by Bonnie Lamer
Xandra struggles to her feet again and a shift in her stance stops my struggling. She is standing straighter, her jaw tight but firm. I can just barely hear the spell she begins to speak. “Spirit in unrest, soul in pain, come to me, find peace again. Leave this world of longing and woe, sorrow filled days no longer you’ll know. Your soul I release and you shall rest in peace.”
A simple exorcism spell. Brilliant. Magic does not have to be complicated or black to be powerful. It is often the simplest magic that keeps us safe. As Xandra speaks the last word, the winds fade away leaving a powerful silence in the room.
Chapter 28
“Is everyone okay?” she asks.
One huge, collective breath is released. And then everyone is talking at once and a flurry of activity breaks out. Xandra’s aunt and brother are taken care of and the room is set to rights. I do not have even a moment to pull Xandra into my arms and tell her how relieved and happy I am that she is safe and sound. And how relieved I am that she only has one soul within her again.
When things have calmed down some, Xandra asks her parents, “Mom, Dad, what do you think should be done about Zac’s magic being unbound?”
All of the Fairies in the room stop what they are doing and look at the Witch spirit. Fairies do not hide a child’s power like Witches do. Xandra’s mother sighs. “I have been thinking about that and with everything that has gone on, it doesn’t seem right to bind his magic. If it hadn’t been bound before, maybe he would have been able to fight against this possession.”
“It is not safe to have an unbound Witch child in a Cowan realm,” Grandmother says. I had not thought of it that way. Yes, we Fairies keep our children unbound but we are in a realm where everyone knows magic exists. Before anyone can argue with her, she continues, “Perhaps he should remain here, where his magic can be tamed as well as encouraged.”
My breath catches in my throat. Would that mean Xandra would need to stay and look after him? I feel hope riding up my body and I look at the Witch spirit anxiously.
Her face unreadable, she says, “You want us to leave our son here?”
Grandmother smiles. “Not without you remaining, as well.”
Xandra’s face lights up like a firefly. “That sounds like the best plan, Mom.”
Her mother is not yet convinced. She turns towards her husband. “Jim?”
He shrugs. “It would be nice not to hide anymore.”
“I agree.” Turning to Grandmother, she says, “If your offer is genuine, we would love to take you up on it.”
“This house was not made to contain just myself and Tabitha. It needs youth and laughter.”
“I want to stay here,” Zac says quietly.
He is currently sitting on Xandra’s lap and she hugs him tighter. “Me, too.”
“Then it is decided,” Tabitha says, rising to her feet with a satisfied smile. “We will prepare permanent rooms for you all.”
Unfortunately, Xandra shifts the conversation and pops a hole in our happiness balloons. “Aunt Barb, if you were being controlled by the evil in Zac, why did you try to kill him?” Once again, all motion in the room ceases.
Barb looks down at her hands that are folded in her lap. “I’m ashamed of that.”
“What happened?” Xandra asks softly.
“The evil in Zac made me poison the tea that we had seen Alita drink earlier. It knew that it was only a matter of time before it became evident that Alita was sensing the black magic. When we knew that Alita had drunk the poison, Zac…I mean, the evil, lured her into his room to watch her die.” A tear is making the journey down her cheek. “For a moment, it was so intent on watching that, I was able to fight the spell. I grabbed the first thing I could and I struck him, trying to stop the evil from spreading.”
A collective gasp circles the room. She really did try to kill the boy. No one is quite sure how to respond to that.
After a moment, Zac finally says, “It’s okay, Aunt Barb. I understand why you did it.”
Tears form in Xandra’s eyes as the weight of everything presses in on her. I reach over and wipe a stray tear drop from her cheek and mouth the words, ‘I love you’ over her brothers head.
It is obvious where Xandra gets her desire to go off on radical tangents. Dagda looks at his biological daughter and says, “Let me get this straight. You are part Angel because your grandmother is a fallen Angel?”
Reluctantly, Xandra says, “Yes.”
We all wait for his response but he goes off in a new direction. “And Alita is able to detect black magic?”
“Yes, she can.” A quick glance in Alita’s direction shows that she is trying hard not to bring attention to herself.
Dagda rubs his chin for a moment. “That is a useful skill. One that I would like to have available in many of my day to day dealings.” Turning his concentrated gaze to Alita, he says, “I would like to offer you a position on my personal staff.” Looking at Kegan now, he says, “A position that would make any prejudice of bloodlines become obsolete.”
A slow grin spreads over Kegan’s lips. “Yes, I suppose it would.” I cannot help but grin myself.
With no more topics left to discuss, the room begins to empty. Xandra’s family goes upstairs to rest and Dagda heads back to the castle. After getting Xandra’s word that she will help him with some of his dealings with other beings. Alita is more than ready to get home and Kegan walks with her. Grandmother and Tabitha are off preparing the house for more permanent residents.
Finally, I have Xandra to myself. “I believe you need to rest, as well,” I say. Of course, I do not plan on letting her get too much rest. I have other ideas in mind.
There is a passionate gleam in her eyes when she says, “Yeah, I think I do.”
Racing up the stairs and down the hall, my lips are on her as soon as we cross the threshold to her room. I kick the door closed with my foot and back her to the bed, my lips never leaving hers. Laying us down gently, I murmur against her lips, “About this completely clothed rule…”
“Yes?”
“Is there room for negotiation?”
She grins. “Definitely.” To prove her point, she makes my t-shirt disappear. A feral growl escapes my throat and I capture her lips again. I do not even care whether or not she just made the entire mansion shirtless. The only thing I care about at this moment is my beautiful Witch Fairy.
