Attention! This chapter definitely, definitely contains some pretty adult themes, so please follow the rating upheld by the fanfiction website. I had a hard time writing it the closer I got to the end. I've thought about changing it to make it easier to read, but I don't want to sugar coat how bad it actually was to live in the 17th century as an accused witch. I mean I did some research on it and the horrors these poor people had to endure is simply awful. I did end up editing this from the original version I'd had written. I thought it a bit too detailed... This chapter could definitely set off some triggers for those a bit fainthearted. Read on at your own risk!

Chapter 4: Sweet Release

Looking through book after book Kayla huffed not finding a single piece of information on the Adrienne D'heur woman. "This is pointless." she groaned feeling defeated slamming the book shut then placing it back on the shelf.

"Hey! Kay…" Reid warned looking from the books to her. In her sudden despair she'd forgotten one of the more obvious rules of looking through these relics. Handle With Care.

"Sorry babe." She muttered with a glance back to the shelf. Kayla moved over across the cold, stone basement being reminded of her time in the past and being tortured in a similarly built room. she saddled up close to Reid's side watching him look through one of the last of the few books they'd had left.

"Any luck over there, Ty?" Kayla asked over her shoulder. He was looking through the biggest book of them all. The book of damnation. It had recorded everything since the beginning of Salem- including a list of names of the people that had helped found the colony.

"Not really." He said sounding bored as a page in the book flipped on its own. The book gave Kayla the creeps, she'd never quite get used to a book coming when called upon or being able to flip it's pages to the one you'd been looking for. Unfortunately for them they weren't sure if the last names had been changed over the years- or what it'd been changed to.

"What if…" Kayla muttered trailing off as she got up and moved over to Tyler. "What if you start with Alice Parker, and move back from there? I mean, I know I'm definitely related to that one. There has to be some connection between them…" she suggested.

"Tried that. There isn't much in here on her other than…" He trailed off as the pages in the book flipping on their own rapidly at the mere mention of Alice's name. Tyler leaned in closer reading from the page. "She was indicted on charges of witchcraft September 9th and hanged on September 22nd, 1692."

Kayla sighed crossing her arms, her annoyance soaring. She knew there was more to that story than anyone knew- otherwise she wouldn't be here. Her ancestor had to have some sort of living relative somewhere otherwise her family line would've died in Salem.

Reid closed his book and, placed it on the shelf he ran a hand through his hair and came in closer to the other two. "Maybe she had a child? Like before the trials began?" Reid suggested.

"It doesn't say," Tyler said looking up at the couple. "Sorry Kay…" The book then slammed itself shut and flew back to the appropriate shelf making Kayla jump.

"I will never get over that." She huffed annoyed at the boy's laughter. Suddenly the door from above opened and Caleb, followed by Pogue began to descend the stairs.

"Hey." They greeted once they reached the bottom.

"How's the search here?" Pogue asked already half-knowing by the expressions on everyone's faces.

"Not well," Kayla replied as she sat down heavily on one of the seats. "What about on your end? Anything?" She asked sounding hopeful knowing Pogue's dad was a local historian- rightfully so.

"Well, he doesn't know much about the Adrienne D'heur woman, but he knew a lot about Alice Parker," Pogue explained. He took out a folded piece of paper and held it out to Kayla. "This is literally all we could find on Adrienne D'heur." It was from a Wikipedia page. Kayla sighed as she ran her hands through her red hair feeling more, and more frustrated.

"He- uh. He did give us this though." Caleb said pulling a small notebook out of the inside of his jacket pocket. "I'm not sure how helpful it will be. It's his research on Alice Parker." Kayla mumbled thanks and placed the notebook and folded up paper down on the stone seat net to her.

"Are you feeling alright?" Caleb asked as he sat next to her in his familial seat. Kayla nodded dropping her head into her hands to hold it up. She was losing more, and more hope in this quest to find out who's life was coming back to torment her.

