by Mira Monroe
I look at Rhydian, but he’s avoiding my eyes. Daniel looks at Rhydian sideways. “Thanks. I found a way of locating my father through a transporting potion. I think that if we locate him, Lucy should be nearby, and we can rescue them both.”
Emily, who was in the doorway, comes over to look at the book. “That’s great, but it’s a blank page, Will.”
“No, it was, but it’s not anymore… can’t you see?” It dons on me, they are not my family, of course they can’t read it. “Don’t worry it’s there — I’ll read it aloud and we can get to work on this.”
Cross shifts his legs and says, “yes, and make enough so that several of us can go, cuz there’s no way he’s not guarded with his powerful magick. Whoever has ya father is most likely counting on ya to show up hot-headed and ready to do something stupid, and then they’ll have ya both.”
I smirk at Cross. “Hot-headed? I thought that was your title?”
“Only when required.” His dimple appears, and I swear Emily grinned.
Tullen writes down what I read, and then he, Cross and Rhydian start gathering items from the hidden room. I go upstairs and pull a piece of my father’s hair from his hairbrush. Upstairs, I hear Duke whining.
“Oh my god, Duke!” I open a closet door, and my dog bounds out, jumps on me, and begins licking my face. I hug him, thankful he’s okay in all this chaos. He follows me down the stairs and begins to growl deep in his throat. The hair on his back is ruffled, and he’s staring at Marco.
“Easy, Duke,” Marco laughs. “I’m guessing he doesn’t like cats?”
“Ha ha.” I respond. “Easy Duke.”
Duke follows me into the room and lets Emily pet him, but he seems put off by Marco. When Cross and Rhydian walk in, Duke bounds over to them.
“Funny, a witch who likes dogs over cats. I think I like this about you,” Rhydian says. Duke looks like he’s made a new best friend, deserting me.
“We’re ready. Quinn is on the way.” Tullen says.
Daniel sits near the empty fireplace, solo, looking out of place. Emily nods her head toward him and murmurs, “He can’t go. It’s too dangerous. Marco’s going to take him home, and once I know where we transport to, I’ll come back for Marco if we need him.”
I nod. I don’t want to put anyone else in danger. I’m overwhelmed that Emily and Marco want to help me — for Lucy and my father.
The sun is starting to set and time seems to be getting away from all of us. Marco helps Daniel stand, and I walk with them to the front door, past Emily’s glowing staff that’s protecting the house.
“Daniel, I’m really sorry you were…”
His finger is on my lips, and he moves closer to me. “Let’s not go there, okay?”
How can I not go there? He almost died. My friends are being used against me, and he doesn’t belong in this craziness. Plus, it’s all my fault that Daniel is in it. All I can do is nod.
Marco goes to get Daniel’s truck, pulling it up near the entry by the stairs.
“Be safe, Willow, and when you get back, let’s talk. Good luck.” He wipes the tear from my eye and kisses me. It’s the kind of kiss that’s gentle and soft. I don’t want him to go, with so much left unsaid. It’s not safe for him to be associated with me and I know this. I feel my magick and I will it to change his memory of the camp trip, that we were together all night — I never left. His crystal blue eyes change to the darkness of the ocean. I will our breakup for when he wakes in the morning. It’s amicable and simply, our relationship ran its course. He’ll be happy Daniel with no regrets. I kiss him goodbye and he holds me to him. This memory I conjure is released from me to him as I pull away.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He releases me and is gone. I should have taken note of that more. I touch my lips to feel his warmth leave me. I turn back to the house just in time to see Rhydian walking away.
“Rhydian, wait!”
He turns in the hallway just from the office.
“Rhydian, Daniel’s my… Why are you… are you mad?”
“It’s dangerous, is all. I’m not mad, but I don’t need to be an audience member for your private moments.” He points at the front door.
“I don’t get why you’re acting this way.”
“There isn’t anything to tell you that I haven’t already said.” He huffs as if he’s been holding his breath. “We have about another hour or so. Go get some rest? You’re barely standing as it is.”
