As I was about to follow her, out of the corner of my eye I saw something moving. There it was a beautiful, white wolf, standing where the woods end at the corner of the yard. It was the biggest wolf I’d ever seen. It didn’t seem menacing, so I wasn’t afraid. It just stood there, gazing at me as if it knew me. I was quite drawn to it and was about to take a step when it ran off. “That had to be the wolf who left the paw print, but I guess I’ll never know,” I said, turning to run and catch up with Luna.
Luna was already sitting on the bench when I caught up to her. “What took you so long?” she asked. “Nothing tried to harm you did it?” she insisted, her eyes darting around the yard.
“No, I’m fine. Don’t be such a worry wart,” I answered laughing as I tried to pet her, but she shook me off as if offended.
“I can’t help it, Amelia. It is my job to protect you.”
“What? Oh … I’m sorry, Luna. I’m new to all this, you know.”
“That’s all right. I guess I do need to take that into consideration. I’m just used to talking to your grandmother,” she remarked, nuzzling my face apologetically. “I need to do one more check of the yard. I’ll be right back. Please don’t go anywhere, Amelia. I repeat: your safety means everything to me,” and with that she disappeared into the night.
“Well, at least now I know Grandmother isn’t crazy for talking to cats,” I joked laughing.
“I heard that,” hollered Luna, giggling from somewhere in the yard.
“Sorry!” I yelled.
“That’s all right. Just don’t let your grandmother hear you say that,” she advised then all became quiet for a while. It did feel nice to just sit and bask in the glow of the moon. I wondered, since we were Moon Witches, if it really did help us. I could always ask Grandmother later.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
AMELIA
I LOVE YOU TOO
I waited for what seemed like ages for Matthew. I was just about to go in when his truck pulled up. He turned off the engine and got out of his truck carrying another bundle of flowers. Geez, I knew he had feelings for me and all, but I was going to have to ask him to tone it down a little. I have to admit, though, he did look really handsome in his blue button up shirt and khaki pants, so I might let him slide this time. “Maybe he is just trying to make my birthday a special one,” I murmured to myself.
“Nope, the boy’s a little too mushy for my taste,” muttered Luna, once again hidden somewhere in the shadows of the yard, making me laugh.
“Hey, beautiful,” said Matthew.
“Ick … See what I mean,” responded Luna, making me giggle again.
“What’s so funny? I like to laugh,” he smiled.
“Nothing.” I paused trying to think. “Grandmother had told me a joke.” Whew, I was going to have to get used to this. Luna being able to talk and all. Hey, that means she probably told Grandmother about … I sulked and made a note to question her about it later.
“What’s the joke?” Matthew asked breaking me from my thoughts.
“Oh, the joke. Well, I’m not good at relaying jokes. Maybe she can tell you later.” Oops, I grimaced. Oh well. Grandmother can think of something to get herself out of that one later. “I see you brought me flowers,” I added, changing the subject.
Matthew looked embarrassed and explained, “Sorry, but these are for Ms. Matilda. She wanted some for her table tonight. I hoped you liked the ones I brought earlier, but I can run get you some,” he assured me with a frown.
“No, I just assumed. I loved my flowers. I’m sure Grandmother will love those.”
Matthew nervously shifted from one foot to the other. “Well, you know what they say when you assume,” he said his voice almost shaky.
“Huh? No, what do they say?” I questioned.
“Oh … never mind.” he replied.
“What’s got you all nervous?” I asked, reaching out to take his free hand and startling him a little.
“Oh, I apologize, Amelia. I guess guys are usually nervous when they are trying to tell their girlfriends they love them. Oh!” he exclaimed, raising his eyebrows and looking into my eyes. “It wasn’t supposed to come out like that. I had it rehearsed.”
“What did you say? What’d you call me?” I asked, turning to face him. He sat down on the bench, taking my hand in his so I sat down beside him.
