Jackson nodded. “You need to get her magic back.”
Her magic? “That’s what we need to get her back?” I’d have been relieved if she opened her eyes or squeezed my hand. Anything.
Jackson leaned back against a book case. “She isn’t coming back without her magic. It was stolen, and now you have to get it back.”
“Her magic was stolen?” Mattie asked still sitting beside Delpha. “That’s what this is all about?”
“Yes.” Jackson looked into the children’s section where she sat. “That’s what the dark one wanted.”
“As much as I don’t want to agree with him, what he says makes sense.” Vicky walked over holding a book. “This isn’t exactly the case here, but look. A dark one stole a girl’s magic.” She showed off a hand drawn picture in the book. “I haven’t found anything about the symbol, but it’s a start.”
“How do we get it back?” None of the rest mattered unless we could pull that off. “I assume you know how since you’re telling me that’s the only way to help her.”
“You have to steal it back.” Jackson turned his attention to me. “With blood magic.”
“Warlocks don’t use blood magic. Why are you looking at me?” I’d honestly only skimmed the surface of my magic. I’d been more concerned with other aspects of my life.
“Sorcerers don’t use it anymore either. Now that we don’t have it.” Jackson brought everything back to my ancestors. Again.
“He’s right, Cad. The ability was stolen from our kind.” M.P. walked over.
“And I’m really sorry about that, but we need to find someone who can use it.” I’d done enough apologizing.
“You can.” Billy spoke so casually it made me take a step back.
“No, I can’t.” I shook my head.
“Yes, you can. You were born after it was stolen from our blood lines, which means it now runs in yours. It’s in there. It’s in your blood,” M.P. pressed. “You just have to find it.”
“Does that make any sense?” I turned to Vicky. Surely she’d talk some sense into them.
“In theory, yes. It’s not 100% for sure, but considering how strong your magic is, I’d be surprised if you didn’t have some of that.”
I couldn’t see any reason why Vicky would lead me astray. “Then tell me what I have to do.” If there was even a fraction of a chance I could help Delpha, I wasn’t going to hesitate.
Thirteen
Delpha
I heard so many different voices, each one was distinct at first, until it all blurred together like the echo of the Oceanids. Now the only sense I had left was messing up too.
I had to believe my condition was temporary. Either it would all repair itself on its own, or more likely one of the many people helping me would figure it out. I still couldn’t believe they were all helping. I hoped no one was stupid enough to put themselves in danger. It wasn’t worth it. Plus, I’d brought this on myself. I was the one who’d gone to search again. I was the one who ignored all the warnings.
Unable to move, see, feel, and now hear, I was left alone with my thoughts. Shapes, colors, thoughts all swirled through my mind, until I focused on one specific thing. A faint vision, a memory I could barely hold onto anymore.
My mother stood on the pier staring into the water below. There was nothing unusual about the action. She was always drawn to the ocean, even if she’d willingly left it.
Left to her own devices she could spend hours, or entire afternoons sitting with her legs dangling just above the water’s reach. Sometimes I sat with her; it was the one time I was content to sit in silence. It was when my mom was happiest. She was rarely ever happy—although she liked to pretend she was.
I’d watched her many times, wondering if I’d ever feel the way she did. I’d always loved the ocean, but it was different for me. I knew it would never truly be my home.
She glanced over her shoulder. I was sure she was looking for me even though she had no reason to know I was there. She turned back toward the water and dove in. I watched transfixed. Of all the times I’d seen her standing by the water before she’d never dove in. She’d barely stepped into the waves with me as a child. Instead she’d watched carefully from the shore, smiling and waving every time I looked to her for encouragement.
I watched the water where she’d entered, waiting for a flash of her blond hair. I walked closer, something inside of me finally questioning her actions. I started running down the beach toward her. Wishing my legs could carry me faster. I jumped in the water, convinced I’d find her waiting. But there was no one there. Nothing to be found.
I swam deeper. She was hiding. Speaking with someone from her past. Something. There was no way she could possibly be gone.
The cold got deeper, even with limitless air I couldn’t stay down forever. I resurfaced. I returned to the depths as far as I could go over and over, but I found nothing. The sun disappeared from the sky and still I dove.
I probably never would have left if it weren’t for Cad. He’d finally pulled me away and taken me home to spend the night at his house. His parents had assured me she’d be back. I’d believed them, because at fourteen it’s easier to believe your mom’s coming back than to accept you’re alone in the world.
The next morning I went to my house, half expecting my mother to whip open the door and demand to know where’d I’d spent the previous night. But the house was empty. Cold even, as a window had been left open.
Cad’s parents alerted every elder in town, but they all concluded the same thing. She’d given in to the pull: no Oceanid could be expected to live on land forever. Even her daughter wouldn’t be enough.
I’d refused to leave my home for good. What if she came back? What if she came looking for me and found the house empty? Luckily I’d been allowed to stay there. Laws were different in Willow Harbor. Vicky had stepped up and checked in with me all the time. My mother had left enough money that I didn’t have to work until after graduation, but I started at the library as soon as I was old enough. I never thought her absence was permanent even though deep in my heart I knew the truth.
