As they all laughed, Bethany got up to briefly tend to the herb tea. Halona grabbed her bag and followed. Quietly approaching, she reached into her bag and pulled out the intricate bracelet that she’d set aside earlier, away from Mr. Stellar’s grasp, and handed it to Beth.
“Beth, I think you should have this.”
Bethany reached for it, glancing at the detail that adorned it. “This is beautiful. Look at these symbols engraved throughout. These are protection symbols. ”
“I had a sense it should be with you. Don’t ask me why, just a sense.”
They were interrupted when the bell rang to indicate someone had arrived, which startled all the women.
The mayor had arrived, and she was alone. On entry, she complimented them on their successful businesses. She walked through the shop as she admired the décor and workmanship.
“I especially love this area, girls,” Helena-Marie said as she walked to the garden. “Beth, you do such important work, tending to the children. You all do great helping them with their creativity and realizing their potential.” She then looked among them. “Suppose we get started on why I’m here.”
The girls motioned her to the seating in the back. They settled in around the glowing fire. Bethany poured everyone a cup of tea and then placed the kettle down. They sat facing one another on the sofas, with the warmth of the fire to their sides. While they enjoyed the hors d’oeuvres, they talked about the town and several of its businesses.
Helena-Marie said, “It really is so good to see all of you. We are having a lovely, successful festival this year. Thank you, girls, for all you contribute to the event.”
The girls smiled, happy they had pleased her.
Helena-Marie continued, “I am so glad you all could be here. I know how close you are. What I am about to tell you could be a little upsetting. I am really here to address Halona.”
They all looked nervously to Halona, who was afraid to make eye contact. Halona felt her stomach turn, and her arms and hands started to tremble. Sydney took Halona’s hand in hers and gently squeezed it.
Helena-Marie leaned in to address Halona. “First, dear, it is good to see you so happy. I had begun to fear you would never allow yourself to truly love again. It would have been such a waste, a lovely girl like you.”
Halona smiled and spoke with the utmost respect. “Thank you, I am incredibly happy.”
“Let me get right to it, shall I?”
Halona sensed all the girls were now hesitant to take their eyes off the mayor. They kept their gaze intently on her.
“You have a black journal.”
Halona said, “Yes. Well, Drake does.”
“Yes, that is the one. You should burn it,” Helena-Marie said.
“Burn it? Why?” Halona asked.
“Let me ask you, do you feel love when you touch the written pages?”
Halona leaned forward and rested her elbow on her knee. She felt a need to restrain from speaking, afraid her voice would tremble, so she brought her hand to her mouth as she nodded.
Helena said, “And do you feel guilt when you touch the blank pages?”
Nodding her head again, Halona pressed her forefinger against her lip. “Yes, and I was actually beginning to dislike that book.” She tilted her head. “How did you know?”
“You have been transferring your own guilt to the empty pages.”
Halona lowered her hand to her lap, to keep her leg from bouncing. “I don’t understand… my guilt?”
Helena-Marie said, “The guilt you have felt that you were not on the water that day many years ago.”
Halona noticed the girls were now looking at each other. Their faces reflected surprise in what they’d just heard, but Halona felt their sympathy for her.
“Dear, you must trust me when I say that book was intended for you… from Rickie.”
Halona sat up straight, hands over her mouth. “What? How can that be?”
All the girls’ mouths dropped while Helena–Marie continued.
“Were you not drawn to it?” When Halona nodded that she was, Helena-Marie said, “You see, dear, he had planned to give you the book when he went off to school.”
Halona gently shook her head as she suddenly imagined herself turning into dust and vanishing.
Helena-Marie took a sip of her tea. “He never had the chance. Shaun Roberts, you girls know Shaun?” They nodded that they did. “He was on the boat that dreadful day. He took Rickie’s book home with him. Now, a decade later, the Roberts had the estate sale. And that is how the journal ended up with you.”
Halona furrowed her brow. “But why wouldn’t Shaun have given it to me? He must have known it was for me.”
Helena-Marie gently said, “It was a terrible time, for the entire town. You were all so young for such a tragedy. He probably didn’t want to upset you further. You must not fault him for that.”
Halona nodded as she bit her lower lip.
“This man Drake, do you love him?”
Halona took a deep breath, as if her soul depended on the answer. “Yes, unequivocally.”
“Then the book has served its purpose. You see it is one of the forces that brought him to you. You and he, you belong together. It is your destiny.”
Halona leaned her head back as she took another deep breath. Her exhale caused her shoulders to go forward. She tilted her head and, with just a wisp of sound, finally found her voice. “Oh, Helena-Marie.”
“Burning the journal will not take away the fond memories,” she said tenderly. “You will, however, release yourself of the negative energies. You see, you can remain in the past, or free yourself and embrace this new life.”
