by Cara E Holt
“Ebs.” Lorcen says tapping me and pointing to the screen that shows a photo of some cheerleaders. He enlarges it and sure enough there on the right is a red-haired girl who looks just like me.
“Holy shit!” I exclaim as I lean in closer to examine her in detail. “This is so weird.”
Lorcen shakes his head in disbelief. “She is your mirror image.” He looks from the photo to me.
“Crazy.” I say in awe. “We have the same face shape, same nose, even the same dimple in our chin.”
Annoyingly there are no names attached to the photograph but the article does confirm for us that Noah and Megan are at the right high school. I quickly text Noah and Megan and tell them both that she is at the school and is a cheerleader. Noah replies with ‘on it’ and a smiley face emoji. With nothing else to now but wait we arrange to meet Blaine and Drustan at a coffee house. I had taken a screen shot of the photo on my phone to show Blaine and he now sits studying it intently as if trying to memorise every detail of her face.
Drustan sits there sitting on his coffee. Even in human clothes Drustan looks formidable. Blaine’s eyes lift from my phone to look at me. “No messages.” He goes back then to staring at the photo.
“You look good with red hair.” Drustan tells me smiling.
“I’ll stick with this colour thanks.”
“Please do.” Blaine says not lifting his eyes from my phone. “We would have trouble telling the difference.”
My phone pings and all our eyes fly expectantly to the phone in Blaine’s hands. Blaine looks at the screen and then looks up at me with a very happy grin on his face.
“Her full name is Alana Davies.”
“Alana is a beautiful name. It means harmony. Leora means light and well as you know yours means dark.”
I look at him feeling concerned. “Does that mean I’m the dark one? The nightmare Queen?”
I had done some reading last night in bed when I could not sleep from the book Drustan had given to me. It described one of the Morrigan as being darker than the other two.
Lorcen takes my hand in his. “it is just a name Ebony. You are whoever you choose to be.”
My phone pings again and Blaine looks at it and then smiling turns it around for us all to see. It is a photo taken on what I presume to be Noah’s phone of Megan sitting at a table talking to Alana. A pang of jealousy hits me knowing that Megan is getting to sit with her and talk to her. Part of me just wants to portal over to the school right now and get a better look at her. My magic hums in my body as if it knows my sister is near. Blaine meets my eyes across the table and I can tell he is itching to do the same as me, after all this girl is likely his mate. My phone rings and Blaine drops it on the table in his rush to answer it.
His face drops and he holds out the phone for me. “It’s your dad.”
I take the phone from him and answer it. “Hey Dad, what’s up?” It isn’t like my dad to ring me during the day when he is at work.
“Ebony! Thank god. Sweet your mother has been in an accident. We are at the hospital.”
“Oh my god, is she okay?” I ask him, feeling sick to my stomach.
“She was driving. A lorry hit her car. You need to come to the hospital.” I can hear the worry in his voice.
“I’m coming dad, I’ll be right there okay. I love you.” I stare down at the phone in my hands for a few seconds and then look up at Lorcen. “We’ve got to go. My mum’s been in an accident.”
Lorcen jumps up from his seat, worry mars his beautiful face. He looks at Drustan.
“Go.” Drustan says. “We will handle things here.”
“Thank you.” I tell him appreciatively.
We rush out of the coffee house and as soon as we are outside I take Lorcen’s hand and sift us to the hospital car park. We head straight up to ICU and are led to a room where my dad sits with his head in his hands.
“Dad!” I rush to him and he embraces me. Over his shoulder I look at my brother Scott who sits there with his leg in plaster. Lines of worry across his forehead.
“How is she?”
Dad pulls back to look at me and he looks to have aged a decade. He grasps my hands tightly in his.
“She’s had a bleed on the brain. She is in surgery now.” He gives me an optimistic smile, but I can tell he is worried sick. My Dad has never been good at hiding his emotions.
