Scarred (the Spellbound Series Book 3)

by Rene Lanausse

  No one else has it in them to speak, so I move on to the next part of the service. I ask everyone to stand back for a moment, so I can have space to work with. I focus my power on the ground beneath us, shaping the solid rock deep under the earth as I pull it upward. A few people around me gasp as the first bits of polished stone break through the ground. A few moments later, a scale replica of the Statue of Liberty stands tall among the surrounding headstones, with a message engraved on the base:

  Dedicated to the memory of those who

  Lost their lives in the destruction of

  New York City.

  Gone but not forgotten.

  I stand back to admire my creation. Something seems off about the crown, and I’m not sure I captured Lady Liberty’s flowing robes very well, but I did the best I could. Rachel breaks from the crowd of onlookers, and places a hand over the statue’s, her face shining with silent tears. Of all of us, she’s lost the most, but she’s held it together publicly until now. It breaks my heart to see her in so much pain, especially knowing that my failure is to blame for how much she and the others are suffering.

  Rachel wipes her face on the heel of her hand, and steps away from the memorial. Surprisingly, she walks right over to me and hugs me tightly, which I return with just as much force. A hug from Rachel is rare, so I make it last as long as I can. We hold each other, and watch as the rest of the congregation lines up in front of the stone Statue of Liberty to pay their respects.

  ***

  The service didn’t last too much longer after the memorial’s creation. Krystal’s headstone was engraved, her casket was lowered, dirt was thrown on top, and Krystal vanished into the earth forever. It’s been days since she died, so I’m not sure why it feels like I’ve lost her all over again. Maybe watching Nick’s expression as her remains lowered into the ground was what did the trick.

  Almost as if he could tell I was thinking about him, Nick walks up to my side. Together we stare into the distance, not looking at anything in particular, just… dreaming we could be anywhere else. “She’s really dead,” Nick mutters. “I can’t believe it.”

  “Me neither. It almost doesn’t feel real.” I almost reach out to hold Nick closer out of habit, but I refrain. Part of me is still wary of him, and what he might be.

  “So, what happens now?,” Nick asks.

  “I’m not sure… I’d love to waste as little time as possible, and go hunt down Lily right now, but I’m guessing no one would approve.”

  “You’re guessing correctly.”

  “Then maybe it’s time to bring in a specialist.”

  Nick shoots me a confused look, but I refuse to explain verbally. He’ll see what I mean soon enough. I close my eyes, and fight to remember everything Krystal taught me about summoning spells. Have a clear image of what it is you need. Envision exactly where it is in space. Reach into the spatial void, and pull it through.

  I follow her steps, and almost instantly, my fingers wrap around something that wasn’t between them before. The winged necklace my father left me. I stare at it for a moment, surprised that I found the spell so easy; I used to struggle with it when Krystal first taught me the method. I slip the chain around my neck for the first time in my life, bringing the two loose ends to the front so I can clasp them, and then center the pendant just above my sternum.

  Once the necklace is on, I press my palms together in prayer. I wonder if I look as silly as I feel; I haven’t done anything like this in years. But, it’s what he said to do when I was ready. I look up at the sky, and mutter, “I don’t know if you’re listening… Hell, I don’t know if anyone is listening. But Michael, if you’re there, I’d like to talk to you.”

  Mere seconds later, I can feel his presence behind me. It stands out from the power I’ve felt radiating from anyone else, great and terrible. Like the force of a supernova eclipsing the planets around it before they’re destroyed in the blast. I turn slowly to take a look at the newcomer, and Nick follows my lead. His eyes widen in shock as they fall upon Michael, the archangel. My father.

  “I was beginning to wonder if you’d forgotten how to pray,” Michael says with a smile.

  I shrug. “Religion isn’t really my thing.”

  “And you’ve found your wings on your own… That’s a shame. I was hoping I would be there the moment it happened.”

  “Yeah, well, you missed my first words, my first steps, my first day of school… why bother ruining your streak now?”

