Tru smirked and scratched his head, snarling. “Sure, Grandfather, but you don’t have to talk in our language. She understands it just fine, and we all know how she understands it, being the thing that she is.”
Tru turned and left. I was broken, shattered, and stunned into silence.
Kamal glanced around at his gathering people and said, “You may leave while I talked to this child. She is seeking answers. She is not here to harm anyone. So disperse.” He waved his hands, and respectfully, everyone turned to go.
I swallowed and licked my lips. “Thank you.”
Kamal gave me a sad smile and glanced over at Jace. “If you would be so kind, wait here while Charlize and I have a little discussion.”
I looked at Jace and nodded, letting him know that it would be okay. Well, I was pretty sure it would be okay.
Kamal began as we started walking. “Let me start off by apologizing about my grandson’s behavior. There is something terribly wrong with him. He is not himself. I can see it, not in just the way he acts or talks but also in the aura around him. One day, he was fine, and the next, Tru had so much anger and hatred inside him.” Kamal turned to me and took both of my hands. “After we have this discussion and I tell you what I know about your parents, you must try and find a way to help my grandson. Free him from the magic that holds him." Urgency and desperation came through his voice loud and clear.
I nodded because I didn't know what else to do. Any and all words at that moment fled my mind. How? How could I fix Tru? What if this is how he is now? What if he's not under some kind of magical spell? What if he just doesn't want me anymore!? And then, bitterly, I thought, Take a number. You know how much stuff I have to fix right now!
Unknowing of the turmoil spinning around in my mind, Kamal continued. “I know what you are now, and frankly, if you’re trying to hide it from us, I have to let you know that all my people know what you are. When Paco came and told me that you needed to speak to me, Tru was more than willing to spill what he knew.” Kamal shook his head. “That is not my grandson. He would not willingly tell another person’s story because he was mad. How he has been acting... this is not him. Some kind of magic has been cast over him,” Kamal bellowed.
I listened on in horror, wondering if he was accusing me of casting a spell. My eyes widened, and I took a single step backwards. Kamal stopped me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
He shook his head. “No, child, I can see it on your face. You are worried that I believe you are the one that did that wicked deed to Tru. I do not think that, and if I did, why would I ask you to find out how to fix my grandson?” He raised an eyebrow.
I put my head down and shrugged. “Well, with how he feels about me now, anything is possible.”
Kamal pondered this for a second and nodded. “Very true. Possibility is always endless, but I can see your soul. I know a good heart when I see one. That leads me to say this: I know the reason you came here. I know the story of your parents. I know your guardians believed that I was the one who killed them. It is true that a wolf snuffed out their lives, and I hate to say it, but it was one of my wolves. But it was not I that did the horrific deed. Child, I am sorry for your loss, even though it was so long ago and you never knew of them. A loss of a parent, no matter if you’ve never met them, is still a loss from the heart.”
I looked up at him, tears now streaming down my face. Viciously, I wiped them away and asked, “Who then? Who was the one that murdered my parents? Is that person still here?” I felt an uncontrollable urge to scream. It took a Herculean effort not to unleash all the magic within my body upon this man, even though he wasn’t the one who had killed my parents. He knew of it. Hell, he might’ve even sent the person to do the job. My whole body shook with irrepressible rage. I clenched my fists and breathed in and out, in and out, deep, gulping breaths.
Kamal rested one of his big hands upon my head. Closing his eyes, he said, “Calm yourself child. All of your questions will be answered." His voice came out in a sing-song manner, as if he was casting a spell upon me.
In that moment, I thought I heard drums in the distance and the voices of ancient men and howling wolves. They sang a song in their native tongue of peace, serenity, and of long ago. Centuries ago when they were free to roam their lands unabashedly. It was a beautiful song. I shivered, and just like that, all the pain and anger drained away. I felt the hurt, pain, and anger flow out of my body and into the ground. I smiled at him and nodded for him to continue. I felt ten times better than I felt all week. Whatever little magic he just employed, I definitely needed more of it.
