13 Lives

About the Author

Candace J. Boswell is a student at Tennessee State University. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Candace developed a passion for writing and storytelling at a young age. She is an avid reader who enjoys various genres, including fantasy, historical fiction, and romance. Her love of storytelling matured with her love of the performing arts, notably competitive dance, and theatre. When the 2020 global pandemic hit during her junior year of high school, Candace used her free time to dream up stories. The pandemic gave her the excuse and leisure time to explore and write them down.

Dedication

To Young Writers

Don’t be afraid to tell your story. You are never too young to start. Be tenacious and bold and remain true to yourself. Your journey is written in the stars.

Copyright Information ©

Candace J. Boswell 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Boswell, Candace J.

13 Lives

ISBN 9781685624156 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781685624163 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023905044

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

mail-usa@austinmacauley.com

+1 (646) 5125767

Acknowledgment

My story is largely about love, loving yourself, your family, your friends and accepting the love of a partner. So, in true thematic fashion, I dedicate my story to all the people I love, who helped make this possible.

To my parents, thank you for supporting me through my journey and raising a bookworm and nurturing the creativity surging within me. Dad, you pushed me to be my best and offered advice every step of the way. The look of pride on your face gave me the motivation to open my computer and write, every single day. Mom, my best friend, you were my rock through this entire experience. You are this story’s heart and soul.

To BJ, thank for all the late nights and long conversations, listening to me talk about these characters and my plans for their story.

To Kristen and Jason, thanks for all the love.

To my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Phillip, you fostered a love for reading and writing in me. Thank you for guiding me to my passion. I haven’t seen you in years, but I hope you see this one day and you remember the shy, quiet little girl whose world you expanded, and I hope you are proud.

And lastly, to the reader, as you embark on this literary journey, remember your worth. Love and respect yourself and your individual journey with every fiber of your being. Protect your soul, for it has endured the hardships of life. Open your heart to the unconditional love you deserve. My characters experienced a traumatic event and throughout the story, a major theme is self – discovery and learning to love who are. And by accepting yourself, you become capable of letting others in. Thank you for reading my book. I hope this story and the characters bring you the same joy they have brought me.

I love you all.

Sincerely,

Me

1. Where the Beauty Lies

I never really thought about death, although it is always around. It hangs over all of us, the sword of Damocles, a shadow chasing you until the darkness snuffs out the light. I never registered how isolating it is, how final it feels. And I can’t escape its pull on me.

My story starts in a place with bountiful love and quickly submerges into the vast waters of hate and cruelty. My name is Margaret Baker. I am nineteen years old, and March 12, 1693, was the worst day of my entire existence.

I remember the day so clearly. The way the sun torched intolerably in the sky, the smell of the spring flowers in bloom, the cries of the people I hold dear. It was the day my childhood ended; my innocence violently stripped. The pure white drape of security and the rose-colored glasses through which I saw the world was taken from me, forcing me to grow up and learn to combat the hatred and evil that infiltrates the world around me.

I woke up that morning wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. The little hovel I called home was filled with the smell of mother’s porridge. I rose from my bed, eager to begin the day.

My mother, Jean Baker, had agreed to let me participate in a coven meeting. I had attended them since I was old enough to walk but was always instructed to observe. My eyes filled with wonder watching my parents, the regents in our neighborhood, lead our coven. I practiced spells at home but never during official coven assignments. Those spells were entrusted to the elders and people who proved their allegiance through studying the craft and completing the most intricate and complex spells. I had been waiting for that moment my entire life and when that day arrived, an overwhelming amount of excitement rushed through me. I sprinted to the washroom to get ready for my day. I put on my favorite dress, a pale pink tea gown with peasant sleeves and a high neckline. I styled my curls in a half-up half-down style with a flower crown. This momentous day required a festive outfit to match the joyous occasion that lies in store. I made my way to the kitchen with a quickness. My mother was singing a sweet melody and illuminating our home with her cheer. Her bountiful compassion and sunny disposition were unmatched. Her love engulfed me, leaving me with a perpetual feeling of comfort and happiness. She truly felt comfort in giving aid to others, her most admirable quality. It made her a wonderful regent and a beautiful person. I danced over to my mother and kissed her cheek as she stirred the porridge.

My mother beamed. Your beauty is exquisite, my dear.

My father, Edmund Baker, sat at our table reading the family grimoire as he did every morning. He looked up at me and a smile stretched on his concentrated form.

You certainly are a fair maiden, Maggie.

Father spent his days working as a baker and engrossed his spare time in studying grimoires and creating enchantments. He tirelessly served our community, giving his family a comfortable life. His sacrifice and love were overwhelming.

He met my mother’s eyes, Your beauty matches that of your mother.

