“So from what you had said the power over the beasts is the weaker of the two lines.”
“The power over the beasts is the weakest of the three lines and our power, the power over the Fire and Water is the strongest of the three; so I’m guessing that Sonya’s birthmark is more than a sliver of a waning crescent moon.”
“Oh yeah,” Ellen agreed.
“So, Grandmother, what was the second reason why you thought that Sonya was going to be born with the mark of Merlin?”
“You haven’t mentioned it, but I know for a fact that you would get a ‘static electricity’ feeling when you get within thirty feet of any of your relatives. And I’m going to bet that you get that same feeling when you get around Ellen and—and before Michael’s tragic accident—Michael. Ellen, you should be getting the same feeling when you’re around Harris.”
Before Ellen had a chance to respond, Harris said, “Yes; except before today, I was never around Mike or Ellen without Tanya being there, so I always assumed that I was sensing Tanya.”
“Same with you earlier when I was walking into the nursery,” Ellen added. “I just assumed that I was just sensing Sonya.”
“Yes, well, that feeling is caused by us sensing each other, and I had sensed Michael when he and Tanya had visited us in London. When I asked Tanya on how she and Michael had met, she said that she had met him at an auction. The two felt each other and then locked eyes on one another. So I think that they both had mistaken the feeling as ‘love at first sight’. Anyway, Harris, since I had suspected that Sonya was going to be born with the birthmark, I had our family’s Legacy volumes copied,”—A curious expression came across Ellen’s face— “and your parents are on their way to Kansas City as we speak with those volumes.”
“What are Legacy volumes?” Ellen asked.
“Chronicles of our ancestors,” Harris said.
“They are more than chronicles, Harris,” Laura told him.
“Please tell me you didn’t include the books on incantations,” Harris uttered.
“I had everything copied and sent, Harris.” Harris sighed as Laura continued with, “The Legacy volumes that we have and all of our incantations.”
“Cool,” Ellen said.
“Ellen, your grandfather’s family should’ve kept volumes of your family’s Legacy,” Laura continued with. “And by no means was your grandfather the first one who had lost contact with his Legacy, but if it is at all possible, you should try to retrace your family tree and locate your family’s Legacy.”
“I might do that,” Ellen said, earnestly.
“Smart, Grandmother,” Harris sarcastically said. “Put ideas in an impressionable teenager’s head.”
“I’ve only been around Ellen once—for a few hours at Michael and Tanya’s wedding—but according to Tanya, Ellen is a very responsible young woman, and I trust that she is,” Laura said.
Ellen gave Harris a haughty smirk before saying, “Thank you, Grandmother.”
Harry shook his head with an amused grin as Laura said, “You’re welcome, child.”
“Anyway, Grandmother, is there anything else we should know?” Harris asked.
“You will learn this when you read about the Wizard Wars…”
“Wizard Wars?” Ellen interrupted with.
“Yes,” Laura confirmed. A disconcerting expression came across Ellen’s face. “Anyway, there’s a Dark Ritual that will steal or transfer powers from a wizard or sorceress to another. This ritual strengthens the line and intensifies the mark of Merlin of the one reciting the ritual while instantaneously turning the victim into an ash-like silhouette. And I’m telling you this because there are still wizards and sorceresses out there who won’t hesitate to take Sonya’s powers to strengthen their line; so be warned.”
“Consider us warned,” Ellen said. “And I definitely want to learn witchcraft, Harry, so I can protect our niece until she’s old enough to protect herself.”
“Ellen, you definitely don’t need to be going head-to-head against any wizard or sorceress,” Laura told her.
“There’s more to a fight than just brawns,” Ellen retorted.
“Listen to me, Ellen,” Laura began sternly. “I don’t care how skillful of a witch you can become, or how crafty you can be, at best, you would only be a momentary distraction against a wizard or a sorceress.”
“Yes, well, that moment just might mean life or death for Sonya,” Ellen shot back. “And if I have to sacrifice my life for Sonya to live then so be it.”
