Chapter 37 Whispers In The Wind

With all eyes on her she had a slight feeling of running away. Instead, she pulled her back straight ready to defend her father. She wouldn’t run. She would stand up for what she believed in. She would stand up for her father, for the love and devotion he had shown her. She would do what no other had dared to do before, defend.
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Greg said looking confused, yet he also held a tint of apprehension.
“Katie knows what I am talking about don’t you?” Crystal turned in Katie’s direction who then quickly looked away with glowing red cheeks.
Crystal smirked at the guilt and shame written on her face. It was clear for the rest of the coven to see that she was laying the truth out in front of them. But would they take it? Or choose to ignore what was happening in front of them? They talk about loyalty. Yet none of them showed it. All they were hypocrites.
“And you Stacy, let’s not leave Bell and Kristy out shall we,” she pointed at each of the girls as she spoke their names. The seated coven followed her finger with shocked gasps and whispers. Most of them already knew. Yet they still looked shocked. Perhaps it was because his actions had been voiced.
“What are you saying?” Jeannette asked in a bored tone. She was putting on an act for the witches. Crystal could see her temples twitching and knew what she really wanted to do was scream like a banshee. However, she knew that Jeannette would save it for behind closed doors.
“Greg is bound and took an oath to be fateful to Ruby. Yet these girls have taken up his bed,” Looking back at Greg she smiled.
“So, what will Greg’s punishment be?” Crystal asked. She had a rather good one in mind.
“After all, has he not sinned? He has brought shame not only to Ruby but to the coven and the rules we stand for. Should we allow this to keep going on?”
“This is ridiculous!” Greg got to his feet in lightning speed knocking his chair over which clattered on the tiled floor echoing around the room.
“I agree Greg now please sit down,” Jeannette waved her hand. That one simple flick of Jeannette’s wrist made Greg comply. Like a lost little sheep, he obeyed and picked up his chair. Anger radiated from him, his cheeks were flushed, and Crystal could see him taking deep breaths.
“Crystal, we do not make accusations,” Jeannette said in a deadly tone.
“Oh, it is the truth,”
The room erupted in chaos. Angry words and accusations were thrown around like a Frisbee. So many people had been living in silence. Crystal had given them the courage to speak out. Point the finger to those who had sinned without being told to shut up and not breathe a word. The coven was nothing but deceiving. Based on lies and a false trust, all she had to do was press the right buttons and that thin wall of trust came crumbling down.
“Quite!” Jeannette yelled and in an instant the noise stopped. The control she had over the community was unreal and unsettling. For the first time Crystal saw how much authority her mother held. One word or gesture and everyone listened. No one questioned her. They all followed her reign as if she was a queen. It was like they didn’t have a mind of their own. Like her mother did the thinking for them.
“Everyone here as sinned. Not just my father. So why should he burn? Shouldn’t that go for us all,” Crystal carried on her lecture. Inside she was crying out for help. If only they would see past her mother to the truth. Yet Jeanette was like a black fog blocking all the light.
“Out!” Jeanette ordered and with a smile on her face and a spring in her step, Crystal left the hall. That would keep them talking for a while she thought as she made her way to the white oak tree. They may still look at her mother as a god, but she had planted the seed of doubt and that seed would grow. One day they would see past the lies and see the truth.
“What took you so long?” Ruby asked as soon as she was in view.
“Oh, I caused a small commotion,”
“I don’t doubt that for a second,”
“So, who was the unlucky victim?” she added.
“Greg,”
“Please tell me you didn’t?” Ruby covered her eyes with her hand and peeked out of her fingers at Crystal. She laughed as she saw Ruby’s faint smile.
“Of course, I did. Mum was making dad out to be this evil man who did nothing but sin. While Greg is running around sleeping with everything with a pulse,”
“Crystal, I know you’re angry, I am too,” Ruby sighed.
“So, was he there?” Crystal changed the subject.
“Yeah. We will get him tonight and give him a small funeral. Just the two of us,” Ruby said, looking away. For a second Crystal wondered if she had second thoughts. But she rid herself of that thought. If Ruby said she would help her then that what Ruby would do.
***
“Levi please?” Levi sighed. What was he supposed to do? His father was the leader. What Beth was asking him to do was suicide.
“Beth, the best thing for you to do is run, get out of here before it is too late for you,” Beth grabbed his arm, her eyes pleading with him. Levi gently uncurled her fingers from his skin and gently gave her hand a squeeze. He looked around quickly to make sure no one had seen her lay her hands on the son of the leader who was once known as king. He still held a vast amount of power that could see her dead. It was law not to touch Royalty and now that they weren’t dating, she had no right to be touching him.
“She is the only family I have left,”
“Your mother killed your sister. Now she has to pay for her crime,”
“No, I don’t believe she did. Britney never slept with Dean. She would never. It is a mistake,”
“Maybe you didn’t know her as well as you thought,”
Beth gave him a look of pure hate. One that didn’t sit well on her pelican face as she turned away, each step she took sounded hollow on the paved ground. Levi’s features softened as he watched her walk away with her shoulders sagging and her head hanging low. She had been broken.
Britney would sleep with any man willing to give her attention. Dean her stepfather would not have been an exception. Somehow Beth was blind. She didn’t see Britney for what she was. It wasn’t Beth’s fault. She was just naive.
“Beth?” he called and waited for her to turn around.
“I will see what I can do. No promises,”
“No promises,” she whispered back. Levi sighed at the hope she held in her eyes and voice. Again, he would be the one to destroy that hope.
How could he ever go up against his father?