Ahmentree's Magic

by Andrea Rose Washington

  "Why was she doing this?" Clive asked, ignoring Arte's presence in the room.

  I swallowed. I knew he knew the answer, but it was a formality that he had to ask me. "She wanted to know why I was fired. We originally thought it was Arte who wanted me gone after I met him." I turned to Arte. "You were shocked when I accused you of firing me. But then I realized you already knew who I was when we met at Ciders, from your conversations with Mrs. Coe. So, it didn't make sense that you would have me fired because you found out I was Unbound and working at your firm."

  "The leadership retreat was today." Arte said, I nodded. "The office should have been deserted of upper management."

  "Yeah, that’s why she thought it was the best time to search."

  "Did she say who was following her?" Clive asked.

  I shook my head. "No, she only said she was spotted. She said he looked like he was in a cult, she also said I shouldn't trust him."

  "Him who?" Clive pushed.

  "I’m guessing Mr. McDaniels. Chelsea said she thinks he is covering for whoever wanted me gone, but she never said he was the one following her. She only said they looked like members of the cult. But I don't know what that means."

  "The man we found had a tattoo on the left side of his face," Clive explained. "We believe all members take the mark when they join." He turned to Arte. "Is there any way this Mr. McDaniels was in the office today?"

  Arte shook his head. "No, he would have been on the retreat, but I will give you all the information I can about him."

  "I can’t believe I missed it. He's never been anything but nice to me." I said. "I always thought he was just doing his job."

  "The order to fire you did not come from anyone in the office." Arte said. " After you mentioned it to me the other day, I looked into it myself. There was nothing. Whoever wanted you out of my company, the order came from outside the firm."

  "So that leaves two options,” Clive took over. “Either he is a member of the cult and they wanted you gone, or he could have been blackmailed? Either way, I will have someone from SPF pull him in tonight from the Coven. We need to talk to him, the sooner the better."

  "He doesn't live in the Coven compound." Arte said. "I’ll have our people look up his address and send it to you. It's on file."

  "Why doesn't he live with the Coven?" Clive asked. "I thought it was a rule with you Bound magicals?"

  "It's recommended but it's not a requirement." Arte replied.

  "When will you reach out to her parents?" I asked.

  Arte sighed. "Normally our inner HR department handles those types of calls. But this time I will do it."

  "Is it because of who her parents are?" I asked.

  "What about her parents?" Clive asked, but Arte ignored him and stared at me.

  "She told you?" Arte's brows furrowed and I nodded. "Well then,” he had a far-off look like he was debating to tell the room.

  “I will find out when we speak to them.” Clive said.

  “Very well.” He sighed. “Chelsea was the youngest daughter of the leaders of the New York Coven."

  "You're kidding?" Dessen asked before taking a seat.

  "Oh shit, this is not good." Clive exhaled. "Who else knew about this? Did she advertise it?"

  “No, only my parents and I know. No one else in the Coven was aware. She didn’t want word to get out about it. Said she wanted to make her way.” Arte explained.

  “She is the child of Coven leaders. They won’t take this well,” Clive said.

  "No, they won’t. They’ll want revenge for their daughter. They will want someone’s head.” Arte said. "To be honest, I might not be able to tell her family. My mother and father will most likely do it, Coven leaders to Coven leaders."

  "I would like to be there when they do." Clive said.

  "I'll see what I can do." Arte assured him. “But no promises. The New York Coven still thinks of the SPF as their personal police force.”

  "Olivia, I think you should stay with either me or Dessen tonight." Clive suggested.

  "No." I shook my head. "I'm not running from this, from them. I'm not going to live my life in fear."

  "Now is not the time for reckless bravery." Arte said.

  "I'm not being reckless." I argued. "But I can't let them win. Mrs. Coe didn't run, I won't run either."

  "Fine.” Arte said. “I'll have more men watch the shop. After I tell Andrew, I know he’ll want to put some extra men on the shop as well."

  "I don't need you to do this." I argued.

  "Yes, you do, this is someone else close to you who has been killed." Clive said his tone leaving no room for argument. "I won't take chances with your life."

  I looked to Dessen for support, but she shook her head at me, telling me she was in agreement with both Clive and Arte.

  “I’m not a child, I won’t be treated like one. I understand and respect that you all care for me, but I cannot live in a bubble just to make you all happy.” I turned to Arte. “I want to talk to Chelsea’s family.”

  “That’s not a good idea.” Arte said. “The New York Coven does not respect Unbounds. They will see the fact their daughter died helping one a reason to…” he trailed off not finishing his statement, but his implication was clear. They would see it as a reason to come after me. Arte’s phone beeped; he pulled it out and read the message. “My family chartered a plane to fly up to New York tonight. Clive, we need to leave now if you want to be there.”

  “Ok,” Clive stood. “Dessen can you stay here tonight?”

  “I will.” Dessen nodded and I didn’t fight it.

  “I will call you both when I get back.” He said before coming over giving me a hug.

  “Wait.” I called after them, both men stopped at the door and turned to face me. I struggled to fight back tears. “She wanted me to tell her parents she loved them. Please…tell them that.”

