“Creepy?”
“You’re way too old for me.”
“We married far younger than those of your generation do, and I was only a few years older than you when I met my end. At that time, all the fair maidens were at my beck and call. Now I am just a phantasm, lurking around and longing for a home. This is merely a prison. Paradise awaits us on the other side.”
“Heaven?”
“Yes.”
“We’re working hard to try and unlock the curse that’s holding you here.”
“I know, and I thank you for all your hard work.”
“Tell me more about the words. Do I just go back and read them?”
“You must wait until the stroke of midnight on Saturday, when the full moon hangs in the sky. Also…”
I did not like the way he hesitated. “What else?”
“I am afraid it requires blood.”
“What!? What kind of blood?”
“Yours. You must slash your hand and let your blood drip directly onto the words. Only your blood will achieve our goal.”
“All right, but how do I explain this? I can’t just walk up to the teachers and say, ‘Sorry, but I need permission to leave my room at midnight to sneak into Isabella’s room and cut myself so I can chant some sentences to give sanctuary to some ghosts.’”
“I do not know how, but you must accomplish this. We are counting on you, Zoey. You are truly our one remaining hope.”
“How will I even know it worked?” I asked.
“You will see a shield encircling the castle.”
“Why does it have to be my blood?” I asked. “You have failed to explain that.”
“You come from the purest bloodline, Isabella’s.”
“What!?”
“You are a descendant of Isabella. I know you’ve suspected that.”
I was silent for a moment as I put it all together in my head. “Ew! You are her brother, and I am her relative. Why were you saying those romantic things to me? Gross!”
“As you might recall, I was adopted. We do not share the same blood, my dear.”
“That’s right,” I said, recalling our previous conversation about his murdered parents.
“It is part of my motivation for wanting to be freed,” he explained. “I wish to meet the parents who gave me life, my blood mother and father. My mother died with me in her belly, but I wish to put them at peace, to let them know I lived a great life. When the doctor removed me from her, I wasn’t even breathing,” he said, his voice wavering, “yet I lived. I have to believe my life meant something, even though it was brief. I was killed at such a young age.”
“Of course it meant something. I completely believe that.”
“You look so much like Isabella,” he said. “It’s quite uncanny really.”
“Just like the portrait,” I replied.
“Yes.”
I paused, then spoke again. “Why was I drawn here?”
“It is your destiny to free us.”
“And the necklace is Isabella’s?”
“Yes. It carries great power, so you must be careful with it.”
“I want to know more.”
“I have already disclosed more than I should have.”
“But you haven’t explained how to lift the curse, and you said that’s the forbidden part.”
“Yes, but Isabella should tell you more about your heritage.”
“Do we all have psychic abilities?” I asked. “My mother can speak to the dead. I’ve always thought she’s just crazy, but here I am having a conversation with a dead prince.”
“Everyone in your bloodline is gifted. The psychic gifts must only be triggered, which happened the second you stepped foot in this castle.”
“I did have a vision rather quickly. I watched a murder take place. Is there a way to stop it?”
“Nothing is written in stone.”
“Except those words I have to bleed on,” I countered.
“Well, those are actually written in wood,” he said with a chuckle.
“I’m glad to hear that though. Someone I care about died in my vision.”
“Would it be inhospitable of me to ask the identity of the victim?”
“Inhospitable?” I said, laughing. “You interrupted my date with Hunter and possessed my boyfriend. I think we’re somewhat beyond the lines of hospitable.”
“My apologies. Please tell me who met their demise in your vision.”
“Hunter, and there is no way I will let that happen, even if I am mad at him.”
“Have you had any other visions?” he asked.
“Yes, but not many. I did see a flash of the attack on the castle.”
“More visions will come.”
“I don’t want them,” I said. “I don’t wanna be like my mom. Gosh, I have so many questions.”
“I know. In time, you will have your answers.”
“How did Isabella get the necklace?” I asked. “How does it work?”
“She received it from her mother. It only works for those of the pure bloodline, but the special energy from the necklace you harness has been activated by the sapphire.”
“But the visions started the second I walked into the castle. And I hadn’t touched the sapphire yet.”
“The sapphire sensed your presence and your abilities were triggered. It drew you to where it was hidden. And then when you touched it, you were taken to the next level.”
“How does my mom have powers when she’s never been near the sapphire?”
“She only has natural abilities that are in your bloodline. She can speak to the dead but that’s all she can do. She doesn’t hold the power you hold because you’ve touched the stone. She can never freeze time.”
“If she touched the stone, could she?”
“Not without the necklace.”
“Interesting. So my necklace was activated when I stepped foot on the property and supercharged when I actually touched the stone.”
“Yes. And with each passing day, you are getting stronger like your mother. You’re tuning in on your special gift to talk to the dead.”
“So the sapphire is like a power source?”
“Yes. But it only works with the right combination. You had the stone, the necklace, and you come from the right blood line. The stone’s power surged, activating your necklace. You must now only learn how to control it.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?”
“You will need a teacher.”
