Fighting Destiny (Central Coven) (35 page)

What does an ordinary human want?  Am I qualified to say?  I don’t think my life is really that different.  I love, I hurt, I desire, I fear, just like everyone else.  Grey put his hand on my shoulder, and stepped beyond me.  He went over to Anita, and took her hand.  They began to dance, and a haunting melody started to play.

They laughed, danced, and enjoyed each other’s company.  The other ghosts joined together in a similar celebration of the lives they lived and the friendships they treasured.  Every whirl and twirl brought them closer to the gate, until finally they re-entered the afterlife. 

“How?” I asked confused and astounded.  “Simple, they are most concerned with our humanity.  They want to know we will respect each other, love, and laugh.  Basically we will protect everything that was important to them.  Once we stopped being a threat, and showed them we understood, they were satisfied and returned to the afterlife,” Grey explained.

My father, the most powerful and ancient supernatural alive stood near us, his demeanor somber. “Tonight I’ve shown you only seen a fraction of what they are capable of.  I doubt ghosts will be Simone and Alexander’s main method of attack. They are pure spirits, and will return once they are satisfied there are champions fighting to preserve balance.  It is important to remember, though,
I
did not lie to them.  She will not be as scrupulous.  You will all have much more going during the battle, to focus only on ghosts.  Tonight you have proven yourselves resourceful and excellent at working together.  These skills will be essential in the coming days.” 

              His words were upbeat, but his face displayed the heaviness of deep concern.  Before our eyes his image shimmered and the ghostly specter of an eagle flew away.  Eli Soaring Eagle departed on a spirit walk. I knew that meant he expected the coming battle to have much worse consequences for us than he was letting on.

We returned to the cabin unsure of our next step.  My father’s hasty departure left us feeling directionless and confused.  Anita began to pace back and forth.  Her ceaseless movement increased the nervous energy in the room, and I decided to head into the kitchen for a moment of privacy. 

Like everything else in my father’s simple home, pine was his decoration of choice.  A small handmade pine breakfast nook occupied one corner.  The cabinets were natural colored, varnished, with simple steel handles.  The countertop was constructed out of re-utilized stainless steel.  The appliances were simple and completely utilitarian. 

There were no flourishes, no upgrades, and no pictures on the fridge. But then…wait…I looked back at the small, simple, white refrigerator and saw a note tacked to the door with a plain black magnet.  It was addressed to me, from my father.  He must have left it during our training session with the ghosts.  I took it down and read the few lines scrawled in his beautiful, scrolled penmanship.

Chloë,

When you read this I will have left on my spirit walk.  The end of this conflict is rapidly approaching.  I know that you still do not know the elements of the binding spell, but do not worry. I will take care of it.  I will see you in Ellensburg with the spell and some of the ingredients.  When I get there, be ready to collect the rest.  Stay safe until we see each other again.  I’ll see you soon.

Love,

Dad

I grabbed the note and went back into the other room.  I handed it to Anita, and announced to the rest of the group, “Let’s pack up and head home.”  Anita quickly handed me back the note, and moved so quickly she nearly disappeared.  Not only had she finished packing her things, she had mine and the guys bags packed and in the car.  Grey was also finished and helping Anita load the car in the amount of time Dean, Finn and I were preparing to leave the living room.

My father was right, I was worried.  I needed to know how the binding spell was going to work, and I still wasn’t sure how we were going to face every single attack as a group.  Probably my biggest worry was when and where was this confrontation going to happen.

The drive back to Ellensburg was uncomfortably quiet.  Finn had been sulking ever since he had encountered the ghost.  Dean and Anita were cuddled in the back seat wordlessly consumed with one another.  Grey’s jaw had a hard edge to it.  He was trying hard to hold back saying something. 

It was a constant cycle with us, we would get close, and then he would pull away again.  “Grey,” I whispered.  He feigned concentration on the road, as if I didn’t already know he had near perfect reflexes.  “Com’on I can tell something is bothering you,” I persisted.  “Not now Chloë,” Grey responded sternly.

