by Marnie Cate
“Fire and Air,” she laughed, with delight when she landed on her feet, “Marina, you really are full of surprises.”
Taunting me, she snarled, “Too bad you won't be around to show me everything you are capable of.” Sending a bolt of magic at me, she laughed. I was able to dodge her attack by rolling out of the way just in time for it to narrowly miss me. Frustrated that she missed, she growled and began heaving multiple flashes of her magic at me. Calling the air to me, I was able to keep the magic from striking me.
“You are no match for me,” she hissed and held her hands in the air. A fluorescent green blazed in her hands and she sent balls of her dark magic towards me. She was right. My magic was not going to be strong enough to fight her. Every attack I repelled only seemed to feed her magic. I missed blocking one of the bolts she sent and found myself again struggling to stand as the sharp pins of her magic pulsed through my body.
Laughing, she crooned, “Goodbye, Marina.” This time she held the magic in her hands until she formed a large orb that was sparking with green fire and released it. The ball grew as it sailed toward me. Realizing that I was not going to be able to stop it, I braced myself. Meg's screams resonated through the air and I realized why as my grandmother jumped in front of me and pushed me out of the way and into the wall of the nest. Before the ball of magic Eliza had aimed at me struck, Gram cast a ball of white light at Eliza.
Not expecting Gram's interference, Eliza was not prepared with a counter attack and was hit in the chest. The magic sent her flying back and she landed outside of the circle and onto Cedric. As she crashed into him, she began to scream in pain as she rolled off of him. Cedric stood up with a panicked look on his face as he clutched his knife in his hand. The knife was now dripping with blood and a dark spot grew around her midsection. As she tried to stop the blood that was flowing from her stomach, the white glow of Gram's magic continued to pulse through her.
“Cedric, help me,” she rasped, as the blackness of her eyes softened to a soft green.
Trying to slow the blood loss, he cut a strip of fabric off his shirt and drove the knife into the ground. “I can't stop the bleeding, Liza,” he whispered, his voice now breaking. “We are so close to having it all, baby. Hang in there. You can't leave me.”
Touching his face with her hand tenderly, she said, “You still can. Don't let her control your future.” As she removed her hand, she left a bloody handprint."
As she closed her eyes and her breathing slowed, Cedric began to scream and pounded on the ground, “It's not your time. You are not meant to die.”
Cole took the knife from the ground and said, “Let go of her Cedric.”
“She will not die,” he screamed and cursed, diving at Cole.
Gram took out the blue pouch from her pocket. As she opened it, small tendrils of smoke slithered from the bag and blew towards Cedric. The strands of smoke wrapped around his hands and feet. As he fell to the ground, the strands of silver entered his nostrils and open mouth. Soon his cursing and cries ended and he was silent.
Miles ran to Eliza and knelt down by her taking hand. Leaving the circle, I went to him and crouched beside him. I took her hand from him and slipped the ring off her finger. Handing it to Miles, I whispered, “It is yours now.”
The ring glowed as it changed from the dark black color it had been turned into by the dark magic to white marble like mine. Unsure what to do with the ring, he slipped it into his pocket and kissed our mother on her cheek as he whispered something in her ear.
Her eyes opened and she looked at us, saying in a faint whisper, “You will never be able to defeat the Drygens. They are stronger than you. She will not let you win.”
With her final words, she slowly closed her eyes and her breathing faded. As her final breath left her body, sadness washed over me. The sorrow I felt was not because she was gone. My sadness was for Miles and Meg. I remembered how sad I felt when my father had died and when Eliza had disappeared. My pain was also for my grandmother that had lost her only daughter
My father stood over Eliza and the grass around her grew. Soon she was surrounded by flowers. “Goodbye, Eliza,” he said, with his voice slightly cracking.
“Is he dead too?” The soft voice of Miles asked tugging at the bottom of my father's jacket as he pointed at Cedric. His green eyes looked full of fear.
“No, Miles,” he said, picking him up. “He is just sleeping.”
“He won't let me stay with you,” he said, as he began to cry. “Grandmother Blanche will not let him.”
“No, son, you are never going back there,” my father said, as he held him tightly, “You are with family now. Gram, Mara, Cole, Meg and I will never let you go.”
Turning to face my grandmother, he said, “Isn't that right, Mae?” Seeing his face turn white with fear, I looked to see what had alarmed him.
Realizing my grandmother was lying on the ground, I ran to her. When I reached her, she was ghost-white and shivering. “Gram, tell me what to do. How can I help?”
Putting my arms around her, I could feel the dark magic that Eliza had thrown at me. “Please, Goddess, help me,” I pleaded, through my tears.
Cole came over and took her from my arms. In his arms, she looked like a small child. Holding her to his chest, he softly whispered, “You are going to be fine, Mae. Let's get you home.”
“Leave him, Elliott,” Cole said, as he watched my father trying to pick up Cedric.
“Come on, Daddy,” Meg said, taking his hand.
As she looked back at Cedric, I watched as flowers grew around him and vines tied him to the ground. With a smirk on her face, I watched as a crown of pink flowers surrounded his head. Seeing that I was staring at her, she smiled and shrugged.
