by S. E. Akers
“And you would do anything for me, right?”
“You know I would,” I affirmed.
“Then please, I’m begging you. Go look for my body!” Katie cried. “The Onyx knows what tonight is. He’ll find you.”
My heart felt like it was being ripped apart at the seams. What she said was true, but what else would I find besides him? I still wasn’t a hundred percent sure that he’d used the white chalcedony on Gallia. And if he did…does he have another one? Granted, I had the Wand of Adamas, but a lot of good it would do if I were paralyzed. And then there was still the missing stone. Would he have the fire opal on him, if he even had it at all? Shit! Shit! Shit! I wrestled with every shred of doubt and fear I had. In the end, only one thing remained an unwavering fact — Katie had risked her life for me…and I had to do the same.
“Okay,” I whispered to Katie. I could feel her spirits lifting as I hurried to the backdoor.
I grabbed the handle and shook it several times, but it wouldn’t open. I tried it again and again, focusing on the brass knob, but it simply wouldn’t budge!
I spied a golden sheen of light shining on the door. “Oh no,” I mumbled out loud.
“What’s WRONG?” Katie asked tensely.
“Going somewhere?” Beatrix called from the living room. I followed my mentor’s voice to find her kicked back on the sofa, reading one of her nature magazines.
“Not now,” I replied.
“Didn’t think so,” the Golden Topaz Talisman confirmed with a cunning smirk. She gave the pages a few pious flicks. “Tsk, tsk, tsk… Sooo predictable.”
“WHY NOT???” Katie barked.
“Because she’s placed a containment spell on the house. I can’t leave until dawn.”
“Now, what shall we make for dinner?” Beatrix asked, eagerly rubbing her hands.
I spent the rest of the evening trying to pick up the pieces, but that was impossible. Beatrix pleaded for me to remove Katie from around my neck, but I couldn’t do it. I deserved to hear every one of her painful, teary wails. If she was to be punished, still trapped inside the diamond, then so was I. She eventually passed out around 2 o’clock in the morning, all cried out and utterly exhausted. I tried to stay positive, but that was impossible. I had to side with Katie on this one. If Bea or Tanner couldn’t locate her body on their own, then there was no other alternative — I had to flush the bastard out. I swore that the next full moon would be different. No more sneaky tricks. Fool me once, shame on you… Fool me twice, shame on me… This won’t happen a second-time around!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I’d always heard that a full moon made people act peculiar — crazy even — though I wasn’t aware of its lingering effects. However, Beatrix and Katie were forcing me to reevaluate my position. Katie’s bitchiness was easily explained (and justified), but Beatrix’s unstable temperament was not. Granted, the Golden Topaz Talisman had a “quirky” side at times, but I’d never seen her “this antsy” or so “easily ruffled” about anything. She was training me harder and longer, which drastically limited the amount of time I could spend with Katie. She even insisted I started spending the weekends at her house. I was starting to think there was more to her reasoning than just my lessons. Charlotte and Chloe couldn’t have been happier, but it kicked Katie’s anger up several notches. Whenever I could squeeze in some time for my bosom friend, all she wanted to do was fuss (ironically for neglecting her). Damned if I do… Damned if I don’t.
Towards the end of January, Beatrix got a wild hair up her butt and decided she needed to do some serious spring-cleaning. But it wasn’t your typical dust and fluff. She took me into what she called “the vault”, a secret chamber located within the armoire in her bedroom. That’s where she kept all of her “valuables”. The knobs were crafted from two large cabochon golden topazes and had been spelled to keep everyone else out.
“No one can open its doors but me. Handier than a combination and more convenient than a key,” Beatrix assured as she magically unlocked the doors.
I watched her descend down a staircase hidden inside, totally awestruck, while I felt underneath the armoire. Despite the ample dust bunnies stuck to my fingers, the laws of physics didn’t apply — at least on the inside.
I winded down the steps to find a cozy chamber about half the size of her bedroom. The walls were lined with numerous shelves, and they were all stuffed with an assortment of curious looking paraphernalia. There were books, which I assumed contained spells, a collection of bottles and jars that held herbs and potions, and countless knick-knacks that were bound to have some sort of enchanted properties.
