Wicked Fate (The Wicked Trilogy)

by Tabatha Vargo

  He stops and stares back at me as if he’s afraid to tell me the rest. I nod for him to continue.

  “What happened?”

  “We never got to try the spell on the horse. Before we could put the bullet in him, he freaked out and started buckin’ like crazy. It all happened so fast there was nothin’ I could do. I lifted my hand to stop him with my magic, but before I could, he quickly kicked Robert in the head. When I saw Robert lyin’ on the ground I forgot all about the horse and went to him. I prayed he was okay—he wasn’t.”

  “Oh my God, Thaddeus! Did you tell someone what happened?”

  “No. Instead I put the horse down myself. I was so angry; I don’t even know how I killed the horse without the bullet. I never touched the horse. I remember scoopin’ Robert up and takin’ him back to the house. I brought him to this very room. Then I used the spell on Robert. He was my brother, Mage! He was the only person who knew the real me, I couldn’t let him die. I loved him dearly.”

  “So, did it work?” I ask impatiently.

  “Yes. But he was only alive for about twenty minutes.”

  “It didn’t work all the way or….?”

  “When he took his first new breath I was so relieved. I couldn’t believe what I’d accomplished. I brought my brother back from the dead. But I could tell something was wrong immediately. He stood in front of me, gave me an evil smile, and then right away tried to kill me. Mage, I tried to fight him without hurtin’ him, but Robert was always more powerful than me. He shot streams of blood red fire at me; there was nothin’ I could do. I reached for the gun, the one I had for the horse. He was killin’ me. Right before he finished me off, I lifted the gun and fired. I didn’t even point it. I couldn’t even see clearly after the attack he mounted against me. I only wanted to wound him. I just wanted to stop him, I swear!”

  Thaddeus drops his head into his hands and I can’t get to his side quick enough. I get down on my knees beside the chair he’s sitting in. I want more than anything to be able to hug him or comfort him, but there’s nothing I can do. I just sit there and listen as he cries. I feel so bad for him.

  He really didn’t do anything wrong, he was just trying to save his brother. It isn’t his fault that the spell backfired.

  “I’m so sorry, Thaddeus.”

  “The hardest part was writin’ that in my journal. I couldn’t write the truth. The last thing I wanted was for someone to get their hands on that spell. I never wanted anyone to go through what I went through. I told everyone that I meant to shoot the horse, but accidently shot Robert. I told them that I brought him here to the house to try and help him. No one believed me. Not to mention the bullet hole in the wall. That didn’t help very much.”

  He points to a small hole in the wall that I never noticed before. The whole library takes on a completely different feel all together—a place that was once a safe haven now feels dreary and full of death. Poor Thaddeus stuck in this room forever, the room where the most traumatic event in his life had taken place.

  I look back at Thaddeus and he looks different to me. Confident, smooth, and in control Thaddeus now looks sad, depressed, and completely out of control.

  “Does this have something to do with you being stuck in this room?” I ask.

  “It was a part of my punishment. After word got ‘round that I’d killed my brother, some of the others like us came. They assumed that all my other indiscretions and the murder of my brother were all linked somehow. They thought that I was some crazy, magic man gone bad. I tried to explain to them about the plots and Robert and I testin’ our powers. I even told them about the horse and the stable. I never revealed anything about the life spell. They didn’t believe any of it. Standing guard over these books, in this very library, is the worst punishment I could’ve ever received. It’s worse than bein’ hanged to death.”

  My stomach turns at the thought of Thaddeus hanging. So that’s how he died. He was hanged for the murder of his brother. I feel tears roll down my cheeks—tears for Thaddeus and for Robert; tears for the whole McPherson family. No matter how hard I try to stop crying, I can’t.

  I don’t stand a chance, it’s in our blood. I’d read all the journals and they all end badly. There were happy times, but in every journal there’s some kind of catastrophe. My journals will hold the same kind of catastrophe if I don’t find out how to stop it.

