She spent the last week of school with Riley, who was only let out of the Hospital wing for classes, and to take his finals. Kat was there all the time in between. She only deviated from her routine when Deen said it wasn’t healthy to cut herself off. So she would go and teach Randall and Rory some spells, Randall had wanted to learn more and more, Rory only showed up half the time, and hadn’t showed up at all since the incident in the Air house.
Antonio, Sandra, Jane and Edgar, thought it would be a good idea to take a vacation this term; they thought it would keep everybody’s mind off what bothered them. So on the last day of term, Edgar came to pick up Deen, Katy, Jerome and Riley, and teleported them to the airport in New York.
“Why can’t we just teleport?” Jerome asked Edgar.
“Because it is good for you to fly, and not rely on your powers all the time, and so many of us just showing up in one place is not a way to keep our world a secret. So that is why.”
Jerome was upset but he knew his father was right, and let it drop and they headed off to Ireland for vacation. The boys tried to get Katy excited but they knew she was worried about something, even if she would not tell them what. So they talked about the dragons, the fairies, the other magical beings, both light and dark and every single creature in between.
“I heard the Wendigo can mimic anybody’s voice that is how they trap all their victims. Of course they are super-fast, they were once men that changed because they ate humans, but transformed into this hybrid of animal and man.”
“What type of animal?” Katy asked.
“All types, normally it is whatever their spiritual animal was before they died, or if they could transfigure into an animal, then it was that animal. They set huge traps and then they slowly eat their victims alive over the next few years, before the victim dies of shock.” Jerome said as he tried to scare Katy and Deen.
“Whatever, that is not a match to Pukwudgies, at least you could see the Wendigo, and you can’t see the Pukwudgies Even though it is said you see them upon your death, they are about only three feet tall, they have horns, and where their hands are they only have three claws, and only one claw on their foot, they have a porcupine back, and beak nose, and beaver teeth on the top and bottom, they were once Brownies, and the only thing that remains from that past is their dark, dark skin! But they had a falling out with humans, now they kill humans. They can change their shape, look more human or change into animals. They enjoy the pain and death of humans. Their favorite activity is pushing people of cliffs.” Riley stated, and thus started the debate of deadly creatures.
They waited to board, and the older boys went to get a book from the airport book store for the trip, still arguing about the deadly creatures. That is when Deen to the opportunity to corner Katy. “Okay, what gives? I can’t get you interested in anything but your own thoughts. You got to tell me, even if you don’t tell the others.”
“I have been having nightmares…” Katy didn’t want to tell him the truth so she defaulted to her nightmares before she found out she was a witch. “About my mom’s murder…” Katy let her thought trail off, she tried a new blocking technique, she allowed Deen to see only what she wanted him to see, but to him it seemed her mind was open.
“What?! I thought your mom just died. You never said she was murdered.”
“I don’t know why I never told anybody, but I keep having these nightmares about it, it feels like it just happened, and it has been four years. Deen, why would they start up again? What do you think it means?” She didn’t truly lie; she had been having nightmares of her mother’s death recently, but the new ones with the white being over powered them.
“I don’t know have you told Antonio or Sandra?”
“I have only told the headmaster, Riley, and Rob…”
“You mean the creepy brownie keeper? You told him before me? Why would you do that?” Deen was mad.
“I don’t know… I didn’t mean to tell him, but there is something about him… he kind of reminds me of someone I once knew… does that make sense… no it can’t, I have never known anybody from the magical world.” Katy was rambling and she knew it.
“Hmm… you haven’t told my parents or the MacCathmhaoils?” Deen asked deep in thought, which were just as scrambled as Katy’s were.
“No, though I should probably tell them I know. I think they know, they are hiding something from me, I just don’t know what. Do you know Deen? Your dad is a big time Guardian. What do you know?”
Suddenly Deen blocked Katy from his thoughts, and Katy knew he knew what they hide from her. “I umm… was told I could not tell you. Headmaster O’Cuinn made me promise even, not to tell you. He said he would tell you when the moment is right. Please don’t ask about it anymore.” Deen hated that he had to keep Katy out of his thoughts and that he had to keep this from her, but he did make a Warlock’s Oath to allow Headmaster O’Cuinn to tell her.
