A Blaze of Magic: Chosen Saga Book Two

by J. L. Clayton

  “She felt the wolf bite down breaking bones, ripping skin. The pain was overwhelming, she tried to thrust the suffering back at the wolf, but it wouldn’t work. Your mother saw Nathaniel scream and felt his pain. Lilly knew your father was strong, but the wolf was so much stronger, and without his magical powers. Nathaniel had to fight the wolf with only his strength. Lilly trembled inside, she was afraid for her beloved. She watched Nathaniel put his big hands around the wolf’s neck and with all his might he slammed Kamal to the ground. Lilly looked frantically for something to help Nathaniel, something to save him from the wolf. Your mother scanned the ground and finally she spotted a bottle lying on the grass.

  “She raced over scrambling to get the bottle and fumbling to hold on to it. Lilly’s hands were shaking, and she felt sick. Once she had a good enough hold she reared back to break the glass, as she did tiny shard pieces stuck in her hand. Looking down she saw some blood seeping up through her palms, wiping the blood away Lilly looked over at Nathaniel. She laughed in fear, her wounds were nothing compared to Nathaniel’s, she said. Nathaniel’s beautiful body was ruined. It looked like someone took a meat cleaver to his right arm and left leg. His beautiful face looked like someone had sliced him up with a razor, there was so much blood. Lilly shook herself and looked back at the glass in her hand. She was transfixed she said.

  “The dim street lights sparkled off the shard piece. Amazingly-odd-translucent, the light danced off the sharp end of the glass sending sparkling crystals onto the ground. For a moment Lilly was shocked. She knew that soon she would be shoving the glass into the wolf. The thought felt sickly good. The glass felt darkly good in her hand. Lilly felt more powerful in that moment then she ever had before. But all too soon it was gone.”

  My heart was pounding so hard in my chest. Even though, I knew the outcome. I knew my father was about to die! I was hoping he would make it, hoping with all my might that they would both walk into the house and everything would be fine.

  “Out of her peripheral vision,” mom was saying. “Lilly spotted the wolf. He leaped back on top of Nathaniel’s still body. That snapped her back to their reality. Lilly cried out, ‘Nathaniel No!’ She pulled on her powers; she had to see if he was okay. To see if he was still alive! All that time she wasted, Lilly thought she was stupid.”

  I too felt so stupid. Why did I have to know how they died? Why was I so nosy all the time?

  “Thankfully,” Mom was saying, “She felt it. She felt Nathaniel’s life. It was dim, but still there and it was slowly slipping from him. Lilly tried one more time to thrust Nathaniel’s pain at the wolf, but still nothing. Lilly looked at the bottle in her hands and charged the wolf, stabbing down deep into the gray wolf’s fur. The wolf snarled in pain. Howling Kamal turned his muzzle her way.”

  Who would have known that a mother and a father I had never met would have my heart breaking in to a million pieces?

  “He lunged at her,” Mom was saying, “But Nathaniel grabbed him by the neck and slung the wolf into another vehicle. Relentlessly, the wolf slowly got back up to his feet, teeth snapping, spittle flying, and furiously the wolf attacked again.” Mom was starting to tear up.

  This must be it, this must be the part I’ve been dreading. God, now I don’t want to know. I guess that is a good thing, right? I felt sick, like I was going to throw up everything. I wanted to cry, lie down and cry. Stop this sadness I was feeling. Stop Nathaniel and Lilly from dying. What good is power if you cannot even use it to save someone you love?

  “Sweetheart, are you ok?” Mom asked softly.

  No. No. No. I am not okay. Do I look okay?

  “I’m okay Mom.” I lied when my whole body was screaming, crying, begging for their lives.

  Mom let out a slow breath and finished. “Ok then, as the wolf was about to attack Nathaniel, Lilly threw the glass to him. Thankfully he caught it right side up. Your father looked at Lilly with pain and told your mother to run, but she didn’t want to move. Lilly didn’t want to leave your father behind. The wolf charged your mother, but Nathaniel scrambled up stepping into Kamal’s path, knocking the gray wolf to the side. The wolf fell back on its haunches snarling, he jumped onto Nathaniel knocking him off his feet once again. That’s when Kamal saw his opening and so did your father. Two things happened at once; the wolf clamped his teeth down on your father’s throat, as Nathaniel stabbed the shard of glass into the wolf’s side.

