Altered Souls (Witch Avenue Series #2)

by Bolton, Karice

  “Surprised?” I asked sarcastically.

  Chapter 19

  The burgundy and gold brocade tapestries that hung around the four-poster bed made me feel like I was in another era, one that certainly matched the circumstances. I was sitting on the mattress, which required a step stool for me to get on, contemplating what I needed to do next. The longer I stayed in this environment the more chance for error. Everything was so secluded from the real world at this Great Camp, I could see how easy it could be to slip under my father’s control.

  I slid my hand down to my side, and quickly let my fingers feel the warmth of the tattoo. Even though it was in my head, it made me feel that much closer to him, and I needed that right now.

  The room my father put me in gave me a view of the lake out a corner window and the other window pointed at the heart of the compound. I tried to see where Ellsy was being held, but I couldn’t see the building from my room. I wanted to tell Logan about her, but I couldn’t risk it yet. I needed to wait until I was in bed. Probably even touching my tattoo was a bad idea, but I couldn’t help it.

  I scanned the room again, trying to think of next steps. I was certain he put me in this oversized room for extra effect, to remind me how small and insignificant I was in the whole scheme of things. Everything in this room was mammoth. The dresser, the chests, even the chairs were enormous. I now knew what Alice felt like in Wonderland.

  I was beginning to get really thirsty, but I refused to drink any liquid from this house. I had two bottled waters in my bag, which never left my sight, and I was debating whether I should dip into one of them yet. The first drop-offs should already have occurred, so it was up to me to figure out how to get to them without being noticed.

  “Triss?” Trevor’s voice shocked me.

  I turned toward the door, which he had already opened, and stared at him.

  “Yeah?” I asked.

  “Dinner’s going to be ready soon. Your father has something special planned since you arrived ahead of schedule.”

  “Do you enjoy being his puppet?” I snapped.

  “Is that what your precious Logan calls me?”

  “No, it’s my own term, and I think I’d say it’s pretty accurate.”

  I raised my knees to my chin, hugging them to me. I felt violated merely being around Trevor. This was not the person I knew, and he certainly wasn’t someone I loved.

  “I take it he healed up after our last encounter?” Trevor smiled.

  Refusing to give any clues about Logan, I turned away. The images of almost losing Logan quickly flashed into my mind, but I forced them out.

  “What happened to you, Trevor? I don’t get it.”

  He sighed. “Nothing happened to me. I found my calling. I’m good at it.”

  I shook my head.

  “But you’re not. Don’t you see? My father’s been helping you along this entire time. Maybe my aunt has too, but it’s not you. You’re not that good.”

  He couldn’t hide his anger.

  “I don’t know what Logan’s been telling you, but I’ve been practicing the dark arts longer than he has.”

  “Only because he quit. He started before you, and I’m sure he was quite good. He masters everything he practices.”

  Logan’s blue eyes flashed in my mind, and I felt like he was briefly here with me.

  “You said it, Triss. He quit.”

  I smiled and let go of my knees. I scooted over to the edge of the bed and let my legs dangle, thinking about what to say next.

  “Do you know why he quit?” I asked.

  “I do.” Trevor took a few steps into my bedroom. “But I doubt you know the real reason.”

  “Enlighten me then.” I stared into Trevor’s eyes and felt nothing.

  “Logan’s not a good guy, Triss. He did things your father couldn’t even explain away.” Trevor folded his arms and narrowed his eyes waiting for a response that wouldn’t come. “Your father’s not as bad as you’re making him out to be. Logan quit because no Dark Arts Sorcerer would even touch him.”

  The fury was burning through me. I wanted to end this charade now — end Trevor. The anger was building every second I stared at him, but I couldn’t look away. I wouldn’t look away. I didn’t want to give him that power. I remained silent so my tongue wouldn’t betray me.

  “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s the truth.” He shrugged his shoulders and left my room, closing the door behind him.

  The tears began streaming down my face, and I buried my head into the half-dozen pillows on the bed to muffle my sobs. The loneliness was indescribably painful, but the sadness overrode all of my emotions. How was I going to make it through this?

  “Don’t cry, honey.” My mother’s calm voice sailed to me as she placed her hand upon my back. “You’ll be okay. We’re together now.”

  I slowly turned, afraid for what, not who, I might find looking back at me. It felt like a serpent was slowing entwining itself around my soul.

  “Mom?” I whimpered, seeing her beautiful auburn hair cascading down her shoulders. I was afraid to look into her eyes.

  “I love you,” she whispered, holding out her arms.

  I allowed myself one moment of pretend as I felt her embrace around me. One moment where I imagined that this was the same woman who I had loved for eighteen years, but it couldn’t be. That woman would never have left me.

  Backing out of our embrace, I brought my eyes to hers and saw the emptiness that I feared staring right back at me. How did he do this and why?

  “It’s good to see you, mother.” My shield was back up.

  “Oh, Triss. You too. I’ve been waiting so long for you to come live here with us.”

  Was she even in this world?

  “I’m sorry it took me as much time as it did. I had a lot to take care of first.”