Kamal gave me a smile and continued. “The one that took your blood parents lives is no longer here. Once I found out what travesty he had done, I banished him. Yes, you might think I went easy because shouldn’t I take his life? He did, after all, take theirs! Yet, it was not that simple. I am sorry, but I will not go into any more detail. I do not know where he is now. We have not spoken to him in a very long time."
With every word he spoke, the calm and peace upon me slowly started to disintegrate. How could he not have done something? Why isn't this guy in some kind of prison or dead? However, I refrained from saying anything. I wanted to see what he had to say for himself. I wanted to know, without anger clouding my judgment, why this man was free and my blood parents were dead.
"His banishment was a great punishment to him, my dear. To no longer be able to run with his wolf kin is a hard life to live. I do apologize that I cannot give you more solace, that I cannot ease the loss within you. I was young, a new leader, and I greatly cared for and loved the one who did this."
My eyes sharpened, but I still let him go on without interrupting.
He held up one hand. "Just picture this for a second: Someone you love killing someone you never met and then that someone telling you their side of the story, them telling you that they believed those people were evil. Could you, would you, take their life?”
But he didn't need an answer from me. He said he could see into my heart, and he believed I would let that person live. I couldn't say if I would let that person live or not. Maybe it was because I had too much emotion tied up into this to truly give an honest answer.
Maybe he's right. Maybe I wouldn't kill them. How hard would it be to kill someone you loved if you knew they were bad? That was one question I didn't want to answer, and he knew it. I almost felt like this was a trap, his easy way around answering my whole question. Sure, he told me that he wasn't the one that killed my blood parents, but he didn't tell me who the one that did was. However, it was too late for me to say anything because with those portentous words, he touched my shoulder gently before he turned to leave.
But before he left me, he threw over his shoulder, “Avani wishes to speak to you. Paco will accompany you there. Take care, child, and please, save my grandson as I shall do the same.”
With those ominous words, I, stunned and dreading my meeting with Avani, watched Kamal walk away.
Chapter Twelve
Charlie
Nikko, invisible to everyone but me, looked anxious. He was waiting for my answer. I nodded and told him that we had to go meet up with Tru’s mom and that Paco was taking us.
After Paco dropped us off at Avani’s, I looked over at Jace and Nikko. “Okay, you two, wait out here." Glaring at our friendly ghost, I said sternly, “And no funny business, Nikko. I know you’re invisible to Jace, and I'm sure you've got all kinds of mischievous thoughts up in that head of yours, but be nice. I don’t know what all ghostly antics you’ve been up to while invisible, but I’m sure mischievous is your middle name right now. So, please, play nice.”
Shuffling his feet back and forth disgusted, Nikko said, “Me?” His eyes, so violet and striking, go round with shock. “Shoot! How is it possible?” Nikko threw out both hands and looked up to the heavens for answers. "That I never thought about doing anything mischievous? I'm a freaking ghost! And I'm sure of all the things invisible people-ghosts do-you would've
thought screwing with people’s minds would be the first thing on my ghostly agenda.”
He was nearly shouting and the only person who could hear him ranting and raving about why he hadn’t lived up to his ghostly aspect yet, was me. I wondered why he was getting so bent out of shape over this.
Jace stepped in front of Nikko, unknowingly blocking him from my view. “Fox, you have a very funny look on your face. Is Nikko being his usual, neurotic, self-imposed, idiotic self?" Jace smirked, his blue eyes glinting with humor.
Quickly, Nikko popped into existence and playfully kicked Jace in the butt.
Startled, Jace tripped and muttered, "You little… Nikko!"
Jace swung around to take a swing at Nikko, but with a laugh and a wink, Nikko popped out of existence.
"What the..." Jace glared at the now invisible, smirking Nikko.
"Okay," I said. "Behave, Nikko!"
"Oh, it’s going to be fine. I would never do anything to hurt anyone, Charlie. You know me. I'm all fun and games, and as always, I am your knight,” Nikko said with a tilt of his lips.
