by Aria Sparke
Lily signed and turned her head.
Even though she was unconscious, I found it difficult to say aloud. ‘Leah died before we left Wicklow. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, but I didn’t know how.’ I took a deep breath. ‘My father killed her.’ I stroked her hair back and kissed her cheek.
Astounded, I saw tears forming in the corners of her closed eyes. As they trickled down her cheek, I shook her gently. ‘Can you hear me, Lily?’
Nothing.
‘Don’t worry, Cecilia’s coming soon. She’ll free you. We’ll be together again, I promise.’
* * *
CHAPTER 16
Lily: Swimming Against the Tide
The voice spoke to me again underwater. The warm tide tugged at me as I struggled to surface again. It had to be Flynn. Focusing on his words I pressed against the current until my face and ears were clear. It was him. He was telling me he loved me.
I tried to reach for him and to call to him, plead with him not to leave me here, but the words in my mind were too far from my tongue. I was drowning in my silence.
Flynn was telling me a story. He said he was sorry and Leah was dead. His father had killed her. Tears fell from my eyes into the ocean only filling it further.
He said Cecilia was coming and she would save me, but the ocean was getting deeper and I was drifting further away. I didn’t know if I could hang on. When was she coming? There was no time here to measure her approach.
I relaxed back into the water thinking of Leah and Cecilia until I floated into another dream. My dreams rolled into each other, so I couldn’t tell one from the other, reality from fantasy, but I accepted this one and flowed with it.
Now I was lying on a bed with a windswept drape billowing above me. Was this real? Flynn sat on a chair with his eyes closed and his head resting at an awkward angle. I’m sure he was sleeping. His face was paler than I remembered and his beautiful features were drawn. He looked so weary. I wanted to reach out and pull him into my bed, so I could look over him while he slept beside me peacefully. But I couldn’t move.
My mind floated from my bed allowing me to see it was midnight, Sunday on Flynn’s phone. I drifted straight through the windowpane without feeling or shattering it. Outside, moonlight revealed our simple cottage perched alone on a lone mountain I’d never seen before.
Now I was gliding through the air, down the mountain road until I met two cars headed up the range. Inside the first car, I could see clearly, Maeve’s pointed face and her hands gripping the driver’s wheel. Her expression was maniacal. I was sitting between her and Cheng, who was talking to her in an angry monotone.
I drifted on. Nick was driving the second car and in the other seats, dhampirs sat flexing their fists and dreaming of a bloody kill. I could see it clearly in their faces. When the cars reached the summit, Maeve and her friends climbed out and scattered before surrounding the cottage. The image faded.
I was back underwater but knew I’d seen a startling vision. I had to reach Flynn before it was too late. Over and over I tried to speak or move but failed. If I only had magic to free myself and warn Flynn.
I closed my eyes again and a vision of Anubis College rippled in my mind. Again I felt a pull to enter the gates and rush down the drive. I let the vision guide me and found it drawing me through the front doors, the foyer and under the jasmine-covered walkway to the library. Time sped up as I was sucked into the back of the library past my favorite chair. I looked up and saw the cabinet of magic books. But I didn’t have a key. I reached up and my hand passed through the glass allowing me to touch the books. For a while I puzzled over the contradiction but ignored it when I saw my hand was resting on the book titled, Healing Spells. What beautiful spirit was helping me? It didn’t matter. The answer to my dilemma lay before me and I was grateful.
Excited now, I plucked the green leather-bound book from the shelf and lay it on the floor. It sprang open at a page. I’d seen and practiced it before. It was the spell called Freeing Spirits, but what was the price? I could find no discussion of its dangers to the caster.
Slowly and carefully I read the words in my head. There were no gestures, chalk or candles needed. It just required words and belief. I knew I had to risk it and try to cast it. Over and over I read the words, and thought about those I loved. I felt strength gathering and growing in my mind. I was wrenched from the vision and sent plunging deep into the water. I relaxed and rose toward the light close to the surface. Color and light shimmered above just out of reach.
