Blood Prophecy (Witch Fairy)

by Bonnie Lamer

  Kallen shakes his head. “No, I do not recognize this magic. I have never been in its presence.” Fairies can ‘taste’ a Witch’s particular magic, and once they have the flavor, they begin to acquire immunity to it over time. The process is sped up the more a Witch says the Fairy’s name. There are so many stupid magical rules like that; I know I’ll never be able to remember them all.

  “Would your father have sent someone on ahead to try to take us by surprise?” Dad asks Mom.

  Mom looks unsure. “I-I don’t know. My father has changed so much since I left.” Guilt washes over her face as she thinks about how she had left her home after attacking two guards who were holding her captive for the Witan. I don’t think she should feel guilty. If she had stayed, they would have forced her to miscarry while she was pregnant with me because, according to them, I was never supposed to be born. There’s even a prophecy about it with me being responsible for destroying the world. Some people take these things so seriously. Like there haven’t been about a zillion other prophecies that the world was supposed to end any number of times in the past. Anyway, I’m pretty happy that she escaped from my Grandfather’s clutches. I like being alive.

  Just thinking about that causes magic to flow back inside of me. How dare they come and attack us in our own home after all they’ve already put my mother through. The magic feels good as it fills me, and I don’t have any problem containing it, keeping it from overflowing. Rising to my feet, I walk out of the kitchen with my parents and Kallen following in my wake.

  “Xandra?” Mom says nervously. “What are you doing?”

  I turn around to look at both of my parents. “I’m facing whatever they’re throwing at me. Dad, I know you want to run, but I can’t. I won’t live in fear. If this past week taught me anything, it’s that I need to be strong enough to protect myself and the people I love. If I am going to survive in this world, I have to start by standing up against those who want to kill me simply for what I am.” Through Dad I see Kallen standing with his feet apart and his arms crossed over his chest. I still have a hard time guessing what he’s thinking, but I’m pretty sure he’s supportive of my decision.

  Turning my back on all of them again, I walk to the front door. Kallen has pulled his own magic and I feel it just barely touching mine. Not in a challenge, but as if he’s adding his strength to mine. A smile touches my lips but I don’t turn around. Throwing the front door open, I thrust my magic forward in search of the Witch who dares to attack us.

  I don’t know who I expected, but it definitely wasn’t the person at the end of the

  driveway. As my magic surges forward, a slightly plump, very pretty woman who looks to be in her early sixties, which I wouldn’t have guessed except for her long gray hair, falls to her knees. She raises her arms above her head and then brings them back down to her sides. As she does this, a visible shimmering shield falls into place just as my magic hits her. Witch magic isn’t usually that visible, so I can’t help but be impressed, but I don’t falter in my attack. If my magic gets to her, it will cause pain that burns from the inside out. With her head bowed, she puts her hands out in front of her as if trying to hold the shield in place against the onslaught of power I’ve flung at her. I feel the shield buckling. It’s strong, but not strong enough to keep me out for long.

  “Quillian!” the woman shouts. “I mean you and your daughter no harm! I’ve come to help you.”

  “Xandra, please stop,” Mom whispers quietly next to me.

  I glance over at her to see if she’s serious. “Do you know her?” I ask, but I haven’t lessened my attack yet.

  Mom nods once. “She’s my mother.”

  Chapter 2

  Oh, great. Another blood relative. I’m sure this is going to go well. Have I mentioned how they all seem to want to kill me? With a sigh, I stand down. I don’t let my magic go back to the earth, but I do pull it back inside of me so I’m ready to defend myself if need be. If I wasn’t so on edge, I would spend a moment marveling over how much control I have when threatened. Why don’t I have this much control when I’m trying to do everyday things?

  Kallen comes to my side and he takes my hand in his. “Are you sure this is wise?” he asks Mom.

  “No.”

  Again, comforting. But I guess I would give Mom the benefit of the doubt, too, if I was in her shoes. Then again, she hasn’t held me prisoner and threatened to kill my child. You know, before last week, I never would have used the term dysfunctional to describe my family. Despite the fact that my parents are ghosts. This week, it seems the only way to describe it.

  “Why are you here?” Mom asks the woman who is still kneeling in the driveway. That must be really cold on her knees since she’s only wearing a pale pink suit with a blazer and a skirt. It looks like it’s made from wool, but still, not appropriate mountain wear. Or fending off magic wear.

  Looking uncertainly at me, Grandma slowly rises to her feet as the shield that was keeping my magic from burning through her slips away. Her resemblance to Mom is obvious now that I’m paying attention. Her hair may be graying, but you can still tell that it’s the same rich, silky blonde like Mom’s was. But the real giveaway that the two are related is the vibrant, ocean blue of their eyes. I always wanted beautiful blue eyes like that, but I got the black hair and green eyes of my father. I’m not complaining, I just wanted to look more like Mom growing up.

  I also always wished I had grandparents when I was growing up. Dad’s parents died when he and my Aunt Barb were in college and obviously, I never knew Mom’s parents. But, I was thinking more the baking cookies and going fishing kind, not the powerful Witches who want to kill me kind. Guess you really do have to be careful what you wish for.