  “I will.” Arte said before they both disappeared through the doorway.

  SEVENTEEN

  I sat on my couch for hours after Clive and Arte left. It was well after 1 am but I didn’t care. I wanted to be awake once Clive called with news. Dessen was making herself busy with in the kitchen cleaning up. She tried to get me to sleep, to rest my mind, but I couldn’t. I needed to think, I needed to figure out how Mr. McDaniels fit into all of it. It didn’t make sense, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t right.

  "Olivia." I looked up as Dessen walked into the room holding two steaming mugs in her hand. "Here," she said, handing one to me.

  I took the cup with both hands and took a sniff. "Smells like you added something stronger than tea in here." I felt a smile grace my face.

  "I did." She winked. "I figured plain tea or coffee wouldn’t quite do it."

  I took a sip and let the heat of the drink warm me. "I love a good hot toddy. Thank you."

  "No problem." She smiled as she took a seat across from me. I took a few more sips and let the drink relax me. I felt my eyes start to droop after a few minutes.

  I blinked looking down at my drink and then back up at Dessen. "What’s in this?" I leaned back as my head rested against the couch.

  "I'm sorry." She gave me a soft smile before taking my drink from my hand. "But you need to rest. You can yell at me when you wake.”

  Oh I was going to yell, but I couldn’t muster the energy to respond. I closed my eyes and let myself to succumb to the potion and sleep.

  ~

  When I woke up, I was no longer in the living room; I was in my bedroom. I could see some light peeking through the blinds and the sun was just starting to rise.

  I rolled over and fished around for my phone, squinting my eyes at the brightness of the screen: 6:46 am. I slept for nearly six hours, and while I had some words for Dessen, I did feel better. I dragged myself out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom.

  I threw some water on my face, trying to wake myself up before heading back into the bedroom. I had to admit, the rest did make me feel better. I walked over to my closet a
nd looked for something to wear. I flipped through the hangers trying to find a simple outfit.

  I was still going to yell at Dessen when I saw her. Drugging me was never the answer.

  I moved a sweater with a bit too much vigor causing another to drop. I reached down to pick it up, cursing as it snagged on the floorboard. I gingerly pulled the sweater off the board but loosened it in the process. I pulled the loose board up and revealed a hidden compartment containing a book.

  I grabbed the book, replaced the floorboard, and sat on the bed as I started to read it. Mrs. Coe must of hidden it there.

  It was a book on the family covens like the one I bought at the shop, but this one was much older than mine and a lot thicker.

  I opened the cover and took another look at the table of contents. The list of families was the same but the number of pages between the families was greater. However, there was only one family I was interested in now that I had more information - the Romars.

  I flipped to the page and let out a soft sob.

  It was hollowed out, where the pages should have been, there were photos. Dozens of photos.

  I lifted them out of the book and started to flip through them. They were older, the most recent was at least twenty years old, but they all featured the same lady, throughout the years. I focused on one of the older photos, based off how faded it was and the outdated 80s outfit and the big hair and bright makeup, it had to be at least 40 years old. I flipped the photo over to the back - Ahmentree Romar..

  I leaned back and stared at the photo. Mrs. Coe had a photo of Ahmentree Romar. A photo that she never showed me. I stared at it. I looked like her. This couldn't be real. It couldn't be. I picked up the rest of the photos and checked the back of each one. They were all of Ahmentree at different ages. One of the photos that caught my eye, she was standing in a living room and had a toddler on her hip. The photo was older than the first one I looked at. The back of it said Ahmentree was 27 and the toddler was Eliza Romar, Ahmentree's daughter. I dumped the photos out and looked through them.

  I found one where Eliza was older standing with a man, the back of the photo said Eliza and Fredrick and then a question mark. I turned back to the front of the photo, Eliza and Fredrick were both holding a hand over Eliza's flat stomach. She was pregnant. I couldn't believe it. I closed my eyes as blurry memories of these faces passed through my head.

  The next photo I grabbed showed Eliza showing a bit more. There was no writing on the back but from the looks of it, she had to be close to six months pregnant. I searched through the photos trying to find more of her pregnant. I paused as one photo caught my eye, it was Eliza holding a baby. I flipped to the back of the photo and read the name and age and I went numb - Olivia Romar, 7 months old.

  Olivia Romar.

  Olivia.

  That was really my name.

  Olivia.

  That was me. A baby version but that was me. I could tell by the birthmark just over my left eye. It was me.

  I closed my eyes feeling more tears escape me. I was really a Romar.

  "Dessen." I called softly, knowing she would hear me. She entered my room a few seconds later.

  "What's up?" She asked timidly coming in, probably expecting me to yell at her for drugging me. But that was the last thing on my mind.

  I didn't answer, I just held up the photo. She zipped across the room and grabbed it and stared at it for a moment before tearing through the rest.

  "Is this you?" She asked; I nodded. She got to the last photo and glanced at the back. "Have you seen this one?" She held it up to me.

  I took it and glanced at the house that was photographed. It was huge, at least four or five stories tall. "I guess this is where they lived?"

  "Did you check the back of it?" She turned it in my hand, revealing an address.

