by Mia Fox
Raven moved down the table, stopping directly behind me. “What a sweet little genie. Everyone loves you. You serve so selflessly. Or do you?”
“Remember this? ‘Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ That catchy phrase was spoken by one of your Releasors, historian Lord Acton, who get this...also called himself a moralist. Typical...” she added with a tsk.
I met Raven’s stare and even I was taken aback by the sheer hostility and hatred she spewed at me.
“Suzette,” she spat, using my formal name to emphasize her point, “Your Releasors are not perfect. None of them have been. That Lord Acton was a stuck-up, stodgy old man... who you,” she said staring at me, “for whatever reason thought was a bloody genius. He also said, ‘Great men are almost always bad men,’ and yet, even after him, you continue to grant wishes to anyone who releases you without a second thought as to what they want.”
“What’s your point, Raven?”
“You don’t know what to do with absolute power. You say wishes have to be made in the name of selflessness, but you are smart enough to know that a clever man can twist his words. You, who have served the likes of Aleister Crowley...selflessness my ass.”
“That’s enough, Raven,” James spoke up.
“James, my heart be still,” Raven mocked, placing a hand on her chest. “Always the protector, you just can’t help yourself...misguided loyalty even to those who don’t deserve it.”
“Are you referring to yourself?” he spat out.
“Perhaps I’m referring to any number of women? It seems that often times, your baby brain...you know, the one that resides in your Southern regions,” she said mocking my origins again while her eyes boldly traveled down to James’ lap, “does the thinking for you.”
James turned toward me, either to reassure me or gauge my reaction to Raven’s diatribe. The pain of realizing that James and Raven had once been lovers was still too fresh and raw to revisit. I lowered my head in spite of not wanting Raven to see she had hit a nerve.
“And dear, innocent Charlotte and Samantha,” Raven continued. She moved behind the two girls who were seated side-by-side, and ran her hand down Charlotte’s straight hair and continued to stroke it with one hand as if she were a pet. With the other, she turned to Samantha and placed it under her chin, forcing her eyes to look directly at her. “You two think you’re innocent of all evil? You’ve both dallied in selfish behavior, which is what landed you here.
This time I spoke up, outraged. “Their behavior was never selfish. It was their thoughts and concern for each other that got them into trouble. That is evidence of their goodness.”
“But that goodness that you speak of was laced in a desire to act on each other’s behalf because they didn’t want to be alone. They brought all of this upon each of you. Have you enjoyed your little vacation here?”
Raven watched the truth spread across each of our faces. “Of course not. I didn’t think so.”
“Why are you here?!” Phineas exploded, the frustration at having nearly been free of his partner only to be reminded that he was bound to her...that she would always know where he was and what he was thinking...thrown back in his face.
Raven simply smiled at him, knowing that his outburst was only a sign of his demon youth in comparison to Raven’s extended life.
“Careful.” James words echoed in his head and Phineas bit his tongue, but his Celtic Knot no sooner started to burn and he involuntarily jumped at the shock of the sudden heat.
Raven narrowed her eyes and looked at him curiously. Instinctively, Phineas grit his teeth to deal with the pain. But something else attracted her eye. Like a magpie attracted to bright, shiny objects, Raven immediately spied the Amulet of Pollox, which was also glowing around Charlotte’s neck, again radiating different colors like it has never done before.
She reached for it, but her outstretched hand was greeted by a bolt of lightening. Any yet, not a cloud was in the sky. Raven turned to Phineas and then over to me, trying to determine which one of us could have so boldly struck her. Upon seeing the fire burning in my eyes, she had her answer.
“Don’t be stupid,” she spoke to me.
Feeling more brazen than ever, along with a deep instinct to protect my Releasors, I commanded her, “Leave.”
“I’m not a dog to be ordered about. I’ll do as I want.”
