Hidden Magic: An Ancient Magic Novel

by Stephany Wallace

  “Let’s see if this old man still has any spark left in him.” I chuckled and raised my hands like an orchestra conductor. “Very well. Let’s begin.”

  “San aer,”—Into the air.

  The books shimmered gold and floated above the carts. They were still, floating fireworks as the magic flowed through them. I grinned.

  “Beith arís mar a bhí sé aon uair amháin, agus tilleadh dhachaigh,”—be again as it once was, and return home.

  The books began to twirl in the air. They each changed direction and soared through the air and up the stairways to a different level of the library. My dancing hands moved gently. The rhythm of the melody carried them forward, guiding them. I laughed enjoying the spectacle of sparks in front of me. The books, one by one returned to their shelf. “Not bad for an old man. Not bad at all,” I laughed and continued conducting the books at the rhythm of the music, while the magic inundated my senses. It made me feel at home.

  As usual, the night past in the blink of an eye, and soon the rays of the sun seeped through the glass windows of the library. They provoked and array of rainbow lights to project all around me. The library was part of the modern architecture of the city. It was an asymmetrical building, unusual to everything around it. It was made almost entirely out of glass. The design was clean, simple and a bit sterile for my taste. However, there was one thing I appreciated. The sight of the sunrise and its light coming through the windows was simply magical. The alarm system beeped off and the door of the building opened. I logged out of the system and grabbed my bag walking towards the front.

  “Good morning, Miss Maynard. I hope you had a rested night.” She adjusted her glasses and smiled.

  “I did. I slept better just knowing my precious library was in your hands.” I chuckled. “How did work go last night? Did my baby behave? I hope it didn’t give you too much trouble while you were tiding up?”

  I grinned. She loved referring to the library as her baby. She said weird things happened here. And the building had a personality of its own, though she loved it.

  “She behaved beautifully, Miss Maynard. Like the princess she is. Everything is in order, I hope you will find it to your satisfaction.”

  “Thank you, Neil. I hope you get rest. Will see you tonight.”

  I bowed slightly. “Thank you.”

  I walked to the car looking at the sunrise, got in and began the drive back home.

  My hands tightened on the wheel, my anxiety growing. Today I would meet the man that my Brina wanted me to meet. The one, that seemed to have captivated her heart. I couldn’t help but worry about my little Bee. I wasn’t sure I was ready for her to be with someone. Nevertheless, I knew I had to be. The image of her baby face came to me, startling me. I had tried with everything in me not to think about that night throughout the years. But the thought of losing her to this man brought me right back to it. To the night I had learned what evil was truly capable of.

  Coffee Bay ~ South Africa, 1993.

  I took the fish baskets out of the boat and placed them on the sand. It took great effort, as they were full with the day’s catch. It had been a good day for fishing. I lamented Brian had not been able to come with me. But he had done what a man was supposed to do. Take care of his family. I was proud of him. He was a good man. I looked down fixing the lids close. This fish would easily feed the others and us for the month. I took the baskets and hooked them onto each side of the carrying pole. Bending my knees, I crouched, lifted it on to my shoulders, and stood to my full height. I adjusted the weight on my back and began to walk back up the hill towards the village. We lived in a small fishing town in South Africa. There were a few modern amenities but very few. It was humble for the most part. And we liked it that way.

  The air was eerily silent when I approached the village. It was almost evening and the sun was disappearing on the horizon. I noticed then that the usual warmth of the air was missing. A cold feeling settled inside me with every step I took and I just knew. They had found us. Letting the carrying pole fall from my shoulders, I began running to the huts. The baskets fell open, the fish spilled out onto the earth but I didn’t care. I entered the village and found the warriors, Owyn and Trevor fallen on the red stained grass. Unmoving.

  “No.”

