Jenny/thing tsked and then another obnoxious roar of deep laughter erupted from her body. Jenny reached forward as if to touch my cheek or hair. I twisted my head away, terrified of what I’d see if she or it touched me.
“Don’t come near me,” I warned when she moved her foot forward.
Jenny/thing obeyed and stepped back. “Fair enough.” She grinned again, the voice overly friendly. “So. How many powers did you gain?”
I didn’t answer.
“Wish continuum?”
I blinked quickly.
“Of course. I mean. That’s how I got here in the first place. Your little crush on Mike Cameron is what I am doing here in the first place. What about Sight?” Jenny practically panted, watching me.
I glanced longingly at the forest hoping someone would rescue me. Wishing even, but that didn’t seem to do any good. Had this thing already stolen my power?
“Yes?” The male voice cackled with glee. “You have sight already. Oh you are impressive one. What about Contact Enchantment? What about Rhythmic Spells? What else have you got up your sleeves? You’re the hundredth after all. I’ve seen your tattoo. You’re marked by the special bonding tattoo. The most powerful witch in the family yet.”
Jenny gleefully rubbed her hands, which did nothing to alleviate my fear. Whatever emanated out of Jenny/thing wasn’t girl moxy.
I squinted focused on her. If I was the hundredth at least I could start acting like it. I concentrated.
“I wish you would go away.”
Jenny’s head moved around expectantly, and when nothing happened again, she chuckled in the deep eerie voice. “This close to the Institute your powers are weakened. You’re too new to handle the energy or the stones. Untrained. You don’t have the experience to use them here.”
Jenny watched me, as if waiting for me to contradict her. I could do nothing.
At least she’d told me the Institute was close. That must mean Mom and Nana were near. I thought about what she’d said. Contact enchantment? Rhythmic Spells. What powers did I have? How did I use them?
My necklace vibrated as if trying to tell me something. My shoulder tingled.
“You’re not a Sentry,” I said.
Jenny laughed. “What do you mean?”
“Sentries are men,” I told her. I’d read that in the book too.
Jenny’s cold eyes stayed on me, expressionless and black, but her toe tapped up and down.
“Oh. But I am. I won’t hurt you, Sydney.”
“Good. Stay the heck away from me.”
I bent down to check on Stevie. She was still breathing and actually looked peaceful, like when she’d been a little kid. I wanted to shake her, wake her up and unleash the Stevie who bossed me around and told me what to do. She’d tell me what to do. She wouldn’t care if I were Sydney, the Teenage Witch.
She’d kick my ass into shape.
I pictured Nana face and wondered what she would do it this situation.
“Don’t be afraid, Sydney. Use what you know.” Nana’s voice whispered inside my head.
I glanced around, to see if Nana had appeared, but I was still alone with Jenny. Stevie still lay passed out on the ground beside me.
I wanted to have a talk with Nana. As in, listen Nana, I’m kind of freaking out here. Not only am I a witch, but the queen of my school is apparently possessed by a Sentry and seems to be stalking me and after my powers.
I glanced up at Jenny/thing, trying to be brave on my own. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“You know,” whispered Nana voice inside my head.
“Nana, not now, I’m busy,” I hissed.
Damn her, she was going to get an earful when I saw her in person. I wanted to go and find her and Mom right now. I put my hand on Stevie’s arm and gave her a gentle shake. She whimpered softly but her eyes stayed closed.
“Little girl, you have no idea what you’re up against,” the masculine voice coming from Jenny’s body snapped. “I don’t want to hurt you, but let me warn you, if I have to, I will. Nana can’t save you this time.”
I heard uncertainty behind the bravado.
I didn’t stand but I glanced up. “If you want to hurt me, why haven’t you done it already?”
“Don’t be sure,” the voice roared.
I concentrated on Stevie again. “Stevie,” I whispered into her ear. “Wake up.”
Stevie’s eyes popped open and she sat up. “What the heck?” Stevie looked up at Jenny and brushed herself off and scrambled off the ground. “You put some sort of hex on me?”