She circled to the other side of the table, keeping her eyes on me all along. James placed his hand on my knee under the table, ready to help if I required it. My powers over the elements were strong again, now that I was used to the atmosphere in the Romani Realms, but James knew better than anyone how Raven could get under one’s skin and make them do something they regretted.
She was also incredibly perceptive.
She bypassed me and came to stand right next to James. “You know, if there’s one thing I’ve learned...once you have a man, it’s hard to go back to a boy...although with the right training,” she said smiling at Phineas and sending Charlotte’s confidence into the ground, “a boy can grow into an incredible lover as well. I guess, when one thinks about it, it’s men who are dogs.” Her comments were meant to backhand everyone seated: James for having made the mistake of sleeping with Raven in the name of protection; Phineas for allowing himself to act on evil simply because his lover commanded it. Charlotte and I were both slapped again with the knowledge that we would never be able to forget the fact that such a hateful woman had compromised the men we had fallen for.
Only Samantha and Daniel seemed to escape her words.
An eerie silence fell over the group seated around the table as if the curious nature of her omission crossed each person’s mind simultaneously.
Phineas put a hand to his Celtic Knot, and then trying his new found trick that James had taught, he tried to communicate, although initiating mind conversation was harder than responding to it. When no words entered James’ mind, Phineas simply kicked him under the table, meeting James’ glare head on and then with his eyes, indicated he had something important to say.
“Yes?” James asked silently, his tone annoyed.
“The Triad.” Phineas responded, not able to say more than a few words given his recency over learning this new skill.
“Yeah, you’re one of the lucky ones at this table. What about it?”
“There’s more,” was all Phineas could muster.
“For heaven’s sake,” James rolled his eyes, and noticed Raven now pouring herself a glass of wine, relishing how uncomfortable everyone at the table was growing. “Suki...” James spoke to me, his voice silent, but strong in my mind. “Phin has something to say and can’t quite spit it out. Something about the Triad and ‘there’s more’...just can’t tell me what that is,” he gave a false smile to Phineas.
I immediately answered in James’ head. “There’s more...more to the prophecy...more Triads?”
James sent the question to Phineas. “Phin...your Celtic Knot, Charlotte’s Amulet...they bind you and together you have Shadow. So, do you mean that another Triad is available?”
Raven watched all of us. Phineas gave one nod in James’ direction and he knew that they had figured it out...as had Raven.
* * *
Chapter Twenty-Four
Suddenly, it all made sense. Raven would never have allowed this party to convene unless she knew about the possibility of forming a second Triad. With the countless number of soulless people, the Nephilim, the Buraqs...certainly she would have been able to direct a search party to intercept them...had she really wanted to. But now it became obvious that having them all gathered in one place was her next tactic.
“She’s willing to risk our escape in order to bring us together so that she can take one of our places,” James silently warned.
“I see the wheels turning in your minds,” Raven addressed me, while stabbing a piece of meat. The others ate in uncomfortable silence.
“Enjoy your food...our food, Raven,” I spoke up. “Beca
use then we’re leaving and you’re not coming with us.”
“That’s no way to speak to an old friend.”
“Don’t wind her up,” James reminded me. But it was so hard to ignore her.
Raven held her empty glass toward Phineas. “Can you give me refill...Darling?”
Phineas rolled his eyes, but filled her glass up. And then waited. Waited for the inevitable shoe to drop. Raven had something planned and we were helpless to endure her company until she decided to tell us.
“So, who’s going on a trip?” she finally asked.
“We all are,” Phineas declared. “Well, all of us except you.”
Raven shook her head in mock confusion. “Math was never your strong suit. Let’s do a counting lesson, shall we?” Holding up one fist, she counted off her fingers. “One, two, three...the definition of a Triad. And I see...” she pointed her red-polished nail at each person, “...seven. Why, that’s not even divisible by three.”
“This is my home. I stay,” Daniel spoke up, but no sooner stared down into his plate and continued eating. His words may have been neutral, but his tone gave away his sorrow.