  She grabbed my hand and pulled me off the bed.

  “Let’s get you in one of these outfits.” Her voice was filled with excitement as I became the project that Ellsy never was. “Have you looked in your closet yet?”

  I shook my head, staring at the floor while I tried to regain my composure. There were so many emotions fighting with one another, I didn’t know what to do. Was this how it started? No. I was here by choice. I had a mission to complete.

  “You have such a sullen look on your face,” my mother chirped, touching my chin briefly like she had done so many times before.

  I looked up horrified, catching her vacant stare. Oh, how I longed for Logan. This was a mistake — a very bad mistake.

  “Voila,” she said, swinging the doors of the closet open. “What should we put you in? Something fit for a princess, I’d say.”

  Her actions revealed a walk-in closet that had more clothes stuffed in it than I had ever had in my lifetime.

  “Who did all of this?” I asked, trying to gauge the timing of everything.

  “Oh, your father had many things in this room before I even got here. Now some weren’t anything you’d ever want to wear, so I fixed that.” She laughed at the memory, as I cringed at the shallowness.

  “How about this?” She pulled a black satin dress out of the closet, and I shook my head. Placing it back in the closet she seemed bothered.

  “What about this one?” This time a silvery sequined disaster was in front of me.

  “I..I wouldn’t be comfortable in that,” I replied, attempting to smile. “Not yet, anyway.”

  “We’ve got to get your confidence up.”

  “My confidence is fine. I just don’t want to wear something that elaborate. I’d like something simple.”

  “I think your father has something special planned for tonight,” she said annoyed.

  “I heard.”

  “From who?”

  “Trevor.”

  “Oh, he’s such a wonderful boy.”

  She was completely distracted from her moment’s earlier annoyance.

  “This might be fitting. You can wear it once before summer
is completely over.”

  She held up a white linen skirt and a pale, turquoise oversized sweater. It felt like every second I was here, my mind dulled that much more.

  I nodded and pretended to care, but I had to ask one question.

  “Where is Ellsy, mom?”

  “She hasn’t been feeling well since she arrived, so your father’s been taking care of her.”

  “She’s at the house?” Already knowing the answer.

  “No, dear.” My mother shook her head. “I didn’t want to tell you this, but Logan has gotten into some trouble. She’s not dealing with it well and your father is so wonderful he’s got special staff taking care of her until she gets well again.”

  This web of lies was so elaborate, I didn’t know if I’d be able to see things as clearly as I should.

  “I see.”

  “You remember Logan don’t you?” she asked. “He’s the one who kept sending letters long after you stopped reading them?”

  Her words stabbed my heart. Did she know what she was doing? Aunt Vieta had to have filled them in on everything. What was my mother trying to accomplish?

  “I’ll curl your hair. How does that sound?” she asked.

  Absolutely horrible.

  “Sounds nice, thank you.”

  She placed the clothes on the bed, and went over to the vanity and plugged in the curling iron.

  “This will give us plenty of time to catch up before you get whisked away to tonight’s events.”

  She patted the bench that she pulled out and waved her hand at me.

  Plenty of time to catch up? Thirty minutes was enough time to catch up. Wow.

  I sat down and stared into the mirror, watching my mother’s reflection as she parted my hair. Was she really only an Altered Soul? What I saw staring back at me seemed more like a Vacant Soul. It was as if her soul was gone. She was gone.

  “Tell me, how did your Witch Avenue Coven ceremony go?”

  How did my ceremony go? The anger was soaring through my system. How did it go?

  “Just peachy,” I replied through gritted teeth.

  Trying to calm myself down, I closed my eyes. This was not her fault.

  “It seemed like it went well.”

  My eyes flashed open to see her looking back at me.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I was there,” she replied, smiling. “You don’t think I’d miss my little girl’s big day do you?”

  “What do you mean you were there?” I tried again. “You were missing. The coven declared you dead.”

  I couldn’t keep it in any longer.

  “While you were off gallivanting and playing let’s pretend, I was back at home trying to figure out what happened to you — if you were dead or alive. And you were there?”

  “Your father didn’t want me to be. I begged him to let me go, and I had to promise him I would remain hidden.”

  “He let you go? Since when did you need permission?”

  “Oh, it’s not like that.”

  It was pointless to talk to her like she was rational. Rather than continue to become infuriated with each new development, I smiled at her and laughed it off. All I could do was hope the soul traveling I performed would tell me if she was even worth trying to save. I swallowed hard at that last thought and forced the sadness away.

  “So what do you do here most days?” I changed the subject.

  “I greet visitors who are interested in your father’s teachings. I spend a lot of time out collecting herbs and things. He’s got an amazing collection in these woods.”

  “I bet he does.”

  “There are so many beautiful gardens. You’ll be in heaven. They’d be a perfect place to get married. Although, a winter wedding would be absolutely lovely too.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “To Trevor,” she replied, placing the last curl in place.

  “Right.”

  “How’s Aunt Vieta?” I asked.

