Wicked Fate (The Wicked Trilogy)

by Tabatha Vargo

  “How much do you care about me?” the words barely make it out of my mouth.

  He turns away completely and ignores my question. I want to shake him, break through his emotionless façade and see the Adam that he was just an hour ago.

  “Mage, if they fought with their fists I could stand a chance. But they don’t and I’m not magical. I can’t do the things you do.”

  “You’re more magical than you know,” I choke.

  Tears rush harder down my cheeks.

  He’s the most magical creature I know. He has the ability to make me feel. He makes me love; he makes me smile—gives me the option to dream of a bright future. He’s taking it all away from me now and there’s nothing I can do to change his mind.

  There’s nothing I can say to convince him to let me fight for us. It’s over…we’re over. If we were even anything to start with, which now I’m thinking definitely not. His feelings are obviously different from mine. I’ve fallen in love for the first time in my life and it’s being yanked away from me; just like everything else I’ve ever loved.

  I’m plagued with unhappiness and I have to accept that. Except now, the unhappiness is worse because now I know what it feels like to be truly happy. It’s like being given chocolate for the first time in your life, but never being allowed to eat chocolate ever again. I still would have tasted it regardless.

  “I just got you,” I bawl.

  “I’m doing this for you,” he says.

  He turns and walks away.

  I feel small stinging sensations all over my face and arms. I close my eyes and let the little bits of ice sting me all over. It doesn’t matter anymore what’s hurting me. Whether it’s my grandfather’s death, or the end of my relationship with Adam, I need to feel something. Right now, all I feel is the dime-sized hail.

  My tears stop. All my feelings are gone. There’s nothing, just a dark impenetrable gloom that settles over me.

  I hear the loud noises of the ice hitting the trees and the ground. It’s definitely hailing; rather hard actually. My tears that had caused the rain are now causing it to hail; which is pretty appropriate considering how cold I feel inside.

  Chapter 15

  A Blizzard in the South

  The sleet and snow continues to fall after that day. All the new flowers in the garden I transformed with Adam, which I now call Adam’s garden, have died and shriveled up. After he left me, I sat next to the goddess fountain and stared into space.

  Everything that was great in my life died within a matter of hours, on my birthday no less, my sweet sixteen. It wasn’t so damn sweet.

  Not one person in my life is human or alive anymore. Where do I go? Do I stay here and tell no one that I’m alone? Or do I run? And if I choose to run, how do I run and where do I run to?

  Today I’m putting my grandfather’s body in the ground. It’s weird to bury someone while they’re standing next to you. This is the second time I’ve experienced this in my life. Today, as I bury my grandfather, he stands next to me trying to provide comfort.

  At his request, I bury him in the garden where he died. Not only was it his favorite of the gardens on Azalea Plantation, but there was no way I could’ve moved his body alone any further than I did. I think he knew that.

  I hate that it has to be done this way. I’d love to call someone and have a proper burial, but my grandfather says since no one really knew he was there, no one will miss him. He also says that the authorities would put me in foster care until I’m seventeen. That’s a scary thought.

  I don’t want to be taken from my home, plus I’ve cared for myself since I was thirteen, so why stop now? I have my life savings and my grandfather has informed me of some money hidden in the house. He says there’s a small fortune and when I’m ready, he’ll tell me where to look. As soon as I’m able to breathe again perhaps I’ll search for it. First things first, I need a job and some form of transportation.

  I stand above my grandfather’s grave crying. My grandparents try to console me the best they can. Technically, I didn’t really lose him. Technically, I got him back. Before, he was there, but he never really remembered me. Since he’s entered the spirit world, he always knows who I am.

  I still can’t help but be upset. No matter what, I’m still alone. I have no more human connections. Everyone I love is gone and all I want to do is sit around feeling sorry for myself.

  I still have Bernie, but I’m seriously debating never speaking to her again. Not that she did anything wrong, I just can’t stand the thought of having another person walk out on me or die.

