I had to be the one to die to save my friends and family. I let myself go. The beating of the tattoo on my shoulder faded. I stopped fighting the SENTRIES. And then.
So did I.
CHAPTER NINTEEN
Blackness consumed me and then there was a flicker. A flicker of light that kept me breathing.
“Sydney,” a voice said to me in the darkness. “Sydney. It’s me. Hold on.”
I couldn’t hold on. I couldn’t.
“I wish I could give the powers back to your mom, Sydney, but I can’t.” It sounded as if he were speaking to me in another time. Another dimension. I was removed from my body, but I hadn’t left it. Yet.
“I can wish them to you. Take them, Sydney. You showed me your strength. You found me when I didn’t even know I was still there. And now. In my final act, I’ve found my own strength. Take them. Know I loved her. I loved Cody. You too little one I loved you, too. I am sorry. Be strong my little witch. Take them. Take the powers.”
His voice stopped and then spoke louder.
“I wish I could transfer my powers. All my powers. To Sydney Grant. My daughter. Now.”
Colors flickered in my head. Slowly I felt the sensation of my body return. Heaviness in my fingers. I wiggled my toes. I breathed. My heart pumped. My blood flowed. I was alive.
I opened my eyes. My father stared back at me. The blackness left his eyes and as they faded, they lightened and became a nice even blue. Just like mine.
He smiled and lifted an eyebrow again, reminding me of Cody. Then his face registered shock, pain and something glassed over him, faces trying to take shape under his skin, but he groaned and lifted his hand and touched me.
A physical surge sparked between us as if he were a live wire. I gasped as if my insides were frying, like I was being electrocuted from the inside out.
“Take care of them.” His voice spoke in my head. “Take care of your mom. And Cody. Tell him. I love him.”
The pain disappeared and I went limp with relief.
Keith’s hand rested on my forehead. I glanced around. My father lay beside. Not breathing. Still. Beside him, Magic didn’t move either. I blinked and closed my eyes. Exhausted.
My brain craved blissful unawareness. I didn’t want to get up, but Keith kept calling my name. Whimpering, I slowly opened my eyes and my dad’s body was gone.
“What just happened?” I croaked. I looked around. Keith and I were alone. My father and Magic were both gone.
I lay still without sitting up.
“I don’t know.” Keith’s voice sounded confused. Done.
“I was standing outside this castle thing, waiting for you and then I don’t know. The voices got so strong. I tried to fight them off, keep them out of my head, but they were so powerful. I couldn’t hold out. And then they were inside me. The worst evil I’ve ever felt. It was like I was watching what was happening to me, as if I was dreaming and couldn’t stop it. They felt my memories and my thoughts but I couldn’t stop them from doing what they wanted. They wanted your powers so badly I could taste it.”
I knew what he meant. I’d felt the power of the SHIELDERS inside my own head. I struggled to sit up. Keith dropped his head in shame.
“I’m so sorry. Your cat. I don’t know what happened. I felt this hot flash inside of me and then it went out and man. I think I killed Magic.”
I sighed. A tear squeezed out of my eye. There was too much on my plate. I didn’t have room for anything else. “Well. It was either Magic or you. Tough call, but you won.”
He stared at me. “God. I’m so sorry about your cat.”
I looked at him. The Keith I knew. The Keith who was my best friend. I knocked him over jumping into his arms.
“Oh my God, Keith, what the heck just happened?” I said to his chest. Overwhelmed barely described it.
Keith held me for a while. “I don’t know.” He untangled himself and then he got to his feet and held out a hand to help me up. “I am so sorry,” he said again and his voice crackled with remorse. He looked like he was going to cry.
“It was the SHIELDERS, not you. It’s okay,” I said sincerely.
Neither one of us mentioned the horrible kiss they’d also caused but I knew we were both thinking about it.
I glanced around us. We’d have to deal with so much of this later. If we ever got back to real life.
“Where did the damn exit to this place go? How do we get out of here?” I asked. The walls seemed to have closed in a little. There was no sign of the exit.
