Within the Cards

by Donna Altman

  “If you betray us, we’ll not be able to save you.” She told her. I saw the glare between the two of them. I knew the tension from Dee’s attempts to make a treaty with Suzi hadn’t rested in Ellie’s thoughts.

  “Ellie, we can stop them. They will take the box as a trade. They will let us live in peace.” She begged. Ellie’s thoughts were to grab Dee and break her neck for wanted to give the box to Suzi. I put my arms around Ellie to keep her from acting.

  “Never will I allow them to have control over us.” Ellie hissed at her. “I know their plans, and you’re not part of them. You’ll be removed.”

  “What about our sister Suzi?” She questioned. Dee still cared about Suzi. She grew up with her. It was harder on Dee to let go of the past. Ellie never like Suzi. For her, letting Suzi die didn’t bother her.

  “She’s one of them. She’s already dead to me.” She lashed at Dee. I tightened my grip on Ellie. I felt the tension rise in her.

  I knew the old Ellie was back but with this reaction, I saw a resemblance of the Ellie that wanted to kill the innocent girl named Trish back at Delmont. I knew Ellie’s memory was restored, but her life of the last one hundred years was still a part of her.

  Dee looked at her as Ellie turned her back. She no longer wanted to hear Dee’s pleads to make a deal with such scum. Ellie regained her composure as we explained our journey. Dee remained at the edge of the jungle. She didn’t want to join us because she knew the tension of Ellie’s thoughts.

  Elizabeth remembered the old witch as being a great grandmother of hers. The thoughts that ran thought her mind were of iced eyes. She was a strong leader in her time. She promised to right some of the wrongs of her past that the box had caused. She wouldn’t talk of these wrongs to anyone.

  “She lived way past her time.” Elizabeth explained as she held Ultress’s arm.

  “She was waiting on me.” I told her. “She was protecting Ellie.”

  I remembered Anesidora had spoken of Ellie’s and my offspring. She called him the ‘Prophecy’. This wasn’t something I would bring up but Ellie read my thoughts and giggled.

  Ellie and I returned to our hut, as did Ultress and Elizabeth to theirs. Dee stomped off into the jungle. Her anger was well established and it became overwhelming to her. She was a true witchyre. The anger and hate that was part of them fed their actions.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  SISTER DEE

  Ellie had been harsh with Dee on the beach when we returned from New Orleans. Dee wanted to be in control. She controlled her clan since Suzi left and went to live with the Lords. Elizabeth's arrival demoted her, and when Ellie brought Ultress back, Dee felt betrayed by her younger sister.

  Dee had always taken care of Ellie, but now she didn’t need her protection. Ellie had her grandparents and me. This wasn’t what Dee saw when she helped me escape from the lair. Dee anticipated joining us to build a clan that would overtake the Lords and remove her sister from her throne of power. Her plans didn’t include becoming a follower to someone else’s rule. The witchyre way was still extremely strong in Dee, and she didn’t like her reduction of power. Power was the exact thing all witchyres crave. Ellie had unknowingly offended her sister deeper than she realized.

  When Dee retreated into the jungle, a native male witchyre followed her. He had become fond of her over the time we stayed in the village. He wanted her. He would do whatever she wanted him to do just to have her with him. She seduced him with her beauty because she had a plan for him.

  She held the same beauty as Ellie but for me, I was only attracted to my maker. Dee had longer hair, which held the same black gloss of Ellie and Elizabeth’s. Her skin was as Ellie's alabaster in tone. Her frame was petite but she was much taller than Ellie. Her beauty engulfed the native witchyre. He had never been in the presence of one that was a direct descendant of the Lords. This descendant held the beauty of Elizabeth and attracted the attention of all males, mortal and immortal. She advanced herself to him and drew him into her web of deceit. He was young and didn’t see the plan he would be made to carry out.