"Have you had any more trips to the past?" Pogue asked her. She could see the interest on their faces and she wondered if it was all just concern for her. She nodded with a glance to Reid not wanting to get into detail.

"Do you wanna talk-?"

"No," Kayla answered quickly her face heating up as Reid smirked to himself from sitting down by her feet at the floor.

Reid leaned back against the rock that held the sit up, "She was being tortured." Was all he said as he picked up yet another book not quite ready to give up entirely yet.

"Tortured?" The three guys asked they're brows furrowed. Kayla nodded with a slight glare at her boyfriend. "About being a witch?" Tyler asked he looked at Kayla waiting for an answer.

Kayla just nodded again not wanting to talk about it much. "She woke up from it this morning, it seems to happen when her guard is down. Like when she's asleep or stressed." Reid explained, he always remained in close proximity to Kayla as if protecting her.

As Pogue made a move to put back one of the books something fell from the shelves and rolled across the room to Kayla. She'd recognized it immediately, it was kind of hard to forget any of these devices of torture.

"Why is that down here?" Kayla snapped standing quickly to put any sort of distance between her and the horrid device.

"Our ancestors tried to confiscate as much of this stuff that they could- this of course from the old, old days where the people were tortured into a confession," Caleb explained as he leaned down and picked it up from the floor. "There were some around for the witch trials here, but this stuff was rarely put to use."

"I thought there was torture in Salem?" Kayla asked. Her gaze kept jumping from the device in Caleb's hand around to the guys.

"It- It was, but Salem didn't make a business out of torturing people," Pogue answered as Caleb walked over and, placed it back where it belonged. Kayla shivered as memories from her experience in the past hit her. Reid stood and wrapped a comforting arm around her bringing her mind back to the present.

"You uh… you alright?" Tyler asked feeling the shift in Kayla's demeanor. She nodded crossing her arms over herself seeming smaller, more afraid than anything. Her reaction seemed to tell the boys all that they'd needed to know.

"I'll be alright." She shrugged off their concerns turning into Reid finding comfort there. "What-what's on this Wikipedia page?" She asked turning her attention back to Caleb and Pogue.

Pogue sighed as he instinctively walked over and sat in his respective seat across from Caleb, "There wasn't much. She was arrested in August of 1646, suffered for weeks of torture and died about a month later."

"Weeks of torture?" Reid asked his head snapping in Pogue's direction at the question. Pogue nodded his face serious.

Kayla's soft voice broke the silence as she looked to Caleb, "Did- did it say how she died?" Caleb turned to face her, "Burned to death." Kayla winced knowing what was still to come as she took in a steadying breath.

"Great." She heard Reid mutter as he thought the same thing.

"Well… I mean there's nothing saying that these visions- or, whatever they are- are going to keep happening. I mean look we haven't even looked into the mark on your back. Tyler perked up trying to give the couple some hope.

"Yeah. That's true." Reid said blinking as his gaze turned to Pogue and, Caleb. "Did you guys show him the picture?"

Caleb nodded his face looking grim. "Pogue's dad said he's never seen it before." Caleb's eyes turned on Kayla. "Does it hurt? Does it seem to do anything at all to you?"

Kayla shook her head after going over the last day in her mind. "I- I didn't even notice it. I have no idea how long it's even been there. It's gotten cold in Europe too so it's not like I've been showing off my shoulders lately."

Caleb nodded as his eyes moved to look at Pogue with a sigh, "Well, we're still gonna be looking into it." He promised her his eyes showing how serious he was. Kayla nodded as she stood and turned to grab her sweatshirt she'd tossed down on the chair.

"Whoa, wait," Caleb said getting up seeing the mark clear on her skin. She paused glancing over her shoulder at him as he got up and moved in quickly. "Look guys…" Caleb trailed off. The mark had changed- it seemed to have more lines on it now than last night. Instead of the two curved lines not connecting, they now connected at the bottom, but the top was left open. The mark that had been at the dead center now was a little diagonal line leading to the lower right corner of the circle. "It- it's changed," Caleb said, shocked.

