by MJ Caan
“At least take me with you,” I said.
“And what about Gar?” said Aunt Vivian. “He’s human, and far too vulnerable to all of this.”
She knew I would never argue that point. No matter what else was happening, I would never let anybody or anything hurt Gar.
“Besides,” said Aunt Vivian, pointing at Cody, “you have other duties as well. You need to keep an eye on him. And no matter what, do not expose him to your magic. Or better yet, tell him to lock himself in one of his jail cells until we can figure out what’s going on.”
Yeah, like that was going to happen. I smiled and nodded but didn’t say anything. She had just given me an idea.
“He’s too big to move,” I said, looking at Cody. “If you’re sure he’s okay, why don’t we just let him sleep it off right there?”
“Fine,” said Aunt Vivian. “I’m too tired to argue at this point. We will leave first thing in the morning, and you need to make sure that he is out of here as soon as he wakes up. I’m serious, Allie. I don’t want you hanging out around a werewolf until we know exactly what’s going on.”
And that, I thought to myself as my aunts left the room, is exactly what I’m going to figure out. I took one last glance at Cody to make sure that he was still sleeping, and then headed over to the shelves of books.
I listened for the soft click as the door to my aunts’ study closed behind them. Then I waited, ears tuned for any sign that they may have been standing outside of the door with their ears pressed against it. Once I was satisfied they had retired downstairs, I started pulling tome after tome and began looking through everything. The books were all arranged neatly with their spines facing outward. There must have been hundreds of them, and not a single one had any writing on the spine or cover.
I pulled down one particularly heavy volume, the one from which I thought Aunt Lena had been reading. Upon opening it, I found that it was filled with hundreds of handwritten pages. Of course, it was also in whatever language Aunt Lena had been chanting, not English. Again, it looked familiar to me.
I could make out a small tug in the back of my mind. I had seen this language before, but I couldn’t remember when or where. Just as I was about to put the tome back I felt an itching somewhere behind my eyes. It was accompanied by the now familiar pull of my magic that from behind my belly button.
Instead of putting the book back, I stared harder at the page, letting my magic reach out and caress the words written there. Maybe it was my imagination, but it looked like the writing began to take on a golden glow, and the strange markings and symbols moved around on the page, rearranging themselves into something that more closely resembled English. It wasn’t quite the same, but I suddenly realized I could read the words. I hadn’t wanted to risk disturbing Cody, so I had deliberately left the lamps off, instead relying on the soft glow from the candles that still lit the room. The candles, combined with the glow from the book, were soothing in the dim room. The book itself reminded me of a large Kindle Paperwhite: the emitting light was perfect for reading without causing eyestrain.
“The Words of Calling” was the title of the page to which I had opened. The paragraphs that followed described how to use the certain esoteric phrases and words, coupled with the intent and will of the witch. Together they would bring forth truths or items that were lost or hidden. That would definitely come in handy, especially because I was always forgetting where I left my keys.
I looked around for something to write on; there was no way I would remember all this. But of course, I couldn’t find any pens or paper on the shelves. Then I remembered the wardrobe in the corner. Tempting, but no. Reading books on magic was bad enough, but opening a closed door and rifling through whatever was behind it felt too much like a betrayal of my aunts’ trust. Not that what I was doing was completely on the up and up, but at least I could to justify it to myself—I mean, the books were all out and sitting right there.
So, nothing to write with. I briefly considered taking out my phone. Would the camera capture the phrasing in a way I would still recognize when I looked at the pictures? Before I could test that, I again felt the tug of my magic. This time it whispered to me, almost like a breeze blowing gently in my ear. I wasn’t exactly sure what it wanted me to do, but I gave in to the feeling and let my body move of its own accord.
I held the book open in one hand and placed my other hand on the page. The glow from the writing flared briefly before settling back to its golden hue I had become accustomed to seeing. As soon as it settled back down, I realized that I remembered the phrasing on the page verbatim. Somehow, I had absorbed the spell almost instantaneously, no memorization required.
“Cool! Where was this power when I spent all those nights trying to learn the periodic table?” I whispered to myself.
I flipped trough the book, taking note of a few more interesting spells that I thought might come in handy, and absorbed those as well. Looking at the shelves, I realized that there must be more spells present than I would have time to peruse, even if I spent an entire summer locked away in the room. There had to be a reason that the first spell that presented itself to me was a spell of calling.
I placed the book back on the bookcase, and thought about the type of information I wanted to learn. My aunt had mentioned ley stones and ley lines before. I had an idea of what they were, but I wondered if there was anything here that might explain exactly what they were and how they worked. I concentrated on what I wanted, and recited the first incantation I had learned.
“Ephesis gran retiree,” I said, holding out my hands. Instantly, a small, tattered book appeared in my hands. I smiled, proud of my tiny accomplishment. I flipped open the book to find that it was written entirely in English. Granted, it was handwritten and the penmanship was a little lacking, but at least I could read it without any type of magical assistance.