“Well, so far, it seems all I’m learning is how to play the piano.”
“I haven’t the time at this moment, but I can teach you about the necklace.”
“You’re a big mystery, aren’t you? I wish I could put the pieces together, but in the meantime, thank you for what you’ve told me.”
“Your gift grows stronger every day. When Isabella visited you in the library, you couldn’t even see her, but now we are having a conversation.”
“I still don’t understand, especially why I was chosen. I’m not anybody special.”
“You are far more special than you realize, Zoey.” He took a step back. “I must go now.” And with that, he disappeared.
Once the ghost was gone, I pondered everything he’d told me. It was so much to take in, so overwhelming. It was somewhat of a shock to realize the castle was part of my heritage, something that belonged to my family. I was part of it, but I was still quite confused about my history and where I fit into the grand scheme of that allegedly pure and gifted bloodline.
Chapter 24
Back inside the castle, I found Pam and told her everything William had told me. I also let her know I was none too fond of him possessing Hunter, and I broke the news to her about Hunter’s indiscretions.
“You didn’t even give him a chance to explain,” Pam said.
“What’s to explain? He has a girlfriend here to keep him happy and one waiting for him with open arms when he gets back. He admitted it, and I didn’t want to
hear his excuses.”
“He’s always listened to you. Don’t you think you owe him at least that?”
“No. I’m not like other girls. I did feel lucky to have him, but no matter how gorgeous he is, I can’t just let something like that slide. I don’t operate like that. I have too much respect for myself. I’m sure he’ll flock to one of the others, some chick who won’t mind his girlfriend back home.”
“I’m sorry. I’m here for ya, bestie,” she said, patting me on the shoulder.
“Thanks.” I glanced out the window of my room. “Whoever the next girl is, she’ll be lucky.”
“Maybe not so much,” Pam said. “He’s a cheater, and he kept a secret girlfriend from you.”
“Yeah, and in the end, she’ll be the one who gets to keep him.”
“Do you know what she looks like?” Pam asked.
“No. I kinda wish I did. I wonder if she’s prettier. I’m sure he’ll post pictures, now that he’s not hiding her anymore.”
“I bet she’s a dog.”
“If you don’t mind, I’m gonna grab a box of tissues and cry the afternoon away.”
She patted my hand. “Being alone is the last thing you need right now.”
“I guess. It didn’t seem to bother me so much at first, but I guess I was just numb. It’s hitting me hard now. Any minute, I’m gonna erupt into a hot mess of tears, and I don’t want you seeing me like that. I appreciate you so much, Pam, but I really just need to be alone right now.”
Suddenly, a knock came at the door, startling me.
“Hey. It’s me,” Hunter said quietly from the other side.
“Go away,” I answered. “Just leave me alone. Go email your real girlfriend or something.”
Pam met my gaze. “Just hear him out.”
I slowly nodded. “You’re right. Please let him in.”
“Okay. I’m gonna go so you can have some alone time. I’ll come back and check on you in a few hours.”
“All right. Thanks.”
On Pam’s way out, rather than being her usual catty and sarcastic self, she just said, “Hello, Hunter,” then walked out.
“Zoey,” Hunter began, “I wanted to give you some time to cool down.”
“I only let you in for some answers. That’s all. We’re over, Hunter. I hope you know that.”
“If that’s what you want, but I care about you so much.”
“Just as much as you care about your girlfriend back home?”
“Her name is Becky, Becky Collins.”
“And what does this Becky look like?” I asked. “Some sort of Kim Kardashian/Kate Upton hybrid?”
“I have a picture on my phone, if you’d like to see it.”
“Of course you do. Show me.”
He pulled up a picture and held it out toward me. The photograph was of him, with his arm around a skinny, blue-eyed redhead. She was dressed in a tight green sweater and wearing a wide smile; it sickened me that she looked just as happy as I did when I was on his arm.
“She’s pretty,” I said. “I can’t believe you’d cheat on her with me. It makes me feel like a scoundrel. She doesn’t deserve that…and neither did I.”
“Looks aren’t everything. We use to fight all the time.”
“So? Every couple has spats.”
“Not big and ugly like ours. She’s awful, Zoey. We have nothing in common, and she nitpicks me every chance she gets. She wants me to be something I’m not. She even expects me to give up my music, and it’s my life. I’ve never felt so suffocated by anybody before. That’s one of the reasons I’m here. I had to get away from her. Things weren’t working out, and I’ve never loved her.”
“Then why didn’t you just grow a pair and properly break up with her?” I asked.
“It’s complicated.”
“Bull, Hunter. If you don’t want to be with someone, you cut them loose.”
“Seriously. She’s the daughter of one of my dad’s best clients. He’s working on a huge merger, and if I just dump her, my dad would be cut out of the deal. He’d lose thousands.”
“You don’t know that. Business is different.”
“No, this guy will do anything for his daughter. She’s spoiled and always gets what she wants. I tried to break up with her once, and he started refusing to answer my dad’s calls. My father made me call her and talk to her, call the breakup off.”