"What?" Kayla yelped as she tried unsuccessfully to crane her neck to get a look at the symbol now.

"It has…" Reid trailed off his fingers brushing over the now raised mark on Kayla's skin. "It- it feels like it's a brand." He stated not thinking.

"It- it doesn't hurt," Kayla explained as she threw her sweatshirt over herself quickly feeling a bit better now that it was hidden from plain sight.

"Whatever it is. I don't think it's done appearing." Caleb noted taking a step back. Kayla's eyes trailed over the floor her tiredness suddenly overwhelming her.

"Maybe, more of it comes to surface the more she has those visions," Tyler spoke up from the side of the group. Kayla yawned as she nodded in agreement.

"Well, so far that's the only hypothesis that seems to make any sense." Caleb agreed now taking his seat again. Kayla groaned, "None of this makes any sense. We- we just don't have enough information." She took a seat on Reid's lap now that he'd sat in his chair his arms slid around her instinctively. She leaned against him tiredly feeling as if she hadn't slept at all the night before. "Alright well, if-if that mark changes anymore. Call us. Right away." Caleb said pulling his phone out as it made a noise. "I gotta go meet Sarah, we're making a day trip to Boston- to her family. We gotta meet them for 2 so, we'd better should be heading out soon." Kayla looked at her own phone now seeing that it was about 1 o'clock. She hadn't realized how long they'd been there looking through books.

"Ooohh. Big step." Kayla said with a tired smile. "You ready for that?"

Caleb shrugged, "We've been dating for almost a year now. Figured it's kind of long overdue." Kayla just nodded as Reid spoke up.

"Yeah, he's the old-fashioned type. He should've met her father and asked him for permission and all that shit." Reid chuckled with a shake of his head.

"Watch it, you might be able to learn a thing or two from him about being a gentleman," Kayla said with a smirk as she pulled to get up but Reid wouldn't allow it causing Kayla to burst into a giggle.

"Alright, well I'd say it's time to get outta here before you two start getting handsy with each other," Tyler said standing as well. His statements caused the other two to laugh before heading out as well. Kayla rolled her eyes her focus returning to Reid.

"I think this morning was enough for one day…" Kayla trailed off with a smirk as she turned sitting sideways no her head tilted towards her boyfriend.

"Ehh… I don't know about that one. I could always go for round two. This morning was hot as fuck." He told her, "Although…" He said his tone changing to a serious one. "I- I didn't want to say anything… I was hoping we could find out more information first, but it seems to be a bust. This morning though while we were having sex-. Your eyes. They- they flashed this weird color. It was like a golden yellow color. I wasn't sure what it was at first, but what with the symbol changing and all I'm thinking it might have to do with that."

"Great. Yet another thing we don't have any answers for…" She said getting up and putting space between her and Reid

"Babe…" Reid began getting up and taking her hands turning her to face him, "Maybe all we should do is to just let this ride out." He suggested. He's right. She thought. That seems to be our only choice right now. It's not as if she'd had any control over what was happening to her. She couldn't stop it no matter how badly she'd want to.

She sighed and nodded looking up at Reid through her lashes. "I'm tired." She grumbled as he pulled her into a hug, just holding her against him. He felt her body relax in his arms. "Why don't we grab some food and, head to your dorm. We'll have a low-key date day." As he said this his eyes flashed and everything was put back in its right place as if they'd never been here.

Kayla waited in the car as Reid ran into the restaurant to grab the food they'd pre-ordered. She rested her head back in her seat and closed her eyes gently trying to mentally block out the dull ache behind her eyes.

She caught a faint smell before she felt the searing pain on her shoulder sitting up her eyes sprang open as she cried out. "Whoa!" Reid cried out steadying the car he was driving again. How'd that happen?" She thought briefly before realizing she'd fallen asleep resting her eyes. "You okay?" Reid asked alarmed glancing from her back to road and back again.