“Harris, keep a close watch on Ellen, yes?” Laura requested.
“Yes,” Harris quickly agreed. Ellen just shot Harris a smirk for a response. “Is there anything else we should know or be warned about?”
“I can only think of one other. You will learn this from the Legacy volumes too, but although Sonya’s power is over the beasts, she will still have enough influence over the Fire, Water, Earth and Air to accidentally create a major disaster. So when Sonya is old enough to study witchcraft, she must be aware that her influence over the four elements can easily get away from her.”
“For an example?” Ellen prompted.
“For an example, if Sonya would attempt to create a small burst of rain in order to water a farmer’s withering crop, she could accidentally create a major flood. But on the other hand, since her control is over the beasts, she could lead hundreds of wolves like a general leading his obedient soldiers.”
“That’s good to know,” Ellen said.
“Of course she’ll need to know the correct incantation to use to make that happen,” Laura added. “Anyway, that’s all I can think of to warn about.”
“That’s a good start,” Allyson said.
“If I can think of anything more, I’ll give you a call,” Laura said.
“Okay; bye, Grandmother,” Harris said.
“Bye,” Laura said followed by Ellen, Allyson and Jane.
Harris hung up the phone before facing Ellen and asking, “You now want to learn witchcraft?”
“I want to protect my brother’s… your sister’s daughter,” Ellen quickly said. “And I might be an underdog when it comes to wizards and sorceresses, but… but this underdog has a vicious bite.”
Harris amusingly grinned before nodding and saying, “Okay.” “Okay,” Ellen echoed with a grin.
Before anything else was said, the doorbell rang. As everyone looked towards the door, Jane said, “That could be Jared Claiborne. He’s supposed to be by sometime today.”
“I’ll find out,” Ellen said as she moved towards the door.
Once the door was open, Jared, while carrying a briefcase, said, “I expected that I’d find you here.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve never been good at ‘hide-n-seek’. Normally I’m the first one who gets found.”
Jared grinned while saying, “You take after your uncle.”
“What do you mean?” Ellen quickly asked.
“Once I learn that you had an uncle, I did some checking.” Jared gestured past Ellen as he questioned, “May I come in?”
Ellen backed up, and as Jared was stepping in he saw that Harris, Allyson and Jane were near the door and that everyone was focusing on him.
When Jared didn’t elaborate, Ellen asked, “What have you been checking?”
“I did an investigation on your father, and for your father’s first six years in prison, one of your father’s prison pals was once a private investigator,” Jared began as he faced Ellen. “I didn’t really understand the details, but the PI had owed your father a favor and after the PI was released from prison, he tracked down Brandon Anderson—your father’s twin brother —in Hannibal, Missouri for your father. The warden came across that information and tacked it onto your father’s prison records. Once I told the warden your story he had no problems with sharing that information with me.”
“Harry and Allyson had agreed to allow me to live with them and I prefer that,” Ellen said while gesturing towards them.
“
Harris Bradley,” he said while stepping up and extending his hand. “Harry to a very small group though.”
“Hi, I’m Jared Claiborne,” he said while shaking Harris’s hand.
“And I’m Allyson Bradley, Harry’s wife and one of the few who can get by with calling him Harry,” she said with an amused grin while extending her hand.
“Okay,” Jared said in an uncertain tone while shaking Allyson’s hand. “Nice to meet everyone.”
“Mr. Claiborne. Allyson and I may not be blood related to Ellen, but we are the only family who Ellen knows,” Harris told Jared.
“And she will have a home with us… if it’s legally okay,” Allyson added.
“I had discussed that very topic with my supervisor this morning,” Jared began. “Since Ellen wants it and you two are clearly expressing the desire for it as well—and given the fact that because of Ellen’s age, her say would greatly influence the judge’s decision—I have my supervisor’s permission to make you two Ellen’s legal guardians.”
“Cool!” Ellen delightfully uttered.