Halona felt a comfortable warmth travel through her body.
Helena-Marie looked at each of them and continued with a soft, yet firm, tone. “Girls, I must go. Halona, I know you will do what is right for you.” She lifted her clutch purse from her lap as she stood. All the women stood as they bid her a good afternoon.
Sydney said, “Let me walk you to the door, Mayor Blansett.”
Halona took a seat again and sat quietly with her hands in her lap as she gazed at her locked fingers. Bethany moved to her side and put her arm around her. When Halona glanced up, she saw Grey crinkle her forehead as she sat quietly staring at the fire. As Sydney returned to the sofa, Halona’s eyes opened wide, and she began to repeatedly hammer her hands against her lap in quick succession as she spoke.
“Oh, guys, I can’t believe this. No wonder I never felt right holding that journal.”
Drake appeared in her field of vision, as if by magic. He slowly lowered his bag off his shoulder and furrowed his brows as he looked at each of the girls. Halona pushed herself out of her chair, grabbed his hands, and spoke with urgency.
“Drake, your book, the journal, I want to burn it.”
Halona felt his emotions swirling through the air, buffeting against her. He was worried. In the hopes of easing her distress, he held her by the shoulders.
“What? Wow, you really do hate that thing, don’t you?”
“Yes!” she exclaimed, as if they had just read one another’s minds.
She took no notice of his attempt at humor as she continued, “I know you have a lot written in it, but I need to burn it!”
Drake tapped his finger on his head and then furrowed his brows again. “But what’s this all about?”
Halona tilted her head back, looking to the heavens for the right words. She felt the mass that was her heart descending like a rock toward the pit of her stomach.
“It once belonged to Rickie. He had meant to give it to me. Helena-Marie told us. She described everything about it.”
“What? You’re kidding,” Drake said in disbelief. “But if it was from him, doesn’t that make it sentimental?”
Halona began to feel a calm come over herself, as she realized what Drake had just said. It would seem to be the case, and she understood why he would say it. Still, she shook her head.
&n
bsp; “No, we should burn it.”
Drake must have seen a determination in her face because he walked over to his bag. He shuffled through and came across a small box, which he slipped in his jacket pocket. He then held up the journal and winked at Halona. As he handed it to her, he spoke.
“We broke a bottle. Guess we can burn a book.” Before her hand could fully clasp the edge of the journal, Drake raised his brow and asked, “You’re sure then?”
Halona nodded with conviction, but she spoke softly. “Maybe we can burn it together?”
With that, Halona and Drake glanced at the fireplace and soon took notice that each of the girls had offered their own special ability. Bethany had brought a special herb, which she had placed on the mantel. Sydney had cleared the hearth of items with a flick of her hand.
Grey winked and spoke as softly as she ever had. “If you need the flame kick-started, let me know.”
Halona’s mouth dropped open as she noticed all the ways their love had been shown. She then quickly opened the journal. “Wait!”
She proceeded to frantically pass through the pages. Drake and the girls all exchanged glances with one another.
Halona then stopped at a page. She put a hand to her mouth as she murmured a slight gasp. She then whispered, “Goodbye.” Soon a tear streamed down her cheek. She tilted the book toward Drake.
He read it aloud, “This is your Now and Eternity. Goodbye.”
He pulled her close to him and embraced her as he spoke. “We don’t have to do this.”
She wiped her tears and nodded. “Yes, we do.” She took Drake’s hand and led him to the fireplace. With his hand in hers, they knelt, and she placed the book on the grate. They stood and backed away slowly. They all stared at the book for a moment, but the fire had already begun to fade.
Drake turned to Grey. “Grey, could you?”
Grey smiled and pointed her fingers at the book within the confines of the fireplace. With just a quick snap of her fingers, the book burst into a contained fireball. They all shielded their eyes as embers shot up through the masonry chimney. An intense heat soon radiated. They watched the ashes smolder, and in no time, the fire’s warmth, along with the book, was gone.
Drake gently raised Halona’s face with his finger, and when their eyes met, a smile crept over his face.
“This may not be the best time to ask, but…Halona, I love you. Will you marry me?”
Halona wrapped her arms around his neck. She gave him her broadest of smiles as a tear of a different kind streamed down her cheek.
She said, “Yes, absolutely! I love you. And this is the perfect time to ask. Perfect, just like you.”
He took the small box from his pocket and removed a silver ring with the design of a mermaid encrusted with a diamond. As he slipped it on her finger, he said, “Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
She excitedly raised her other hand to her mouth. “Yes. Oh, it’s beautiful!”
Drake said, “You, my love, are beautiful.”
They embraced and held their embrace until Halona leaned back and smiled. “Drake, my now and eternity.”
