Bound by Magic

by Nicole Coverdale

  “You know I can’t do that, Elijah,” Julie whispered, wishing that she could help him. It wasn’t fair, him being stuck here, but what could she do? Her sisters would kill her if they found out the truth. “My sisters don’t know that you’re still alive, and they’re watching me like a hawk. The moment I do anything to help you, they’ll know and they’ll kill me for it!”

  “Except, the truth is going to come out one way or another,” Elijah said, sadness washing over him, as he faded into the shadows. “You can’t run from it forever.”

  Julie groaned, opening her eyes and blinking into the darkness of the room.

  Am I back? She wondered, as she sat up in the bed, and shoved the now soaked covers off of her. She rose to her feet, stretching her arms above her head, staring around at the light, pink walls that surrounded her. Her maple dresser, the matching armoire, and the floral pictures hanging around the room. Yup, I’m back, she thought, as she strode across the room. That had been so weird! she thought. Being in the wasteland. Seeing Dad, all the demons. It was kind of like a warped version of Freaky Friday!

  She paused at the window, brushing the curtain to the side, and stared out into the night. Quiet as can be, she thought, staring out at the abandoned street, and raised her head to the sky. She stared above at the pitch-black sky, and the twinkling stars lying in the large mass as she thought of Elijah.

  Did I do the right thing? she wondered, as she thought of the man she had married. Should I have helped him? Will he hate me for what I’ve done?

  The thoughts swirled through her head, and she sighed, turning away from the window. She wasn’t going to get her answers staring out into the night, and even though she dreaded the day when it came, she knew that Elijah was right. The truth would come out one way or another.

  She strode across the room, pulling the door open, and walked out into the hallway. Silence echoed through the dark house, and she trotted down the steps, walking into the kitchen. Pulling open the cupboard, she grabbed a glass from the shelf as the door behind her suddenly opened.

  What the hell?

  She glanced over her shoulder, setting down the glass as a giggle sounded nearby. The sound of a grunt sounded, and she clenched her hand. So help me, someone had better not be breaking into this house! she thought, as a shadow loomed toward her and she threw her hand forward. Bright, orange flames flung from her fingers, streaking through the air toward the intruder.

  “Ahh!”

  The high-pitched scream echoed throughout the house, and Julie cringed as the lights came on. Uh oh. Looks like someone woke up to all the commotion.

  “Julie?” Josslyn walked into the room, frowning at her as she rubbed her eyes, a light, blue nightgown hugging her thin body frame as she walked. “What are you doing down here? It’s three in the morning.”

  “I needed a glass of water,” Julie said, rolling her eyes. “Not that I need your permission for that.”

  “Julie—”

  “And I think someone’s trying to break into the house,” Julie said, interrupting her protest. “I heard something.”

  “What you heard was me!” Josi whispered, flipping the light on, as she walked into the kitchen, holding a hand to her shoulder. “Julie! You got me!”

  “Josi. Oh my God!” Josslyn shoved past Julie, racing toward her daughter. “Julie, do you see this?” she asked, looking at Julie over her shoulder. “Do you see what you just did?”

  “What I did? What about her?” Julie asked, stabbing a finger at Josi. “It’s three in the morning, Joss! What is she doing sneaking into the house? Last I knew, it’s way past curfew.”

  “Hey, Josi, are we still going upstairs?” a young, blonde-haired man asked, poking his head into the room.

  “Uh. I don’t think so,” Josslyn said, staring at the boy. “Who are you?”

  “I—”

  “Don’t answer that,” Josi said, smiling at the boy over her shoulder.

  “He’d better answer it, or I’m calling the cops,” Josslyn said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

  “I think I’m going to go,” the boy said, backing away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Josi.”

  “Good idea,” Josslyn said, as the door slammed shut.

  “Josslyn! Why did you do that?” Josi asked, staring at her mother. “Do you have any idea who that was?”

  “I don’t really care,” Josslyn said. “You’re in big trouble, Josi, because Julie is right. It’s way past curfew and you have school tomorrow.”

