Enchanting Wilder

by Cassie Graham

  The evergreen needles crunch under our feet as we make our way into the woods. Squawks of birds and swishes of wind howl in the silence. There’s a small stream down the way I can hear flowing, and McKenna’s breathing is even.

  We eventually find Wood and Candy sitting near the stream, each on an aged log.

  Their heads are close together as if they’re talking in hushed voices, which I’m sure they are. They’ve both been knocked on their ass with our day’s events. Candy shakes her head.

  “Hey guys,” I greet carefully.

  They both turn to us, Candy’s eyes skirting away and Wood’s nose flaring.

  McKenna and I take a seat on the rock next to them.

  I lace my hands together in front of me, setting my elbows on my knees. The sun is about to drop down over the horizon and it’s getting hard to see. “I know this was a lot to take in.”

  Candy and Wood scoff at the same time.

  “Imagine how it is for us,” McKenna says with a soft tone. “We’re all in this together. Being upset isn’t helping any of us cope.”

  “I’m not mad,” Candy says. “I just don’t know how to feel.”

  Wood nods enthusiastically. “Exactly. You can’t help who you are. We aren’t faulting you for that, but when you’re the loser in a family of important people, it’s hard to not feel discouraged.”

  “You guys are far from losers,” McKenna offers, gauging their temper. “We aren’t anything special—especially me. I’m apparently something everyone hates.”

  “No one hates you, McKenna,” Wood says. “Maybe you do have a little demon in you, but it doesn’t mean that’s who you truly are.”

  McKenna shrugs a shoulder. “Maybe it is, though…”

  “It’s not,” I say, looking deep into her eyes. “You have to believe in the goodness inside of you.”

  Candy moves to the rock and sits next to McKenna, bumping her shoulder. “Right. We don’t know the whole story.”

  “I think your parents can fill in these holes,” I encourage. “We’re going to find them.”

  McKenna perks up. “Maybe that’s what Mrs. Carlson meant. Maybe somewhere deep inside me, I know how to get to Beneath.”

  “But Kai should know how to do that,” Wood says with a slight head shake.

  I smooth my hand over my hair. “Maybe. Or maybe he’s been cut off since Maker knew he turned.”

  “You don’t think he’s playing us, do you?” Candy asks in a timid voice, clearly not okay with the possibility of him being on the wrong side of this fight. Hell, I’m not okay with it. He’s become a good friend.

  I huff. “God, I hope not. We’ve put a lot of our eggs into his basket.”

  “I don’t think he’s misleading us. He’s a good guy,” McKenna says with earnest. “I can feel it.”

  Candy turns her wide, almost accusing eyes at McKenna. “You can feel it because you’re a demon.” It’s not a question, it’s purely a statement. One I don’t think was meant to hurt McKenna, but I feel her body tense next to me.

  “N…no. Not at all. Well, maybe it has something to do with it, but he’s done so much. We need to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  “He stepped out the moment you told us you were a demon. It seems odd.” Candy pulls the sleeves on her jacked over her hands.

  “That’s because I should have known before now,” Kai says, taking us by surprise, walking up to us with his hand in his pockets and his eyes droopy.

  “What do you mean?” I ask.

  “I’d always had a connection to her,” he confesses. “I think that’s why I felt so compelled to help her before. I only knew her name and I felt inclined to help. They put the hit out on you and I was the first to volunteer.” He walks in front of us and sits down on the ground. “McKenna, I think we knew each other in Beneath.”

  “What?” I say.

  “How?” McKenna asks.

  Kai sighs. “All those years I was stuck in Limbo, I think you might have been there with me.”

  “Why do you think that?” Goose bumps break out on McKenna’s skin.

  “I recall a demon being saved. Taken from Beneath. It was this huge covert mission brought out by high ranking angels. It might have been you who was saved. I never asked because it wasn’t my place. And if I had, Maker would have gone mental. Everyone could tell something was off with her when it happened.”

  McKenna contemplates for long minutes.

  “What was it like? Being in Limbo?” she asks.