“That’s horrible.”
“I figured if I came here for the school year, I’d get away from her for a while. I was hoping she’d find somebody else in the meantime and leave me alone. I hardly talk to her, and I don’t love her, but I don’t know how to get out of it. I desperately want to end it, but my father won’t let me until I get back, when the merger is settled in July.”
“That’s awful! It’s extortion or something. How can your father do that to you, use you like that?”
“I don’t know, and it’s not even fair to Becky either. I feel like I’m caught between a rock and a hard place. If my dad loses this deal because of me, he’ll never forgive me.”
“It must be pretty difficult.”
“It is, but I can’t take it anymore.” He reached for his cell phone and started dialing.
“Who are you calling?” I asked. “Her?”
“No.”
He put it on speaker when a woman answered. “Mom?”
“Hunter! Hi, honey.”
“Mom, I’m breaking up with Becky,” he blurted out.
“You will do no such thing! Think about your father, young man. If you dump her, you’ll ruin everything your dad has worked so hard for. He’ll lose that deal, honey.”
“I met somebody here. Her name is Zoey, and she is the love of my life.”
“That’s wonderful, and I’m happy for you, but you mustn’t end things with Becky just yet.”
“It’s not fair to her either, to fake her out and lead her on like this.”
“I told you not to date her in the first place.”
“I know, and you were right. I know that now.”
“You’ll ruin everything, son.”
“I can’t help it. I can’t let this fake relationship ruin things with Zoey.”
“Hunter, you mustn’t do this. Think long and hard about it and the consequences it will have for this family.”
“I can’t live a lie.”
“You can, and you will.”
Hunter sighed. “I’ve gotta go. I love you,” he said before he hung up the phone and looked at me.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I said.
“Yes I did. I don’t want you to have any doubts. I wanted you to hear it straight from my mom.”
“She sounded mad.”
“I don’t care. I didn’t want to hide anything from you, but I didn’t know how to explain it. What was I going to say? ‘Hi, Zoey. It’s nice to meet you, but by the way, I kinda have a girlfriend back home that I’m faking out just so my dad can make a few bucks.’”
“Right. That probably wouldn’t have gone over so well with me,” I said.
“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you.” He gazed deeply into my eyes. “When I met you, Zoey, you turned my world upside down. I can’t eat, can’t sleep. All I can do is think about you. I can’t explain it, because I’ve never felt this way before. No girl has ever done this to me. At this point, I don’t care what happens to my dad’s business. I’ll break up with Becky right now. I’ll call her and tell her everything, and no matter what Mom says, I don’t care about the consequences. I want you and only you. When this school year is over, I want us to continue our relationship.”
“How? We live so far apart.”
“I’ll be eighteen at the end of June. Then, my mom and dad won’t be able to legally stop me from doing whatever I want. I’ll move to New Orleans and get an apartment. I can get a job, and—”
“What about college? I want to go. That’s one of the reasons I’m here, to help me get accepted at a great university.”
“I’d rather work on my music,” he said. “I really believe I can make a career out of it.”
“Hmm.” I looked at him intently, trying to judge if there was sincerity lurking behind his eyes. “Well, there’s no need to plan out our whole future just yet. Let’s just spend the school year together. We have enough on our plates right now anyway.”
“I can’t help it. I want you to know I’m serious about us, Zoey. Of course I wanna spend the rest of the school year with you, but the thought of losing you in June… Well, my heart can’t take it. It might sound corny, but I feel like we are really soulmates or something. I’m tired of all the lying and deception, and I’m kind of glad that ghost of yours told you the truth. I want to make it official, break things off with Becky. It’ll bring the wrath of my father down on me, but maybe that’s the only way to get a phone call from him.”
“I can’t believe you’re willing to do that for me,” I said.
“I won’t lose you over a girl I don’t love. She means absolutely nothing to me. Besides, it’s the best for everyone, her included. She’s a brat, and she’s annoying, but she deserves to know the truth so she can move on with her life. I’ve never felt right about leading her on.”
“If you really feel so strongly about me, it’s only right for you to end it with her,” I said.
“I agree, and I will.” He sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Boy, I feel like a huge burden was taken off my shoulders.”
“William told me some other stuff too.”
“Really? What did he say?”
“He wants me to slice my hand and drip blood over those inscriptions we found in Isabella’s room. It has to be done at midnight, under a full moon.”
“What!? That sounds insane, like something out of some twisted fairytale.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t trust him.”
“I’m on the fence about it.” I then went on to explain the entire story from start to finish.
“We don’t really know William,” Hunter said, still not convinced. “You have no idea what those words say. For all you know, you might open the front door to Hell and unleash all kinds of chaos, with hellhounds, demons, and evil spirits galore.”
“He said it will create a barrier of protection.”
“He’ll say anything to get you to do his bidding. Remember, Zoey, that this guy has been letting others possess you in the middle of the night just so he can listen to his own private piano concert.”
Enchanted Dreams - Book 3 (The Enchanted Castle Series) Page 14