by Rushell Ann
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I can’t just kill a person, even if she was the epitome of evil. She might deserve it but I’ve never killed anyone. I can’t take her life, any life.
I could see before we completely reappeared, it was like looking through my bathroom mirror after I showered. The council was arguing, Aunt Dolly was pacing around yelling at whomever she could. The rest of the people were still in shock and awe. Artemis had dumped us right next to Sydney.
As soon as I could breathe again without losing my breakfast I scooted over to Sydney. Several people were trying to help her, the knife had been pulled out, and someone I didn’t know was putting pressure on the wound.
“Sydney, can you hear me,” I asked as I wiped a few pieces of her hair out of her mouth.
“I thought I told you to leave, what are you doing….she will kill you,” Sydney said through gasping breaths.
“Sydney, oh Sydney….I am so sorry that this has happened,” My Mom said as she knelt on the other side of her.
"Grace, I was hoping I would see you in the afterlife. I must be dying.” She reached up with her hand and touched my Mom’s face.
“It’s me and you’re not dead yet. I was taken by the goddess Artemis, she rescued me before the assassins could finish the job. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t. I’ve missed you so.” My mom cried softly has she held the woman that had raised her, that she has called mom her in heart, while she died.
“I’m just glad that you are truly alive. I have dreamt of you many times and when I awoke I so believed them to be true.” Sydney didn’t have much time left.
“Oh Sydney they were real, I had to see you. I missed you terribly and it was the only way I could talk to you.” My mom held Sydney’s hand to her face.
“Jayden needs you and I need you to take my place. Our clan has to have a medicine woman; I knew there was a reason for my teaching you. The goddess has truly blessed us.” Sydney smiled for the last time. My mother lay down with her as I rose to meet my Great Aunt.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Logan and Blake stunned but no worse off than I was feeling. The council and my Great Aunt hadn’t noticed our return yet, which gave me the opportunity to take a very deep breath.
“You can do this, you can do this.” I started chanting to myself.
My mother grabbed my hand. “Jayden, let’s do this together. I have been sheltered for many years and I wouldn’t want my first moments with you to be with death around. She killed my Mother and we will take her down together.”
“Ok” Was all I could say, because I still couldn’t figure out how I was going to kill this woman.
Xavier was one of the first council members to notice our arrival. He looked shocked but seemed to recover quickly.
“Grace and Jayden, it seems the goddess has had a hand in our future. Please come up and let’s discuss this,” Xavier said.
Gasps and a sudden irruption of discussions began to take over the room. I guess I’m not the only one still in shock. It was happing to me and I couldn’t believe it.
We walked together up to the long table the council was hovering around, and my Aunt was pushing her way through to get to us.
“It can’t be you, you died years ago. What kind of trick is this?” My Aunt was shaking her fist, like a child.
“Oh Aunt Catherine, the only trick that anyone has played is the one you did on our family years ago. You took my Mother from me, you took that away from me and you took that away from my daughter. I am only alive because the goddess saved me, but she couldn’t continue to save me from your attacks so I was forced to live with her until now. I’ve missed my daughter growing up, crying for me in the night. I use to wonder how it was that you didn’t have the heart, the compassion to care of others, until one day I just decided that you were born without one,” my Mom said with fierceness in her voice.
“Daughter, if that truly is you; I have no idea what you are talking about. I am Catherine, not my dead sister.”
“How about how you killed my Mother right after she gave birth and took me as your own child and lied to my Father and our people, making them believe you were the clan leader.”
“Even if that were true, you couldn’t prove a thing. I am the rightful clan Chief and I will not have your weak daughter take what is mine. These are my people and you are no longer part of this clan. You chose to walk away from us.” I could see my Aunt trying to think of a way to kill my Mother before anyone could react.
“I can be the proof, I have a journal, and in those journals are pictures of you both and one of those pictures you and your sister Catherine were in your bathing suites. If you can lift up your dress and show the council the birth mark on your right thigh then you truly are Catherine.” I had goose bumps running up and down my body, I had no idea how I had put those bits of information together, but I was now hoping I was right.
I saw my Grandmother frantically searching out Stewart.
My grandfather stepped up from around Xavier. “Darling, Jayden is right. I would love to tell them myself that what she says is lies but you haven’t let me into our shared bed since Grace was born so it looks like you will have to show everyone in order to prove you are truly Catherine.” My grandfather turned and winked at me.
“I will not lift up my skirt for anyone. I am Catherine McCormick and you will do well to remember that.” She seemed to stomp her foot again. I was realizing she was more of a child then a grandmother.
