It finally sunk into me how truly mad Marica was. So this had been her plan all along. This was the purpose of all the teaching and the training. I was supposed to reverse years of history for a people I didn’t even know, with power I couldn’t control.
“Marica, no. I’m not the one in the prophesies. They’re not talking about me. I don’t want any part of it. I want to go home, to my parents. You’re not my mother. You’re nothing to me.”
Rage sparked in her eyes. She stood, seizing my arm and dragging me down the hallway into the small room where we had had our early practices. The door slammed and locked behind us, although she didn’t touch it with her hands.
With one flick of her eye, she threw me into the straight-backed wooden chair across the room. The energy in the air crackled, and all of the items on the table beneath the window began to vibrate.
I remembered the first time we had balanced the pink crystal orb between us, and as I thought about it, the orb began to rise, reminding me that I still had my power. I had thrown someone across a courtyard this afternoon; why couldn’t I harness that to get away from Marica?
I focused on controlling the orb, lifted it and with a mental shove, sent it sailing toward Marica’s head. She waved her hand through the air and the orb dropped.
“Don’t imagine that you have the ability to fight me, Tasmyn. You have only begun to see the tip of your powers. If you come with me, I can teach you everything you’ve always longed to know. If not…”
On the table, another item began to tremble. The athame rose and hovered, a ray of the late afternoon sun playing off the intricate carvings on the handle. I caught my breath, my heart pounded in my ears, and I felt that same old sense of dread, of powerlessness.
I saw Marica’s eyes glitter, and I knew she was playing with me as the knife turned slowly, just at my eye level. It was near enough to my face to make me fear for my eyes, but my arms were bound in some way; I couldn’t move at all.
In a flash, the athame was in her hand, and then she was at my side.
“Don’t worry, Tasmyn,” she murmured. “I can stay to the lines Nell so kindly left me. It will be over fast.” She ran the flat side of the knife over my throat. “Don’t make me do this, Tasmyn. Tell me you’ve changed your mind. Tell me we’re going home.”
“I don’t think you’re going anywhere, Marica.”
The voice was eerily familiar. Marica whirled, holding the athame out in a defensive stance.
Nell stood across the room.
Tas… I wish, for just a minute, I could be close to you again. I mean, right now. I know it’ll happen again, but right now, I just wish I could tell you that you’re strong, and that I love your strength. Hold on. Believe in us. I love you. Call me.
For just a moment, I believed I had finally lost my mind.
Nell’s mouth twisted in a smile, and she raised an eyebrow as she looked at me.
“Amazing the lengths I’ll go to just to say I told you so, Tasmyn.” She shifted her gaze to Marica. “And look who’s joined the party this time. If it isn’t my old mentor, my good friend, my… how do you refer to her, Tasmyn? My mother figure? Well, she does seem to have a sort of hang up there, doesn’t she? Hello, Marica.”
Next to me, Marica was trembling. Her face had paled, and her eyes were wide.
“Nell…” she breathed. “How are you here? You’re not… you can’t be.”
Nell laughed, and she walked closer to us. Fascinatingly, she seemed to flow as she moved; each step was a ripple.
“Marica, wasn’t that the first thing you taught me? Very little of what appears to be impossible actually is.”
“Nell. You don’t understand. I need to take her. We have to go home. Her training—we have to complete it.”
Nell sighed and shook her head. “Marica, it’s time to let go. Accept that you’ve lost. Let Tasmyn leave.”
“NO!” Marica’s voice rose to almost a howl. “I’m taking her home. To our family.”
Nell tilted her head. “You know, Marica, I’m hurt. That’s one thing you never offered to me. No European tours for the two of us. You pulled me in, made me think you cared for me. And then you dropped me. Discarded me. You didn’t need me anymore and that was the end of it.”
“That’s not true, Nell.” Marica shifted the athame from hand to hand. “I always cared for you.” Real madness gleamed in her eyes now, and I shivered.
“What’s that you’re holding? Ah, is that the infamous athame? I haven’t seen that since… well, since Tasmyn and I shared a tender moment in the Lake Rosu clearing.”
