by Imogen Rose
“Look, I have to be honest. I’m at a total loss. What the heck am I supposed to do about this? Apart from cleaning that mess up,” I said, pointing to the mirror.
“We need to find your father. We need to find out what’s happened to Kismet,” Luke said.
Talk about stating the obvious! Sheesh.
“Going back to what I suggested before, let’s ask Neave and Tessa to help us locate them. They might be able to use that white scale you found to help locate Kismet. But in all honesty, I don’t know. What do you think?”
“I thought Dad said that we should use Cassandra to help us; otherwise, it could be a diplomatic nightmare.”
“Yeah. But, to tell you the truth, I didn’t really take to Cassandra. I’m not sure I can trust her. Besides, I have my own witches right here. I just don’t want to waste any more time. I’m going to get Neave and update her. I want you to call my siblings and confirm their safety and locations for me. Weren’t they all supposed to come over and meet me? When is that going to happen?”
“I haven’t gotten around to it yet, Princess....”
“Luke!” I pleaded, “do it now!”
I left him in the restroom rubbing off the red marker mess with paper towels while I went to find Neave. I waited outside her classroom until the bell rang, then pulled her aside. “Let’s go.”
“Go where?” she asked, as I pulled her along.
“Home.”
“Did you get passes?”
“Passes?”
She sighed. “Faustine, they won’t let us just walk out of school halfway through the day. We’ll need permission.”
“Okay. Let’s get it and go.”
“It’s not as easy as all that. You’ll need to call your mom first, then she’ll have to call the school office with a good excuse for us to leave early,” she explained.
“That’s silly. Besides, we don’t have time for that.”
“But....”
“Don’t worry, I’ll sort it out.”
“How?”
“Ryker.”
“Right.”
While I had assumed that Ryker would just wander us out, it turned out that he couldn’t, not the both of us. So, he helped us bust out of the downstairs restroom. It was a clumsy maneuver on my part as I fell, head first, into the bushes below the window. For sure, it was not a pretty sight, not a moment I’d want captured on YouTube. After the three of us had removed the leaves and twigs from all sorts of awkward places, we made a run for it and didn’t stop until we got to my building. We were all completely out of breath. The plan was to go up to my apartment and get something that belonged to Dad. Then, we’d go down to the security of the basement hideaway.
As we entered the building, we were too pooped to take the stairs, so we made for the elevator. But, before we could even push the up button, a nerdy-looking man wearing a pinstripe suit came out of the elevator.
“Neave? What are you doing out of school? Are you all right?”
“Um. Yeah. Faustine, Ryker, this is Tessa’s husband, Robert,” Neave explained. Then, Neave turned to Robert and continued. “Faustine isn’t feeling well, so Ryker and I are bringing her home.”
“Yes, your eyes do look bloodshot,” Robert remarked, looking at me suspiciously. “I trust you’ve called Lady Annabel, and that you’re going back to school, Neave?”
“Yeah,” she said, as she scrambled into the elevator with us. As soon as the elevator jerked to life, Neave shuddered. It was a long shudder that shook the elevator.
“What was that?” I asked, dumbfounded.
“I just had the darkest, most hollow feeling. It left me cold, shivering.”
“Wow, that was some shiver,” I pointed out. “What caused that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with what’s going on with you and your siblings. We are dealing with some dark forces. I can feel it.”
Surprise, surprise. We weren’t dealing with fairies and Christmas elves, that’s for sure.
“Ryker, are you sure you want to be around for this?” I asked.
“I’m not leaving you to deal with this on your own,” he said firmly. “I’m staying. Let’s get what you need.”
The elevator finally stopped, and we made our way to my apartment. I went into the spare bathroom, which my dad used during his visits, and got his hairbrush. There were still some strands of his hair tangled up in the bristles.
“What else do you need, Neave?”
“For what? What exactly is it that you want me to do?”
“Find my dad!”
“And you think I can do that how?”