Chapter 52
When we arrived at home, Gram insisted on being laid on the couch. Covering her with blankets, I sat by her holding her icy hands tightly in mine.
“What can we do to stop the magic running through you?” I questioned. “Tell me what spell to cast or tell me what potion to make.” Panic filled me as I watched my strong grandmother laying weakly before me. There had not been a day of my life that I had seen her sick or unable to take action. She was my rock. I needed her strength.
“Mara, love, there is nothing that you can do to stop this,” she said softly. “The only thing you need to do is take care of them for me,” she said, motioning to my family sitting on the couches around her with somber looks on their faces.
“Help me up,” she insisted. “My last moments on earth will not be lying on a couch.”
“No, no, no!” Meg cried out and ran over to her, “Gram, don't die. Please, please don't die and leave me.”
Gram opened her arms and wrapped them around Meg holding her close. Whispering in her ear, she calmly said, “My little dancer, it will be ok. Dry your tears. You need to be strong now.”
Helping her stand, I watched as she winced in pain. I knew what she was experiencing – the waves of cold electricity were still rolling through her body. Pushing past the pain, she insisted we continue to the kitchen.
“Put the kettle on and let's have some tea,” she said, with a forced smile. “It will take the chill out of these old bones.”
Pulling down the container of Gram's special tea and biscuits, I wiped away my tears. My tears would not help her and they certainly would not help my siblings.
“Miles and Meg,” she called, to the living room. “Come join me.”
As I laid out the cups and set the teapot onto the table next to Gram, Meg and Miles sat one on each side of her. She told them, “When I was a little girl, my mother would make me a cup of her special tea.”
As she filled our cups, I could smell the orange zest of the tea. She added a splash of milk to each drink as I placed a biscuit on the saucer. Guiding them, she said, “Now take your cookie like this and give it a long dunk. But don't wait too long or it will disappear.”
Smiling as they watched Gram dip her cookie into the warm
tea, they followed her and did the same. Quickly Gram pulled the soaked biscuit out of the tea and popped it in her mouth. Laughing, Meg and Miles repeated this step.
“Elliott and Cole, come have a cup of tea with us,” she called. “Mara, you haven't touched your tea yet. You don't want it to get cold.” The look on her face beseeched me to be strong.
Dipping my biscuit in the tea, I let it soak and popped it in my mouth. “Delicious,” I said with a forced smile.
“Now, Miles, there is one thing you should know about Mara,” Gram said, earnestly. “She needs to be reminded to not be too serious. Can you promise to remind her to have fun?”
Looking at her with a determined look on his face, he swore, “I promise, Gram.”
“I knew I could count on you,” she said and smiled, as he threw his arms around her neck.
“I love you, Gram,” he said, as she held him tightly.
“And, I love you, little one,” she said, squeezing him tightly. Letting go of their hug, she held him in front of her. Brushing his hair out of his eyes, she kissed his cheek and said with a crack in her voice, “Miles, my angel, I am a bit tired now and I think I should go lie down. I want you to know that my love for you will never end. Can you remember that?”
Nodding, he kissed her on the cheek and hugged her again before letting go and proclaiming, “I will always remember, Gram.”
Elliott took Miles by the hand and said, “Let me show you Chester's woodshop. You will be able to build so many things there.”
Weakly she grabbed my father by his hand and pulled him to her, saying in a soft whisper meant for him only, “Protect them all for me. You must choose to protect them over saving yourself.”
Kissing Gram on the head, he said, with gratitude, “Thank you, Mae for everything. I will not let you down again.”
Nodding, she stood and soon found Cole had his arms around her as she faltered. “Mae, if you wanted me to sweep you off your feet, you only had to ask,” he said, as he scooped her up before she collapsed.
Too weak to argue, she rested her head on his shoulder and weakly smiled as he carried her to her room. As he laid her on the bed, she put his hand on his cheek and said, “Cole, I need you to take care of my girls. Can you do that for me?”
“Don't talk like that Gram,” he said, with his voice breaking, “You will be here to keep me in line for many years to come.”
Taking his hand and squeezing it, she said, “Can you promise me that you will…when the time comes then?”
Hugging her tightly, he whispered, “I promise, Gram.”
“You know you are the grandson I always wanted. Never forget how proud I have always been of you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Now I need to rest. Mara and Meg, come lay beside me.”
Climbing into Gram's bed, Meg and I rested our heads on her shoulder. Gram's voice was barely above a whisper as she said, “Mara, in my journal, you will find a key to Chester's safe. He has left enough money to take care of you for many years if you spend it wisely. Meg, you are still a little girl. There will be plenty of time for you to grow up. Can you both do as you are told and remember my words?”
Crying softly, Meg nodded. Holding Gram's hand, I squeezed it confirming that I would do as she asked.
“Good,” Gram said, as she closed her eyes and prayed, “Goddess, I ask you to watch over my girls and guide them. I invoke the elements and pray for their guidance and strength.”
As her eyes closed, I could feel her breathing begin to slow. Holding her tighter, I held back my tears.
