Katy listened for Oeric to leave. Then she went to seek out Edgar, but before she could find him, Jerome, Riley, and Deen caught up with her.
“Katy! We are going to go to Marcus Village, you are coming right?”
Katy stopped and thought about it she wanted to talk to Edgar, but she was sick of having to be the mature child. She wanted to be a normal witchy child for just a few hours. “Sure, let me grab my money.” Katy ran to her room and looked at everything she had upon her bed. It looked so normal. A messy teen with schoolbooks, notes, and her journal spread across her bed. But it was anything but normal. Katy sighed and grabbed her list of books and supplies needed. And went to meet the boys by the front door, to leave to go to Marcus Valley. “I am ready to go.” Katy said and stopped in her tracks.
“Katy,” Lua was at the door. “I thought I would be able to take you all to Marcus Valley, go out and get something to eat and spend some time together.
“All of us?”
“They are your family; I can’t just take you and Riley when your family includes a lot more people.”
Katy could tell Lua really wanted to be part of her life. “Sure, I am game if the others are, after all the four of us were about to go to Marcus Village.” Katy forced a smile and hoped it looked genuine.
They all agreed to go with Lua. After all, it could not hurt; she was after all the Magical Defense professor. They should be safe enough, for one, and for two she may have answers that they all seek.
Katy went through the bank quickly. She really hated dealing with the dwarves, but she had no choice. At the bank she discovered, though she still had her own vault, instead of money from the school, money from Lua and Oeric were deposited into it. And there was a lot more than she would ever need. As soon as she got out of the bank, even the darkness of her thoughts and of the events that had taken place could not prevent her excitement of shopping among the magical shops of her world. There were a lot of new shops open, and she wanted to check them all.
“I think we should start with a nice lunch.” Lua stated, as she saw the light in Katy’s eyes. Lua did not fancy spending hours upon hours of shopping upon an empty stomach.
Katy was disappointed, but eating first might be better, after all, she knew how Deen got if he did not eat every couple of hours. “That is okay with me.” Katy stated, as she sighed.
“Yeah, let’s eat first!” Deen said, Jerome and Riley nodded their agreement.
“Great! There is a restaurant I want you all to try, it is called AENP. It specializes in home-cooked comfort foods and exotic meats.” Lua said and led them down towards the newer section of the village.
Katy looked around at the new stories, coffee shops, a joke shop, a new bookstore called ‘The Wonders of a Non-Magical World.’ The sign said it specialized in selling the books of the non-magical world. Katy thought about going there after lunch, after all she missed the books in the library she uses to go to, and the woman with the kind smile and the delicious cookies. “Sounds great.”
They all went and shockingly got a table very quickly. “Madam Notte-Preto! Come right this way, five of you today?”
“Yes.” Lua responded simply, as they were led to a large round table.
“Drinks?” The waiter asked.
“Coconut water, tropical.” Lua responded and then looked towards Katy and the boys.
Katy looked at the menu, and thought about it for a moment, but she and Deen both ended up with pineapple juice and Jerome and Riley got strawberry-banana smoothies. “Ummm… this… ahh… says Dragon Burger… as a menu choice. Is it really… ahh… dragon?”
“Of course.” Lua stated. “Some of the best meat there is, Katy.”
“Did you all know what you want to order?” The waiter asked.
Suddenly Katy lost her appetite. “I think I will just have the fruit salad.” Katy stated and thought about the poor dragon that was killed. She may have killed, but she just could not bring herself to even think about eating dragon meat. “Yes, just the fruit salad.”
“Katy, what is up?” Deen asked; his thoughts were full of worry.
“A poor dragon had to die for those burgers.”
“It is just like any other animal.”
“No.”
“You eat chicken, cow, pig, buffalo…”
“But dragons are super smart!”
“Okay, whatever…but it so good!”
“I think I will not umm… eat meat for a while… poor dragons.”
“I think I will just go with the bison burger and fries.” Deen said, rolling his eyes, he would never understand girls.
“Same with me.” Jerome stated and stuck his nose back in his book he bought with him.
“I will have the dragon steak rare and a baked potato, butter and sour cream.” Riley stated, he did not care, he would never last a vegetarian. And he was raised on the finest of meats.
“I will have my usual, Achiyalabopa with roasted red potatoes and sugar snap peas. Thank you.”
Katy was shocked! She had read about Achiyalabopas, and they were a magical bird, with feathers like knives and said to be protectors of the Earth. Katy said nothing, and Riley did not look at all shocked. In fact, neither did Deen or Jerome. “Deen! Achiyalabopa?”
“Oh yeah, your aunt must be rich. Only rich people buy that. Mom got it once, but she thought it was a little gamey.”
“But…”
“What?”
“Is nothing special?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you eat cat, and owl, and unicorn and phoenix?”
“Nah, well, some people do…”
“Oh…” Katy was shocked but said nothing more.
Lunch was full of questions from Lua. “What is your favorite class? And don’t say mine. I know better.”
“Potions and Herbology.” Katy stated quickly without a thought.
“I should have known Antonio would corrupt you with his love of potions. What did he show you?”
“Nothing until school. And it just seemed more hands on.”
“How about the rest of you?”
“Elements.” Riley stated, he shrugged. “I may be on the right side now, but I do like power.”
“Why, Elements though? Many other classes provide power.”
“There is power in Elements. Power is the key to controlling one’s life.”
