Faith entered the room and saw both Ed and Dan unconscious and bound to their chairs. She also saw that Ed had lost buckets of blood. Faith could, however, feel his life force, and that, at least, was something. She rushed over to him, released him from her spell, and looked at the wound on the back of his skull. He was still losing blood, and, as she’d done when her friend Beth had been shot during the summer, Faith put pressure on it. Unlike the incident with Beth, this time, Faith knew an incantation that would heal him. She ran her hand over the gash and said, “Fiat vobis in Deum.” Immediately, Ed’s wound began to close.
Once that was under control, she called 911 while tending to Dan. She released him, as well. Then Faith turned her attention to Maggie.
Maggie was frozen but alert. She had watched everything Faith had done but had been unable to move. As had Irena, who, as commanded by Faith’s incantation, stood frozen by the door. Irena stood frozen, waiting to pounce, holding her gun.
“Where do you find them?” Faith said to Maggie as she became aware of the statue by the door. Faith walked over and with a touch rendered the woman unconscious, and caught her as she fell to the floor, then kicking Irena’s gun over toward Ed.
Faith had never met Irena and had no idea that in addition to being a member of Maggie’s coven, she was her lawyer. They might have met the previous year, but for the fact that Irena had been out of the country researching the occult.
When Faith released Maggie from her frozen state, she said, “You’re a goddess.” Maggie was both awestruck and flatly terrified. Her last tangle with Faith had left her in a coma, and she didn’t want to suffer that again, or worse. In a somewhat desperate move, Maggie dove for Irena’s gun which was several feet from her.
Faith made short work of that idea, with a small hand gesture, sliding the gun closer to Ed, who was beginning to awaken. Opening his eyes, he looked at Maggie, Faith, and then looking down said, “At least I still have my penis,” Faith got his humor but couldn’t laugh because he’d been so severely injured.
“Don’t move,” Faith said. “You’ve been shot. I stopped the bleeding, but you’re still injured and could have a concussion.”
“I am woozy,” he said.
“Look,” Faith said, pointing at the floor, “You’ve lost a bucket load of blood.”
As Faith tended to Dan, they could hear the sirens of the police cars and ambulance.
Faith walked over to Irena, woke her and cleaned her mind of all that had happened since her arrival.
“We need to explain what happened,” Ed said, and flexing his own magic muscles, a bruise suddenly appeared on Irena’s face. “Hate to hit a lady, but she did try and kill me. I came to, got free, and decked her.”
“Works for me,” Faith said.
The riot finally contained, the unit’s medical staff accompanied the emergency team into the solarium.
“You should have called us,” a nurse said to Faith.
“I just got here.”
They brought in gurneys and got both Ed and Dan ready for transport.
“How the hell did they get a gun in here,” one of the nurses asked.
Maggie just smiled.
Faith could see that Ed’s wound was rapidly healing, and Dan was beginning to regain consciousness.
“Restrain her,” Dan said to an attendant, weakly pointing at Maggie.
The attendant was about to take her away when Faith said, “Restrain her but leave her here with me for a moment.”
“I don’t want to stay here,” Maggie protested.
The attendant looked at Faith, who said, “You’ll leave her with me, for a few minutes.”
He nodded and said, “Of course, Dr. Ferguson.”
Once they were alone, Maggie was about to explain her rationale, such as it was, but Faith waved her hand and Maggie, once again, could not speak.
“You’re very ill,” Faith said. “I know that.” Then stepping toward her, Faith put her hands on either side of her head, and delved into Maggie’s mind, carefully removing what she’d seen that day, and, what she had seen nine months earlier. She offered the suggestion that Maggie’d had a stroke and let her go.
Maggie was now sobbing, and said, “I’m so sorry. I must have been so ill.”
“You were, but, obviously, you’re better now.”
Faith called for the attendants to take Maggie to her room.
******
Faith followed the ambulance to the Howland Medical Center and, while Ed was having an MRI, waited in the emergency room with Dan.
“How was Maggie when you left?”
“It was the darnedest thing. Either Maggie had some sort of epiphany, or she was just faking, but she apologized. She was actually crying. In any case, as you instructed, she’s restrained and locked her in her room.”
“Good, you know she was faking, don’t you?”
“I’m sure that your right,” Faith said.
“What happened to the lawyer?” Dan asked.
“Ed came to, got free, and hit her.”
Being wheeled past them on his way back into the ER, Ed said, “I think that I just had one good punch in me. Glad it worked … Listen, have you got any CCTV surveillance in there? It would be helpful for the case.”
“No, we’ve got it in the hallways and community room, but not in there. Guess we should put some in.”
“You should have it everywhere that you legally can. These days, you just never know what someone’s going to do or where. But there are the two of us to testify about this attack.”
Ed winked at Faith because what he’d really been concerned about was whether or not they had to sanitize any tape. She gave him a knowing smile.
Both Dan and Ed were to be kept overnight, as Dan had a badly broken leg and Ed had some cracked ribs and a mild concussion.