  I haven’t told my grandparents about the lady named Eris and her comments about the man who’s looking for me. I seriously doubt I’ll ever see her again anyway. It seems to me that she was just playing with me and Adam. If by some chance they do come for me there isn’t much I can do but try my hardest to protect myself.

  Telling my grandparents isn’t going to make me any stronger against The Lords of the Night or whatever Adam called them. All it would do is upset my grandparents and give them more reasons to worry about me. So instead, I just slump around the house, mostly pacing the confines of my bedroom.

  Holiday break is over and everyone’s going back to school. I plan on skipping school and staying home to dwell, but I don’t want to do anything to draw attention to my situation. I never miss school, more than likely if I decide not to go back now someone might notice. I know Bernie will.

  After debating and debating I decide to go. Maybe I’d get to see Adam; I don’t know if that would be a good thing or a bad thing. I sit next to Bernie at our lunch bench. The reflection of the sun off the white snow pierces my eyes so I close them. I can hear a conversation between Bernie and Kale; they’re complaining about the snow.

  Evidently, people are finding it strange that only the town of Summerville is covered in snow and ice. No other surrounding town is having this severe winter weather and the blizzard gets stronger at night, it’s the loneliest time for me.

  I agree with them; I hate snow too and I wish I could make it go away. I’ve tried everything to make myself feel better, but nothing works. I just keep telling myself it’ll get better soon. It can’t be like this forever.

  I hear Adam’s voice, he’s talking to Kale. He looks over and says something to Bernie. He’s acting like I’m not there. My heart’s breaking into a million pieces and he’s pretending I don’t exist! How could he be so cold?

  The cold wind whips as I feel myself getting angry with him. Gray clouds form and soon bits of snow and ice began to fall. If this keeps up it’ll never be warm outside again.

  Adam’s eyes beg me to stop, he knows I’m the reason behind the strange weather. I stand with hate and agony on my face. I pin him with my eyes as I walk away.

  In the beginning, it was just pain that I felt, but soon all that pain turned to anger. Anger for what, I’m not exactly sure. I guess part of me is mad at Adam for abandoning me when I need him the most. He has no idea that my grandfather’s dead. He has no idea that he left me all alone, but that doesn’t matter. I’m still upset.

  A piece of me understands why he’s refusing to talk to me, but the other pieces, the pieces that are so lonely at night, want to hate him. There are some nights when I wake up in a cold sweat with Adam’s name on my lips and here he is walking around with Kale pretending like there’s nothing between us.

  During history class, I sit in my normal desk. I try not to acknowledge him…I try to pretend that I don’t care. Throughout the entire class period I’d catch myself staring out the window praying for a warm sunny day.

  Occasionally, I can feel Adam’s stare brand my face and it takes everything I have in me not to look into his unresponsive green eyes. It hurts too badly.

  Finally, I give in. Knowing that he’s looking at me I reach into the collar of my shirt and pull out the necklace he gave me for my birthday. I squeeze my eyes shut to keep the moisture from coming out. The cold silver in my palm feels good. Just k
nowing that I have the necklace makes me feel a little better.

  I don’t care if he sees me with the necklace. I don’t care if he knows how bad I’m hurting. I open my eyes and for a minute he stares back. He reaches up as if he’s going to grab his necklace; the other half of mine. I silently pray that he’s still wearing it. Instead, he drops his hand, snatches up his notebook, and walks out in the middle of class.

  Later, on the walk home from school I play around a bit with my magic. I wait until I’m out of view of anyone then I start pointing at random things and making them move. I shoot my vision to the old fence that’s at the very beginning of my driveway. It looks horrible and run down; so I point at it and picture it the way it must have looked when it was first put into place.

  The broken parts mend themselves, all the rust disappears, and the whole area around the fencing cleans itself and grows anew. Sire runs and frolics in the fresh grass and for a minute I find myself laughing out loud at him. It’s fun to clean up the little area and it looks great when I’m finished.

