by J. E. Cluney
‘A warlock?’ Skip asked.
‘Not sure, they didn’t say,’ Lucas said before withdrawing.
Well, that was good news. I’d try to relax with that knowledge.
With the Council involved, and the townspeople, they’d get to the bottom of this.
But the scarlet dagger and what my mom said still hung around in the back of my mind.
Could she have been wrong about all this?
Trish placed a plate on the floor for Ollie, apologizing once more about his horrid ex, and about the fact that it was pork, which I hadn’t really thought about.
Was he technically being a cannibal?
‘Great, now I’m going to think about that,’ Ollie grumbled, but it didn’t stop him from digging in.
I started eating, only pausing when my phone sounded off with a message from Emma. She wanted to know if it was okay if she could come over.
‘Sure,’ I sent back.
‘I want to help, so I was thinking of trying to summon your mother and get more information if I could.’
‘That’d be awesome. I didn’t think you could because she’d crossed over.’
‘Pulling them back isn’t easy and uses up a lot of magic, but if it helps, I’ll do it. I’m just hoping the chaos in the spirit world won’t get in the way.’
‘If you think it’s going to be too much hassle, it’s okay x’
‘I’ll try, but I’ll let you know if I struggle. George will bring me over in fifteen x’
I set my phone down as Trish arched a questioning brow at me.
“My friend wants to come by. She’s a psychic witch and wants to help me get to the bottom of this scarlet dagger thing,” I explained.
“Right, was she the one at your birthday?” Trish queried, and I nodded.
“Well, that’d help a lot if she could,” Hayley murmured after swallowing.
“Yeah, we could use whatever help she can offer,” Skip added.
After today’s death, I’d do almost anything for answers.
I just wanted this whole thing behind us.
“Hey, Emma,” I sighed out as Emma moved through the door to hug me with George behind her.
Skip welcomed him in, and we headed into the living room together.
Emma frowned at Ollie, who was still in pig for on the floor.
“Glenda used a potion on him,” I explained. “She’ll be reprimanded for it though.”
“Oh my, I’m so sorry!” Emma exclaimed as she knelt down to his level. “That’s horrible. Will it last long?”
“A few hours,” Skip answered from his seat on the lounge with my grandmother.
Hayley and Marcus sat on the other quietly.
“My mom and dad went to some emergency town meeting. Is it to do with this Joseph Walter thing?” Emma asked as she straightened, those grey eyes deeply worried.
“Yeah, another body showed up,” I said.
“Shit,” George hissed. “How many is that now?”
“Three,” Skip answered.
“Lucas is there too, so he’s keeping us in the loop. It’ll be starting soon,” I added. I’d been checking in with him, but they were still waiting on some stragglers. Considering it was an emergency summoning, I wasn’t surprised some people were having trouble getting there quickly.
“This is weird for Maple Grove. The wardings have protected us for so long, there’s barely any petty crimes that happen, just mainly uni student crap,” Emma murmured as she moved her messenger bag in front of her.
“So you think this will work?” I asked as Emma bit her lip, toying with her rainbow pentagram keychain.
“Not sure. I can only try,” she admitted with a strained expression.
“Well, where’s the best place to do this?” I asked.
“At a table,” she answered quickly.
“So what exactly are you doing?” Trish enquired.
“I’m going to try to summon Ally’s mom back and get more information. Try to learn more on what she meant about the scarlet dagger,” Emma explained.
“Why didn’t you try sooner?” Hayley asked, although her tone wasn’t blunt or judgmental.
“Ally’s mom used all her strength to relay the message. I could sense that from her. A spirit who uses up their own energy to reach out needs to recharge, and if I’d tried to summon her, I could’ve pushed her away more. She also moved on after that, so she’s no longer stuck in the ghost realm. Pulling her back to it uses up a lot of magic, especially if she’s drained herself. Hopefully, she’s had enough time to recharge so I can connect with her, but I’ll have to funnel my own magic into her if needed to draw her forth properly,” Emma answered as she glanced at George, who gave her a reassuring smile.
“I didn’t mean to push, was just curious. I’ve never really spoken with a psychic before,” Hayley said quickly.
“It’s all good. Not many people understand how it all works. It confused me sometimes too, but I’ve learned over the years,” Emma said with a shrug and smiled softly.
“Well, let’s get to it then. The sooner we can figure something out, the better,” Trish said as she clasped her hands together.
Emma nodded, and we headed through to the living room, with everyone following after us.
Ollie snorted as he trotted behind everyone, and Skip suggested they all keep quiet and watch from the kitchen, which I assumed Emma would prefer.
She probably needed to concentrate for the spell to work.
I stood awkwardly beside the dining table as George helped her set up the candles and a bowl of assorted ingredients from her bag.
“You didn’t use a bowl of stuff for Lucas,” I murmured, remembering back to when they reached out to his grandfather.
“No, but he had plenty of energy to spare. This will make the process easier, just helps guide us both in the spirit realm,” Emma explained as she pulled a piece of purple material out of her bag. She unrolled it, revealing an intricate magic circle design on the piece, and laid it out in the center of the circle of candles before setting the bowl on it.