Instead of following him into the office where everyone is gathered, I turn toward the stairs, where Emily is watching and holding the staff.
“I know what you did, Will.”
I stop and hold onto the rail. It steadies me so I don’t break in tears. “I had to Em, he — I can’t have him hurt because of any of this.”
“I know.” She says simply.
I head upstairs to my room. I take a shower and change clothes, then I lay on my bed and close my eyes. I feel like I’m sinking into my mattress which allows the peacefulness of the dark to claim my mind quickly.
Chapter Sixteen
The elevator is familiar, with its blankets tacked to the back and sides due to construction activities. I’m alone when I enter and hit the button for the sixth floor. Arriving on the correct floor, I turn to the right as I’ve done millions of times in the past, and walk through the glass doors into an office.
The familiar blonde receptionist smiles and lets me know that Dr. Bauche will be with me shortly. I pick up the two-month-old People magazine and flip through the pages. I’ve already seen this magazine several times before, but keep flipping the pages to keep myself occupied. As I set the magazine down, Dr. Bauche appears in the hallway just to the left of the receptionist and calls my name.
Familiar and friendly as always, her hair is perfectly styled, and she’s wearing a cute pencil skirt with black high heels. I follow her back to her office.
“Willow, I’m actually surprised to see you. What brings you in today?” Her voice is nice and soothing.
“I’ve been having some problems with changes. A lot of changes in both my family and personal life,” I say.
I tell her about everything — and I mean everything. Her response to the information is accepting. Being able to get it off my chest is great. It’s this heavy burden I didn’t know I needed to release. I tell her all the lies about where I come from, about meeting my long-lost grandmother and uncle, about discovering that I come from Wiccan royalty and I’m next in line for the throne, expected to take on this new role. I tell her about the tug I feel for my life before all this knowledge. I tell her about the tug I feel to Edayri, and finding the lure of the magick within myself. About Mrs. Scott, and the threats on my life. I even tell her that a few of my friends are from the Edayri realm, and about the rogue Guardians — and how I don’t want to disappoint them; I want to be a positive change in Edayri. I tell her about Rhydian’s connection to me, and his blooded vow. About how I feel indebted to him, and the fact that I’m attracted to him, even while I love Daniel. How I let Daniel go to keep him safe. How broken my heart is at the loss of Mrs. Scott and Daniel.
“I’m sorry for the heartbreak, but that’s a part of life that allows us to grow in companionship and in ourselves. Not what you wanted to hear?”
I shake my head and stare at my hands. I simply ask, “How do I manage all of this? I feel like I’m going to burst. I’m scared it’s all for nothing, and that I’ll fail at something — and I’m worried about who that will affect.”
“Those who accept and manage personal change well are those who are clear about what they want. They are quick to decide. What they cannot change, they put it to one side. They are also good at taking the necessary steps towards change, and taking control of those elements that they can change.” She stands and circles to the front of her desk to sit on the corner. “Willow, I get the impression that you have decided on a few of the situations you’ve described to me, and in others it’s okay to t
ake some time. Nothing is permanent.”
She’s right. I feel like I’ve been trying to speed my way through everything, because I really haven’t had a moment to pause.
“I want you to try some relaxation breathing techniques. It will help for you to slow down when you feel anxiety coming on, as you face some of these challenges. It helps to center yourself and your thoughts — to clear out the noise.”
Dr. Bauche leads me in a routine to breathe in deeply and exhale deeply, first for 20 seconds, then increasing the time with my next breaths. It really does help, and I feel better and more focused on the immediate tasks I need to deal with.
“Look at compartmentalizing issues, especially when faced with compounding issues and tasks. This is where you can judge whether to spend time on others later. It’s a way of time management. The key is not to push off an issue and never address it. That’s when it comes back to haunt you.” She pats me on the hand and tells me time is up.
I stand up and follow her to the door. I don’t really want to leave, but I know I should.
