Joseph heard every word and his eyes widened when the fairies agreed to change him, turn him from the man he was to the man they desired. His screams were muffled in the spell. His attempts at getting free only pulled at his joints. He was helpless and about to get what he deserved but he tried to fight it anyway. He didn’t know magic existed until he saw the wild redheaded girl holding balls of fire in her palms. Obviously, he never imagined the existence of elves and fairies…was he going insane? For a moment, he had hoped so.
Elizabeth came down the stairs slowly. Taking the steps one by one, she kept her eyes focused on the man in the air at the end of the staircase. When she reached the last stair, she stopped. Eye-to-eye, Elizabeth and Joseph stared. He blinked first. She smiled and walked into the sitting room. The room went quiet when she entered.
Sari turned to her daughter, “They’ve all agreed to help us. We all have to work on our spells to make sure each of our parts is done properly.”
Elder Sil stood up and walked up to Elizabeth, held out a hand to shake which Elizabeth took gently. He stared at her a moment, “You have a struggle within you that only you can fight. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says or does, you decide.” Elizabeth raised a brow at him then slowly pulled her hand away. She couldn’t imagine how he knew of her inner struggles, but she wasn’t about to let him touch her any longer and find out. He then turned to Sari, “We can change his future behavior. We are able to manipulate that part of a humans mind without incident.”
Sari nodded, “Excellent, we can make him forget what he did and his past actions.”
Lady Doreen appeared at Sari’s side, “I, we, can help rebuild the connection from the past to the future. This will take time. We should all eat and gather our strength before we begin.”
Sari put up a barrier of air so that Joseph couldn’t hear the plans being made for his judgment. The less he knew, the less he could fight it and make their jobs easier. “Can he hear us?” Jewel asked.
“No, I’ve encased him in air that is in constant motion. He can only hear the wind.” Sari smiled slyly.
Raina called from the kitchen, “Food is ready. Come and eat. Then, we work.”
CHAPTER 26
As the coven, fairies, and elves finished up their food, they discussed how the spells would work on the human hanging in the foyer. Sire Roberts was the one who put it all together, “The witches should do their work first since they are removing the past, then the fairies who can manipulate his future, once you both are done then the three of us,” he motioned to himself, Wesley, and Lady Doreen, “will work to connect the past and future together. It will take time, nearly all day.”
The coven members were up first, so they gathered around the young man in the foyer who still dangled in the air as his limbs were being stretched outward from unseen forces. Once the circle was formed, they held hands and began to chant the spell that would remove his past memories of the kidnapping, what he had seen Elizabeth do, what he had seen in their home, and the desires he had in the past to cause harm. The twelve members continued to softly repeat the words of the spell as they began to sway slightly side to side. Soon the words became less of a chant and more like a slow song as it started to repeat over and over.
Joseph screamed out in pain as the witches removed memories and undesirable thoughts. He could feel each memory being stripped from within the caverns of his mind. One by one his life was disappearing before him, but he knew it was no one’s fault but his own. He was the deviant who enjoyed the darkness within his soul and now he was paying a high price for that love. When there were no more memories to steal from him, he felt the witches in his mind-altering his past desires. The witches were relentless seeking out each and every piece of darkness and removing it forever, or so he thought. When they completed their spell Joseph had fainted, his head lobbed from side to side as his body continues to hang in the air.
Sari motioned to the coven members that the spell had been completed. All at once they yelled smote it be and stomped one foot to end the casting. She turned to the fairy elder, Elder Sil, “his memories have been pulled away and locked into a chamber of his mind he will never have access to, the next part of the phase is up to you.” With a wave of her hand, the witches all went into the kitchen to eat. They had worked for four hours non-stop on the spell and their bodies were famished and exhausted.
Elder Sil stepped up to the young human he was about to set his people to work on and looked him over. He had to make sure the man was physically able to handle the work that was about to start. Placing the palm of his right hand on Joseph’s heart and the left on his forehead, the elder looked inside the human to determine his capability to withstand what was next. Once he was convinced the human had only fainted due to the extensive work the witches had not and had not genuinely been hurt, he nodded to the other elders that it was their turn.
There were eighteen elder fairies in total present today, six are from surrounding states to assist. Elder Sil, the oldest of them all, was in charge. He was ancient in human terms but to fairies, he was still in his prime. The oldest of them put their right palms on the body of the human forming the first ring, there were six. The next six would stand just behind the first ring, in-between them, with a hand on either shoulder in front of them forming the second ring. The final ring would do the same with the last six being the very youngest of elders. The most powerful were closest to the human. Each ring lent their power to the next inner ring, allowing all the energy to flow into the human so that the work could be done correctly and without injury.
Elizabeth watched from the kitchen as the fairies went to work. Their bodies started to glow, each ring carried a different color. The outer was purple, the middle was blue, and the inner was white. She couldn’t hear what they said or even if they spoke, only the sound of their hum was decipherable. The vibrations from the fairies could be felt in the feet of every person in the house, their work was hard and the power that it took to complete nearly immeasurable.