Back in the water, I chanted the words until I could feel my cells and tissues coming to life. Redoubling my efforts, I kept singing the words, feeling them grow and echo in my head like a symphony. Gradually feeling my arms and legs coming to life again, I burst through the surface and struck out against the tide, ignoring colder currents and fighting building waves. The water now a heaving, furious creature lashed at me, but I screamed the words back at it, not giving in to fear. It felt like hours as I struggled in the dark and seething water not knowing if I would win or lose.
When the tempest died as suddenly as it began, I knew I’d won. The water calmed and ebbed away from me, leaving me standing on a shoreline. I opened my eyes and saw Flynn sitting in the chair asleep.
‘Flynn.’ My voice was hoarse.
He stirred.
I shifted my weakened legs and managed to prod him with a toe through the blanket covering me. ‘Flynn, wake up, please.’
He opened his eyes and seemed startled as though he wasn’t sure whether he was dreaming or not.
‘Lily!’ He sprang from the chair kicking it over in his rush. ‘You’re back.’ He grinned and threw his arms around me. ‘I didn’t think ....’
‘It’s okay. I’m fine.’ I struggled to sit up and he propped me with pillows before calling out for the others to come and see.
‘How did you do it?’ Flynn asked as Dad burst into the room closely followed by Martin and Anya, who all hugged and smothered me with kisses.
I shook my head. ‘I was floating in an ocean.’
‘In your dreams?’ Flynn asked.
I nodded. The effort to speak was exhausting.
‘How did you break away?’ he asked as though instinctively understanding my dream and fatigue in one go.
‘I used my visions to cast a spell to free myself.’
Dad shook his head in disbelief. ‘I can’t believe you managed that. Cecilia said there was no way you’d be able to do it.’
A sudden recollection of the other vision seeped into my mind. ‘What day and time is it?’
Flynn glanced at his cell phone. ‘It’s Saturday evening, 11:30 pm.’
‘We have to leave now.’
‘Rubbish, you have to get your strength back,’ Anya said. ‘First I’ll get you some tea.’
As adrenalin surged in my body, I gained the energy to speak. ‘No, you don’t understand. I had another vision. Maeve and the dhampirs are coming here and will attack in about half an hour. We have to go.’
Daniel looked at me like I was feeble minded. ‘That’s impossible. They don’t know we’re here.’
‘I think Daniel’s right,’ Martin said. ‘Think about it. If they knew we were here, why have they waited this long to attack?’
I sat over the edge of the bed and waited for my head to stop swimming. ‘Humor me. Gather your stuff. ‘We’ll drive down the mountain and hide in a branch road to see if they pass. I’ll recognize the cars.’ I turned to my Dad. ‘Remember Sandra?’
‘Okay,’ my dad said decisively. ‘Flynn, help Lily to the car and the rest of us will gather our belongings. Go!’
Flynn lifted me from the bed.
‘I can walk,’ I protested.
‘I’m not taking any chances. When we find somewhere safe, we’ll top you up with more blood and some food.’ He carried me to the drive and opened the door of the hire car before lowering me onto the seat. I sat impatiently waiting as the others ran back and forward lugging our bags
and throwing things into the trunk.
Flynn dropped the bag with the spell books and my cante inside. ‘I thought you might want these.’
‘Thanks, but please hurry,’ I said. ‘We have to get out of here now.’ According to my vision we would only have around five minutes to spare. My breathing rate was rising as I gripped the seat with anxiety. The thought of facing Maeve again terrified me. As my vision had ended abruptly, I had no idea what she had intended to do to us, yet I had no problem imagining the worst horror.
Dad, Martin and Anya piled into one car and Flynn and I followed in the other car. Down the mountain, we pulled off into a quiet side road behind Dad’s car, and turned off the engines to sit in the stillness and wait. Flynn wound his window down to listen. A couple of minutes later we both heard the whine of a car motor.
I trained my eyes on the road hoping I was wrong. Sure enough two cars sped past us hurtling up the mountain road.
Dad came to our window. ‘We’re heading to an all night cafe. Follow us closely.’
