by M. R. Polish
“I’m not here for her, well not in that aspect anyway. I don’t want to hurt her. I never have. I may not have the same emotions toward her as you do, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care.”
Ailaina elbowed me in the side to get my attention. “I think he’s telling the truth. She did a truth spell on him back in Chattanooga.”
Twenty Nine
Esmerelda
“A re you sure you’re ready?” my mom asked as she bent over, placing the last of the five candles that encircled the tomb. We were right in front of the entrance, and I could almost feel the excitement bursting from the spirits within.
I did my best at a grin and nodded. “Yeah.” I couldn’t wait to see Moriah. I’d only met her twice in spirit form, but I could feel a deep connection with her the most. It must be because we shared the same spirit element.
“This has never been done before. I am the oldest witch alive, and I can’t even remember my parents telling me about this being accomplished.” My mom shook her head and stared at her folded hands.
“What happened to them? I mean, if we’re immortal why aren’t they here?”
She looked up at me. A longing smile softened her eyes. “They were killed. Remember that dark magic can kill immortals. I think that was proved to you when you almost died from Belladonna.”
I gulped. Never did I want to repeat that again. Even the memory hurt. “How did it happen?”
“Nicholas. It was before you were conceived, near the beginning of the whole war. He took them and tried to turn them, but they died in the process.” She looked away. “Just another reason I have to want to kill Nicholas.”
I knelt down with her. “We can do this, together.”
She grasped my hands. “Yes. We can.”
The crunch of snapping twigs caused me to turn around. Ian walked toward us. “Can I talk to you?”
I pointed to my chest. “Me?”
“Yeah.”
Standing up, I gave my mom a look that told her I’d be right back. He took my hand as soon as I was close enough and I didn’t pull away. It felt so right. I just hoped Jarak wasn’t there to see, I haven’t had time to talk with him yet.
Ian led me away from the tomb. The top of the cabin’s roof came into view down below us. I immediately placed a shield over us as we ventured past the ward barrier. I wasn’t going to take any chances.
“Esmerelda…” he hesitated.
“What? No Princess?” I jested with a smile.
He stopped walking and looked at me. “I have to tell you something. If something goes wrong with this spell or even after, I want you to know.” He took my other hand and tugged so I stood facing him. Slowly, he rubbed small circles over my hands with his thumbs.
He was never this hesitant with me before, and it caused my heart to speed up. What was wrong?
“I love you. With every fiber of my being. I have loved you for years. Since I was eight I’ve had dreams of you. I can’t live without you and I need you to choose me.” He still held my hands in his, and his eyes searched mine.
He’s dreamed of me? He loves me? Choose him? My heart pounded.
“Please say something, anything,” he pleaded.
I opened my mouth to speak when Jarak came into the small clearing where we stopped. “Es, what are you doing outside the perimeter?” He looked at Ian and then at our hands. “I see.” His jaw went tight, and he marched closer.
“Jarak...” Tears blurred my vision. This was certainly not how I pictured this day going. I had enough on my plate, and this was not how imagined telling Jarak.
“Oh it’s not? Then please tell me because I’d love to know.”
Ian squeezed my hands, and I understood. Somehow I could feel his thoughts, not hear them, but feel them. He didn’t want me to tell Jarak what he’d just told me. He had nothing to worry about. I wasn’t about to share that with anyone just yet. I wanted to keep it my own personal secret.
“How about we start with you. Why don’t you tell her your secret?” Ian let go and stood in front of me just a little.
Jarak’s face paled, which caused my heart to plummet. Secret? What secret?
“Why would you bring that up?” Jarak’s nostrils flared as he spoke.
“She has the right to know, especially before she brings her back to life!”
Okay, now they really got my attention. “What is going on? Jarak, what is he talking about?”
I watched his Adam ’s apple bob as he swallowed deeply. “Julie and I were together once.”