  Kai picks at the leaves on the ground, breaking the brittle ones. “It’s a lot like being shoved in a room full of people and locking the door. There was no room to breathe, no room to move. We just bump into each other, getting in each others space. It’s awful.”

  “You were there for a long time?” McKenna queries.

  “For as long as I can remember.”

  My legs bounce up and down, my hands twiddling. “Shit. You’re saying you and McKenna have some sort of a relationship?”

  “Not like I loved her,” Kai says quickly, his eyes moving to me. “Like, we kept each other sane.”

  “Is there any way to prove it?” Wood asks. “Is there a way to be sure McKenna was the one you were with all those years?”

  Kai’s jaw clenches. “I’d have to dig into her lives to see if there was an actual connection.”

  “How do you do that?” I ask resignedly.

  “We have to meld. Meld our minds, I mean.”

  “Does it hurt?” McKenna inquires, her cheeks red from the wind.

  Kai laughs. “No, silly girl. It won’t hurt, but it requires Manifestation.”

  I stand up with force. “No. No Manifestation.”

  “Why?” Kai scoffs. “She can handle it. Especially now that she knows what she is.”

  “I can?” McKenna questions, looking to me for encouragement. “I don’t know if I can let it overtake me again.”

  I sit down in a huff and grab her hands. “You have to promise me, if you feel yourself falling into it, you’ll stop. I can’t let anything happen to you.”

  McKenna leans in close, kissing my lips lightly, nodding, though I can see in her eyes she’s second guessing herself. “I promise if I feel the Manifestation start to overwhelm me, I’ll stop.”

  I grit my teeth and sigh. “Fine. Get it over with.”

  Kai stands up, dusting his ass off with his hands. Rubbing them on his jeans, he cleans them of dirt. Palms out, McKenna places her hands on his.

  “Rohadia, ne in me,” Kai chants, closing his eyes.

  McKenna’s hands hold onto Kai tight and she rocks back and forth slightly.

  After a few rounds of incantations, both Kai and McKenna open their eyes. They jerk back, but their eyes aren’t their normal colors. All white, they look horrifying.

  They tug and pull on each other. Wind blows through the trees, stirring up dirt and leaves. It rustles around us.

  Kai’s mouth opens as if he’s gasping for air and McKenna sucks in, wincing. Her mouth turns down.

  “McKenna…” I coax.

  She holds on tighter to Kai.

  “McKenna,” Candy tries.

  “Stop!” McKenna shoves Kai away, breaking their connection.

  “Whoa. Good job, McKenna,” Kai compliments, pleased. “You did very well.”

  McKenna steps back into my space and I wrap my arm around her shoulder.

  “Well?” Wood questions.

  Kai looks at me, and then down at the ground.

  “It was me,” McKenna offers. “We’ve known each other for years.”

  It’s official. I’ve hopped on the train to Crazytown—or Nuttersville. Either way, what the hell has happened to my life?

  To think, a year ago, I was just a normal Strix living out my days with my family, taking it easy. Had I known my life would turn to this…I think I would have gladly stayed in my naïve little bubble.

  There’s a happiness that comes with being in the dark.

  I
want to go back there. In the dark.

  Not being the dark.

  “Our connection goes back further than I could have even imagined,” Kai says with a creased brow. “Centuries.”

  “Why didn’t you remember me? Why couldn’t you see me as a demon?”

  Kai wanders down the creek a few feet, thinking and then turns back. He touches the base of his neck with his hand and shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because you’re something other than a demon and it hid that side of you. All I know is, I could never place you, but that feeling, the tug of your being, always called to me. It makes sense now, though. If we did stay together in Limbo for so long, we’re linked.”

  “What do you think she is?” Declan asks, lightly scratching my back with his fingers.

  Kai opens his mouth, his tongue playing with his teeth. “No clue. It’s not anything demonic, I can tell you that much. I’d be able to see it.”

  “Maybe it’s something you can’t see…” Wood suggests.

  “Like, what?” Kai asks.

  “An angel, maybe?”

  Kai shakes his head. “I’d feel the pull.”