  “The wolf yelped and let go of your father’s throat. Lilly fell to the ground in pain, gasping for air. However, Lilly knew what she felt was not her pain, but your fathers and knowing this hurt her more. She was helpless to stop what was happening to him. Lilly cried out, struggling to her feet. Trying desperately to help Nathaniel and again Kamal leaped to his feet charging. Your father hit him one last time, tossing the wolf into the side of another car, temporarily knocking the wolf out. Nathaniel looked up at Lilly struggling to reach her. His legs gave out, and then your father collapsed back to the ground. Lilly rushed to his side trying to help him up. She heard the wolf make a whimpering noise.

  “Nathaniel shouted, ‘Run Lilly!’ Lilly just stood there helpless.”

  I was going to cry, but I had to keep it together, for mom’s sake.

  Mom said, “Nathaniel pleaded with her, ‘Run before the wolf wakes up. Run, save yourself and the baby. Save our girl, please Lilly.’ Lilly shook her head.” Mom wiped tears away from her face. “She said your father shouted at her, pleading for her to save herself, to save you, Charlie.”

  I hate this. I was ready for Mom to stop. Ready to say something, but my mouth wouldn’t move. Nothing came out, but a ragged breath. Weak, I was so weak.

  “Lilly was shaking,” Mom continued, “Shaking her head no, she would not leave him here to die, but she could feel his life already fading. Nathaniel coughed up blood.” I was starting to shake now, too. “He desperately wanted her to go. Nathaniel could see the wolf stirring. He had to make her understand she had to save the baby.”

  I closed my eyes.

  “Nathaniel said, ‘Please Lilly, don’t help me. Help the baby. Help yourself. ’ Lilly closed her eyes.” Mom angrily rubbed at her face. “Lilly sobbed as she grabbed Nathaniel’s arms, Lilly looked into his eyes and she told me she said this as tears streamed down her face.”

  I too wiped tears from my eyes.

  “Lilly answered, ‘We are getting you out of here Nathaniel. Do you hear me? I am going to get you help and you will be alright. Please don’t give up. I just… come on Nathaniel. Please, I cannot do this alone.’ Lilly begged.”

  I hated Tru’s family in that moment. Hated what Tru’s grandfather did and still, hearing Mom tell me the story I felt like Kamal was not the one that killed Lilly and Nathaniel. It hurt me, I hated Kamal, but I had also met him and I just couldn’t help but think he didn’t do this. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something else happened. I was conflicted. I thought, maybe, just maybe what she was telling me wasn’t real

  “Lilly declared, ‘I love you. I need you, please.’ Lilly wrapped her arms around him gently.” Mom continued. “She kissed him.” Mom closed her eyes in pain. “She said she pulled with all her strength trying to pick him up, but Nathaniel just laid there bleeding. He was looking at her with so much love in his eyes. Nathaniel touched her face, Lilly said there was so much love in that touch that it broke her heart. Nathaniel smiled at her. He said, ‘You know what Lilly?’ Lilly looked up. ‘What?’ Lilly told me she all but breathed the words, tears falling freely from her eyes as he told her how he felt.

  “Nathaniel professed his love saying, ‘I love you. You are my heart. My soul. My life. I’m sorry for disappointing you.’ Lilly shook her head.”

  My heart was shattering, it hurt so bad.

  Mom was saying, “Nathaniel cried as Lilly kissed his tears away. Nathaniel breathed, ‘I’m sorry. God Lilly I’m so sorry that I’m leaving you and the baby. Just remember that I love you more than life itself. And tell my baby girl I love he
r too.’

  “Lilly said, ‘Shh, don’t speak. Save your breath Nathaniel.’ Lilly sobbed, closing her eyes as she felt Nathaniel breathe his last breath in her arms. She cried for him, cried for you, and cried for herself. That’s how Sam found her. We were starting to worry when they didn’t come back. We called, but they were not answering their phones. Sam and I plus one of our friends jumped in the car and headed over to the restaurant. When we got there Sam told me to stay in the car while he and the other man, Lucky Mathews, got out of the car. That was when Sam saw what happened.