  "Seriously." I couldn't believe it, was it really this easy? "Should we go?"

  She looked unsure. "I think we need to talk to Clive first." She suggested. "With everything that just happened, he needs to be aware of what you’re about to do."

  "What if he tries to stop me?"

  "I don't think he could." Dessen laughed. "But I think you should at least loop him in." She pulled out her phone and started texting him, a few seconds later her phone beeped. "He said he's still at home. We can come by."

  "Perfect." I stood up and ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth and change my shirt. I was back in my bedroom and ready to go in under five minutes. I gathered all of the photos and the larger family history book and stuffed them into a messenger bag and headed for the door.

  "Let’s go."

  EIGHTEEN

  I looked back at Dessen who was still standing near my bed.

  "We can't go straight into his apartment." Dessen reasoned. “It’s a violation of his privacy.”

  I rolled my eyes. "I know. That's why we are headed to yours and then we will go across the hall to his. You know this way is faster and safer."

  Dessen opened and closed her mouth trying to find a way to discredit my logic, but I could see she was falling short. "Fine," she finally relented.

  "Thank you." I gripped the door handle and it glowed bright. I opened the door revealing the inside of Dessen's apartment.

  "This is weird." Dessen stated before walking through the doorway. I followed and closed the door behind us.

  "You’ll get used to it." I smiled.

  "And you've never done this before, I mean come and go as you please?" Dessen laughed as she headed towards her front door.

  "I would never," I said in mock outrage. "Who knows what I would walk in on."

  "And never forget." She winked.

  We left her apartment and walked down the hall to Clive's. Dessen rapped on the door and a few seconds later Clive opened it.

  "How did you get here so quickly?" He asked visibly shocked to see us on his doorstep.

  "I made a portal. We have much to discuss." I said pushing my way into his apartment. "Oh, hello." I paused. Jacob was standing in the middle of Clive's living room looking as though he just woke up.

  "Did we interrupt something?" Dessen asked walking in the room behind me. Clive sighed and closed his front door.

  "It's not what it looks like." Clive said.

  "So, what is it?" I smirked, taking in both of their uncomfortable faces.

  "I was here working late." Jacob answered. "I came over after Clive got back from speaking with Chelsea's parents. We were up late looking over the case file."

  I felt my stomach drop and my face fell. Just like that I had forgotten that I lost a friend yesterday. "Oh." I didn't know what else to say.

  "What are you two doing here so early?" Clive asked. "I figured we would talk later today."

  I shook my head. I walked over to his coffee table and pulled out the book on family histories. “It can’t wait, can I trust him?” I asked Clive motioning to Jacob. “Or does he need to go?”

  “Yes, you can trust me.” Jacob answered but I ignored him and kept my eyes on Clive.

  “Clive, can I?” I asked again, what I had to share was too important and it couldn’t wait.

  “Yes, I trust him with my life, and he has never let me down.” He answered and I nodded.

  "I found something." I opened the book and pulled out the photos. "Mrs. Coe had this hidden in her closet. Well it's my closet now but…" I waved my hand, preventing myself from going on a rant. "When I was looking for something to wear, I saw loose panel. This book was in there and inside the book were these photos." I held them up.

  Clive and Jacob walked over to me, but Jacob reached me first.

  "Who are these people?" Jacob asked.

  "The Romar’s." I answered.

  "Why did she have photos of them??" Jacob asked.

  "Right, you don’t know about this part. I honestly don’t know how or why she had them. Hell, there’s still a lot I don’t know about myself. I don't fully understand it all, but somehow this is my family. I’m a Romar."

/>   He blinked. "Excuse me?"

  "What she means to say is," Clive said as he took over. "she can make portals."

  Jacob let out a laugh. His gaze shifted between Clive, Dessen, and me. "You're joking."

  "No." I shook my head. "I can make portals and I believe that Mrs. Coe figured out who I was after she first met me. My guess is, she was protecting me in her own way, and I guess that was the reason she was attacked and killed. I also believe that's the reason Chelsea was attacked. I think the cult believes that I am the last Romar and they’re coming after me. I think it has something to do with however the Romars defeated the cult the first time. But no one knows how it was done only that it involved the Romars. My guess is it has to do with the fact we can make portals. I just can’t figure out why they haven’t come after me yet."

  He scratched his head. "I can understand how Mrs. Coe's death is linked to this but how is Chelsea's?"

  Clive answered. "When Olivia was fired, Chelsea found proof that it was forged and that someone wanted her out of the eye of the Abbas family. I think Chelsea found out more than what she told you Olivia, so the cult had to kill her before she told you."

  Jacob nodded and I hoped he understood.

  "But the reason I'm here, these photos are of Ahmentree and her family. Her, her daughter and her son in law, my parents.” I looked through the photos and picked up the one of me as a baby. "This one." I held it out for them to look. "That's me."

  "Olivia this is a baby." Clive said looking at the photo.

  I rolled my eyes at him. "You and I both know that's me, check out the birthmark. But that's not it." I pulled out the photo of the house. "This is their house," I flipped the photo over so he could see the back, "and that’s the address."