“So what do you think of my collection?” Beatrix asked.
“Wow… How long have you been collecting this stuff?”
“Centuries,” she admitted proudly.
“You weren’t kidding when you said that you liked witchcraft.”
“What can I say… It’s a hobby,” Beatrix remarked shamelessly with a shrug. Several of the shelves contained a medley of ancient-looking boxes. She removed one and handed it to me. The oblong container had been crafted from a beautiful, rich-looking wood while an inlay of ivory trimmed in gold framed each of its sides. “Open it,” Beatrix requested. I did as she asked. Inside were several stones, eight in all, arranged meticulously on a strip of velvet. I noted each one’s distinct color as my eyes traveled down the dazzling line. “Those are my collection of topazes, my dear. Aren’t they magnificent?”
“Quite impressive,” I remarked. I ran my fingers over each one, absorbing their energy. “What do they do?”
“Topazes exude the same powers, my dear, in general…except for mine, which helps protect me from death, and of course, the white one,” Beatrix remarked as she pointed to the only empty space in the row of gemstones.
“But you don’t have one of those,” I commented.
“Nooo,” Beatrix hummed. “That one has eluded me. But, I’ll get my hands on it one day…one way or another,” she vowed with a certainty blazing in her aimless eyes. “The Talisman who claims it has never given any of her stones away. Not to anyone. Not ever.”
“Why not?”
“Because of what it does,” Beatrix replied.
“What’s that?”
Beatrix smiled. “When it’s forged with the magic from the other topazes, it opens something. Something very special.”
Her ambiguous tone echoed through the small chamber. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?” I posed.
“See what a bright student you are,” Beatrix praised playfully and patted my head. “No. I brought you down here to show you something else.” Straightaway she removed a small cube from off a shelf and handed it to me. “This is the most powerful thing in here. It’s extremely valuable and irreplaceable. The last of its kind.”
I rubbed my hand over the top of the box.
“Go ahead, dear. You can open it,” she urged.
I lifted the lid to find a thick crystal shard inside. It was hardly as spectacular as the other stones, but intriguing in its own way. The crystal’s cloudy layers looked like they had been fused together in seams. Regardless of her passionate claims, it wasn’t radiating any energy. Well, none that I could pick up on as I ran my hand along one of its sides.
“I don’t feel anything,” I remarked, disappointed.
“No. You won’t, dear,” Beatrix guaranteed. “It’s empty.”
“What is it?”
“An unused phantom quartz,” Beatrix revealed. “It’s a crystal that was granted to only a handful of original Talismans ages ago. I’m the only one who has never used theirs.”
“Why not?”
“I never felt the need. It’s actually made of hundreds of ghostly crystals. Each of its layers protects what you place within it.”
“What do you put inside it?” I asked.
“A part of you, my dear. A tiny piece of your soul,” Beatrix revealed. “It’s a boundless protection from death.”
“So you can’t die?”
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“No,” Beatrix confirmed. “But you can only use its magic one time. Once it’s broken, there goes your lifeline.”
“You’ve never needed it?”
“My golden topaz shields me from many things. Not everything of course, but whenever I was tempted to reach for it over the years, something inside me always advised against it. It does however pose a problem for its owner.”
“What’s that?”
“It contains your soul, and that’s a grave disadvantage. If someone were to discover it, they could use it to control its owner. They would be helpless against it. It can’t be spelled with invisibility, so it must remain hidden at all times and at all costs.” Beatrix closed the lid and placed the box back on the shelf. “I wanted you to see what you’re up against. Dunamis was given one too, long ago. I know for a fact that his soul was placed inside the one bestowed to him, but I don’t know if he has ever used his. This is why I don’t want you venturing out on your own. I fear killing him may be even harder than we think.”
“But maybe he has?” I posed.
“That’s an awfully big ‘maybe’ to take a chance on, Shiloh. This is why we must wait for the right opportunity to present itself. We must find her on our own. Having the upper hand is crucial. Have I made myself clear?”