“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice,” I say. “It was helpful, your guidance.”
“Anytime, Willow. I think you know, I’m here anytime you need me.”
Her eyes are like mine, dark blue. Her chin and pert nose, just like mine. She opens the door, and the office hallway morphs into my bedroom. I rub my eyes and feel the wetness of my tears. Evan had said this is how he and my mother would communicate sometimes. I don’t know why, but having access to her right now brings me comfort. Whether it’s in my head or real, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t even matter if it’s really Dr. Bauche or Mom. I cup my face and smile through my tears. Before I know it, I’m laughing.
The bump on my door lets me know Duke is outside, waiting on me. I go to the door and pet him on the head, then follow him down the back stairs to the kitchen. I find Cross, Emily, Tullen and Rhydian at the table.
“Ready?” I ask.
The girl throws her fist to the sky,
“My destiny is my own!”
Fate is satisfied, for now…
Chapter Seventeen
The potion that we’ve made is finished and ready. Quinn and Tullen are moving the foyer table into the formal living room. I have chalk in my hand, ready to draw the pentagram required to transport us to wherever my father is being held. The reason we can’t transport without this potion is that we don’t know where we are going. This potion is to bring us close to my father, through our family bond.
“Start here in the north, where the stairs are,” Rhydian points.
I nod and draw the pentagram star, and then complete the circle. It feels strange to draw it, and yet somehow familiar. I’m not much of an artist, but I feel I do a decent job, considering I have a full house watching my every move.
“Okay, just so we all understand how this is going down, the plan is that Rhydian, Emily and Willow will transport first. They’ll scope out the area and, if able, Rhydian and Emily will return to us. If they can’t both come, just Emily will return so that Rhydian can help protect Willow.” Cross, Tullen and Quinn nod their heads in agreement.
Emily rolls her eyes. “Whatever, you know I’m the best regarding protection. Your little hang-up that Willow needs your protection is cute, though.”
I love that confidence she has in me. I can’t help but smile. The fact is, my magick is stronger, and I feel in control. Not everyone has real magick like mine in the Wiccan community. Plus, I think I scared the shit out of most of them at the Hallowed Hall. If whoever took my father and my best friend didn’t see that display, hopefully they’ve heard about it by now.
“Let’s go.”
Rhydian is all business, pure focus. I envy him. I’m a mixture of nerves, fear and anger. Rhydian pours the potion into the bowl in the center of the pentagram. He, Emily and I stand in the center of the circle. He nods to me, and I prick my finger and squeeze a drop of blood into the potion and add the last ingredient — my father’s hair — then quickly grasp Rhydian and Emily’s hands. Transportation is becoming easier for me. However, this time I feel the pull of various directions, and it’s rocky, not smooth. The force of wind is pushing us. It smells like a storm, and I get thrown backward. I feel my hand slipping from Emily’s, and then in an instant we all fall into darkness onto a hard dirt floor.
I land on Emily, and feel Rhydian touch my ankle. We all made it.
In a whisper, Emily asks, “Where the hell are we? I can barely see anything.”
“In some type of dungeon,” Rhydian answers. He’s already suited up in his sleek armor.
“Can you give us some of that glow magick, Wills?” Emily asks.
I light up my hand in a dull blue glow, and the designs on my arm appear and start to flow. We’re in some type of cell, but the door where the bars should be is open. It’s moist and smells of rust and mold. Outside the cell is a tunnel. It’s old, with stone and dirt floors. There are lanterns spaced out that give some light down to the left, but on the right the spacing is further apart, and everything is dark.
“Which way do we go?” I ask.
“We need to split up,” Rhydian replies.
I had a feeling he was going to say that. I don’t like that idea, but it’s the only way. We take a step out of the cell, and the bars slam shut. The tunnel lights up entirely, and an alarm sounds.
“Shit!” yells Rhydian.
“Bring it!” yells Emily.
I have a feeling we need to go left, and start running that way. “Come on, guys. This way!”