“Wait a minute, you and Julie? But that would mean you’re… You’d have to be…” I looked at Ian. “What is he saying?” I was ready to hyperventilate, and I could feel the world around me start to spin as I took in quick gasps.
“He's a lot older than you think. We both are… I left home early, but that was back in 1946.”
I did the math in my head quickly. “Oh my God! That means you’re at least eighty years old! How is that possible? I thought Guardians weren’t immortal unless they were gifted or bonded with an immortal.” My head spun. I couldn’t begin to fathom what they were saying.
“We aren’t immortal unless we choose to be with one forever, a bonding so to speak. Guardians however, age at a slower rate than humans so we have a longer life span.”
Stepping in front of Ian, I swung my fist hitting Jarak in the face. “Why would you lie to me? I thought we had something going. You jerk! Is this why you seriously wanted to be with me? So you can save your long lost, dead girlfriend? You played me the whole time and then you have the nerve to get mad when I get feelings for your brother?”
He stepped forward, his arms reached out for me. “No, it’s not like that. At least not now. I love you.” He tried to hold my hands, but I pulled away.
“What do you mean at least not now?”
“I mean, at first when I found out you could awaken her I had mixed emotions. I was excited yet sad at the same time. But, then I got to know you and all of that changed. Please, Es, you must trust me on that.”
I backed up. “I can’t trust you right now.” As if things weren’t confusing enough. I threw my arms in the air and stomped off away from both of them.
“Princess, wait up.”
I didn’t stop. “I can’t believe this.” I twirled around to face Ian. I walked backwards and brushed the tears off my face. “I can’t believe you’re eighty years old!”
“Esmerelda, I told you Guardians don’t age like everyone else. We both look as if we are in our early twenties, but we’ve lived a long life. I told you the truth when I said I have dreamed of you since I was eight, which is over eighty years of dreams, Princess. I know how I feel about you.”
“Ian I can’t do this right now. You have to understand how confusing this must be for me.”
“I do, and I will be patient, but I won’t give up.”
“Whatever.” I turned on my heel and walked back toward the tomb. One problem at a time.
My mom looked up as I stomped back to our circle. “Is everything okay dear?”
“Just old man problems, don’t worry about it.” I sat down on a fallen log close to the tomb.
She smiled, her eyes soft. “So Jarak told you.”
“You knew?” Everyone was against me.
“Honey, I’ve been around longer than they have.” She sat down next to me. “Their grandfather was your dad’s best friend. I watched them grow up. When Jarak and Julie were together, it was different than when he is with you. They both knew she would die, yet he stayed with her anyway… till the end. It almost killed him when she slipped into the Death Spell. I think if it wasn’t a spell and her life was cut completely he wouldn’t have made it.”
“What about Ian?”
“Ian is special. I’ve know for a long time how he feels about you. I think I knew how he’d feel before you were born. He was always around, waiting for you to arrive. Even way before I conceived you. He told me once that he could feel you inside his he
art when he was eight, telling me that one day I would have you. It was sweet.”
“So what do I do?” I buried my face in my hands.
She placed her hand on my back and rubbed in small circles. “I think forgiveness is the first step. It’s not like Ian lied to you. Besides, what’s eighty or even a hundred years when you guys can have forever?”
Ugh, of course she would say that. Moms were supposed to be wise with perfect advice.
“Come on, we should start before it gets any later.”
I followed her into the circle.
“Since fire is greater in you, you can start the flames, and I will concentrate on the wind. We’ll need to set the tomb on fire, consuming it in flames. That’s when we can chant the awakening spell, only then can you send forth the flooding waters to cleanse the death from their spirits. Ready?”
I shook my hands out and breathed in deep. I was as ready as I’ll ever be. “Yeah.”
I spotted Ian, Jarak, Ailaina, and my dad walking toward us, stopping just outside the circle. Jarak kept his hands clamped together in front of him, and stared at the cement entrance. Of course, he’s just waiting for his girlfriend to walk right out. Not that I could blame him. After nineteen years I’d miss the one I loved too.
