powerful as she herself was.  But then, her mother had been certain that no witch had ever been born with as much power as she held, and her mother had been just as certain that nobody would ever hold that much power again!  And yet, here, right in front of her, her six-month old baby was already stuffed with so much power, that she glowed.  Impossible!

     There was no way in hell that anyone was going to be capable of holding more power than she herself had.  Not even any of her own children.  She was the most powerful witch in history.  The most powerful that would ever be.  And she intended on it staying that way!

     Angrily, she turned and strode from the room, closing the nursery door behind her.  Would the servants be able to see the glow coming from her baby?  She doubted it.  None of them were witches.  Every last one of them were plain old humans.  Humans she felt no compunction about stepping on and treating as harshly as she wanted.  That’s all they were good for anyway.

     With her mind already made up as to what needed to be done, Victoria strode the upstairs hallway toward her bedroom suite.  Her husband, Ronald, was away on business.  But Ron couldn’t help her anyway.  Even though Ron was a powerful warlock, there was no way in hell that she was going to let her husband help her with this.  But the real issue here was that she knew without a doubt that Ronald could never know about what she intended to do.  No matter what, he would fight her all the way.  Because of that, there was only one person she knew of that she could count on to help her, and who had the kind of power she knew would be needed.

     She entered her bedroom suite, closing the door behind her.  Going to the sitting area, she grabbed the telephone and pushed the buttons to dial her mother.  She had to wait an agonizingly long time before her mother finally answered.

     “Vickie?” Matilda’s voice came from the phone.  “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

     “Mom,” Vickie replied.  “She’s glowing.”

     “What are you talking about?”

     “She’s glowing!” Vickie replied angrily.

     “Who’s glowing?”

     “Cornelia!  My baby.  She’s glowing!”

     “Vickie dear, why is she’s glowing?”

     “Because she is.  I couldn’t miss it.  Just like I’ve never been able to miss every time she’s been hungry or uncomfortable because she needs changing, or any of her other needs.  She’s been bugging the shit out of me by letting me know all that since she was born.”

     “Vickie, I’ve told you a thousand times, it’s just a mother’s senses about her baby.  Senses that no doubt are more acute in you because of your own power.  Vickie, babies don’t glow…unless some kind of enchantment has been placed on her.  Did you check?”

     “Yes!  Of course I checked.  She’s clean.  No enchantments.  No hexes.  Nothing.  Mom, I’m telling you, the glow is coming from her.  And when you hold her now, you can’t miss the fact that you can literally feel the magic inside her.”

     “Vickie, you can’t feel someone’s magic like that.  Anyone’s magic.  Besides, she’s too young.  You know perfectly well that babies don’t have any magic at all.  You yourself were able to access your magic younger than any witch in history, and you were still three years old.  The magic doesn’t usually even start to creep into them until they’re at least eight.  Even Francine was five before she could do what you could, and other than you, she’s the youngest I’ve ever heard of.”

     “Mom,” Vickie said, trying to hold her temper.  “I need you here.”

     “What for?  Vickie, you and I just got back from Poland.  I’m home in Florida.  Winchester, Virginia is a long trip from Palm Beach.”

     “I need you.”

     “Why?”

     “Because I’ve got no choice.  A girl like that is an abomination.  Her power has got to be bound!”

     “Don’t be ridiculous!  And she’s your own child.”

     “I’m not kidding.  Mom, we’ve got to do it.  Otherwise, who knows what catastrophes she might cause in the future.  She’s got to be rendered powerless.  Completely!  And soon!  Or we’ll never be able to do it.”

     “Victoria, don’t be so melodramatic.”

     “I’m not, Mom.  It’s got to be done!”

     Matilda sighed.  “Okay, tell you what.  I’ll fly out there tomorrow and take a look.  That’s the least I can do.  And I guess Franny needs a special gift for coming into her magic already too.”

     “Thanks, Mom.  I appreciate it.  With as strong as the magic is in Nelly, I have a feeling that even my power won’t be enough.  It’s going to take two of us.”

     “Vickie, binding someone’s power usually takes at least three or four strong witches.  But your strength is like no witch I’ve ever heard of.  Maybe between the two of us we can manage it.  But the truth is, I seriously doubt we need to do anything at all, and the plain fact of the matter is…we shouldn’t!”

 

 

May 3, 2003 – Airport in Winchester, Virginia

 

     Matilda Grayson stepped down off the private jet and walked the short distance toward the terminal.  Through the glass of the terminal door, she could see her daughter holding the baby and her granddaughter, Francine, standing just inside, waiting for her.

     “Grandma!” Francine yelled the moment Matilda walked through the door.