When I round the corner, I skid to a stop, but not because of the gruesome torture tools in the middle of the room. Instead my eyes are drawn to the sign over the door with stairs leading out of the dungeon.
It reads “MacKinnon Manor.”
“No,” I whisper in shock.
“No time!” Rhydian yells above the alarm.
“Aiden! Lucy! Aiden! Lucy!” Rhydian and Emily yell in chorus.
Lucy yells back, and I can breathe again. We take the stairs out of the dungeon to where her voice is coming from, on the floor above. It’s a newer part of the building, with tiled floors and proper walls. The recessed lights are lit by bulbs, not fire. There are doors with square peek-a-boo windows and an opening at the bottom for trays.
The alarm stops blaring. Rhydian runs down and knocks on all the doors, saying my father’s name. I yell for Lucy to get back, then use my magick to blast the door.
Lucy uncovers her face and tears are streaming down her cheeks.
“I can’t walk,” she says, pointing to a cast that goes all the way up to her thigh.
“I’ve got her.” Emily swoops in and picks Lucy up like she’s a doll. Lucy pushes her face against Emily’s shoulder and says “thank you” over and over again.
Rhydian yells, “He’s here, he’s here!” He kicks down the door the old fashioned way. There’s movement around us, outside the building.
“I’ve got Lucy, and I’m taking her back now,” Emily says. She tries to transport, but nothing happens. “It must have a protection spell against transporting.”
“Go back to the cell,” I say, and Emily takes off with Lucy, running back in the direction we came from. Emily is fast, and even Lucy’s extra weight from the cast doesn’t slow her down.
I’m at the end of the hall where Rhydian has found my father. He’s lying on a cot at the back of a small, square jail cell of a room. He turns slowly so we can assess his injuries, and my magick flares seeing the bruises on his face. His right hand is discolored, swollen and puffy; there are broken bones. He coughs up blood before speaking.
“My smart girl.” He reaches with his good hand to touch my face.
“We’ve got to go. Is there another way out of here? We can’t transport. Something is blocking us.”
He sits up slowly and cringes. “Maybe back through the older part. There should be a way outside to the grounds.”
Rhydian is all business, hel
ping my father up and walking him out to the hall. The steps above us are louder now.
We start down the stairs when I hear Sabine’s voice calling, “Wait, wait!”
I have no interest in speaking to her, after what she’s done. I thrust my hand upward to break the ceiling, and it crumbles down in grand fashion, complete with smoke and rock to block her path. I don’t bother to stick around, leaping down the stairs behind Rhydian and my father.
It’s getting darker in the old tunnel, and I use my hand to light the way. At first it looks like we’re heading for a dead end, but when we get there, the tunnel turns and starts to slope upward. The outside light is coming in through slats of wood in the door ahead. We start moving quicker, and my father moans as he hangs onto Rhydian.
I throw a light ball at the door, busting it apart, and run outside. We’re at the edge of a forest, and when I turn there’s the castle: MacKinnon Manor.
“Rhy! Wills!” Cross yells, running down the tunnel toward us with Quinn and Tullen. We’re all outside now, and it’s damp and foggy.
“We transported as soon as Emily let us. She had to get Lucy home.” Cross pats me on the back. “I’m so sorry, Wills. To think Sabine would do something like this to your family…” His face says it all.
My father struggles, and Rhydian sets him down. He coughs and says, “I’m not sure it was her… not completely, anyway.” He blinks several times. “It’s all off. Something doesn’t make sense. She was never there… torturing… but the High Coven is involved.”
I cringe at the word torture. Looking over my father, I can’t help but think of what I saw in that old dungeon room. Lucy in a cast. My father spitting up blood. I gnash my teeth together and shake my head.
“Where’s the guard of her estate?” Quinn asks.
In the same breath, we look up to see Sabine and a team of five walking across the acreage toward us. Her hair is flowing, red like fire, and there’s a look of concern in her eyes.