*
I had no energy, as if my life itself had been sucked from me. Lukin kept staring ahead as we ran out of the garden. He was running, I kept up as long as I could, until I collapsed and he nearly had to pick me up, dragging my feet behind us as he ran. I remembered once in Nebraska I had donated blood after a friend had been in a car accident and that left me feeling a little woozy but this was an entirely more powerful drain on my system. Every few steps he would look behind us, afraid we were being followed. I knew the forest was coming, that’s what Tempest had said and I just kept my thoughts as focused as I could knowing what was coming once we were inside. Lukin began to slow as the path became wider and even wider still until it opened up to the most beautiful field of sunflowers I had ever seen, it was not only beautiful it felt safe and welcoming. Tempest hadn’t told me about a field, but she only told me of the dangers. Lukin set me in the tall grass and collapsed beside me. With the garden behind us and the forest ahead still it seemed our only chance to rest and catch our breath.
“Ella please don’t ever do that to me again.” I pulled my knees up and held them tight to my chin as he looked at me.
“Don’t do what, Lukin?” I watched him become fidgety and pick at the grass, shaking his head.
“Don’t make me think I am going to lose you again, I have lost so much in my life, you are the closest thing to family I have. I can’t lose that, ok?” I smiled and nodded in agreement as we looked at the forest before us. I knew that the forest was going to test my will, but I couldn’t help question what the final test could be. The tall blades of grass began to move over the hill beside us, and Lukin reached out with his arm to guard me. The image got clearer and I could see that it was Justin; it was my father walking toward us. I lowered Lukin’s hand and stood up. He walked with his head held high like a majestic Stallion through the grass; I had to remind myself of what he had done and the evil that lived in him before I got caught up in the moment. Lukin stood at my side as Justin approached us, I felt confused. He made it this far without help, and he got here before me?
“Delilah, please don’t speak. I have something to tell you, something that I have never told anyone before and you can’t question it, just believe it for me. Many years ago I lived with an evil sorcerer who wanted nothing more than to have the richest blood line and become the strongest family known to the universe, he was obsessed. I grew up with this every day, it was drilled into me that I had to fulfill some prophecy and he trained me my whole life to take over once he passed away. He told me about the Grace women, and that if we had any chance I had to make sure that each of the women were impregnated with my child, his blood child. I tried to get out of it, to change it somehow but he said he would kill me, and I loved him, he was my father and I couldn’t disappoint the only person who ever loved me, so I did as I was told and I have regretted it every day since. He was not proud or happy with me, I hurt your mother and your aunts, not to mention you girls and I just want you to know that it haunts me every day. I love you and your sisters and I am sorry Delilah.” He reached his hand out to me, and thinking it was a trick I stepped away from his hand. He nodded and turned from me, walking back up the hill without another word. As his silhouette was almost out of sight I swore I saw him turn into a horse, and then he was gone. Lukin scratched his head and looked at me and said exactly what I was thinking.
“What the hell was that?” I fell back on my ass and sobbed with my hands in my face, this was too much. I needed to hate him, I needed to be angry at him and yet I found myself feeling so sorry for him. I wished I could be colder, I wish I didn’t care so much.
“Lukin, I am not sure where we are but I don’t like it.” I looked around and saw no one else in the field; I buried my face in his chest and sobbed.