Marica’s eyes were fastened on Nell. I sat immobile, just relieved that the knife was no longer at my throat.
Nell was wearing the same white pajamas as the last time I’d seen her, in my dream. Her hair was even longer now. What struck me most though was the peace in her eyes. She no longer seemed as tormented as she had the last few times I’d seen her… had it been in my dreams? I wasn’t sure anymore.
Marica reached out a hand as though to touch Nell, and Nell took a step backward.
“Ah, ah,” she reproved, shaking a single finger. “Watch it. Call me paranoid, Marica, but I’d be much more willing to talk if you weren’t holding the athame.”
Marica looked down as if she had forgotten it was in her hand. She moved carefully around Nell and laid the knife on the table.
Nell smiled. “Now isn’t this nicer? The three of us here, together. A little girl talk, perhaps?” She caught my eye while Marica was turned and flicked her glance toward the door.
I was out of the chair before Marica realized it. I fumbled with the lock on the door and pulled it open, only to feel a blast of energy jerk it from my hand. But this time I countered; focusing my own power, I pushed against her just long enough to get out of the room.
The door slammed behind me, and I heard Marica scream my name. I didn’t even hesitate. I ran down the hall, yanked away the chair that blocked the front door and turned the deadbolt with shaking fingers. My heart was pounding, and my fingers were slippery.
And then Marica was there, behind me. The chair slid into me, knocking me off balance, and I stumbled against the wall.
“Don’t move, Tasmyn.” The knife was back in her hand, and she came toward me, slowly. Over her shoulder, I could see Nell. Her eyes connected with mine, and she turned her head meaningfully toward the kitchen.
I was confused for only a minute. And then I was amazingly calm.
I closed my eyes and focused on the water. I called to it, picturing the dancing columns and flumes from Lake Rosu. But this time, I asked the water in the pipes to come to my defense. I implored with all of my strength, and to my relief, I heard a rumble below us.
A wall of water exploded in front of Marica. She cried out and stepped back, and I could only vaguely see her beyond the gush. I took advantage of her distraction and grabbed for the doorknob. This time it turned in my hands. I glanced back, looking for Nell, but I couldn’t make out anything for all of the water now spouting from the floor and dripping from the ceiling.
Once outside, I sprinted toward my car, thankful for once that I never bothered to lock the doors.
I sat for a moment in the front seat, shaking and waiting for Marica to come storming out. It took me several tries to turn the key in the ignition, but once the car was started, I peeled off from the curb.
I didn’t know where I was going. I just needed to get as far away from Marica as I could. Keeping my eyes on the road, I pulled my cell phone out and dug in my pocket for Sam Lawrence’s business card. I broke every promise I’d ever made to my parents about driving safety as I punched in his number and hit send.
His short answer—“Lawrence”—was one of the loveliest sounds I could remember.
“Detective Lawrence—it’s Tasmyn. Vaughn. I—there’s trouble. And you said to call.” My voice was high-pitched and shaking.
“Where are you, Tasmyn?” I could tell that he was trying to be calm, but there was tension
in his voice.
“Driving.” I glanced around. “Past Lake Rosu. Away. I was at Marica’s house—Ms. Lacusta—my chemistry teacher—”
“I know who you’re talking about,” he interrupted. “I know where she lives. I’m heading out now. Keep talking to me. Tell me what happened.”
In halting words, I managed to tell the story. “I know it was wrong. What I was doing. But I was trying to end it. She-she wasn’t going to let me. She had the knife—” Nausea rose up and I felt dizzy. I turned down the first road I saw and pulled over.
“Are you hurt?” Detective Lawrence asked tersely.
“No. Nell came. Nell saved me. I know it sounds crazy—”
“Tasmyn, if you can, I want you to go home. Can you do that? I’m on my way to her house now, and I promise you, I’m taking care of this. Do you think you can make it? Or do you want me to send someone to you, to help you?”
“No. I can make it home. But please—don’t hurt Nell. She saved me. She was trying to help.” I was babbling now.