“Fine. I will drop it, but I expect answers soon. Let’s go to Ireland. Where are we going in Ireland?” Katy sighed and changed subjects, as they boarded the plane.
“We are going to a small town on the coast, it is a magical community. Riordan City. It is supposed to be filled with lots of magical creatures.” Deen was glad Katy let the subject be; for now.
“Ooo… What kinds?” Katy really wanted to know because she really did enjoy learning about creatures, especially the ones she once thought as make believe.
“Tons, dragons, Alfas, fairies, so many different creatures, I am sure dad and Antonio will take us to a whole bunch of places.” Deen said with a confidence.
Katy was excited she wanted to see the Alfas and the fairies they had learned about in creatures. Dragons seemed a bit scary but she was sure they wouldn’t get too close to them. So she sat back down in the sit and stuck her nose into a book. And that is where her nose stayed until they landed in Ireland. Soon they teleported to Riordan City, and checked into a small bed and breakfast, J&K, was the name.
When they check in Katy noticed the guy behind the counter, he had such clear blue eyes, and dark brown hair cut high and tight. And on his arm was a Marine Corps tattoo, with the phase Semper Fi Do or Die Hold’em High at 8 and I. “Deen, do warlocks join the armed forces?”
“Like all the time, witches too. They only do a couple of terms though as people start getting curious why they are not ageing or how they can do a lot of what they do. But yeah it is a big thing. They bind their powers; well take an oath to limit their use. We have to fit in, but we must protect our homeland. Even though we are magical it does not make us any less American.” Deen said as he dug through his bag to make sure that he had enough sugar wands for the trip. Jane had told him he had to make them last, that he was not allowed to buy anymore until they were back at school. “I think Tony just enlisted in the Marine Corps, mom and dad kind of let it slip; I guess he didn’t want us to know. But we are Americans and we have to support our country.”
“I wonder why he doesn’t want us to know.” Katy didn’t like that it was kept from her; she hoped he would be okay.
“I don’t know, but most of the people in magical communities keep it quiet when they join. But they are all very proud.” Deen tried to figure out how many sugar wands he could have per day and not run out before school started again. “I can’t believe mom would limit my sugar wands.”
Katy tuned him out mostly, and looked at her surroundings. Then she noticed someone. He was older, scars all across his face, and his hands looked weathered. He was as dark as she was pale. His eyes had a coldness, and a warmth about them. He wore all black, complete with a long black leather coat. She had seen him at the airport in New York, and here he was now. He seemed to never be more than a few feet from her and Deen; in fact he was only a couple of seats away from them on the plane. Katy opened her mind to read him, and felt a push back. He tried to read her. She shut down and put up all blocks, without a moment of hesitation. That got Deen’s attention.
“Katy…” But she shook her head before he could ask.
“Deen, didn’t you say there was a dragon preserve here? Do you think that Antonio and your dad would take us?”
“I thought you wanted to stay away from the dragons.” Deen was confused but went with it.
“Yeah, but I was thinking on the plane how often are we going to see a dragon! Of course I totally want to see all the fairies I can as well.” Katy said and forced a grin.
“My cousin is working on the dragon preserve so I am sure we will go see it. She was in the military as well, moved here to work the dragon preserve after serving ten years. She came back and studied under a dragon keeper. She wants to be one. Of course she has a few years left to master her trade. She has silver pins though, creatures, healing, and martial arts, in addition to her element. She is a Spirit just like my mom.”
“Cool…” Katy hadn’t met anybody but other students and teacher aids at the school that weren’t experts in their fields. She learned from Deen that to become a Guardian is the longest process. After the ten years of under schooling there are the six years and twenty years just like everybody else who is mastering their trades. Then there is twenty years as a trainee, then ten as a rookie, then ten more years to be considered a professional, then another ten years to be an expert, then thirty more years to be a veteran Guardian. But Deen said that a lot of Guardians do ten years in the military after they turn eighteen. So in total you would be at least one hundred and fourteen to one hundred and twenty four before you would be considered a veteran Guardian. Katy had thought he meant a magical military but now after she found out they joined their country’s military, it makes more sense to her.
