The Threads of Fate

Book 3: The Divining Sisters Series

by Heather Hardison

Genres: Occult & Supernatural; Visionary & Metaphysical; Horror

Synopsis

Book 3 in The Divining Sisters Series -

After reuniting in Salem, Massachusetts, Alex, Izzy, and Hazel begin to retrace the threads of fate that bind them to better understand where this journey is leading them. As their enemies close in and up the stakes, the pieces of their past start to shift into place, revealing key details about their destiny set in motion lifetimes ago. Will learning more about their past incarnations help them overcome their fears to embrace their shared mission, or will the adversaries reemerging from their past stop them before stepping into their full power?

The Divining Sisters is a fictional divination series that follows a group of women who are witches, healers, and diviners in multiple lives, and they reincarnate lifetime after lifetime to reunite with their coven so they can fulfill a mission of keeping their craft of divination, healing, and magic alive for future generations.

The series focuses on reconnecting with past-life gifts, sisterhood, empowerment through facing fears, & learning to step out of the shadows.

Trigger warning: This book series covers the historical witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts and all across Europe, delving into the harrowing details of the persecutions, accusations, and unjust treatment and torture that took place during those times. These scenes may be distressing for some individuals.

 

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Release date: September 26, 2023

Print pages: 438

Sample

CHAPTER ONE

Alexandra Steele

Flight from Boston to Memphis, December 2019

***

Alex stood guard over the sacred documents inside the dark tomb. She shifted her weight to the back of her heels to give her arches a break. These long shifts were brutal but necessary. This information couldn’t fall into the wrong hands, and she’d sworn to protect these ancient texts at all costs.

Faint sounds from the adjacent tomb had her on edge. She couldn’t leave her post to investigate until her replacement arrived. It wasn’t like her sister to run late.

She tried to tune in to her sister’s frequency.

She paced in the small enclosure; something was off. Why couldn’t she detect her sister’s energetic signature?

The sounds coming from the corner behind her grew louder. She wasn’t alone.

She strained to make out the source of the noise, but it was too dark to see from where she stood. She rubbed her eyes. Either they were playing tricks on her, or shadows were closing in.

Faint whispers echoed behind her. She spun around. Paranoia was setting in. Was it all in her mind?

She wished they had enough guardians to work in shifts. If her sister arrived, she might stay to keep her company even though her feet might give out any minute.

The hairs on her arms stiffened. Someone was near.

A sharp, stabbing pain shot through the middle of her back as she was thrust forward by the impact of the blow from behind. She tried to regain her footing but couldn’t steady herself before falling to the ground.

She rolled to her right side, coughing up blood. She tried to prop herself up to catch her breath.

Light footsteps traveled around her and stopped next to her head. The figure bent down close enough for her to see the face of her attacker — someone she’d trusted with her life for over a decade.

Disbelief washed over her as she realized that she had failed to keep the sacred scrolls secure. They’d been betrayed by a sister near and dear to them all.  

“How could you? We took an oath!” she cried out with her last breath. “Why?”

The dream shifted.

Alex fled through the woods of Salem past Proctor’s Ledge. Someone was hot on her trail. She had to keep running to find Izzy. They’d been separated while fleeing from the witch hunters.

Heavy footsteps trailed her, but she was running out of steam. Why did it feel like she was running in slow motion? Panic overtook her.

A cold hand jerked her back violently, spinning her around until she was face to face with her nemesis, Marlena.

“Did you think you could hide from me forever? You should have known I would catch up eventually,” Marlena barked.

Alex scanned the woods around her for anything she could use to defend

herself.

“It’s just a dream! I’m safe,” Alex repeated to herself.

“For now, but I wouldn’t get too comfortable. I’m closer than you think.”

She cocked her head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I was able to track you through Izzy’s dreams; she showed me everything.”

Alex shook her head.

“Did she not tell you about our visits?”

Alex didn’t respond.

Marlena grinned. “I didn’t think so. If she’s keeping that from you, what else is she not telling you?”