"No." She said her breath coming hard. "No, I'm not." She finished softly.

"What happened?" He asked.

"What do you think?" She asked giving him a look.

"You were Adrienne again." He stated his grip on the wheel to her Honda tightening. She'd upgraded to her father's 2004 Honda Accord this year given the car had only been a year old when he'd decided to go for his new truck. He went the extra mile and purchased a Chevrolet Silverado. Kayla didn't mind it much- she'd gotten an almost brand new car out of it.

She nodded moving to pull her seat up back to an upright position. Sighing she ran her hand through her hair leaning against the door. "I feel like I haven't gotten any sleep. I'm just so tired." She complained to Reid. "But, every time I do. I get pulled back to the 17th century."

Reid shrugged turning the wheel into the Spenser Parking lot, "Maybe you should. I'm convinced the only way to get this over with is to get through it."

Kayla gave him a look, "Easy for you to say. You're not the one experiencing these horrible things." She defended as he pulled into a spot not far from the building.

"I know, and I'm sorry." He said turning to look at her once he'd put the car in 'park'. "I wish I could, babe. I really do. If I could take it away for you. I would, but I don't think I can." He told her catching her hand in his and tailing circles over the back of it with his thumb.

"Maybe I'll feel better once we eat. I hadn't realized how long we'd been looking through the books." She admitted feeling tired again. With that, they'd grabbed their food and marched up to her dorm through the quiet building.

Kayla was thankful for the majority of the students waiting last minute to move in- it gave her more time to sort through her emotions without having the annoyance of being overcrowded by the stupidity of other people.

"So…" She began after swallowing a bite of her sub that they'd ordered from Ipswich River provisions. The little restaurant was known for their fantastic wraps and sandwiches more than any other place in this town. "You think I should just go to sleep and try to see where it takes me?" She asked clarifying her soon to be intentions to Reid. Who was currently devouring his 12-inch sub. Kayla lifted an eyebrow at him expecting an answer. He nodded as he swallowed a big bite. She could hear the gulp from the end of the bed as she opened her iced tea she'd also gotten with her sandwich. "Yes." He began before swallowing the other half of his bite. "I do." He finished finally freeing his mouth of food. She blinked setting her drink down. Half her sub was eaten and the leftover was less appealing now. She moved to lay on the bed next to Reid who'd been prepping his iPad for a movie he'd recently downloaded.

"Why don't I put on a movie, and if you fall asleep, you fall asleep. I promise I'm not going anywhere, red." He told her using his nickname for her that he rarely used. She moved in closer to him as he started the movie, she'd wrapped her arms around his body as she relaxed just waiting for the inevitable to take over.

Finishing up with Gerard I felt myself grow cold in his absence, "Why? Why do you do this?" I asked him as he pulled away putting himself back in his britches and tying them closed again. He sighed looking at me his expression unreadable.

"Well lass, it beats the alternative." He replied his hand coming up to brush hair out of my face. I just nodded knowing the only thing it would get him was torture and death. I was a living, breathing example of it. I scooted down the edge of the table to the floor allowing my skirts to fall back into place. Gerard's blue eyes scanned my smaller frame.

"I hate having to do this to you." He told me his arms leaning against the rack as he trapped my body between him and the table.

"I know," I said softly. "But, I can only imagine how it'd be if it were someone else." His hand slid around to the back of my neck his finger slipping into the dark hair at my nape. He leaned in close and pressed his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. I felt my wrists struggling against the bind. I wanted to touch him, to hold him like we'd done just weeks earlier.

I heard the door creak open and we jumped apart. "Monsieur…?" The voice of the Monsignor cracked at us like a whip. I could feel my face pale in fear. " Witch!" He cried from the top of the stairs. "I knew it!" His look was ablaze with anger. "You've bewitched your last. Guards! Seize her!" He hollered. The two guards came bumbling down the stairs, the Monsignor following closely behind them.