I couldn’t help checking repeatedly in the side mirror to make sure they weren’t following us. We drove through a few quiet suburbs, twisting in and out of small streets. Eventually we reached a closed shopping mall surrounded by a few small cafes and restaurants. We parked the cars in a side street and with the help of more adrenalin and Flynn’s sturdy arm I managed to stagger to the cafe.
As we ate hamburgers and drank mugs of coffee, Daniel checked his phone.
‘Ces’ flight was cancelled after the airport was fogged in. She has to rebook her flight. I’ve told her everything’s okay and not to bother.’
Flynn frowned and rubbed his forehead. ‘Do you suppose your message to her was intercepted?’
‘It’s possible. It doesn’t matter now. I’m booking our flights out of here. We’ll fly from the airport to Sydney and get a flight home from there.’ Dad glanced at me with a smile. ‘There’s one good piece of news though. Tarek has found a new companion and they’re very close.’
So my father knew all about Tarek now. It was a relief not to have to hide it from him any longer. I was thrilled to hear it and grinned at Flynn. Now I could go back to Anubis safely.
‘I guess you’ll have to miss your exams,’ Anya said to me. ‘Will it matter?’
I tried to hide my disappointment knowing my semester of study in Australia would now be a waste of time.
‘Not a problem,’ Dad said. ‘They’re all theory exams, aren’t they?’
I nodded feeling a sense of rising hope.
‘You can do them at Anubis. Alexis can organize it with the university here. He’ll just need to verify you had to return early because of an illness in the family.’ He coughed pathetically and laughed.
‘So no excuse for you,’ Flynn said. ‘Once you’ve had your blood topped up, we’ll expect you to hit the books.’
‘Thank you all,’ I said, although once again, felt like my goals and ambitions were being carried by my friends.
‘And you,’ Flynn said folding his hand over mine. ‘Remember you saved me on that bike path.’
‘We saved each other.’ And yet I knew if I hadn’t been so reckless that night I wouldn’t have dragged the triplets and Dad into danger. And if I wasn’t so determined to be a doctor, I wouldn’t have encountered Jack and his friends.
* * *
When we finally drove through the gates of Anubis College I felt like I was coming home. I’d left my Dad in San Francisco with his promise we would be together again soon. He couldn’t afford to come to Wicklow with us because he knew the Berisha clan would find him and he didn’t want to place me in more danger by being close to me. I also suspected he didn’t want to be tempted into hunting Flynn’s father. He had many valid reasons for keeping clear of Wicklow.
Although 18 months had passed since we had first entered through these gates so much had happened and I felt like I was an entirely different person. When we reached the U.S., Cecilia had already called me to make sure I was okay. She seemed so pleased and relieved I’d survived unscathed.
We tumbled out of the car and hurried to see Alexis, who had texted us several times now that we were back. He was standing on the steps waiting to greet us.
‘I’m so pleased to see you all again,’ he said. ‘How was your journey back?’
‘Fine,’ Flynn said.
‘Oh yes, fine for the man who got upgraded to business class with his partner,’ Anya said sarcastically.
Martin looked at Lily suspiciously. ‘You didn’t fiddle with your chalk did you?’
‘For the seats?’ You think I’d risk singed hair or being morphed into a rabbit for a soft ride?’ I said in mock indignation.
‘It was pure luck,’ Flynn said grinning at me.
‘Meanwhile Anya and I battled with the livestock in economy,’ Martin said.
‘We felt deeply for you,’ Flynn said.
Alexis guided us into his office where he’d set out cake and tea. ‘I thought I might welcome you back properly.’ He turned to me. ‘You gave us quite a scare, but you look very healthy now. Are you alright?’
Dear Alexis. He had beautiful old-fashioned manners and I could sense his genuine concern. ‘I’m fine now, thanks.’
‘So she should be, she’s topped up with prime dhampir blood,’ Anya said.
‘Only the best,’ Martin said.
The triplets were in high spirits returning to their overcast world and extended family.
‘I’ve sorted your exams and you’ll be sitting them on the dates everyone else will, adjusting for the time difference.’