  “He cried out as he raced over to Lilly. Sam picked her up and ran back to the car. Sam called some friends to help kill the wolf. But, when they went back the wolf was long gone and all that was left in the place of Nathaniel’s body was ash, like he had disintegrated! When we got back home Lilly was so distressed that she went into labor. Then Lilly had you, she named you Charlize Leyland Fox. We called you Charlie because that was your father’s middle name and Leyland was your mother’s middle name. She wanted you to have both of their names. Lilly finally worked on getting herself better, she told us that she was going to find the wolf. Find Kamal and kill him. She told us to keep you safe and that was the last we’ve seen of her. Three weeks later someone sent a bag of ash to Sam’s work place at the time. The ash looked like the same kind Sam found where your father’s body was.” My mom said ending her story.

  Chapter Four

  Dulcedo

  “So you never found her body, just ash?” I asked, naively thinking maybe Lilly is alive.

  Mom sighed. “This is too much for you and what happened to them is so sad I know, but it has been sixteen years, Charlie. If she were alive, she would have come back for you!”

  I nodded and swallowed thickly. “So the wolf killed Lilly and Nathaniel!” It wasn’t a question, but my mom answered me.

  “Yes, Kamal killed them. Charlie, sweetie . . . Tru is a wolf. Well he’s not really a lycanthrope. Um, that means werewolf. What they are or I guess, you can say what they do, is shift forms from human to wolf, so they’re wolf shifters and not werewolves.”

  “Uh, Mom?” I almost giggled.

  “Yes?”

  “I know this, Tru told me already.”

  Mom looked surprised, raising her eyebrows. “I see. So we’re not the only ones keeping secrets?”

  I cleared my throat guiltily. “Um yeah.”

  “Wow, I cannot believe he would tell you that.” She frowned looking bewildered. “I guess he must really care for and trust you. Furthermore, he has no inkling as to what you are. Charlie… Do you see why we don’t want you around Tru and his people? Why Jace could not come to your birthday party?”

  I gritted my teeth. “Yes, because you think Tru’s people had something to do with Lilly and Nathaniel’s death. I know they’re wolf shifters, and I know that’s damning evidence. But, I just cannot see them killing my blood parents. I cannot place Tru’s grandfather and all the nice people I met at the bonfire, with the role y’all have cast them in. I cannot see them as cruel heartless people,” I replied dryly.

  “Honey,” she shook her head wincingly. “They did kill your parents. You might not want to accept it now! But Charlie, soon you’ll have to and soon you’ll understand!”

  I frowned at her. “Yes Mom, I understand, it is sad and I hate what happened to them-but, I just cannot accept it. Maybe in time you’ll understand why, but you cannot keep me from Tru. You can try to keep us apart! Try!” I huffed.

  Mom blew out a breath. “Let’s not fight right now, Charlie, I am tired and we have a long night ahead of us. Plus, I still have a lot more to tell you before we go to the supernatural realm.”

  “Fine, Mom,” I said frustrated. I might be dropping it right now, but later she will have to hear me out on the whole Tru thing. “Anyway, tell me what exactly are we called, if not a Traveler or a Witch?” I asked this now more curious then worried. All the worry faded when I convinced myself that Tru’s family did not kill my blood parents and I was going to uncover the truth without Mom and Dad’s knowledge. No matter what it took!

  “Okay, Charlie, let me explain.” As Mom was about to explain Dad walked back in the room looking a little disheveled. “Oh good you are just in time, I’m about to tell you’re Kiddo here what supernatural being she is. Charlie, there is all kinds of magical beings like Mages, War-Mages, Sorceress, Sorcerer, Wiccans, Magicians, or Wizards. Whatever you call them, no matter what, they are all connected to you in away.”

  Then something dawned on me. “Wait a second. Mom, are you saying there are other supernaturals, like Vampires, Dragons and Pixies?” Oh my! I was kind of excited now, wondering what it would be like to meet a Vampire or a Fairy. Or whatever there was on the other side of the supernatural realm. So cool!

  “Yes,” Mom replied. My eyes went wide. “Most of the supernatural beings like you have supernatural abilities, but some like Wiccans have to work hard and practice at their craft. However, there are some born with magical abilities and in your case you were born with the gift of magic.”

  I grinned. “So, what am I? A Witch? “

  Mom grinned back, “Yes, but more, your kind is called- Dulcedo!”

  I was speechless. “Wow! Really? Dulcedo. Uh, what does a Dulcedo mean exactly?” I asked.

  “It means Charmed,” Mom said simply.