  “So, how do you know who’s allowed to touch the books and who isn’t?”

  “I just know. I don’t know how—I just know. Like you, for instance, I’ve always known you were the next one in line. You started doin’ things way earlier than the others—I had my suspicions. Then one day you said hello to me and that confirmed it.”

  “Why were yours the last ones on the book shelf? They go in order from the oldest to the newest. My mother’s should’ve been the last set on the shelf.”

  Suddenly, I realize that my mother’s journals aren’t on the shelf. How could I have missed that?

  All this time, I’ve been looking for answers and I couldn’t wait to get to mother’s journals. I was so into the journals that I was reading that I completely forgot why I began reading them in the first place.

  Thaddeus answers my earlier question as my mind goes into overdrive.

  “I put them there. I was tryin’ to delay the inevitable,” he says.

  His face is apologetic.

  “Thaddeus?”

  “Yes?”

  “Why aren’t my mother’s journals on that shelf?”

  “Why would they be?”

  “As far as I can tell, every McPherson who’s had any kind of magical capabilities has a journal on that shelf. Why not my mother? I need her journals. I have so many questions that still need to be answered.”

  “You’re a McPherson with magic hands and your journals aren’t on that shelf.”

  “Yes, I realize that, but I’m still alive!”

  “Yeah…so is your mother.”

  Chapter 22

  The Return

  I don’t know how long I’ve been running through the house and gardens screaming for my grandparents. Time doesn’t exist to me anymore. I can’t take another shock, I can’t!

  Why would they lie to me about my mother’s death? Are they lying to protect me? I’m tired of being protected. I want it all out in the open so I can face it and move on with my life, a normal life with Adam. I want all of this to go away. It’s sometimes fun to have these abilities, but I want it all to go away.

  I finally find my grandparents together in the living room, the original place I started the search. I stand there staring back at them, my anger’s apparent. I want them to tell me the truth for once! I understand the protection, but they’re gone now and I have to protect myself. I can’t do that unless I know everything. I’m going to find out everything right now!

  “What’s wrong, dear?” my grandmother asks with genuine concern on her face.

  “When were you going to tell me?”

  “Tell you what, sweetie,” my grandfather speaks up.

  “About my mother, when were you going to tell me she isn’t dead?”

  My grandmother releases my grandfather’s hand and slowly sits down on the couch as if she’s going to faint. She’s just as shocked as I am. I look back to my grandfather, he looks confused. How can they not know their daughter’s still alive?

  “Mage, your momma died twelve years ago,” my grandfather says calmly.

  He’s talking to me as if he’s trying to tame a rabid dog.

  “No, she didn’t. She’s still alive and I’m going to find her. I need you to tell me everything! Please, no more protecting me! I have to protect myself now and in order to do that I need to know everything.”

  I explain the events in the library. I explain how I know she’s still alive. My grandparents tell me everything they know, which is the same stuff they’ve been telling me for years.

  The only difference is this time they tell me the name of the institution she was
in and where it is. It’s a place called Trenton Psychiatric Hospital and it’s located in West Trenton, New Jersey. They say that she lost her mind and actually had herself admitted. She told them that it was to protect everyone, including herself. I understand that more than my grandparents could possibly know.

  This also means that I’m not completely alone in the world, I still have some family that’s alive. My mother’s in hiding for some reason and I’m determined to take care of whatever it is keeping her there. I’m going to bring her home and it will be me and my mother living together. I could possibly have a normal life, my kind of normal, at least.

  If I find her and bring her home, I won’t have to worry about someone coming along and taking me away to some lonely kid home. I’m excited to finally meet my mother and know everything!

  I’m going to this psychiatric hospital and I want Adam to go with me. I’ll need him more than ever once I face my mother. When this is all said and done with I’ll make it up to him somehow. Poor Adam has been put through the ringer in the last couple of months and he doesn’t deserve all of this.

