“Gran, how much did you drink last night? Have you eaten breakfast?” Putting my hands on my thighs, I went to stand up, but her little hand shot out, signaling for me to stay seated.
“It’s true, child. Demons are real. They’re not talked about in the magical community because they don’t mix well with others. It was only by chance that I learned about them, and I wish I hadn’t. They are supposed to stay in their realm, while we stay in ours.”
My head is spinning.
“Why are they in my freaking bedroom then?” My voice raised to a shrill on the tail end of that question, but shit, I was starting to panic. “And how do you know about them?”
“I’m not sure why they were in your bedroom, child. But I know that we need to put protections in place, and I will get started on those right away.” She stood immediately. “We can tend to the gardens after I get these items prepared. This takes precedence,” she said with a parting worried glance before turning and walking away from me.
“Gran, wait. How do you know about them?” I called out, needing some answers.
Turning back to me, her eyes softened. A split second later, they hardened as she spat out, “Your mother.”
“My moth-”
“Later. I must get these protections in place. They’re crucial. We’ll talk once I’m done.” My playful, man-obsessed Gran was gone, her tone telling me how serious she was, so I bit my tongue.
Now I had more questions than ever.
Not really knowing what the hell to do with myself, I figured I might as well get started in my gardens. Throwing a quick spell up for protection, just to be safe, I stepped out onto the still wet grass. Mist was rising off of the ground like the sky was calling it back home, the sun peeking through the wooded forest, projecting golden rays across the yard.
The sound of birds singing was calming enough to let me feel some peace, and I twisted my damp hair up onto the top of my head. I freaking hated getting my hair in my face when I was trying to garden. Trudging across the property, I headed to the back corner where the moonstone beds were. Ugh, please let these be okay. I kept my eyes on anything I could except for my destination, dreading what I might find.
Throwing up one last praise be to the stars, I looked down and exhaled the breath I’d been holding. They look fantastic. They were slightly glowing, still charged up from the night, and I couldn’t find anything to even hint at a problem. Well, thank the gods that these weren’t affected by this fuckery. After a few moments, my happiness started to give way to a niggling in the back of my head, reminding me of the fact that while I did tend to these stones, my actual magic had no part in their success. That was all on the moon. Different moon cycles provided different types of properties, so it was really just a matter of time and dedication on my end to keep up with tracking which stones had been out for what cycles.
Anger suddenly charged to the forefront of my mind. Who was doing this to me? Was this connected to the demons? I wasn’t going to take this lying down. Storming back across the property, I approached my gardens. The once beautiful spring flowers were completely dead. My plants hadn’t even broken the soil yet, long overdue. Pissed off, I knelt down and shoved my hands into the dirt. The more I looked around me at the destruction, the more furious I felt. My magic was churning inside of my body, begging for release.
Deciding that I was in charge of my own shit, I sent out a wave of energy, picturing the seeds sprouting underground and pushing upward through the dirt, climbing to the sun. Opening my eyes, I gasped and yanked my hands out of the soil, falling back on my ass.
Gnarled, black sprigs had erupted from the earth where there should’ve been perfect green seedlings, all in a row. Wide-eyed, I watched in disbelief as some of them actually broke off and turned to ash. Tears welled in my eyes.
No. Not my power. I don’t kill things! I give life. What’s happening to me, and why do I have such a horrible feeling that this is going to get worse before it gets better?
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone and fired off a text to Cam. If Sloane hadn’t agreed to come over tonight, I was fully prepared to beg.
Me: Did you get a chance to talk to Sloane yet? Things are worse than I thought.
I’d barely put the phone down before it pinged.
Cam: Are you safe? Sloane, Kai, and I are planning to come by tonight to see if we can find anything when you’re out with Fish.
Cam’s message helped to dry my tears, and a small grin broke through at the thought that they were all coming over to help me. They’ll be here in less than four hours, I reassured myself with a sigh. I typed out a response, holding back the extent of my distress so as not to worry him. The big protective mage would be over here in a heartbeat if he felt I was in danger.
Me: I’m safe. I just wanted to make sure that someone was willing to help. This is beyond my witch level.
“Saige, come meet me in the kitchen. Let’s get started,” Gran yelled out to me from the house, closing the window in the kitchen after I acknowledged her. I headed for the house, reading another text while I walked.
Cam: Yes, little witch. We’ll do everything we can to help you figure this out. It’ll be okay. Enjoy your afternoon. I might need a nap later. I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep last night.
Cheeks on fire, I tucked my phone into my pants and headed for the kitchen. Let’s get this over with.
“What is all of this stuff, Gran?” I questioned, taking in everything she had spread out across the entire table.
“Stuff that’s going to keep you safe. Sit down. You can help out, and then I will tell you a little story.” The last part of her statement was weighed down with a hint of sadness. Lifting up a bracelet that had several crystals in it, she motioned for my wrist, securing the dainty gold chain around it when I held out my arm.