“You’re the witch! Don’t you have a spell or something? I thought all you would need is something of his, and you’d mix it up with whatever, say a spell and....”
Ryker started chuckling. “Faustine, you’ve been watching way too much television.”
“Look, I’ve just done a few minor spells. It takes years for witches to grow powerful enough to cast complicated spells. I wouldn’t know where to start to help you find your dad,” she said with a shrug.
“What about your mom? Do you think she could help?”
“I don’t think so. You could ask, though.”
I felt defeated. How else would I track my father? I needed some kind of indication, vision of where he was or what had happened to him. “Neave, let’s talk to your mom.”
When I updated Tessa, telling her everything, and asked her for help, she was beside herself with worry, but she just wasn’t powerful enough to help. Unfortunately, she confirmed what everyone else had already told us: we needed to contact Cassandra or an equally powerful witch. Tessa was adamant that we needed to hurry and find someone who had access to the Book of the Dead. It was Neave who tentatively suggested that her grandmother might be able to help. At first, Tessa seemed a bit reluctant, but she eventually agreed that this was the least complicated option.
So here we were, on our way to Neave’s grandma’s house in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. It was just the four of us: Tessa, Neave, Luke and I. Ryker had stayed behind at Tessa’s request. We had rented an SUV for the occasion, which Tessa was driving while the rest of us took in the amazing country sights.
“Gorgeous, isn’t it?” Tessa remarked. “Do you remember our last visit?”
“Only vaguely. What was I? Five?”
“Just four, actually. I’m not surprised that you don’t remember. I brought you and Neave for a weekend of tubing at Camelback Mountain. We had such fun, and when you saw the skiers, you wanted to give skiing a try. I enrolled both of you in beginner ski school; you turned out to be a natural. Neave, not so much,” she smiled.
“Mom, you know I hate heights!” Neave protested.
Neave had developed vertigo as a child, and the condition had become increasingly worse over the years. Now, it was so bad that she was even afraid to go sledding.
“So, where are we going exactly?” I asked.
“Just another half an hour or so,” Tessa replied. “Once we pass Canadensis, it’s only about another fifteen minutes. We are, however, going to have to go off-road to get there.” Tessa warned.
I was glad we were in an SUV when Tessa drove off the main road and headed into what seemed like a field. We drove across it, holding on to the sides of the car as it bumped over the rough terrain, until we reached a dirt road on the other side. Following the dirt road wasn’t much better, and the SUV was covered in mud when we finally arrived at the wooden cottage surrounded by rose bushes. It had been more like an hour ride than the half hour Tessa had indicated.
I braced myself as Tessa knocked on the door. I wasn’t sure what to expect.
“Get her out of here!” the older lady shrieked as soon as she laid eyes on me. “A demon!”
“It’s okay, Mom,” Tessa explained. “This is Faustine. She’s a half demon, but harmless.”
The lady regarded me with suspicion. “There is no such thing as a harmless demon–half or no
t,” Pauline, Neave’s grandma, declared firmly.
Perfect. “Miss Pauline, I assure you that I mean you no harm. I’ve come to beg for your help.”
“Another demon!” Pauline said, her saucer eyes looking past me to Luke, who had decided to join us despite promising that he’d wait in the car.
“This is Luke, another half demon who means you no harm,” I reassured her.
“Mom,” Tessa sighed. “Let us in. That was a long drive. I need a drink. Why on earth do you choose to live so far from anywhere?”
Pauline looked at Luke and me unhappily, but stepped aside to let us through the door. She hung back while we followed Tessa and Neave into the kitchen.
“She doesn’t look pleased at having us here,” I said. “Maybe we should go and try Cassandra after all,” I suggested.
“We’ve come all this way,” Tessa said, shaking her head. “She’ll help. I think. We just need to reassure her that you mean her no harm.”
“How do I do that?” I asked.
