by Nora Lee
Seal the spell.
The little voice in the back of her mind sounded out loud and strong.
“Excuse me.” Enid got to her feet and gave her sister an apologetic look. “I need to get some air.” She patted Fox’s hand as she passed. “Please don’t be offended. I’ve just got a lot to think about.”
“I’m sure you do,” said Fox.
Gemma hurried out onto the front porch. Enid turned to look at her, trying her best to keep her thoughts from showing on her face.
“Please don’t get any ideas, Sis.”
“Of course not. I’ve learned my lesson.” Enid hid her crossed fingers in the fold of her skirt. She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Gemma’s cheek. “Be back soon.”
“You’d better.”
The screen creaked and slammed as Fox came outside.
Enid gave them both a little wave as she left the front yard and turned toward the castle.
“I’m worried,” she heard Gemma say to Fox.
“I know.”
As she passed a nearby house, the occupant ran outside. “Get away from me you little beast.”
A ghoul ran hard on her heels, cackling.
Four spirits stood on the next street corner with their backs to each other. Their empty eyes stared out in all directions.
She hurried past. While she knew they’d cause her no harm, their presence depressed her.
Her cousin Eddy fought to serve a customer out in front of Java by Candlelight as ghouls danced around his feet. He waved at her as she passed. “Good to see you on this side, cuz.” Eddy kicked them away as he struggled to hold onto his tray.
“Good to be back.”
She turned when she heard a crash and a curse behind her. Eddy lay on the ground, covered in coffee and cream. “Blast you little cretins.” He struggled to separate his shoes. The ghouls seemed to have tied his laces together.
“Need help?”
Eddy waved again. “No, thanks. I can handle this.”
“If you’re sure…” Enid waited for him to wave her off before hurrying on. She needed to get to the castle without the ghouls catching her because they could still seal the spell by dragging her into the sea. Avoiding them turned out to be more difficult than she’d expected since they not only swarmed Secret Hallow, but also all the houses along the pathway leading up to Castle Hallow.
She stepped through a spirit standing in the center of the road. Staring. Just staring.
Enid shivered.
“Give that back!” She caught sight of a woman in her bathroom through an open window. A ghoul hopped up and down on the nearby counter holding the tube of lipstick it had used to draw pictures on the mirror. Seconds later she heard the tell-tale plop of something dropping into water and the sound of a flush. “That was my favorite shade, you little beast! Get out of here!”
A woman in another house shrieked. “That’s the third time. Stop mussing my hair.”
“Put down the razor and walk away,” said the deep male voice of another of her male Ash cousins. “You better listen to me…or else.”
Other houses emitted crashing sounds as the ghouls tossed dishes across the room. She saw drapes ripped down from their rods and family portraits defaced and destroyed. In one beautiful garden, the ghouls uprooted beautiful flowerbeds, tore large chunks out of the lawn, and hung from the low branches of a sapling until the vulnerable wood splintered.
More than one spirit blocked her path until she got tired of dodging them.
The longer she walked, the more she realized she couldn’t allow this to continue. The ghouls would destroy Secret Hallow if they remained too long. And once they tired of her village they’d head out into the mundane world to wreak more havoc upon the unsuspecting populace. Her desire to keep Hephaestus carried no weight against the pressing need for the veil to close.
As much as she wished otherwise, she couldn’t keep him with her.
Enid wondered just how long she’d feel like her heart were shattering into a million pieces.
She finally reached Castle Hallow and pushed open the front door to find Hephaestus trying to clean up the mess left by the ghouls. A few of the creatures remained in the place and overturned everything he righted.
“Hephaestus?”
His eyes lit up when he saw her standing in the doorway. Dropping the candle he’d been struggling to take away from a ghoul, he came to join her. “I am so glad you came here, Enid.” When he saw her eyes, he frowned. “Are you well?”
“Just tired.” She looked away with a renewed sense that she couldn’t ask him to help her keep the veil open. As much as she wanted to keep him, everyone needed the ghouls and spirits to go away. She echoed Gemma’s comment about her actions. “This is a disaster.”
“Yes.” He ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “Samhain cannot come soon enough.”
“Speaking of the holiday…”
“Yes?” Hephaestus prompted when she fell silent. “What of the celebration?”
“I thought we might practice the wedding ceremony. We can’t do anything else while we wait and that might help pass the time.” She winced as a ghoul destroyed another crystal goblet.
“I admit I would not mind a distraction.” He held his arm out to her. “Come along.”
“Where are we going?”
He smiled, but did not answer as he led her out into the grassy square in the open center of the structure. The stars twinkled overhead with an intensity she’d never before noticed and the sweet perfume of the flowers through the open door of the hothouse filled her with a deep longing. She needed romance in her life. She might not be able to keep this one alive, but she intended to enjoy the few precious moments she had with the man at her side.
They entered a set of double doors on the opposite side of the castle.
Light bathed the room when Hephaestus flicked a switch, the polished wood floor reflecting the glow. A few plain benches stood lined against the bare stone walls and tall-backed chairs with seats upholstered in a rich green brocade mixed in with them at irregular intervals. Plate glass took up most of one wall, the window looking out over a small valley opposite the one in which the residents of Secret Hallow lived.