  “That’s it?” I said surprised. “Mom, come on, I was so waiting for a crazy far out there name, but you let me down.” I shook my head back and forth in a disappointing manner saying, “Couldn’t the supernatural people come up with something cooler. I mean Dulcedo is cool, but saying I’m Charmed? Not so much. Why not come up with a name like... I don’t know, um, Ultimate-Power-Girl?” I cringed. I felt like an idiot and by the amused looks on my parents’ faces, they must think I’m silly. Dulcedo was way cooler then Ultimate-Power-Girl. Yeah, so maybe I have watched too many superhero shows.

  Ultimate-Power-Girl, sheesh! “Okay, okay maybe not that name, but what do I say when someone asked me what supernatural being am I? I’m just supposed to say, ‘oh you know, Dulcedo, or you can call me Charmed.’ Yeah right, they’ll laugh and say charmed, I’m sure and then my life will be complete.”

  Grrr! Melodramatic, who me… never!

  Mom and Dad both bust out laughing. It rolled through the room.

  I’m glad they are getting a kick out of this. Hey, I’m cool! My life is just being turned upside down that’s all. Nothing to see here, move along!

  “Yeah, I am so glad you can laugh it up, but remember I’m the one who just found out her life is a lie and has just changed big time.”

  Mom and Dad both frowned. Mom said, “You are right, Charlie, and we are sorry but I’m just glad you can still joke, that’s all. If my Charlie, the one with sarcastic words can make light of all this, then that just shows me we have yet to lose our child.”

  I shook my head and crossed my arms, exasperated. “Mom. Dad. Seriously, you could never lose me. Don’t doubt that. I am your daughter, if not by blood, then by love. I just wish you would have told me sooner instead of keeping this all a secret. Now spill whatever else I need to know about the supernatural end.” I felt like rubbing my hands together all evil-villainess like!

  Mom leaned over and gave me a hug. She sighed, saying, “What else would you like to know? I think we pretty much covered everything.”

  “Maybe you have answered the important things, but I want to know what the supernatural realm is called and where we have to go to cross over?” I asked happily. I was so excited to see this whole other world and, I like the whole power thing. Hey, who wouldn’t like having powers?

  “One of the portal’s is located somewhere you are intimate with.” She smiled impishly. “There are countless worlds on the supernatural plane with all different types of names, but the city we are traveling to is Callamose.” A glint of excitement flashed in her blue eyes.

  “Now that’s awesome. So, where’s the portal located?”
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  “At Jace’s house,” Mom and Dad said together in a matter-of-fact way.

  “No freaking way. I knew it! I knew it! Jace and Rose are like me. I freaking knew it! I thought as much when you said that guardians change their hair and eye color, and some of the things Jace would do, it just seemed strange.” That explains so much: Jace understanding every bizarre thing I told him, Jace believing me about the fire and the stuff about Tru being a wolf.

  Amusement flashed in their eyes. “Yes Kiddo,” Dad said, “That’s right–”

  “Hang on, I’m wondering something.” I scratched my head interrupting her as I did. “Um, why are Jace’s parent’s guardians? If Jace and Rose are like me, then how are their parent’s guardians? Mom, you did say every Dulcedo has a set of guardians. So why did Jace’s Mom and Dad become guardians instead of having someone else become their chosen guardians, like you guys?”

  “Charlie.” Mom took in a deep breath. “Kate and Jerold, um, well their not Jace and Rose’s parents.”

  “Okay?” I said dryly. “Why? And where then, are Jace and Rose’s mother and father? If Kate and Jerold are not their parents, where are their parents?”

  “Jace and Rose’s parents are on the council of the supernaturals, which is why you have yet to meet them.” After Mom said that sentence she had a strange look, but it quickly faded. What else was she hiding? “I know we said that Kate and Jerold where their parents, but we couldn’t tell you otherwise. Don’t worry, Jace and Rose see their mother and father all the time! Jace’s parents didn’t crossover to the supernatural realm permanently, and they didn’t leave until Rose was eleven. The council was in much need of new blood, ergo, Jace and Rose’s mother and father took up the seats.”

  “Wow, did they volunteer or were they chosen?” I asked thinking this council must be something big.

  “Sweetie, his parents were chosen. It was also offered to Lilly and Nathaniel. They accepted. It is an honor to have a seat on the council of the elders. Although, when Lilly got pregnant both her and Nathaniel gave up their seats, which has been vacant until Jace’s mother and father accepted.”