Storm: The Empire Chronicles (15 page)

V
era sat
up with her eyes still clenched shut.

“Are you okay?” I hated that she was putting herself in danger, but we were all in danger if we didn’t get out of the veil.

I glanced at her hands. They were empty. The crystal had disappeared.

She didn’t answer. Instead she reached out and grabbed a hold of my arms. She pushed me back against the floor. Her eyes were still closed.

“Uh, Vera. What’s going on?” I asked carefully.

She said nothing. Instead she took my hands in hers and squeezed them so hard they hurt. Suddenly I felt a burst of heat, and she released my hands before lying back down.

“Vera?” I leaned over her.

“Hey.” She sat up with a dazed look in her eyes.

“What was that?” I asked.

“Did it work?” Vera blinked a few times.

“I don’t know.”

“Try.” Elana suggested. “Try the letter.”

I picked up the paper again and opened it. I expected to see the same incomprehensible text, but it had changed. It was written out in perfect English.

“How did you change that?” I asked Vera. “Did you do something with the crystals?”

“The letter didn’t change.
You
changed.” Elana beamed.

“That’s impossible.” I held the letter out to Vera. “Can you read this?”

She glanced down and shook her head. “Nothing other than your name.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Is it?” Elana held out her hand palm up. “Where is the crystal Vera was holding?”

“Gone.” I looked at Vera’s empty hands.

“She awakened your magic. You can read the dialect now.”

“Go on and read it.” Vera was still pale and her eyes appeared hazy.

I took her hand. “You really ok?”

“I’m fine. I want to know what’s in the letter.” Vera ran a hand over her forehead.

“Read it to yourself first,” Elana directed. “The message is for you.”

I looked at Vera. Considering all the effort she’d put in for me, I didn’t want to annoy her.

She nodded. “Go ahead.”

I looked back down at the paper.

Dear Jared,

If you are reading this note you know more than your father wanted you to know. I never wanted to leave you, but I had no choice. I had to protect you in the only way I could.

Your brother did not inherit my magic. I searched for hints of it, but it is not there. But you have it. It is inside of you whether you are ready to accept it or not. Your father never wanted it for you. He never wanted it for me unless it helped his needs. And when I would no longer help him I became more of a liability than an asset. He gave me a choice. Leave and never return, or he would destroy you. He saw what I saw. He saw your gift, but to him it was a curse.

Memories of my father’s anger and disappointment in me for years swirled through my mind. He’d hated me for the magic. For being like my mom.

I have watched you from afar in the only way I could, and I have struggled to hold myself back. So many times I have wanted to help you, but doing that would have only hurt you. I had to put aside my selfish desires to make sure you had the chance to flourish.
You are strong. If your magic awakens to anything near the level of its potential, you will be unstoppable. But it will only work if you embrace it. You have to accept you are more than just a Pteron. You are a man. You are a warlock. You are everything you proclaim to hate. I cannot blame you for feeling that way. You have been raised by a man filled with hatred who liked to make you feel smaller at every turn. If I could have saved you from that childhood I would have, but maybe it was for the best. It made you tough, and it gave you the chance to develop your Pteron strengths.

Our world is changing. The carefully designed peace of the last few generations is falling away, and no one knows who is going to end up on top. It does not matter what creature rules as much as it matters who they are. Not all witches and warlocks are evil, and as I am sure you have learned to accept, not all Pterons are good. Just like humans, we are all different. You were born to be one of the good ones. Born to be a leader and protect us. It is time to embrace yourself, flaws and all. Remember your biggest mistakes may be your greatest tools, and those you believed were your adversary may be your ally.

I hope to see you again one day, and I hope you decide to forgive me for my absence. I love you with all my heart.

Mom

I stared at the worn piece of paper in my hands. Was this what she wanted? Did she want me to find this letter?

“You don’t have to tell me everything, but does it help us?” Vera asked.

“Not exactly.”

“It does, he just doesn’t realize it yet.” Elana smiled as if to herself.

I thought over her words. I had great potential, but I had to figure out how to use it. “What now? How do we erase the veil?” I was no closer to understanding how to accomplish that goal.

