I closed my history book for a break and picked up my family spell book instead. As I walked to my little kitchen table, a wobbly thing I picked up from K-mart, a slip of paper fell to the floor. I bent to pick it up, but when I realized what it was, I stopped right where I was. Sitting on the floor, I read the contract that put all the pieces together for me. It was dated September 14, 1993.
“We, Peter and Betty Collins, do hereby relinquish our abilities from now until the end of our lives or the end of the life of this contract to Evan Michaels. In addition, we relinquish our son, Cameron Collins, from now until the end of his life or the end of the life of this contract, whichever comes first, to Evan Michaels. In exchange, Melissa Collins, will remain unharmed.”
Cameron was not Evan’s son. Just as Evan had tried to get my mother to sign me over to him, he got Cameron’s parents to sign him over. Since Cameron had a sister, at least that is who I assumed Melissa Collins was, Evan had more leverage over his parents. I wondered whether he made Cameron’s parents choose which child to save or if he went after Cameron from the start. He probably targeted Cameron for his time traveling gift.
I thought back to the night I had first met Cameron. I thought about how the lock on the one door had been missing. How Evan seemed to give Cameron orders. How Cameron had to stay in the bar while everyone else was in the back. How much of what Cameron did was because of this contract? Did he have a choice in anything? He wanted me to burn the contracts because he wanted to be free. Then he saw the damage that burning William’s contract had caused, and he began to doubt his hatred of the man who had held him captive for the past eighteen years.
I had not seen Cameron since Salem—not in the real world and not in my dreams. My emotions for him remained conflicted. Whatever part he had played in my mother’s murder, chances were he didn’t have a choice in the matter. I could do something for him now, wherever he was.
I got up and took the contract into my bathroom. I set it in a metal trashcan in the tub. I felt the anger welling up in me for the situation Cameron was in. How young was he when his parents were forced to give him away? He couldn’t have been more than four or five. I focused on the parchment and watched with satisfaction as it exploded into a ball of blue flame. It fizzled out in my now charred and distorted garbage can. I would have to get a new one, but it was worth it. I felt satisfied. Wherever Cameron was, he would soon realize he no longer had to take orders from Evan Michaels. It would be up to him to choose a path to follow. I wondered if that path would cross with mine one day.
Hello, Reader!
I hope you enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for your purchase and your time. If you loved it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon, GoodReads, or another site. I am currently working on the sequel to this novel, but you can keep up to date on its progress by liking my Facebook Author Page. Plus, I would love to hear from you, and will always respond to posts! http://www.facebook.com/SarahReckenwald
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Again, thank you for spending your time with Jade and me. Being able to share my work and musings with you is an amazing experience.
Smiles,
Sarah
Flames in the Midst (The Jade Hale Series) Page 28