Everyone grinned before Jared continued with, “Ellen, I was only telling you where your uncle was so in case you would want to pursue relations with your uncle at some point in the future, you could. In fact, given your uncle’s criminal history I’ll even recommend that you live with Mr. Bradley and his wife.”
“Is everyone in my family a freak’n criminal?!” Ellen rhetorically and sarcastically uttered.
“Mike and your mom weren’t,” Harris quickly replied. “Nor are you.”
“It seems that the rest of them were though,” Ellen said. “So what all did he do… my uncle?”
“Breaking and entering, trespassing, vandalism to a research facility, auto-theft, setting loose lab animals…” Jared was only able to get out.
“Wait!” Ellen uttered. “Those charges point to an animal rights activist.”
“I would use the term ‘extremist’ myself as he would go to the extremes during his animal rights campaigns,” Jared said. “In fact, he had served a long stretch of a prison term himself for assaulting police officers and security officers during one of his demonstrations. And one of his demonstrations that he had protested against was spaying and neutering dogs and cats.”
“He protested that?” Jane asked incredulously.
“From what I found out, Ellen’s uncle believes that if too many dogs and cats would get spayed and neutered then they will become extinct within thirty years.” Ellen politely grinned while thinking about what was said. When Ellen shrugged at the thought, Jared continued with, “Anyway, Ellen. Your uncle has been out of prison for the past seven years, and for the past five years, he’s been living in Hannibal, Missouri while working as a cook at a twenty-four hour diner. He has had runins with the police during those seven years—mainly for peace disturbance—but no arrests. Anyway, Mr. Bradley. Mrs. Bradley. What do you two do for a living?”
Harris answered first with, “I work in the human resources department at a children’s hospital in Savannah, Georgia.”
“And there’s a daycare facility not far from the children’s hospital that my parents’ own,” Allyson added. “And I work there with my parents, Martin and Paige Webster and my sister Stacie. Harris and I had actually met at a Chinese restaurant near the two facilities. We ordered the exact same meal and when the worker announced what meal was ready, Harris and I stepped up to claim it.”
“Okay, well, it’s not really necessary for me to know how you two had met,” Jared assured her. “I do have forms for one of you two to fill out… in order to make it official for you two to become Ellen’s guardians.”
“Of course,” Harris and Allyson said.
“I’ll leave the forms with you two to look over and fill out, and tomorrow I’ll be back to pick them up,” Jared said as he was opening his briefcase. As an afterthought, he questioned, “You two aren’t returning to Savannah tonight, right?”
“Right,” Allyson quickly said. “That we’re not, that is.”
Jared handed Allyson the forms as Harris added, “Until Sonya is released from the hospital, we’re not going anywhere.”
“Sonya?” Jared questioned as Allyson quickly gazed over the forms.
“Sonya is the name we chose for Mike and Tanya’s daughter,” Harris explained.
“Plus we still have Mike’s funeral to prepare for,” Allyson added as she looked up from the forms.
“What about Tanya’s funeral?” Jared quickly asked.
“My sister’s funeral will be held in London as soon as my parents and I can get her body back there.”
Jared nodded before telling Ellen, “I can get you numbers to grief counselors if you would like.”
“I wouldn’t like,” Ellen quickly said while sounding insulted.
“You had lost your brother and sister-in-law last night, and—as I understand it—your mother last June, so it would be understandable if you would like to see a grief counselor,” Jared pointed out.
“Mike’s and Tanya’s deaths were sudden and tragic, and I want to cry each time I allow my thoughts to think about them,” Ellen began as her eyes watered with tears. “However, my mom was diagnosed with a brain tumor last December, so I had time to prepare for it… not that my mom’s death hurts any less than Mike’s or Tanya’s—because it does hurt just as deep and I miss her just as much today as I did the day she died… more so, in fact.”—Ellen wiped the tears from her eyes— “Anyway, my point is, I don’t need a grief counselor.”
Jared slightly hesitated before nodding and saying in an accommodating tone, “Okay… but if you would find yourself wanting to talk to a grief counselor, I can help you find one.”