Faith walked along as Ed was brought to his room, and once he was settled, said, “I’m going to take a run down the hall and make sure that Dan’s all right. He’s not married, and his family lives out of state.”
“Should I be worried?” Ed said with a small smile.
“Well, if I didn’t love you so much, maybe. He is a really wonderful man.”
“Okay, I feel better.”
Faith arrived at Dan’s door to see him having his vitals taken and his IV being adjusted by an attentive nurse.
“They love me around here, he said. I’m on the staff.”
“I’m sure they do. How are you feeling?”
“I’ve got small fractures in my right knee and shin. They told me she hit me with a bat. I don’t understand why she’d hit me when I was out cold. So, we know she’s not cured, right?” Dan asked again, ever the teacher.
“I guess, but I think miracles can happen.”
“No, they can’t. Well, maybe they can, but I’ve never seen one, so I’m going with science. She’s a psychopath, and that’s not going to change.”
“Think she’ll ever be released?”
“That’s up to the judge, and me, I suppose. If he sentences her to life, it’ll be up to me, at some point, to decide if she can be furloughed. Are you worried about her getting out?”
“Strangely, no. I’m hoping that she’ll be well enough to go back to her home, at some point. She really loves it.”
“Didn’t she just have someone kill her niece?”
“I know. I can be a softie, sometimes.”
“Come to work with me full-time, and I’ll cure you of that.”
“I’m not sure that I want to be cured, but I can tell you that this part-time thing is working for me. Do you think we can keep it going?”
“I do. If you promise to consider med school.”
“I have been thinking about it. When you’re better, we can look at what courses it would take, considering what I’ve already got.”
‘Actually, I’ll look at it while I’m stuck here. I have to have surgery on my leg tomorrow, so I’ll be in for a while after that.”
“I thought
you said small breaks,” Faith said, looking concerned.
“There is one, not so small, compound fracture.”
“Oh, God, I’m so sorry.”
“It will be a pain trying to get around.”
“Ned will wheel you around if need be.”
“You bet I will,” Ned said, coming through the door.
Faith smiled broadly at the sight of him.
“I take one day off, one day, and look at you. How the hell did they get the drop on you? Haven’t I trained you better than that?”
“You have, but she had a gun.”
Faith laughed at their brotherly repartee.
“I’ll let you two work this out. I’ve got another patient to check on.” And looking at Dan, she said, “I’ll see – you – tomorrow.”
“You’ll see the both of us. I’ve taken a few days off to help him out.”
Dan was about to protest when Ned shot him a look. Putting his hands up in surrender, he said. “See you tomorrow.”
Faith returned to Ed’s room, and he asked, “How’s Dan doing?”
“He’s okay. Needs surgery on his knee.”
“I’m not surprised. She had a baseball bat for Christ’s sake.”
“You know I could cure you, but …”
“I know, we have to be normal.”
Faith stayed with him for the rest of the day, but that night, he was much improved, and so she went home.
******
As Faith made herself some dinner, she made a mental call to Beth.
‘Can’t you use the phone,’ Beth said as she felt her friend make the connection.
‘I’m cooking. You don’t want me to burn the house down, do you?’ Faith said.
‘No, I do not. There’s almost no place I love as much as your cozy condo. So, what’s going on?’ After Faith updated her friends as to the day’s events, Beth said, ‘What a weekend.’
‘I know, right: dark gods, psychopaths, and gun-wielding lawyers.’
‘What next?’
‘Well, that’s the thing. Still have this feeling of dread. So, what is next?’ Faith said.
‘Braden Druce, I guess,” Beth said. ‘But didn’t Finn just take out his god?’
‘That’s the thing, Aaron told Ed that Phthonus lent them Alastor. You do remember him, don’t you?’
‘Seems like ages ago.’
‘Well, the God was only here to get revenge for losing him. Phthonus was not a part of Braden’s plan. Whatever that is.’
‘So, we’re still on alert. Your grandfather has been feeling it all day. We can talk about it tomorrow night at dinner.’
‘I’m looking forward to that,’ Faith said.
‘Me too. See you then. Now get out of my head.’
‘Will do. Dinner’s ready. Luv ya.’
******
After eating, Faith was still feeling unsettled and thought that in her current mood of worry and frustration, it would help to commune with a magical friend, albeit a new one. She made herself comfortable, rested her eyes, and silently asked to meet with Elise. As usual, seconds later, Faith was with her. Although, once again, Faith was in a different location. She looked around at her surroundings and said, “All right, this is sort of why I’m here. I’m tired of things being dribbled out to me. “Where are we?”
“You’ve been given the gift to see into the universe, and you’re complaining.”
“Yes, I am. I don’t need to know the secrets of the universe, but I’d like to know where I am, who you really are, and why me? Oh,” and she added with a wicked grin, “What’s up with you and Finn?”
Elise ignored her question about Finn and began to deal with Faith’s more significant questions.
“There are many realms. This one is where mortals go after their life on Earth.”
“Is this room real, or is it an illusion?”
“Real.”
“Fine. Thank you. I know I sound arrogant, but in one year, I’ve gone from an average young woman living in Boston to something out of one of my science fiction books.”