“Oh god.” I exclaim as dad guides me down into the seat next to him. “This is all my fault.”
I feel Lorcen sit down on the other side of me.
“It was a car accident Ebs. How could this possibly be your fault.” Scott tells me from across the small room. I look at my dad and I know he knows what I am getting at. This is the work of Lucifer, this is his dark twisted way of reminding me that he expects me at his son’s side. Lorcen pulls me to him and kisses my forehead and talks to me in my mind.
“Don’t do this to yourself love.”
“But it’s the truth. My mother’s life hangs in the balance because I won’t go with him.”
“No.” he says frowning. ”This is your real father’s fault for making an oath with the devil.”
My father had been missing in action since he swept in and rescued me from Devlon. I was angry that he had not attempted to see me. I know he had said it would be difficult but, surely, he could have found a way?
I feel a chill pass over me and don’t ask me how I know, it could be a demon sense or something, but I know the devil is out there in the corridor.
“I need a drink.” I announce, which earns me a puzzled look from Lorcen. “Anyone else want one?”
Dad and Scott both shake their heads and Lorcen stands and says he will come with me.
We leave the room and we move down the corridor to where I feel his presence.
“The cafeteria’s that way.” Lorcen tells me pointing in the opposite direction in which we move.
“We aren’t going for drinks. I have a visitor.” I tell him as I continue to pull him along. We turn around a corner and I stop still causing Lorcen to bang into my back.
There leaning casually against the wall is Lucifer. He’s dressed in a blue suit, looking all suave and calm and all I want to do is punch the bastard in the face.
I seethe with anger and I feel Lorcen holding me back.
“When I get my full powers, I’m coming for you.” I tell him, my words full of the venom I feel for him.
He merely smiles in response and looks at his watch. “This is your second warning. Next time I take his life.” He gestures with his head to where Lorcen stands behind me. I hear a growl from Lorcen behind me and feel his magic buzz in fury.
“You can try.” Lorcen replies sounding much more confident than I am sure he feels.
“You’re a fucking bastard.” I tell him, the hatred clear in the tone of my voice. I know my eyes are glowing red.
He taps his watch and looks back at me. “Clock’s ticking.”
I’m about to give him a piece of my mind when the bastard vanishes before our eyes.
“Argh!!!” I shout slamming my fist against the wall. Blue sparks fly from my hands and the ground rumbles beneath our feet.
Lorcen turns me around to face him. “Calm yourself. Breathe.” He takes a deep breath encouraging me to copy him, so I inhale a deep breath and breathe it out slowly. The anger still threatens to bubble over inside me.
“Don’t let him get to you.” Lorcen tells me firmly.
I scoff. “You heard him Lorc. He’s going to kill you if I don’t go with him.”
Lorcen shakes his head. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I laugh at him somewhat hysterically.
“He’s the devil Lorcen! The ruler of hell. He’s the second most powerful being after god. You can’t stop him, none of us can.” I slide to the floor and put my face on my knees. I feel so utterly powerless right now and I hate it. Rage burns inside me. I won’t let him take Lorcen. I’d rather spend an eternity in hell than live in a world where Lorcen d
idn’t exist. I would sacrifice everything for my mate just as I know he would for me if the tables were reversed.
Once I have managed to calm down we re-join my dad and Scott and sit and wait and silently pray for my mum. Eventually the door opens and a tall man with a warm smile fills the doorway. He introduces himself as the surgeon.
“The surgery went well. We managed to stop the bleeding. The next forty-eight hours will be critical, but we are optimistic.”
You can feel the instant relief in the room. We all shake his hand and thank him for what he has done. I finally feel like I can breathe again. I know we aren’t out of the woods yet but it looks positive. Taylor turns up at six and rushes to hug me and then Scott and my dad.
“I came as soon as I could.” She tells us. Scott clings to her hand and I feel glad knowing that he has Taylor to lean on. “how is she?”