  “So?”

  “So?” Josslyn stared at her, shocked at the girl’s nonchalant behavior. “Josi! We have rules in this house, and…” she trailed off, gripping Josi’s chin in her hand. “Are you drunk?”

  “No.”

  “High.”

  “No.” Josi giggled. “Well, maybe a little bit of both.”

  “Okay, that’s it. Get your butt up the stairs… now!” Josslyn shouted, dragging Josi to her feet. “I’ll be up in a few minutes to check on you and take care of that burn, so don’t you dare think about skipping out on me.”

  “What? You’re not going to yell at me? Ground me?”

  “Not now, because you’ll never remember it,” Josslyn said, as she locked the door behind her. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  Josi just stared at her, and disappeared out of the room. Her feet sounded on the stairs, and Josslyn sighed, glancing over at Julie. “Well, I guess there’s no denying that’s my kid, huh?”

  “Did you ever have any doubts?” Julie asked, opening the refrigerator. “Want a drink, sis?”

  “Oh, you know I do!” Josslyn said, walking up to the island, and leaning against it. She glanced at Julie, as she poured the liquor into the glasses. “Rough night, Julie?”

  “They’re all rough,” Julie said, screwing the cap back on the bottle of whiskey and setting it on the island in front of them. “All I ever do is think about him. I can’t sleep. I barely eat. It’s driving me crazy!”

  “You did the right thing, Julie,” Josslyn said, taking the glass, and bringing it to her lips. She winced, the harsh liquid rolling down her throat. “You had to get rid of him.”

  “I know,” Julie lied, wincing inwardly. How many times had she lied to them now?

  “Have you thought about talking to someone? I bet Jade could get you in to see Cynthia.”

  “This isn’t like that, Joss. I just need time. I lost the man I love! You can’t expect me to get over that in just a few weeks. Not when I have a constant reminder of him inside of me.” Julie held a hand to her stomach. “Which reminds me, I can’t drink this.” She shoved the second glass of whiskey toward Josslyn.

  “So instead, you want me to get drunk?” Josslyn asked, grinning mischievously, as she took the glass and chugged the liquor. “There. Happy?”

  “Very.”

  “And I do understand what you’re saying, Julie,” Josslyn said, as she slammed the glass down on the counter. “I mean, I might not understand exactly how you’re feeling, and my feelings for Elijah are much different from yours. Not to mention that he’s the father of my kids, and your husband. That’s just weird!”

  “Joss.”

  “Right. Back to what I was saying.” Josslyn pointed a finger. “But I hate what this whole ordeal has done to you! You’re always exhausted, Julie! It’s like these dreams are taking more out of you then they should. I know. You’re in pain. You’re pregnant. You've got a lot going on, but you’re not acting like yourself! Since when do you throw fire and ask questions later? You’ve always been the level head in this family!”

  “Since I realized I’m not the same person I used to be.”

  “And which is why we’re all a little hesitant to trust you so easily,” Josslyn said. “You’re not the same sister Jade and I grew up with. That girl was kind, and sweet, and…”

  “And let her sisters walk all over her,” Julie said, cutting her off. “I will not be that person anymore, Josslyn. I refuse to be. Yes, I made a decision
. A decision, that could have destroyed our family. Our family’s legacy, but let’s be honest, it could have happened to any of you.”

  “Which is why you need to give us time,” Josslyn continued, not blinking at Julie’s anger. Who knew that she would become the level one in the family? “We have a lot to process. A lot to think about.”

  “And you need to give me time too,” Julie put in. “I’m not the only one who made mistakes a couple of weeks ago. We all did. We all said things that we shouldn’t have, but let’s not forget that Jade told me I was dead to her if I chose Elijah.”

  “Julie…”

  “You know what. Let’s just forget it,” Julie said, throwing her hands up in the air. “You guys don’t trust me? Fine, I get it, so I guess I won’t trust any of you either!” She turned and strode out of the room.

  “Julie!”