“You and Nadia will do that now.”

“Can't you two do this?” I looked at Elana and Nadia.

"One of the creators of the veil has to do it."

"Then why don't you and Jared do it?" Vera asked Elana.

Elana shook her head. "Nadia is more powerful than me."

"But you have more experience." I had no problem with Nadia, but I knew we were only going to have one chance. We needed to have the best witch involved.

Best witch. I couldn't believe I was even viewing any witch as good. I thought about the letter. I needed to trust them.

"So I'll go back with him when the veil erases?" Vera sounded nervous.

Elana nodded. "Yes. You are consciously part of it, and that consciousness will switch back to the present."

"Do you really think I'd leave you behind?” I had no clue what would happen, but the thought of Vera not returning with me made my chest clench.

"If the veil erases fully she will. If we somehow mess it up, there could be consequences,” Nadia said offhandedly.

"Then forget it.” I held up a hand in front of me. “I'm not taking the chance."

"You have to." Vera nodded vehemently. "We've messed up too much here, we have to erase it."

"Not if it puts you at risk."

"There's more important things at stake.”

“Not to me.” I locked eyes with her. I needed her to understand how important she was.

“Vera’s right, and there’s no reason to believe this isn’t going to work.” Nadia tried to push away my concerns. “Besides, do you think things will be good for Vera if you both get stuck here? You need to erase this veil.”

“I thought you were supposed to help me.” I didn’t like all the ‘you’ talk. “Shouldn’t it be ‘we’?”

Nadia smiled. “I never thought I’d see the day when you were that open to asking for help.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“Vera, come let me show you some things while they get set up.” Elana held out her hand to Vera.

“No, she can stay.” I didn’t want Vera leaving my sight.

“I promise my mom will bring her back in before we actually erase the veil, but it’s not a physical thing,” Nadia explained. “She’ll return with you as long as we don’t mess this up.”

“First of all why should I believe you, and second how do we make sure we don’t mess up?”

“You’re trusting us already, and you need to concentrate. Hence why Vera needs to leave while I explain things to you. You can’t take your eyes off of her, which is fine in theory, but not while I’m trying to teach one of the most complicated forms of magic to someone whose never done any.”

“You really think you’re going to be able to teach me now?”

“We have no choice, and I’ll do most of the work. You just have to connect with your mom.”

I watched Vera follow Elana out of the room. I tried not to let it upset me. “I just have to connect with my mom in the future? Because that’s an easy thing to do?”

“It should be easier than you think. She’s waiting for the contact. At least she should be.”

“Why wouldn’t she be?”

“If someone stopped her.” Nadia looked away.

I thought about what Tiffany said. About trying to get information out of her. “I guess all we can do is try.” And hope to hell it worked.

“For this to work, you’re going to have to stay loose and separate your mind and body.”

“Uh, separate my mind and body?”

“It’s a figurative explanation, of course.”

“Of course, but that doesn’t mean I know what you’re asking me to do.”

“Right now your mind from the future is in your body from the past. You need to pull your conscious mind free of this body.”

“And I do that how?” I couldn’t even stomach meditation. This was even farther out there.

“Close your eyes and figure it out.” She stood up and held out her hands.

“What happened to the part with you helping me?”

“You don’t need my help for this, but take my hands.”

I relented and accepted her outstretched hands. She took a few steps toward me so that we were only a few inches apart.

“Close your eyes.”

I reluctantly listened.

“Ok, good. Now focus on separating your mind now. Do it however you need to.”

My thoughts immediately went to Vera in the other room, and I needed to know what she was doing. I could see her. The image was vivid. She was flipping through books with Elana. Then I thought about the future. About our real time. About the truck. I could feel it.

“Good. This going to be easier than I thought. Erasing the veil is easier than conjuring it. You can do this. Reach out and connect with your mother.”

“Vera.” I got her name out while holding on to my concentration. I could barely feel Nadia’s hands anymore.

“She’s coming back in here.”

I focused on Vera, and without opening my eyes I knew she was close. With the knowledge she was with me, I reached out for my mother. I thought about memories of her, and a whoosh of wind surrounded me. I saw Mom standing in a stone turret. She smiled as if seeing me.

