Playing With Fire

by Adrienne Woods et al.

  Where he was, I had no idea. I doubted it was here.

  I had no news about the kids, about Minaut, about anyone, and I felt as if it were breaking me into pieces. Were my kids okay? I didn’t care about myself, but I cared about them. I just want to see them, to know that they were okay.

  The door opened as I was lying on the floor. I didn’t bother to look up.

  “What did you do to her?” I heard Eli’s voice.

  “She’s going through episodes.”

  “They’re not episodes—they’re the aftereffects of the Forgotten potion, you idiots.”

  “Your Majesty, nobody told us anything.”

  “Well maybe if you didn’t blindside us, gave us time to come in like proper witches and warlocks, you would’ve known about her condition. The Sentinels are going to hear from me, and—oh!—they will listen. Get out of my sight!” he said, roaring. The guards made a hasty exit and closed the door.

  “Danielle?” He bent over me and caressed my face. I looked up at him.

  “Thank heavens,” he said. “Let’s get you up.” He helped me up onto the bed.

  “How are my children?” I asked.

  “We got Eva, Emile, and Joshua out on special terms. They are being guarded at the palace.”

  Relief flooded through me, and I cried.

  “I’m working on you, Minaut, and Marick, but because you are adults and Marick was yelling that you need to leave, he is considered a flight risk and so are you. They refuse to wake Minaut up as she is so magical, Danielle.”

  I nodded. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think about the kids.”

  “Shh, they are okay. They got your mom too, Danielle. They found the books.”

  “They got the books?”

  He nodded.

  “We don’t have anything to bargain on.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Marick said it’s no use.” Tears flow down my cheeks. “I wanted to, but…”

  “He’s just scared to lose you.”

  “Is he in trouble too?”

  “No, he is locked away. They are afraid that he would do something against the law. The witches and guardians love my son, though. He’s royalty, Danielle. They locked him up for his own safety really. His gift is rare—they don’t want to kill him.”

  I nodded.

  “What is your gift, Danielle?”

  “You don’t know?”

  “They refused to let me see Marick.”

  “I can read minds.”

  He looked stunned.

  “It’s not working properly, Eli.”

  “You can read minds?”

  I nodded.

  He was quiet for a moment. “My grandma was a mind reader. With Eva that is a Dream Weaver, we might just have something here to get you off.”

  “You sure?” I asked.

  “Danielle, we have a strong case. I might not be the judge on this one, but I can represent you. I’ll do whatever is in my power to get you out of here.”

  The door opened again.

  “Stay strong. The kids are okay.”

  “Thank you, Eli,” I said before he left.

  They closed the door again. I fell back on the bed, tears of relief that the kids were okay for now streamed down my cheeks.

  Morganna. Why did she do this? To get Marick and Shania back together? What? She seriously didn’t think that it was going to be anything like this.

  On the day of the hearing, I was first one taken to the courtroom through a door in my room. Then they bought in my mother.

  “Oh, Danielle,” she hugged me tight.

  “I’m so sorry, Mom.”

  She shushed me. “Everything happens for a reason.”

  Eva came in next with Joshua and Emile. Eva ran to my mother and hugged her tight.

  “It’s going to be okay,” my mother said.

  “Joshua is mean.”

  “Sorry, sweetheart.”

  My mother grabbed their chins gently. Emile’s eyes were filled with tears. Joshua’s eyes were cold, and he didn’t look at me. What was going on in that boy’s mind?

  “I’m sorry,” my mother said.

  “Emile, this is your grandmother, my mom,” I said.

  “I figured that out. Sorry we didn’t meet under better circumstances.”

  “Why did you even say anything?” Josh asked me.

  “Quiet.” The king appeared out of nowhere. “Your mother thought that maybe the throne could be restored to you again Joshua. That’s why she did it.”

  That wasn’t the reason, but it seemed to quiet Josh. He looked at me with a clenched jaw.

  “I’m sorry,” I mouthed with tears in my eyes. He looked away, anger and hurt reflecting in his eyes.

  The court looked like it was about to start the session. We all sat down.

  “You ready?” Eli asked me.

  “No, but I trust you.”

  “This is my family, Danielle. I will fight.”

  I nodded.

  Through a door, a crow, an owl, and a phoenix flew in. They all landed on the judges’ chairs. A bat fluttered in after the phoenix and lastly was a hawk.

  Bright light shot out from them all, and when the light disappeared, five people stood in their places.

  “Arise,” someone commanded the people in the court, and we all got up.

  My mom couldn’t stop staring at the animals that just turned into people. I was surprised too but I guess it was something I knew before my mind got wiped out.

  “Sit,” one said coldly and look at Eli. “This is a very uneasy case, Eli.”

  “I know Sentinel Howard. How are my son and our wisp?”

  “Under the circumstances, they are well. We will have to keep them both under sedation.”

  I froze. I didn’t like that Marick was out, stone cold.

  “Let us begin.”

  She started with explaining to everyone what happened on the day Morganna ran to the king and how Minaut jumped her.