“What do you think?”
Enid couldn’t express how beautiful she found the space.
“I first thought this might be where we could hold the ceremony, but not everyone will fit.”
“This is gorgeous.”
Hephaestus moved to stand before the window and motioned for her to take a seat. He cleared his throat, raised his hands, and turned his face to the heavens. “We have come here tonight, on this sacred celebration of the two worlds, to join these two couples together. As your hands are joined, so are your lives. Hold each other. Caress each other. Love each other.”
Tears welled in her eyes as Hephaestus spoke the sacred words of their coven ceremony.
“In life you may laugh and cry. Support each other through good times and bad. Share respect for one another. Be a companion and friend to your beloved partner on this journey through life. To remind everyone of the two lives we now join together into a single union, we will bind the hands of the couples, and light a candle in their name. May the flame of love burn bright until the two of you pass through the veil to the next world.”
No longer able to contain her tears, Enid got up and ran from the room.
Hephaestus called out after her. “Young Miss Enid!”
She couldn’t give in to the pull of the voice that had become so dear to her. Not now, not ever.
Enid ran all the way back into Secret Hallow with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Caught up in the fight against the raging ghouls, none of her neighbors noticed.
15
Gemma knocked on the door to her room. “Are you in there Enid?”
She rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling, trying to quiet the hiccups racking her body. She’d cried until she could shed no more tears. Her
eyes now felt dry and gritty and must look an unpleasant shade of red. The muscles of her throat spasmed as she struggled to draw air into her lungs. She couldn’t breathe through the congestion clogging her nose and her head throbbed.
“I hear you, Enid. Will you please let me in?”
She knew her sister wouldn’t go away. Gemma was stubborn that way. So Enid got up and straightened out her skirts as she went to unlock the door. When Gemma turned the knob, she turned away and walked to the window.
“Are you all right?”
Enid nodded.
The floor creaked as Gemma crossed the room. She put a gentle hand on Enid’s shoulder and turned her around. “Oh, Sis. You look terrible.”
Wiping at her painful eyes, Enid hiccuped again. “I went to talk to Hephaestus up at the castle.” Hanging her head in shame, she admitted what she’d considered. “I wanted to ask his help to keep the veil open so he wouldn’t have to go back to the other side. After I saw what the ghouls were doing, I couldn’t. So I suggested he practice the…the…wedding…” A sob wracked her and she wrapped her arms around the sore muscles of her abdomen.
“Oh, Sis,” said Gemma again. “I’m so sorry to see you this way.”
“What can I do?” Enid couldn’t help but wail her despair as she fell into Gemma’s arms.
“I don’t know, Sis. I just don’t know. If I could fix this for you, I would. You know that.”
Enid nodded again.
“You should tell Hephaestus how you feel. He’s been on the other side for a long time. Maybe he has an idea.”
She pulled back as though she’d been punched. How could Gemma suggest such a thing?
“Now, Sis. Don’t give me that look.” Gemma’s hand took Enid’s, warming her chilled flesh. “He should know how you feel about him, at the very least. You owe him that much. And telling him might make you feel better, too.”
“I can’t.” Enid hiccuped. “If he feels the same and we can’t be together that would hurt even more. Don’t you understand?”
“Your problem is you want to control everything. You’ve always been that way. Yet you can’t control life. Unexpected things happen. You can see that now, can’t you?”
Her sister’s words carried a lot of weight. Enid thought back over the events she’d put in motion to lead her to this place. She’d done all this because she’d wanted to run the wedding of her dear friends. Yet her fight to control the most important event of their lives caused her own life to spiral into a tailspin of gloom and despair. Gemma knew her better than she did herself. She’d seen Enid go down the same path too many times before not to have figured out the pattern. Yet neither of the Ash sisters could have foreseen the results of Enid’s most recent foray into taking charge of everything.
“You’re right, of course. I need to learn to let go.” Enid went back to the window and looked up to where she knew Castle Hallow watched over them all. She’d left Hephaestus up there alone, wondering how he might have upset her. How could she have been so selfish?
“Why don’t you come to the Academy with me in the morning? Working with the kids might help take your mind off your troubles.”
So Enid trailed along to the Ash Academy with Gemma the next day. Her eyes still stung from all the crying she’d done the night before and she knew the lids were red and puffy so she wore a smart pair of sunglasses in the hope no one would ask questions.
“Morning,” said Rowan as the two women entered the school. She motioned to the stairway as she rocked in place to keep little Siobhan quiet. The infant once again napped in the sling her mother seemed to wear whenever Garrett couldn’t watch their daughter. “They’re up in the training room now. We’re all ready to go.”
Gemma started up the stairs.
Rowan fell into step beside Enid as she started up to the second floor. “Are you all right?”
Enid’s nod caused her head to throb and she winced.
“Partied too hard last night, huh?” Rowan winked. “I won’t tell anyone.”
The three women entered the large room on the second floor of the Academy to find Fern seated in the center of the floor with a small bowl of water before her. Another person stood near the window looking out over the grounds.
“Good Morning, Rafe,” said Gemma. She crossed to his side. “I’m glad you took us up on our proposition to work here.”
