by Marta Szemik
“Willow?” Castall looked around.
“She went to get water,” William answered.
Castall nodded. “You should be fine for a few days. Safe from Aseret, but there’s a witch named Xela bearing the imprint of the sphere who wants Sarah.”
Xander stiffened.
William placed his arm around me, pulling me closer to his side.
“What does she want from us?” I asked.
“She wants you, Sarah. Be careful. I have not seen her in some time and couldn’t find her in the underworld. According to Hannah’s reading, she wants to be you. Somehow she expects to control you and it could destroy the prophecy. Aseret would no longer have to fear the future.”
I locked my eyes with William. Our children were supposed to save the three species.
“Hannah?” I felt my forehead wrinkle.
“Our mom,” Mira whispered.
“I will not let Sarah out of my sight,” William declared. “But there may be a problem. We think we’ve been cursed.” He squeezed my arm. “We can’t get close. Even at the touch of our hands, our hearts ache.”
My family looked puzzled as we hadn’t had a chance to share the vision of our future.
“If we are to fulfill the destiny Aseret fears, we will have to get close.” William moved his brows up.
A rush of fresh blood made its way up into my cheeks.
Castall came closer. “I wonder if . . .” He placed one hand on each of our heads, saying, “Let it be cleared.”
Energy left my chest. William slumped beside me. Then the current sank back into our bodies. Nothing had changed. My heart still throbbed at William’s touch.
“I cannot remove the spell. It’s blocked,” Castall said. “I can’t feel another spell on you. Something else must have been done. It’s flowing through your veins. I’m afraid until we figure out who did it, there’s not much we can do.”
“We think it was a tampered potion,” William suggested.
“Then Hannah can figure it out. Take them to the hill,” Castall said to Xander, “then come and get your mother to join you. Build your strength. Our fight has just begun. I bid you well.” He thumped Xander on the back and kissed Mira on her head, then disappeared into the purple mist in the tree.
“What’s with the friendly goodbye?” I asked Mira.
“Oh, that’s our father,” she answered with a shrug.
“Right,” I said, adding under my breath, “Just when I thought I had it figured out.”
“You don’t know the half of it!” Xander laughed. “Like, me having to have zits in high school and stretch my height two feet to be unlikable. I’m a likable guy, don’t you think?” He winked at me and flashed his famous flirting smirk.
“She’s no longer available, Xander,” William said.
I never was. I smiled kindly at Xander, who chuckled at William’s jealousy.
Willow and Alex returned from the stream with makeshift satchels trickling with water. I put my fist back up to my chest.
“It still hurts?” William asked, looking at Alex.
“Yes.”
“We’ll figure it out,” he assured me.
“Drink, before it drips away.” Willow handed me the first satchel. I didn’t let a drop escape.
As our dehydrated bodies filled with liquid, Willow and Alex ate their berries. I drew more from the water than its moisture—I drew life. Ever since we touched the crystal, I realized I could borrow life from all living things and morph that life into energy. I’d felt it before but never understood it.
“Thank you,” Alex said in her shy voice, “for saving my life.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied.
“I’m sorry we didn’t listen to you, Alex,” Ekim said.
“And I’m sorry we didn’t trust you,” I added. “If it wasn’t for you, we probably would not have made it out. How did you know the maze changes its shape and paths?”
“I’m a witch. I will always remember the way I’ve already travelled,” she said.
William remained quiet, studying Alex. When she spoke, his neck stiffened. I wondered what he knew that I didn’t. We had no reason to doubt the witch. After all, she helped us.
“Okay, let’s get going before night sets in,” Xander said, jumping down from a tree he’d climbed to scan the terrain. “The path is clear.”
“Wait!” William turned his attention to Alex. “Why do you fear losing me?”
“It’s not true!” Alex took a step back. “I only fear Sarah losing you.” She paused. “I know about the spell that keeps the two of you apart.”
“How do you even know about us?” he asked.
“The prophecy of half-breeds coming underground is well known in the underworld. Aseret took me in because he wanted me to take your powers away so he could use them for himself,” she explained as she slowly glided toward us.
“Why you, and why didn’t you help him?” asked William.
“Although it hasn’t been determined yet, I know I’m a good witch. I wouldn’t do anything to be marked by a sphere. My powers cannot be used for anything I don’t feel is right. I couldn’t do as he asked. Aseret thought I could remove the spell that prevented him from getting your powers because my marking hasn’t been decided.”
I heard Xander’s shortened breaths as he stepped back, seeming to be lost in thought.
“What spell?” I asked.
“The spell that keeps you two apart. He thought his spell was blocking his ability to take your powers, and he wanted me to help him remove it.”
Xela seemed to be standing closer to William each minute.
“I thought a cursed potion is keeping us apart,” William suggested as the side of his arm brushed mine.
“It wouldn’t matter whether he used a spell or a potion to curse you. The point is he did.” Alex’s voice grew in confidence each time she spoke.
“Why couldn’t he take the curse off himself?” Ekim rose from his crouch and tossed the hare’s carcass into the brushes.
Alex shrugged. “He didn’t say. Aseret wouldn’t entertain anyone with an explanation.”