“Crystal,” I mumbled.
Beatrix tossed me a rag. “I’m glad to see this situation with your friend hasn’t robbed you of your sense of humor,” she teased. “We’ll start on the top shelves and work our way down, and um…careful with what you touch.” She pointed to a shelf that housed a countless number of dusty bottles. “Some of those vials pack a nasty punch.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Several weeks had past, and we still didn’t have any “Katie” leads. Even I was starting to question Bea’s commitment. All she wanted to do was train, teach, and train some more whenever we were together. You’d think I was preparing for a supernatural decathlon. I couldn’t even remember the last time we had just chitchatted or watched a movie at her house. She was making an afternoon with Tanner seem like a daggone cakewalk. My gut told me something was up.
Something…
On the eve of the next full moon, I told Beatrix I had stay home and study for a big test. I didn’t lie. I just opted not to tell her that I would be out searching for a supernatural stalker on my study break. To my surprise, she didn’t push the issue — not one bit. I didn’t know whether to be grateful for her trust or suspicious as all get-out. Either way, this plan was going off without a hitch, one way or another. I couldn’t disappoint Katie again!
Around 10:00 PM, when the moon was good and full, I placed my Government book back inside my backpack and looked out the window of my bedroom.
The coast looks clear, I noted with a wary eye. Now is as good a time as any. I whipped on my jacket and shoved my hilt into my back pocket. I stared into the mirror, desperate for my reflection to tell me that I was doing the right thing — at least a daggone encouraging “wink”.
“Are you ready?” Katie asked.
“Yeah,” I confirmed, though rightfully nervous. I couldn’t look at myself for a second longer so I raced to the door.
“Shi,” Katie whispered. Her voice stopped me in my tracks. “Thank you.”
I took a deep breath and gave my doorknob a sharp turn, without any luck. I jiggled the handle several times.
“What the Hell?” I growled.
“Not again!” Katie moaned.
“I don’t understand! I can’t get out!”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Katie grumbled.
I gave the door a swift kick. No sooner than I did, a blinding purple light shot out from the door and started working its way around the walls of my room. I stared at the lavender paint.
“Son-of-a-bitch!” I yelled as I scrambled to the window. I reached it just as the two streams met, enveloping the room. I banged on the now unbreakable glass.
“What’s going on? Is it Bea again?” Katie asked.
“NO!” I glared at my bedroom door. “It’s Tanner! The paint Daddy put on my bedroom door.”
“What about it?”
“I know who chose it!” I clutched my amethyst, almost too mad to form a rational thought.
“Long time, no hear,” Tanner answered immediately.
“Well, now that I know you’re alive, I wanted to inform you that I’ll be taking that damn thing off its hinges in the morning,” I snapped. His laughter shot right through me. “How did you—How could you?”
“That spell was put in place years ago. If you ever tried to knowingly put yourself in harms way, it would stop you,” Tanner revealed. “But I did pop by and strengthen its wards on my way out of town. Clever, huh?”
“Very,” I grouched. “So that’s why Bea didn’t put up a fuss?”
“Correct,” Tanner laughed.
“And you didn’t trust me?” I posed.
“As they say in your neck of the woods… Not one lick,” Tanner answered flatly. “I knew you would break your promise.”
“WHAT ELSE could I do? You two haven’t had any luck,” I blasted back defensively.
“So you decided to be the sacrificial lamb? Not on my watch,” Tanner charged. “I suggest you turn in. The spell won’t break—”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. Not until dawn!” I fussed.
“Sleep tight, Shiloh.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” I growled as I tightened my hold on the amethyst. “YOU DON’T HAVE TO PEE!” Straightaway, I yanked off the stone and threw it across the room.
Transmission out!
“Katie… I’m so sorry.” I sat in what seemed like an eternity of silence. “Katie? Katie?” She didn’t answer me, not even when I called her name for the nineteenth time. I finally gave up and crawled into bed. I left her around my neck. I may not have gotten a verbal response, but at least I could feel her — every ounce of her anger and heartbreak.
