by Diana Nixon
“Eileen,” I heard Amanda calling me. I looked around and saw her lying on the ground, with her hands covered with blood.
Terrified, I ran up to her and kneeled next to her, thinking about how to help her.
“Who did this?” I asked, trying to remember at least one spell that would be able to stop the bleeding. But nothing came into my mind.
“I don’t know,” she responded in a whisper.
Marion… I need to find Marion. She will help Amanda.
My eyes searched for Marion Blanche. But she was nowhere around.
“Just wait here, okay?” I said to Amanda.
Tears ran down her cheeks. “Tell Evan that I love him.”
“What? No, no, no… You are going to be okay. I just need…”
“No, Eileen. It’s too late. Promise me you won’t leave Evan alone. He will need you.”
“What are you talking about?” I cried too. I couldn’t help myself. I felt so helpless. My hands shook. I touched Amanda’s wound and she growled.
“Don’t,” she said.
“I will help you, just hold on!”
Despite her protest, I covered her bleeding wound with my palms and started reading the only spell I could remember from the book that Marion once gave me.
Amanda started to cough, more blood splashed from her wound.
What the hell? I thought to myself. The spell is not working.
“I’m gonna miss you, Eileen,” Amanda said, forcing a smile.
“Stop speaking nonsense!” My voice broke. I swallowed hard and said, “You’ll be fine.” Tears blinded my vision. I didn’t see anything, but Amanda’s dreamy smile. Her gaze was absent, as if she was no longer there with me, but somewhere else, where I couldn’t reach her.
She looked at me one last time and then closed her eyes; her heart stopped beating…
“No… No… Amanda!” I started to shake her by the shoulders, even though deep down inside I knew it was pointless. “No…” I cried even harder, feeling like a part of me was dying with her. Our childhood, our school years, our late-night talks, our first day in Dever – I remembered everything she and I had been through. But there were so many things we wanted to do and see. She couldn’t leave me, not now, not like that.
“Amanda,” I repeated in a whisper.
Her hands suddenly felt so cold. I flinched. She would never talk to me again. I knew she wouldn’t… Only I refused to accept it. My best friend who had always been like a sister to me, a person who knew everything about me, even the things that I myself didn’t remember - she was gone, forever.
Shaking from head to toe, I bent down and kissed Amanda’s forehead.
“Sweet dreams, my girl.”
I rose to my feet and on my shaking legs, I started to walk, not sure where to go. I just walked, and walked, passing by all those people who got hurt protecting Dever, and those who sacrificed their lives to save someone else’s. My emotions turned off, I didn’t feel anything. My mind refused to think straight, I wish I could sink under the ground I was walking on and never see the death surrounding me. At that very moment, I wanted to die too…
I kept walking, until I saw Evan sitting under the weeping tree. His eyes were closed, his head was thrown back, resting on the tree trunk.
Absent-minded, I sat next to him. I knew I needed to tell him about Amanda, but I didn’t know how.
“You okay?” I asked in a tired voice.
He didn’t respond.
“Evan?” I turned to look at him, and only then did I notice his weird posture. He looked like he was asleep, but… “Evan?” I called again. I touched his hand; it was cold. As cold as Amanda’s…
I swallowed, refusing to believe my eyes and my feelings.
“Evan?” I called for the third time. I cupped his face in my palms; his cheeks were still warm, but not enough to feel the life beneath his skin. “This can’t be happening,” I said. “Evan!” Only when I saw the drops of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, did I realize that he was gone too.
I don’t know why, but despite the cruel reality staring back at me, I didn’t want to believe that Evan was gone. He was not supposed to die tonight, not from the damn hermit’s hand that must have sent a death spell at him.
How was it possible that he failed to protect himself? How was it possible that no one saw him dying? How did he get to the weeping tree when he was supposed to stay with me, where I saw him last? Evan would never leave me alone, knowing that the fight was not over yet. He would never walk away just like that, without saying a word. So, what the hell was going on?
I looked at Evan’s peaceful expression. It was such a rare thing to see. Evan had always been one of those people who would never show his worries or pain. And only in rare moments when he let it all out, could people see what was hidden inside his tormented soul, the soul that had finally found its peace...
I wiped the drops of blood from his mouth, and pulled his motionless body to my chest, crying like never before, and letting my tears hush the indescribable sorrow overwhelming me. There was a place in my heart that belonged to Evan, and that I knew no one would ever be able to take… Another part of me died with him, and I wondered if there would be at least a small piece of me able to face tomorrow, that I wished would never come at all…
I let Evan go; the emptiness inside me grew bigger and bigger, the pain felt stronger with every breath I took. I felt so cold, as if there was nothing that could warm me up and make me feel alive again.
I don’t know where I found the strength to stand up and walk away from Evan. I didn’t even have a chance to say good-bye to him…
The wind played with my dirty hair and my torn clothes, but I kept walking. And then, I saw my father kneeling over someone I couldn’t see. But when I came closer and realized that it was Christian lying in a pool of his own blood, my whole body started to shake.
“Christian!” I fell down to my knees, feeling like the air had been knocked out of my lungs.