I tried to talk to him again, but he was not receptive.  “Chloë, it has been a long couple of days.  None of us knows what we are going to find when we get back, so you should try to rest now.”  Who could rest with an answer like that? 

I was so pissed I thought I might actually be breathing fire.  I saw my reflection in the side mirror, and my eyes were actually glowing green this time.  I vibrated with anger, anxiety, fear, and frustration.  I simply couldn’t take it any longer.  I had to get away from Grey in the quickest possible way. 

“I’ll see you in Ellensburg,” I snapped.  All at once everyone started to say, “Chloë, what are you doing, where are you going?”  Grey was seething, but then again I was too, so I didn’t care.  The only one who didn’t question me was Finn.  Instead, he said, “Take me with you.”  I nodded, and he placed his hands on my shoulders from the backseat.  I waved my hand in front of me, with my palm facing out, and we both disappeared.

When I teleport, I ascend into the layer of magic that invisibly surrounds the earth.  I am able to slip into something that only physically exists in the supernatural world.  I can see the colors swirl, hear the humming song of magic, and feel the pulse of living magic flow through me. 

I’ve teleported people before, but I have never paid attention to the process of it. I’ve never really given much thought to what they see, or if they see anything at all.  They always seem so out of it right afterwards, so I’ve never bothered to ask what it was like for them.  However, the last two days have refocused me to think as a team member, part of a coven, therefore I decided to try something I had never done before. 

I reached out, mentally and magically, to find Finn’s essence while we were teleporting together.  I wanted to try to communicate before we got there.  I wasn’t even sure if such a thing was possible, but I wanted to try. When I found him it was like turning on a light in a dark room.  I could feel that he became aware all of a sudden.  We looked at each other, and I saw a look of awe and confusion on his face.

Below us the earth looked like a relief map.  We could see all the curves and bends, but not state or city lines.  I was so intent on communicating with Finn, I allowed us to drift off course.  We were floating high above the Columbia River when I reached out, with my magical essence and grabbed hold of him.  He let go of my shoulders, and placed his hands around my waist.  I pictured my dorm room in my mind, and we sped down through the layer of magic I was traveling in.

“How did you do that?” Finn asked excited.  “I’ve teleported you before,” I answered, pretending this time was exactly the same as before.  “True, but before it always happened so quickly.  All I ever saw was a rush of colors, and then we were somewhere else.  This time, I saw the earth, and I saw you.  Is that what you always see?”

“Yeah.  I mean, I guess.  I showed you the layer of magic we all have access to.  I can use it to go from one place to another.  You seemed like you needed to feel connected to it again, and I wanted to show it to you.  Honestly, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to until I tried. That is what took so long,” I told him. 

“I wish it had taken longer.  I would give anything to be alone with you,” Finn said, while he brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes.  “Finn…” I began.  “Shh, I know what you are going to say.  I said I
wish
, and there is nothing you can do about that. So don’t try and talk me out of it, even if it isn’t going to happen.  I
have
noticed Grey has been acting strangely, though, so forgive me if I hold on to a little bit of hope.” 

He left me speechless.  What could I say really?  “
Grey says we are destined to break-up.
”
Or
, “Grey thinks that I’m meant to be with you and that is why he is being weird
.”  No.  I couldn’t think of anything appropriate, so I nodded in agreement.

The silence grew to an awkward quiet, until I started to giggle uncontrollably.  I put my hand on his shoulder, as I doubled over gasping for air.  I was uncomfortable, why was I laughing? “What is so funny?” Finn asked a little hurt.