Ian, on the other hand, watched me and nodded. He had faith I could do this, but I could feel his anxiety that something might happen to me. It was strange that I could feel his thoughts. I shook them off. There was no time to think about it. My head needed to be clear.
Ailaina smiled at me and gave two thumbs up. I grinned back at her.
Luna stood with Hela, Dregan, and Maztic, watching off to the side. I knew she would watch out for me. Victor was on patrol, making sure Nicholas couldn’t disrupt the awakening.
I locked eye contact with my mom. We were ready. I raised my arms high up over my head. “I call upon the spirit of fire and ask thee to set a blaze.” At once, all the candles lit with tall flames.
She mimicked my motion with her arms. “Mother Nature hear my call, send the wind this way to blow.”
A gust of wind swarmed all around us and all the flames on the candles roared like torches, pointing directly at the tomb. The wind picked up even more, leaves and branches flew around us like a tornado.
My mom grabbed my hands as the tomb blazed. The heat was intense, and I wanted to run away from it.
“Now, Esmerelda!”
I closed my eyes and chanted with her. “Purus justo animae excitandis surgant et nos vivere.”
I wasted no time after saying it three times to bring the water. I needed the heat to subside. It was too hot. I pushed out until I could feel the cold liquid with my powers. Forcing them to enter the area, I tried to douse the flames, but when the water got close, it just evaporated in the heat.
“Push harder, Esmerelda.” My mom’s voice strained as she continued to chant.
I fought against the heat and pushed the water closer. It wasn’t working. Agh!
“Harder!” This time Ian pushed for me. “You can do it, Es.”
My whole body was heavy, and I wasn’t sure how I still stood. With every breath, it became more challenging. The weight of the world thrust down on me. I fell to the ground on my knees.
“I can’t!” I screamed. The heat singed my soul. It was as if I breathed in the inferno tongues that lashed out at me.
Warm liquid trickled from my nose, and I could taste the salty metallic blood as it dripped to my mouth. I can’t do this… There is no way I am strong enough.
Faintly, Dregan’s voice came through to me. “You can do this, use the elements around you, use us, pull from us, Esmerelda.”
I did as he said, pulling from everyone outside the circle that I could reach. The wolves, Ian, Jarak, my dad, even Victor and Ailaina. They were all strong and willing to let me pull strength from them. Surges of energy flew through my body until it overflowed.
Reaching out for the water again, I knew what I needed to do. Gathering it all at once, I dumped it on the tomb from overhead, smothering the flames. Immediately, all connections I felt to the tomb vanished. Smoke wafted from the doused blaze. Coughing, I ran out of the circle, gasping for oxygen.
I looked at the charcoal colored cement grave and shivered. It was done. The guys walked past me, except Jarak who still stood staring at the entrance.
“You okay?” My dad’s voice brought me back to the present.
“Hum? Oh, yeah. I’m okay. A little weak though.”
My mom came up behind him and he wrapped an arm around her, supporting her. “It’s to be expected. Big spells like that take a lot out of a witch. You did well though. It’s good that you pulled from the others.”
I smiled at her. She hadn’t needed to pull from anyone, at least I didn’t feel her when I did, and I hoped that one day I could be as strong as she was. “Thanks.”
Ian was at the door, crowbar in hand, prying away. I wanted to laugh but thought better of it. Warm energy filled the circle, and I could feel them alive on the inside.
I reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder stopping him. “Here, let me help.”
Resting my other hand on the door, it was still hot to the touch, so I hovered as close as I could without burning myself. The door moved with the sound of grinding stone on stone. We both moved back and watched as it opened.
Ian put his arm around my waist protectively, pulling me back a little more away from the entrance. The entire woods stood silent in anticipation. I’m not sure any of us dared to breathe as we waited.
Seconds passed, but they seemed like hours. Moriah walked out into the sunlight causing me to jump. I knew they were supposed to be alive, but it scared me to see it happen. She looked just like before. Her long golden hair lay in waves down her back, and she had on a long, beautiful silver dress with black trim.