“Eileen,” he said, smiling at me. His smile was so weak, more like a ghost of a smile.
“Daddy, do something!” I looked at my father, pleading with him to help Christian. I couldn’t lose him too, not him, of all people!
“I can’t help him,” Dad said.
“But you are one of the strongest magicians ever! You can’t let him die!”
“You are so beautiful,” Christian said, touching my hand. “I love you so much, Eileen – my light, my strength, my hope. I will always love you.”
“Oh, please, stop saying it like it’s the last time we see each other.”
“It is the last time,” he said. “But I hope to see you in my next life. Who knows, maybe we will get a second chance to start it all over again?”
“No, I won’t let you die.” I didn’t see Christian’s wound, I couldn’t understand where the bleeding started. “What hurts most of all?” I asked.
“Nothing hurts, Eileen. I’m fine.”
“Stop kidding me.”
“Promise me something… Promise me you will be happy.”
“I will be, with you!”
“No, Eileen… Promise me you will be happy without me.”
The hole of emptiness started to grow inside me. That was it – the end… The end of the story, the end of my life, the end of everything. I couldn’t imagine my life without Christian, because without him, I was nothing.
“It doesn’t make you happy, does it?” I heard Amitola saying. I looked up at her, and she smiled, with the most triumphant smile ever.
“What are you talking about?”
“Watching the love of your life die – it can’t make anyone happy. Or can it?”
“Why are you saying this?” I couldn’t believe she was as heartless as to watch me crying over losing Christian, and laugh at me.
“If you had only one wish, what would you wish for, Eileen?”
I looked up at the night sky. Its beauty contrasted with the hell that Dever had t
urned into. Millions of small shining stars were scattered all over its surface, as if someone had made them shine even brighter tonight, draping a brilliant curtain above our heads. The view would never escape my memory…
Hypnotized by the midnight magic canvas, I felt like all the thoughts had been stolen from my head. Under the sky of perfect beauty, there was only one wish I wanted to make.
“I wish I could turn back time,” I said. “I would give my life to save everyone I lost tonight.”
“Are you saying that you are ready to die for them?”
I didn’t hesitate even for a second. “I am,” I said, feeling Christian’s heartbeat slow down beneath my touch. He didn’t speak, even though I could still hear his quiet breathing. I knew I was losing him, but I was just too drained to change anything. I felt surprising peace enveloping my body and mind, as if someone had wrapped an invisible blanket around me, shielding me from everything bad and painful; leaving nothing but peace within.
My father was nowhere around. Where did he go? Why did he leave me? Just like Evan, he somehow disappeared even before I would be able to say good-bye.
The memories of everything Christian and I had been through, started to flood my mind. I closed my eyes and lay down next to him, holding his hand in mine.
“I will see you in my dreams,” I said, feeling deliriousness swallow me. I let it take me back in time, to the first time Christian and I met in Dever. Somehow, tonight my memories were not as clear as usual; they didn’t give enough credit to the miraculous perfection of the moment. Christian’s eyes were not as bright as I remembered. Even the light that came with our hands touching was a little blurry. The familiar tingle on my shoulder reminded me of the very first kiss we shared. It warmed my heart pleasantly. Too bad I will never feel that warmth for real again…
What was going on with me? Maybe I was dying too… Maybe that was the reason I couldn’t feel anything. Maybe that was the reason I failed to save Amanda, Evan and Christian. Maybe, just maybe, I was simply too weak to help them…
As soon as that thought formed in my head, my eyes flew open and I saw Amitola’s bright-blue eyes staring at me. Unlike anything else, her look felt like the only real thing in this endless nightmare of mine.
“This isn’t real, is it?” The memories from my imaginary wedding came into my mind. “This is not the way things are going to end,” I said. “It’s just an illusion, isn’t it?”
She smiled, then turned around and started to walk away, taking the remnants of her magical illusion with her…
Chapter 23
“She’s waking up. Eileen, dear, can you hear me?”
I opened my eyes that somehow felt so heavy. It took some time before my eyes adjusted to the bright light coming from the window and focused on the face leaning over me.
“Dad?”
“Oh, Sweetheart, you scared us to death.” He smiled gently, running his palm down my cheek.
“Your face…” There were two red scars on one of his cheeks, and a few small ones on the other one.
“It’s nothing. They will heal.”
Slowly, the pieces of what happened in the illusion started to come together. My eyes watered; my throat felt so dry. I was afraid to ask the only question that really bothered me.
But still, I made myself speak, “Dad… Is Christian… Is he all right?”
My father nodded, stepping away from the bed.
“I’m here, Love.” Christian smiled, sitting next to me. He gently took my hand in his and kissed it. “I’m fine. Just like everyone else, including your mom and Patricia. They are shocked a bit. But they will be fine. My mother is staying with them.”
I nodded, feeling happy tears running down my cheeks.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Christian, as if it were the very first time I saw him. He looked so handsome, even with his hair in a mess and his clothes torn after the fight; I don’t think I had ever been happier to see him again.
Someone coughed. I turned my head and saw Evan and Amanda smiling at me. Evan was standing behind Amanda with his arms wrapped around her waist. The look in his eyes said it all – he knew everything that had happened to me in the illusion.