  People started whispering when she said that I could hear our wisp’s thoughts. She too found it hard to believe, but she carried on. She related the entire scenario just like it happened. How Marick fought five, put them in the hospital. I didn’t know that or see their bodies. Everything of that day was a blur to me.

  She carried on telling the court that the Barrac family line was still indeed alive; that it now flowed with the Young’s bloodline; and that I, my mother, my daughter, and my two sons were under hearing for their crime.

  “What is your defense?” She looked stonily at me.

  “I don’t know who my ancestors were. I’m sorry for bringing this court under stress. I didn’t grow up with their way of life, and I never knew what crimes they committed,” I repeated what Eli taught me to say.

  She nodded.

  “What are we going to do with you, because the Barracs’ bloodline shouldn’t exist.” She looked at all of us.

  “May I please present some evidence as to why they deserve another chance?”

  “Eli, it’s funny that you’re here in the position that you are because, as I remember clearly, your family was on the other side of this trial with the Barracs.”

  “We didn’t have someone that could see visions then, predict the future, Sentinel Howard.”

  A few sniggered but it wasn’t long lived.

  “No, you didn’t,” Sentinel Howard said.

  “They are not like the Barracs. Danielle lived under our roof for more than five years before her disappearance. She was given the Forgotten potion that we believe set her gift in action.”

  “Her gift? What is it?”

  “Right now, it isn’t that strong, Sentinel Howard, but she is learning, and it will come naturally when she needs it.”

  “Which is?” she said again.

  “Danielle has the gift to hear other minds.”

  Everyone gasped. All eyes fell on me at once.

  “That is impossible,” Sentinel Howard said.

 
; “My grandmother had that gift. I assure you, it’s not impossible—rare, but not impossible.”

  “You’re telling me her gift was dormant all her life and that this potion has set it off?”

  Eli nodded. “Yes, Sentinel Howard. Our wisp has chosen her too.”

  “Your wisp? She doesn’t belong to Marick.” She shuffled through some papers.

  “No, Minaut made the choice, and if you wake her up, she would tell you that. Danielle would probably have to translate.”

  The Sentinels nodded.

  “As for Prince Joshua and Emile, their gifts still need to emerge. As for Eva, she is a Dream Weaver.”

  A murmur of surprise came from the court.

  “Order,” another Sentinel said. “You want to tell me that the little girl is a Dream Weaver?”

  “Yes, she has the gift. She knew all of us before we even met her. My son can testify to that. She dreamt about him before he met her.”

  “Eli, we haven’t had a Dream Weaver in centuries.”

  “I’m aware of that, Sentinel Howard. They are innocent, no matter what bloodline flows through them. My son gave up the throne to be with this woman. We just discovered that she isn’t human, though. And we have something else that we thought was lost to us.”

  “Which is?”

  “All the manuscripts of all the potions and spells: the counter-curses, the forbidden potions—well, most of them.”

  Other murmurs went off.

  “Order,” Sentinel Howard said, banging the gavel again.

  “They burned the manuscripts,” the woman who I believe was the owl before all this started said.

  “Your guards have them in their possession,” Eli said.

  She grunted at Sentinel Howard, got up, and changed into an owl. She flew out of the building.

  Silence lingered for a few moments. “That is a great loss return to the witching race. We will need to go think about everything and look at the evidence before we announce a verdict.” She suddenly sounded terrified, and I saw the corner of Eli’s mouth twitching.

  They all appeared into their animal forms again, and we were once again taken by guards.

  “Grandpa.”

  “Joshua, just calm down, son,” he said as he was taken away into custody.” He patted Emile on the back and hugged Eva as they were all taken away by the guards.

  My mother and I had tears in our eyes as our guards waited.

  “Sorry to meet you under these circumstances,” Eli said.

  “Marick is really sedated for this?” I asked?

  “His gift can persuade this entire court if he wanted to. He will be woken up just before the hearing. He won’t be able to use his ability, Danielle.”

  More tears filled my eyes.

  “It’s protocol. Believe me, he is worried about you, so I’m glad they sedated him. He’s used to the sedation.”

  “What?”

  Eli huffed. “How do you think he got through your anniversary of your death each year, Danielle?”

  “But Morganna—”

  “She’s a spoiled brat, and after this, I’m going to send her to live with the humans for two years. I’m sorry that her actions and mine brought this on.”

  “How did they know everything that happened that day?”

  “This world has magic all around us that the Sentinels can tap in whenever they want to and certain things alarm them immediately.”

  I sighed. They saw the commotion. That’s why Marick tried not to draw attention to anything. He knew they could watch at any moment.

  “I feel good about all of this, Danielle. We did what we could.”

  I nodded.

  “Stay strong.” He looked at me and my mother, and then we were taken back to our rooms.

  “Danielle,” Sebastian was outside.

  “Stay strong!” He yelled as he couldn’t get past the guards.

  I wept again. This was so messed up.

  But I had to stay strong. Eli said that they had to kill Minaut and they hate to execute a wisp.

  The next few days were the hardest. Those could have been the last days of my life. My kids—I couldn’t even think about it. A hard lump stuck in my throat. They were not going to execute Marick. He had to live without us if the verdict wasn’t in our favor.