Elder Sil projected himself into the mind of the human. Standing among the humans desires, thoughts, goals, ambitions, and memories. He was able to see the patches in the memories that were missing, they looked like grey spots on a whiteboard, but he wasn’t there for that. He turned to the desires and ambitions and goals, this is where his work was needed. Reaching out he scooped up the energy that reflected the desires of the human and began to mold them, reshape them, into something positive. The power flowing into the Elder was more than enough to get the job done, it was just going to take time.
Once the elder was done with the desires, he turned and grasped the energy for the goals and ambitions. One by one the elder reworked the human’s personality so that he no longer had darkness as desires. Just as he was finishing up his last bit of housekeeping, he saw a flash of an image run by. He turned just in time to see a young boy running through the human’s mind. The elder walked over and knelt down, “Who might you be?” he asked with kindness and love.
The brown-haired boy looked up at the fairy with bright blue eyes, “I am Joseph. I am lost. Can you help me?”
The fairy understood then that this is was the time in the human’s life when he lost his light and the darkness took over. Smiling at the boy, he replied, “Yes, I can. Take my hand and let me show you the way.” The tiny hand of the child was easily swallowed in the fairy’s hand. He took four steps to the elders one to keep up. With the wave of his empty hand, the fairy created a playground for the child to play in. “Go and play, this is where you should be.”
The boy’s eyes lit up and he jumped up and down, “Thanks mister!” he called out as he ran for the swings. The fairy then waved his hand again and sealed the play area so the child would never be lost again.
The human had endured eight hours of work under the witches and fairies. His mind was altered, and memories stored away for safe keeping. It was the elves turn to do their magic now, but only one elf was needed to complete the task at
hand. Lady Doreen placed her hands on either side of the human’s cheeks, holding him as if she were caressing a loved one. She brought his forehead down to touch her own and began binding the manipulated past with the manipulated future. Her power pulsated outwardly causing the air to vibrate in waves like when the ocean meets the sands of the beach. Some pulses of energy crashed on the shore while others slowly rolled in. Lady Doreen was a powerful elf, who was able to do her work quickly compared to the others. Two hours later, the human slowly fell from the air to the floor in the hands of the elf as she gently laid him down.
Turning back to the others watching her, she spoke in labored breaths, “He will sleep for many hours. Take him home. He won’t be a problem for anyone ever again,” she looked back at the sleeping human, “Joseph, we have given you a great gift. Do not waste it.”
It was a week before anyone saw Joseph leave his house. When the fairies returned him home, they stocked his fridge fully and cleaned up for him. Jewel said even though he had hurt her she knew the next few days would be hard for him. His mind would be foggy as the spells took hold and his brain adjusted to the changes.
The coven members watched online for any social media presence, in case he wanted to talk about his adventure…nothing. Once they were satisfied the young man was not going to remember or saying anything about what had happened, they pulled back their surveillance and continued their search for Jeremy. They didn’t have to go far.
CHAPTER 27
“Elizabeth,” Jewel spoke softly in her phone.
Elizabeth looked at the phone then put it back to her ear, “Jewel? Everything okay?”
“I’m at the gas station on the corner of Twelfth and Main. You’re not gonna believe who I just saw!” She was pacing inside the coffee shop across the street as she nibbled at her fingernail, a nervous twitch she had been trying to stop for some time now.
Elizabeth sat up in bed, she had been laying down reading, and pushed the book away from her, “Who?”
Jewel hesitated, breathing heavily, “Your brother and ex-boyfriend. They are all chummy and in town!”
In one fast movement, Elizabeth went from sitting on her bed to standing in the middle of her room, her heart and mind raced with excitement, “Where?” Jewel told her she was at the coffee shop and the guys were across the street, but they were getting into a truck and about to leave.
“Follow them. Stay on the phone with me and tell me where you are going! I’m on my way!” Elizabeth put the phone on speaker and rushed to throw on some clothes. Swiping up on the phone she opened her text messaging app and quickly sent a message to Wesley, her mom, and aunts. She wasn’t going anywhere without multiple people knowing where she was ever again!
Within minutes Elizabeth found Jewel parked along a side street facing the local movie theatre. Jumping out of her car, she quickly slid into the passenger side of Jewels Jeep, “Are they in there?”
Jumping and putting a hand on her heart, Jewel’s eyes wide as saucers, she replied, “Holy crap girl. Warn someone next time. Yeah, they are. We may be here a while.”
“Good. I’ve got some help coming. We are going to follow them back to wherever they are hiding out and put an end to these troubles,” Elizabeth sounded way more confident than she really was. She knew her brother was working with the Charles’ sisters and that terrified her…what worried her more was Devlon’s involvement. She still had feelings for him even though he turned against her. She had hoped above all that he would change and realize that Edom’s plans were wrong and against the very nature that created them all. Just then a thought came to her, she could talk to him. She could reach out mentally and speak with him, anytime she wanted, and anywhere he was. So, she did.
Closing her eyes to help her focus her mind reached out for him. She strained to find him among the many minds in the theatre, but when she did, she knew he was glad. She felt him smile. She didn’t speak at first, only stood in his mind and waited. She let him talk first.
