A moment later she collapsed, completely drained of all her strength. She couldn’t even turn her head to look at Mal. She felt tears coursing down her cheeks. She wanted to look at him. If he was dying then she wanted to witness his last moments. She couldn’t move, though. All she could do was lay there as the tears flowed. Her breathing was ragged. She tried to slow it down but only managed to get it to even out a little.
She was still clutching Mal’s hand. His fingers had stopped twitching. For a moment his hand had felt super hot and now it felt cold.
Dead.
The word popped into her mind and the tears rolled faster down her cheeks, falling down her face onto her ears. Time was passing. She knew it was, but she didn’t know how long she had laid there, feeling nearly paralyzed. Someone would eventually find them there together. They’d take her to the hospital.
And they’ll take Mal-
She couldn’t think it. She couldn’t let it be real for herself just yet. If she did then she might as well let go, too.
She didn’t know when she let go of his hand, she just slowly became aware that she was no longer holding it. She blinked, staring up at the ceiling which was coming into sharper focus than it had been earlier. Her breathing was normal now.
She heard something, movement. Someone had found them.
“Please, don’t take Mal away,” she whispered, hoping whoever it was could hear her.
There was a long silence and then she heard a voice say, “I’m right here.”
There was movement in her field of vision and suddenly she was staring up at Mal. He was looking down at her, his face just inches away. His blue eyes filled with love.
“Are you a ghost, an angel?” she asked.
He touched her cheek then and his fingers were trembling slightly. “Neither, because of you.”
“I don’t understand.”
He kissed her, his lips soft against hers. He breathed words against her lips that she couldn’t make out, but she felt strength returning to her body. He pushed himself back up, propping himself up on an elbow as he stared down into her eyes.
“You saved me,” he said, his voice husky. His free hand trailed down her arm sending light electricity skittering across her skin. She closed her eyes, taking in the sensations. Euphoria was flooding her. Mal was alive. She had no idea how she had saved him. At the moment all she wanted was to feel him close.
“I want you,” she whispered.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
Electricity began to crackle in his eyes. She knew in that moment that he wanted her, too. She could feel how much he wanted her. She could also tell that if she pushed, he would give in to her. She played with that idea, turning it around in her mind.
She could feel the weight of the ring on her finger and she thought of everything that she meant to Mal for him to give that to her. He loved her, cherished her, and he’d made it clear that he wanted to wait. If she felt for him half of what he felt for her then she could respect his wishes.
“You promise me that someday...”
“The earth will move,” he vowed.
“And you can do real magic, so I’m holding you to your word,” she said.
He nodded slowly. “And so can you.”
“So can I what?”
“Do real magic.”
“What are you talking about?” Opal asked, sitting up.
“You saved me using magic. You burned the poison out of me.”
“I...I don’t know how to use magic. I can’t use magic.”
“Oh, but you can. You used it just now to save me.”
She shook her head. It seemed impossible, but she thought of the energy that had pulsed out of her. Mal had been dying. She had known it. Felt it. Now he was alive and he said it was because of her.
He picked up her hand and pressed her palm to his. She held it there, wondering what he was doing. Slowly the blue lightning began to dance between his fingertips. He muttered something in Latin. A moment later she jerked, startled, as greenish-gold lightning suddenly appeared between her fingertips.
“What’s happening? What is that?” she asked.
“It’s you. That’s your magic. It matches your hazel eyes,” he said.
She stared, awe-struck. She didn’t know what to say. Minutes ago she had been a normal girl in a crazy world. And now...
“I’m a magic user?” she breathed.
“Yes.”
“I thought it manifested when people are younger.”
“It usually does. There are times, though, where it comes out later, usually in response to great trauma.”
“Like watching my boyfriend die?”
“Exactly.”
He let go of her hand, stood abruptly and reached down to help her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, worried by his sudden movements.
“Nothing. It’s just time to get out of this place, don’t you agree?”
She looked down at the poisoned knife and shuddered. “What do we do with that?” she asked.
Mal looked at it. “Return it to its owner at the first available opportunity,” he said darkly.
He picked up the silk scarf he’d been using to choke the other man with and carefully wrapped the knife in it. Lightning suddenly ripped through the air above his hands and a moment later the knife was gone.
Opal jumped slightly. “You didn’t just-”
“No. Although if I knew where he was I might have tried to return it now,” Mal said, eyes gleaming. “I sent it to a safe place. No good can come from having something like that unprotected and out in the world. Now, let’s get out of here.”
Her mind was spinning. There was so much to take in and so many questions she had. She just hoped she would be able to get them answered.
A minute later they were in his car and she noticed that as he left the parking lot he was speeding. She glanced over at him. His jaw was clenched. She had been so freaked out wondering what all this meant to her that she hadn’t stopped to think what it might be doing to him.
“You didn’t know I had magic, did you?”
“No.”
“Are you...upset...that I do?” she asked, struggling to interpret the look on his face.