“By letting me do all the talking, for now. Maintain a respectful silence and speak only when she asks you something.”
“I can do that,” I said, nodding. We returned to the living room where Pauline had taken a seat by the large corner fireplace. The orange light from the flames played against her weathered skin making her appear surreal.
“Mom,” Tessa said, walking over and kissing her cheek. “It’s really nice to see you. I tried to call, but I got put through to voicemail. I left a message, but I guess you didn’t get it.”
“No cell reception up here. No television, computer or anything else. It’s perfect,” Pauline mumbled. “It’s lovely to see you and Neave, but the demons....”
“Mom, don’t you remember Faustine? I brought her to you for a blessing when she was just a baby.”
“Lady Annabel’s daughter?”
“Yes!” Tessa exclaimed in satisfaction.
“Does she know?” Pauline asked, but was rewarded with a death glare from Tessa.
I couldn’t help but open my mouth. “Know...?”
“Faustine!” Tessa hissed to shut me up, which I did reluctantly. She continued. “Mom, I’ll get right to the point. Sebastian is missing.”
“Why would I care about that?” Pauline asked petulantly.
“One of his children has been brutally murdered, and another is missing,” Tessa said quietly.
All blood drained from Pauline’s face, and she turned toward the fire, intently staring into the flames.
“Mom?”
“I have no choice, do I?” she replied. “How can I help?”
No choice? She could have just told us to take a hike. I guessed she owed Tessa or something. Whatever it was, I was sure glad Pauline would help.
“Mom, first we need to know if Sebastian and Kismet–the daughter who is missing–are still alive. We would also like to locate them.”
Pauline nodded and rose. “Luke, leave us.”
Luke got up reluctantly, but left without a word.
“Come with me,” Pauline said, beckoning the rest of us to follow her down a set of rickety stairs to a dark basement. “No lights,” she explained and proceeded to light a dozen or so candles. The sweet smell of caramel and lavender permeated the room, filling it with a sense of calm. The space was empty apart from a shag rug in the middle of the floor–a 1970’s mauve-colored atrocity. The walls were painted a dark purple, and moonlight peeked through one of the small windows at the top of the wall. There were four of these tiny windows in all; the other three, pitch dark, were on the other side of the room.
I waited for Pauline to bring out the Book of the Dead. I was so curious. I had heard so much about this book, especially at the Academy, but had never seen a copy. I was disappointed when Pauline dropped to the shaggy rug and reached for our hands.
“Don’t you need The Book?” I intervened. “What about something personal that belongs to my dad or to Kismet? I have them right here.”
“Shush,” Pauline said, putting her finger to her lips. “The contents of the book are in here,” she said, pointing to her head. “I may need those personal objects later, but not right now.”
I wasn’t sure what to expect as we sat quietly in the circle, holding hands. I sat between Tessa and Pauline. Pauline’s hand was uncomfortably cold, but I managed to suppress my desire to drop it. I could see Pauline’s mouth moving in weird twitches, not like she was saying a spell, but more like she was eating a disgusting slug. I fought every urge to nervously giggle as I watched her strange expressions. I was the only one with my eyes still open. I wondered if that mattered. I closed them, just in case. That certainly made it easier to suppress my giggles.
And then, it was all over. No flickering of candles, or evil spirits creating mini tornados in the room. Pauline simply let go of my hand, stood up and stretched.
“Mom?” Tessa inquired.
“Sebastian is alive. I could feel him, very clearly.”
“What about Kismet?”
“I don’t know her, so I can’t check on her.”
“Thanks, Mom. Do you feel strong enough for phase two?”
“What’s that?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“That’s when we try to get a visual of them. It will take an enormous amount of energy and will require Mom, Neave and me to combine forces.”