***

Alex awoke on the plane in a cold sweat, shaking from the disturbing interaction with Marlena. She’d just left Izzy and Hazel in Salem and was halfway home to Memphis, Tennessee. She was questioning her decision to leave them behind. Maybe she should have rescheduled her therapy clients and ridden back with them. This was the second foreboding dream she’d had since reuniting with Hazel, their sister from several past incarnations. Something didn’t feel right.

Izzy had offered to ride with Hazel to Memphis to keep her company for the twenty-hour drive and had assured Alex they would be safe, but she was still worried. Everything was happening so fast. With each passing day, a new obstacle seemed to appear. Would it ever end?

She kept telling herself that she would see them later next week when they arrived in Memphis, but it didn’t make her feel any better. She had promised Max that she would watch over Izzy since this was her first trip after her brain surgery a few months ago. But their plans had changed, and she would be traveling without her. Izzy tended to take too much on herself if she wasn’t careful.

Alex hadn’t slept much since arriving in Salem. She wasn’t surprised that she had dozed off on the plane, but now she wished she hadn’t because the unsettling feeling from her dream had taken up residence in her gut. Even though it was just a dream, something nagged at her that she couldn’t shake. Was Izzy keeping things from her?

Normally she wouldn’t dare question her loyalty. They’d been through so much together, and she’d always been reliable and forthcoming. But given recent events, doubt was creeping in. In Salem, Izzy had admitted that she hadn’t told her about the past life she’d previously uncovered with Hazel. As Harriet in that life, Hazel had been

jailed in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials. It was a crucial piece of the puzzle they’d been desperate to solve for a year and a half. Why had she not revealed it earlier?

Would Izzy have ever told her about it if Alex hadn’t tapped into the vision of Cotton Mather and Judge Jonathan Corwin at the Witch House on their tour? The two men had been discussing Harriet’s fate, and Izzy had only confessed after Alex had filled her in on that vision. She’d been boxed into a corner and had no choice but to come clean at that point.

And Jackson was acting weird again. Every time she visited Salem, he became overprotective and skittish. It was so unlike him. Something was off. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the two of them were keeping things from her, and she intended to find out why once she was home.

Her stomach had already been tied in knots after the dream she’d had this morning before her flight out of Boston. Trackers had been hot on their trail, and the three sisters were forced to separate to have a fighting chance. Alex had chosen to go it alone and sent Izzy and Hazel off down another path, hoping the trackers would follow her and not her sisters. A feeling of foreboding had set in after that dream, and it hadn’t let up. Something told her that they’d just awoken a sleeping foe when the three of them had reunited.

She pulled out her dream journal and added the stabbing dream to the list. She flipped through all the entries she’d logged of all the incarnations she and Izzy had uncovered since they’d first met. Most had come through Alex’s dreams that Izzy later confirmed through the Akashic Records. This book held the key to what this all meant. She was certain each dream was a clue and that one day it would all make sense.

She reviewed some of her earliest recovered memories, amazed that she had lived all these lifetimes. The journal was filled with numerous incarnations as healers, diviners, and witches. Reconnecting with each of these lifetimes had been healing for her on so many levels. She had finally found her voice and was using it to reach out to others who were awakening too. On her podcast, she pulled from the experiences she’d lived in the past to awaken those who were ready to tap into their own power and reconnect with gifts they’d possessed in times gone by.

Those variations of herself still coursed through her veins and gave her the strength needed to forge ahead on this path that still wasn’t clear. Izzy had told her that it was best not to see too far ahead at any given time. She might resist if their mission seemed too daunting. For now, Alex just focused on reconnecting with her incarnations that had a direct impact on this lifetime. All the wisdom and gifts from each life resided within, imprinted in her cells so they were never far below the surface.

Those past versions of herself were showing her the way. Their lost dreams and incomplete missions lay at her feet. Could she deliver what they’d 

first met. Most had come through Alex’s dreams that Izzy later confirmed through the Akashic Records. This book held the key to what this all meant. She was certain each dream was a clue and that one day it would all make sense.