“Hey, there is a fairy preserve here. It has a lot of different ones; I know how you enjoyed that part of class.” Deen said, he didn’t enjoy that section, most fairies don’t like boys.
“Great! Hey, where is the book store? I thought we might find something about the dagger of ours.” Katy tried to keep Deen from asking why she blocked him just for a few more minutes than they will be in their room and she would be able to put up the spells needed to tell him what was up.
“Oh, there is one. Mom says it is a branch of Books back in Marcus Valley, but way older, I bet they have something.” He said as they entered the room.
As soon as the door was closed Katy preformed the spells necessary to protect them from being heard. “I blocked you because of the guy trying to get into my mind.”
“What guy?” Deen asked as he started to unpack as they would be here for almost two weeks.
“The older guy, the one all in black, he was on the plane and he was here.” Katy said and opened her mind to Deen and showed him who she meant.
“Oh, I didn’t see him. He was trying to read you?”
“Yep, I tried to read him and he pushed back!” Katy said as she flipped her wand and started to unpack by magic. It only worked somewhat but soon she had everything unpacked, and they were ready to go down to dinner.
“Well, we can always ask dad, he would have picked up on him as well I would think.” Deen said eager for dinner.
They made their way down to dinner and there he was again. Katy shut everybody out, and elbowed Deen to tell him the man she had seen was there. “Sorry.” Katy knew he understood.
“Hey dad…” Deen said and waved to his dad and motioned him to come over.
“What now you two? Did you blow up your room already?” Edgar asked as he walked up toward them.
“No, Edgar… who is that?” Katy asked, as she pointed to the man in black.
“You spotted him did you?” Edgar said with a smug half smile and his orange eyes seem to twinkle.
“Yes, well Katy did, she spotted him at the airport, and on the plane, and when she tried to read him, he was pushing back.” Deen said. “So who is he?”
“He is my new partner, well trainee; he came over from the Guardians council in Africa. He should be on his own soon. I was testing him to see if he could follow you two without being seen. But I see he failed. Of course I shouldn’t be surprised with you two.” Edgar said, as he shook his head and sighed. “Come on over S.J.” He said and pointed two fingers and signaled for the man in black to come over to them.
He came over. “Yes, Edgar?”
“S.J. you were spotted. And did you really try to read Katy?”
“Yes, but she is a really good blocker. I got nothing. But I could hardly feel the push when she tried to read me. She felt my push and shut down.”
“Well, S.J., this is my youngest son Deen, and his best friend Katy.” As Edgar ushered them all to their dinner table and introduced them all to S.J.
After dinner they went to the local book store. Deen and Katy sat in the corner of the store and went through about every single book they could get their hands on about magical objects, but still they found nothing on their dagger. Katy and Deen wondered how there could be nothing on it. They had just given up for the night and were headed back to the hotel with S.J. when a package was dropped out of the sky by a pure white owl. It was address to Katherine Lillian Solomon. Katy reached for it but before she could open it S.J. took it from her.
“You shouldn’t open that. We don’t know where it came from.” S.J. stated and tucked it under his arm. “Edgar and I will open it.”
“But it is mine.” Katy was mad, she felt as it was something she had searched for, something she needed.
“No, Edgar would kill me.”
Flames formed in Katy’s eyes. “Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Give it to me!” Katy reached for the package.
“NO!” S.J. stated and teleported.
“Katy what was that about?” Deen asked, fear in his eyes.
Katy turned to him and realized his fear was of her, and in his mind she could see the flames in her eyes, the red glow of power around her, anybody would be afraid of that. “Deen…” Katy started feeling horrible, and she feared herself. “I am sorry. I just felt as there is something in there that we need, that we have been searching for. We need what is in that package.”
“But who is it from, and why would the address to Katherine Lillian Solomon?” Deen asked, as they resumed their walk to the hotel, which was only about a block away.
“Who knows? Who cares? The Elders even called me Solomon. But I don’t have connection to that name. I don’t even feel a connection to Fitz. Who cares what last name they used? I don’t. I want that package! It was meant for me!” Katy stated as they walked right up to Edgar.
“Katy, keep calm okay.” Deen said; he was shocked at the secret Katy just told him.
“Of course.” Katy said. “Edgar, I want my package.”