The hall doors blew open and a small group of people walked into the room. I only recognized one person, and as soon as I recognized her, my shoulders realized the tension it was holding.
Sully!” I ran to her and hugged her until I almost knocked her off her feet.
“Ok, ok, that’s enough. I tried to tell you I was ok,” she said as she pushed me off her.
A man stepped forward and held out his hand.
“You must be Jayden McCormick. My name is Clint, I’ve wanted to meet you from the moment I found out you existed, but I was told to wait and I’m glad that I did. So you’ve decided to take on your role as Chieftain which makes our group very happy.” Clint stood a wee bit taller than I did which put him at about 5’ 11” wide shoulders, dark brown almost black hair speckled with gray. He didn’t seem old but he carried himself like my Grandfather, very proud.
"Are you the ones that kidnapped Sully?” I said as I started to get angry again.
“Yes we did, but we never meant her or anyone any harm. I needed to find out what your intentions were with our clan so that I could step up if you weren’t going to do it. We have suffered to long in the hands of your family and we refuse to continue this way.” He sounded like he might be threatening me, but I can only imagine living under this woman would be like.
“Clint, you have been outcast from our clan for many years, what right do you have at this meeting?” my Aunt said as she tried to make herself stand even taller.
“I beg your pardon Catherine, but Clint is a part of our clan, only you threw him out not the council,” Xavier moved to get in front of Aunt Catherine.
“I am your Chief; you can’t do this to me. My family has been head of Clan McCormick for hundreds of years, who are you to take that away.”
“I am! I need you to show me this birth mark and if you don’t that will be proof enough for me.” I moved in front of all that stood before my Aunt.
“I refuse to lift up my skirt you snotty little brat. I should have killed you too,” Aunt Catherine shouted.
“The goddess took me from your presence, she gave me back my Mother, and she told me that I have to kill you. In our laws, somewhere, you have commit crimes against your clan and your family. You...You…you have to be killed,” I blew out the last part not too sure if I could actually follow through with it.
“You little girl, couldn’t hurt me, you are weak.” As my Great Aunt had finished her sentence, I saw h
er pull another dagger out of her gown. Where is she getting all these knifes, I liked to see under that dress?
I was blocking all my loved ones; I knew that I couldn’t stop the dagger once she pulled it. At least my mother is alive; my Dad is going to be so happy.
Something sharp glazed my check and burned as it whizzed by. I raised my hand to my face as I saw the arrow glide through my Aunt’s chest. I was so close to her that I swore I heard the tissue separate and her heart blow like a popped tire.
I turned around and saw Sully holding a bow and she winked at me like the chest shire cat.
“There was a reason I was skipping our swim meets. I just couldn’t tell you,” she said as she gave me a shrug.
“What you were secretly learning secret spy stuff?” I rolled my eyes at Sully. Leave it to her to sneak behind my back and learn how to use a crossbow. “How to train to be a killer?” I said under my breath. Sully scared me a little how she could detach her feelings so easily.
After thirty seconds or so, the room went completely silent. Everyone seemed to be in a complete shock faze. By looking around, I wasn’t sure if there was going to be an uprising and should I start scouting towards the exit. My Mom must not have felt my apprehension because she reached for me and hugged me as tight as she could.
“It’s ok Jayden, no one is upset that she is dead, and for those that are well they will just have to deal with it. She has rained terror on our clan for so long that it will take everyone awhile to get comfortable what freedom feels like,” she said as she kissed my forehead.
How I had longed for her touch and comfort, I still couldn’t believe that it’s happening.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her, she was always so angelic to me, and her skin like the color of cream, her eyes sparkled with tears on the verge of spilling. I know I should be worried about my friends but my heart had finally not hurt so much just to look upon her face. So many nights I had lay in bed wishing that she were still alive to take care of me when I was sick, had bad dreams, or just to sit and watch me swim. She had missed so much.
I had missed so much.
And then another thought hit me.
OH...shit!
“Mom! We have to call Dad. He needs to know right away,” I said while getting so excited and nervous. How would he react? His whole life was getting ready to implode. "He's going to be pissed!" I yelled.
NOT the End!
Thank you for reading my book! This one sat on a thumb drive for almost nine years, then when life gave me an opportunity I finally finished it. It's my first book (but not my last) and it's not as polished as it could be but I really liked where the characters take me. It's not the end of Jayden's story and I know I left a ton of things unanswered, but the next book will start right where it left off and answer all the questions that are up in the air. I'm currently working on an adult series with werewolves, magic, and other intriguing creatures.
Reviews help so if you could take a few minutes of your time to write one that would be so appreciated.
Until then, keep on keeping on.