Stevie’s tough exterior came from years of practice, but I could tell she was more than a little afraid.
“Stevie,” I said in a low voice. “There’s some really weird stuff going on right now, but it’s okay. I won’t let her hurt you.”
Me reassuring Stevie. That was a new one.
Stevie’s eyes darted back and forth between Jenny and me.
“She’s been a good friend to you?” Jenny said in her deep masculine voice. “Weirdest name I ever heard.”
Stevie’s eyes opened so wide I thought she’d never blink again. “Who are you calling weird?” she finally managed to sputter. I wanted to high five her. Girlfriend was brave in the face of wackiness.
Jenny/thing ignored her. “I guess misfits stick together, hmm. I mean, sorry to point out the obvious, Sydney but how could you be anything else?” the male voice mocked.
My eyes snapped to Jenny’s face. “Who are you to talk? Hiding in some poor girl’s body.”
I actually found myself on Jenny Truman’s side. I mean, how terrified can you be of a girl when her body’s been taken over by a man and she sounds like a car without a muffler when she speaks.
Jenny/thing’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t forget. I know about your powers. And I do know where your mother is.”
“Powers?” Stevie interrupted. “Your Mom? What’s going on here? What powers? Is Jenny an escapee from the nuthouse?”
I didn’t break eye contact with Jenny. “Trust me, Stevie. Okay? I know it sounds crazy, but actually I sort of do have, um powers,” I said without looking at her.
“Yeah. So do I,” Stevie said. “I can tell when my friends are losing their minds.”
“Stevie. This thing is not Jenny Truman.”
Stevie’s silence implied she was thinking about that.
I concentrated on Jenny/thing while Stevie pondered.
The smile on Jenny’s face was not friendly or ‘let’s all gets together and give a big pep rally cheer’.
“Your mother is hiding,” Jenny sneered. “Because she couldn’t stand you becoming a witch. Now that’s not completely noble nor completely responsible, is it?” Jenny shook her head. “No. I think not. But it is completely futile. And now that your powers found you, she can’t hide anymore. She’s been exposed. She can’t even escape the Institution which she sought protection from now.” Jenny smiled. “And all this is thanks to you.”
My anger at the mutating mean girl with awkward manly gestures swelled. My necklace vibrated. A surge of power traveled through my blood. I glared at Jenny/thing.
“You will never hurt my mom,” I said. “Not again. I won’t let you ever hurt her again.”
My eyes widened. I stood straighter and listened to the beating of my heart and searched inside for strength. Deep inside me rummaged around until I found it. I located in me and let myself really feel it. A potent, tangible thing. Bravery. My own. People might mess with me. But not with my family, or my friends. I would do anything to defend them. Anything.
“Sydney.” Stevie’s voice squeaked at my side. She sounded less cocky and Stevie-like. Scared. “If you’ve really got powers, please prove it now and make demon-Jenny go away.”
I didn’t turn to Stevie, but I raised my lifted my hand in her direction to reassure her. “It’s okay, Stevie. This thing can’t hurt us. Believe it or not, I’m an even bigger freak than he is.”
Jenny/thing chuckled and stepped towards
me. “Oh my Goodness. You wouldn’t think of causing me harm, would you? Oh. That’s right. You’re powers aren’t working anymore, are they?”
A surge of energy erupted not from my necklace, but from deep inside of me.
“You’re not strong enough,” Jenny taunted. “Just like your mother wasn’t. She left you. She didn’t car.”
“Don’t bet on it,” I growled. “Don’t underestimate me. Or her.”
My anger and resentment at my mom’s absence had been working in Jenny/thing’s favor. Clouding my mind. But I knew. I knew left out of love. She’d left us and it took strength. Because above all else I knew she loved us. Right or wrong, she’d done what she did to try to protect me. Us.
I couldn’t let Jenny/thing mess around with my head or twist around whatever my mom had been trying to do. I wouldn’t let that thing hurt anyone. Not even me.