"Monsieur Garwin, go. Now." He commanded his black robes billowing out behind him.

Gerard looked torn. His gaze never once strayed from me, I could see his internal struggle of fighting them and saving me from this dreadful place, or leaving and saving himself. "Release him from your hold witch!" The Monsignor yelled his eyes looking at me accusingly as his hand was pulled back and connected with my cheek leaving a stinging burn. I blinked back the tears that sprang forth. Gerard had jerked forwards but, I halted him with a look. He stared at me a moment longer than he should've before taking his leave and stalking up the stairs out to the hall.

"You are hereby condemned as a witch."

"You still have no proof of that," I stated lifting my chin up defiantly at him.

"I've seen you trickery with my own two eyes!" He yelled the guards taking some steps back from the mad Monsignor.

"It shan't prove a thing, but your executioner is a swain to my lady charms." I rebutted. The Monsignor looked red in the face at my statement.

"I'll prove you a witch yet, you wretch." He promised me as he pushed me back on the rack and clamped my legs in the compartment. The guards were ordered to take my arms as the cut me free only to tie them to the top.

"Fetch me the nuns. Now." He commanded. His anger getting the best of him. I left my face blank staring at the ceiling. Within moments two women were hovering over me as well. "We need to search her for the witches mark. I expect you to look well, and look thorough." He'd taken a couple steps back and the women went to work. They'd left my feet tied up tight, but they'd let my hands go so they could remove my stay from me and leave me in my shift. The women had pricked up and down my legs with a needle each. I tried containing the whimpers and grunts of pain, but some had managed to get past my clenched jaws. Once they'd moved to my back ripping my shift from my shoulders and pulling it down to my waist leaving me bare before the men in the room once again… The pricking and poking resumed.

"Monsignor…" One of the women said as she backed up holding her hands up to show that she didn't have the needle.

"There it is." The Monsignor said almost gleefully. "All the proof, right before our eyes. No blood, no pain." He said his hand came up and I could feel the pressure of him pushing the needle in more, yet I felt nothing. My eyes glared up at him with the hatred I'd felt since the day he'd slapped me in the cold stone room when he'd started asking me questions of my life, and listing all the charges against me.

I felt him yank out the needle quickly. Still, I felt nothing, no response at all. "Looks like a witch will burn after all." He said his voice low. His mouth by my ear. I shivered at the proximity. "Not before you tell us who you'd signed the devil's book with." He asked. I rolled my eyes in response to that as I laid back my shift falling further down, but given the current situation and, the fact that these women took very little care to keep me hidden away from the male eyes in the room it didn't matter.

"Who did you sign with, witch? I want names!" He yelled. He looked to the guard at my silence. "I want her tied to the rack." He said. At the guard's hesitation, he yelled, "Now!" They'd quickly jumped into action.

"What of you dear sister? Or that sweet little daughter of yours…? They join you in your witchery?" The monsignor asked his head tilting in a maniacal manner.

"No." I'd answered quickly knowing they'd be left to the same fate as I had if I proved them right and used my power to free myself. "My daughter's soul is as clean of the devil's claim as mine," I told him.

"Hmmm… she shall be subjected to questioning then," He decided. "Who else?" He added as he gestured to the guards to position themselves at the wheels that will soon pull me apart.

"I'm not a witch!" I cried adamantly. "I signed no book, and made no such deals!"

He nodded to the guards and they began to push the wheels. I could feel my body being lifted from the table and then stretched in opposite directions. "Torture me 'til death, Monsignor. I have nothing to confess." I yelled as my body reached its limit for stretching. It had become painful now.

As time passed the guards continued to pull at me using the wheels on the rack. I gave no such answers. The Monsignor was getting angrier by the second. "Fetch me, Gerard!" He'd yelled the nuns that had helped search my body for the alleged witch's mark scurried off in an attempt to find the supposed witch hunter. The guards then took a break themselves.