  While Ellie and I were in our hut finalizing plans for the arrival of Suzi and the Lords, Dee returned with her new mate. He had a power that neither Ellie nor Dee possessed. He could become invisible, this also being of smell. He advanced his way into our hut. Our attention wasn’t directed at the box that belonged to Anesidora or on an invisible creature that entered our hut. Neither Ellie nor I could see him nor could I detect his scent. While our attentions were on the plans of the impending war, he retrieved the box Dee sent him for and it vanished from the place it rested. We never realized the box was missing. After Ellie and I completed our plans, our attentions turn to each other. We never missed the box.

  When the sun rose the next morning, Ellie saw the box was missing. She jumped up and turned to me.

  “Daught did you move the box during the night?” She asked.

  “No, it’s right.” My words stopped abruptly. I stared at the empty place the box once sat. Ellie and I got up from the bed and pulled on our clothes. We couldn’t believe the box was no longer where I left it. We summoned Ultress and Elizabeth from their hut.

  “What is it Ellie?” Ultress asked as he pulled on his shirt. Elizabeth walked into the hut behind him. Ellie pointed at the table where the box once sat. She explained it was missing. Then Ellie thought of Dee.

  “That damn bitch.” She yelled and moved toward the door faster than I could stop her.

  Elizabeth and Ellie made their way to Dee’s hut. They already knew she wasn’t there. They knew she had taken the box to exchange it for their safety. Ellie tore Dee’s hut apart looking for the box, but it was nowhere to be found.

  “That bitch.” Ellie proclaimed as she punched a hole in the wall of Dee’s hut. "I should have known she would do something stupid like this". I didn’t try to stop Ellie. I knew how she felt.

  “Ellie, Dee thought she was doing what was right.” Elizabeth scolded her.

  “She has marked my fate and Daught's as well.” Ellie loudly replied as she turned to look at Elizabeth. She didn’t realize she was yelling at her grandmother. I looked at Ultress worried he would take offense to Ellie’s actions.

  “What are you talking about?” Elizabeth asked. Her voice stayed calm.

  As we left Dee’s hut, Ultress explained to Elizabeth about what the witchyre he captured warned us about. This horrified Elizabeth. They could now use the box against us. As long as they didn’t possess it, they couldn’t defeat us. Now, Dee had given them the weapon they needed.

  “She may not have gotten to them yet.” Elizabeth suggested as she looked at Ultress.

  “How did she get the box from your hut?” Ultress questioned. He looked at me knowing I should have smelled anyone that entered. I couldn’t say anything. I didn’t know.

  A small voice came from behind a tree that stood at the edge of the clearing where all the huts stood.

  “Thomas helped her.” A voice came forth. It was that of a small child. I turned to the child.

  “Who’s Thomas?” I asked the child.

  “He’s my brother.” She replied. She held her hands behind her back. She lowered her head and peeked up at Ultress. He scared her, but she was curious of him.

  Her voice was soft and innocent. She looked no more than five years old. The little girl was blonde like Ultress. She had long hair with soft waves that cascaded down her back. Her eyes were blue, and her smile radiated over her entire face. When she spoke she answered our questions, but her eyes continued to go back to Ultress. His towering form intrigued her. Even at the young age of five, she knew he was her ruler.

  “How did he get into my hut?” Again, I asked this small little girl. I tried not to scare her. She wasn’t the one that angered us.

  “He’s the unseen.” She exclaimed with a smile. She tilted backward on her heels and looked up at Ultress. She thought he would be proud of her brother for his abilities.

  “He’s the wh
at?” Ellie spoke up. Ellie looked at the little girl and then looked at me. She had question in her eyes. Her tone was sarcastic, but at least she remained calm in the face of this small child.

  “You know he’s here, but you can’t see him.” She smiled. She again tilted back and forth on her heels. Her arms were now in front of her, and she clapped her hands.

  “He can make himself invisible?” Ellie responded again sounding sarcastic. She had never heard of this power before, and this shocked her. It was true a witchyre could disappear, but to become invisible and remain present in the room was strange to them. However, we learned a lot of things in the last weeks that were unknown before now. Our lives were quickly becoming a complex mess with impending war breathing down our neck. Now, we had to go on a hunt for an invisible witchyre that I couldn’t smell when he wasn’t seen.