Chapter 10 — Shot Through the Heart
Before I knew it, Valentine’s Day had arrived and just like every other year, I eyed all the merriment from the sidelines while everyone else on the planet reveled in their festive tokens of love. February 14th had never bothered me before, but it did this time. My bitterness conjured up some pretty horrible thoughts too. They weren’t your run-of-the-mill prayers for wilted flowers, stale chocolates, or popped balloons either. The longer the day dragged on, the more twisted they grew. By 3rd period Government, I swore if I saw one more girl being presented with a dozen red roses that I was going to grab a pair of garden sheers and run through the halls like daggone Edward Scizzorhands. They really took a turn for the worse when I envisioned whipping out my hilt and decapitating a huge, 4-foot teddy bear Kara Leighton had carted into Geology class. That vision, coupled with the fact that she’d placed it in Katie’s vacant seat beside me (just to gloat), made me want my best friend back even more. I missed actually “seeing” Katie. She still wasn’t really speaking to me. Well, except for a few bitchy cracks. I’d take a thousand of those just to see them escaping from her mouth. And I wouldn’t turn away from a million crappy looks as long as they were etched onto her actual “face”.
Knowing my mood had taken a terrible turn or the worse, I took her off when I got to Bea’s house after school, along with my amethyst. I knew it would help lift my spirits or rather, spackle over them — but I couldn’t! It reminded me of Tanner, and he was a contributing factor to the horrible funk I was in. I’d only spoken to him once over the past seven weeks. And I called him. Why wasn’t he calling? Why weren’t we talking every day like we used to? Did he just not care? Between the tension with Katie and Tanner’s cold-shoulder treatment, I felt like the Black Plague. Hell! Beatrix wasn’t even home, but she did leave me a note on her fridge.
Went with Monique to play bingo…
I’ll be back by ten
B —
PS - Happy St. Valentine’s Day!
Well, that’s just sad. My only Valentine
and it’s a daggone pink Post-It!
I’d stopped by early to bring her that damn lapis lazuli because she seemed so moved by it at Christmas. I thought she might like to see it — especially today.
I’d planned on staying over here tonight anyway. I didn’t want to hang around my house on another holiday. Daddy always bought us chocolates — Turtles for Chloe and Russell Stover’s chocolate-covered caramels for me. Rest assured, there wouldn’t be any shiny-red heart-shaped boxes lying on my bed tonight. To make matters worse, I tried calling Samuel before I headed into work, only to be shooed off HIS cell phone by Ms. Marion.
“Samuel’s getting ready for our date,” Ms. Marion stressed. “But I’ll tell him that you called.”
Yeah, I’m sure you will, I thought as I threw my phone in my purse. She wouldn’t even let me speak to him. Not even a quick “Happy Valentine’s Day” from his special girl… The bitch!
Ugh! I HATED feeling this way!
Work offered me no relief whatsoever. Both inside and out, the Sterling Drive-In oozed with nauseating, lovey-dovey couples who couldn’t get enough of all the holiday’s ostentatious hoopla. The main dining room looked like a giant pop-up Hallmark card. Naomi had gone way overboard with the decorations this year, most likely brought on by her upcoming nuptials. Every time I turned around I got smacked in the face with lacy, cutout hearts dripping from the ceiling. Charlie had even nixed the practical, bright ambient lighting and instead, illuminated the interior dining room with long, tapered white candles that flickered only a soft, eye-straining glow. I had to constantly readjust to the harsh fluorescents in the kitchen, the flashing neon signs outside, and then again to the pale flush of the dining room. But my absolute favorite touch had to be the Pepto-Bismol pink tablecloths and tea rose arrangements that topped every table. Aahhh… The smell of sweet rose petals blended with a touch of greasy burgers and fries — Puke!
I did find a hint of amusement when Charlie came out of his office wearing a white tunic, complete with feathery wings. I needed that laugh. He looked miserable, but my boss was humoring his significant-other all in the “name of love”. Naomi had concocted this great idea that Charlie would play Cupid for the evening and hop from table to table shooting customers with pretend suction-cup arrows. What she hadn’t anticipated was Charlie’s clever attempt to sabotage her plan.