  Michael’s smile fades, and a shadow passes over his face. “I would have been there if I were allowed.”

  “You weren’t allowed?”

  “No… but that’s a story for another day.”

  I have a smart response ready, but I literally have to bite my tongue to keep myself in check. I don’t know why, but whenever I talk to Michael, I get the strongest urge to push him away, and shame him for being a terrible father. But I can’t afford to do that right now. I need his help. So I stare at the ground, and ask, “Has your offer to help me expired?”

  I can hear Michael exhale in relief before answering. “No. I can still teach you everything I know.”

  “Good. Because I’m ready to accept.”

  Nick bristles beside me, and under his breath, he asks, “Are you sure you wanna do that?”

  I give Nick the tiniest of nods, before asking Michael, “When can we start?”

  “Tomorrow,” he answers. “I have some matters to attend to before I can teach you.”

  “Alright, I guess I can wait a little longer.”

  “If I am to train you properly, it cannot be in a densely populated area.” Michael waves his hand in the air, and produces a tiny crackle of flame, from which he pulls a singed scrap of paper. He hands it to me, and says, “Tomorrow, when you are ready, come to this address. There, we can begin.”

  “Thank you…” I stare down at the address, somewhere in upstate New York that I’ve never heard of. I look back up at Michael, and ask, “Can I bring Nick and the others with me?”

  “Heather, I don’t own a mansion. If you wish to bring friends, either bring a select few or ask them to find different accommodations.”

  “They don’t have anywhere else to go…”

  “My rule stands. Bring a few people, or don’t. The choice is yours.”

  I groan, and cross my arms. I wasn’t expecting to have to leave anyone behind. How will I possibly decide who comes and who stays?

  “I should be going,” Michael says suddenly. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Heather.”

  “Wait! Can you help me with something before you go?”

  “What is it?”

  “My wings… I can’t walk around like this all the time.”

  “Ah.” Michael smiles, and says, “Simply envision yourself as you once were, and your body will do the rest. The reverse will also be true for when you need them again.”

  I do exactly as Michael says, and I double over in pain as my wings recede into my body. I expect to feel blood running down my back, but when I reach behind me to check, my skin is sensitive, but dry. “Thank you,” I gasp as the pain recedes.

  “You’re welcome.” Michael turns his attention to Nick, and surveys him suspiciously. “And congratulations on your return,” he adds. “I hope my brother hasn’t done anything to you that you’ll come to resent.”

  Nick opens his mouth to answer, but a shaft of white light surrounds Michael, obscuring him from view. I cover my eyes for protection, but when I open them, my father is gone.

  4

  I almost feel like myself again after seeing my father. It feels like I have a purpose again, which is much more comforting than sitting around and dwelling on everything that’s happened. No, what I’ve been craving is the chance to get back into the world, and set everything right somehow. I want nothing more than to find Lily and break every bone in her body, but I can’t do that. Not yet. I’ve still got some learning left to do.

  When I lost to Lily, I learned a few things a
bout myself. Or, rather, I learned that certain traits of mine could be seen as weaknesses. I'm overconfident, overzealous, and violent. If I had asked Krystal and Alyssa to help me fight her, the outcome might have been different. And if I hadn't been too proud to let Michael teach me sooner, I might have been able to take her down on my own.

  I can't change what happened. That's a power that's beyond anything I can do. But the next time I see Lily, I'll have Michael's tutelage and the strength gained from earning my wings to aid me. With or without help, the next fight won't have the same outcome as the last one. I won't let that happen again.

  The memorial service lasts until well after sunset, and even afterward, the others want to go to a restaurant nearby to drown their sorrows in greasy food and whatever's on tap. But I'm too energized by the thought of what needs to be done. I split from the others, and teleport back to my room. I'll let them know about the trip to Michael's in the morning. From then on, the decision of who's coming and who's staying will be up to them.