“Don’t worry.” Detective Lawrence soothed me. “Just go home. I’ll be in touch.” With that, he hung up.
I dropped my head onto the steering wheel for only a moment, trying to gather what was left of my sanity, but when I looked up, Marica was standing in front of the car.
Fleetingly I thought that she truly did look like all the witches in every picture book I’d ever read. Her dark hair stood out from her head, which was thrown back to the sky. She was chanting something, loudly. I gripped the wheel and tried to turn it, pressed my foot on the gas pedal. But nothing happened.
I was frightened, and then suddenly, I wasn’t. I don’t know what changed, but in that second, I was tired of being scared. I was mad.
At once the wind began to whip around the car. Marica dropped her head and glared at me, and pain flared within my head. Gritting my teeth, I focused on the air outside. A strong gust blew up from behind me, and Marica stumbled back.
I tried to take advantage of her distraction and floored the gas pedal again. The car lurched forward only about a foot before it screeched to a halt again. Marica had regained her footing and closed her eyes. I anticipated what she was going to do only nanoseconds before I felt the burst of energy and saw the flames leap up around my car.
I could feel the heat and I could hear the crackling of the fire. I thought about trying to call up water from the earth as I’d seen her do, but I wasn’t sure I could do it. At her house, the water was in the pipes; all I had to do was summon it. While I knew I could make water dance, without a doubt air was my strongest—if least predictable-element.
I took a deep breath and screwed shut my eyes. Going deep within, I spoke to the wind, and I dipped into my well of emotions. Pictures skittered across my mind as I worked to find the strongest feelings. Michael, on my first day of school in King—Nell holding the knife against his face that day in the clearing—the day he left for college—the moment I told him I didn’t want to see him again—
The car rocked, and I was thrown forward against the steering wheel. A whirlwind formed, bigger than anything I’d ever conjured. Above us, the sky darkened and lightening sliced the air. The cyclone shook my car again before it skirted around toward the front. It sucked the flames from around me and drew them away, until Marica was completely enclosed within walls of fire.
I caught one last glimpse of her eyes, crazed and despairing, before she was hidden behind the flames.
With shaking hands, I turned the steering wheel and found that the car was responding again. I backed up, away from the heat, but I couldn’t leave, not yet. I closed my eyes again and used all of my remaining strength to call up water, from any source, anywhere. I couldn’t let her burn. I had to try to do something. I cast my focus deep within the ground until I sensed just the faintest damp glimmer-
“Tasmyn!” I jumped at the pounding on my window, half certain that somehow Marica was there. But it was only Sam Lawrence, looking grim.
I opened the door just a crack. “She followed me here. I didn’t know what to do. She was going to burn me, in the car. I didn’t know what to do.” I realized I was babbling again.
Detective Lawrence opened the door and knelt next to me. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m okay. But Marica—” I turned my head, dreading to see her burning in front of me.
But the fire was gone. Two other policemen and a paramedic were trying to subdue Marica, who was screaming at them. Sam Lawrence followed my gaze.
“We’ve got it,” he said simply. “Would you like me to drive you home?”
I don’t really remember the ride home. I focused all of my energy on breathing evenly, on not losing control in front of Detective Lawrence. He pulled into our driveway, and I scrambled out of the car and into the house, barely aware of him calling out my name as I ran.
The blessed peace and normalcy of our home overwhelmed me at once. I closed the door and sank to the floor in tears.
And that’s how my parents found me, moments later.
Tasmyn, I just want to remind you of something tonight. It doesn’t matter what happens while we’re apart, because we’re going to be together again. I don’t know everything that you’re dealing with, but I can promise you that I won’t be the one to let go of you. I love you. Call me.
Since we moved to King, my parents had dealt with quite a few changes in me. But nothing had prepared them for the story I spilled that night, as we sat huddled in the living room.
Sam Lawrence had stayed only long enough to make sure that my parents were home, that I was safely in their arms. He nodded to them, and when they asked what had happened, he cast me a meaningful glance.