“Sorry.  It isn’t funny really.  It’s just that, in the last two days I have accepted that I need to stop fighting my destiny. I know what I need to do now. And, I think I know where my life is heading.  When you tell me what you wish could happen between us, by denying it and keeping quiet, I’m essentially lying to you.  I’m lying by making you think things are better between Grey and I than they are, or by letting you think nothing is going on between you and me…
That
is me lying to you.  So let me be as honest as I can be.  I don’t know what is going on.  Not between Grey and I, or you and I. The only thing I do know is we all need to work together.  I promise, once I figure things out with Grey, I will let you know where you and I stand.”

“I guess we are kinda back where we were a few weeks ago aren’t we?” Finn said.  His bright blue eyes burned right through me.  I knew then I was fooling myself to think that I only wanted to be with Grey, or I needed to figure things out with Grey.  I needed to decide where my heart was going first. 

Before another awkward pause could settle over us, a loud thumping knock sounded at the door.  “Ye…Yes,” I managed to squeak out.  “Oh move already I have a key,” Anita’s annoyed voice sounded from the other side of the door.  “I don’t know why you insisted on knocking anyway.  See everyone is dressed.  Happy now?” She said to Grey, as they entered the room. 

Grey stood near the window, sulking.  He looked up at me through his thick, dark lashes.  His black eyes showed acceptance mixed with pain.  But there was something else lingering in the background, something dark he didn’t want me to know.

I crossed the room and grabbed on to his shoulders.  I shook him hard, not that it did me any good, because he didn’t budge. I could’ve pushed the wall for all the progress I made.  “What aren’t you telling me?” I urged him.  “I could ask you the same thing,” Grey said without answering. 

“Can I talk to you in the hall?” I asked him.  He inhaled needlessly, and closed his eyes.  Then he reluctantly nodded yes.  Talk about an ego boost, my boyfriend acts like it is physically painful to be alone with me. 

I shut the door and walked several paces away from my room.  The dorm was abnormally quiet. It seems everyone left for the weekend.  After the attack in University Village apartments, it is only natural for people to leave town for the weekend.

When I walked to the end of the hallway, out of earshot of anyone who may have stayed, I turned around, and found myself face to face with Grey.  He moved behind me, deathly quiet, icy and unfeeling.  “Why are you pushing me away?”

Grey sneered, but despite his best effort I could see that he was trying to conceal something from me. “I don’t know what you are talking about.  You are out cavorting with that elf, and you expect me to be in a good mood.”  “Lay off it Grey.  You have been pushing me toward Finn for days.  And now you are picking a fight?  Why?  What are you hiding from me?  If you want to end it, just say so and cut the shit Grey,” I threw back at him.

“As usual you are right.  I have been keeping you at arms length, because of some events that your mother brought to my attention, and your father’s visions.  I love you Chloë.  That is never going to change.  I cannot risk you.  I will do anything, if it means you will be safe.  I will suffer anything if it means you will be happy.  Do you understand that?”

Grey gently stroked my face, and as much as I wanted to hold his hand there, I knew he would soon remove it.  He believed being with me would put me in danger.  I wasn’t sure from what, but I was sure he had made up his mind and I couldn’t convince him otherwise.

“What are you protecting me from?” I asked.  “I can tell you this.  If you are too focused on me during the fight, you and some of your friends will get hurt, or worse.  Just let me handle myself, I’ve had centuries of practice.  Promise me Chloë,” Grey pleaded. “I will. And afterwards, what about us?” I asked him.  Grey smiled weakly, “Let us figure out afterwards when we get there.”  He kissed me gently, and turned to leave.  “Where are you going,” I called after him.  “Sunrise is coming soon.  I will see you tomorrow night.”  He turned and in an instant he was gone.

He’d see me tomorrow night.  We weren’t training.  Suddenly the realization hit me, and I wretched.  The only thing that saved me from puking all over the hallway was I hadn’t eaten for more hours than I could remember.  The distance between us, the stoic silence, he knew what we were only guessing at.  Tomorrow night we would fight.  Thank God this would be the most deserted Saturday Ellensburg had ever seen, because only he knew where Simone was planning on showing up.