Pauline nodded. “Faustine, you will need to sit in the center of the circle. You’ll be able to see everything through your mind’s eye. Open it. Make it available. You may be able to access images that we can’t. It’s important for you to remember everything you see. I’ll help you interpret it later. And Faustine, no matter what presents itself, do not react. Sit still and keep your eyes closed. It may be that other spirits will invade this space as we open ourselves up; it’s important to remember that that’s all they are. Spirits. They will disappear once we are done. Also, you may feel cold or hot touches, creepy movements, don’t fight them, don’t pull away. Don’t react. And do not release your inner demon. If you do, we may not come out of this alive. Do you understand?”
I nodded. Be a statue. I could do that. I think. I watched from the middle as Neave, Tessa and Pauline knelt on the rug and reached for each other’s hands. Pauline placed my dad’s strands of hair beside me. I closed my eyes.
The subsequent inactivity combined with the calming effect of the lavender must have caused me to nod off. I woke up to a violent rumble, followed by the floor vibrating beneath me. I opened my eyes to a red glow of bright light, which blinded me temporarily. I shut my eyes again, remembering that I was still in Pauline’s basement. What was the red glow? Were Tessa and the others still here? Was the glow part of the spell? I waited patiently, listening for sounds. I could hear faint murmurs coming from Pauline. Phew, I was relieved that they were still nearby.
I could feel the warmth from the red glow even through my closed eyelids. The warmth grew more and more intense, causing me to shield my shut eyelids with my hand. The rumbling sounds started to intensify as well, drowning out Pauline’s murmur. I felt my defenses taking over, my hands contorting and altering in shape. My pinky and ring fingers merged, as did my middle and index fingers. I had to get control over this. I meditated. I focused on my breathing, telling myself over and over that this was not real. I visualized my hands as normal human hands, willing them to revert back to normal. My concentration kept getting disturbed by the sounds and vibrations pulsating through the room.
I felt something push against me, something hard and pointy. It took everything I had to stop myself from shoving it back. I concentrated on Pauline’s voice inside my head clearly saying Do not react. As I struggled to open my mind’s eye, I saw flashes of my father’s face. Not his human face, but his demon face. I recognized him, though; I knew it was him. The flashes continued, coming and going, but showing me nothing more. My mind was not trained enough to receive any more information. I could feel Dad’s strength, however. Wherever he was, he was okay. So, why d
idn’t he come home? I asked him, again and again. I could feel him reaching for me, but something kept pulling him back. The noises from the room became unbearably loud, and the place literally shook, as if we were in the middle of a full-blown earthquake.
Then, suddenly, it went quiet. The red glow disappeared. I slowly opened my eyes to see Neave, Tessa and Pauline gazing at me.
“You okay?” Neave asked, looking at my hands.
I nodded, looking down at them. My fingers quickly separated and reverted back to normal. “Wow, that was something!” I said.
“It was? What happened?” Pauline asked.
“You didn’t see anything?” I asked, surprised.
“No. The three of us just held hands while Grandma kept murmuring,” Neave said.
“You didn’t feel the shaking, hear the roaring, feel the heat from the bright red glow?”
“Nope,” Neave confirmed.
I proceeded to describe what I had felt, seen and heard, leaving out the part about my momentary peeking. Then, I stopped and looked at Pauline.
“My best guess, from what you are describing, is that he’s tried to reach for you but something held him back. It’s like he’s being held against his will somehow. Now, whatever could have the power to restrain a demon?”
Nothing, surely. Nothing could restrain me, and I was only half demon. Apart from my mom, that is. And Tessa. Unlike Mom, Tessa needed to use her paranormal powers to do it. I clearly recalled the many times Tessa had confined me to my room when I had done something naughty. She would create an invisible shield around my room that I was never able to penetrate.
“A witch!” I exclaimed.
“A witch could restrain him,” Tessa acknowledged. “It would have to be a very powerful one to be able to contain Sebastian, though. I don’t think I could.”
“Neither could I,” Pauline agreed. “Not on my own. So we are probably dealing with a very powerful witch–or wizard, perhaps warlock–or a coven of them.”