The image of my mom diving into the ocean faded away, a blurred image much like the echo of voices that still rang through my ears.
She left because I wasn’t enough. Just like I wasn’t enough for my father to stay. Everyone left. And even though I loved Cad with all my heart and soul, I knew he’d leave me too. I needed to keep my distance. To protect myself while I still could. But considering the condition I was currently in, it was probably too late for that.
Fourteen
Cad
I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I had no clue what I had agreed to do, but that part didn’t matter. I knew why I was doing it. Who I was doing it for.
I’d never questioned whether I’d risk everything for Delpha. Protecting her came as naturally as breathing for me. Nothing was going to change that.
I’d read through a dozen different books Vicky had shoved my way, but reading about blood magic wasn’t the same thing as understanding what it was. It didn’t help that not one of our assembled group had ever used it themselves.
“I know a lot about blood, but not the magic kind.” Pax’s joke fell flat considering the situation.
“Does blood magic mean it should be naturally there without my needing to work on it? Like how I can play with fire?” There were many sides to my magic. Sometimes I wove spells. Other times it was more about using abilities that were already there.
“It should be natural, but it may be buried. You need to activate it.” M.P did his best to explain things to me, but it wasn’t enough.
“Any clue what it should feel like?”
“Pain. Intense pain.”
“Oh. That’s great to hear.”
“Eventually you’ll get used to the sensation, but from what I understand it is quite painful in the beginning.”
“Got it. It’s working when I feel pain. But what is it exactly? I mean how do
I use the magic to get the Dark One to hand over the magic?”
“He’s not going to hand it over. You are going to have to defeat him to get it.”
“Ok, so it’s more brute force?”
“No amount of physical force is going to be enough for that. You need to use your magic. To will it out and use it against the creature.”
“How can I practice it so I know what I’m doing?” I asked no one in particular. I’d take help from any of the assembled.
“You can’t practice it. You’re going to have to wing it.” Billy was sitting on the counter of the front desk. Surprisingly Vicky wasn’t complaining. She generally ran a tight ship in the library.
“Wing it?” I set down the latest book I’d been reading through. “Oh. Is that so?”
“You have the ability.” M.P. was sitting cross-legged on the floor. He’d pulled out his knitting needles and was working away on whatever the yellow thing was he was making. “You just need to reach for it at the right moment.”
“We think I have the ability. That’s different than knowing.” I looked to Vicky. She’d been the only one to cast a small amount of doubt. She didn’t glance up from her book.
“What’s the other option?” Pax jumped in. “You do nothing? You know you’ll go after this dark one no matter what power you think you have.” He was right. Of course. I’d do anything to help Delpha, even if it meant jumping in blind and way over my head. Sometimes it felt like I spent half my life that way. Or more than half.
“How do I find the Dark One? Isn’t that the first issue to tackle?” Otherwise I had no chance of getting her magic back. Maybe the answer was obvious to some, but it wasn’t to me. “l may be able to breath, but that doesn’t mean I can swim the whole ocean searching.” I was exaggerating. I had a feeling the dark one wouldn’t go far. The magic protecting Willow Harbor lured in many magical creatures, and most stayed close.
“He has Delpha’s magic.” Billy spoke as though that explained anything.
“And?” I waited for more. So far no one had any advice on how to use the magic, surely they’d be able to help more with locating the creature.
“And you don’t think you’d recognize it?” He frowned.
“She never uses it.” I knew she wanted to forget she even had the abilities. I hated that. She was such an amazing combination, and she needed to embrace that. But I was a hypocrite. I ignored many of my own abilities as well. Right now I was paying for it. I wished I’d asked my parents more questions before they left town to travel the world. They’d been gone a few years already, and by the postcards, I doubted they were returning anytime soon.
“Yes, but it’s still always been there. If you know her half as well as you claim to, you’ll recognize it instantly.” Billy’s eyes were dark and intense.
“I know her better than anyone.” That was the truth, and I didn’t need to prove that to anyone. Sometimes I thought I knew her better than she knew herself. I hoped Billy was right and that would be enough.
“Then finding the dark one will be easy.” Billy jumped down from the counter. “I can’t say the same thing about defeating him to get the magic.”
“Oh? That isn’t as simple as just knowing her well?” I was positive my sarcasm wasn’t going to get me anywhere, but I was running on no sleep and all fear.
“You merely need to access your blood magic.” M.P. continued to knit. “We’ve been over this.”
“Oh? That’s all?” Again I went with the sarcasm, and I found I didn’t really care. I would do anything to help Delpha, but I needed more help than I was being given. “So I should just jump into the water? Hunt down this dark one and get the magic back. Right. Glad you all have been so helpful.”
“Well, you already have the magic to breathe under water. Correct?” Vicky absently played with the key around her neck. She’d replaced it as soon as Mattie returned. “Or do I need to find you one?”
“I have it.” It’s the only reason I’d been able to stay under long enough to find Delpha. “But I assume I’ll need more than that.”
“And you aren’t going alone.” Pierce rose from where he’d been sitting beside Mattie. “I can shift into a shark pretty easily.” That was one very nice thing about having a friend who was a true shapeshifter. “Or whatever other sea creature we want.”