  She heard Josslyn’s shout, but she didn’t care. She was so sick of this! How was it, that they could judge her for the decision she made, and not judge themselves? Sure, she might have given into the darkness. Sure, she might have chosen the underworld over her family, but she was still part of this family and she would be damned if she apologized one more time. This time, they could apologize—she was done.

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  “Agh. Can that thing shut up!” Josi cried, covering her pillow over her head, and burying her head into the mattress. “It hurts my head!”

  “That’s what you get for being out all night,” Jami said, sitting up in the bed, and stretching. She yawned, throwing the covers off her and bouncing across the room. “Come on, Josi! We’re going to be late!”

  “Agh. But I don’t want to!”

  “Is she whining again?” Jessi asked, poking her head out of the bathroom, as she brushed her teeth. “I swear that’s all she’s done since she got here.”

  “Why are you brushing your teeth?” Josi asked, peeking out from underneath the pillow. “You know Jade’s going to have breakfast ready, right?”

  “Oh, crap! I completely forgot!” Jessi cried. She disappeared into the bathroom, spitting into the sink, and quickly rinsing her mouth. “Come on! I wonder what she’s got cooked up this time!”

  “You know, it’s kind of funny how we went from living in a house with no breakfast, no food, no family, to one where we get to wake up to the smell of bacon!” Jami pulled the door open and stepped out into the hallway. “Ooh. It smells wonderful! Come on, Josi!”

  “Alright. I’m coming!” Josi grumbled, following her sisters down the hallway. “But I’m protesting! I don’t want to go to school!”

  “Oh, shut up, Josi!”

  Jami and Jessi giggled, racing down the steps. They rounded the corner, and walked into the kitchen, taking their seats at the table.

  “Good morning, Girls,” Jade said, turning from the stove, as she flipped the pancakes in the pan. “Ready for another day of school?”

  “I am!” Jami cried grinning. “Plus, I think this guy is going to ask me out.” She giggled. “He really is quite cute.”

  “Jami!” Jessi rolled her eyes. “You are so predictable!”

  “And you’re such a nerd.”

  “You’re right, I am,” Jessi said, sticking her tongue out at her sister. “That’s why I’m so excited for the science fair coming up! I think I finally figured out my project.”

  “Just don’t expect any of us to help you with it,” Josslyn said, as she walked into the room, groaning as she held a hand to her head. “None of us are very good at science.”

  “Well, Jasmine might be,” Jade pointed out. “I think she mentioned something about liking science. By the way, what happened to you?”

  “Whiskey and Julie.” She glanced over at Jade. “She’s still a bit…”

  “Of a pill?”

  “No. Just hurt. I think maybe we need to let up a little, Jade. This not trusting her… it’s getting kind of old.”

  “Not yet,” Jade said, as she poured pancake batter into the pan. “She needs to know that what she did wasn’t cool.”

  “But she’s right. She’s not the only one who made mistakes two weeks ago,” Josslyn said, sighing, and turning her attention to Josi. “And you. You and I need to talk.”

  “You’re going to lecture me? When you’re hungover?”

  “I’m of age,” Josslyn said, stabbing a finger at her daughter. She sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. “Look, Josi, I know you haven’t been here very long. Heck, I know we haven’t known each other very long, but as long as you are under my roof there are some rules you need to follow or there will be strict consequences.”

  “And I suppose you never snuck out at night? Never got drunk? High?” Josi asked, staring at her mother.

  Jade laughed from where she was standing in front of the stove. “You’re kidding, right? Josslyn was out almost every night when she was younger! I don’t think there was a party she didn’t go to.”

  “Jade.”

  “Whoops. Sorry.” Jade pressed her lips together, turning back to her breakfast. “Carry on.”

  “Anyways,” Josslyn drew in another breath, trying to gather her thoughts. “What I was saying is, both Jami and Jessi know the rules and have no problems staying in, and so should you. I feel like I’ve been pretty fair. Curfew is at eleven on school nights and midnight on the weekends. That’s fair, don’t you think?”

  “I guess so.”