The book appeared to be a written history of Trinity Cove and the system of intersecting ley stones and currents that ran throughout the town and surrounding areas. Apparently, Trinity Cove was built over a rare intersection of Telluric, or Earth, current. These were naturally occurring electric eddies that moved through the earth and the sea. The early mystics that settled in Trinity Cove had been drawn to the area’s abundant radiant energy that they were capable of sensing. Those early mystics scoured the earth and stone around Trinity, creating the ley lines that corresponded to the Telluric currents. The lines enabled the mystics to tap directly into and manipulate the energies that bubbled around Trinity Cove.
Over the generations, the combination of their magics and the natural energies found in Trinity combined to create the magical eddies and currents that seeped into the stone and soil, and eventually became the waterfall known as Singing Falls. As a result, the area attracted all manners of supernatural creatures that came to live in peace and harmony with the earth. Mages, mystics, witches, shifters, fae folk, and shadow dwellers all resided in and around Trinity Cove, living in peace and harmony.
The book also warned of the attraction of darker, more malevolent energies. It warned that a time would come when the power of the ley could become corrupted, and when that happened…
“What are you doing?” Cody’s voice came drifting out of the darkness.
The sudden sound startled me so much I slammed the book closed.
“Umm, studying, I suppose,” I said. I placed the book back on the shelf and walked over to Cody. He had managed to drag himself up off the floor and was sitting on the couch.
“What happened?” he asked, rubbing his head, his voice groggy and weak.
“You made with the old presto-change-o and tried to eat us. Well, you started to change, at least; my aunts stopped you.”
He had a blank look on his face, and then I could see something moving in his features. He was remembering something—something unpleasant.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I remember the voice. The ghost, when it spoke there at the end…it was like h
e was speaking directly to me, calling me. And I wanted to respond…but in my other form…like I knew what he wanted from me, and I wanted to reply in kind.” He shivered at the memory. “I felt like a dog being called by his master. I wanted to go running to him.” He looked down, and his shoulders began to rise and fall quickly as he tried unsuccessfully to hold back tears. “What the hell is happening to me?”
I didn’t know what to say because I didn’t know the answer to his question. I ached for him, because deep down, I was sure that the answer wouldn’t be good. While I might not be able to soothe him with my words, so I did the only thing I could think of that might help us both. Reaching over I took Cody in my arms, whispering softly into his hair that it would all be okay, and gently rocked him back and forth until his sobbing subsided.
He looked up at me, his dark eyes red and swollen. I smiled and brushed one hand across his cheek. I traced the sharp angles of his jawline with my fingertips. He reached up and placed on hand over mine, gently rubbing his fingers over my palm. I leaned forward, resting my forehead on his cheek, tentatively nudging at his face before softly kissing his lips and caressing him. His mouth came alive and kissed me back, drawing me closer as the heat between us grew. Jesus, had I just whimpered? What the hell was I thinking? That was it, I wasn’t thinking…I was feeling, responding to a need that I didn’t even know was buried inside me. My hand grasped his shoulder, sliding down his well muscled arm to fumble at his belt buckle.
He gasped. The sudden blast of breath on my face only heightened my desire. Then he took my hand and moved it away from him, holding it gently in his as he broke our kiss and rested his forehead against mine. I knew what he was thinking: it wasn’t the right place or time. While I felt safe with him, I knew that was exactly why we had to stop. A witch who couldn’t control her power and a werewolf that couldn’t control his Shift—it was a recipe for disaster.
I pulled away, breaking our embrace. I was sad, but happy at the same time. Cody smiled at me and lay back on the couch, pulling me down on top of him, one arm thrown protectively over me. He was so warm, so comforting, that I didn’t even remember drifting off to sleep, enveloped in warmth and skin.
I woke up a couple of hours later, greeted by the first rays of daylight creeping into the room. We sat up, each a little sheepish about our actions. Cody took my hand and kissed it gently, letting me know that everything was all right. I smiled and we stood up, stretching out cramped muscles, and made our way to the door.
I stopped, another idea crossing my mind.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Just a second,” I said, moving back to the bookshelves. I recited the incantation quietly, summoning yet another book to my hands. I flipped through, found the information I needed, and absorbed it.
“What was that?” Cody said when I returned to his side.
“Just some insurance,” I replied. “Hopefully, like that dusty old bottle of ipecac the aunts keep in the cupboard downstairs, it will never be needed.”
20
Even though it was early, the smell of waffles and frying bacon greeted us as we entered the kitchen. Aunt Lena was manning the cooktop, and I could see Aunt Vivian out on the deck, watering her plants. A smell I wasn’t used to being in the house filled the air, and I saw a full pot of coffee brewing.
“Coffee, Aunt Lena?” I said. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”
“Your aunt and I have a five-hour drive ahead of us. We need energy, not the relaxing calm of tea.” She glanced briefly at Cody as he walked up behind me, but didn’t say anything. “Besides, I’m betting you could use a little caffeine as well. Healing takes a lot out of a supernatural.”