She smiled once she saw me. “You did well, Esmerelda.”
I was speechless, not sure what to say exactly.
The other four came out behind her. They also looked the same as in my dream. All of them wore dresses similar to Moriah’s, only different colors. As soon as I spotted Julie, my eyes darted to Jarak to watch his reaction.
He smiled at her. His eyes only on her. She wasted no time and embraced him. He held her tightly, and a tear fell from his eye. She buried her face in his neck and spoke in sobs that I couldn’t understand from where I stood.
Ian pulled me closer to him. “Are you okay?”
I nodded and wiped the drying blood from my nose. “Yeah. Just fine.”
Tamlynn came over and hugged me. “Thank you so much. That wind was marvelous. I am tremendously proud of you both.”
This was too weird. They didn’t look as if they spent years buried in a tomb.
It was Gabriella’s turn next. Her mesmerizing blue eyes sparkled. “Sometimes water can be a tricky element, and it’s always surprising, but I knew you could do it.”
My mom hugged Valis. They looked as if they’d been friends forever. As far as I knew, they had been.
Jarak and Julie finally broke off their embrace, and she walked toward me. I cringed inwardly. I owed her so much, but I was upset about Jarak. How was I supposed to like her?
I managed to hug her back, but it was brief, and I pulled away quickly.
“Esmerelda, I have waited so long to actually meet you. You sure have grown up.”
Ugh, just the way she talked made me sick. It also reminded me of how much Jarak lied to me, making the nauseous feeling worse. I tried my best at a smile but failed miserably. I averted my gaze and found Jarak watching me. I wasn’t sure what he thought at that moment, but I didn’t care.
“Now that we are all reunited, maybe we should talk. I know that’s fast, but I don’t think we have a lot of time where Nicholas is concerned. His followers are growing in number, and it won’t be long before our kind is all but gone.” My dad gathered us together with his words.
“What about Nicholas? We should find a place safe enough
to talk.” Julie spoke up. Standing close to Jarak, she held his hand.
“This is about as safe as we’re gonna get.” I stared at her, tempting her to go against me. “I’ve set up a perimeter that even he can’t get through.”
“Well, you had a hard time with the water. I’m just saying maybe I should go behind you and make sure it’s strong enough.”
The nerve of that woman! Seriously? I just awakened this witch from death, and she had the audacity to say that? All of my muscles tightened as I fought the urge to rip out her eyes. Ian grabbed my hand and pulled me next to his side. “Shh… later, Princess, not right now,” he whispered close to my cheek.
Clenching my jaw, I spoke through my teeth. “Do what you want, but I assure you that it’s strong enough.”
“Girls, let’s just think about what we need to do.” Jarak stepped forward between us but hesitated a little more in front of her. It had better be to protect her because I knew I sure as hell didn’t need protection from his little witchy poo.
“Jarak’s right, we need help with the Reaping Spell.” My mom bent over to pick up a candle, placing it in her bag.
I folded my arms over my chest and planted my feet firmly on the ground. “I say the sooner we do this, the sooner we can get on with our lives.”
“I agree,” Ian said.
Ailaina spoke up, “Me too.”
“It takes a while to perform one, you know this, Adonia. After you both rest, we can try. It might take more than one time.” Valis looked over at me. “Not because of you, Sweet. It takes a lot out of the elements and spirits as well. A spell this large will take time. We have to have the spell reach everyone who’s been cursed.”
A new realization hit me. Everyone who Nicholas cursed? How was I to push a spell over the whole world? How would I know who was cursed? I slumped down to the ground and wedged my head in between my raised knees. “How?” I asked no one in general.
“That is why you need us. Your mother is the oldest, wisest witch still alive and,” Moriah pointed to each of the newly arisen witches, “we are the most powerful when together. No other witch has ever been comparable to our strength. In unison, we will be able to uncurse those made into Crossbreeds by Nicholas’s evil.”