     “Franny!” Matilda greeted the girl as she was immediately enveloped in a nice hug from her five-year-old granddaughter.  “Hi dear,” she said to Victoria as she stood up and put her arms around not just her daughter, but the baby in her arms as well.  Cooing in a sweet voice, she held her arms out and said, “Come here to Grandma you sweet little thing.”  She took the baby in her arms and held her tight.  “Oh, you’re so precious,” she said happily to the baby, even as she immediately wondered if she felt an almost imperceptible buzz that did indeed seem to emanate from the child.  A buzz she could only interpret as power.  That was the first moment that she realized that maybe her daughter might not be exaggerating about the baby.  Maybe!  She had still never heard of anything like it.

     Still holding the baby, she continued to talk happily with her daughter and granddaughter as she waited for her luggage to be brought in from the jet.  As always, there were normal humans around and appearances were everything.  It wouldn’t do to be talking about magic and witch matters where anyone else might hear.  Not only that, but Franny was also too young to hear any of what needed to be talked about.  Ten minutes later, she handed the baby back to Vickie to be buckled into the car seat before her daughter drove them all back toward the house.

     “Is Ron back yet?” Matilda asked as Vickie drove the car.

     “Not till tomorrow,” Vickie told her.

     Since Franny was in the back seat with the baby, and Franny had headphones on her ears while she watched a cartoon video, Matilda turned her full serious gaze toward her daughter.  “Does he know?”

     “No.  And I don’t want him to.  Never!  I would much rather him believe that Nelly was born with no power at all.”

     “Well, that much happens often enough.  The big thing is though…Vickie, what you’re proposing is illegal.  So illegal that it takes a unanimous vote from the Council of Five before it can be done.  The entire council!  There’s few enough witches in the world as it is.”

     “Mom,” Vickie replied.  “Not only do you and I both sit on the Council of Five, but since I’m the most powerful witch in the world, I’m also the reigning head of the five, not to mention that pretty much makes me the ultimate coven leader of the entire world.  Do you really think I’m worried about getting the rest of the votes to handle my own daughter?”

     Matilda shook her head.  “No.  Of course not.  The others fall all over themselves to do whatever you want anyway.  I just don’t like the idea, especially in light of keeping her father from knowing.  Warlocks are almost as rare among witches as witches are among the rest of the world.  Still, from what little you’ve told me, the man is almost never around.  He’s always running off somewhere.  I don’t understand why you don’t just divorce him.  You certainly don’t need him.”

     Vickie sighed.  “I’ve…thought about it.”

     “Then do it!”

     “Maybe.  Not yet though.”  She looked briefly at her mother.  “We’ve discussed this before.  You know I’d still like to have a third child someday, only this time, a normal witch daughter, like Franny.  In fact, I’d love one exactly like Franny.  But like you said, warlocks are rare.  I’d rather all my children came from a warlock, and Ron is pretty darn powerful.  Besides, he’s damn good at making business deals.  He seems to know how to use his power to make money.  If I ever do divorce him, I want to wind up incredibly rich on my own.”

     Matilda sighed.  “If you don’t want Ron to know, and he’s coming back tomorrow, then that only leaves us tonight.  I’m sorry Vickie.  I would have never in a million years believed what you told me, but just the little bit I’ve felt so far when I held her at the airport may have confirmed it.  We’ll know more later tonight.  But still…that just leaves us tonight.”

     “Mom, next to me, you’re the most powerful witch in the world.  Hopefully, with your power added to mine, it shouldn’t take long at all,” Vickie replied.

“If …we do it!  No child, no witch in history, has ever exhibited any power at all at such an early age.  And from what you told me, Nelly was literally born with it.”

     “Yes!  That’s what I’ve been trying to get you to believe.  She’s had magic since…before she was born, and she’s been using it to let me know her needs.  I don’t know how she does it, she just does.  It’s irritating as hell!  Taking care of her is what I’ve got servants for.”

     “And if she does indeed glow like you said,” Matilda replied, “well, that’s something I’ve never even heard of…at any age!  I wonder what’s causing it.”

     “Too much power for her tiny body to contain,” Vickie suggested as if she knew it for a fact.

     Matilda considered it.  “I guess…it’s possible,” she conceded.  “I’ve just never heard of it.”

     “But as you said, no child in history has exhibited any power at all so young.”

     “And you yourself were an anomaly,” Matilda agreed.  “Younger than anyone!”

     Vickie smiled at that.  She had grown up into the most powerful witch of all time.  But if her baby was already exhibiting that much power at only six months….  She shuddered at the thought.

     “If…we do this,” Matilda said, “do you have everything we’re going to need?”

     “I’ve already checked my grimoires and gathered it all.  We’re ready to go.”

 

 

Victoria’s house in Winchester, Virginia

 

     “Is she sleeping already?” Vickie asked her mother.

     “I gave her a small sleeping spell as I was reading her a story.  Franny was out like a light before I finished the second page.  There’s no way she’ll wake up before tomorrow morning.”