‘Thanks, Alexis.’ Although I knew my focus on study sounded obsessive and selfish while death and chaos lurked about us, it was keeping me grounded and stable knowing there were elements to my world that were still normal and predictable. It made me feel human.
When we’d finished our morning tea, Flynn turned to Alexis. ‘You haven’t told us about Father. What happened?’
My stomach churned at his mention of Tarek. I’d resolved that as soon as I returned to Wicklow, I’d be revising my ward spells and studying for my exams in a circle of protection. Even though he had a new girlfriend, I knew I wouldn’t be able to concentrate unless I was safe from him.
Alexis glanced at me and sighed before answering. ‘As you can imagine, he was angry. Cecilia came with me to see him that evening after you left. Tarek ranted and stormed for an hour or more after I confronted him about Leah and told him you had all gone. I thought Ces might have to resort to defending us with spells.’
‘I wish I’d been a fly on the wall,’ Martin said.
‘I think he was shocked more than anything,’ Alexis said.
‘Shocked?’ Martin scoffed.
‘He seemed stunned we accused him.’
‘And defied him, I’d imagine,’ Martin said.
‘Why? Why did he do it?’ I asked still perplexed by his violence.
‘He’d known Leah for years. She only ever helped our family,’ Anya said.
‘He gave no reason and was seemingly unrepentant.’ Alexis grimaced. ‘Of course I didn’t push it. I valued my life too much.’
‘Typical,’ Martin said. ‘We don’t get to ask hard questions of him.’
‘You know it’s in his nature,’ Alexis said. ‘Not everything can be controlled.’
Martin shook his head in obvious disgust.
‘Was he angry we fled with Lily?’ Anya asked.
‘After his rage I deemed it too dangerous to tell him. I said Lily had gone to see friends in Florida just before Bella died and that you lot drove there to collect her. I think he believed me or his rage about me questioning him over Leah distracted him from romantic inclinations.’
‘Romantic inclinations?’ Martin said. ‘Do you mean sex?’
Alexis frowned at Martin as though disapproving of his candor. ‘Anyway he has expressed interest in a new woman, so you should be safe, Lily, although I’d suggest you keep a low profile.’
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‘You need to be more explicit, Alexis,’ Martin said.
‘I don’t follow.’
‘Are they on first name basis, kissing, dating, or has she taken up residence in the family home?’
Alexis shrugged.
My anxiety was rising.
‘I still don’t understand how you managed to keep Tarek at bay for the past twelve weeks,’ Flynn said.
‘Ces told him Lily was spending a semester in a southern college,’ Alexis said.
‘And he believed it?’ Martin said.
‘I think the new relationship has distracted him because he hasn’t bothered me for weeks.’
‘She must be special.’ Martin grinned. ‘I’m dying to meet her.’
‘No one’s mentioned Avery,’ I said.
‘She’s disappeared or been sent away,’ Alexis said. ‘Tarek made it clear it was none of my business.’
‘Away? You must have some idea of the possibilities.’
‘We’re working on it.’
My stomach clenched. I’d promised Bella I’d look after her. ‘I hope that means Avery will come back.’
‘He would never harm her, you know,’ Flynn said quietly.
I tried to hide my doubt and fear.
‘I’ll talk to Ces to see what we can do to trace her if she doesn’t return soon.’
I nodded at Alexis, but my mind kept ticking over worrying about her. ‘Thanks.’
‘As for your studies next semester,’ Alexis began.
I hadn’t even thought of them.
‘Perhaps you need to do an exchange semester with a college in Florida or wherever you father is now,’ Alexis said. ‘Just to be sure.’
I felt Flynn flinch beside me.
‘I’ll decide after I’ve finished my exams,’ I said, although my heart missed a beat thinking of leaving Flynn behind again. We had just rediscovered each other since my time apart from him in Australia and in my dream state. Why couldn’t we have time together—simple, uncomplicated time? Increasingly, I felt the universe deliberately pushing us apart. It was unfair, but there was no one to whom we could shout to about the injustice. We couldn’t relent. Our only option was to keep fighting, to resist, lean back and never surrender.