“Let me start over. Amelia, I know we haven’t known each other long, but I feel like I have known you for a lifetime. I don’t know what it is, but it just feels like I’m drawn to you. I was scared to say it at first or even to admit it because I didn’t want to come off as taking advantage of you, but as I’ve spent more and more time with you this week, I see I can’t fight it.” He paused and looked me in the eyes. “I love you, Amelia.” I gasped but spoke nothing as he continued. “And even though we haven’t known each other long, I would like you to be my girlfriend.” I just nodded, not really knowing what that meant. “I mean, I want to take it slow and really get to know you and all.” I just sat there staring at him, speechless. He began to get nervous again. “If you don’t feel the same way I understand …” before letting him finish what he was saying, I gently placed one hand on his cheek and kissed him.
“I love you, too,” I whispered. “Yes, I would love to be your girlfriend.” Whatever that means, I pondered to myself.
“I got you something,” he announced as he handed me a little silver bag with white tissue paper.
I reached my hand inside to pull out his gift. “Ouch,” I yelled. “Something poked me.”
“Huh?” he said, looking in the bag. “Oh,” he said, pulling the hard plastic item out. “I’ve done that before. These edges can be sharp. I’ve got my pocket knife on me. Just a sec and I’ll cut it open. I have already opened it once, but put it back in there to keep it safe.” In about a couple minutes he had whatever it was out of the packaging. “Here you go. Here are the ear buds that go with it.”
“Oh,” I said, examining it closely. “It’s like your thingy.”
“It’s called an mp3 player, Amelia. I’m still kind of surprised you’ve never seen one before.” I didn’t say anything. “I can show you how to use it,” he remarked and gave me a five-minute introduction to it.
“I tried to put a variety of songs on there since I wasn’t quite sure what you would like. Make sure you listen to track number 11.”
“Okay,” I promised. I thought he said he was making me something, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings over the gift, so I just said, “Thank you, Matthew. It was very thoughtful,” and kissed his cheek.
“Well, I’m not trying to rush us, but shouldn’t we be getting inside? I’m sure Ms. Matilda has that dinner waiting.”
“Luna,” I shouted, surprising Matthew as she came running back, and we all three went in the house.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
AMELIA
A DAY OF CELEBRATION
As we were about to sit down at the dining room table, Grandmother called from the kitchen. “Matthew, would you be a dear and come help me please? Amelia, you can go ahead and sit down, if you like.”
“Yes, ma’am. Oh, and I brought the flowers you wanted,” remarked Matthew.
“Good, good. Bring them with you please, and we will put them in some water,” instructed Grandmother. Matthew did as he was told, and for a minute I was the only one in the room. I began to think about my powers again, but knew I wouldn’t be able to test them out until Matthew went home. Don’t get me wrong, I loved having him here with me, but I was just aching to see what I could do. Luna came in to the room and hopped into the chair beside me.
“You know you shouldn’t practice your magic alone for a while, right, Amelia?”
“I was just thinking about that. You can’t read my mind too, can you?” I panicked, not wanting her to know half the thoughts that go through my head, especially the ones with Matthew.
“No, no. I promise I can’t do that, but I remember your mother as a child. She was exc
ited to start her training after her ceremony, as I’m sure you are, so I just figured I’d warn you,” replied Luna.
“Warn me of what?” I asked.
“Warn you that although magic is controllable after much practice, it is also unstable in the hands of someone new to it. Accidents can happen.” She paused. “Also, just so you know, I know you and Matilda talked about the magical sensors you project when performing magic. Don’t be afraid of him finding you when your grandmother is training you. She has ways of hiding or scattering your magical DNA, so he can’t get a general location on you. However, I seriously advise you not to try magic alone for a while, because you aren’t trained enough to protect yourself in that way,” she explained.
“Well, can’t you do it?” I asked innocently.
“No, I cannot, Amelia. Just trust me,” she retorted irritated, jumping down from the chair and scurrying out the room. Just in time too because I could hear Grandmother and Matthew making their way down the hall.