     “Good.  I’ve made sure the servants are all out of the way for the evening too.  Even her nanny is gone.”

     “Then let’s go examine the baby,” Matilda replied.

     Victoria led the way toward the nursery.  In the dark of the evening, the small nightlight in the nursery cast only a very soft bit of light.  Matilda stopped at the doorway and was shocked to see what appeared to be a tiny bit of glow that seemed to be coming from the crib itself.  “Vickie,” Matilda said.  “Is there a nightlight anywhere near that crib?”

     “No Mom.  Of course not.  You can see the light on the other wall.”

     “If that’s the case, then as much as I hate to say it, you may be right.  I don’t understand it.  I don’t even know what’s causing it.  But she may indeed be…glowing.  I couldn’t see it earlier, but now that it’s dark, you can’t miss it.”

     “Hold on a minute,” Vickie told her.  She went into the room and removed the blanket that covered her daughter.  The moment she did, she heard her mother gasp.

     “Yes,” Matilda said softly.  “There’s no doubt about it.  I’m so sorry Vickie.  I just…never heard of it before.”

     “Neither have I,” Vickie replied.  “I couldn’t even find any reference about it in any of the books we have.”

     “Vickie, this could very well be something that has never happened before.  Ever!  I’m just not sure that binding all her powers is something we should be doing.  I mean, Vickie, she’s going to be amazing someday.  She’ll be like no one ever…in history!  Vickie, she could literally rule the world!”

     That was just what Vickie didn’t want.  She herself was supposed to be the one with the most power in history, not her daughter, but she knew she’d have to tread carefully here.  Fortunately, she already had her arguments ready.  “Mom, how young is she?  She just turned six months!  You know that most witches don’t even start to gain their power until they’re eight…or older.  And if the power only grows in them over time, then how dangerous is she going to be by the time she’s three…or four.  How dangerous will she be by the time she’s a teenager?  No!  Mom, it’s too much power.  Way too much.”

     Matilda had no choice but to consider her daughter’s words.  “I’m trying to imagine a three-year-old running around with that kind of power,” she said.

     “Ugh!” Victoria grunted.  “Franny was enough!  And from everything I’ve heard from the staff, compared to most kids, she was a nearly perfect child.           Besides, how would we keep her magic hidden from non-witches she might be around?  I worry enough about Franny as it is, but Nelly would be way too young to understand.  I haven’t even cast the magic cloaking spell on Franny yet because she’s too young for it.  He body could never handle it without making her sick.”

     “Magic cloaking spell?”

     “You know what I mean, the spell to make sure we can’t do anything that might let non-witches know magic and witches exist.  Some of the younger witches have been using the term lately, grabbing it from some TV outer space show.”

     Matilda rolled her eyes.  “Television!  But you’re right, the spell would be too dangerous to try to put on Franny right now.  And of course, Franny isn’t even close to being a teenager yet, but I know how most of those kids behave now days.  No discipline at all!”

     “How dangerous do you think Nelly would be then with that kind of power?” Vickie asked, pushing her case.

     “Potentially, outrageous!”

     “Yes!  Mom, as I see it, we don’t have any other choice.  It’s too much power.  Way too much.”

     Matilda stood looking at the small child for a moment.  “Vickie dear, as much as I hate bringing it up, have you considered…killing the poor thing?  I mean, binding their power is so…harsh!  And there’s no undoing it.  One way or another, it could literally drive her insane.”

     “Mom!  Ron is a warlock, and a pretty good one.  Death, especially to a witch, leaves so many magic traces.  If we were to murder her, you know Ron would figure it out.  Besides, Nelly is only six-months old.  She’s not old enough to be used to feeling the power flowing through her all the time.  For her, binding her power would most likely only feel normal.”

     “Yes, most likely, you’re right.  And I have no doubt your husband would be an absolute nightmare to deal with if you did murder the poor girl.  But if we bind her power, won’t he still be able to tell what we’ve done?”

     “I seriously doubt it,” Vickie replied.  “Ron may be strong, but I doubt he’s that strong.  Since her entire power would be bound, there are only a handful of witches alive today that might be able to detect it.  Might be able!  But murder, that’s much more noticeable.  And you yourself know that a lot of babies born to witches simply have no power at all.  It would make the whole situation seem much more normal.  Besides, with all his business deals, Ron’s not around that much anyway.  Even when he’s home he barely pays much attention to Franny or the baby.  He’s too wrapped up in his company.”

     Matilda had always wondered if the fact that Cornelia had been born on October thirty-first, Halloween, was some kind of sign.  Now she knew.  It had been a bad sign!  “Very well, dear,” she replied.  “As much as I hate to agree with you, we may have no choice.  There’s no use even doing any further tests.  I could feel Nelly’s power the moment I held her when I arrived.”  She looked at her daughter.  “I guess we better get to it then.”

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