He glanced over at her. “No, I’m not,” he said, but his voice was still tense. “I’m just worried. I’m hoping it doesn’t make you more of a target.”
“Ah, but maybe I’ll be safer than I was before because I’m an underage Apprentice,” she said.
He nodded slowly. “That should be true. It’s just...”
“What?”
“Nothing ever seems to be normal with me.” He took a deep breath. “We can hope, though. Speaking of that, you need to start training with a Magician. My mentor, the man who taught me might be willing-”
“No,” she said, cutting him off.
He looked at her, clearly startled. “What do you mean ‘no’? You need to be trained, if only for your own protection.”
“If I need to be trained, I want you to train me.”
He winced. “I’m not sure that would be a good idea. I don’t think I’d make a good teacher, especially not for you given our relationship.”
“Nevertheless, you’re the only one I trust.”
“Will you at least agree to meet with him? I’ve never taught someone before and I’d be a lot more comfortable knowing there was someone else watching out for you, too.”
“Okay,” she relented, giving into the pleading look on his face. “But, I still want you to be the one who teaches me.”
He nodded.
She took a deep breath. This was all happening so fast she felt like her head was spinning. She still couldn’t believe that she’d done magic, actual magic. It had seemed similar to giving him her energy when he had teleported her. Clearly, though, this had been different.
A minute passed in silence. They turned onto their street and Mal made a sharp hissing noise then cleared his throat. “Are you okay?
”
“Yes. No. Maybe.” She sighed. “I don’t know. I mean, who doesn’t dream of being special? It’s just a bit...overwhelming.”
“That’s perfectly understandable, especially since your magic revealed itself so late.”
“Yay, one more for the aren’t I special column?” she said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.
“Some very powerful magic users have been late bloomers,” he said seriously.
“I’m not...it’s fine,” she said.
How could she make him understand? He’d been using magic pretty much his whole life. He had told her so. He probably didn’t have any real concrete moment in his life where he had no powers and then suddenly had them. It was crazy how you’re entire world could change in a single moment.
“Thank you again, for saving me,” he said as he pulled up outside her house.
She turned and looked at him. “You’re welcome, even if I didn’t know that what I was doing could actually work.”
He smiled. “Your intention, your desire to help me I think is what pulled the magic out of you finally. For some people it takes an emotional outburst, a cathartic moment so to speak.”
She smiled wanly. “It might have been that, but now I just feel drained.”
“That’s normal. Eat a lot of protein tonight.”
She lingered in the car. “You’re going already?” she asked wistfully.
He nodded. “I have questions I need answers to, and it’s too dangerous for you to come with me.”
“Dangerous for who?”
“For both of us.”
She lingered a moment longer. She didn’t want to go into the house without him. Something extraordinary had happened. Her entire world was different. She wasn’t ready to face it alone.
No, not alone. Mal wasn’t the only one who needed to find some answers.
As soon as she got out of the car Mal did the same. “Are you coming in with me?” she asked.
“No, but I need to adjust the ward on your door. Right now I’m the only magic user that is allowed to pass.”
“The wards at the end of the street on both sides...”
“I’ll alter them as well. When we crossed the one turning onto the street I got an electrical shock since you were crossing it.”
“Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. Otherwise I might have forgotten to alter the ward on your door. That could have been awkward.”
He walked up with her to the door, placed his left hand on the door jamb and his right hand on her shoulder. He muttered something that sounded like Latin and a few seconds later nodded. “All good,” he said.
He started to head down the stairs.
“Hey!”
He turned back. “What’s wrong?”
“You forgot to kiss me,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him.
He bounded back up. “I don’t know how I could have forgotten,” he said, kissing her softly. He broke contact far too soon and headed to his car.
Opal steeled herself and walked inside.
She closed the door. “I’m home!” she called out.
Only silence greeted her. Belatedly she remembered that Tanya was working late. Opal frowned. She’d planned to go out to dinner with Mal, but had forgotten all about that in light of what had happened.
She grabbed a frozen turkey dinner from the freezer and moved over to the microwave. She took it out of the box and peeled the plastic back. Just before she put it in the microwave she hesitated.
Mal’s father had told her that he used magic to heat food. She put her hands on the plastic tray, closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate.
Heat! she thought to herself.
She tried to imagine energy pouring out of her hands and into the tray, heating the food. Her fingers tensed until the muscles started vibrating. Finally with a gasp she let go and opened her eyes.
She touched a turkey slice and was frustrated to discover that it was still ice cold.
“Well, that didn’t work so well,” she said with a sigh.
She turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin. Midnight was sitting right behind her staring at her with huge, round eyes. He lifted a paw toward her and mewed.
“Are you hungry, too?” she asked him.
She moved to get the kitten some food. She put some in his bowl and then set it back down next to his water. He didn’t move. Instead he just kept staring at her face intently.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He mewed again and kept staring.
