“Yeah. What’s up with that anyway? It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever, and whenever I bring it up, he changes the subject.”
“There’s something he’s not telling you. There’s more to this. I can sense it.”
“He said he can teach me how to use the necklace.”
“No way!”
“If I can even learn how to use it.”
“It’s dangerous. We almost got stuck the last time we even messed with it.”
“William knows what he’s doing.”
“Does he? For all we know, he might want that necklace for something else.”
“We’re helping him break the curse. I don’t think he’s completely against us.”
“But he’s not completely on our side either. If he was, he wouldn’t keep messing with you. I’m sorry, but I can’t forgive him for letting another spirit use you for anything.”
“I don’t like being used like that either.”
“Then you need to demand an explanation, demand some answers. I don’t like the idea of the spirits possessing any of us whenever they feel like it.”
“I don’t like it either.”
“Also, I don’t think you should go through with the moonlight spell or whatever it is. First, I don’t want you cutting yourself, and second, it’s just too dangerous.”
“I need to talk to Isabella.”
“She could lie to you too.”
“I’m a descendant of her bloodline. I don’t think she’d hurt or deceive me.”
He shook his head. “Even relatives can use you for their own agenda. I know that better than anyone. There are just too many questions, and I just don’t think it’s safe till we know more.”
I sighed, frustrated. “How can I even study when I’m dealing with all this drama?”
“I can help you study for that algebra test tomorrow.”
“That’d be great.”
He softly kissed my lips. “I’m so glad you know the truth now. I couldn’t have possibly stayed here if you broke up with me.”
“You wouldn’t have fought for me?”
“Of course! Heck, I might have even serenaded you outside your castle window under the moonlight.”
“Aw. That’s so romantic, but Miss Duball would’ve hated that. You would’ve been grounded for a week.”
“I don’t care. You’re worth it.”
“Hmm. Maybe I caved too early. I’d love to see the lengths you’d really go to win back my heart.”
“You really would have tortured me like that? Going to bed without your sweet kisses is beyond miserable.”
I cupped his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t hear you out before. I just jumped to conclusions and freaked out.”
“It’s okay. I should’ve been honest from the very beginning.”
“We’ve both made mistakes.”
“I care about you so much, Zoey.”
“Good. The feeling is mutual, so let’s just enjoy the time we have left. No more fighting or arguing or secrets. Let’s make this the best senior year ever.”
“We will…as unforgettable as you are.”
Chapter 25
As promised, Pam returned to my room a few hours later to check on me. I told her about mine and Hunter’s conversation. She agreed that he should have been more honest from the get-go, but we both knew we couldn’t expect him to be perfect. I’d made plenty of mistakes myself in the past, and I couldn’t possibly let Hunter go over something that wasn’t even his fault. His parents were pressuring him, and he felt like he didn’t have much choice. When the moment of truth came, he fessed up, rather than trying to cover it up or gloss over it, so I had to accept his sincere apology. He was as genuine as he was beautiful, and I understood the pain and the struggles he had with trying to make his parents happy. He didn’t want his dad to lose the biggest deal of his life, but he had to be true to himself. Hunter and I had something special and real, and I wasn’t about to trash it over a relationship he didn’t even care about.
“I’m glad you worked it out,” Pam said.
“Me too.”
“He’s gonna break up with her now, right?” she asked.
“Yeah. I feel bad, but I think leading her on is worse.”
“I wouldn’t want to be led on that way,” she said.
“No girl would. It’s just not right.”
I glanced down at the picture of Isabella, the one I’d snapped with my phone.
“On another note, I bet you’re still blown away to know you’re her descendant, huh?”
“She’s my great- great-great-… Well, I guess there are too many greats to count.”
“Yeah. Just call her ‘Granny’ or something.”
“Yeah. How weird is that?”
“I think it’s fascinating.”
“What are the chances that I’d be drawn here, to the place of my roots? It’s like they needed me, and I came.”
“They waited a long time for you though.”
“I have to help them. My descendants are cursed, and I have to free them. Of course, that means more knowing I am a part of them.”
“Do you think the school officials know?”
“I’m sure they’ve seen the portrait and wondered why we look so identical.”
“It was covered up.”
“I’m sure someone saw it at some point.”
“Why do you think you’re here?” she asked. “Do you think they planned it?”
“I honestly don’t think they care about freeing the castle spirits,” I said.
“What do they want then?”
“I don’t know. Maybe they don’t care. Maybe it’s all just some kind of weird coincidence.”
“Somebody knew who you are. That’s why they sent the pamphlet. We just need to find out who sent it and why they wanted you here in the first place.”
“This is quite the mystery,” I said.
“We’ll figure it out, just like the Scooby gang always does.”
I laughed. “Well, we don’t have one of those vans.”
“Maybe not, but we do have one thing they always had,” she said, her eyes brightening and her face widening with a smile.
“What? Scooby snacks or that cool purple outfit of Daphne’s?”