Keith glanced around and shrugged. “You’re the witch. Use your powers, Sydney. You have to get us out.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
My heart kerplunked. I was a Witch. I would stay one.
I closed my eyes and concentrated on my Mom’s face. When I opened them, my mom held my hand.
“Good job, Sydney.” She pressed her hand to my forehead. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”
Nana stood beside her. Keith was at my other side, a worried expression on his face. I glanced down again where my father’s body had lain.
“He’s gone,” my mom whispered. “It’s over. The Sheilders can’t hurt us now, not without your father.” She smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “He gave you his powers, Sydney. He gave you his powers and that’s what saved us. We’ll be okay.”
She wiped a tear from my eye. “It’s okay. He’s been gone a long time already. Let’s get out of here and we’ll mourn him properly. Right now let’s go get your brother and go home.”
“What about Magic?”
“Magic is fine,” she said. “He’s gone but he’ll be back for the next witch. Your witch.”
I glanced at Keith. He stepped forward and held out his hand. I took it.
“I hate to tell you this, but you are now the most kick-ass witch in the world,” he said with a grin. “Super Witch.”
“She is,” Nana added in a disapproving voice. “But she has a lot to learn with all the power she’s got. We have our work cut out for us.”
“Close your eyes and take us with you to Cody,” she ordered.
“What?” I asked, confused.
Nana clucked. “Oh Lord, Tara. We’re in for big trouble. All the power and none of the training. Okay. Hold hands.” She grabbed Keith’s hand and reached for my mom with the other. My mom reached for my hand. We formed a circle.
“Now. Close your eyes and take us to Cody,” Nana commanded, like it was a normal everyday request.
I blinked.
“Oh for goodness sake, do a basic wish. Just think about where he is. Think really hard and then wish we were there.”
I looked at Keith, shrugged and did what I was told.
When I opened my eyes, we were all standing on the edge of the forest. The scene in front of us was almost comical.
Police cars flanked Cody, Stevie and Jenny. No sirens were going off, but lights were flashing and officers were wandering around trying to make sense of what was going on.
Jenny was in the arms of one of the officers, who was murmuring comforting words at her as she wiped her tears. I noted he was the youngest and the best looking cop there. Girl could work it all right.
I turned and looked behind me. The greenery didn’t seem to be scoffing me anymore. The forest was just a bunch of trees. I didn’t have to be afraid anymore. I’d faced bigger boogiemen.
Cody noticed us and squinted. “Mom!” he yelled.
The officers and Stevie looked over. The four of us stepped forward, walking towards them.
Cody ran past the police and ran to Mom and picked her up and twirled her around in the air. She giggled and then he put her down and squeezed her tight.
She smiled over at me and mouthed, Thanks.
Then, like a cat on catnip, Cody raced back to Stevie, took her hand and pulled her close. Stevie stared at me with wide eyes. Keith lifted his hand in a wave and I smiled at her, but she shrunk back, hiding behind Cody.
Jenny started shrieking when
she peeked out from under the officer’s arm and saw me.
“It was her. It was. She’s a witch, a witch.”
“I wish she would just be quiet,” I said, without thinking. Jenny instantly shut up.
Nana sighed and whispered in my ear. “You’re going to have to cast a forget spell on all of them. We’ll have to figure out what spell we’ll need to clear this all up with the police and your friend, Jeremy.”
“Mike, Nana. And how on earth am I supposed to cast a forget spell?”
She sighed dramatically. “For now, just wish that Stevie, Cody and that girl in bare feet forget all about magic and witches and any weird things they’ve seen. The police, too. I’ll have to teach you to cast spells at work. We’re going to need a good one for this mess.”
Work? Nana worked in a flower shop. What was that all about?
“Focus, Sydney,” she ordered. Glad to see my powerful witch status wasn’t going to intimidate Nana.
I closed my eyes, then opened one and looked at her. “Can I make Cody and Stevie remember they were hugging each other?”
Keith laughed but Nana’s glare was answer enough. “I get to keep the smart phone right? I thought about it, and I think I’ll keep it. You promised.”