Rafe and Gemma shook hands.
“Fern will need a lot of training. Since she’s not coming with me, I’m happy to teach you a few tricks to help out. I’m really not such a bad guy.”
“No one said you were.” Rowan crossed to take a seat on a chair set against the wall.
“Good to see you again, Enid,” said Rafe. “How’s life been treating you?”
Enid glared at him, then realized he couldn’t see her expression through her sunglasses. “Everything’s wonderful. We’ve got ghouls and spirits roaming Secret Hallow thanks to your helpfulness.”
“Enid,” said Gemma in a warning tone. “We aren’t discussing that right now.”
Rafe ignored Enid’s comments and turned his attention to his daughter while the women sat down to watch. “Let’s try again, daughter. I want you to create a whirlpool in the bowl. Just make the water spin in a circle. Be careful not to splash over the edges.”
Scrunching up her little face, Fern put her hands on either side of the bowl.
“Focus, daughter. Imagine a circle.” The water sloshed against the edge of the bowl and almost spilled over onto the floor. “Slow and easy now. Imagine drawing a circle in your mind. You can do that, can’t you?”
“Yes, Rafe.” Fern relaxed her face and put her hands down. “Mama taught me a circle.”
“Good girl. Now I want you to remember what your mama showed you. Think about how you drew that circle. Imagine that in your mind while you look at the bowl of water.”
The little girl looked down again. Her eyebrows drew together in concentration as she stared at the water. Again, the liquid sloshed, but this time took on the appearance of having a stone dropped in the middle. The water didn’t swirl, but did ripple.
“Good, good,” said Rafe. He turned to look back at the women. “The best way to teach an elemental control is to start as small as you would with any other kind of power. A bowl of water is a great place for early lessons. You can then graduate to something like an aquarium.”
“Rafe, look!” Fern pointed at the bowl.
Enid saw the water spinning in a slow circle. She and her companions clapped.
When Rafe just grunted, Gemma got up and went to stand over Fern, placing a gentle hand on the child’s head. “That’s very good, Fern. Keep practicing.” She looked at the child’s father. “We need to speak in private.”
“Keep working.” Rafe got up and loped across the room behind Gemma.
When they reached Rowan and Enid, Gemma put her hands on her hips, a sure sign she wasn’t happy. “We all agree that you’re the best person to teach Fern self-control. We also understand that you’re her father and you need to learn how to relate to her on that level.” Her eyes flashed. “However, your teaching skills leave something to be desired. She needs positive reinforcement when she does something good.”
“She shouldn’t be babied.”
Rowan struggled to her feet. “That isn’t what she’s saying.”
The sound of the door opening caught everyone’s attention. Rowan’s mouth snapped shut as she turned to see who’d interrupted them.
Caedmon appeared. “Hey, guys. Ori said Fern was having a lesson. Mind if I watch?”
Enid took a steadying breath as she waited for Caedmon to start in on Rafe.
“He can stay, can’t he?” Fern looked up at her father. “Please, Rafe?”
“Of course, daughter. Whatever you want.” Rafe smiled with more warmth than before.
Another figure stepped into the room. Enid’s breath caught when she recognized Hephaestus. “Good Morning, young Misses and Masters.”
Hephaestus crossed to where Enid sat and motioned to an empty chair. “May I?”
“Please.”
He sat down and looked her over. “Are you well this morning? Those are not indoor spectacles, if I am not mistaken.”
“Just a bit of a headache. I didn’t sleep very good last night after everything that happened.”
“I am sorry to hear that.”
Enid turned her attention back to the center of the room where Rafe and Caedmon now sat on either side of Fern. The child looked from one to the other with a big grin. She reached out a hand to touch Caedmon’s arm and pointed at the bowl.
“Look.”
Caedmon smiled. “I’m watching, pumpkin.”
Fern concentrated on the water again. Nothing happened for several long seconds as everyone held their breaths in anticipation. Everyone but Rafe, who seemed more interested in looking out the window at the beautiful morning light.
“See what I can do? I made a pool-whirl.”
Giving her a little nudge, Caedmon said, “I think you mean whirlpool, pumpkin.”
“Right.” Fern didn’t care that she’d been corrected. “Was that good, Rafe?”
“Yes, daughter. You did a good job.” Rafe’s quirked a wild brow at Gemma.
Enid thanked the stars her sister didn’t have her temper. If the annoying man had looked at her that way, she would’ve exploded. Just as she’d thought Caedmon might when he first came into the room. Caedmon again surprised her when he spoke to Rafe.
“Thank you for working with her like this. Ori and I both appreciate your help.”
Rafe shrugged. “You don’t need to thank me. I fathered the child and we share powers so that makes me the most logical instructor.” He looked Caedmon over. “I’m glad you came. The ladies are learning how to help Fern control her powers and you might pick up some tips so you can help her mother out at home.”
“That’s what I thought.”
When Caedmon glanced over at Hephaestus, Enid realized he’d been coached in how to handle the man he considered to be a competitor for Orianna’s affections. Hephaestus smiled and nodded toward Rafe as though urging Caedmon on.