  “Yes, ma' am,” the small child seemed to be immensely proud of her brother.

  “Come here little one.” Ultress addressed the child. He held his hand out to her direction motioning her to come to him. She obeyed knowing he was her true maker. She approached him with caution. She held her head low as she peered though the bangs that covered her forehead. He smiled at her giving her the permission she needed to approach him.

  “What’s your name dear?” He asked.

  She giggled in her small, childlike voice. This was the same giggle Ellie had, but with a child like sound.

  “I’m Graylee,” she spoke and smiled at Ultress.

  “Where’s your brother my dear child?” Ultress asked again in his gentle tone.

  “He went that way?” the child pointed. She raised her hand and pointed in the direction of the jungle. This wasn’t going to be easy. The jungle foliage was thick with multiple colors of greenery and multiple stages of growth. I seriously considered throwing myself on the grown and surrendering, but I couldn't allow Ellie to have the fate they predicted for her.

  “Now what do we do?” Ellie threw up her hands. I had to laugh at Ellie’s actions. She was able to depict humor in what was otherwise a serious situation.

  The little girl pulled on Ultress’s pant leg. He knelt down to her and asked her.

  “Yes my child. What do you need?”

  “I can find him.” She told him and smiled. Her smile gleamed with pride for her brother’s ability and for the attention her true maker showed her.

  The child explained in simple words that she could track her brother. She had the ability to track. She could smell the scent of another witchyre. This was one of the weaknesses in a witchyre. They couldn’t detect another of their kind. The only exception to this was when they were siblings, but this was different for little Graylee. She could detect all witchyres. The little girl told Ultress as she rubbed his long blonde hair that she would go with them to find her brother. Ultress looked at this little girl and smiled. She had proven to be loyal to him even at this young age.

  We started on our journey to recover the box that could end our freedom even our existence. This time Elizabeth joined us as the small child led the way. The witches that were relatives of Elizabeth vowed to stay and continue to help the rebel witchyres of the village get ready for the Great War as it was now referred.

  Ellie’s thoughts were ringing in my head. I could not help but laugh at her portrayal of our journey.

  “This is great. We’re on a hunt looking for a box that has the potential to extinguish us all. Betraying sisters stoled the box for a bunch of old farts that have sex with their own niece. This being my other sister that thinks she’s a queen and wants to kill me. The only way to find them is to look in the jungle for an invisible man, wow! He’s going to be an easy one to find. Even better, we’re being lead by a child of no more than five years old that can smell better than a wolf. Man, I have one screwed up family.”

  Elizabeth thought this too was funny. We both laughed as Ellie stuck her bottom lip out and pouted. Ultress looked at us as if we had all gone mad. While the small child known as Graylee continued on her way through the thick green foliage. She shook her head at Ellie’s thoughts. I read the thoughts of this little one.

  “She must be crazy.” Graylee thought of Ellie. I couldn’t help but laugh. Ellie hit me in the abdomen. I felt the thunder behind her lightning response to my humor.

  We continued on our journey. The child assured us Dee and her brother was not far. She made her way through the thick green jungle trees.

  “They are hiding near the waterfall waiting on the ‘stinky one’,” she exclaimed. Ellie looked at me with a bewildered look.

  “Did she say ‘stinky one’?” Ellie asked as she looked at the child.

  “Yeap, she sure did.” I smiled and began to laugh. Ellie rolled her eyes and continued following the others. I knew this child’s tracking ability nor her vocabulary had impressed Ellie. We could all read Ellie's thoughts.

  “What the hell does this child know about looking for someone in this thick mess? My god we’re wasting time. Just give me a few minutes. I’ll find Dee and knock some sense in that girl.” Ellie’s thoughts were loud. She pushed the thick foliage away from her face.

  “Ellie, you might as well say what you mean because everyone except Ultress can hear you loud and clear.” Elizabeth scolded her. Ellie rolled her eyes. I laughed.