  “As I said, I’m here to help you,” Grandma says as she brushes the snow from her now red knees. “I tried to talk your father out of coming back here, but I was not successful. He’s back home, preparing with the Witan. Therefore, I’m here to stop him from doing something he would regret for the rest of his days. Provided he survives at all.” She looks sideways at me as she says the last part. Hey, it wasn’t me who started this whole mess.

  “Why now?” I ask because Mom is looking a little shell shocked. “Way back when, you were pretty eager to kill me just like him.”

  Several emotions wash over Grandma’s face. I don’t know her very well, but they kind of look like a combination of guilt, shame and remorse. I’m not ready to rely on her body language or facial expressions just yet, though. She may be a really good actor.

  “I have always regretted my part in forcing your mother to flee.” Looking sadly at Mom, she says, “When I told your father what had happened, I thought he and I would help keep your secret, perhaps hide you ourselves if anyone ever guessed what happened. Most of all, I thought we’d protect you from the ignorant fools he surrounded himself with. I had no idea that he would react the way he did.”

  Mom snaps out of her stupor and she looks mad. The kind of mad that makes you really glad that it’s directed at someone other than you. To Grandma, she says accusingly, “But you didn’t do those things. You were going to let them kill my child.”

  Grandma shakes her head. “No, Quillian. I plead your case to the Witan and your father. I begged them to spare your child. But they wouldn’t hear me. They were fools who could not see past their own fear. My faith in your father was shattered that day.” She looks pretty angry herself now as she continues. “I was formulating a plan to flee with you when news came that you had already left on your own. I have never forgiven myself for not telling you of my actions. I was horrified that you were out in the world with no place to go, no money, and unable to use your magic for fear we’d find you. Every day since the day you left, I have feared that I would never lay eyes on you again. I have missed you so much, Quillian.” Tears are streaming down Grandma’s face now.

  “My name is Julienne, not Quillian. I left that name behind when I stripped away any ties to you and Father.” Grandma
winces but doesn’t say anything. She looks too choked up to say anything. Oh, please. I’m still not buying it.

  My brows furrow now as I think about what Grandma had said a minute ago. Okay, maybe I’m missing something here. “But you stayed with Grandpa all these years even after supposedly losing all faith in him? Who would stay with someone who did something so awful to his daughter? But you did. That makes it kind of suspicious that you’d show up here offering to help us fight him, don’t you think?”

  Grandma’s face hardens as she looks at me. “I stayed because I held out hope that your mother would come home. I stayed for her.”

  Yeah, right, is my first reaction. I must have mumbled it out loud because Kallen gives my hand a gentle squeeze and his mouth has curved into a smirk. Guess he thinks it sounds fishy, too. I turn to Mom and she looks like she doesn’t know what to believe. Dad looks like he wants to punch Grandma in the face. When did he become so violent looking? I’ll add that to the list of crimes my biological family has committed. They’re quickly turning my Dad into a sociopath.

  As things have calmed down some, I feel my hold on my magic start to slip. Magic doesn’t like to be stagnant. Very soon, I need to either use it or let it go. If I don’t, it may try to seek its own target. Apparently, that last part’s not normal for anyone but me. Kallen’s theory is that I pull more magic than anyone else due to my dual heritage, and that much magic in one place becomes combustible. I’m a time bomb right now, and my ticker is rapidly counting down to zero.

  Kallen must feel me losing control. “I believe it wise to decide to either hear her out, or fend her off.” He gives Mom a pointed look and then looks at me. Mom catches on pretty quickly after hearing about all the trouble I had with control when Kallen and I were in the mountains.

  Looking back at Grandma, Mom says, “We’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. For now.” She turns her back and floats back through the front door. Apparently, Grandma’s going into the house. I’m liking this less and less as each minute goes by.

  Grandma’s eyes follow Mom and a single tear slides down her cheek. I wonder what caused it. The fact that the daughter she helped chase from her life is now a ghost or that Mom doesn’t trust her? Either way, I guess it sucks to be Grandma right now.

  Kallen, Dad and I hang back for a minute. I need to take a breather and make sure I have control over my magic. I’m going to need to let it go because I haven’t quite mastered the ability to keep a certain level of magic inside of me for long periods of time like Kallen can. It’s kind of all or nothing for me right now. Closing my eyes, I begin to push the magic back down towards the earth.

  Kallen interrupts my concentration by saying, “I believe your mother is being foolish.”

  Great, that’s the way to help me calm down. I glower at him as I say, “I thought you were going to stop insulting my mother.”

  “He’s right.” I know shock is written all over my face as I turn to look at Dad. His arms are crossed over his translucent chest and a deep scowl is lining his brow. “We gave your grandfather the benefit of the doubt and he tried to kill you in our kitchen. And if that woman has been so eager to find your mother, why didn’t she come with her husband when we called for help?”

  I hadn’t thought about that but Dad has a good point. Why is Grandma just showing up now?

  “Do you believe her to be a Trojan horse?” Kallen asks Dad.