  I ran faster towards Brian’s home. Aillis’ body, the head warrior, lay faced down on the grass. Just like his warrior support, the battle spear was stuck through his chest piercing his heart and anchoring him to the ground. The only way to kill us, immortals, was a direct and permanent strike through the heart.

  “No.”

  I said again running past him and into the hut. I pushed the door open and found the inside destroyed. Lanterns were on the floor. The curtains ripped and splattered with blood. The small sofa was turned upside down and Brian’s legs stuck out from underneath.

  “No!”

  I ran to him and pushed the couch off his body. The blood had made a blanket under him. His eyes were lost and lifeless. His face blank. He was not there anymore. I pulled him up against my chest, feeling his death begin to carve paths of anguish inside me. His blood stained my clothes and soul as it slid down my arms.

  “No, my son. No!”

  The tears blurred my vision and I shut my eyes forcing them to fall. I placed his body down and rushed to the rooms. I prayed to our Earth Mother that they weren’t gone. I rushed into my son’s room but it was empty. When I turned towards the nursery I saw my wife, my angel, Malaika, lying against the door. Bullet wounds all over her body.

  “My Angel… No!”

  My trembling hands cupped her face and I kissed her lips. “I’m sorry…” the world began to fade as I scrambled up and pushed through the door. The sight of Linette’s body leaning over the empty crib destroyed what was left of me.

  “NO! No, no, no!” I yelled rushing forward but there was no strength left. I collapsed to my knees.

  “Why? Why!!”

  I roared enraged. My hands pounded the floor with each word. I crawled to the crib unable to do anything more. Gently, I rested Linette’s body on the floor and reached for the sheets. There was blood all over the crib, but baby Brina wasn’t there. “No!” I roared again. My gaze desperately searched around the room but she was gone. Brina was gone. The anguish began to turn into anger inside me. Anger I had never felt before. A rage that went against everything I had believed in.

  “Not again! Why? Why so much hate?” my body shook with the pain that engulfed me. I didn’t need to look to the other huts to know the whole village was dead. I covered my face with my hands.

  I wanted to die too.

  For centuries we had run. Hidden from them, and when we finally thought we were safe they returned. It took ten lifetimes for me to begin again. My Malaika, my angel had showed me love was possible after losing everything. My sons. My village. My Clan. Mo mhac, Cynwrig. Malaika had taught me to move on and leave that past behind. I had met her on the beach. She was not one of us. She was native to the island with gorgeous brown skin. Black eyes like the dead of night and black curly hair, wild just like her spirit. I had fallen in love with her the moment I saw her. Married her and had a son… a new family. They had been mortal, my son, my wife… his wife. The baby. I had loved them with every part of my soul. I had built a new life. Only to have those beasts come for us, with the need to destroy us once again. And now my family was gone. They were all gone.

  The Romans were monsters.

  A cult. Raising their children with hate and darkness, instead of light and peace. Turning them into soldiers of death. They infected their minds with evil and envy that did not belong to them.

  Raised new generations of putrid hearts.

  They had developed technology to scan our energies and the magic within us. Our essence. They trained to recognize us and hunt us down. To finish the job their ancestors hadn’t.

  My hands fell to the ground. I was defeated. There was nothing left for me. My tearful eyes fell on to the broken piec
es of the crib. I took one of the shattered slats and placed its torn edge on my chest, over my heart.

  “Please forgive me my Goddess…”

  I whispered in between sobs as I gripped it tight. I took a ragged breath and closed my eyes. Praying I had enough strength left in me to end this cursed life. It was then I heard a cry. My eyes snapped open and I froze. Had I really heard her? The cry came again and I threw the slat on the floor searching for the location of her little voice. I heard it once more and I stumbled over the bed going to the back corner of the room.

  Her baby blanket was there.

  There was movement under it.

  Brina was alive.

  I desperately pulled it away and saw her. There was blood on her clothes and I frantically searched her for injuries. My heart slammed against my chest almost going through it. She was fine. There was a bruise on her head that was turning blue, but she was fine. I placed my trembling hand on her forehead.