  I was so drained and tired. The only thing on my mind beside my kids was what Eli said, how Marick was used to the sedation. He did that every year to get through my death, the mark that announced another year. I could understand why he was so hard on himself about not continuing to fight to find out the truth.

  * * *

  MARICK

  * * *

  I woke up and the first person I saw was Sebastian. I was still in the Sentinel cell.

  “What day is it?” I grabbed Sebastian by the collar to move him away but my effort to push him back was futile. I was so weak.

  “Marick calm down okay. You need to get ready. It’s the day of the verdict.”

  “Verdict?”

  “These mother fuckers only took Minaut and you, as they know your gift is strong. They did this to prevent any further situations if the verdict doesn’t count in their favor.”

  “My family didn’t get away?”

  “I got Joshua and Emile out of the academy when they found us. I fought as hard as I could. They knocked me stone cold, Marick.”

  “No,” I started to cry.

  “Be strong, your dad fought a good fight. His reasoning was compelling, Marick. They know Danielle is a mind reader and that Eva is a Dream Weaver.”

  “The books?”

  “At the temple. The owl is not happy with the crow, that I can tell you, so we have her in our favor too.”

  I sobbed again.

  “Get dressed, we can’t miss this.”

  I nodded and got dressed in a suit. I still feel drowsy, and my entire body hadn’t woken up yet.

  Just get my family through today, please, I thought. They can’t die, and I won’t live without them. I refuse.

  The door in my room opened, and I could see the court. People were already inside.

  Sebastian helped me as I was still not fully awake yet.

  My father was in his place, but my family hadn’t arrived yet. He touched my face. “Stay strong, son,” he said.

  Sebastian helped me sit in the chair next to the isle.

  Shortly, Minaut was brought in. She too was drowsy. They put her at my feet. I could tell she wasn’t feeling good. Sebastian gave her water, trying to wake up her body up faster at least, but I knew it wasn’t going to work. The Sentinels were not stupid.

  My born gift was too strong for the symbols adorning the court walls to suppress. Sebastian was right—that’s why they only woke me up minutes before their verdict.

  “How is she?” I asked Sebastian.

  “She’s holding on. The kids got special permission to be guarded at the palace, but Danny and her mother were kept in custody.”

  “I should’ve never come back. She warned me that she might slipped up.”

  “It’s not your fault.”

  I will kill Morganna. I swear, I thought.

  My mother came in with Shania, Mila, and the brat. Morganna wouldn’t even look at me.

  “Marick.” My mother hugged me tight. “Your father has worked so hard.”

  “Sebastian told me.”

  She patted Sebastian’s shoulder.

  “Marick,” Mila said and gave me a kiss. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Minaut.” Mother stroked Minaut’s head.

  “Marick?” Shania tried to catch my eye.

  I ignored her.

  “Marick, please, it wasn’t my fault,” Morganna said.

  My jaw muscles tightened.

  “Morganna, keep quiet,” Mila said, scolding her.

  Morganna pressed on. “It’s not my fault.”

  “Morganna!” My father bellowed and she got up and left.

  Good riddance, I thought. She needed to get away today if
this verdict wasn’t going to be in our favor.

  I rested the back of my right hand in the palm of my left. I willed my body to wake up, but it didn’t want to.

  A door opened and Sebastian tapped me on my shoulder to get my attention. I saw my kids walk in.

  “Dad!” Emile saw me first and he leaned over to hugged me tight.

  “I’m here. I’ll fix it, okay?”

  “Okay.” He sniffed.

  Joshua and Eva were next. I kissed them both and hugged them tight. “Stay strong,” I whispered before the guards took them to their seats.

  My mother-in-law walked in from another door.

  “Liz is here?” I looked at Sebastian.

  “I told you she was here, Marick, when you woke up asking about the books.”

  “What? Fuck!”

  “Calm down. Your kids.

  “Marick,” she held out her hand, and I clasped it. I wanted to tell her not to worry, that I had a plan, but in reality, I had none.

  She sat down. My body was finally waking up. I couldn’t stand yet, but it felt like pins and needles all the way through my body. I had the body strength, just not the mental strength. Focus, Marick.

  The door opened again, and Danielle walked in. She looked down the floor. She looked drained.

  I clenched my hands into fists. “What are they doing to her?”

  “They told your father that she wakes up screaming every night, Marick. It’s taking a toll on her body,” said Sebastian.

  When they brought her through, they stopped by my father first. He spoke to her softly. She nodded and he led her to me. I finally had the mental strength to stand up. She cried, pressing her face in my chest, as I hugged her tightly.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said between sobs.

  “Shh, it will be okay,” I whispered in her ear. “I’m not planning on breaking my promise to you now, Danny.”

  She sniffed, and I kissed her on the head. “Stay strong.”

  She nodded and sat down.

  The Sentinels came flying in, and after a burst of light, they all changed back into their human forms.

  I said a prayer under my breath to give me the strength I needed if this verdict didn’t go in my favor. I focused so hard that I didn’t even hear them begin to speak.

  “—was a very hard decision, and we regret to inform—”