Drake caressed her cheek. “Halona, my now and eternity.”
She then turned to the girls. “Guys, look …it’s beautiful.”
They all rushed over and gave hugs of congratulations.
Sydney turned to Drake. “It’s lovely. How did you get such a unique ring made so fast?”
Drake smiled. “I’ve been designing one since I first laid eyes on her. I knew instantly she was the girl for me.”
Halona wrapped her arm around his waist, and Drake then offered a broad smile. “And as for the ring…Mayor Blansett helped.”
The girls all nodded as they spoke in unison. “Of course she did.”
Bethany spoke with great enthusiasm. “I say this calls for a celebration!”
Grey picked up her purse. “I agree, and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I could use a drink.”
Sydney asked, “Poisons and Potions anyone, before the festival?”
“That works for me,” Bethany said as she continued to admire the ring.
Drake arched a brow and shrugged a shoulder as he looked at Halona.
She gave a small fist pump close to her chest. “Yes, let’s do it!”
Sydney pulled out her phone. “I’ll tell Nick. See if he can meet us.”
Grey slung her purse over her shoulder as she walked toward the fire alarm. “I’ll let Beck know.”
“No!” the girls all screamed in unison.
“Just kidding.” Grey pulled out her phone. “Though Beck will just be happy we aren’t going to see the Hot Body Male Review. I heard they were in town.” Grey grinned and wiggled her brows in quick succession. “Maybe another night?” She gestured with her head toward the closed door. “You can let your little hell babies out of the room and tell them we’re going out.”
Bethany quickly moved toward the room. “I’ll get them.”
Halona tilted her head, her lips parted. “Aw, Grey, you do care.”
“As if.” Grey winked in passing.
Drake placed his arm around Halona as they left to make their way to where they, along with family, would toast their eternal love.
The End
Dreams and Magic
Della Lewis
Copyright © 2015 Coastal Escape Publishing, LLC
All rights reserved.
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement (including infringement without monetary gain) is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
Please purchase only authorize electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of Copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or use fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Published by Coastal Escape Publishing
DEDICATION
Evan and Nicole, love always! You make me proud.
Rick, thanks for doing all the hard stuff to make my life easier. It’s much appreciated. Love ya, bro.
And thanks to the ladies in this anthology for the magic. Laurie gave us gifts, Kate gave us great covers and Devin patiently edited us and corrected our mistakes. You guys rock!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
Chapter 1
Blansett, North Carolina
Early November
Bethany Kent held a mug of coffee in both hands, watching the sun rise over Iris Beach. Fingers of pink, blue, and violet threaded their way through an indigo sky while the sun stroked each wave with fiery gold highlights. Shutting her eyes, Bethany let the song of the waves speak to her. She knew the ocean gave up its secrets to those who would listen.
Standing barefoot on the beach, she dug her toes into the damp, cool sand, grounding herself in the earth. Bethany stood quiet as a statue, her long, red hair blowing softly around her shoulders. Her small frame swayed in the breeze as she waited, feeling the knot of anticipation tighten in her belly.
Nothing.
This morning his voice had not ridden the waves over centuries of time to call ou
t her name. Opening her eyes slowly, Bethany swallowed her disappointment that her ancient warrior had chosen not to visit her. Nevertheless, she reached out to him, sending her thoughts over the vastness of the water, feeling an almost magnetic pull to walk into the waves. She took a step forward, but the moment was over. Already the sky had lightened to a dull shade of blue, preceding the moment when the day would explode into brilliant light.
Sipping at her coffee, Bethany watched the dawn break into full day. Feeling a ball of fur at her feet, she glanced down to find Orca, her black and white cat, twisting like a pretzel around her ankles. Reaching down, she scratched the cat’s head and gave one last look at the waves.
Just as she started to turn back to the house, something in the distance caught her eye. Squinting against the sunrise, she smiled when she recognized her cousin Halona. Bethany watched as Halona leaped and swam through the surf with the grace of a mermaid. Not many people could stand the cold water this time of year, but Halona was different. Being a water elemental gave her freedom to enjoy the sea. A school of dolphins leaped playfully around Halona, and Bethany thought she could hear a soft tinkle of laughter being carried along the ocean breeze. Since Halona had found the love of her life, she laughed easily these days.
As Bethany watched, Halona arched up on the tip of a wave and then dove straight into the churning water. She would stay down for as long as she needed to find what she sensed beneath the surface. Halona could breathe as well underwater as she could on land.
I’ll have to go over to Beachcomber later today and see what she’s rescued from the sea.
She glanced down at the exquisite silver bracelet on her right wrist. A gift from Halona, engraved with magical symbols to protect her from harm.
Mystic Tides Page 25