  “Wait, you were born around that time, weren’t you? So, you probably got to see the Trojan horse close up, didn’t you?” I tease. I have to lessen the tension of the situation somehow and humor seems the way to go. Kallen seems to disagree.

  He narrows his eyes at me. “I am not quite that old in Cowan years. That was a couple of thousand years before my time.” Cowan is the term the Fairies and Witches use for humans.

  I shrug and smile. “Too bad. It would have been pretty cool if you had.”

  Kallen rolls his eyes but I can see him trying to suppress a smile. “Perhaps we should concentrate on this point in time instead of when I was born?”

  Fine. I sigh dramatically because I really don’t want to deal with Grandma. But, we shouldn’t be leaving Mom alone with her, either. “Okay, let’s go talk to Grandma.” If there was any less enthusiasm in my voice, I could pass for a mortician. I turn around towards the door and since I’m still holding his hand, I pull Kallen along with me.

  Grandma is sitting on the red, overstuffed couch in the living room with her hands primly in her lap, and Mom looks grim as she appears to be sitting in the recliner. Neither of them are speaking and the air is so thick with tension, I expect it to start dripping down the walls. Figuring I can’t make it any worse, I decide to ask Grandma Dad’s question. “Where were you when Grandpa came here? If you were so eager to see Mom, it seems like you would have come with him.”

  A dark shadow passes over Grandma’s face. “Your Grandfather neglected to tell me that your parents had contacted him. I heard nothing about it until my assistant overheard a conversation between two members of the Witan. When I called your Grandfather to demand he tell me where to find you, he was already on his way home. He told me what happened. He thought it would make me believe he had been right all these years, but I told him he was still being a fool. I hung up, packed, and caught the first flight here.”

  “How could he have kept it from you if you live in the same house? Wouldn’t you have known Mom called? Or that he was leaving?” I push. Even in the mountains, we have caller ID, and I would notice if someone in the house left for a few days. She’s telling a good story, but nobody in the room is ready to believe her yet. Especially me.

  Grandma looks down at her hands still folded in her lap. “The property is very large and Sveargith and I have had a marriage in name only these last eighteen years. I live in the guest house now and our paths rarely cross anymore. We used to be so in love, your Grandfather and me, but he threw that away when his heart hardened against his daughter.” Looking up at Mom, she says, “He didn’t just break your heart, Quillian. I’m sorry, I mean Julienne. He broke mine as well, and I will never forgive him for either sin.”

  I catch Dad rolling his eyes and shaking his head as he watches the emotions pass between the two women who haven’t seen each other for a lifetime. My lifetime, to be exact. Mom’s starting to look like she’s caving.

  Dad must think so, too. He sighs in disgust. “Julienne, don’t be taken in by these lies. Your father apologized, claimed it was all a big mistake, that he wished he could take it back, and then he tried to kill your daughter.”

  “I know.” Mom whispers. But she still looks like she’s caving.

  Grandma wrenches her eyes from Mom to look at Dad. “What can I do to convince you I am telling the truth?”

  Kallen answers before Dad has a chance. “There is a simple way.” All eyes are on him, now. We’re all eager to have this settled once and for all, and for me, that means Grandma gets the boot sooner as opposed to later. Looking at Mom, he says, “You insisted I take a blood oath before you entrusted Xandra to be in my care. You can do the same with your mother.”

  Hey, that is a good idea. I forgot about the whole blood oath thing. And then another thought hits me. Kallen is still under that blood oath. He has to protect my life as he would his own, otherwise, he dies. Is that the real reason why he stayed? Because he’s still bound by the oath to keep me safe? Oh, we’re definitely talking about that after we get Grandma squared away.

  Grandma inclines her head towards Kallen and a small smile touches her lips. “An excellent idea.” Her expression doesn’t quite match her words, though. Is she nervous about doing this? Good, then she’s probably one step closer to being out the door.

  Mom ignores Grandma’s reaction and turns to Kallen. “In the closet of mine and Jim’s bedroom, on the top shelf, there is the ceramic bowl and a knife. You should be able to reach them easily. Xandra, please show him the way.”

  I’m torn. I don’t want to leave my pare
nts in the room with someone we don’t know if we can trust yet. Mom has her magic to defend herself with, but Dad doesn’t have a drop of magical blood in him. Who knows what Grandma could do to him, even if he is a ghost.

  The outline of a grim smile touches Mom’s lips as she senses my hesitation. “It’s fine, honey. I have taken the same precautions inside the house as I have outside.”

  Mom has the outside of the house booby trapped, much to my surprise last week. She was able to fend off the first attack of the Fairies with an invisible Fairy trap and exploding Witch’s bottles. Which are totally gross. She put iron nails in a bottle with her urine and buried them in the ground around the house. Iron is like a hot poker to Fairies; it burns right through them. The urine binds the bottle just to her and her magic. Now, all she has to do with the Witch’s bottles is say an incantation and they explode out of wherever she has them hidden. And they must be hidden pretty well if neither me nor my little brother Zac have ever found them.