I began to recall the details of their first meeting. My mother, a young maiden, paid a visit to my grandfather’s bakery before my father inherited it. She wore a mint green corset and petticoat. Her hair was styled in a pinned curls updo under a matching green bonnet. My mother was the epitome of beauty and came from a particularly wealthy family. My mother did not care for finance or status but instead the depths of her love. She was willing to leave behind her lavish life to be with the man who made her world turn. My father, then a young man, wore a white collared shirt under an apron soiled with flour and placed an assortment of danishes on the display counter. My mother asked for a cheese danish. They chattered about how peculiar that choice is. My mother continued to visit the bakery for a year. Father walked with my mother every afternoon to a nearby lake after the bakery closed at night. They spoke about their biggest dream and desires. They bonded over their love of witchcraft and affinity for a family. After asking for her father’s permission, he proposed to her at the lake during a cheese danish picnic, and brunch. Their love story is the best I have ever heard. In my eyes, their love beat Romeo and Juliet. Their love encompassed me, and I put it on a pedestal. I hoped to find a love that consumes me the way theirs did.

My older sister, Joan entered the room and pulled me out of my memory. She embraced me from behind and wished me luck on my big day.

You look marvelous, little sister, said Joan.

I blushed at her affections. Joan swiftly kissed both of our parents on the cheeks and took a seat to the right of Father, who is seated at the head of the table. I sat down next to her.

Are you meeting with Charles, today, I said inquisitively. My twenty-two-year-old sister was courting a warlock from our coven. She spent every waking day with him. Their love was intoxicating. They have been courting for about a year. I wondered when I would be notified of a proposal. I was a hopeless romantic and yearned to be a bridesmaid.

Yes, we are going down to the town square at noon.

I furrowed my brow at this, and Joan let out a long-frustrated sigh.

Don’t fret, Maggie. I will return before, lunch, just in time for your meeting. Joan adjusted my flower crown and then took my hand in hers. Joan gave it a gentle squeeze before meeting my gaze and shooting me a reassuring smile.

Thanks, Jo. I beamed. I shot her a mischievous smile.

I pointed at a vase of white roses in the center of the table. We concentrated on it for several seconds before joining hands.

We chanted, Resurgemus.

The vase began to hover over the table. A smile stretched across Father’s face. He looked at us with immense pride for successfully completing the spell. He applauded our efforts before returning to his reading. After keeping the vase in the air for a minute, Joan gave me a nudge. I interpreted this as her saying to conclude the spell.

I chanted, Retornen.

Mother gestured to Joan, and she rose from the table to assist her in serving the porridge. I love how close my family is. I took their support and warmth for granted. I did not realize how breathtaking that was until I lost it. My mother took a seat to the left of my father and my sister returned to her seat next to me after they served the meal. We blessed the food before consuming it. We discussed our plans for the day as we ate. It was a quiet morning full of anticipation and excitement. It was a moderately warm spring day and the neighborhood stood still. This was the quiet before the treacherous storm.

2. Elixir of Life

We had heard whispers of the Witch Trials in Salem, but Father thought it was a hoax to scare witches into hiding. He was a proud man and was not going to suppress a part of himself on the premise of hear-say. I would love to have someone to blame, but the truth is none of us genuinely believed in it. We were naïve in our safe bubble in our little city in Massachusetts. I remember whispering to Joan about the fabric I wanted to purchase from the nearest shop. I was saving up my money to make a dress for Mother for her birthday, and I required her assistance. Our conversation was interrupted by nearby screams.

Father met our eyes and place a long figure over his lip. He motioned at us to be silent. He swiftly approached the window and smoothed back the curtains to see the neighborhood in ruins. Men with large firearms were kicking open doors of select houses, forcefully removing residents, and setting their houses aflame. His skin paled. I watched my father, a very steady man, begin to shake nervously as he closed the curtains. My mother gasped at his response. He turned to meet our gaze.

He took a deep breath and commanded, Joan run to the lair now and get the Elixir!

Joan cried, Yes, Father. She moved with a quickness. I stared at Father, confused by his demeanor and haste.

I protested, What is happening? Why do we need the elixir?

He ignored my questions and ran to the fireplace to start a fire. Mother moved to the bookshelf in the far corner of the room. She began to gather all the grimoires.

I cried, Please tell me what is happening? You’re scaring me!

Mother shot me a sympathetic glance.

She whispered, Darling they are looking for witches. The Salem Trials are real. We need to rid ourselves of any evidence that can incriminate us.

Mother met Father at the fireplace and threw the books in.

My family’s greatest spells were dying with my childhood and hope for humanity. Overcome with emotion for the loss of this family heirloom, I began to sob. Mother ran over to me. She removed the silver pendant from around her neck and paced it on me. She smoothed a strand of hair out of my face and kissed my forehead. She caressed my cheek as my eyes filled with tears.