  “Not if she’s only half,” Declan compromises.

  “True.”

  I grit my teeth. “We need to find our parents.”

  Wood sits straight. “Speaking of, Kai, why can’t you get us into Beneath?”

  Kai swallows. “You have to understand. I’m only allowed in when I’m called. It’s not a revolving door. There’s no key. I come when Maker wants me and that’s it. The moment I’m done being of use, I’m shoved back here or to Limbo.”

  “Wait, Maker has full control over who gets to come in and out of Beneath?” I ask, astonished.

  “Basically,” Kai says. “Maker is our God. We never had the opportunity to question the authority.”

  We fall silent.

  “Until recently, that is,” Kai finishes, looking earnest, willing us to believe him.

  “So, what do we do? Just wait for Maker to call for you?” Candy questions.

  With a pensive expression, Kai shakes his head. “No. We have to find another way in. I fear if we don’t, they’re going to kill your parents. Crone…or as you call her, Mrs. Carlson is dead now. It won’t take long for them to figure out he gave us information.”

  “What are our options?” Declan asks, ready to fight.

  “Our only option is to dig inside our minds. Mine and McKenna’s, that is. There might be something hidden.”

  “You think McKenna might know more than you?” Candy asks.

  “Maybe. It’s possible. We have to examine all possibilities, and unfortunately for us, this is the only one.”

  My stomach churns, gurgling angry bubbles. He’s going to say we have to use Manifestation again, and I can’t make up my mind on how I feel about using it. On one hand, it’s great and I can talk myself into controlling it. Then the next minute, I’m swimming in the ocean, being overtaken by the waves. Manifestation is like dangling a piece of pie in front of my sugar-deprived ass. It’ll taste so good, but it might also make me fat.

  This back and forth is hurting my head.

  “You have to,” Candy encourages, feeling my emotions. “It’s the only way to get mom and dad back.”

  I rock in place, twisting my neck as if it’s sore. It’s not. I’m just awkward. I feel weird because something primal inside me tells me Manifestation is okay. That it’s acceptable to like it—to want it. Just reach for it, hold on tight and never let it go because it makes me feel powerful. Then there’s another part of me that’s screaming, yelling at me to stop because this kind of magic is a lot like pizza. A couple of pieces is fine, but eating the entire thing will only make me feel awful in the morning. Bloated and ashamed. Manifestation isn’t any different. It’s my extra-large pizza and I’m starving for greasy, bad-for-me food.

  God, I’m comparing demonic magic to pizza. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.

  “I don’t know, Candy…” I pull at my fingers, popping the knuckles.

  “What are you afraid of?” Kai asks.

  “Losing myself,” I admit right away, not afraid to tell them my truth. “I’m half demon, this feeling fizzles inside me. I’m a glass full of ice, just waiting to be filled up with something to give me an identity. Manifestation could be this toxic substance to make me someone I’m not.”

  “It doesn’t have to be like that. You can control it. You may be a demon, but you aren’t defined by what’s inside of you. You’re defined by your actions on the outside. The choices you make,” Declan encourages.

  I swipe my hair to one shoulder. “The allure is so strong now that I know.”

  “Then fight,” Declan urges. “Fight to be who you want to be and do what you have to do to get your parents.”

  His reassuring smile and strong touches push me. I close my eyes and center myself. “Okay. Let’s give it a try.”

  “McKenna…stop…” Sally says, materializing in front of us, her long green dress flowing in the wind. She tugs her white jacket closer to her, her eyes kind yet worried. “Manifestation is a gateway to darkness.”

  Kai turns around, facing her while the rest of us stand.

  “Sally?” I say. “What are you doing here?”

  My Sprit Guide sighs, crossing her arms over her chest. “I know I gave you time off to figure out what’s going on with your parents, and I appreciate you keeping an open and honest dialogue with me throughout the past weeks, but this has gone too far.”

  I rub my lips together. I do feel bad for skimping on my Strix duties, but she was so willing to allow me to go find mom and dad. I kept in contact with her every day. She visited us frequently, but my subconscious is starting to tap-tap on my brain, warning me of something I probably don’t want to hear.