“Well, I’ve only got the pink tights, but that’s not what I’m talking about. What we have is a plan.”
“Oh no,” I said. “What are you hatching up in that crazy head of yours, Pam?”
“For starters, why are we staring at that tiny, low-res photo on your phone? Let’s go take another look at the real thing.”
“You mean you want to go back up to the attic?”
“Yeah.”
I arched a brow. “But we saw the orbs there and got locked in.”
“That was early on. Maybe you’ll see something different now.”
I pondered. “I don’t think the orbs meant us any harm. I think they were ticked I brought company.”
“Well, you can’t go up there by yourself.”
“You can come with me, but you’ll have to wait at the bottom of the stairs.”
“Zoey, are you insane? Doesn’t it freak you out to go up there alone?”
“No. I sense they won’t hurt me. Maybe Isabella will show up. I need to ask her if I should read the inscription.”
“You don’t trust William?” she asked.
“Not completely.”
“Okay. Well, let’s go. We can sneak into the forbidden territory and be back before dinner.”
“Are you sure you’re up to it?”
She nodded. “It was my idea, wasn’t it? I know I got a little freaked when we did the basement tour, but I’m braver this time, especially since I know a little more.” She bit her lip hard, as if she was reconsidering it. “Okay, so I’m not so brave. Mind if I bring Eric?”
“We can’t risk upsetting the orbs again. You can stand guard. If you see anything, just scream, and I’ll hurry down.”
“If they don’t
lock you in again.”
“They won’t.”
“You sure sound confident. How can you be sure nobody is going to hurt you?”
“Because I shall make sure of that,” William said, suddenly appearing.
Pam jumped back, pointing. “Is that him?”
“You can see him?” I asked.
“Yeah, and for a ghost, he’s kind of a hottie,” she said.
William looked at her in confusion and pulled on his collar. “I beg your pardon, miss, but I do not feel warm at all.”
“I thought you said you were hip on our slang. She means she thinks you are attractive,” I clarified for the ancient one.
“Oh. I beg your pardon then…and thank you, miss,” he said, bowing at Pam.
“How can she see you?” I asked.
“Your friend has the gift as well. It only took more time to develop in her.”
“Hunter didn’t see you,” I said.
“Hunter’s gift will come to fruition in time.”
“Wow. All three of us, talking to dead people. It’ll be like Ghostbusters,” Pam said. “How chummy.”
“Come,” William said. “Time is of the essence.”
“You say that far too much,” I scolded.
“Only because it is true, my dear.”
As we walked down the corridor, Pam looked over at William. “Ya know, I gotta say that I’m a little jealous.”
“Whatever for?” William asked.
“I’d love to have a handsome ghost following me around.”
“He didn’t possess your boyfriend,” I said.
“That only happened because you drove me to it, Zoey.” William retorted.
Ignoring him, I motioned for us to turn down the corridor. “Okay, no talking,” I said. “We can’t have a teacher catching us and messing up our mission.”
“I can talk,” William said. “No one but you two can hear me.”
“No you can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because Pam will talk back to you.”
Pam pretended to zip her lips, and we walked in silence to the area of the castle that was off limits. We probed deeper into the blackness. The corridor narrowed and made several turns.
As soon as it was safe for us to speak again, William was the first to open his mouth. “You don’t trust me,” he said.
“Not completely,” I answered.
“That is understandable, especially considering how with the way we met.”
I turned to face him. “Are you ever gonna tell me what that was all about?”
“I’m sorry, but that subject is off limits.”
“Remind me why you’re with us again,” I said.
“Because I know you want to look at that portrait. I will keep Pam company, make sure she is safe. All sorts of sinister spirits are wafting about, just like those you encountered in the basement.”
“Ah,” I said. “If you’re down here playing bodyguard for her, though, what happens if they attack me in the attic?”
“No worries. I shall quickly come to you rescue.”
“And what if one comes after me while you’re up there?” Pam asked, looking at William. “Can’t we just all go up in the attic?”
“No, because I’ve sent word for Isabella to meet with Zoey. She will want to speak with her in private.”
“Oh. Well, in that case, Zoey should be pretty safe with Granny.”
“Granny?”
“Isabella.”
“Oh,” he said. “Yes, Isabella will see to it that no harm comes to her, and if they are threatened, I will gladly intervene.”
Our footsteps echoed in the darkness as we walked to the spot where we had access to the attic. I remembered that familiar room, with all those chandeliers on the ceiling. The table was still the way we left it, scooted under the trapdoor. Pam and I jumped up on it, then pulled down the ladder. We were grateful that we weren’t showered with as much dust as before.
“You sure you want to do this?” she asked.
“I’m sure.”
“Okay. I’ve got the invisible man to keep me company, so just yell if anything goes wrong or Granny freaks out on you.”
“Right,” I said, then started climbing the ladder.
“Wait!” Pam called.
“What?” I asked, stopping halfway up the creaky rungs.
“Maybe William should check it out first, just to make sure it’s okay.”