“You have her. We’re ready.” Nadia’s voice sounded further and further away. “Erase this veil, Jared.”

I pushed out my mind and felt heat mix with the wind. It was an intense warmth surrounding me on all sides. It was almost oppressive, as I watched images of people I knew and people I didn’t know flash before my eyes. An image of Toby and Levi fighting. One of Casey with Finn. Of Allie and Levi kissing. Of Vera holding a child. An image of Owen and a girl I didn’t recognize jumping off the edge of a cliff. Each image was sepia, and reminded me of old fashioned photo negatives Helen had taught us about.

As the images flittered before me they started to melt until they disappeared and were replaced with another. The process seemed endless. Some were happy, some impossible to watch. Like the one of Vera on her knees sobbing. Without someone telling me I knew these were images of what would be if the veil continued. A final image crossed the screen of Vera in a white wedding dress walking down an aisle. The image melted like all the others, and I knew that would have to come true in the real world. I’d make sure of it. The heat intensified, and I was no longer aware of the room in Elana’s house or Nadia’s hands. I let go of that place and time and floated off.

I
blinked
and slowly my vision cleared.

Vera lifted her head from where it rested on my chest. She was sitting on my lap, and we were in the backseat of the truck.

“They’re awake!” Gemma squealed.

“It’s about time.” Slade let out a sigh of relief. “What the hell was that?”

“We’re back.” Vera said the words tentatively as she crawled off my lap. I didn’t want to lose the contact, but I understood. I couldn’t shake the image of her in the wedding dress. Or holding the child. Or sobbing. Each was so strong and real even though I knew in every grain of my being that they’d never occurred.

“Define ‘back.’” Gemma looked between us. “Where were you? Obviously your mind wasn’t here.”

“You wouldn’t believe us.” Vera smiled. “Trust me.”

“I’d believe it. I’m not a skeptic.” Gemma’s eyes were wide.

“We were in a time veil. We were back in time.” I figured I’d take her words at face value and lay it out there.

“A time veil?” Slade scrunched up his face. Evidently he hadn’t heard of them.

“What?” Gemma blanched. “Only the most powerful of magic holders can conjure a veil.”

“I’m part warlock.” I didn’t hesitate to respond. I’d accepted it was as much a part of me as anything else.

“A warlock?” Gemma narrowed her eyes. “Since when?”

“Since the crystals awakened his magic.” Vera explained simply.

“Um, is this a joke?” Slade looked between Vera and me.

“Nope. My mom is a witch.” I was getting used to saying that.

“I love how you’re even listening to them, Gemma.” Slade shook his head.

“Something happened. You were with me. There has to be some explanation for why they were passed out for so long.” Gemma reached around and touched my leg and then Vera’s, as though checking to see if we were still physically there.

“And that explanation involves Jared having magical abilities?” Slade rolled his eyes.

“Does it actually matter?” Vera crossed her arms. “What matters is we’re back, and we’re ready to take on the haven.”

I wasn’t sure if ready was the right word, but then again I was ready to have it over with and to find my mom. I needed to find her.

“Good point.” Slade nodded, seemingly accepting our answers for the time being. “Are you ready to go?”

“I’ve never been more ready.” Vera buckled her seatbelt.

Slade started the engine of the truck. “Good.”

I
couldn’t quite believe
we were back. One second I was in Elana’s house and the next we were back in the truck. I was exhausted, as though I’d been running. In some ways I had been.

I held onto Jared’s hand as Slade drove us toward the haven. I still wasn’t sure how we were going to defeat the witches and get the book, or whatever the knowledge was, but I now knew I could really use the crystals. That was something. And then it hit me. I already had the knowledge. I’d already done it. I started to laugh.

“You okay?” Jared asked with alarm.

“I have the knowledge. I got it from the witches.”

“Isn’t the knowledge a book?” Gemma turned around.

“No. I can use the crystals. I did it already. I can do it again. We can do this.”

Jared smiled. “Now that’s some confidence.”

“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with them to get your mom out of there and take down Tiffany, but maybe that’s your job.”