“Delilah, can I tell you something that might make you feel better about me?” I nodded and wiped the snot from my face. “I had a beautiful and brilliant wife once, two amazing children and a blessed life.” I picked my head up so I could see his face as he told me the story. “One night some of the men in town invited me to the pub for a drink, that’s where I met Emma. Every man in the bar wanted to take her home. Old men, young men, single men and even married men, but not me. I didn’t feel she held a candle to my wife and I ignored her.” I felt the tears coming again as he told me his side of the story. “Leaving the bar I had one too many pints, and she offered to take me home in her carriage, I agreed and thanked her for the kindness. When the carriage stopped I thanked her again and stepped out, only she hadn’t taken me home at all. I was at the Estate and she invited me in for a nightcap. When I told her I had to get home to my wife she became annoyed, asking me if I could just get help her fetch something from the basement before the horseman took me home. I agreed and long story short, once at the stairway I turned to ask her what she needed me to get and she screamed in my face that no man rejects her ever and that I would pay, that’s when I was pushed down the stairs and have been here ever since.” My mouth was frozen open, and my tears fell like his heart had. I believed him, and I loved him for his honesty. I couldn’t tell him I knew, I hugged him tight and spoke through tears and crying.
“I don’t have much family Lukin, but I would love for you to be part of it.” He smiled and hugged me back. It was a very uplifting moment, and then we heard the grass moving beside us again. Picking our heads up I looked in the eyes of an angel, and Lukin gasped. Her long brown hair laid perfectly over her shoulders, Big brown doe eyes and cherry lips made her the most innocently beautiful woman I had ever seen.
“Dad is that you?” I looked at Lukin who ran to the woman, picking her up from the ground spinning and crying. Placing her back on the ground, he took her face in his hands and wept as he kissed her forehead.
“Bryn Leigh my beautiful baby girl, is it really you?” She nodded and threw her arms around him again. I slowly got to my feet and watched as my heart broke hearing her words.
“Dad, I am here because I have to tell you something. The night you went missing Mom had sent me to the pub to find you. I saw you get into the carriage with that witch, and told Mom you had been unfaithful. We never looked for you and I am so sorry for that. It’s my fault Daddy I am so sorry.” Lukin didn’t look upset at his daughter at all, and her guilt trapped her for so many years.
“Bryn Leigh, you were so young. You only knew what you saw; you didn’t know any better honey.” Lukin looked at me and then back to her. “Bryn how did you now Emma was a witch?” The beautiful girl rubbed his arm and smiled.
“Daddy, every woman, and girl in town knew what she was. Everyone knew what happened to men that got in her carriage, we were just too afraid to stop her.” She kissed his forehead and smiled. “I love you Daddy.” She turned to walk away just as Justin had done, and as she walked out of sight I heard Lukin whisper.
“I have never stopped loving you Angel Baby, and will continue forever and a day.” He buckled and hid his face from me as he cried. I knew that magic was behind all the truth we were being told, but what purpose was it serving? I backed away and decided to give him some time while I tried to make sense of the place we were in now.
TWENTY
Walking back to the Estate I had a lot to think about, I had choices to make and it was time to man up and get it done. My biggest fear was losing Ella, but being shunned by Freya was right up there. I wasn’t sure how I would do it, but maybe it was the key we needed to get her the hell out of hell for good. I was passing the bloody pillar when I heard a scream from inside the estate. I charge in like a bull, taking Selene out with the door, sending her flying through the parlor. I gasped and ran to her, I didn’t have it in me to wish her harm but just as I got to her Eris was at my side putting her hands on the egg that was starting to form. Selene glared at me and then pushed me out of her way to get up unassisted.
“Who the hell is screaming?” She looked at Eris as if I wasn’t in the room at all. I touched her shoulder and she shook it off.
“Oh my goodness, I figured it out. You shithead, you slept with her didn’t you?” I took her arm and walked to the corner where we had more privacy.
“Eris, it’s not how you think I promise you I didn’t really cheat on Ella. Selene tricked me by pretending to be her the night she disappeared, I didn’t know it wasn’t her until it was too late, I love Ella.” Holding her stare, I watched her face become soft again; she could read me and knew I was telling the truth.
“Xander if Ella finds out she won’t care for the details you know.” I nodded and took a deep breath.
“I think Selene knows that all too well Eris.” Another shriek came from the sitting room and we took off running. I am not sure what I expected bu I put my hand on my knife just to be safe as we entered the room. The aunts were hugging one another and Freya had her hands up chanting something about a Goddess. Eris and I were very confused when Kali looked at us with tears in her eyes and a smile.