“Out of surgery and doing okay.” I tell her giving her a hopeful smile. My phone chooses that moment to ping and I take my phone out and open a text from Blaine.
We are still in Camden. Hope your Mum is okay?
I met her Ebs! She is perfect.
For the first time since I left Camden I smile. Blaine has met her!
I pass my phone to Lorcen and he reads the message on screen and it brings a smile to his face too.
I text Blaine back and let him know how mum is. I tell him I can’t wait to meet her. I rest my head on Lorcen’s shoulder and can’t help but smile to myself. They have found my sister!
At some point I must have fallen asleep because I am being gently shaken awake. I lazily open my eyes to find Taylor leaning over me.
“They have said you can go and see her.” She tells me grinning and I jump out of my seat.
“We can?” My Dad nods looking a lot better than he did an hour ago.
“Family only.” Dad tells me. I nod and move to leave the room my hand pulling Lorcen along.
“Ebs.” Scott pipes up touching my shoulder. “Family only.” His eyes move to Lorcen and I’m just about to protest that he is family when I remember that of course here in this world he is simply my boyfriend.
“Sorry.” I tell them and give Lorcen an apologetic look and he responds by just smiling in understanding and taking a seat besides Taylor.
When we enter the room and I see my mum, I falter in my steps. Machines beep and wires are everywhere and there in the centre of it all lies my mum. A white bandage covers her head.
The nurse calmly explains to us what the machines are and for not to worry about the noises they make. She tells us to talk to her and hold her hands. I walk to one side of the bed and ever so gently I stroke her hand and lean into her ear.
“I love you mummy. Please fight. We need you.”
Scott comes to stand beside me putting his arm around my shoulder and he reaches out to touch her too.
“Hey mum. I love you so much.” His voice cracks a little with emotion and I squeeze his other hand in affection. Dad is round the other side of the bed and he strokes her hand, his eyes filled with unshed tears as he tries to hold it together. I don’t think I have ever seen my Dad look so lost and afraid.
We have ten minutes with her before the nurse comes back and kindly tells us it’s time to leave. I look pleadingly at the nurse and then at Scott and Dad.
“Please can I just have one minute alone with her.”
The nurse looks like she is about to say no, but she takes another look at my pleading face and tells me I have one minute. As soon as they are all out of sight I take a steadying breath and place my hands near my mother’s head and close my eyes. I call upon my magic and will it to heal her. A soft yellow glow surrounds her head where my hands are positioned and I don’t know how but somehow, I know that my mum is going to be okay.
I place a kiss on her cheek and tell her I will see her real soon and then make my way back to the family room.
I stumble slightly when I enter and Lorcen quickly moves to my side to support me. “Woah, Ebs. You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah I just feel a bit faint.”
My dad comes over and looks at me concerned. “Ebony sweet, you look pale. Why don’t you go home and get some rest. We’ll call if there are any changes.”
I’m reluctant to agree but after persuasion from the others I agree to go home with Lorcen. We sift home and Lorcen carries me straight to bed.
“I used my magic to make sure her head was okay.” I offer in explanation as to why I am so tired.
Lorcen tucks me in and smiles. “Sleep Ebs. You’ve had an eventful few days.”
Chapter Twenty Four.
I don’t remember falling to sleep but I am woken by a knocking at the door. Lorcen is fast asleep beside me, so I quietly pad downstairs to the front door. When I open it there is no one out there, but there on the floor is a white envelope with my name written in black ink on the front. I take it inside and sit down to open it.
You have two weeks.
Lucifer.
The next day the hospital are astounded by how well my mum is recovering and tell us she is now stable. I get to have fifteen minutes with her and afterwards we sift straight over to Camden and to the house that Megan has somehow managed to rent at very short notice.
“What is she like?” I eagerly ask them all after giving them an update on my mum and my visit from Lucifer.
“She is lovely.” Megan tells me smiling. “Friendly. She appears to have had a very happy childhood.”