“I think your daughter is ready to tell you everything,” he said before he left, closing the door carefully behind him.
My mother had wrapped me in a quilt, but I was still shaking. When I finished talking, I wasn’t sure if their silence, stretching long between us, was more from shock or anger. Even reading their feelings as I could, it was hard to discern between the two.
Finally my father spoke. “Tasmyn. I really don’t know what to say. The lies… what you’ve kept from us… it just blows my mind.” His eyes leveled to mine. I saw hurt and disbelief.
“Rob, let’s take one thing at a time.” My mother pulled me close and held me. “She’s all right. She came to us now. There’s nothing that can’t be—rectified.”
My father didn’t say anything else, but I sensed the turmoil they were both feeling, the mixture of anger, hurt and disappointment. Feeling what they were feeling was more painful than anything they could say out loud to me.
We sat there for hours. My parents occasionally asked me questions, and I answered them, with as much detail and honesty as I could muster. I cried through some of the telling, but this time, they were tears of release.
It was late when we heard a car door open outside. I panicked, struggling to my feet, but my father stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. He glanced through the window and offered me a brief smile of reassurance.
“It’s the detective.” He opened the door just as Sam Lawrence raised his hand to knock.
Sam looked utterly weary, and his face was grim. He took the seat my dad offered.
“I assume Tasmyn filled you in on everything that happened this afternoon?” he asked.
“Yes,” I answered. “I told them all of it.” My mother squeezed my hand, and I swallowed back more tears.
Detective Lawrence nodded. He flickered a glance between us. “Good. I’m hoping this is all over now.”
“What happened? To Marica, I mean, and to Nell?”
“Marica Lacusta has been taken into custody. We’re going to need a statement from you, about the fact that she held you against your will, but she’s given us enough already to charge her with kidnapping, and probably accessory to some other crimes.”
“She admitted that to you?” I was incredulous. Until today, I ha
d never seen a situation Marica didn’t have completely under control.
“She was pretty wild when we got to her. I guess you could see that.” I nodded. “The fire… she was burned some, but nothing life threatening. It took some doing to subdue her. She was yelling about blood, knives… young girls and sacrifices… I thought the officer writing it all down was going to pop his eyes out of his head, some of the stuff she said.” He rubbed his own eyes wearily. “And once we got her to the hospital, it got worse. Yep, pretty wild.” He looked at me pointedly, and I picked up some images from his mind: Marica fighting doctors, objects flying around the room, windows shaking… I shuddered.
“But what about Nell?” I pressed.
Sam met my eyes evenly. “What about Nell? Ms. Lacusta admitted to having prior knowledge about the crime Nell Massler committed last year. She also told us all about her chemistry club and her—um, extracurricular work with you.”
“Yes, but—Nell was there. I only got away because she helped me. Didn’t you…” Pieces were falling into place. “You didn’t see her.”
Sam shifted in his chair. “I checked. We went back to the house, after we got Marica calmed down. It was empty. Not a soul there. And I called to make sure of it - Nell Massler is still in the same mental health facility she’s been in for over a year.” His gaze shifted somewhere above my head. “But… there was some news about her. Apparently she attempted suicide tonight. Cut her arms and her neck pretty badly.” At my gasp, the detective only nodded. “And it wasn’t the first time. She’s been cutting herself now and then for a while. They can’t seem to figure out where she’s getting the blades. Anyway, up until now, it’s been fine, she hasn’t done any real harm, but tonight, she almost died. Almost bled out. And she’s in a coma. Completely unresponsive.”
I dropped my head into my hands as the weight of this information fell on me. I remembered all the times I had dreamed of Nell, the scars on her arms, the blood on her neck and her cryptic references to what it took for her to visit me.
“Well.” Detective Lawrence was finished here. He had imparted the necessary information, and he was ready to leave. “If you don’t mind, we need you to come by the station tomorrow and give us your statement. I have a feeling she’s going to plead out to insanity, but we need to have everything in order.” He half smirked. “She doesn’t have a rich father to put her away.”
King 03 - Restless Page 18