“Everything extra I’m using is just to help me. I don’t normally need it all, but it’ll help,” Emma murmured as those grey eyes locked onto mine. “I’m ready now though. Sit across from me.”
I nodded, my heart skipping a beat.
Was I going to see my mother? No. I doubted I would, but to think I’d possibly be able to talk to her was nerve-racking.
Emma sat down, and George gave her a kiss on the forehead before he headed over to join the others in the kitchen, who were watching silently with bated breath.
I sat down across from Emma, and she held out her hands.
“Hold them palm up in mine,” she instructed. “I’m going to use you as a link, since you carry her bloodline.”
“Okay,” I breathed as I did as told.
Emma gave me a reassuring smile as my heart hammered, and I sucked in a few shallow breaths.
“Relax, everything will be fine,” she murmured as her eyes began to glow a faint green.
A tingle of magic started up, flowing through her and into my hands, mingling and merging with my own.
I watched as the blue skulls on my hands began to glow softly, causing my grandmother and Hayley to murmur in alarm.
Emma didn’t stop though, her magic only intensifying as the candles around the circle ignited.
I flinched as the bowl of assorted herbs and ingredients sparked and burst into flames.
“I’ve found her. I just need to draw her forth now,” Emma murmured. “I’ll share my magic with her to help guide her over. I may siphon some of yours too if that’s okay, just to help with the process,” she said with a soft furrow of her brow.
I nodded, feeling my own magic being drawn from me gently after moment.
It wasn’t painful, but I could feel the strange connection within me now, like my magic was connecting with an unseen force.
“Allison?”
My grandmother gasped,
and I felt my mates shock as the sweet voice cut through the silence.
A voice I’d only heard in the videos.
“Mom?” I choked out as the wispy figure appeared behind Emma, slowly forming into a transparent, slightly blue form.
“Allison.” My mom smiled softly, looking only a little older than the videos I had of her.
“How is this possible?” I heard Trish murmur in disbelief.
“I think Allison’s magic is causing it,” Emma answered softly for us all. “The connection is fragile though, so ask your questions, Ally.”
I nodded, my throat tightening as my eyes stung with tears.
My mother looked so peaceful as she gazed at me with utter love. My mother. The woman who’d died that horrid day for me. The one who’d hung around to warn me.
The one person I’d wished for over the years, missing the family I’d never really had.
“You’ve grown up so beautifully. We’re so proud of you, sweetheart. You’ve found love and family here. I’m so sorry for the life you had growing up. It was never what I wanted for you,” my mother said with a sigh, but I shook my head vigorously, unable to stop the tears from flooding forth.
“It wasn’t your fault. None of it was. And it all worked out in the end,” I said through a sob.
Ollie snuffled, hurting for me, but my mates waited back, not wanting to interrupt, which I was grateful for.
“I’m glad it did. The men you’ve found, they’ll cherish you forever and protect your heart. For that, I’m grateful,” my mother said, gazing over at my men with a tender smile. She nodded at Trish and Hayley as well.
“Mom, I need to ask you something,” I said as I wiped the tears that had streaked down my cheeks on my shoulders, not wanting to break my connection with Emma.
I wasn’t sure how much time I had before the connection would end.
My mother nodded as I drew in a steadying breath.
“You warned Emma about a dagger. We don’t know how to find it. And a…friend told us that Ollie is involved in it all somehow. Do you know anything? Anything more that can help us?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“Oliver is the key to finding it. There is a power inside him that can do as such. As for the dagger itself, it needs to be used on Joseph Murphy,” she said firmly.
“A power inside Ollie?” I questioned as I turned to gaze at Ollie, who snuffled in confusion.
“Yes, he’ll know what it means soon enough, don’t worry. And Allison…” She paused as I turned to stare back at her, noting how her form had become more transparent.
“We love you, don’t ever forget that. You were our sunshine, our light every day. You are amazing, and I know you’ll achieve great things. You’ve already made us so proud,” she said, her voice beginning to echo around me.
As her form began to quickly fade from sight, I could’ve sworn I saw a twinkle of tears in her eyes.
“Mom?!” I choked out as she vanished from behind Emma and the candles went out along with the flickering flames in the bowl.
“I’m sorry, Ally, the connection was fragile. The spirit realm is in chaos right now. I held on for as long as I could,” Emma said, her voice strained.
I nodded, swallowing down the lump in my throat.
I realized that Emma’s hands were clammy now, and she had beads of sweat running down her forehead.
“Thank you,” I murmured as she nodded and released my hands to slouch back in the chair.
“You okay, love?” George was over in an instant as he checked on her.
“I’m fine. Just drained,” Emma assured him.
I sat back, a strange joy mingling with my sadness.
They were proud of me. I was still loved by them.
I drew in a shuddering breath and looked to my men as they all joined me.
Even Lucas was reaching out mentally to check on me.
“So, there’s a power inside you,” Skip mused as he looked down at Ollie. “Wonder what kind?”
“No idea,” I sighed. “But apparently, we’ll find out soon enough.”