“And I am coming as well. Not as far as you, but I’ll be close.” Billy didn’t leave any room for argument. “She’s my daughter.”
“But I thought I needed blood magic,” I threw their argument right back at him.
“You do, but I can make an air spell as well as you can. Numbers may help you.”
“True. I’m down for whatever is going to help us save her.” I was glad I wasn’t going this completely alone, but I wished I had more of an idea of what I was about to face. When I’d pulled Delpha from the dark one before I’d been acting on instinct. I had no idea what was going on, but I wasn’t going to let anyone or anything hurt her. Hopefully the same instinct would kick in this time.
“While you all prepare, Mattie and I will do more research. There has to be more information here.” Vicky carried over another stack of books.
“If you can come up with any way for me to help, you know I’m in.” Pax patted my back. “Just let me know.”
“Help watch over her.” I nodded to where Delpha lay. “I hate leaving her.”
“She’ll be safe with me,” Pax promised.
“You trust a vamp, huh?” Billy walked over.
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I?” I was tired of all the inter-creature fighting. It was times like these when I was reminded of why everyone needed to get along.
Billy shrugged. “I was just asking.”
I searched Billy’s face, searching for some evidence of the craziness M.P. implied would be there. Had he truly doubted himself so much that he’d left his family behind? Yet now he felt confident enough in himself to help retrieve Delpha’s magic? I wasn’t sure what had changed in him, but I couldn’t worry about it. He was right about the numbers. I had no idea what I was facing, and I was only going to get one chance. As he said, he was her father. If he was being honest about his reasons for leaving, then he wouldn’t needlessly put her at risk.
We broke into two groups. One group stayed behind with Delpha. Vicky and Mattie were scouring the library for a plan B in case plan A failed. Pax and M.P were staying back to help protect Delpha in case there was more going on than we realized. The rest went with me to the ocean.
When we reached the shore, Billy’s determination to go into the water dissipated when he remembered that would mean leaving Jackson unsupervised. “I forgot about you.” He glared at Jackson.
“I highly doubt that.”
“You still have a lot of explaining to do.”
“I told you enough already. I was in debt. I made a huge mistake with Vanessa, and I can’t let Delpha get hurt. I couldn’t live with myself.” Jackson’s eyes were dark and empty. I wasn’t sure what that meant. From the shortened version, I assumed he’d already told Billy more. I had plenty of my own questions for him, but they would have to wait until after Delpha was okay again. Everything else could wait.
“You and Pierce go ahead. I’lll wait here with Jackson,” Billy instructed. “This way we can also look out for trouble.”
There went his help in numbers argument. If I’d really believed that would help, we could have found others though. Most people in town loved Delpha, and I couldn’t imagine her outburst at Drifter’s changed that at all, but I didn’t understand the situation enough to involve anyone else in. Was Jackson the only one involved with Vanessa’s decision to return to the water? Without an answer to that question it was too risky to pull anyone else in, even if it might help us in the end.
“I’ll keep a distance,” Pierce waded into the water with me. “I’ll be more of a look out than anything.”
“Afraid to get too close to this thing?”
“Nah. I just know for a fac
t that the dark ones aren’t the only dangers in this water.” He shuddered. “You might be vulnerable while you search. I’m going to make sure you get the chance you need.”
He was right, and I appreciated his willingness to help. He wasn’t doing it for me, he was doing it for Delpha. She was lucky to have him as a friend. “You’re right.”
“You can do this, man. Stay confident.” Pierce rubbed the back of his neck. “I know how much she means to you, and that’s going to be enough.”
“I have to do this. I have no other choice.”
“Sometimes that’s when we do our greatest work.” He gazed out at the water. “At least that’s how things have always been for me.”
“I’m hoping that rings true.”
“Don’t hope. Do.” Pierce was uncharacteristically optimistic. He wasn’t the first one I’d have gone to for a pep talk, but he seemed to know exactly what to say this time.
“I’m not sure where this motivational speech is coming from, but thanks.”
“Not a problem.” He waded out further and dove under the water. I watched as a grey fin appeared where he’d submerged. Pierce was right. It couldn’t hurt to have a shifter in the form of a great white on your side.
I gave myself another moment before I dove under. I reflected on exactly how crazy the past twenty-four hours had been. Normally I’m a planner. I think through every step of what I’m going to do. Now for the third time in that many hours I was doing something without thinking it completely through.
First, I’d gone in search of Billy. That was risky, and I still wasn’t sure if it was the right call. I’d have to wait until Delpha woke up to find out. Next, I’d rushed in to pull Delpha out of the water. That was just as risky but was completely worth it. That is if I could get her magic back. In the back of my head I couldn’t quiet a voice wondering if it had been my fault she’d come back in the state she was in. If I had been faster would she be okay? Or on the flip side, should I have let her handle it herself? As usual I was confused about figuring out the best way to handle things with Delpha. I never knew if it would be better to be hands on rather than hands off.
[Willow Harbor 06.0] Warlock's Embrace Page 10