  I continue this along the whole entire driveway. Cleaning up trees here-and-there and rearranging the gravel along the road. It’s almost effortless for me to do these things. While walking down the driveway making all these changes, I decide to do more. I might as well work on the house, too.

  It’s not like it’s costing me anything or hurting me in any way. No one would ever have to know. Not to mention it keeps my mind occupied. That’s what I need, lots of things to keep my mind and hands busy. Plus, if I don’t do something soon about the house and the land it’s all going to fall apart.

  After a few days have passed, every outside area of the house, including the six gardens, looks brand new. I’ve managed to keep myself busy. Now, standing in front of the house looking at how great it looks, I know that I have to move inside. I can’t stop, I have to stay busy.

  Maybe when I’m done remodeling the house I’ll go in the library and tackle those books. I really should try to figure out what exactly is going on. Not to mention I haven’t entered the library or said two words to Thaddeus since his confession about being a magical man.

  After cleaning up the kitchen later that night, I grab a quick dinner and go upstairs for a shower. When I get to my room Sire’s laying on my bed with his tongue hanging out. I climb into bed and snuggle up to him. The loneliness and silence of the big empty house take over me and with tears on my cheeks I’m soon fast asleep. That night, instead of the usual blizzard with wind and sleet, it just snows; a sign that things are getting a little better.

  Chapter 16

  Mage to the Rescue…Again

  The next day at school, everyone’s talking about the unique weather and how the weather man can’t explain the strange phenomenon. Weather professionals from all over the United States have come to Summerville to be a part of what’s now called “The North Pole of the South.”

  They can’t figure out how it’s happening. How in Summerville there’s snow, ice, and fifteen-degree weather. Yet in Charleston, twenty minutes down the road, there’s breeze, sunshine, and seventy-degree weather.

  I’m staring into my locker trying to figure out how to make it stop. I hate that I can’t change the weather, that I can’t make this cold lonesome feeling go away. I throw books in and pull books out then I feel someone behind me. I know who it is without even looking. His warmth spreads through me and for a minute I feel like nothing’s changed. The feeling quickly disappears when he turns and walks away. I turn around in time to see Adam walk around the corner without looking back.

  Gym flies by in a daze; Bernie asks me several times if I’m okay.

  “I’m okay. I think I’m getting sick or something,” I shrug.

  The quick peek I get of him in the hallway is the only time I see Adam today. He didn’t come to lunch and he doesn’t show up to history either. Even though technically I see him in school most days, I still miss him so much. Somehow, the empty desk next to me makes it worse.

  I agree to let Bernie give me a ride home from school. We walk through the parking lot towards her car, stopping every now and again for her to talk to someone. She’s become quite the Social Sally in the last couple of weeks. I think it has something to do with the relationship between her and Kale.

  When we get to Bernie’s car, which is parked closest to the trees, I wait as she digs through her book bag searching for her car keys. I can feel Adam’s gaze penetrating my skin. I look over to where his truck is usually parked and he’s there. He’s leaning against the driver’s side, his arms crossed over his chest as he stares back at me. He looks pissed off and mad at the world. Good! Join the crowd, punk!

  That’s when I hear it, a loud popping and cracking noise. I turn my head quickly to the noise and I notice that a huge pine tree that’s draped over Bernie’s car is frozen solid. Long sharp icicles hang from it, waiting to drop at any second. One of the large branches looks like it’s about to break off and that branch is covered in the largest and sharpest of the icicles—it’s right above Bernie’s head.

  An icicle breaks off and darts straight towards Bernie’s car crashing into it before I can stop it. I jump back and Bernie screams as she falls onto her back. Before she has a chance to move another sharp icicle heads straight towards her followed by the entire tree branch—it’s the size of a small tree.

  I react quickly without a thought for the people surrounding me. I lift my hand to the falling objects; I feel a small sting when the now invisible fire leaves my fingertips. I don’t even feel the fire anymore, not since I started using my magic every day.