“We know where they are and how to get to them.” It was Eris who let out the shriek this time and we all hugged, all but one until Freya waved her arm and Selene screamed before rubbing her face and sulked into the circle. Freya took a breathe and began explaining that everything in the curse had grown over the years, but that everything was once a simple spell, once they were able to find that spell they could find it’s weakness. Carna quickly put a slight damper on all the happiness with one sentence.
“Someone has to have wronged her in some way, to feel guilt for that wrong or we don’t have a way in.” Freya shot me a look, I shot Selene a look and Eris screamed again. I knew that Freya had known, but obviously she didn’t know that I was tricked or why, otherwise the look would have been to Selene. This was my out, I wouldn’t have to tell Freya the truth about the prophecy and we could still save Ella, I just had to believe the lie and feel enough guilt to get myself to her. I looked at Eris and flashed a look, begging her with my eyes to go along with what was about to come out of my mouth.
“I will do it.” The aunts turned to face me, and suddenly I could feel heat traveling up from my toes, there rage was actually burning me until they both looked at Selene who backed into the corner but held a devilish grin. Carna flashed me a look and began to walk to me as she spoke.
“You have far more than just Ella to answer to for what you have done Xander, we just got her back and when she finds this out we have no chance of ever breaking this curse, or convincing her to stay with us.” I stood in my place, taking it all in. A tear fell down my cheek, but I never spoke simply because I knew she was right about all of it. She turned to look at Selene but Kali pushed her out of the way to get to her daughter first.
“You are a real piece of work you know that young lady, you just couldn’t stand that Ella had something you didn’t even want. Was it worth it, to lose the respect of this family and that includes me. Ella would never hurt you, and you look proud of what you have done to this family.” Selene winked at me as she smiled at her mother’s words and that’s when I knew in my heart she would never feel guilt for what she had done, it was up to me to turn something horrible into the thing that could save her before it was too late, I could blame Selene all I wanted but in the end it was my fault. As this thought filled my head I felt dizzy and my knees buckled under my own weight, both Kali and Eris lunged to catch me as everything went black.
*
One by one they kept coming to confess guilt and ask for forgiveness, Both Lukin and I shared a laugh as a classmate from fourth grade came to tell me they stole my favorite scarf, but other than that it was a little tense. Lukin’s wife had come to confess that she had not been a virgin when they married which made me laugh, but he didn’t find it funny at all.
“Lukin that’s nothing, these day’s a woman is lucky to reach fifteen before losing her virginity.” He rolled his eyes at me, taking a deep breath and said.
“We were fifteen when we married.” This was the statement that had me in stitches momentarily until I could compose myself and offer a sympathetic hug. Mostly Lukin had the guilt train running on full steam. I had maybe four people come for me which I took as a good sign until I saw him. I backed away from Lukin, pointing as we made eye contact with each other; I started shaking my head back and forth feeling like I could throw up any moment while Lukin stood still, looking stunned and scared.
“No! Tell me that is not the man I see coming towards us Lukin, please tell me that’s not him.” My chin began to quiver and my hands flew up to cover my mouth as I began to cry, knowing why he was here. Knowing I had been right about what I had seen, knowing that I couldn’t forgive him. As he got closer I couldn’t deny it was Xander any longer, my tears wouldn’t be held back and I began screaming. “No! Please just go back I don’t want to know, please go back Xander!” He just kept walking, looking me in the eye and with every step I screamed louder. He didn’t look upset, he didn’t seem remorseful at all, yet he was here and I knew why. Lukin grabbed my arm and only then did I see Xander’s face go from stone to anger as he sped up his pace.