“Wow Samantha, you found a very chivalrous young man here. Couldn’t be all bad, huh? But, his gallantry is for nothing because you’ll be right by his side...indefinitely.”
The pain on Samantha’s face was palatable, and I rose to be by her side. With a hand on her back, soothing Samantha’s tension, I worked to set Raven straight. “Samantha will be coming with us.”
“I see...somehow you think it’s possible to enlist two Triads.” Raven’s eyes blazed with the knowledge. I met James and Phineas’ gaze with worried eyes. They would have to make their move quickly, although now it was impossible to get word to Charlotte or Samantha. Unless we were all of like mind, and Raven’s reminder about Daniel remaining was certain to upset Samantha, we would not be successful in riding the gears of time out of the Realms.
Raven enjoyed mocking our pain and despair. “It’s really so much fun watching your brains twist and turn with so much effort. Do you need a little more help with the math? Here...” she said pushing up her sleeves as if preparing for a difficult job. “So, we take away Daniel and we’re left with six. I’m still not convinced you can handle two Triads, but it doesn’t matter...” she said casually pacing around the table... “the way I figure it, there will only be four of you remaining anyway. And that simply won’t work.”
Although we pretended to ignore Raven’s interruption by continuing to eat the delicious meal that Samantha and Daniel had prepared, our efforts were reduced to merely picking at an occasional bite and shifting the food around our plates. But even that minuscule effort ceased with Raven’s declaration. We stared at her, willing her to continue although hating her for the information.
“Goodie, I’ve got your attention again.” The sarcasm dripped from her voice. “Okay, so we’ve gone from seven to six. That was easy. Now, who do we take away?”
Raven pointed a finger at each person and below her breath whispered acerbically, “eenie-meenie-minie-mo.” She paused on Samantha, and raised her eyebrows to the group. “Here’s one.” And then she continued her childish show with another countdown until she stopped and pointed to Shadow, who had been sheltered to the threat of knowledge by Charlotte, who had kept her busy up until that point with colored pencils and paper.
With a deep sense of maternal instinct, Charlotte involuntarily shouted out, “No!” “I’m sorry dear Charlotte, today you will lose your friend once again and your...child...if that’s how you want to refer to this...”
“Stop it!” Charlotte yelled again, now standing up in full protective mode.
Raven pretended to back down, placing her hands up even though everyone was well aware that she could easily strike if she wanted. “I see I’ve upset you. Let me clear things up. You see, neither Samantha nor Shadow are really in human form. Shadow is an Encantado and did you forget that Samantha went over a cliff? She’s dead.”
“Samantha is fine,” I said, but the gravity of the situation had indeed been forgotten by all of us. Although we could interact with Samantha, she was only hovering in this Realm, unreal and dead to the other worlds. To leave with her would mean having to resurrect her soul and retrieve her spirit. As for Shadow, it remained to be seen whether she could stay in the form of a little girl or not. Raven’s words unfortunately carried a degree of truth.
Raven started to laugh. “Don’t you see the irony of this gathering?”
A stream of bright blue butterflies filled the sky as I looked skyward, trying to figure out a solution. But Raven looked at them and merely raised her arms, sending blackbirds that had been perched among the trees, silent and unmoving until this point, flying into their midst. The two species intermingled, each trying to distract the other, until finally they both flew away -- a standstill.
I shook my head in anger. “Nothing is remotely funny about this situation.”
“Oh, but it is,” Raven retorted. “You came here -- all of you -- to bring Samantha back and yet, she will remain.”
Samantha met Raven’s stare head on. “I’m safe here,” she said and linked her arm within Daniel’s, but she no sooner also gazed at Charlotte and saw a single tear escape her friend’s eye. She knew how much Charlotte had risked to find her.
It wasn’t unlike the time when Charlotte kept a vigil by her hospital bed after Raven caused a tree branch to fall in front of a car, which then swerved to avoid it and instead, hit Samantha. Charlotte’s prayers catapulted me out of my bottle and when Samantha awoke, the two friends discovered me ready to serve them. Naturally, they used up their first wish to have me prove myself.