Cody only smiled, then went about removing two mugs from the open cabinets to fill them with the steaming brew. I liked that he didn’t ask for cream or sugar, and took his coffee black. I liked him twice as much when he handed me my cup the same way. I raised my cup to him in a small salute before blowing gingerly at the coffee and taking the first warming draw.
“Wow,” I said. “I know teas are your specialty, but you really should explore your calling for making coffee. You could teach the summer workers a thing or two.”
Aunt Lena returned the compliment with a smile just as Aunt Vivian came in from the deck. She looked Cody before settling her gaze on me.
“I know, I know,” I said. “He’s on his way out.”
“Well, he’s here now,” said Aunt Vivian. “No pointing in him leaving without his trying to choke down some of these dry waffles your aunt is making.”
“Dry?” said Aunt Lena. “Are you seriously going to criticize my cooking? Allie, do you remember what happened the last time your Aunt Vivian cooked? Was it you or Gar who ended up calling the fire department?”
I wasn’t falling for that: I knew better than to laugh. The aunts could jibe at one another all they wanted, but I didn’t dare give the appearance of picking sides. I just smiled good-naturedly and said, “To be fair, she did say she was making blackened fish.” Aunt Vivian finally smiled, and lightening the mood in the room considerably.
“I thought you two were leaving at dawn?” I said.
“Oh, we’ll be leaving soon enough,” said Aunt Lena. “We just have a few loose ends that we want to tie up before heading out.” She squinted her eyes and looked closely at me. “Why? Is there reason you want us out of the house?”
“Not at all. I just need to plan the day as far as what to do with the coffee shop and Gar. I suppose I can see if a couple of the part-timers can run it today. That will allow me to stay here with Gar until you return.”
Aunt Lena nodded approvingly. “Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Until we can figure out what’s going on, I’d rather you and your brother stay here where we know you’re safe. Breaking the wards at the shop are one thing, but let’s see something get through the ones here.” I wasn’t exactly sure we were safe, but I wasn’t going to argue.
“The only thing I need to do is have Cody drive me back up to the parking lot at Singing Falls. I need to get my car. But don’t worry; I will take Gar with me,” I said.
“Oh, don’t worry about the car,” said Cody between sips of coffee. “That lot doesn’t allow 24-hour parking, so it’s probably already been towed to the impound lot. I can have it brought to you.”
I gave Cody a stinging look, pursing my lips for emphasis. For two people that had dodged death a couple of times together, we really were not in sync.
“However,” he said, catching my drift, “let me just make a couple of calls, just to make sure that the car has been picked up. Even if it has been, it’s probably a good idea that I take you to the lot so you can sign for it and make sure that there was no damage to the vehicle.” He took his cell phone from his pocket and stepped out onto the porch.
Aunt Vivian walked over and took me by the hand. She brushed at my hair with her hand before placing both of her palms against my cheeks. “So beautiful. You are the spitting image of your mother.” I smiled and reached up to caress my aunt’s hand. “I don’t want you to ever think that we have forgotten your mother or the sacrifice that she made so that you and your brother could live a normal life. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss her. But she made certain requests of my sister and me, and we’ve always intended to honor her memory by keeping them. There was nothing more important in this world to her than you and your brother. So whatever your aunt and I have to do to keep you safe, well, that’s what we’re going to do.”
I looked down, unable to hold my aunt’s gaze. “And I understand that, but I’m not a child, and you said it yourself: we are born into magic. I have these gifts and I feel a calling, like I am meant to use them for something greater. If they can help me find our mother, then I feel like that’s what I should be doing.” I began to pace, running both hands through my hair. “At the least I think I should try to help seal the rift in the forbidding. If I had a spider sense it would be tingling right now; Trinity Cove is th
e center of whatever evil is happening, and I need to help set it right.”
“I can’t argue with you there,” said Aunt Vivian. “As much as your mother wanted you to have nothing to do with this life, I don’t think that’s meant to be. Maybe part of this is our fault for not preparing you sooner, but what’s done is done. All we can do is make sure that the past does not repeat itself. And that’s why it’s very important that you stay safe until we get back.”
I nodded and smiled, giving my aunt’s hand a caress one more time. She got up and headed into the kitchen just as Cody walked back into the house. He nodded to me and cleared his throat. “So it looks like your car was not picked up just yet. The department is down to only two deputies, and they have not had time to open the lot to towed vehicles. Guess that means I’ll be driving you back up to the Falls to get it.”
“Well you’re not heading out on an empty stomach,” called Aunt Lena, placing a platter overflowing with bacon onto the island. “Allie, go wake up your brother. By the time you get back from collecting your car we’ll be gone, so it would be nice to have breakfast all together before you head out.”
Cody move to sat at the island, his face lighting up at the sight of waffles and bacon heaped before him. I went to rouse my sleeping brother and tried to ignore the slight sense of foreboding that was brewing in the back of my mind.
21
“Hey, I thought we were going to get the car,” said Gar. He looked up from his phone and slipped his headphones off long enough to take account of where we were. “Singing Falls is the other way.”
“Change of plans,” I said. “Cody and I have an important errand to run, so I’m going to drop you off with Hope.”