  When I return to my room, I stand in the middle of it for a moment, looking around at the place I've been calling "home" the past few days. The eggshell walls have become familiar to me, but just as quickly as I've arrived, I have to pick up and leave again. It takes all of five minutes to change out of my dress into boy shorts and a tank top. I toss the dress into a pile of things that I plan on leaving behind. I don't think I'll ever wear it again. It'll just make me want to grieve. But I've had enough of grieving. What I need is to get back on my feet and work on fixing the mess I've made.

  I cross over to the dresser, and pick up a thin gold bangle, turning it over in my fingers as I take a seat on the edge of the bed. It looks like any other piece of jewelry, but this particular bangle is one of many that's been enchanted to act as a storage device. Within are things I'll actually need; guns, daggers, lances, and other items used by hunters to dispatch their supernatural prey. And perhaps, most importantly, the outfit I wore when Lily and I fought. The same one I planned on using when I had dreams of defending the city as a masked vigilante. The leather hoodie and pants help up well, but the black cotton undershirt tore a little. I'll be needing a new one of those, and hopefully soon.

  I slip on the bangle, and lie back on my bed, contemplating tomorrow's departure. It's a move that I'm glad to be making, but not one that I'm looking forward to. I'll potentially be leaving quite a few people behind, and when I think of how much they've already lost, it makes me wish I could take them all with me. But I can't, and I'll have to break the news to them in the morning. I try to think of the right words, but they won't come, and I'm exhausted by the time the clock by my bed strikes twelve. I switch off the lights, roll over to my side, and let the weariness pull me down.

  At first, I'm only aware of darkness around me. I'm not surprised; my eyes are closed, so it's not like I'd be able to see much. But as I drift further and further from the living world, bizarre things come to my attention. A blood red sky fills up with tiny pinpricks of light, like a corrupted version of the Milky Way. Spires of obsidian rise in every direction, dotting an otherwise barren landscape. Droplets of magma seep out of the ground around me, flying into the sky as if it's raining in reverse. And in time, I notice that I'm not merely observing this strange world; I'm a part of it. I can feel the ground beneath my feet, hear strange inhuman cries in the distance. I turn around to examine the terrain behind me, and realize in that instant that I'm not alone.

  Standing before me, in the same charcoal gray suit as the last time we met, is the last person I expected to dream about. Then again, his presence probably means that this isn't a dream. Lucifer. The devil. Michael's brother, and the other player in their sick game to replace God. He's dragged my unconscious self to his own realm. He grins, and his mischievous hazel eyes are positively radiant. He seems to be pleased with everything that's been going on. And it makes me want to slap the smirk right off of his face.

  Since we're on his playing field, it would probably be smart to give my uncle a pleasant greeting. But what comes out of my mouth is a gruff, "What do you want?"

  Lucifer's smile widens, and I'm sickened by the sight of a single dimple on his left side, just like Nick's. "I wanted to see how you were holding up," he says. "I heard about what happened in New York, and I'm sorry. Losing people is hard."

  "You ordered that attack," I remind him.

  "Oh, I know. Why do you think I'm apologizing?"

  I turn away from Lucifer, fully intent on storming off into the obsidian plains. "You asshole..."

  "Don't hate the player, hate the game." Lucifer materializes in front of me, barring my path. "And winning the game is gonna require lots of souls."

  "Why? I thought whichever Nephilim could kill the other determined who wins your stupid 'game'."

  Lucifer shrugs, and says, "I have a feeling the game won't play out the way we expect. I'm just taking precautions."

  "Speaking of souls... what have you done to Nick's?"

  "I beg your pardon?"

  "I thought Nick died, but he claims he was taken. And I saw him get dragged into Hell. You wanted him for something... what was it?"

  Lucifer winks at me, and answers, "Like I said, just taking precautions."

  In a flash, I close the distance between us, and reach out to grab Lucifer by the lapels on his jacket. But my hands slip right through the fabric. Apparently, there isn’t enough of me here for us to touch. I back away, and ask, "What did you do to my boyfriend?"

  "Nothing he didn't want."

  "What...?"