She reviewed some of her earliest recovered memories, amazed that she had lived all these lifetimes. The journal was filled with numerous incarnations as healers, diviners, and witches. Reconnecting with each of these lifetimes had been healing for her on so many levels. She had finally found her voice and was using it to reach out to others who were awakening too. On her podcast, she pulled from the experiences she’d lived in the past to awaken those who were ready to tap into their own power and reconnect with gifts they’d possessed in times gone by.

Those variations of herself still coursed through her veins and gave her the strength needed to forge ahead on this path that still wasn’t clear. Izzy had told her that it was best not to see too far ahead at any given time. She might resist if their mission seemed too daunting. For now, Alex just focused on reconnecting with her incarnations that had a direct impact on this lifetime. All the wisdom and gifts from each life resided within, imprinted in her cells so they were never far below the surface.

Those past versions of herself were showing her the way. Their lost dreams and incomplete missions lay at her feet. Could she deliver what they’d waited for ages to bring about?

She flipped the page and found a note Izzy had left for her when she’d doubted her capabilities in the past.

Don’t fight against the seasons of your life. We must experience them all — the fire of summer, the shedding of autumn, the self-reflection of winter, and the rebirth of spring. If you resist this process, you will make it infinitely more difficult. Instead of drowning in the sorrow of injustices of the past, look for the lessons we took from each battle. Hold that hard-fought wisdom close. If you don’t learn from those experiences, you’re bound to repeat the mistakes of the past.

She had been right; Izzy was always right.

Before Alex left Salem, she and Izzy had promised to check in several times a day to make sure everything was unfolding as planned.

Alex pulled out her phone from the front pocket of her purse and reread their texts from earlier in the day.

ALEX: About to board. I’m already counting down the days until you arrive back in Memphis. Take care of our Hazel.

IZZY: Be safe. Text me the moment you land. I know you hate flying. I’m surrounding you with light to calm you.

Her stomach twisted.

She hated that Marlena was making her question Izzy’s motives now. Izzy had always been her rock. Why were her dreams warning her otherwise?

She tried to redirect her thoughts to making holiday plans for when Hazel and Izzy were back in Memphis, but she found it incredibly difficult to ignore the intrusive images that continued to play in her mind’s eye from her dream. Marlena had gotten in her head and was stirring up trouble as usual.

Damn this hex that linked them. Centuries of being connected to her had only made it easier for Marlena to get under her skin. Alex desperately wanted to uncover more details about the hex that bonded them. Maybe then she could sever the threads that tethered them to each other.

All she’d learned so far was that Marlena had hexed her many lifetimes ago in an attempt to steal her magic in a power grab that had left Alex destitute and out of favor with the king she’d once counseled. And in the course of cursing her, she’d created an energetic cord linking them that was so powerful that they hadn’t been able to break it after centuries of battling each other.

Marlena had been relentless in her pursuit of Alex across lifetimes and had even joined forces with the witch hunters during the witch trials to track her down to enact her revenge. But as far as Alex was concerned, she didn’t want retaliation; she wanted her freedom. She was ready to leave it all in the past if she could just unchain herself from Marlena once and for all. She had already stolen too

first met. Most had come through Alex’s dreams that Izzy later confirmed through the Akashic Records. This book held the key to what this all meant. She was certain each dream was a clue and that one day it would all make sense.

She reviewed some of her earliest recovered memories, amazed that she had lived all these lifetimes. The journal was filled with numerous incarnations as healers, diviners, and witches. Reconnecting with each of these lifetimes had been healing for her on so many levels. She had finally found her voice and was using it to reach out to others who were awakening too. On her podcast, she pulled from the experiences she’d lived in the past to awaken those who were ready to tap into their own power and reconnect with gifts they’d possessed in times gone by.

Those variations of herself still coursed through her veins and gave her the strength needed to forge ahead on this path that still wasn’t clear. Izzy had told her that it was best not to see too far ahead at any given time. She might resist if their mission seemed too daunting. For now, Alex just focused on reconnecting with her incarnations that had a direct impact on this lifetime. All the wisdom and gifts from each life resided within, imprinted in her cells so they were never far below the surface.