She pinched my arm, so I concentrated and made the wish and then opened my eyes. Cody and Stevie dropped hands and stepped away from each other in horror and confusion. Keith walked over to them to chat and keep them calm.
“I have to go and see Mike,” Jenny yelled at the policeman. He waved her off and she jumped into her car and sparked the ignition.
A burly police officer strutted up to me as Jenny’s car pulled away. He stared at me with suspicion.
“You’re Sydney Grant?” he asked. One of his chins waggled around as he talked.
“Yes.”
Nana shoved my back.
“Sir,” I added for her benefit.
“You heard Mike Cameron is safely home?”
My eyes moved around, taking in the scene around us. I shrugged innocently.
“Seems he can’t remember anything about where he’s been.”
I blinked.
“Why exactly were you running from the police, young lady? We only wanted to question you.” He tapped his pencil up and down on the pad of paper he held in his beefy hand.
“Um. I just had some urgent family business to take care of, sir. Nothing personal.”
He glared at me for a moment, and then looked up at Nana. He stood up straighter and nodded. “Ma’am.”
“Just a misunderstanding, Officer,” she peered at his nametag. “Jones.” She waved her hands around a little and Jones appeared to relax. His smile at Nana opened wider.
I managed to suppress my own grin. Seems Nana was back to using her powers, too.
A young female officer stepped up beside Nana’s new friend. “Okay. Things are wrapping up here. Jones. You can stay and take a statement, find out what’s been going on. Since the Cameron kid showed up at home, the rest of us can get out of here.” She waved her hand towards the forest. “Obviously this has nothing to do with his disappearance.”
“Nothing going on here,” Jones told her. “Just some family business.”
Nana and I nodded in agreement.
He left us and climbed into his squad car.
“Maybe I’ll get a Blackberry, too,” I said as we watched the cop leave. “I heard they’re much better for texting.” Nana scowled at me as Mom returned to my side.
“Nana and I will take Cody and Stevie home. Keep them calm until we can administer a proper spell.” She waggled a finger at me. “This is the one and only time you are allowed to use magic on your brother, young lady.”
I smiled. “Okay, Mom.” I agreed.
It was going to be nice to have her back. Even witches need rules. And Mom.
Keith snuck up and put his hand on my back.
“I’ll drive Sydney home,” he said to my mom.
She stared at Keith, and then nodded. “You look after my little girl,” she told him.
He nodded seriously. “With everything I’ve got Mrs. Grant.”
My insides swooped. Inappropriately.
We watched Nana and Mom herd Stevie and Cody into the car; both of them still kind of slow and stunned.
“Shame they won’t remember any of this,” I said.
“I will,” Keith said.
I blushed. “I know. Me too.”
“Sydney?”
“Yeah?”
“Would it be okay? Um. If I sketched you sometime?”
“Sure.” I awkwardly shifted back and forth on my feet, remembering Keith leaning in to kiss me back at the Institute. How much I’d wanted him to kiss me. And then the coldness of his lips.
It hadn’t been Keith, I remembered, but the SHIELDERS. I lifted my finger to chew on my nail, then smiled and put it down.
“Awesome,” he said and smiled his lazy Keith smile. “Let’s go.” He waited for me to start walking towards his car.
I nodded and he went to the passenger door and opened it for me. I wished I could feel what it would be like if he’d kissed me on his own.
Keith bent down. I held my breath and his lips opened slightly and pressed down on mine. They were warm, and soft. It was the most delicious thing I’d ever experienced.
He stood and leaned on the door, watching me with his half grin, waiting for me to climb in. I smiled to myself.
“Much better,” I said with a grin.
Stevie was going to be so mad I’d broken our pact. From now on I would have to be careful what I wished for.
THE END.
KINDREDS- Former Electors who are destined to be together. Gave up their dormant powers for re-birth. Reborn again and again, always surround themselves with witches. (Stevie and Cody)
Do not usually possess powers, but understand and occupy the human and the witch world.
SENTRY- A mortal guard, who possess dormant powers and must eventually choose to protect the witch or to betray her for powers.
SHIELDERS- A group of rogue Sentries who steal powers from their witches and share them amongst each other.
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