“This will give you strength from the stars and protect you from any possession, although I’m not convinced that is their objective. Seems to me they would’ve done it already if that was the plan. It will also allow you to have increased awareness so that you’ll feel when a demon is near. Most describe it as a tingly sensation at the base of the neck or goosebumps, that kind of thing.”
Picking up a mortar and pestle, she pushed them into my hands. “Sit, grind this up to a fine dust. We will place it at all of the windowsills, doorways, and around the entire perimeter of the property. While you grind, I’ll cleanse each room with sage sticks and cast protection spells and wards.”
Lifting a small basket that held her tools, she sped out of the kitchen, the sound of her chanting and the smell of smoke reaching my nose within thirty seconds.
Gran was quirky, but this was beyond anything I’d ever seen from her. Yeah, she was always determined to protect me, but I could see something else in her eyes that was an even larger driving force— Fear.
That scared the shit out of me. I’d never seen anything close to fear cross her face. Happiness, amusement, longing, annoyance... absolutely. Never fear. Hell, I’d just discovered that demons - demons - were an actual thing. Sitting at the table, I ground the ingredients into a dust, questions racing through my head as I worked. What in the world would demons want with me? And what connection does Laurie have to them? Ugh. Feeling pissed off again, I put some extra elbow grease into the motions and pulled back when the pestle went through the bottom of the mortar.
By the moon, I’d just ground through the damn thing. How is that even possible? Picking up the pestle that was now a good inch shorter than when I started, I stared down in shock at the hole in the bottom of the stone basin. Lifting it up, the powder I had been grinding spilled out onto the table. Gran had just hustled back into the room, and I turned to her with wide eyes as she looked from my face to the destroyed items in my hands.
“What in the name of Saturn’s balls happened to it?” Taking them from my hands, she peered at me through the hole.
“Uh... I put my back into it and broke it?”
“This h
as been in my family for generations; it’s made from enchanted rose granite. This shouldn’t be possible.” Gran slumped down into her chair and tossed the now useless heirloom onto the table.
“Yeah, well, seems to be a lot of impossible shit going on right now. I need some answers, Gran.” I tossed my hands up in exasperation, needing her to know I was on the verge of flipping out.
“Scoop that powder into two bowls, and we can quickly place it. I’ll answer all of your questions as soon as that’s complete.”
Rising from my chair, I padded over to the cupboard that had some paper bowls inside and snatched two of them. Gran took one, and we each pushed half the powder into each of our bowls.
“I’ll take the perimeter and the doorways; you can go around and do all of the windows,” she ordered, placing her bowl into her basket and heading out of the house through the back porch.
“Sure thing,” I muttered under my breath. Blah, what is going on with me? Now that I thought about it, I’d been on edge the past several weeks, quicker to anger than normal, and now getting frustrated with Gran? That was really not like me, and I was starting to get unsettled.
Moving quickly through the house, I made sure to hit every single window, even the tiny ones in the attic. The last thing I needed was any more freaking visitors. Well, unwanted visitors, that is. Remembering my date, I pulled out my cell to check the time. Wow, it was already after three. The afternoon was getting away from me fast. Heading down the steps, I made a beeline for the sink in the kitchen so I could wash the dust off of my hands.
Not seeing Gran anywhere, I went ahead and pulled out the container with last night’s leftover soup and popped it into the microwave. Just as it started beeping, she bustled in and collapsed into her chair at the table.
“Are you okay?” I rushed to her side, taking her hand in mine.
Waving me off, she replied, “Yes, yes. I’m fine. Just takes some extra power and exertion that I’m not used to using anymore. Something smells good. Can you get me a glass of water, child?”
Now I felt like a dick for being frustrated with her lack of answers when she was clearly putting forth a lot of effort to lock my house down like a bunker. Filling up a large glass with ice water, I brought it over and set it down in front of her.
“Let me grab the soup. Drink that water, Gran. I don’t need you passing out on me. This day has already been eventful enough for my liking.” I turned and headed for the counter. Spooning the soup into two bowls, I carried those over and sat down beside her. She looked a little better, some color returning to her face. “How do you feel now? Do you need anything else?”
“The water is fine. Thank you. I’m better now that I know those creatures can’t get in here. Later this evening, I’ll go into town and put the same protections over the shop. Now, I know you’re dying of curiosity, so how about I tell you what I know first. We’ll see what questions you have afterward.” I smiled as best I could, dipping my head in response.
“Back when your mother was a teenager, she went away to New York City for a weekend with some classmates to tour a couple of magical museums. The first evening they were there, she and a few of her friends thought they’d give the teachers the slip and sneak into some bars, ending up at a club that catered to the magical community...” Gran looked away, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. My own breathing nearly sped up, nervous for what she was about to say.
“From what I was able to squeeze out of her, she’d gone outside with a guy she’d picked up, and they were making out in the alley beside the club until a fight broke out between him and another guy who’d been checking her out. The attacker had lost control, talking about how she was his, and the two men started growling and sprouted horns, their eyes turning completely black. Laurie had no idea what she was looking at, but the two demons were fighting to the death over her, a potential mate. In the end, the demon who had been kissing her beat the other to death. She stood frozen to the spot while the monster stalked over to her and caged her against the wall. He spouted all kinds of nonsense about mating with her, producing healthy babies, and being a savior.” Her voice caught on the last part, but I wasn’t sure what emotion was overtaking her. This time, it seemed like Gran might be reliving the fear she’d had for her daughter. Though they didn’t have a relationship now, I knew Gran had loved her, still did.