“My job?” Jared put a hand to his chest. “Why is it my job?”

“You tell me. You never did tell me what was in the letter.”

“What letter?” Slade tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.

“It’s a long story, but my mom gave me a letter. She didn’t give me explicit instructions.” Jared rubbed the back of his neck.

“But you erased the veil. You did that. That means you can use your magic.” He needed to stay confident. It was the only chance we had.

“I didn’t conjure anything. I connected with my mom and somehow it all erased. I have no clue how it actually worked.”

“I have no clue how I actually used the crystals, but I used them. That’s the important part.” Figuring out how to use them again would be the challenge, but it was a challenge I was ready for.

“If only erasing the haven was as easy as erasing the veil.”

“Erasing the veil was easy?” That was news to me. We hadn’t discussed it, but it had sounded complicated. I guess on reflection it hadn’t taken him as long as I would have thought.

“I need help though. I can’t do it on my own. I’m pretty sure anything major I do requires two magic users.”

“Is it always like that?” I asked. “Is Tiffany working with someone else to work her magic?”

Gemma shook her head. “Not necessarily. They can tap into ancestral magic to work spells on their own if they’re strong enough.”

“Too bad I don’t know my ancestors.” Jared sighed.

“Don’t even think about creating a veil to meet them,” I teased. I couldn’t believe I was already making jokes about it. I think I was half giddy we’d actually made it back.

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”

“Can’t you reach out to your mom? Isn’t that what you had to do to erase the veil?”

“I don’t think it’s that easy.” Jared put his arm around the back of the seat.

“Why not try?”

“After everything we’ve been through you want me to experiment with magic?” He arched an eyebrow.

“What’s the alternative? I’m ready for the vacation you promised me.”

“Vacation?” Gemma turned around.

“Yes. We’re taking a vacation as soon as this is over.”

“I wouldn’t plan on it,” Slade mumbled.

“Why not?” I wasn’t going to let him get away with tossing out a comment like that. “Why can’t we plan on it?”

“Because you two aren’t average. You are always going to have responsibilities. It comes with who you are. Gemma will have them too.”

“And you?” Jared asked.

“I’ll do what I’m asked to do.”

Jared squeezed my shoulder. “We’re getting some vacation.”

I smiled. “Don’t worry, I was planning on it.”

My thoughts went to Casey. She was no longer wandering around trying to figure out who she was. She was on Norco with Toby making sure everything was okay there. She could still be in danger, but it was different this time. She was prepared. She could protect herself.

“Gemma, do you have those crystals ready?” Jared asked.

“Yes, right here.” She tapped the pouch she’d taken from the cave. “Why?”

“Vera used a crystal to awaken my magic. What if she used one again now to help me connect with my mom?”

“As in do it now? In the car?” He had to be kidding.

“Is there a better time? It’s less stressful right now.”

“I have no clue what I’m doing.” Now that the pressure was on I was less confident.

“Neither do I, isn’t that part of the fun?” He winked.

“Someone’s relaxed.” Gemma laughed.

“I’m just glad we made it back here in time.” He didn’t need to tell me what he meant. I’d been scared we were stuck, and I’d worried about all the little details that came with it.

“We’re almost there. You guys have fifteen minutes or so,” Slade called back.

“I thought we had an hour.”

“I was wrong.”

Gemma handed me the pouch. “We better work fast.”

“No gloves this time?” Jared looked over.

“No gloves. Get ready, and Slade no matter what happens keep driving. No crashing the car.” Someone needed to stay focused on that task.

“I can handle that.”

“Do you need my help?” Gemma asked.

Before the veil that would have bothered me, but it didn’t now. “I might. Be ready.”

“Got it.” She nodded.

“All right. Let’s do this.” I took out a crystal and closed my hands around it. I winced at the burning sensation at first, and Jared reached for me. I shook my head. I needed to do this.

I closed my eyes, and eventually the burning subsided.

Jared touched my leg, and the contact was all I needed. I focused on him and giving him the energy of the crystal. I struggled to stay conscious this time, but eventually it was too much. I let the darkness take over.