“That is not necessary,” he said. “I sense no evil presence yet but time is—”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, cutting him off. “It’s of the essence. We know.” I started climbing again, opened the trapdoor, and climbed inside.
In the attic, dust overwhelmed me, and I coughed. The walls slanted upward, forming a narrow ceiling. Everything was still covered in white linens. As I swung my flashlight beam wildly around the room, my heart sped up. It took a few minutes for me to calm down and whispered, “Isabella?”
There was no answer.
“Is she up there?” Pam yelled. “Are you okay? I’m sending William up.”
“Don’t! I’m fine. I just wanna be by myself for a few minutes, if you don’t mind.”
“Take all the time you need,” she called up.
I was instantly drawn to the portrait. Without hesitation, I quickly uncovered it. I couldn’t help but stare at the life-sized portrait of Isabella in her flowing gown and diamond crown. Long, blonde hair cascaded down to her small waist, and the crystal necklace exactly like the one I never took off sat against her chest. I traced my fingers over the nameplate and read it aloud in the darkness, “Princess Isabella Montour.”
Did I really come from a royal family? I thought. Can I really be a descendant of Scottish royalty? What year did my family move to the United States? I wondered. Why didn’t we just stay here? Most of all, I wondered why my mother did not know about any of it or, if she did, why she had never mentioned it to me. Tears welled in my eyes as I stared at the portrait. I touched the crystal teardrop that hung from my neck; it blew me away to know it was the exact same necklace Isabella had worn centuries ago. It was hard to fathom. All kinds of sentimental feelings washed over me as I stared at the stranger in the portrait, a mirror image from another time, looking right back at me. I desperately wanted to know her story, and I was determined to unlock more clues about my own past. “How did I find you in this huge, crazy world?” I whispered.
“Destiny,” came a ghostly answer that I wasn’t expecting.
I spun around to meet the familiar gaze of a beautiful, radiant being. “Isabella!”
“Hello, Zoey. Welcome to my world, the castle that has held me for over 500 years.”
“My friends and I are trying to help you. Can you tell me more?”
“I am forbidden from telling you certain things, and I do not wish to be condemned to stay here forever. There are some facts, however, that I can disclose.”
“Can you tell me about the necklace?” I asked, pointing to the crystal, tear shaped pendant.
“It’s beautiful, is it not?”
“It’s very special to me. It was passed down from my grandmother.”
“It has been passed down through many of your grandmothers, Zoey. I am glad to know that it has survived all these generations,” she said.
My jaw dropped. “This is actually your necklace? How did I ever get a princess’s heirloom?”
“Because you, my dear, are my great-great-great-great-”
I smiled. “I get it. Lots of greats, then granddaughter.”
She gazed at me. “Is it so hard to believe? We look identical.”
I shook her hand. “I’ve suspected it. And William told me too. It’s so nice to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine, luv. It blesses my heart to see that my kin is such a brilliant, beautiful young woman.”
I smiled as she pulled me into an embrace. Even though she was long gone, a deceased entity from far in my past, I strangely felt closer to h
er than I felt to my own mother, who often acted as if she did not want to give me the time of day. For some inexplicable reason, my heart filled with love for Isabella. “I have a million questions,” I said as I looked up into her eyes.
“The curse could not be broken for at least 500 years, and that time has passed. It requires a blood relative, the gold medallion, and The Lady of the Lake, which you already know about.”
“So you can talk about what I already know?”
“Yes, as long as I do not tell you how to specifically break the curse, they can find no fault in me.”
“Hmm. Well, can you tell me how I was able to stop time, to harness the power of the stone? William told me a little.”
She pointed to my necklace. “Your true power is held there.”
“I’ve worn this necklace forever, and nothing like that has ever happened before. Plus, I was holding the stone each time I stopped time.”
“You associated the power with the stone, but the odd happenings only started when you found the sapphire. And that’s because the sapphire is a great, ancient power source. When it came into contact with you and your necklace, there was a surge.”
“So it activated my necklace?” I said.
“Yes. Prior to that, it was dormant for hundreds of years. My servant smuggled it out of the castle after I died. The power had been completely drained when I took my last breath. But I knew a descendant could bring back its amazing power. I was hoping it would be my daughter. But that’s not what fate had planned. I had a vision right before I passed on that a chosen descendant, hundreds of years later, would be guided to the ancient stone and the necklace would once again retain its unique abilities.”
“Hmm. So Lady of the Lake jumpstarted it,” I pondered. “I guess it makes sense, since we have psychic connections in our bloodline, in addition to a powerful necklace.”
“Yes, but most descendants can’t tap into their deep roots. Some, like your mother, have managed it, while others have merely skimmed the surface, but everyone in our bloodline is born with the gift of talking to the dead.”
“Wow,” I said, flabbergasted. “The gift, the necklace… It’s all so…amazing.”
Enchanted Dreams - Book 3 (The Enchanted Castle Series) Page 15