  The falling objects stop abruptly and sit, floating in mid air for a second or so. I quickly fling my arm towards the woods; the huge tree branch along with four sharp icicles fly into the woods.

  I drop my hand quickly praying that no one saw what I’d done. I’m on the outer edge of a packed parking lot full of people who already think I’m odd. The last thing I need right now is for those exact same people to see me do what I just did.

  I look around at the people who are closest to us. Everyone seems to be going about their business. No one even noticed, thankfully.

  Bernie’s eyes never leave mine as she stands and slowly dusts off her pants. Here we go! Soon everyone will know. But it’s not like I could just sit there while she was murdered by a tree and icicles.

  I try to seem normal as I stand there next to her little car.

  Bernie’s serious face changes and a knowing smile spreads across her face. She walks over to me and then reaches out and gives me a huge hug.

  “Thank you, again,” she whispers in my ear.

  I know immediately after that comment, that she’s always known that I saved her from The Three Bitchkateers on the first day of school. Maybe that’s why she pushed so hard to be my friend.

  Obviously, I can trust Bernie a little more than I’d expected. She knew from the beginning that I did strange things yet she never told anyone. I won’t tell her more, but there’s no need to lie to her about what she had obviously seen with her own two eyes.

  “You’re welcome,” I reply.

  We both get into her car and pray that the heat will warm the car soon. As we pull out of the parking lot we drive right next to Adam’s truck. I look up at him just in time to catch him smirking back at me. He had seen it all.

  That night before I go to sleep I pull out the purple notebook that Adam had given me for Christmas. I snuggle up next to Sire who’s sleeping loudly and I get comfortable. I begin to write and slowly I start to feel a little better.

  With visions of your smile I lay my head to rest.

  A soothing slumber I dream of since my dreams are not their best. Forgive me while I hide from you I never want to show, the risk that I will take for us or how far I will go. So I’ll miss you from afar my love, and pray for your return. My soul feels incomplete these days my heart remains to yearn.

  I stick my notebook in the nightstand.

  There are no te
ars tonight—it’s becoming a little easier. There’s no snow or sleet and it doesn’t even rain. While it still remains cold, all the wild winds have stopped. That’s a good sign. Soon, I fall asleep and the nightmare returns.

  I’m on the beach. Adam stands before me with a smile on his face. I look behind him and watch my grandparents and Thaddeus disappear. I cry against Adam’s chest and feel his arms surround me. I look back up and soon Adam begins to disappear as well. I drop to my knees in the sand and cover my face with my hands. Tears stream down my face and the weather that had been sunny and bright turns into a hurricane.

  The wind blows the trees and debris all around me. My long black hair wraps around my face blocking my view for a minute. I stand and push my hair out of my face. I can feel that I’m not alone anymore so I search the beach. Three figures are standing thirty-feet away from me. I know instantly who they are. Eris stands between two rather large men in gray robes. All three stand completely still as if waiting for me to react.

  Instead of being afraid I run towards them with my finger pointed out. I want to cause them pain, I want them gone. I’m sick and tired of running and being afraid of these sinister people. Eris laughs her typical ear piercing laugh and it forces me to stop and cover my ears. They are less than ten feet away from me now and I can see their faces. The three of them stare back at me.

  The two men have evil smiles on their faces while Eris looks at me with pure hate in her eyes. The men look like twins. They both have the clear expressionless mirror-like eyes that reflect the things around them. But while one has long black and gray hair, the other has short black hair. The one with the long hair is older.

  “Who are you? What do you want from me?” I scream.

  The older of the two men steps forward and lifts his hand to me.

  “It won’t be long, my dear. We’re coming and you’ll soon know exactly what we want from you.”

  Purple flames shoot from his fingertips knocking me flat onto my back. I lay there while his fire spreads through my body. It’s so painful; worse than the night of my sixteenth birthday. I want to cry out when I hear them coming towards me. I’m about to die; he’s going to kill me.