“That’s Xander, why and how is he here Delilah?” I looked in his eyes and then his face turned cold as he glared toward the coward that had hurt me. Taking my hand he stood tall beside me as I choked back the sounds of my own heart breaking its sound was an ear piercing scream, and then I heard it again, only much louder this time, it wasn’t my heart at all. It was women screaming and laughing, as I watched raven haired women come over the hill I screamed and ran from Lukin, ran by Xander without a glance, ran into the arms of my family. They were here, we were all here and as I fell to the ground holding onto my aunts, being tackled by my cousin I realized, we are all here, we were all trapped here.
“What have you all done? What if we can’t get out?” I could hear the panic in my voice as I pulled away from there embrace. Freya kissed my forehead and whispered.
“Ella, listen to me. We know what we are doing, we found a way in through Xander and if we don’t get out at least we are all together.” Xander, I had almost forgot that he was here, and why he was here. I stood up glaring at Selene and without a word I walked away toward him with my head high. He began to open his mouth and I hushed him with a scowl.
“You will not say a word to me do you understand? I know why you are here so you have no right to ask for my forgiveness because I won’t give it, are we clear?” His eyes filled with tears and before I would let him see my reaction I turned to call everyone over. Lukin gave me a sad glance but never spoke as Kali and Carna started introducing him to everyone. Freya stepped in and looked to the woods we were about to enter.
“The Curse is pissed now, Emma never planned for something like this to ever happen and now that we are all here she will stop at nothing to kill us off one by one.” I couldn’t help myself, and gave her a wink.
“What’s the bad news?” She glared at me, but if being in here had taught me anything it was not to let any of it get to me. That’s how it wins. I heard Selene chuckle from behind her at my smart-ass comment and felt my ears burn, and knew they had turned red from my anger toward her. I couldn’t let the curse use it though, for now I had to let it go. Neither of them was worth dying for apparently and I wasn’t going to risk it. Freya walked to me and looked me in the eye with a smile.
“I know, Ella. I know, but in time you can deal with this.” She raised her voice so everyone could hear her. “We will all deal with this once we are safe and the hell out of here.” She took me by the hand and we sat in the field, everyone else followed, with Lukin on one side and Eris on the other to keep me from the vultures. Carna spoke up, realizing where we were no one wanted to hang around long enough to see who else would come over that hill.
“We have to make it to the woods, we are all here now and even though our powers are u
seless, our potions are not. We made up some powerful ones to keep us safe in the woods, beyond that I don’t know what is coming but we will be ready.” Pulling jars out of her pocket, Kali and Freya quickly followed suit to make sure they all made the journey safely. An ear piercing scream echoed through the sky and everyone jumped to their feet, staying close in the circle looking in every direction. Blue skies, no clouds, no Cora could be seen.
“What the hell was that?” Eris yelled as she grabbed my hand. The Scream came again and it shook the very ground we stood on. She was close by, she was trying to warn us of something and since I had also learned to trust things that seemed a bit shady I began moving to the wood. No one followed me at first; turning to them I decided it was time for me to take my place in this family.
“She is warning us because the tortured are getting close, she is not trying to kill us, she is trying to save us now move your asses!” One by one they followed suit, and it wasn’t until all of them were behind me that the screaming stopped from the sky above us. Kali moved ahead of everyone else and walked beside me.
“Ella, I know who gave you the information. I spoke with her as well so I know what we are walking into here; don’t you think we should really warn the others of everything we know?” I slowed, but didn’t stop. I only knew that we were about to experience a mental trial like no other we had ever been through before, and I had no idea how long we would be trapped inside, but Kali was right so as we approached the glorious path inside I stopped and turned to everyone.
“For this part we won’t need our physical weapons in the fight. This leg is all about our minds and trying to break us, no physical threat will be as scary as the mental one and we all have to work together to get out. I have a chance to break this part of the curse and get us the hell out of this hell for good but I won’t be able to do that if we don’t work together.” Kali looked at me with surprise on her face.
Precious Anathema Page 15