“That’s not entirely true. You were always Buidseach.”
“But it had precious little impact on my life.”
“Until you embraced it.”
“Right, and I’m beginning to wonder if that was such a good idea. If I run into one more evil demi-god, my head will explode.”
Elise laughed and said, “It has been a wild ride, I’ll give you that.”
“Is it over?”
“I’m not a prophet, but I do know there are still some bad actors out there, so I’d say, not yet.”
Faith sat down on one of two pale blue velvet chairs that flanked a white marble hearth and said, I have questions about why I only found my power, last summer.”
“My mother told me, that she didn’t know she was Angeal until she was attacked in her youth. She said some boys attacked her and suddenly her powers increased exponentially. When I was attacked, I tried to use my powers, but nothing happened. I wanted to untie the rope that bound my hands, but nothing happened. Why?”
Faith’s life up until this past summer had been a contradiction. One the one hand, she was well aware that her parents, grandfather, and friends on Unst were practicing witches, but, on the other, she chose to turn a blind eye to all of it.
She had participated in The Dearbhadh, a confirmation like ceremony that young witches took part in at the age of twelve or thirteen where they thanked God for their gifts and embraced them. She had, however, only given lip service to the ceremony, and had never embraced her heritage. That was until the previous December, where under extreme duress she managed to eke out a small sampling of her abilities, and free herself and Ed from their captors. She had, however, barely managed to get free, and after that, she agreed to revisit her relationship with witchcraft.
“You had turned your back on your God-given gifts.”
“So being tortured for days was my punishment.”
“No. You didn’t want magic. Your power comes from the Divine. It’s there. You could have used it, but you’d rejected it. You didn’t really believe that you had it, did you?”
“I don’t know. I knew I could do some things.”
“Of course, you knew it, but you didn’t believe it. When you finally had to use it to save Ed, your subconscious took over. The part that wouldn’t let your conscious mind’s doubt kick in. You summoned up enough power to disable those women.”
“So how was this past summer that different?”
Faith’s true nature as a Fáidh was revealed when she stood with her family against An Dubh.
“You were still unsure, but you took your place and used your power for good. That’s when exceptional power is revealed.”
“My mother’s Angeal, Finn’s dia. And I’m Fáidh. How many others like us are on Earth.
“None.”
“You’re kidding?”
“There are only about ten thousand Buidseach. The Ferguson family has long been the most powerful. One or two other exceptional beings may be born in your lifetime. They may be in your family, they may not, but it’s very rare.”
“Okay, here’s the big question. What the heck am I?
“A Goddess.”
“Holy Mother of God,” Faith said.
“No, but close.”
“Oh, stop, now you are kidding,” Faith said.
“Yes, of course, I am.”
“Am I more powerful than Finn?” Faith asked with a gleam in her eye,” thinking how she’d like to lord that over him.
“Not on Earth, but in this realm, yes. He is a demi-God. You are one of the Gods of light. There are just a few of you, and they look forward to your arrival, but, Faith, no rush. You’ve got a wonderful and, I hope, long life on Earth ahead of you. And, word to the wise, no one on Earth needs to know about your being a goddess. I know you can trust your family, but they might actually look at you in a different light, so to speak.”
“And it might make me a
target,” Faith said. Her mother had cautioned her not to let others know that she was a Fáidh.
“Oh, but familiars know instinctively that you’re Godlike.”
“So, Ed?”
“He’s just coming to grips with his own powers but, once he does, he’ll become aware of your divinity.”
Faith’s eyes saddened.
“No, it won’t change how he feels about you. Familiars are part human, and part divine, themselves. Elspeth has always known.
“Can I talk to her about it?”
“I wouldn’t dwell on it, but it’s alright to tell her that you know.”
“Good, because I’m going to kill her for not telling me.”
“It was her divine duty not to. Familiars seem normal and unassuming, but they are so much more.”
It was at this point, the Divine appeared. He put his hands out, and she responded by putting out her own. They became a translucent glow of loving light, and Faith finally understood who she was and from where her talents came. He released her hands, and she looked at him with love and understanding.
He disappeared with no fanfare, and when he was gone, Elise said, “Well, I guess that answers your questions.”
That experience had forever changed Faith. She completely understood her power and her relationship to the Divine. She answered Elise with a new emotional maturity.
“It did. I’m so grateful to both of you. Now I can live my life with understanding and purpose.” Quickly reverting to her irreverent self; however, Faith said, “But I’m still gonna kill Beth.”
“Before I go, one more question, “Is my coming to you a terrible imposition?”
“Not at all, you’re just a friend dropping by.”
“But how often should I ‘drop by?’
“As often as you like, but you’ll be happier if it’s less than more. You can feel torn if you spend too much time here. I’ll miss you when I don’t see you but, time is different here, and I know you’ll be with us soon. Oh, and don’t forget that your power comes from the Divine and you shouldn’t eschew him for me. He won’t be upset, but you just saw the difference between my guidance and his. His is more better,” she said with a laugh.
The Power of Faith: Science Fiction Faith Ferguson Series Book 3 Page 27