“Watch it, lad. Do not drop it on your end,” instructed Grandmother nervously.
“I won’t,” he promised. The lights went off, as if by magic, as Grandmother and Matthew entered the room with an even bigger cake than this morning. Grandmother had gone all out. It was a three tier, lavender and pink cake with sparklers on it.
“It’s beautiful, Grandmother.”
“Happy Birthday, Amelia,” shouted Grandmother and Matthew. I tossed aside any thoughts not pertaining to the moment, for it was a moment I would remember for the rest of my life. Both Grandmother and Matthew sang “Happy Birthday” to me, as did Luna from another room.
“Your cat sure did like that song. I could hear her meowing in the other room,” said Matthew, as Grandmother and I burst into laughter.
“What, another joke?” he asked making us laugh even harder. He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. After the laughter died down, Grandmother cut the cake but not before removing the sparklers and putting them in water. “This is delicious, Ms. Matilda,” exclaimed Matthew, diving into the cake.
“I am glad you like it, Matthew. Do you like it, Amelia?” asked Grandmother. I had a mouthful so I can only nod, but she could tell I was enjoying it. “You are welcome to bring some home to your uncle,” she insisted, turning to Matthew.
He said, “Thank you. I will do that.”
“If everyone is done, Matthew and I can clean up, and you can open presents if you like, Amelia.”
“Sounds good,” I said as Grandmother quickly cleared off the table and was back in a flash with the gifts. Pretty blue wrapped packages with pink bows stacked as high as the eye could see. “Wow!” I cheered.
“I am sorry, Amelia. I guess I over did it. This birthday only comes once in a lifetime.”
“I knew sixteenth birthdays were special, but wow!” responded Matthew.
Grandmother and I just looked at each other and cackled. Maybe one day I would tell Matthew my secret, but that day was not today. No, today was a day of celebration. Nothing was allowed to ruin it. Grandmother assured me she had put an extra special protection spell over the place and Luna was on high alert for anything out of the ordinary.
Five presents down, I had unwrapped some nice looking blouses. Once again, not really my style, but I would make it work. Five or ten more were some skirts, a few bracelets, and a necklace. One of my favorite gifts was a hard cover copy of Little Women and a book of Classical Sheet Music. After much unwrapping, there was only one left. “This one is special, Amelia,” she proclaimed, “I would like to give it you later if that is okay,” she whispered to me so Matthew couldn’t hear while he was cleaning up the wrapping paper. I nodded and smiled. I figured it had something to do with my new found witchhood.
The rest of the evening was spent in the sitting room as I tried out some of the new music from the book I had gotten. “Lovely, my dear,” shouted Grandmother clapping.
“Encore, encore,” hollered Matthew.
I would have played another, but I was exhausted from the day. “Thank you all so much for a great birthday,” I said as I stood up and hugged each of them.
“I am so glad you enjoyed it,” said Grandmother.
“Me too, Amelia,” said Matthew.
I couldn’t have asked for a better night or better company, I thought as I smiled, looking at everyone.
“Well, it’s getting late,” announced Matthew. “I promised Uncle Bart that I would help him around the store tomorrow, but I promise to be back on Monday, okay?”
Both thinking the same thing, Grandmother and I looked at each other. Tomorrow would be the perfect day to begin training. Grandmother said her goodbyes as usual to Matthew and went to bed as I once again walked him to the door, hand in hand, both of us smiling. As I reached for the doorknob, a jolt went through my body, I screamed in pain, and that’s when everything went black.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
AMELIA
THE DARKNESS
“Amelia, Amelia, come back to me, Amelia,” yelled a voice calling in the distance. I felt as if I could neither move nor breathe. I could, once again, hear a man laughing as the sounds of chains clattering and the smell of death surrounded me.