  "Poor Nicholas came to me with a single wish; to be able to protect you. So I thought of a way to grant his wish, while benefitting the both of us. It's a win-win for everyone."

  I groan inwardly, and fold my arms across my chest. Of course, that's just like Nick. He would stoop to making a deal with the devil if it meant he could protect me. For the third time, I ask, "What did you do...?"

  "I'm sure you'll see in time," Lucifer responds.

  "Are there any strings attached?"

  Lucifer laughs, and says, "Don't worry. He'll be able to repay his debt and live to tell the tale. I'm the devil, not a crook."

  I let out a sigh of relief. This is by far the stupidest thing Nick has ever done, but at least it won't put his life in danger. "One last question," I mutter as I uncross my arms.

  "Hmm?" Lucifer watches me with a curious gaze, his head cocked slightly to the side.

  "Michael... Can he be trusted?"

  "Maybe. Maybe not. I have better things to worry about than your relationship with dear old dad."

  "Please, I need to know what I'm walking into."

  Lucifer snaps his fingers, and the world around us fades. The obsidian spires vanish into dust, and one by one, the "stars" above us blink out of existence until nothing but darkness remains. "Trust no one," he says. "No matter who, everyone's got a little devil on their shoulder."

  ***

  Morning brings with it a pounding headache and surprising warmth. I left the air conditioner on last night, but I neglected to get under the covers, so why am I practically sweating? I open my eyes, and fight back a startled scream. Nick’s face is mere inches from mine, his arm draped around me cautiously, as if he expected me to freak out, but couldn’t resist the urge to hold me like he always does.

  I have half a mind to shove him off the bed, but instead I slide his arm off of me and race to the shower. I don’t like that he snuck into my room in the middle of the night. I feel inexplicably unclean, and vulnerable. Nick of all people shouldn’t make me feel this way, but right now, he’s still someone I want to keep at arm’s length. Especially after hearing Lucifer confess to altering him somehow.

  Nick is awake by the time I’m out of the shower and dressed. He rubs his eyes, and says, “Good morning.”

  “Get up,” is all I say to him before grabbing my bag off the dresser.

  “I’m sorry if I scared you,” he says quietly. “I didn’t know where else to cras
h…”

  “Whatever. Get packed. If you’re even coming, that is.” I check the room to make sure I haven’t left anything behind, then storm out the door, leaving Nick alone to think about what he did.

  I knock on everyone’s door as I pass by, letting them know to meet me in the lobby as soon as humanly possible. And ten minutes later, all the survivors (plus Nick) stand before me, some in pajamas, some fully dressed but clearly in need of caffeine. I don’t think any of them know quite what to expect, and I’m still unsure of how to say what I need to say, so I just let it all out as simply as possible: “I’m heading upstate today. My father offered to teach me and let me live on his property. But I can’t bring all of you. I need to know now for sure who’s staying.”

  Unsurprisingly, Nick is the first one to announce, “I’m coming with you.”

  Shortly after, Alyssa adds, “I’d like to see you make me stay.”

  Jenna’s father says, “We won’t be staying behind… but we won’t come with you either.” The rest of the group turns to him, and he explains, “We’re going to pick up our son from his grandparents’ house in New Rochelle, then we’ll move to a city closer to you.”

  I nod, and survey the small throng of people in front of me. So far, this has been an easier process than expected. Then again, I didn’t expect the Chen family to already have a plan in place. It’s almost as if they predicted I would make a move like this… It makes me wonder if they know what else I have planned. I clear my throat, and ask, “Anyone else?”

  Emma shrugs, and says, “Jenna’s family is sort of my surrogate family, so I’m gonna stay with them… if that’s alright, of course.”

  Jenna’s father begins to object, but Mrs. Chen interrupts him and says, “You’re welcome to stay with us as long as you like.”

  “I’m gonna go wherever Landon goes,” Rachel announces. “And see if I can join a real pack.”

  Landon shrugs, and says, “The country life isn’t for me, so we’ll probably wind up in Rochester.”