I blew the hair out of my face, shrugged, and turned to open the front door. As I walked into the living area, memories crashed down on me of a time not too long ago when Tru brought me here to have dinner. I sighed and shrugged the thoughts away, noticing Avani on her couch reading a little book. I paused, narrowing my eyes as I tried to read the title of the book, but before I could, Avani closed the cover and stood up. She gave me a sweet smile, pushing her long, black hair to the side as she clasped her hands together. Avani looked majestic. She was dressed in a light blue duster and stood barefooted. Her mocha brown skin glowed, and it was like she was ready to take on anything.
I felt nervous and worried, wondering how she was going to react to the realization that the legend she told me about was true. I was anxious and afraid how she would feel about me now that she knew I was different, now that she knew I was more, now that she knew I was a being of magic. I was worried how she would react and if she thought I was just like him… like her enemy. Like the Traveller! I should've known better, she was still her warm, caring self. I had no reason to worry.
“Hello, dear. I was wondering when you would come back to our home. It's sad that you had to come back on these circumstances.” Avani waved her hands. “No mind. You're here, and that's all that matters. So, how have you been?”
I shoved my hands in the pockets of my favorite, faded jeans and shrugged casually. “You know…I'm here,” I said, giving her a thumbs up. I felt like I just had a face palm moment.
Avani came over and placed both her hands on my shoulders. Smiling, she said, “I know that things are rough right now between you and my son, but it will change. Tru cares for you.”
I looked down. She patted my shoulder and stepped away.
“Now, what's this I hear about you being magical?” she asked, clasping her hands together. “And the wolf story, it's true. How about those canines?!” Her words reminded me of the first time we met and how I told her she didn't have canines like a wolf; therefore, she couldn't be a wolf. Oh how wrong I was! We sat down and talked, catching up on how everything was going and how we were dealing with all this new information. A ringing phone interrupted our conversation. Avani directed her attention to the call and I sat in the room, taking in my surroundings. I noticed a picture of a handsome man that looked almost identical to Tru's grandfather. I studied the image, taking in all the similarities: Tall, broad-shouldered, tan, long black hair, and a killer smile. Avani came back in the room and saw that I was holding the picture frame. She paused, still as a statue, waiting, but for what? For me to ask? For me to put it back? Feeling awkward, I plunged forward.
“Is this Tru's father?”
Her face dropped. “Yes. He is the father of my son.”
I sputtered, rubbing the back of my neck. “I'm sorry.” Hastily, I put the picture back in its rightful place. “Tru told me that his father died. Again, I'm sorry. Could you tell me how he died? I hope you don't mind me asking. It's just, uh, my parents died too. I'm sure you already know though.” I whispered the last part, feeling betrayed, because just like everyone else, the only way she would know was from Tru. I shrugged the feelings away and waited.
Avani nodded. “Tru told us everything. I'm so sorry, child, that you lost your mother and father. Tru didn't physically lose his father though. It was more of a spiritual loss.” Perplexed, I looked at her. What does that mean?
Noticing my puzzled expression, she clarified. "I mean...Tru's father is still alive, but he's dead to us, the tribe, and he is no longer allowed to live here. When you do something so terrible, our justice is to disown you, and that, to any of our people, is shame. So, we tell everybody that he died because, to us”-her eyes took on a steely glint, and she crossed her arms-“he is.”
I nodded shakily. “Oh, I-I-I see." Then, I wondered where he was, and this sick feeling turned in my stomach. If Tru's grandfather wasn't the one that killed my parents, but it was a shape shifter, could it have been Tru's father? A little disgusted, I said, “I need to speak to Tru, and I was wondering where he might be.”
She smiled. “Of course, dear. Just go right out the back door and take a left. You will see a gray barn. He should be in the loft. He hangs out there a lot lately.” I thanked her and started to head out the door, but before I took a step outside, she said, “Don't worry. Everything will be alright.”
With her words filling me with a little hope, I set off.