“You all saw it, didn’t you?” I said, switching my eyes from Christian to Evan and then to Amanda.
Christian nodded. “We knew you had been trapped in Amitola’s illusion. But we couldn’t take you out of there. None of our spells worked.”
Evan spoke, “Then we realized that no one would be able to break the illusion, only you could do that. So, we waited. Which, I must admit, has been the longest and the most tormented waiting in my life. So please, next time you decide to travel to the imaginary world, take us with you.”
“Why would she do this to me?”
“Do you remember what happened before you passed out?” Amanda asked. She came over to my bed and sat next to Christian.
“Allister killed Leno, right? And then, Evan killed Alistair. And Nely… She died saving Evan.”
My friend spoke again. “Amitola was desperate. She said it was your fault that Leno had been killed. She said you should have never come to the pueblo. She sent a spell at you and you fell to the ground, trapped in the illusion that she had created.”
“What happened after I passed out?”
It was my father’s turn to speak, “After Allister died, we saw Clarions start to fight each other. We didn’t know what was going on, and then Will told us that instead of telling them to attack Alistair, he made them attack each other. Many of them died. Even more ran away. And those who stayed, well, we have taught them a very painful lesson. Soon, there were only hermits who supported us left in Dever. Clarions were gone for good.”
“Where’s Will, by the way? And Melanie, and Kevin? And where’s Carine?”
Christian smiled again, “Everyone is okay, Eileen. It’s over now; there’s nothing to be afraid of anymore. Our world, as well as the university, are safe now. Will has spent a lot of energy, masterminding Clarions. Mom is going to make him special pills to restore it. But she’s sure his mental state is out of danger.”
I remembered Amanda telling me about Will taking pills in one of my visions. Now I knew why he needed them.
“As for Carine, she left a few hours ago. She went back to France, together with one of our professors.”
Evan laughed. “The poor thing didn’t have a chance against her seduction arts.”
“So everything is all right then… Does that mean we can finally go back home, to Britain?”
“That is exactly what we are going to do tonight.”
“What time it is? How long have I been in the illusion?”
“It’s almost noon. You’ve been asleep about eight hours.”
“And Amitola? Where is she now?”
My father and Evan shared a troubled look.
“Has she died?”
“No,” Evan said. “Though I wouldn’t mind giving her such an honor, after what she made you go through.”
Christian spoke, “After the fight was over, Songaa took her back to the pueblo. She was hurt badly and she needed help. But he said he would heal her himself. We didn’t argue with that. Right after he and Elu stopped singing their song, more Clarions left Dever. It was very helpful, I must admit. We wouldn’t be able to survive if all of those who came to Dever to destroy it had stayed and fought with us.”
“Peter’s golden coins did a great job too,” Evan said. “As well as Tai’s presence. I swear I had never felt so powerful in my entire life.”
“So, Songaa kept his promise after all,” I said thoughtfully. He did his best to help us. Something was telling me that Amitola would need some time to recover after what happened in Dever. I knew she loved Leno; losing him must have broken her.
“What about Taima? Did Songaa take him back to the pueblo?”
Evan smirked. “Do you really believe that my brother would follow anyone’s orders, but his own?”
“So, he stayed?
”
“He did. He’s with Kevin and Elena now. He said he wanted a blueberry pie, so Darcy, Melanie and Will went to bake it for him.”
“I didn’t know Will knew how to cook!”
Everyone laughed. “He doesn’t,” Christian said. “But Melanie said she would never let him out of her sight again, so he didn’t have a choice but to follow her to the kitchen. And Tai said he would go with us to Britain. He wants to stay in Dever and learn everything about his powers.”
“Speaking of which… I guess there’s something I need to tell you all.”
Everyone shared a puzzled glance.
I sat up and asked Christian to give me some water. My story was going to be long.
“Why do I have this weird feeling that you are going to tell us something about my father?” Evan asked.
“Have you taken additional classes to develop your intuition?” I asked.
“Nope, I’m just that good at feeling when something crappy is coming.”
I laughed under my breath. “The things I’m going to tell you are not bad. But they may surprise you.”
Someone knocked at the door. My father opened it and Marion entered the room.
“You are just in time for a fairy tale,” Evan said. “Eileen promised it to be entertaining.”
Marion smiled at me. “How are you feeling?”
“Better than ever,” I responded, returning the smile.
“I’m getting a little impatient,” Evan said. He took a chair, moved it closer to my bed and sat down.
I took a deep breath, before I said, “Dominick hasn’t always been a monster. There was a time when he wanted nothing but to live a happy life, together with Elizabeth. But then, something happened. His mother told him about the magical triangle that changed his life forever.”
“What are those triangles exactly?” Evan asked.
“Only the Keepers guarding the gift of magic know about them. And your grandmother was one of them, because before Dominick, the duty of guarding magic was on her. A triangle consists of three sons – the children of the magic gift Keeper. When the third son is being born the triangle locks, and the power of magic dies with the parent who had been guarding it. At least that is what the legends say. That’s why Keepers of magic never risked giving a birth to another baby if they already had two sons. Daughters didn’t count.”