Those past versions of herself were showing her the way. Their lost dreams and incomplete missions lay at her feet. Could she deliver what they’d waited for ages to bring about?

She flipped the page and found a note Izzy had left for her when she’d doubted her capabilities in the past.

Don’t fight against the seasons of your life. We must experience them all — the fire of summer, the shedding of autumn, the self-reflection of winter, and the rebirth of spring. If you resist this process, you will make it infinitely more difficult. Instead of drowning in the sorrow of injustices of the past, look for the lessons we took from each battle. Hold that hard-fought wisdom close. If you don’t learn from those experiences, you’re bound to repeat the mistakes of the past.

She had been right; Izzy was always right.

Before Alex left Salem, she and Izzy had promised to check in several times a day to make sure everything was unfolding as planned.

Alex pulled out her phone from the front pocket of her purse and reread their texts from earlier in the day.

ALEX: About to board. I’m already counting down the days until you arrive back in Memphis. Take care of our Hazel.

IZZY: Be safe. Text me the moment you land. I know you hate flying. I’m surrounding you with light to calm you.

Her stomach twisted.

She hated that Marlena was making her question Izzy’s motives now. Izzy had always been her rock. Why were her dreams warning her otherwise?

 

 

CHAPTER TWO

Hazel Palmer

Salem, Massachusetts, December 2019

Hazel’s heart sank with the setting sun over Salem Harbor. In just a few months, she’d grown attached to Salem and the people she’d met during her stay. Connecting with her past life here had been transformative. In many ways, it had healed her to uncover her past ties to this quaint town with so much rich history even though it had been traumatic to relive her days in the Salem jail during the witch trials.

This experience had awakened her magic as well. She was more alive than she had ever been. She had Esme to thank for that. She had believed in her and hadn’t pressured her as she struggled with the lingering wounds from that lifetime. It hadn’t been an easy road, but it had been worth it. In the end, she’d found her way back to her sisters. Right here, in Salem, where she’d last seen them in that incarnation. Isabella and Adeline hadn’t abandoned her after all. They’d been cruelly ripped away from her, but they had never given up their search for her, even in death.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Izzy said, sitting down next to Hazel on the bench facing the harbor.

Hazel’s head hung low. “It’s going to be harder to leave than I thought,” she replied, choking back tears.

“You don’t have to leave. It’s totally up to you. Alex and I would understand if you decided to stay.”

Hazel shook her head. “I’m not giving you two up now that we’ve found each other again. I’ve prayed for a family that I would feel safe with my entire life.”

Izzy smiled gently at her. “It’s okay to feel conflicted about leaving.”

Hazel inhaled deeply; the brisk Salem air burned her lungs. “This is the first place where I felt loved and accepted as my true self. Esme gave me that gift. She’ll forever be in my heart.”

Izzy rubbed Hazel’s back. “We can come back anytime. Alex already feels like this is her second home, and I see why now. There’s magic in the air here. It pulsates through every inch of this town, and it stirs the soul. No wonder you don’t want to leave.”

Hazel smiled at the couple strolling along the shoreline. “So many people who’ve come in the store have confessed that their soul awakened as they drove into town. It’s such a magical place, despite its dark history. Those imprints haven’t faded with time. I wonder if I’ll lose that connection once I’m gone.”

Izzy shook her head. “I don’t think you will. It’s part of your history. That will always stay with you. Harriet’s still in there.”

Hazel wiped her tears on her jeans.

“Salem holds a special place in our history. It’s always going to call out to us. Alex even dipped into a bit of depression after she returned home from her first visit last autumn. She’s been homesick ever since. I tapped into that magnetic pull through her. That thread from our past resonates strongly for us. Of course, some of that energy I picked up could have been from your arrival several months after she’d departed.”

Hazel nodded. “Could’ve been. My inner witch had definitely stirred once I settled in here. What hurts the most is that I was starting to think Salem might be the place where I finally settled down. I’ve never felt that about a place before. I wish I hadn’t let myself get attached.” Tears stung her eyes as she imagined leaving.