  “Sláinte a chur ar ais”

  I whispered between sobs and heard her cry again when the wound began to reverse. I pressed her to my chest as the sobs once again took over. “You are safe, my little Bee. You are safe,” I held her so close I was scared I might break her. She was the only thing I had left. She was a live.

  “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here, Brina. I’m sorry I failed you, but I never will again. I will never leave your side again. I give you my word. I will protect you with my own life. With the very last beat of my heart, and my last breath… I will protect you.”

  When sanity returned I realized the only way to survive was to leave our Earth Mother behind. Our magic was most powerful when in nature, for our essences had been tied to hers. We were immortal because we remained connected to her. We thrived of her, fed from her essence, constantly renewing ours. That was how we remained immortal and that was how they found us. They knew where we would go. Somehow they knew we had become immortal and needed nature to survive. There was only one way to save Brina. I had to give up immortality and leave everything else behind. I stood from the corner with her secure in my arms, and dragged myself out of there. I performed the forbidden rite breaking my bond to my Earth Mother. Not only my immortality bond but also the basic bond that all Druid’s shared with her, and left.

  I didn’t dare to look back…

  I dragged my hands over my cheeks, wiping the tears that had fallen and cleared my throat. Turning off the car I stared at the door of the townhouse across from me, while I tried to calm the pain that had awakened. A new set of tears fell.

  “She is safe. She is well and safe.”

  I looked at the clock on the dashboard. It was still one hour before I was supposed to return home from work. I stepped out of the car and walked to the townhouse.

  “Sàmhach.”—Silent.

  I whispered placing my glowing hand on the floor before I entered. It stopped the old wood from squeaking.

  “À sealladh”—Disappear.

  I went up the stairs and into Brina’s room. I smiled as I entered. Things were floating around her. The hairbrush, her phone, the throw pillows from her bed. My little Bee’s powers were strong, although they seemed to have gotten stronger in the past couple of months. In all my years I had only seen this once before. The memory both brought me pride and sorrow. I closed my eyes erasing his face from my mind’s eye and lifted my hands. They glowed with each word that left my mouth.

  “Bheith arís mar a bhí sé aon uair amháin.”

  One by one the items began their descent and returned to their rightful place. I picked up her phone that had seemed to end in the wrong end of the room and placed it on her nightstand. My gaze fell on her face and I frowned. Her eyes were swollen as though she’d been crying. She looked exhausted. The sight worried me but I assumed she had fallen asleep late watching her show, even though she had said she would go to bed early. She had been doing that a lot lately. I reached for the small potted plant on her window and kneeled in front of her. I placed my right hand above her chest while the other held the plant. I recited the prayer I had many times over the past five years. The prayer that ensured she remained safe. That renewed her immortality.

  “From my essence to yours, I beg for your protection.

  Grant O mother what I humbly ask today and forgive my soul.

  Forgive me for taking so much from you,

  I have nothing to offer in return.

  Allow this energy to flow into her.

  To refresh life. Heal life. Renew life.

  One with the ocean. One with the sky.

  One with the Sun, One with the land.

  Let this energy be part of her.

  To refresh life. Heal life. Renew life.”

  The plant shimmered and her skin glowed when the energy began transferring to her. The green leaves slowly turned brown until the plant had offered everything it had to her. The swollen skin of her eyes became refreshed and the tired look left her. I took a deep breath and placed my aching, trembling hand on the plant transferring a bit of my energy in return. It would not be enough for it to survive much longer, but I would do whatever was needed to protect my Brina. I stood and placed the plant back on the windowsill. Closed the door to her room and returned to the car until it was time to officially arrive from work. Today I would meet the young man she wanted in her life. The one that could take her away from me.