Oh no. Oh no. Not here. Not here. I couldn’t seem to get the words out. I knew I had been here before, when I had fainted in the sitting room, but I didn’t understand how it happened this time because I had not fainted or gone to sleep. The last thing I could remember was screaming in pain as a jolt went through my body.
“Did you send the bird?” asked a man’s voice.
“Yes, master, I did,” answered a man that sounded a lot like the man who called himself Cassius in my dream.
“Was it carrying the stone?” asked the unknown man again.
“Yes, I made sure of it myself.”
“We are getting closer, Cassius, I can feel it in my bones. We will find her. She will be mine,” he proclaimed as the two erupted into an evil and sinister laugh.
All began to fade and grow quiet as light began to encompass my body, and my mother’s face flashed before me. She was still as beautiful as before, but not at all put together this time. Her clothes were ragged and torn, as if she had been fighting. Her face looked tired and her hair loose and unkempt. She mouthed, “I love you. Be safe,” before disappearing from my site.
As I began to wake up, Matthew and Grandmother started coming into view. I don’t know why, but I knew inside that that was the last time I would be able to talk to my mother. If he hurts her, I don’t know what I’ll do, I thought, not really even knowing who he was. I didn’t care. I would make it my mission to find her and make her safe again. No matter how many years we had been apart, she was still my mother. If this new found rage would allow me patience, I would wait until later to discuss things with Grandmother. I was fed up with living a life of secrets and questions and I was determined to take back control of it all and find her.
“Are you all right?" they both exclaimed in unison.
“Yes, I’m fine. I guess I just overdid it today,” I replied, shooting Grandmother a look that said we need to talk.
Matthew tried to argue otherwise, and if Grandmother hadn’t “persuaded” him to go home, I’m certain he would have stayed all night by my side. Not that that is a bad thing, but under the circumstances, Grandmother and I needed to be alone.
“So, tell me again what happened,” asked Grandmother, trying to piece together the details.
“There was a sharp pain like electricity going through my body and that’s when I blacked out.” I repeated every detail down to what my mother looked like and how I felt when I woke up.
“I am sure the pain was just your body’s way of saying that it was not used to magic of that magnitude.”
“I thought we could only communicate in dreams,” I said, confused.
“You are correct. That is why your mother had me charm the doorknob with a sleeping spell right before the party started. I did not know why she wanted me to, I just did
it. Since she was a little girl she has always been able to see bits of the future. Not all of it at one time, but bits and pieces. Some she would say were just childish fantasies, but she seemed to know the real from the make-believe. I think that is why she ended up with your father. She saw good in him.” Grandmother had never spoken of my father before. I didn’t know why. Maybe it was just too painful for her. “He was the best son-in-law a woman could ask for. Always made sure that your mother had all she ever needed and was well taken care of. They were truly in love. When you came along, besides your grandfather, I had never seen a man love a child as much as your father loved you. He would walk around the house holding you and singing to you. When your mother or I could not get you to stop crying, he would take you in his arms and sing and you would become very still and just smile at him.” Grandmother wiped away a tear as she continued to tell me more. “Then a letter came. A letter from him to your father. He told him that he was jealous of the life that he had made with your mother and you. He then said he would track you all down and destroy the happiness that he found just like your father had destroyed his,” she explained taking a breath.
“Who is he?” I asked, trying to piece together the puzzle that was my life.
Grandmother put up one hand and said, “If we are to continue this, let us continue in the sitting room. I need to sit down.”
We walked in silence until we reached the room and she sat down on the couch, as I did on my usual chair. Grandmother took a breath before continuing with her story. “Knowing he could not hide his magic, or his magical DNA I should say, forever, your father left in hopes of protecting you and your mother. He knew that you all would surely be found otherwise and could not bear to think what would happen to you if caught.”
“So, he left me?” I asked. “Yes, but only in hopes of protecting you, Amelia. Please, do not be upset with him. He would want you to understand.”
“Well, is he alive?” I asked, as the bitterness turned to hope of a fresh start maybe.
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