“Who knows what’s in store for us. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Alex moved here after seeing her come alive when we arrived. I haven’t seen anything close to that spark back home. We’ll be back. This isn’t goodbye. It’s just another chapter in our story.”

Hazel smiled. It comforted her to know that her sisters were drawn to Salem as much

as she was. It had quickly carved out a space in her heart that was irreplaceable.

“Ready to head to Esme’s for dinner?” Hazel asked, standing up from the bench.

“Yes. I’m starving.”

“It’s a short walk.” Hazel strolled slowly in front of Izzy. She wasn’t in a hurry to get to Esme’s. It would be one of the last family dinners she would share with them since they would depart in a few days. She’d been prolonging her goodbyes. She had started to pack some of her belongings a few hours ago, which made their departure real. No more denying the inevitable.

After walking several blocks, Hazel turned left and held open the small wooden gate to Esme’s walkway.

“This is it.” Hazel gestured to the sage-green townhouse.

Izzy grinned. “It’s so cute. It fits Esme’s personality.”

Hazel opened the door to an assortment of aromas.

“It smells divine in here,” Izzy exclaimed as Esme greeted them.

“Some of Hazel’s favorites — white bean soup and homemade biscuits,” Esme replied.

It smells like home, Hazel thought as a sharp pang pierced her heart. She suddenly missed Luca even more. Preparing to say goodbye to his family made her distance from Luca more noticeable. They’d shared many dinners and late-night talks in this kitchen when he’d stayed with Esme in the fall.

What would it be like when she was no longer in Salem near his family?

Hazel fought back tears throughout dinner and barely spoke, trying to keep her composure. Her heart was heavy with grief over leaving behind the only mother figure she’d known. Her mother had been cold and aloof and had shunned her for her intuitive gifts. Esme had embraced her as she was, showing her a love that she’d never even dreamed of. Typically, over dinner, Esme would share stories of their travels and memories from trips to visit relatives in Romania. Hazel usually lingered after dinner to help Esme clean up as she taught her about the craft and discussed her plans for her mystical store, Alchemy. She’d always seen herself in those glimpses of the future when Esme had shared them with her.

Was Izzy right — would they return someday?

Izzy carried much of the dinner conversation as she recounted her travels to Sedona, Oregon, and East Tennessee over the past few years. Esme’s youngest daughter, Marta, was particularly interested in hearing about her experience in Sedona where they had family. She was curious if Izzy had felt the same energetic portals that she had on family trips to her aunt’s land.

Izzy stayed in the dining room to talk with Marta and Irina while Hazel helped gather the plates after dinner. She quietly dried the dishes as Esme

washed. She wasn’t sure how she was going to muster up the energy to say goodbye in a few days. Any time she’d tried to speak about it, her throat had seized up.

*

Izzy gave Hazel space as they walked back to the store in silence. Hazel had been on the verge of tears all night.

“Esme said there’s a cot in the storage closet that I could set up for you in the back room,” Hazel said as she unlocked the door to Alchemy.

“That would be great. I just thought it would be better to stay with you instead of at the hotel again. That way you aren’t alone as you pack.”

“That’s so thoughtful. Tonight’s gonna be a struggle for me.”

“I figured.” Izzy followed Hazel to the closet near the back room of the store.

Hazel shifted a stack of folding chairs and a box of costumes in the packed closet. “Oh, here it is. Are you sure you’re gonna be fine sleeping on this tiny thing?”

“I slept in a recliner for months after my surgery. I think I can manage this.”

Hazel chuckled as she wheeled the cot out. “If you say so. I’ve got a set of extra sheets upstairs in my room. If you want to get this set up, I’ll fetch those.”

“No problem.”

A few minutes later, Hazel returned with the sheets and helped Izzy make the bed.

“Just two more sleeps before we hit the road to Memphis,” Izzy said, smoothing out the sheets.

Hazel’s stomach dropped. ...

...