“That sounds like him,” Mira murmured, crossing her arms.
“I don’t understand why he cursed them.” Willow said.
“So Sarah and William couldn’t fulfill their prophecy where two unique beings are to overthrow Aseret and rule both worlds.” Alex turned back to us.
William’s gaze found mine.
“Aseret is the only one who can remove it,” my father said.
“How do we get Aseret to remove it if he wouldn’t for his own gain?” I asked.
“If he needed my help, it must mean something’s stopping his to do so.” Alex explained.
Two mocking jays began their morning songs above us.
“We should head to the hill.” William did not look satisfied with the witch’s explanations. He still focused on Alex as he added.
Atram’s stomach grumbled. The small meal from the hunt hadn’t appeased months of malnourishment.
“We’ll eat there—I promise,” William said to his father.
Xander frowned but said nothing. I’ve known for years now that he didn’t like it when others took charge.
Six of us could travel at great speed with our superhuman powers. I welcomed the wind pressing against my face and limbs. It felt right to move at such speed. Atram carried Willow as he ran through the forest, jumping over downed trees and ducking under low branches. Ekim, despite his hunger, kept up with his friend’s quick pace. Xander held Alex tightly in his arms—I thought his squeeze on the witch was too strong. The feeling of jealousy surprised me; after all, Xander was like a brother to me.
We arrived at the hill in less than ten minutes, slower than normal, but Xander insisted on stopping every few miles. He trusted Harlow, who had been overhead since we emerged from the underworld, but insisted on climbing the tallest tree to scout our passage from above, making sure Alex watched his every move.
The sun dipped below the horizon, and we arrived at what looked more like a higher mound of shrubs and trees at twilight. I didn’t expect much and wondered if “the hill” was a code word for another hidden cabin as Xander pressed his palm against the trunk of a tree and unveiled a concealed doorway. We followed the siblings through a gap in the yellowing grass, and I inhaled the aroma of fresh mint and rosemary, Mrs. G’s signature scent—we had entered Mira and Xander’s other home.
The turf-covered door opened into a large combination family room and dining area. Furniture made of wood and other materials from the forest blended with the organic space. Roots sprang out of the ceiling and snaked a few feet across its surface before pushing back into it. A hanging basket chair dangled from one of the ceiling roots to the left; others suspended candle chandeliers, dried herbs, baskets of berries, and cloths and towels hung to dry. Though organized for convenience, everything worked more as décor than utility.
The underground hill contained everything a home should have and even if this wasn’t the Amazon, it felt cozy. I wondered whether I would return to the jungle and if anything remained of the cabin.
We spent a quiet evening at the hill. I stayed close to William, the sizzling electricity between us pulling us closer. As difficult as it was to be together, it was becoming harder to be apart. The vision we’d shared in the underworld showed a spark of a promise, enough to elevate hope. At least I knew we’d be together. I was grateful to no longer see the fears William recognized and found it easier to concentrate. I imagined Willliam appreciated not having my visions.
We were closer to each other than before and shared more than our thoughts or visions; we shared our souls. Eagerness filled me, and I couldn’t wait until our bodies connected without painful electric shocks.
I sat in the wicker chair that hung from the ceiling, watching William cook, wondering when he caught the extra rabbits on our way here. His eyes glowed as he whistled a tune from one of his songs under his nose. My gaze fell to the muscles flexing in his upper arms, exposed when he’d rolled the sleeves of the shirt he’d borrowed from Xander, and I recalled a favourite dream:
I sucked in a deep breath when his mouth made its way down the back of my neck, and with it came his scent of jasmine, rose, and lilac overlaying a woodsy musk. Taking the satin of my halter in his teeth, William pulled, ripping the thin material. Holding one of the torn ends in his mouth, he travelled downward, close to my skin, until the dress hung halfway on my body, exposing my perky breasts. He pressed his bare chest against me, still supporting most of his weight with his hands. I arched my back, pushing my torso toward him. His hard body dropped even closer. My eyes closed, and I listened as fabric split, then glided over the loveseat, down to the floor.
I returned to reality to see William staring at my smile with great interest. My jaw tensed and I tried to shift my thoughts to the critters that might be lurking in the earthen ceiling.
He came to kneel beside me. “There are no bugs here, Sarah. I asked Mira to talk to them,” William whispered, then chuckled.
“Oh, after what I’ve seen, I’m not afraid of bugs anymore,” I said.
“If you say so, but that’s not what your aura tells me.” He winked, “You don’t have to fear that we’ll never be together. Remember what we saw. There’s only one way to do that.” William gently kissed the inside of my palm, sending fire through my veins. The ache and frustration returned and I had to keep busy to keep my mind off the curse.
We made arrangements for the next day. Xander and Mira would leave in the morning to join Mrs. G in her journey to the hill. We were hoping she might have an answer to the problem of the spell. Atram and Ekim would hunt.
Willow wanted to make a family dinner to celebrate our reunion. Giggling, she’d hug William and me whenever she had a chance, and I welcomed the embrace each time. Alex volunteered to help with dinner. Willow and Alex behaved like best friends.
William observed Alex constantly, keeping his distance, brows drawn downward. “I don’t like her here,” he whispered to me.