  “And school is important, Josi. It makes you use your brain, which I know you have, and it’ll help you make a great future for yourself.”

  “But I’m not planning on going to college.”

  “What?”

  Jasmine entered the kitchen, braking to a stop and staring at Josi. “Josi, why not? I went to college and have a great job! And look at me now. I’m getting my law degree!”

  “But I hate school!” Josi cried. “It’s so boring! Sitting there, listening to the teachers drown on about their subject. It makes me want to pull my hair out of my head. I want to get out there! Do something. Anything!”

  “You know, you could help me around the bar,” Jade put in. “You’re fifteen, it’s within the law, plus it would give you something to do.”

  “You would really do that?” Josi asked. “Let me help around the bar?”

  Jade shrugged. “Why not? As long as you promise to be home by curfew and get good grades. Josslyn’s right, Josi. School is important. Josslyn and I both didn’t graduate from college, and I regret it. Someday I’ll go back, but we don’t want the same life for you that we have. We want it to be better, which includes, a college degree.”

  “How about we just finish high school first, then we can worry about college,” Josslyn said. “But first, give me your phone, Josi.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Because you’re grounded,” Josslyn said, as Josi slammed the phone into her hand. “One week. No internet. No computer, and no phone. You’ll come home straight from school and do your homework, right here.” She pointed at the table they were sitting at. “Understood?”

  “But…”

  “Do you understand?” Josslyn held a hand to her ear. “I can’t hear you.”

  “Yes, I understand!” Josi shouted, shoving away from the table. “And I hate you! I wish I’d never met you, and I hate that you’re my mom!”

  She raced out of the room, the door slamming loudly overhead.

  “Well, that went well,” Jami muttered, as she snatched a piece of bacon from the plate Jade placed on the table. “Don’t worry, Mom. She’ll get over it. She’s just got a temper.”

  “It’s the Morgan way,” Jasmine said, as she took a seat at the table. “So, Jessi, I heard you’ve got a project picked out for your science project? Tell me what it is! I’m dying to know.”

  “Well…”

  “Oh my God, Jade, this bacon is delicious!” Jami cried, drowning out Jami, snatching another piece of bacon from the plate. “You really are a miracle worker in the kitchen. You’re going to make
me fat!”

  “I don’t think that’s possible,” Sky said, as he walked in the room. He paused next to Jasmine, pressing a kiss to her cheek, and squeezing her shoulder before reaching for the orange juice. “You Morgans have a great metabolism.”

  “Speaking of being a Morgan,” Jasmine glanced at her two sisters in the room. “I’m thinking about changing my last name, officially, to Morgan. I’m done being a Nichols.”

  “What!” Jade dropped the spatula in her hand, staring at Jasmine. “You… you’re changing your name?”

  “Why not? I mean I am family, aren’t I?”

  Jade snorted. “Jasmine, of course you’re family! I just didn’t know you wanted to change it is all.”

  Jasmine shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, plus, I think I’ve earned it after all we’ve been through together.”

  “I, for one, think it’s a great idea,” Julie said, as she walked into the room and picked a muffin from the basket on the counter. “Don’t listen to Jade, Jasmine. She’s just a regular, old nag.”

  “At least I didn’t marry a demon,” Jade put in.

  Julie glared at Jade, then glanced at the rest of the family. “Well I’m off. I’ll see you guys later!”

  “Wait! Julie, you’re not going to eat with us?” Jasmine asked.

  Julie glanced over at Jasmine, then back at Jade. “Well, is she going to be here?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “Then, no. I’m not going to eat with you,” she said, taking a bite out of the muffin. “Plus, I have a job interview to get to.”

  “Wait? You have a job interview?” Josslyn asked. “When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell us?”

  “Because we haven’t exactly been on speaking terms,” Julie said, glancing back at Jade. “And no, you don’t get to know where. Bye!”

  She breezed out of the room, grabbing her keys off the counter, and disappeared out the front door. The front door slammed shut and Jade winced, glancing at everyone still sitting around the table. “So, I guess she’s still mad at me?”