I'd laid there on the rack my body working to recuperate from the torture it had been through that day. "Adrienne, You could just avoid all this pain simply by admitting your guilt." The Monsignor said trying with his gentle tone to break me down and confess my sin of witchery. I'd kept silent.

"My dear, you are going to wish to have confessed when Monsieur Garwin strides through those doors. He is a very talented man in the art of receiving confessions."

I still remained silent looking up at the ceiling. Defiantly. I knew where Monsieur Garwin was. Currently drowning his sorrow and oppressed anger in the nearest tavern. I closed my eyes enjoying the rest my body was receiving. After some time I heard the Monsignor huff angrily, "Where is he?"

A smirk found it's way on my lips as he grew more impatient waiting. "You two are going to have to do it." He snapped.

The guards shared uneasy looks to each other. "Sir?" They questioned.

He grabbed one of the more dangerous looking devices from Gerard's shelves and shoved it in the hand of the guard nearest him. "Here. Use it." He began.

"When did your time as a witch begin?" He asked me. At my continued silence he asked, "When did you have a relationship of the physical nature with the devil?" A smirk firmly planted itself upon my face thinking, if only you knew…

Suddenly the guard dragged the sharped forked device down my arm. I cried out in shock from the sudden pain. The guards had no idea what they were to do with half of these devices so they stuck with the sharp, and pointy ones their purposes clear.

One of the guards, however, spotted the same device Gerard had used on me. "I- I saw him use this, sir." His brown eyes stared at the Monsignor for direction.

"You know how to use that solider?" The Monsignor asked his eyes dragging from my scraped and battered body to him. The guard nodded his head his shoulder-length hair swaying with the motions. "I saw him use it earlier, but I intend to use it differently."

The Monsignor nodded his assent as the guard approached me. His hand hesitated at the hem of my shift before shrugging and yanking them up. The device was then inserted into me. I gasped at the intrusive sensation.

"You'll tell us all we need, Adrienne. You will open up and the truth will come pouring out of you, or we shall physically open you up to find it." The Monsignor threatened.

I grimaced turning to hide my face in my arms that were tied above my head. "Give me the names, Adrienne." The Monsignor said his voice filled with a newfound confidence in himself. I remained silent pushing my face into the arm remaining hidden. I felt the guard turn the key at the other end of the device in me and felt the object widen. I tried to hold back my gasp, but a muffled intake of breath escaped me. I could feel the heat of embarrassment flooding my cheeks at my gasping breath as it was turned again. I could then feel the sharp points against my inner walls and cried out of pain. Only then did the guard remove his hand.

"Now. Adrienne. Names."

"You must first, understand," I spoke softly feeling my defeat nearing. "The devil looks for those in need of a savior. Those that are broken, forgotten, and downtrodden."

The Monsignor only blinked in response to my admission of guilt. He looked shocked that he'd finally received it, after four days of merciless torture, and the weeks of inquisitions. He'd finally gotten it.

"A savior, Madame?" He asked his eyes wide. "Sounds more like a predator preying on the weak of faith." He responded giving the guard a nod of his head and then the pain struck me. I screamed and my body thrashed, only bringing more pain.

"Promiscuity seems to be a sin for you, doesn't it Adrienne?!" The Monsignor hollered over my screams as the pain intensified.

"What if we just… took that temptation away?" He finished as my screaming grew louder and louder. My body thrashing around uncontrollably now. All I could think was dying right then and there without giving him the satisfaction of a public execution.

"Enough!" A loud, strong voice full of anger came from the stairs by the door. It was Gerard.

The silence that followed was deafening other than my whimpers of pain. I felt the device slowly closing again, leaving me with a throbbing ache. "You idiots." I'd heard his voice again. His sweet, sweet voice. I felt the table shake as he'd gruffly pushed the guards away from me.

"Monsieur…" The Monsignor began. "We- we got our confession."

"Good. Now get out." Gerard said paying him no mind as he made quick work of closing the device and gently removing it.