“The fact that you can find grief counselors is noted,” Ellen assured him.
“Okay, well, I’ll be back tomorrow for the paperwork, and if for some reason you won’t be here or next door, just give me a call,” Jared said before gesturing towards the forms. “My number is on the front page of the forms.”
“We’ll call if we need to,” Allyson assured him.
Jared nodded before saying, “Okay.” He then slightly waved. “I’ll see you folks later.”
“Bye,” Ellen, Harris, Allyson and Jane said. Jared nodded before turning and walking out.
Once the door had shut behind Jared, Jane said, “It’s a long shot, Ellen, but perhaps your uncle could give you clues on how to find your family’s Legacy.”
“That’s a door I’m not sure if I want open,” Ellen said as the phone rang. “But I will answer the phone.” Jane just grinned before Ellen turned and walked away. Seconds later, Ellen answered the phone with a traditional, “Hello… Sure, one moment. Harris, it’s for you; it’s your mother.”
Harris stepped up, and as he took the phone, he told Ellen, “Thank you.” He then put the phone to his ear. “Yes, Mother.”
“I thought you should know that we have arrived in New York, and our flight to Kansas City, Missouri won’t leave for another three hours, and that flight is Flight 204. If the flight is on time, your father and I will be in Kansas City, Missouri in six to seven hours.”
“Okay, we’ll be at the airport waiting for you,” Harris assured her.
“So were you able to see my granddaughter?”
“We were. We had also given her the name of Sonya Paige Anderson.”
“I like it… except for the Anderson part.”
“Mother,” Harris said in a tone as if to tell her, ‘don’t start that subject.’
“Okay, you’re right. Sonya should carry her father’s name. Anyway, your grandmother believes that Sonya would have the mark of Merlin.”
“And she does,” Harris informed. “Her power is over the beasts. At some point throughout history Michael and Ellen’s ancestors had lost touch with their Legacy. Ellen didn’t know about it, and I doubt that Michael did either.”
“Which is what your grandmother had guessed. Mmm, Sonya has power over the beasts though?”
“No-no, that’s perfectly acceptable. Our line had shifted from the power over the beasts to the power over the Fire and Water in 1432, during the onset of the Wizard’s Armistice. Several families thought that it was beneficial to our survival to strengthen our line through marriages than through the Dark Ritual. Anyway, I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“I’ll see you then. Bye, Mother.”
When Harris hung up the phone, Ellen asked, “Was there anything wrong?”
It took a second before it had dawned on Harris as to what Ellen was referring to. He then quickly assured her, “No; nothing’s wrong. My mother was just saying as to how our line had shifted from the power over the beasts to the power over the Fire and Water in the 1400’s.”
“So we might be closer related than we thought,” Ellen said.
“Our common ancestor is still too far in the distant past for us to be considered blood relatives though,” Harris assured Ellen.
“True,” Ellen agreed.
“Anyway, my parents are in New York and they won’t be boarding a plane to come here for another three hours.”
“Meanwhile we should start calling funeral homes to arrange Michael’s funeral,” Allyson prompted.
“Can you do it?” Ellen quickly requested of Allyson.
Allyson pleasantly grinned before saying, “Sure. I’ll need a phonebook.”
“I’ll get one,” Ellen quickly said before she dashed away.
Ellen was gone for only a second when Jane told Allyson the name of the funeral home that Michael had used four months ago for his mother’s services.
Allyson nodded before saying, “I’ll call them first.”
“Or you may want to avoid that place,” Harris quickly suggested.
“Why?” Allyson asked.
Harris didn’t hear or see Ellen entering the room again with a phonebook as he said, “Ellen was in that funeral home a few months ago during her mother’s funeral services, and I suspect that walking in there for Michael’s services might be too painful of a memory for her.”
“It’s fine,” Ellen said while grabbing their attention. “I was going to suggest that funeral home myself.”
Legacy Page 4