I smile at this news. Our mother would be relieved to know she has been happy and loved.
“How did she react to you?” I ask Blaine. Excited to know how their first meeting went.
Blaine smiles from ear-to-ear. “She passed out.”
“No?” I say grinning in return.
“She said her heart was racing. That’s a good sign, right?” He asks me. “I mean you passed out when Lorcen was near once didn’t you?”
“Actually, I have that effect on most girls.” Lorcen grins jokingly and winks at me.
I roll my eyes at him and return my attention to Blaine. “He wishes. Actually, when I fainted it was because I was dream walking not because of Lorcen but I did feel this buzz when he was around or when we touched.”
“Okay, so what do we do next?” Noah asks. He sits munching on a sandwich, the mayo dripping down his chin.
“You invite her over tonight.” I tell Megan. “Say you are having a few friends around and I’ll be here.”
Megan nods but chews on her lip and looks at me unconvinced.
“Spit it out.” I tell her.
“Well it’s just I’m not sure that such a great idea. It could really freak her out you know.”
I sigh. “We don’t have the luxury of time.” I reply. “You know with my other sister and the cauldron.”
I’m actually more thinking about the fact that in two weeks I’m likely to be holed up in hell. Everyone nods in agreement and we all agree that it will happen tonight and we’ll deal with her reaction as best we can.
We sift home for the rest of the day leaving the others to remain in Camden. School is still closed due to there being no power courtesy of my favourite red-haired fae boy.
We head back to the hospital and I get to see mum again while Taylor takes Scott and Dad home to shower and change.
“I have to go away mum.” I tell her sadly. “I could be gone for a long time. I need you to wake up. I need to know before I go that you are okay.” I stroke her hand. “Please don’t be mad with me, but you see I have to protect you all and doing this is the only way I can. It will kill me being away from you all but better that than to lose any of you.”
That evening we sift back to Camden and we all anxiously await her arrival. Megan has gone to pick her up. I am nervous as hell. I have been where she is, ignorant of the world we really exist in, thinking fae and demons are things from books and films.
“They’re here.” Noah announces from his position at the window. I nod and take that as my cue to
disappear into the next room and close the door.
I hear them come in and recognise Megan’s voice and then I hear hers. Her voice is warm and friendly. It is strange hearing her voice for the first time. I hear the voices of the others and I pace anxiously up and down the bedroom. The door opens and Megan comes in.
“Are you ready?”
I gulp and let out a big breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
I follow her out and into the living room. At first, she doesn’t notice me as she is busy chatting away with Blaine. I stop in my tracks and watch her. We are so alike. When she smiles at Blaine it reminds me of our mum.
“Alana this is my friend Ebony.” Megan anounces and she turns and smiling faces me. I see it cross her face as she looks at me. She stands and walks over to me her eyes wide as she just looks at me.
“Why do you look like me?” She asks me her voice pitched high. She takes a step closer as if wanting to get a closer look and then she takes a step back. She looks to Blaine.
“Are you seeing this? She is my double. How is that possible?”
“Hi Alana.” I greet her. The nerves make my voice shaky. “Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you, we are identical.”
She takes a step forward again and observes every feature of my face. “This is fucking crazy right?!”
Okay here goes nothing, I think to myself. “Alana, we look alike because we are sisters.”
She laughs and I can tell by her face she is hoping I am joking.
“Sisters? I think I’d know if I had a sister.” She runs a shaky hand through her firey red hair.
“It’s the truth.” I tell her. “Your parents are not your biological parents. They adopted you as mine did me.”
She looks around the room at everyone, her mouth agape.
“This is some kind of joke you are all playing on me right?” She looks at them all individually, but no one answers her. Megan shuffles awkwardly on her feet.
I shake my head. “It isn’t a joke Alana I promise. If this were a joke would I be able to tell you that somewhere on your body you have what you think is a birthmark that looks like a circle with a star inside.”