Chapter Thirteen
Charlie
I gazed at the gray barn and hoped that it didn’t smell like horse or cow manure or anything to do with farm animals. I have an excellent sense of smell and all that funky farm animal smell going up my nose is so not something I wanted to experience before seeing Tru. I opened the door and was surprised to see nothing. Well not nothing really. There were stalls, but no animals, no hay, and no manure. Yay!
Everything seemed to be looking up. I mean, sure, I think horses are beautiful, but do I want to smell them? Uh, heck-to-the-no! I consider this a good sign. Smiling, pleased that I did not smell any funky smells, I gazed around and noticed a set of stairs.
I muttered, “There’s only one way to find out,” as I took the stairs.
I noticed a door when I reached the top, and it was slightly ajar. So instead of knocking, I nudged it open, thinking my unannounced presence may be beneficial to the conversation I hoped to have, but no. It sucked in a massive proportion. What happened was much more terrible than I imagined. It was like a nightmare, a gut-wrenching, disgusting, horrifying nightmare which, unfortunately for me, I couldn’t wake up and pretend it was just a bad dream. This nightmare, I was wide awake for. As I pushed open the door, there was no sound, no creak and no groan. There was nothing to make my presence known. When I saw Tru, I felt like a voyeur, but not in a good way. I wanted to run home and hop in my shower and wash my eyeballs out with soap or bleach, maybe even cut open my head and scrub my brain to remove the memory.
I stood, frozen in the doorway of the loft. My world seemed to be splintering, cracking and breaking at the seams. My heart stopped and then sped up again. Rage washed over my body and consumed me. I felt like a black hole of fury. Nothing could prepare me for the site of Tru lying on his bed, his shirt off, and his new girlfriend astride him, topless. I took it all in quickly, knowing that if I didn’t leave that room, I would set the place on fire. I could feel my blood boiling. Any second, this barn would be ash. Not making a single sound, my hand over my mouth and holding my tears in, I silently closed the door. Before pulling the door completely to, I gave a fleeting glance over my shoulder, noticing the beautiful picture they made together and wondering if Tru and I made just as beautiful of a scene. It was unreal knowing that, not too long ago, I was his girlfriend and we never got that far.
With the door shut behind me, I stood there breathing, going through the emotions and wondering why. How could he? How could he move on so fast? Ho
w could he want to go out with another girl so soon? How could he be over me just like that? How could he be ready to have sex?
I felt like my emotions were flickering on and off like a light switch.
Furious. Sad. Resigned.
Finally, I found something to settle on: ticked off.
I was mad as all get out. I ran from the barn to the back door of Tru’s house and straight through the front. I shot out of the house, nearly losing my footing as I stumbled over the threshold.
Jace yelled, “Charlie!” I saw him reach for me out of my peripheral. “Are you okay? What happened? Why are you running? Where are you going?”
I skid to a halt and spun around. I was sure my face was white as a sheet and I looked like I was going to hurl, but my mood quickly morphed when Jace took a step towards me.
He wobbled and teetered and then crashed to the ground. “Whoa, what the hell?” Jace spat.
Seeing Jace sprawled on the ground momentarily caught me off guard and made me forget what I had just witnessed in the loft. I glanced down and saw that his shoestrings were tied together. I looked over at Nikko, and he had his arms crossed with a smirk on his face. I lost it! I burst out laughing, and I’m not talking just a little laugh. I’m talking a full-blown, slaphappy kind of laugh. Tears streamed down my face, and my muscles ached from the convulsions of laughter that seized my body. Jace and Nikko stared at me in sheer amusement, looks of complete bewilderment smeared on their faces.
“Yeah, for my first trick as a ghost, I played it on Jace, but I didn’t think it was that funny. Thanks for being a fan.” He grinned.
I winked and smiled back, wiping the tears from my eyes.
Jace untied his shoes strings, rubbed his head, and looked at me. “I don’t think this is funny.” Jace glared at the air, trying to guess where Nikko may be. “I see you decided to do your little ghost tricks. Just wait,” he growled. “If I don’t get you back before you move on, well then when I die…” He left his words hanging in the air for Nikko to interpret them however he pleased.
A Ghost of Magic: Chosen Saga Book 3 Page 7