“A couple of bouncers from the club had raced into the alley, taking in the dead man and the horned creature who was hovering over a teenage witch. One of them pulled out a gun, shooting the demon with a strong tranquilizer, while the two mages pulled Laurie out of the dark alley, kicking and screaming. She’d wanted to stay with that beast.” I opened my mouth to ask what had happened to the demon, but she raised her hand, shushing me.
“Typically, demons do not live in our realm. They stay in Besmet unless they’re sent here by their rulers for either a mission or sometimes punishment. There are rogues, that’s what they call them, who somehow gain access to a portal, and they come here to do what demons do best. Taint, ruin, corrupt, tempt... and we are the perfect victims for such desires. Too trusting, too soft, too pure.
I had no idea of their existence until Laurie returned home. After that, she was never the same. We both know how much your mother loves attention, and this was better than a strong batch of drugs to her system. Sure, she had always been a selfish girl, but most teens are. Now obsessed with knowledge and power, the demon had completely invaded her mind. Her grades started to suffer, and nothing held her focus besides her studies into Demonology, she called it. At first, I thought she had made the whole thing up, but after doing some research of my own, I discovered that they are indeed real.”
At that point, she reached out and took one of my hands in her own, her eyes pleading with me as though I could provide some kind of comfort or forgiveness for what she was about to say.
“I tried my damnedest to rid her of her obsession. We fought so much, and all she would talk about was leaving Emerald Lakes after graduation so she could get the answers that she needed. She wanted to go to Besmet, driven mad with the idea of a whole other world being just beyond her fingertips. As far as I know, the only ones capable of summoning a portal to get there are actual demons, though I’m sure she gave it every ounce of magic she had to try and get it to work. Then, after she graduated, she was gone.
I was so angry with her, and in a way, I still am. She was a brilliant witch, one of the strongest I have ever known, but her addiction to power was stronger.” Gran paused, releasing my hand and lifting her water to her lips.
How was this the first time I was hearing this story? Taking a couple bites of my lunch, I waited patiently for her to continue, afraid she’d never start again if I interrupted.
“I didn’t hear from her again until she showed up on my doorstep claiming to be three months pregnant. She only seemed upset that she was going to have to hang around here for six months until you were born. I knew she didn’t want to be a mother; the girl never had a motherly bone in her body. She needed to explore, run, do whatever she wanted. Offering her an out, I told her that I would raise you.” Gran’s voice grew sharply bitter, and even I felt the sting of the animosity she felt toward Laurie’s selfishness. But I didn’t question for one second that she resented me for this situation, no, that was all on her daughter.
“You could stay with me for as long as you’d like, and I would teach you about green witchcraft. I would be the one to provide for you, care for you. Obviously, she accepted that, and you know the rest.” Gran’s eyes hardened, and she looked like she’d tasted something horrible.
How different would my life be right now if she had never gone on that weekend trip with her school friends? Shaking my head, I dumped that thought right in the mental trash can in my brain. My life was amazing. I had everything I could ever want, and most importantly, I was happy.
I’d always wondered why Laurie hadn’t stepped up. Why she didn’t want me. And now I knew, the a
nswer was so simple it almost seemed unreal: she was just too selfish to care for anything besides herself.
“I’m so sorry, Gran.” Reaching out, I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
“I try not to think of it because I still get so angry. It was a long time ago, and I can’t even wish it had been different because everything happened the way it should. It got me you, after all.” Squeezing my hand back in response, she pulled back and started to dig into her lunch.
“Why do you think they’re coming around now? Do you think they’re looking for her and got confused by me?”
Raising an eyebrow in thought, she swallowed her bite and snorted. “That would make sense. Of course the stupid girl would lead the damn things right to our home, even unintentionally. They won’t be getting in here again, though. I’ll sleep easy tonight and even better after I put the protections around The Pig as well.”
“Did you put the same protections around your place? If you need me to help do that, I can cancel my date tonight and help you,” I offered. Oh, shit. My date! What time is it?
She held up a hand to wave me off. “No worries, dear. My tiny house doesn’t need anywhere near the level of work this one did. I’ll take care of it after a nap. Roxanne and I were out shaking our asses under the moon last night well into the morning hours, and the whiskey was flowing like a waterfall. This shit sobered me right up, but it’s taking its toll now that I’m sitting down for a moment.” The last part was said around a yawn that had broken free.
“But before I nap, I do have a few questions of my own.” My gaze snapped to hers, and she blurted out, “When were you going to tell me about the man that slept here last night? And what’s this date that you’re definitely not canceling?”
“Gran! How do you know there was a man here? Do I even want to know the answer to that?” I studied her amused face and smiled.
The Magic of Discovery: Emerald Lakes Book One Page 17