  “What has gone too far?” I ask, scared to hear what she has to say.

  Her hands fall limply at her sides. “You. Using Manifestation. You must be careful.”

  I sputter, baffled—and frankly, a little annoyed. “Did you know I was half demon?” Why do I feel like everyone around me knows more about me than I do? Being a Strix is simple…being this—a demon—not so much.

  She looks away, hesitant to answer. “Yes.”

  My eyes go wide and I take a couple steps toward her. “What? Why didn’t you tell me? You’ve known all along?”

  Her eyes find mine, and then fall to the ground, embarrassed. “It was never my place. Your mom and dad planned on telling you.”

  “Do you know where they are?” Candy asks.

  “No, I’m sorry. When I got news of their death, I couldn’t believe it was true. I’m relieved to know it’s not.”

  We fall silent.

  “Well, is there any way you can help us?”

  She blinks a few times. “I can help you get to Beneath, or at least the backdoor. Magic is required, but not Manifestation. I suggest you keep that under wraps until you know you can control your urges.”

  Declan places his hand on my back. “It’s the better option, Mighty. Let’s do it.”

  A chill breaks out on my back but I nod. “Okay.”

  “Getting into Beneath is just a series of spells to test you,” Sally tells us as we sit down at the table in the Wilder’s house. The white, mismatched chairs skid against the wooden floor as we all make ourselves comfortable. I rest my elbows on the faded wood top. “It’s not supposed to be easy. As a matter of fact, not many people—or beings— know about this entrance, so hopefully that’ll be an advantage to you. On top of that, only people with angelic or demonic power can get in through it.”

  Candy and Wood sulk together, sighing.

  “But seeing as how you have both angelic and demonic power on your side,” Sally looks to Declan and I, “you all should be able to get in. Your mission is going to require everyone.”

  “Do we have a chance?” Declan asks. “Do we have a chance of surviving? I’ve never gone up against anything like this Maker.”

&n
bsp; Sally smiles triumphantly. “Oh, but you have, Declan.”

  His mouth falls open and he points. “You…you know who I am?”

  Sally laughs behind her hand. “Of course. You’re pretty famous upstairs. You caused all kinds of ruckus back in the day. Do you not have your memories back, yet?”

  Declan’s dad clears his throat. “We just told him today.”

  “Oh,” Sally says, stunned. “I can help with that.”

  She closes her eyes and balls her fist. Soon, a blue light manifests in her hands and she touches Declan’s chest with it. The top of his body curls back against the chair, and he sucks in air, his eyes closing as if something hard hit his chest.

  Sarah stands up, protectively, but Noah puts a hand on her arm.

  I watch carefully.

  Declan’s body collapses and his shoulders slump. He breathes in and out for what feels like forever, but eventually he says, “Holy. Shit.”

  Sally smiles, satisfied. “Not very angel-like of you, Declan.”

  He gets his bearings and shakes his head. “Apparently I’m not too worried about it.”

  I touch his arm, his muscles tense underneath his skin. He twists the ring on his finger. “You okay?”

  His eyes soften and he places his hand on mine. “I’m okay, Mighty. That was a lot to take in at once.”

  I lower my voice. “You remember it all now? Everything?”

  His mouth thins. “I do, but we can talk about it later. We need to focus.”

  My mouth turns to the side and I take my hand back, placing it on the table. “Okay.”

  Declan bites his lip and I turn back to Sally.

  “Moving on,” she says.

  “What’s the first step?” Wood asks.

  Sally sighs. “Well, we’ll need demon blood to unlock the first gate.”

  Kai sits up. “Which is where?”

  “There’s a spot in Massachusetts called Gallows Hill.”

  “Back home?” I say. “That’s right down the road from our house. That’s where the supposed Salem Witch Trials occurred.”

  Sally frowns. “No, honey. There’s no supposed about it. That happened.” She shakes her head. “Tragedy.”

  My pulse thumps erratically in my throat, so loud I can feel it. “Gallows Hill, that’s where the gate is?”