"Your sympathies aren't warranted." The Monsignor told him with a hand to his should Gerard shrugged him off easily enough. "Monsignor…" Gerard began as he slammed his device on the table and turned to face off with the Inquisitor. "These are my devices, are they not?"

The man in black simply nodded, "Then why in the seven hells did you allow those idiots to use them?!" Gerard yelled.

"Careful Monsieur." The Monsignor began with a glint in his eye. He left his threat at that and put a coin purse on the rack. "Your payment." He finished with a smirk. It was easy to see that the torture was eating at Gerard. He was a good man, stuck in the wrong profession.

"Sir…" One of the other guards was at the door. "She is here." The Monsignor nodded at the man and looked to Gerard again, "Well Monsieur. We will be in need of your services again soon."

The men began filed out except for Gerard. "Fix her up, and leave her in her cell. Her execution is tomorrow." The Monsignor said before walking up the stairs his guards followed closely behind him. Once the door was shut heavily I felt the tears flow.

"Shhh…" I heard Gerard say as he unbound my wrists, then moved to my ankles. I couldn't move. The pain was still aching.

I took a gulping breath and my hands found his arm tugging his clothes to look to me, "Gerard. My- my daughter." Was all I said as another sob tore through me.

"She's- she's with your sister. You said so yourself right after your husband die-." He began.

"No. They- they will come for her now." I interrupted him as he helped me to sit up. "I have confessed. My- my life has come to an end."

"Adrienne…" Gerard began. "I- I can't-." He said his face serious as his eyes widened.

"No, you oaf." I interrupted again wanting this to be clear instructions. "My sister- her and, my sister need safe passage to the new world. They will be safe there. In hiding." I finished short of breath.

"Adrienne…" He said my name in that way again. Mustering up some sort of strength I looked him in his eyes. "Please Gerard," I begged. He sighed his eyes looking around the room and then nodded.

I had been gripping his shirt front in an effort to steady myself, however now I used it now to pull him to me pressing my lips to his in a chaste kiss. "Thank you, Monsieur," I muttered resting my against his chest tiredly. Gerard nodded as he helped move me up and out of the torture chamber to my cell. He'd carried my weak body up the stairs and continued on 'til I was put in my cot in the cell I'd been taking up residence for the last weeks of my life.

Upon waking my arms were bound again, and then I was marched out to the courtyard of the prison. Two men flanked my sides as the Monsignor led us out of the yard and into the street down to the center of the market. "Ladies and Gentlemen. I give you Adrienne D'heur. Our very own witch of Montbeliard." He said with a flourish as I was walked to the pyre.

"Any last words, Madame?" He asked turning to me. My silence answered him and, the crowd. "Ahh… Stubborn 'til the end, aren't you?" He asked as my wrists were bound again only, tying me by my wrists to the long beam of wood.

"Burn, Witch!" Was shouted from the crowd. As a rotten tomato was thrown in my direction narrowly missing me. I searched the crowd around and found Gerard in the back. He stood leaning against one of the market keepers shops with his arms crossed. I lifted my brows ever so slightly and gasped upon hearing his voice in my head.

It's done. They are safe, Adrienne.

I visibly relaxed against the pyre I stood on and just waited for the pain to end. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. One of the guards came over with a lit torch and slid it under the expertly placed sticks around me. I felt the heat nearing me. Closer and closer it came. I tried to keep my screams to myself, but it had started to burn at the bottoms of my bare feet. I could see the shift closer to the ground began to blacken as it got closer. Screams ripped from my throat as the flames met my feet only to grow higher, and higher. becoming unbearable. Finally, I couldn't take the pain anymore and, I'd used to take it away. I felt nothing as the flames rose. I began to choke on the thick black smoke that surrounded my body. I knew the end was nearing because the grip on my power was slipping. Finally, the wall came down and I began screaming like a banshee. The pain was unendurable. I felt my world going black as my vision became hazy around the edges. The darkness overcame me and I welcomed the sweet release.