  “I don’t care to hear her thought right now.” Ultress replied as he looked back at Ellie. Ellie pouted her lip out, and continued to push the thick jungle away from her.

  We continued further into the jungle as we came close to a large waterfall. The child stopped and pointed at the water where the fall dumped its luster.

  “See he’s right there,” she pointed. I looked at the waterfall and at the water that lay in front of it, but could not see the person that she pointed. The child again pulled on Ultress’s pant leg and pointed.

  “Watch the water. When he jumps in you can see his form.” She told him. We both watched the water. Ellie’s thoughts were again ringing out, but this time she took Elizabeth’s advice and verbalized them.

  “See I tried to tell you this was a stupid idea, but no, you wouldn’t listen to me. You choose to listen to a child.” Ellie lashed. Ultress growled. Ellie came closer to me. I hated to admit it, but I was beginning to think she was right.

  “I told you so, I told you so.” Ellie was smiling at her thoughts as I read them.

  Just as Graylee got the words from her mouth, I saw an invisible form appear as the water cascaded over him. He jumped through the waterfall and landed in the water. Dee was right behind him. They were playful as if they were celebrating their victory. Ultress and I lunged toward the water. As the invisible form pulled himself from the wetness, he met the soles of our shoes. I grabbed and pulled him from the water. He was wet, and I could see through him but I could feel his physical form. Ellie dove into the water after Dee. She grabbed her long tresses and pulled her to the edge of the water. Her anger was violent toward Dee. Elizabeth separated the two of them and held them apart. It was like watching two cats hiss at each other. The small child again tugged at Ultress’s pant leg.

  “Can I help you again little one?” he asked. Ultress was busy at the time, but he grew fond of the little girl and didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

  “Please don’t kill my brother,” she begged. Her eyes were large and wide. Ultress could see the sorrow in her tearless eyes.

  Ellie looked at me, and I looked at her. We both could feel the compassion of the small child to the one person she clung to for support. Ultress kneeled down so he could look into the eyes of the child. The child’s eyes were innocent of any crime, but he could see the fear that was in them. She was taught as Ellie had taught me to respect and love others. She smiled at Ultress reaching to touch his face. When she touched his face, she transferred the picture of the one she called the ‘stinky one’. Suzi was close by, and she wasn’t alone.

  “Tell your brother to regain his visible form. I want to speak with him.” Ultress told her.


  She looked at her brother and told him to appear. He was reluctant, but he did as she asked. I was still holding him so he didn’t vanish out of fright. Elizabeth continued to hold on to Dee and Ellie trying to keep them apart. Ultress moved near this being named Thomas. I could see the fear in him as his maker approached. I released my grip.

  “Why have you chosen to defy your maker?” Ultress asked. With shameful eyes, he peered up at Ultress’s towering form. His voice was full of remorse for his act of betrayal.

  “My betrayal is from my own weakness of lust. This has proven me no greater than the mongrel vampires we hate.” Thomas explained.

  Thomas didn’t realize his comments about the vampires angered Ultress. He grabbed Thomas by the neck lifting him up and pressed him against the rocks that form the waters fall.

  “Do you know your own heritage? I’m one of the mongrels you speak of.” Ultress lashed. Thomas’s eyes grew large. Graylee tucked her head in my side.

  “Please sir, I beg your forgiveness. You aren’t like the other vampires that I refer. I will never betray you again my king.” Thomas pleaded. He turned his head to the side because he knew his fate would soon end his immortality.

  Ultress hearing the gasp of fear from the little girl named Graylee calmed his anger. He knew she was present, and he couldn’t destroy her brother. He was the only one she trusted to take care of her. Ultress turned toward the little girl and then turned to look at Thomas as he lowered him to the ground.

  “Go with your sister and never defy me again. I’m your maker, and I’ll not have mercy on you if you betray me again. Do you understand me?” Ultress’s voice was deep and harsh again.

  “Yes, sir,” the young man named Thomas replied.

  Ultress bent down again to little Graylee and smiled. As he gave her a wink, she returned a smile to him.