  Instead of rushing to Adam’s house, I walk slowly and enjoy having a light chest. It feels like months since I haven’t had tons of weight on my chest and shoulders, the stress is slowly beginning to go away.

  It’s almost dark out, but I feel safe with Sire with me. He’s such a great dog, he never leaves my side. It’s going to be a beautiful spring this year—I can smell the flowers in the air. Other than the horrible pollen that’s taken over all of Summerville, it’s beautiful.

  I’m still on my land, and pride wells inside of me as I take note of every beautiful flower or gorgeous old tree. Robert McPherson couldn’t have picked a better place to make a home. I’m lost in happy thoughts when I hear Sire’s loud growl.

  Snapped out of my daze, I see right away who it is Sire is growling at. Eris is standing in my path. I’m not surprised—I’ve known for a while that she would return. My nightmares were my confirmation.

  I stop walking as I match her stare. No more being afraid. I’m going to stand my ground no matter what. If it’s a fight she wants then she’s getting one. If this mystery man named Craven wants to fight, then I’ll be ready for him too. I’m so tired of living my life in fear. Bring it you old fart!

  “Long time, no see,” I narrow my eyes.

  “Too long, I think, but I have to play by the rules.”

  “So, what do you want now?” I ask in a bored tone.

  “Just checking in on your progress, I wanted to see if you were ready yet.”

  “Ready for what?”

  “For Craven, he sent me,” her face is expressionless.

  Her usual malevolent joking is gone. I find myself wondering who she is and how she’s connected to me or this man named Craven. We continue to stare at each other, neither of us speaking. She’s thinking hard about something, I can almost hear her frustrated thoughts.

  “How do I provoke you this time?” she taps her chin like she’s thinking.

  A small smirk appears on her face.

  This is the Eris I met before. Great, here we go!

  Something out of the corner of my eye catches my attention, it’s my grandparents. Good, I’ll need all the support I can get. Not that they can do very much, but with them there watching I’ll try harder to live. I switch my eyes from Eris to my grandparents for a brief second. She does the same and I know now that she can see spirits too—not good. She’s realizing the same about me because suddenly a huge smile spreads across her face.

  “I take it you’re the infamous Thomas McPherson?” she says while she stares straight into my eyes. “It’s nice to meet you. You may not want to stick around for this part of the show,” she smiles her wicked gut wrenching smile.

  “Please, whoever you are, just leave her alone,” I don’t look at my grandmother as she speaks.

  “Ah, how sweet! It makes my stomach turn a bit,” she pretends to gag. “So, I see little Mage has the eye.”

  It’s an observation—not a question. The smirk on her face grows when she realizes I’m not going to respond. She makes a clicking noise with her tongue.

  “That’s not good. We can’t have you getting help from others, now, can we? Although, I’m not sure how they can do much to help you,” she shrugs her shoulders as if she doesn’t care. “Tell them goodbye, Mage.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about!” I finally explode.

  She shows her teeth then lifts her arms and waves them toward me. The wind picks up and starts blowing her hair all around her face. Random pieces of tree limb float around and a small bit of dirt gets kicked up into my eyes.

  I have no idea what’s about to happen or how to stop her. I prepare to attack. She shoots her hands straight up towards the sky, never once looking at me. I hear her mumble a bit and then soon the words she’s speaking become clearer. She repeats those same words over and over again.

  When ones not of this world appear within your sight.

  I bind you from the vision that turns darkness into light.

  The eye so strong and powerful becomes so sad and weak.

  The spirit world is closed to you no spirits can you seek.

  I bind you Mage McPherson, I bind you!!!

  “Stop! No!” I scream out when I realize what she’s doing.

  She’s taking the ability to see ghosts away from me, it’s a spell. I can’t let this happen. I’d lose them all, my grandparents and Thaddeus.

  I quickly lift my hand and fire springs from my fingertips. The purple flames lift her from the ground and she levitates before smashing into a small tree. Her laugh pierces the air as she gets back on her feet.