She soothed me, Promise me that this will not change you. This occurrence cannot hinder the light in your heart. The world thinks were monsters, but I want you to study that pendant and remember the truth whenever your mind agrees with their falsities. Love yourself despite the circumstance the world creates to make you falter toward the opposite, my dear.

My heart rate eased as I turned the pendant over between my finger and replayed her words. She pulled away from me and returned to Father. He was prodding the burning books with a metal rod.

Joan raced back into the room with a glass bottle with pale pink liquid. She handed the elixir to Mother. I recognize the bottle and the memory of learning about the Elixir of Life in a coven meeting came rushing back to me. Legend says that the potion was made from the ashes of the Tree of Life. It grants thirteen lives to the people who consume a drop of it.

Father whispered, Did you seal off the lair with the protection spell? Joan nodded.

Mother said, Let Margaret take it first. She scurried to me. She placed the glass bottle in my hand. I hesitated. While this did not necessarily grant me immortality, thirteen lifetimes were a lot to endure. Mother placed her hand on my shoulder, steadying me. I took a deep breath before taking a sip. I did not feel any different. I handed it to my mother as our door came crashing down.

Six men dressed in black with firearms entered our home. Father walked toward them with his hands in the air.

What is the meaning of this intrusion, he questioned.

A tall muscular man met Father’s gaze and yelled, We are cleansing this land of vermin, devil spawn!

Mother hid the vial behind her back. The same man noticed Mother’s stance and approached her. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her body close to his. Father cringed. His face turned red with fury.

The man whispered in her ear, Turn around slowly for me love. She did as he commanded. The mysterious liquid in the glass bottle confirmed their theory about us. The man chuckled. I stared at this exchange astonished. I did not even know his name. He was destroying my life, my happy existence, and he remained nameless. He snatched the vile from her hands and threw it into the fireplace, I watched the hope dim from my mother’s eyes as the flames engulfed it.

No, I shouted and leaped toward it in an ineffectual attempt to retrieve it.

The man commanded, Men, dispose of the freaks.

They restrained us with copper handcuffs. This element stung our skin while interfering with our magic. They marched us out of our home. We were instructed to stand still as they burned our home to the ground. I watched tears fall from my parent’s eyes as the happy home they built turned to ash. The men began to take us in different directions, splitting us up.

My sister wailed, Please. Do not do this! Let me go! She struggled in their arms.

My father sharply turned toward her and yelled, Be calm! Do not let them take away your dignity! We love you!

The same man who gave the order to exterminate us approached me. I squirmed at the sight of him. He cupped my face, and I rejected his advances, turning my head away. He placed a potato sack over my head and then quickly walked with us to an undisclosed location. My heart raced as I wondered where they were taking me and what would happen to my family. I was the only one who took the elixir, so they were not safe. If these men were cruel enough to take their lives, they would not come back. I would have to carry on without them. This thought caused my stomach to churn, and I felt nauseated. I stumbled over my feet and landed on my knees.

A man’s voice rang in my ears, On your feet!

I did as the voices said fearing the repercussions of disobedience. We walked for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, I was ordered to standstill. I felt the copper loosen and my arms were placed behind something massive and wooden. It was a stake. I felt a sense of relief as the pain stopped. My magic was still weak from the lengthy exposure to the cooper so defending myself was not an option. Someone placed the cuffs back on my hands. I whimpered as the cooper seared my skin. My whimpering made the men pull tighter. I was distracted from my own experience by the sounds of intense screams and a peculiar scent. A man removed the sack from over my head. The air was full of smoke. The sun blazed in the cloudy sky. I took shallow breaths due to the harsh conditions. I soon realized that the scent was burning flesh. My family was going to burn to death. I looked around wildly. Panic rushed through me. I screamed intensely. I could feel the capillaries bursting in my face, and I cried out for the lives of the people I loved.

I begged, Please. My sister is only twenty-two, she has not lived yet. I have not had enough time with my family. I am a teenager, a child. Do not take my family from me. We can be good! We will be good! Just, do not take them away from me!

I saw a pang of guilt surface on the face of one of the men. I locked eyes with him, hoping he would see my humanity. He turned away. This gave me a glimmer of hope, there was a small piece of humility within him.

I sobbed, Do you have a daughter or even a wife?…A person you would protect until your last dying breath. My family is my everything. My sister is in love. I think she may get married soon if you give her more time. Please let us live in peace. We will not harm you. There is no need to fear us. We use our gifts to help people. We heal wounds and restore lands…

Stop talking freak, he interrupted. I could see the conflict in his eyes.

I begged, Please stop this!

He shouted, I said stop!