My mom. She needed me now. I had to be strong.
I’d felt abandoned and angry but I loved her. I would do whatever I had to help.
And then, in that moment, I knew the truth about Jenny and instead of crushing me, I felt lighter, cleansed.
I knew exactly what nestled in Jenny’s body.
The hundredth.
Surely the hundredth could use powers even this close to the Institute. I focused. I lifted my arm to see what kind of magic I could conjure up.
I closed my eyes to quiet out the rest of the world. I needed silence to do what I had to do.
Then commotion erupted from the woods behind us. I turned and opened my eyes and screamed at the top of my lungs.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Stevie joined me and both of us screamed for a moment, like five year old girls who’d just seen a spider.
Keith and Cody crashed though branches into the clearing, panting hard and flailing their arms to get through the greenery.
“Sydney,” Keith headed straight for me. “What the heck are you screaming about? What happened to you? You disappeared.”
“Me?” The hand I’d held in the air fell to my side. In spite of my relief at seeing Keith and my obnoxious brother, I was still plenty pissed he’d left me alone in the forest.
I punched him on the arm. “You left me alone. You,” I searched for the right word. “You big goofball.”
Beside me, Jenny laughed with her deep male voice. “That the best you can do?”
I frowned and glanced at Cody. His eyes were as wide as the world of Disney. He stared at me, looking shocked and not far from crying like a kid who’d lost his mommy in a shopping mall.
I knew exactly how he felt.
Our eyes met. His head bobbled on his shoulders.
“Keith said Mom is inside there,” he said. “He said she’s stuck in some Institute for Witches. In the forest.” He paused, swallowing and breathing hard. “He said you’re the only one who can get her out. He says you’re a witch, too.”
I tried to smile to reassure him, but Cody glanced past me and spied Stevie and then Jenny. His face-hardened and he scowled at Jenny.
“What’s that stupid girl doing here?” Cody snapped. “She’s got the biggest mouth in the world. Like we need this getting out.”
Jenny didn’t say anything. She stared at Cody with a strange expression. Cody glared back, focusing on his anger at her interference in our little family drama. I think it kind of helped him to focus on something else other than talk of witches and craziness. Being pissed off at Jenny diverted his attention. The truth had put a wrinkle in his neatly pressed pants.
“Beat it cheer girl,” he said and stomped past Jenny to Stevie. “You okay, Stevie?” he asked in a gentler voice.
Jenny reached out to touch Cody as he hurried past, and pulled back when Cody flicked her hand away in anger.
“Cody?” Jenny/thing said. His voice sounded almost amusing. A man doing an impression of a girl’s voice.
Cody reached for Stevie’s shoulder and wrapped an arm protectively around her. I actually giggled as them while he glared at Jenny with disgust.
“What’s wrong with your voice? Too much cheerleading practice? Get out of here would you, this is personal family business.”
Jenny/thing didn’t move or speak. Cody ignored her and turned to Stevie. “Are you okay?” he asked her.
Stevie bit her quivering lip ring and shook her head back and forth. “No. I’m not.” She stared at me with wide eyes. “Sydney’s a witch!” she cried. “And Jenny’s possessed.”
Cody pulled her closer and she buried her face in his underarm. I giggled again at their public display of affection. I so wanted to tease them. I made a mental note if life ever returned to normal, to torment them about this moment to no end.
“Sydney, focus,” Keith hissed.
My giggle dried up. “Stay back from him,” I called to Jenny.
Jenny ignored me, staring at Cody, the black eyes clouded and troubled. “Cody. I’m sorry,” Jenny/thing said in the phony female voice. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I snorted out loud. I mean really. All concerned about Cody. What about me?
Jenny glared at me and then turned to Keith and batted her eyelashes. It was almost comical. Almost.
“Keith, just the person I’ve been waiting for.” Jenny/thing said in the fake girl voice. She clapped her hands together. “I need you to do me a little favor.” Jenny/thing held her hand out to Keith. “I know you feel it, too. Come on. I need you.”