“It’s good to see you, Elizabeth.”
“I’m glad you let me in.”
She saw him nod his head before replying, “Can I ask what is the reason for the visit? You don’t talk to me anymore, not since…well, you know.”
The small smile slipped from her face, “Are you helping my brother?”
He chuckled slightly, “Of course, this is about him!” He sighed, “No. He asked for my help, but I told him no.”
“Why are you with him then? Why entertain him if you aren’t on his side?”
“I’m still his best friend, even if I don’t think his idea of how things should be is right.”
“You don’t?” Elizabeth was shocked at this small revelation. Devlon always gave his allegiance to Edom and she assumed that would flow over to Jeremy.
He reached out to grab her hand, she allowed him to, “After the thing behind your house and you took my items from me… I was angry. I was livid. It took me weeks before I could think straight.”
“And?”
“And, I realized they were wrong. Our magic was meant to help people, others like us. I had to change.”
“Seriously?” Just as she asked the question, she felt someone shaking her body, she disconnected and opened her eyes to see Wesley standing there.
“Hey! When did you get here?” Elizabeth asked him.
“Just now. Jewel said you’d been like that for a few minutes. Did you talk to him?” His face showed little emotion but the tone in his voice held a slight hint of jealousy.
“Him?” She teased. She knew she shouldn’t tease the man who loved her and truly only wanted her safe, but she couldn’t help herself.
He tilted his head just slightly and raised a brow, “Yes…him!”
“Yup,” she said and turned to Jewel, “you can read auras, right?”
“Yeah,” she hesitantly replied.
“Good, when they come out, I need you to read Devlon’s. He basically said he wasn’t on the side of Jeremy anymore, if not…we could use him in stopping my brother.” As she spoke, she looked between the flawless fairy beauty and the gorgeous elf.
Wesley started to speak but closed his mouth quickly. He did that about four times before any words passed his lips, “Are you sure that’s the best choice?”
Elizabeth thought hard before answering. She’d look around, back and forth, then down at her hands. She knew her emotions played a large part in the decision she was making but she couldn’t see why they wouldn’t use him if he were willing. He was close to Jeremy. Jeremy trusted Devlon above all others. Why wouldn’t you use an asset like that? She glanced upward and over to Wesley, “I’m sure,” she turned to Jewel, “will you check his aura. I need to know if it’s truly changed. His aura is the one thing he can’t manipulate!”
Jewel nodded with a sly smile, “Absolutely!” Hopping out of the Jeep, Jewel jogged across the street and entered the movie theatre. The concession stand was empty save for one customer, Devlon. “Thirsty after your little talk?”
Devlon shook his head and turned toward his former classmate, “Jewel, nice to see you. What honor brings you to my presence?”
Jewel talked blindly with him for a few minutes as she scrutinized the man’s aura, each layer that shone off him was identified and judged. Ten minutes later, she came back to the Jeep and turned the engine to life. Turning to Elizabeth and Wesley, she confidently said, “He’s telling the truth!”
CHAPTER 28
On Sunday, the witch’s, elves, and fairies gathered to celebrate the work they had accomplished together. They had worked as one for the first time in centuries and they knew it was worthy of a celebration. There was music, food, drinks and plenty of reason to be happy.
Elizabeth stood on the side of it all the entire afternoon as she kept turning over in her head the conversation, she had had with Devlon. It ate at her that she didn’t ask him to do something. If he had genuinely changed like he and Jewel said, then he was the key to Jeremy. Jeremy trusted him expl
icitly and she needed to use that against him.
“Are we planning something great in there?” Wesley asked softly in her ear as he came up behind her.
She smiled, “Maybe?”
“Are you flirting with me, Miss Fairbairn?” He turned her around, so she now faced him as he embraced her around her waist. His smile faded when he looked into her eyes and saw it wasn’t him, she was thinking of. “You think of him while our people celebrate such a victory?”
Dropping her head onto his chest, she mumbled, “Not in any special way other than we could use his help.”
He lifted her chin so that he could look into her eyes and lingered there before saying, “If you can trust him then I will try. But I make no promises. I want to tear his throat out!”
Elizabeth knew in his own way he was trying to protect her. Even the threat of ripping his throat out made her smile, “I know but I want to try. I just don’t know what the next step is.”
“How about we plan nothing for now and see what happens?” His voice was calming, and she knew he was right. This was the time to celebrate, tomorrow she could plan and plot.
The afternoon rolled into the night and slowly, one by one, everyone began to leave and go home. Elizabeth, Sari, Reba, and Raina too the rest of the night to clean up before retiring themselves.
Tuesday morning Elizabeth received a text from Devlon - I need to meet you. Can you come to the coffee shop?
Hesitant but also curious, Elizabeth agreed and then asked Jewel and Wesley to meet her there as well. After two hours of loud debating inside the coffee shop, the four of them climbed in their vehicles and drove to Elizabeth’s house. Once there, Elizabeth reminded Wesley that Devlon was there to help and to try and stay calm.
Awakening Fate (The Chronicles of Elizabeth Fairbairn Book 4) Page 11