She touched her face self-consciously, suddenly wondering if there was lightning coming out of her eyes because she’d been trying to do magic. Panic flickered through her. If she couldn’t control it, then how could she be around people when it might just burst out of her?
“What is it, Midnight?” she asked.
He mewed again and reached his paw up toward her.
She needed to get to a mirror. There was none in the kitchen. The camera on her phone, she could use it to look at herself. She crossed to her duffel bag.
As she rummaged for her phone she heard the front door open.
“Opal, I’m home!” Tanya said.
Opal searched frantically. Her hand closed around the phone just as Tanya appeared in the doorway.
“Hey, how was practice?” her aunt said, dumping papers on the table. Her eyes flicked up to look at Opal and then the older woman stiffened.
Her hand flew to her mouth and she screamed.
“What? What is it?” Opal cried out in a panic as the phone slipped from her hand.
She should shut her eyes. It was the lightning, that had to be what her aunt was seeing. She tried to shut her eyes, but it was like her eyelids were frozen. She watched in terror as Tanya staggered backward. She slammed into the doorframe and reached behind her with one hand to grab it before she slid onto the floor, horror still playing across her face.
“Opal, oh Opal,” she gasped.
“What?” Opal heard herself screaming as she lunged forward.
She should run upstairs, check her eyes in the bathroom mirror, or lock herself in her room, or race to Mal’s house. His father would understand. They would protect her.
“Opal, I’m so sorry,” Tanya whimpered.
Opal dropped on her knees next to her aunt, her own terror making her shake uncontrollably. Tanya flinched, but her eyes remained fixed on Opal.
“Tell me, what is it?” Opal demanded, grabbing her aunt’s shoulders and shaking them.
“Opal. Opal.”
“Yes, it’s me, what is it?”
Tanya reached out and put her hand on Opal’s skin, just below her throat.
“Opal.”
“Yes, Aunt Tanya, please, talk to me.”
Her aunt’s lips worked but no sound came out for a moment. Then, she gasped, “Opal.”
Her fingers tapped Opal’s skin and suddenly she realized her aunt wasn’t calling her by name. She glanced down as Tanya pulled the opal pendant out, away from her skin.
Opal stared at the pendant in shock. “How, how is that possible?” she asked.
The opal, a dullish white all her life, was alive with vibrant reds and blues.
She tore her eyes away from it and looked back at her aunt. Tears were dancing in Tanya’s eyes and a moment later they were streaming down her cheeks.
“Magic,” Tanya whispered.
25
Opal scrambled backward away from Tanya, her mind screaming in terror. What had happened to the necklace? What did Tanya know about magic and about the necklace? What was she going to do to her?
She needed to call Mal. He would know what to do. She glanced toward the duffel bag. She had left the phone inside. She would get up and in two steps she could get it. She glanced down at the ring he had given her. Taking it off would be faster.
But if she did that then Mal would teleport right there in front of her aunt. And there was no undoing that.
Her aunt was sobbing now,
shoulders shaking wildly. Maybe she wouldn’t even notice if Opal went for her phone. She coiled her muscles, ready to jump up.
One...two...
Suddenly her aunt lunged forward.
Opal shrieked, but before she could move Tanya had wrapped her arms around her tight and pressed her face against her neck.
“Opal, oh, Opal,” she sobbed.
She wasn’t sure if her aunt was talking about the pendant or actually addressing her this time. She stayed still, afraid to move.
They burn witches in Salem.
The thought came to her, adding fuel to her terror. It was stupid. She wasn’t a witch. She was a magic user. Barely even that. And they hadn’t burned anyone in centuries.
At least, she hoped so.
She felt something sharp against her leg. She glanced down. Midnight Kitty was there, pawing at her. She wanted to tell the kitten to leave, that it wasn’t safe, that she had no idea what her aunt was thinking, what she was going to do.
Suddenly Tanya shifted slightly and snatched up the kitten and brought him up to press him against them both. The kitten purred, trapped there against them. Opal didn’t understand. If she was the cat she’d have been clawing and hissing trying to get away.
“What’s happening?” she finally croaked.
She had to speak, had to know what her aunt was thinking. Her aunt had Opal’s right arm pinned between her and the cat. She worked at her ring with the thumb on her left hand, trying to see if she could get it off if she had to. The ring fit snug, though, and her fear intensified.
Then suddenly she realized that Tanya was no longer shaking. Moments later her aunt sat up straight. Their legs were still touching and Tanya was still clutching Midnight close. With her free hand she dashed at her eyes.
“I’m so sorry. This must be so hard on you,” she said, her voice shaky.
At least she was speaking full sentences again.
Opal took a shuddering breath as she stared at her aunt in trepidation. “What do you know?” she whispered.
Tanya took a deep breath. “I know that magic exists in the world. And I now know that you have it. That it manifested today.”
“How...how do you know that?” Opal whispered, now finding it hard to control her voice.
Now You See Me Page 23