  “She’s doing pretty well. Trevor and her have become pretty close. It’s nice to see, since his family seems to have detached themselves from him.”

  “Really.”

  “I’m excited for you to be introduced to everyone. It’s grown to be such a nice, big family. We’re really lucky.”

  “What about the non-believers that visit? What happens to them?”

  “They usually see the light.” She smiled.

  “Do you miss Seattle?”

  She paused for a moment before speaking as if I might have actually struck a nerve.

  “To be honest, I don’t remember much about it. I think I enjoyed it, but I knew you needed saving and coming here would do that. And the funny part is, I don’t even remember what I thought you needed saving from.” She shook her head, and smiled. “Funny getting old.”

  “You’re only in your forties. That’s not old.”

  “Regardless, I came here with one intention in mind and that was to keep you safe. And here you are, safe as can be.”

  Her joyous melody reached deep into my soul as I wondered if this was what was going to happen to me. Coming here thinking I could save the people I loved only to be the one needing saving.

  I was in over my head.

  Chapter 20

  “It’s so wonderful to meet you.” I shook the hand of yet another stranger pronounced to be my new family, as I scanned the room for my father or mother. I hadn’t seen them since I arrived down here, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

  Servers wandered through the crowd offering tiny hors d’oeuvres and drinks all of which I let go right by me. The dining room was more like a banquet room and was packed with people. They couldn’t all be staying here. Could they? Organ music began filling the room, and everyone quieted. I didn’t even see an organ. Turning my head in the direction of Chopin, I saw the curtains open to reveal an organ player.

  This was absolutely surreal. Everyone turned their attention to the front of the room, and I forced myself to do the same even though I was sure it was only to watch my father and mother strut their stuff as they entered.

  The organist switched to a dramatic piece, signaling my parents’ arrival like we were at a wedding ceremony or something. Shaking my head in disbelief, one of the followers mistook my intention and whispered to me, “Incredible isn’t it?”

  “That’s one word for it,” I whispered.

  As the music was softened, everyone began finding a seat around the table that stretched the entire length of the room. In fact, I wasn’t even sure one continuous table could be built that large.

  “Triss,” Trevor’s voice called.

  Drats!

  His hand crawled up my shoulder, and it was everything I could do to not throw it off of me, but instead I spun around and smiled.

  “Feeling better?” he asked.

  “Immensely.”

  “Your father wants you sitting with us at the head of the table.”

  No more being snide or ambivalent. From this moment forward I had to put forth my best performance to date. I had to convince everyone that I wanted to be here no matter how much that blurred the line between reality and this…

  As I followed Trevor, I felt the entire room’s eyes on me. If I actually cared what these people thought, I’d be completely embarrassed by this reverence. Lucky for me, I didn’t care one iota.

  “Triss, you look lovely,” my father said. “Doesn’t she look lovely everyone?”

  His hand waved toward me and the entire room broke out in compliments and applause. It was hard for me to wrap my head around what my father was getting out of this.

  Smiling I nodded to the crowd and took my seat.

  “Thank you,” I replied.

  Trevor sat next to me, and both my mother and father were at the head of the table. I wished that I was skilled enough to let loose a spell in here. It would be sensational. If only—

  “It’s nice to see your spirits have lifted so much,” my father began. “I thought seei
ng your mother would put things in perspective.”

  “It certainly did,” I nodded in agreement.

  Someone from behind placed a salad plate in front of me, and I froze. This was going to be my first test. How could I do this with so many eyes on me? I picked up my fork and began moving the lettuce around, hoping someone would begin speaking again. Nobody did, but why would they when they’re on the verge of becoming catatonic.

  “So what do you have planned for us tomorrow?” I asked my father, who was taken aback by my eagerness to talk.

  “Oh, well. I think your mom wanted to show you some of the grounds, the gardens in particular. Isn’t that right, my dear?”

  “I thought that would be fun. That way we’ll be out of the way with everything going on tomorrow.”

  “What’s everything?” I asked.

  My father scowled at my mother who dropped her gaze to the table. She never would have done that. It killed me inside and made me so angry I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, but I couldn’t. I had to maintain control. I felt Trevor’s gaze on me, and I wondered what he was thinking.

  “We’ve got some people stopping by who are interested in using our facility,” my father replied.

  “Well, that sounds fantastic,” I muttered, waiting to catch my mom’s empty eyes.

  The room was full of laughter and discussion when it struck me that my father was attempting to build his own version of a family. He left us, but he created a world where there were people everywhere he went. He created a community where he was a vital part, and where he felt needed. This had been his family for eighteen years. I guess it’s not completely true about not being able to choose your family.

  “Would you mind if I went with Triss and her mom tomorrow?” Trevor asked.

  “Evanesco,” I whispered, watching a part of my salad disappear.

  “That would be a fantastic idea, son,” my father replied.

  I glanced at Trevor and grinned.

  “That would be nice,” I whispered. “And I’m sorry for earlier.”

  He nodded and placed his hand on my knee under the table.

  Feeling completely uneasy and frightened, I turned my head to him and flashed a smile.