  “Too late,” she glares back at me with a horrid smile on her face.

  Her cackle cuts through my ears.

  I look over to my grandparents and I pray that she’s bluffing. Suddenly, the gray from my grandfather’s eyes spreads all over his body. His coloring becomes whiter and soon his arms and legs start to become invisible.

  “No!” I scream.

  The same is happening to my grandmother.

  “You’re both disappearing! No, please! What should I do, Pop?”

  “I don’t know, Mage. Just know that we’ll always be with you no matter what. Whether you can see us or not, we’re always there. We love ya’, sweetheart.”

  I can barely see my grandmother anymore. I reach out my hand to them.

  “No! This can’t be happening! Please, No! I can’t lose you! I can’t!” I cry.

  They’re gone and I got to watch them disappear before my eyes.

  Tears start streaming down my cheeks. Anger runs through my body causing what feels like an electric shock through my bones. Thunder rings out in the distance and there’s a slight tremor under my feet. I direct my heated gaze towards Eris who’s still laughing hysterically.

  “Give it back to me! Give it back to me, now!” I growl.

  “I can’t do that.”

  I throw a ball of purple fire straight at her. She dodges the ball and shoots red flames back at me. I don’t move, I’m unafraid—instead, I lift my hand and my fire meets hers directly in between us. I levitate in the air while I control her fire as well as mine. I’m so angry that I don’t even realize I’m not touching the ground. I feel the hard dirt slam into the bottom of my feet when I land.

  It takes almost no effort from me to deflect her flames and send her tumbling into a nearby group of azalea bushes. She jumps to her feet like a big cat and then giggles like she isn’t in intense pain. She holds her side and then holds her palm up to me as if to tell me she’s surrendering.

  “Craven’s going to be very excited about this. I was sent here to make sure you’re complete. You obviously are. He’ll be very pleased with your purple flames,” she’s out of breath. “Don’t think for a second that you’ve won. You may be able to beat me, I’ll give you that. Just know that you don’t stand a chance against Craven,” she turns and heads t
owards the woods.

  I watch her walk away. Who in the hell does she think she is?

  She can’t just come into my life every couple of months and take my loved ones away from me, first with Adam and now with my grandparents. Oh, no ma’am! There will be no next time, I’m ending this now. I follow behind her and call her name. She turns to face me, her smile is gone.

  “Give it back to me!” I scream at her.

  “I can’t, I don’t even know how,” she says nervously.

  “Then this ends now!” I scream at her before lifting my hand and bombarding her with two purple balls of flame back-to-back.

  She dodges the first one, but the second one connects with her arm. She cries out as she’s spun around then slammed into a nearby pine tree, pieces of bark explode all around her. She turns quickly and defends herself. Streams of red fire flies from her fingers one after the next, she’s faster than me.

  I hold up my hand to deflect the fire. Connecting with them all, I prepare to push them back at her. She knows my plan and instead of trying to push the fire back on me she jumps out of the way. Our combined fires barely miss her.

  She’s speedy, more experienced with her flames. Mine are more powerful, but she knows more about hers and how to use it. She responds quickly before I have an idea what’s happening. She lets out three more balls of flame from my side. I don’t have time to stop them before they connect with my body. I hear myself cry out as her fire spreads through me.

  My feet leave the ground and I have the sudden feeling that I’m flying. That feeling disappears immediately when I feel the large tree connect with my back. The last thing I remember is Eris standing over me, she’s not smiling. Instead, she looks concerned. I enter the world of blackness again.

  Chapter 23

  Fully Alive

  When I wake up I don’t know where I am. I’m lying somewhere soft and I hear far away voices. I try to sit up, but a bolt of pain shoots down my back. I open my mouth to cry out, but nothing comes out. I attempt to lift my hand, but it hurts too badly. Everything’s blurry and the bright light above me is blinding. There’s an aggravating beeping noise to my left and I figure out by the sounds around me that I’m in a hospital room.