Now, they found themselves here because each had risked everything to rescue the other. “I would do it again,” Samantha said to Charlotte, who immediately knew of what she referred. The incident that made her plummet over the bluffs of Malibu for fear of Charlotte being in danger. And simultaneously, Charlotte prayed for Samantha’s safety. Neither had even enlisted a wish, but rather, worked on their own accord to benefit the other.
To my chagrin, Charlotte wished for my own safety. I would have done anything to stop it from being so, but as my Shade, James had other ideas and came to my aid when her pleas were uttered.
And now only one wish remained.
“You could wish your way out of this situation.” Raven waited for the response of her suggestion. But both Charlotte and Samantha, in spite of Raven’s declaration that they were selfish, were not. Another wish brought me that much closer to being back in my bottle, imprisoned for who knows how long until another Releasor stumbled upon me.
Charlotte shook her head and Samantha acknowledged her desire. “Suki also risked her life to come to the Romani Realms...we won’t do that to her,” Samantha said defiantly.
One could say I came here out of duty, but everyone at the table knew that no wish had been cast, no request was asked. When Charlotte entered the Romani Realms in search of Samantha, I couldn’t help but follow.
Raven was jubilant. “Well, my work here is done. There’s a lovely ball occurring tonight. Phineas...you’ve been so quiet. Shall I save you a dance?”
Phineas refused to meet Raven’s eyes, instead turning toward Charlotte and gently kissing her forehead.
“I’m off now.” And Raven transformed into a blackbird and flew to the nearby trees where the others were perched, watching and waiting.
* * *
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Mommy, what was that lady talking about?” Shadow stared up at Charlotte sweetly, only now taking a break from her drawing.
Charlotte turned to Phineas and smiled broadly. Amidst the despair that Raven flung onto their lives, she couldn’t remove the love that Charlotte had in her heart for Phineas or the daughter that they had found, and had they been in the real world, would have created together.
“Did you hear that?” she asked Phineas.
Knowing what had pleased he
r, he took Charlotte in his arms. She looked over his shoulder and smiled at Shadow. “You called me Mommy.”
“That’s because you are my Mommy. Do you want to see my picture now?”
Phineas released Charlotte and took the paper from Shadow. It wasn’t a child’s crude drawing, but an elaborate picture of fine art with detailed pencil shadings that perfectly depicted the features of the three people portrayed: Phineas, Charlotte, and Shadow. What’s more, they stood outside a palatial home that was a ringer for Phineas’ Malibu property.
“That’s eerie,” Phineas noted, albeit with admiration for Shadow’s obvious supernatural power of seeing the images inside a person’s mind. “How did you know?”
“I saw you thinking of it when that lady was here. Only you wanted me and Mommy to live there. So, I drew it for you. Here...” she handed Phineas the drawing.
“Thank you. But, I can only accept such a wonderful gift if you let me do something for you,” he said lifting Shadow onto his lap. For the first time, he did as he had seen Charlotte do, smooth down her unruly hair until the emerging snakes turned back into their golden curls. She relaxed against his chest and sighed deeply. “Can I be your Daddy?”
Shadow threw her arms around Phineas’ neck in response. “You are my Daddy, silly.”
And as they embraced and the declaration was made, again Phineas’ Celtic Knot grew warm and glowed, sending a signal to Charlotte’s Amulet of Pollox. They were united and not just as a couple, but as a family.
Samantha watched the scene and knew she couldn’t let Charlotte’s risk be in vein. “Daniel...” she beckoned, leading him away from the table.
They walked along the side of the house where Daniel’s flowering bushes grew.
“Roses?” Samantha asked, pausing to smell one, although they didn’t release a scent.
“No, they look similar, but they’re Camellias. Too many thorns here already,” Daniel said wistfully. “I didn’t want to add to the assortment. What did you want to talk about?” he asked, although instinctively, he knew the answer.