“If it wasn’t for her, we’d still be underground. Just bear with her for now, please?”
“For now,” he grudgingly conceded.
That night, we lay on the mattress in the second bedroom, me on one side, William stretched far on the other side, hands under his head. My longing to touch him in the way I always dreamt of trembled my hands. The same fire and hunger shone in his eyes. Unable to act on my desire, I closed my eyes, remembering my dream again
William’s lips tasted like raspberries. His eyes were closed. The lights were dimmed, and the soothing fragrance of vanilla candles hung in the air. I pulled the loveseat’s white coverlet over William’s naked back. I knew it was my dream and no one would walk in on us, but I needed this moment to be completely between us. I wanted to be enclosed as much as we could be.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“No.” I laughed quietly. “I couldn’t be hotter.” I placed my palms on his hips to guide him where we both knew he was ready to go.
“I know.” He gazed into my eyes and smiled. My longing and desire blossomed. Taking this as a welcome, he came forward; I arched my pelvis toward him, unwilling to wait any longer. Joy and pleasure sparkled in the turquoise eyes still fixed on my face.
Being so close was everything we’d wanted. Our hearts and our bodies were truly one. We completed each other. I smiled at William, tasting blood as my fangs pierced my lower lip. Then the vampire inside me overpowered my human side, and I lost control.
The rest of the evening became a beautiful dance as our bodies connected fiercely, tumbling across the floor of a night club somewhere in New York City.
“What are you thinking about?” William asked.
“You.”
“Have I been a good boy?” He peered at me from below his eyelashes. I knew he read the lust on my face, felt the small vibrations of my body no one else would have noticed.
“You’ve been good in a bad way.” I bit my lower lip.
William moved closer, as if inexorably pulled by gravity. “Soon, Sarah. Soon.” He srouched his lips to my forehead. “Get some rest.”
“Good night.”
“Don’t let the bed bugs bite,” William whispered.
The walls of the cave-like dwelling absorbed most sounds, except for Mira’s and Xander’s chuckles outside our room. I shook my head ruefully, then took a deep breath in and closed my eyes, falling asleep within minutes.
Chapter 21
The morning bustle began before diurnal creatures stirred.
“We should be back by dinner time. Stay inside; we’ll get the herbs for you,” she said to Alex.
“Thank you.” Alex inclined her head.
“Keep applying this cream.” Xander handed me one of Mrs. G’s herbal concoctions to heal the red spots on our bodies.
After the siblings left, I cleaned up the kitchen. William stole painful kisses as we dried the dishes. The smell of fresh rabbit baked in bread filled the house. Willow hummed under her breath, swinging her narrow hips from side to side. Atram and Ekim compared floor plans of the dungeons they’d drawn with sticks in the dirt floor by the fire pit. Alex waited patiently for Willow to assign each new task.
As I looked at them, I realized I had never been happier before in my life. Willow, Atram, Ekim, William—my family. I missed my mom, and Helen, but I knew how fortunate I was to be here with the rest of my family. Things could have gone so wrong in the underworld, but they hadn’t. I was grateful for that.
A few weeks earlier, I’d had no one. Now we were all here, completing one another’s lives. I tingled with joy—which triggered a new premonition:
William and I walked hand in hand through the largest sunflower field I had ever seen. The plants were in full, brilliant bloom, and there was no end to the yellows. The sun was low in the sky, illuminating the flowers with its mellow glow so they looked like golden crowns.
William slipped his arm around my waist.
“Here.” I pointed to the picnic blanket in the middle of the field.
“It’s beautiful,” he said, kissing the back of my hand. “Are you ready?”
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.” I turned to face him.
He took me in his arms and kissed me passionately. We didn’t feel any pain. Locked in an embrace, we lost our balance and fell to the blanket while laughing. Our limbs entangled.
“I don’t think I can eat now,” I said to William.
“I, on the other hand, am hungry,” he answered with a spark in his eyes. His hands travelled down my chest, quickly unbuttoning the first layer of my clothing.
The vision eneded and I screamed. A plate fell out of my hands and shattered on the hard floor. Everyone rushed to my side.
“What did you see, Sarah?” William asked as my eyes rolled back down.
“Me and you getting ready to . . .” I gave him a meaningful look so I wouldn’t have to be specific. Then I knelt to collect the pieces of broken plate to avoid everyone’s stare.
“Oh.” William raised his brows. “And you didn’t want to?” He knelt beside me, taking the pieces of broken ceramic out of my hands.
“We’ll leave you two alone,” Willow said abruptly, taking Atram by his hand and waving for Ekim and Alex to follow her to the far side of the living area.
“I did—I do, but the way I saw us . . . I wasn’t there. You were with someone else.”
“You know I would never touch another woman. You are my true match. I would never hurt you.” He brushed my cheek with the back of his hand.
“I know. It was me, but . . . I didn’t feel like it was me.” I huffed in frustration.
“Do you think your visions have changed because of the crystal?” William asked.
“I’m not sure.” A tear streaked down my cheek. “William, I should be happy. . . you and I were together . . . but I’m afraid. I feel danger and loss of hope.”