  I looked at myself in the rearview mirror. My skin had become wrinkled since I disconnected from the bond with my Earth Mother. My hair was completely white. My body had aged. I grew weaker with each time I required to do magic. But that wasn’t the only reason I had a hard time recognizing the man that stared back at me. I was a broken man that had lost his way. A desperate one, willing to do whatever it took to save her and help her destiny come to pass.

  No, I didn’t recognize the man I had become. I was no longer a Druid.

  I was no longer the Árd-shagart.

  *

  CYNWRIG

  I stared at my clan medallion as if it would declare the reasons that had made my Goddess leave. I wondered what had caused her to react in that manner last night. My mind replayed the events of the night over and over again trying to find a cause. But I had none. I had no evidence that would explain what I had done and bring some relief to my aching heart. I could not lose her. Not now. I stood and hung the medallion onto the mirror. My gaze fell on my reflection and the clothes my brother had supplied. I was not entirely certain I would be welcomed at her home any longer. Would she still want me there? I hoped she would. Taking the blessed passage stones from the table, I gripped them tight and closed my eyes.

  I needed her to be well. I needed her to be with me.

  I threw the stones in the air and watched the portal form until her room became visible. I crossed over and found her sitting on the vanity. She wore one of those long soft dresses she loved and her hair fell softly on her back. Her gaze was on a small plant that was perishing. There were tears in her eyes. I walked to her and crouched at her side. Reaching for her cheek I wiped the tears away. She did not raise her gaze to mine when she spoke.

  “Can you save it? They keep dying on me and I don’t know what to do. It’s my fault. I don’t know how to take care of them. I can’t…”

  She trailed off as another tear slid down her cheek. Her voice broke and I knew it wasn’t because of the plant. I took it from her hands and closed my eyes feeling its essence. Its energy was gone. There was nothing I could do. I shook my head and placed it on the table, then held both her hands in mine. My lips kissed the tear off her cheek and I rested my forehead to hers.

  “Please tell me what happened. Whatever it is I did, I am so very sorry. I never meant to cause you pain. If I shared too much, if my past overwhelmed you I apologize. I promise never to speak of it again.”

  She lifted her forehead and gazed into my eyes. Her hands left mine and cupped my cheeks bringing me closer to her. She kissed me. The moment our lips met, I held on to them as if they were t
he oxygen I required to survive. But it was too brief to bring me comfort. “Please my Goddess, I…”

  She placed her fingers on my lips silencing me. “I’m the one that has to apologize. I shouldn’t have left that way, I just… I didn’t know how to react. It’s too much to process.”

  Her eyes sought mine and they were pained. I could not seem to comprehend what she meant, even though I tried. “Please tell me what it is.” I begged. She shook her head and turned to look at the time on her phone. Her chest rose and fell with her deep breath and her gaze returned to mine.

  “Please promise me you won’t leave me. That nothing will change between us.”

  I frowned at her request. “I need you more than the air itself. We belong together. Two sides of the same coin. We have bonded. I will never leave your side, my Goddess.” She shook her head once more, another tear falling. I kissed her. With every emotion I felt inside, I kissed her. With the aching, the uncertainty, the love I felt for her and the need to take away whatever had caused her pain. She placed a soft kiss on my dimple and pulled back, rising from the chair. She remained silent and offered me her hand. I took it and followed her down the stairs.

  CHAPTER 16. DRUIDS

  NELS ANWELL, Chief protector.

  The High Priest.

  I entered our home closing the door behind me.

  “I’m home sweetheart.” I called out for her but didn’t get a reply. I placed my bag on the hallway’s console and walked towards the living room. My heart still ached from the pain that had returned. But I needed to be here for Brina.

  “Where are you? At what time is the young man co…”

  My voice trailed off the moment I entered the living room. No, this was impossible. My breath stuck in my throat as a rush of emotions overcame me. I was sure my eyes deceived me. He was dead. He was dead… He could not be here. My heart thundered in my chest as I realized it was him. Cynwrig was alive.