Keith stared at Jenny and frowned and shook his shoulders out a little, rolled his neck and looked disgusted.
“I am so not interested in doing anything with you. And what is with your voice?”
Jenny rubbed her temples, exasperated.
Keith frowned again and stumbled and stroked his hair. Then he frowned again and stood straighter.
“You were interested in doing things with Jenny not so long ago.” Jenny smirked.
I made a fist.
Keith looked like he might pass out. He rubbed at his eyes.
Jenny/thing smiled. “They’d make a cute couple, wouldn’t they? Keith and Jenny,” she said in her girl imitation voice.
“What the heck is she talking about?” Keith asked.
“What am I? A witch and a psychic?” I demanded, distracted from the problem at hand for a moment by an image of Keith with the real Jenny. Oh my God. I’d gag if I thought about Keith with the skank for another second.
I scowled at Keith. “Jenny? That is so gross.”
“For God sake, Sydney, focus,” he shouted at me. “Think about your Mom. We need to get away from this psycho nutjob.”
Jenny/thing took a quick look from Keith to me. “Yes. Your Mom. Go to her. But first, Keith. I need my favor.”
Jenny/thing smiled. The most sinister thing I’d ever seen. She glanced at Cody and the expression changed, but she moved her gaze back to me and then batted her eyelashes at Keith.
I wanted to cower and hide behind Keith, but I remembered my resolve and sucked in a big breath, filling up my belly. I stood as tall as I could and tried to look menacing.
“We are so talking about this later,” I whispered to Keith without looking at him. I would handle other more pressing matters now but he was going to cough up the truth about him and Jenny.
Keith grabbed my arm. ”Forget her,” he said in a low voice. “We have to get out of here. Your mom. We have to go to her.”
I tugged away from him and trained my senses on Jenny/thing.
A cat hissed and I glanced down. Magic circled around my leg, leaving pieces of his soft fur on the fabric of my sweatpants.
“Oh, so now you come out.” I bent down and scooped up my cat as Jenny/thing locked eyes with me. I couldn’t look away. I stared into the blackness, and almost lost command of my senses. Darkness seduced me and my limbs weakened. My mind stumbled, lost focus, and forgot the will to fight. Magic hissed and my chin snapped up. I forced myself to close my eyes, to look away from Jenny’s.
I shuddered. I’d peered inside a dark sou
l. I opened my eyes and a shadow passed across Jenny’s face. I saw the image, the person I’d seen before.
I shook my head, careful not to look into the black pupils of my archenemy. I knew who he was. And what he wanted.
I considered kicking him right in the shins, but Jenny’s body would suffer the consequences. I thought of her with Keith. Maybe a kick wouldn’t be so bad.
I glanced at Cody. He still held Stevie tight. They watched us with wide eyes.
She’s in charge of making sure we’ll be okay? Cody thought.
I nodded at him, attempting a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. I’m a witch, right? I’ve got this all figured out.”
Uh huh. Sure I did.
We are so dead.
I glared at Cody.
“Hey. Be nice,” I told him.
Jenny laughed.
My anger resurfaced and I focused on her, narrowing my eyes.
“What are you going to do,” Jenny mocked. “Make a wish. Doesn’t work so well here, remember?”
He dropped his female impression and spoke in his own deep male voice.
“You are making a big mistake,” I warned. “I will not let you hurt my friends or my family.” I grabbed my necklace and clutched it in my fist. “My family.”
“I won’t hurt you, Sydney. I only want what’s best for you. Just like Keith does.” His dark eyes flitted over to Cody. “I would never hurt you, or your brother.”
Rage poured through my veins, infecting my blood with fury as it did a quick lap of my entire body. I quaked with the anger.
“It’s kind of too late for that. Isn’t it?”
He laughed.
I took deep breaths, trying to calm the rage bubbling under my skin.
I wish he would show himself.
I waited. Nothing. I frowned. I needed to use powers. Quickly.
I pointed at him. “I know who you are.”
Wish Page 10