“Gram,” I whispered, “I promise to remember everything you taught me.”
As her breathing stopped, I felt a warmth from her body as a violet light filled the room and surrounded us.
The hand of the Goddess extended before us and I watched as the spirit of my grandmother left the body lying next to me and accepted the outstretched hand. Gram turned around to us and smiled before she walked into the light. The room around us glowed brighter with a white light as it filled with hundreds of small colored lights and I knew that we were surrounded by the elementals.
Crying harder, Meg held on to Gram's body. Taking her hand, I whispered, “She's gone, Meg but she has gone to a better place full of love and light. One day when it is our time, we will join her.” Taking her hand in mine, we left the room and joined our grieving family.
Epilogue
Gram had left us more than prepared with food and basics. She had also left notes around the house to remind us how much she loved us. Even with the reminders, the house was not the same without her. The night we went to get Meg and Miles, she knew how everything would end and she had done her best to prepare us for a future without her.
Just where she told me, I found the small key to my grandfather's safe in the lavender journal that she was always writing in. As I turned to read it, a small envelope fell out. On the outside of the envelope, my name was written in Gram's handwriting. The envelope smelled like cinnamon and vanilla. Taking a deep breath to inhale her scent, I began to read her letter.
My Dear Mara,
In Chester's workshop, you will find the safe behind my grandmother's armoire. Chester made sure there was enough money for us to live comfortably and I have only added to it. The amount in there would make the Drygens look poor but no one must know about it. Money makes people act funny. You will be safer to live your life simply as we always have done.
When I thought I would never have any more children, my heart was saddened but I knew that the Goddess had something better in store for me. Little did I know that it would be in the form of a dark haired girl with more magic in her heart than I had in my whole body, the sassy ball of fire who reminded me to savor every bit of life, the boy with a heart of gold that showed me that love could be endless and the boy who I haven't met yet that I can only hope that I have prepared my family well enough to pass on the love I gave them to him.
You have all blessed my life and my heart. Keep your promise to protect the magic and you will never go wrong.
Love Always, Gram
As I finished, Meg and Miles came down the stairs of the loft. Both had somber looks on their faces.
“Now there will be none of that,” I said, putting the letter back in the journal, “We are going to celebrate Gram's life. Now come eat the pancakes that Cole has made for you and try not to spill on your clothes.”
“You sound like her, Mara,” Meg said, sadly as a tear dropped from her eyes.
Hugging them both, I said, “She's still here with us. She is in our hearts always. So, let's be strong for her.”
Eating their breakfasts had lifted their spirits and they were ready for the honoring of Gram's life, not mourning her passing. The town had banded together and planned a festival to celebrate her life. I knew that she had been well-liked but I had never seen an event like this before for anyone. Main Street had been decorated as if it was the Summer Moon Festival and hundreds of people had come to celebrate. My father had even set up Gram's stand and Mrs. Everstone was behind it handing out cookies and breads with jam that my grandmother had made.
“Mae once told me that life was our gift from the Goddess and what we did with it was our gift back to her,” said the voice of Mrs. Ward from the stage. “In my sixty-two years, I had never met anyone as giving and kind. My wish for everyone here today is to remember the love she gave to us and that they will carry it on.”
As people came up on the stage to speak about their memories of my grandmother, they each told a story of how she influenced their lives. When I saw the next person in line, my heart stopped. Wearing a dark red dress and matching red lipstick, there was no mistaking the silver haired woman next in line to speak was Blanche Drygen.
Miles and Meg both grabbed my hands and moved closer to me as they recognized her. I searched the crowd around us looking to see if there was any other danger around. The faces around me were just friends and family. There was no sign of Cedric or anyone unfa
miliar to me. As Blanche tried to accept the microphone to take her turn, my father stepped in line and took her place.
Smiling at her, he said, “Excuse my interruption.” Facing the crowd, he spoke, “Everyone, Mae would definitely appreciate all of your kind words. Nevertheless, we all know that she would not want us to spend the day talking about her. Instead, let's eat, be merry and spend the day together celebrating the woman we all loved. That really is the only way to tell her that we got the message that she taught us- so let's celebrate!”
Motioning to the band to play, the crowd cheered as people began to dance to the upbeat music. Storming off the stage, Blanche ran right into Cole. The cold look in his eyes surprised me. Taking her arm, he whispered something in her ear. I watched as she went white with fear and broke away from him. As he walked towards me, the anger from his eyes had faded.
“She is gone and shouldn't be back again today,” Cole said, picking Miles up and taking my hand. “Now let's paint the town red for Gram.”
Laughing, we joined the crowd and began to dance. Tugging on my hand, Meg whispered, “They are here, Mar. They are over there.”
As I looked to the light posts, I saw Breeze, Blaze, Bay and Daisy twirling and dancing to the music. When they saw us, they waved.
Smiling, I took a deep breath and said confidently, “Bright Blessings, Danu, Bright Blessings.”
Today was not the day to worry about what we would face tomorrow. The Drygens would be our problem for another day. In this moment, all we could do was celebrate my grandmother's life and we did.