That’s what my mother had said. I could only hope and pray she was right.
10
I sat down on the couch, mulling over what my mother had said.
So Ollie was the key to finding the dagger. At least we now knew how he was involved. I was just relieved it wasn’t anything bad.
Emma slumped down beside me, sighing as she closed her eyes.
George and Marcus were tidying up the dining table, while Skip sat across from us and Ollie sat on the floor, still stuck as a pig. Hayley and Trish were standing quietly to the side.
“Thank you,” I said softly as I touched Emma’s arm. “I know it took a lot out of you.”
“Comes with the territory. And I wanted to help. I’m just glad your magic made it possible for you to see and hear her yourself. I hadn’t expected that,” she said honestly as she opened one grey eye lazily.
“Will you be okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, just need a few days to recover. I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me,” she assured me with a pat on my arm. “At least you’ve got some more information now.”
“Yeah, thank God,” I murmured.
Still, none of us had any idea about this power of Ollie’s. At least my mother had said it would reveal itself soon enough.
I smiled softly, still awed that I’d actually been able to speak with her, to see her and hear what she thought of me.
It was more than I ever could have asked for.
A strange tugging sensation hit me, and I recognized it as Walter reaching out.
I shot Skip a knowing look as my heart skipped a beat. He finally had news for us.
I relaxed as I slipped into my void, and Walter manifested before me.
“I see you saw your mother,” Walter remarked as he gave me a welcoming bow, removing his hat as he did so.
“Yes, she helped give me more information,” I murmured.
“I bet you’re grateful you had the chance to speak with her,” Walter smiled softly as he straightened.
I nodded, and he cleared his throat as he turned serious.
“I come bearing more news. I’m sorry it’s taken so long. Mabel and Cheryl have provided more insight, although it took time with Cheryl. Her spirit went for a walkabout for a while, and she became unruly and hostile, but she’s reverted to herself for a short time. She’s informed me that she watched on over my father and saw how he infused his soul with the scarlet dagger, using my being as a trigger. He somehow gained the future sight ability like Mabel, and he used it to orchestrate his plan. He knew that one day I’d fall, and he spelled my being so that when I did, his soul would reawaken within the dagger and return. It’s likely he’s been siphoning magic from other supes to restore his power and being. Mabel also said your mate, Oliver, will be the one to find the scarlet dagger, and it is the only object that can kill my father now, thanks to his infusion of soul magic with it. Nothing else can sever his link to the living world,” Walter explained, looking quite distressed as he shook his head.
“What about my touch of death?” I asked softly.
“No. My father feeds off the power of other supes. It would be too risky, as he would probably just siphon it. Besides, how do we even know it works on warlocks? Sure, it worked on me, as a wendigo, but could it work on a full-scale warlock? We don’t really know for sure, whereas we know the dagger definitely will.”
I just processed everything, disbelieving it. So the scarlet dagger was the only way to kill him. So much for thinking Mr Brady and the townspeople could handle him.
And he’d used Walter’s demise as the trigger to return. To think he’d known that his son would fall one day was saddening. How could he not care at all?
After seeing my own mother, hearing her loving words, it broke my heart.
“Don’t despair for me, Allison. I’ve come to terms with who my father is, and I will help you however I can. I just hope this inform
ation can assist you,” Walter said, smiling softly.
“It definitely will. I’ll alert Mr Brady about the dagger,” I said, although my chest tightened.
Now it all fell on us. Well, on Ollie and his ability to find the dagger.
That was a big responsibility.
I withdrew from my void, finding everyone was now in the living room and staring at me.
“So Walter says the dagger is the only thing that can kill Joseph, huh?” Skip asked as he folded his arms while George and Marcus joined us.
“Yeah,” I said with a nod as I looked down at Ollie. He’d peeked into my mind and realized everything rested on him now.
“Well, how the hell do we find it?” Trish asked as she plopped down beside Skip, and Hayley squeezed in beside her.
“Ollie,” Skip answered.
“I know that. But what is this hidden power? And how will it help you guys find the dagger?” Trish asked in concern.
“No idea. Guess we’ll just have to figure it out,” I said with a sigh as I reached out mentally to Lucas.
‘Hey, I got news on the dagger from Walter,’ I said.
‘What’d he say?’ Lucas sent back.
‘It’s the only thing that can truly kill Joseph, by severing his link with the living.’
‘Fuck. That sucks arse. So all this kerfuffle is pointless then.’ He sighed. ‘I’ll let my father know. He’s putting a curfew into effect for the town, and shifter patrols will be starting up tonight. They want to find him and deal with him. I guess the best they can do now is just contain him until we find the dagger. I see you spoke to your mom. So Ollie is the way to find it. Wish we knew how.’
‘Yep. He has no idea. This is a lot of responsibility to put on him,’ I murmured.
Lucas agreed before thanking me and withdrawing from my mind as he moved to fill his father in on the new update.
“So what do we do now?” Hayley asked quietly, breaking the uneasy silence.
We all jumped as Ollie’s pig form practically exploded, shifting incredibly fast back to man.