“S.J. said you were a little… demanding for lack of a better word.” Edgar stated.
“Give it to me, please. I feel that if I don’t know the secrets that the package holds, it will cause heartache.” Katy told Edgar the truth, she had no other cards to play, he wouldn’t back down; no matter the anger or power she showed. He knew she would never hurt him. The only card she had to play with her family, was the truth.
“Fine, I opened it anyways, it is just pages from an old book. There doesn’t seem to be any spells on them, but be careful.” Edgar said and handed her the box.
“Thank you!” Katy said then grabbed Deen’s hand and ran up to their room.
“What do they say Katy?” Deen asked as he plopped down on his bed, as Katy spread the pages on hers.
“They are about the dagger!” Katy stated.
Deen jumped up and looked as well, there were three tiny pages. “What do they say?”
“They say the dagger was created by a being connected to Goodness. It says that it will aid either Darkness in ridding Goodness from the world or, if it does what they were created to do, it will destroy pure Darkness for good. It is a part of a larger weapon that Goodness is to use to make sure Darkness never has a chance to destroy life on Earth. It says that just because Goodness won the first time, it doesn’t mean she will win the second.”
“A war?” Deen asked, afraid.
“So I guess it is part of a weapon that will play a key part in a war. But why would it connect to us?”
“Maybe we will help fight this war; after all we live for a long time.”
“Maybe.” Katy said but so many questions ran through her brain, so many fears. The images from her nightmare, combined with this information; it scared her. That night she when she went to bed she knew the nightmares would come, and she was right.
Katy was back on the destroyed land, the bodies of her loved ones, and strangers all about, and a deep sadness in her soul. She looked around for the white being; she knew it had to be here.
“You can stop this you know?” The deep, raspy, voice of the white being asked.
“How?”
“Give into your dark side.” Again the white being transported her to the image of her in the shadows, her eyes glowing red with power.
“No, that path is full of darkness.”
“You have power use it! There is no Goodness, there is no Darkness! There is only your power! You have the power to create the future you want. This one is the best for your heart.” The being again showed Katy as she stood with her family, sadness in their eyes, Darkness spread across the Earth. “All those you love are alive, and you are in control. Nobody can take that control from you again. Like they did when your mother died. Like they did when Wesley Solomon took you, when they were going to kill you. When they made you take your first life…”
“No!” Katy knew that this was wrong. She wanted it so bad that her cry was not towards the white being, but towards her own mind, her own selfishness, and her own desires.
But the white being took that as a denial. “Then be prepared to die! I will leave you here with this. I will be back.” The white being left Katy alone once again.
“NO!” Katy once again was transported to the beginning of the nightmare, and she had to watch as her soul was killed person by person. She knew her screams must have awakened the whole hotel, but she could not escape. She could never escape these nightmares, in the past the white being had only left her there once, the others she let her leave. But a promise to always return. So again she sat there, trapped, as she held the body of the soul that saved her own, and cried. But soon deep voices started to filter into her mind. Another song… it sounded like Antonio and Edgar this time as they sang, but the pain kept her held to the scene, kept her hold on to the body of the one she loved the most.
“Frère Jacques, frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!
Din, dan, don. Din, dan, don.”
“Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John,
Morning bells are ringing! Morning bells are ringing!
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.”
Over and over again the simple French nursery rhyme filtered through to her, it was a simple nursery rhyme, and she first heard it from Antonio when she first went to live with them. It took a while but slowly her mind processed she was stuck in a nightmare, that her family was not dead. She sat up again with a start as she took a deep breath, her family stood around her. “Not again.” She sighed into her hands.
“You sure you don’t want to talk about them?” It was Riley who asked, fear in his eyes.
“No. Please no…” Katy couldn’t bear to say the words out loud. She didn’t want them to even imagine the pain that she felt, that she experienced in those nightmares.
“Everybody out; she needs to rest!” Sandra stated, as she winked at Katy, and shooed the family out, and shut the door behind her.
“Katy…”
“No, Deen…” Katy stated. “I just need to sleep.” Katy laid back down and within moments she fell into a dreamless sleep. There was no other type that could even worm its way into to her exhausted body, mind or soul.
Kris Charles - Author 