“A thirst for power can also be one’s undoing, Riley. After all, you live with a very power warlock, and he was once known for his want of power, that is why he went into potions. But you don’t see him abusing it. At least you can learn that from MacCathmhaoil.”
“Of course, power should never be abused, but with power you can better control your life.”
“There is not control. No choice.” Katy said, she was bitter, fates were not giving h er a choice. Sue her, she was thirteen, she could be a sullen little brat sometimes. Which explained some of her clothing choices of late. Then went back to her thoughts.
“That is not true Katherine Lillian…”
“You wouldn’t know…” Katy let her anger show, her eyes glowed and that is what got Lua to change the subject back to school.
“How about you Jerome, what is your favorite class?”
“Alchemy.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it is a very interesting study. It is more of a hobby study, since I plan on being a medicine man.”
“And you, Deen?”
Deen looked up from his burger. “Spells and Potions.”
“Of course.” Lua shook her head.
“Besides trying to blow up the school and your homes what do you guys do?”
“Katy reads all the time, about everything. I swear she could probably beat some of us seventh years.” Jerome answered, setting his book down for once. “Her power is scary sometimes.”
Katy felt bad, she scared Jerome. “Sorry…”
“Don’t say sorry. Your power is predestined. You have lived before. You have the weight of the world on your shoulders.” Lua stated. “You have to do things that others will only ever have to imagine.”
“If you are talking about her killing Ebony, I for one approve of that action.” Jerome stated, with full conviction.
“That is just beginning.” Katy stated, as she picked at her fruit salad. The rest fell silent, and they finished their meals in silence.
After their meal they went to the shops to finish gathering school supplies, and of course, just shopping around. Kane Resources had a lot of new games and other items that interested all of them. Katy looked at the Taw sets; it was a game like marbles. You played like marbles, but it is all about the element of the person controlling them. Once one won a ball it only connects to their element until they lose it again. She bought a large set. She also bought a chess set; she loved to play chess with the people at the libraries in the non-magical world. After that she went to the new bookstore, it seemed just like the libraries she used to go and sit in until they closed. They had hundreds of books. Katy bought a couple, but she did not want to spend all her money.
Lua had insisted that she get her ears pierced and soon Katy sported tiny blue topaz studs. She kept fiddling with them. She did not like the feel of the hole in her ear. It did not seem like her. She knew all the girls at school wore focal points in their ears, but it just felt wrong to her.
“Stop fiddling Katherine. You may be destined to fight a war; it does not however mean you cannot act like a fine young woman. You are thirteen it is about time you started acting like the young lady you are. You and Riley are the only heirs to great fortunes. You will soon learn your place in society.” Lua stated as they continued to shop.
Katy followed and just allowed her aunt to buy her useless things. Like a ton of new dresses. Katy wore her uniform yes, but in the end, she wore jeans and t-shirts when home from school. She liked getting dirty, she would go play outside, or blow-up Antonio’s lab or when over at the Hepburns’ would blow up Edgar’s office. She loved potions, and potions were not a clean study. She was much more at home in her jeans, hoodie, and wearing a beanie, than doing her hair and makeup like the other girls. And most of all, Katy wanted to take the earrings out, it was not her. She put up with all the comments from Lua, but Katy knew she and her aunt had not much in common. They finally appeared just before dinner back at the Hepburns.
Riley, Jerome, and Deen ran to put their purchases and gifts into their rooms, but Lua held on to Katy. Holding her back. “Katherine, you are my heir. Riley was your mother’s heir. You are Oeric’s heir. Riley is Solomon’s heir. You two will be important members in society. The names you carry in your veins are two of the largest and most powerful families in existence. The Poes and O’Cuinns have been on the Elder’s payroll for generations. They are the guards for the Elders. They are the elite in power, even the Elders know not to trifle with their power. The Solomons are on the other side. They have great power, but they do not understand there is a dark side that will destroy you if you allow yourself to be consumed by power. Katherine, remember no matter how dark your thoughts, no matter how dark your life gets, in the end you are the light of the world. You are a light that must not go out. I know you have been tempted. How could you not be? But, Katherine, you can still be anything, do anything, you want in this world. If you wanted you could run for president, if you wanted you could leave your magical roots behind. In the end though it feels as if you have no choice…” Lua had tears in her eyes. “Remember the choice is always yours.”
“I have made my choice long before now, Aunt Lua. I know what will happen. I know the price of my choice. I am more than ready to follow through.”
“You grew up to fast, Katherine. For that I am sorry. Your mother killed my husband. My husband was a non-magical mortal. I was happy. But she thought it was degrading. My husband always wanted a restaurant, that restaurant we went to today. I named for him. His initials. For him always. I will come across as cold. But trust me, my dear, I love more than most.”
“Aunt Lua, I do not doubt it. You gave me the Hawk.” Katy said it as a statement of fact not a question.
“How did you know?”
“I see your writing every other day. I knew it was you just as soon as I found out you were my aunt.”
“You are very smart, my Katherine.”
“I have to be.”
“Yes, you do. You will achieve much greatness in your life.”
“No matter how short. It is not how long you live Aunt Lua; it is who you touch with that life. I could live until tomorrow, but I have touched the lives of great witches and warlocks. Because of that the world must be a little better. If those in my life died tomorrow, they would have created the person I am going to become.” Katy stated, with feeling. “Look,” Katy pointed toward her family as they lounged and waited for her to come in. “Each of them has created the person before you. Each of them is the reason I made the choice that very well may kill me. For them I don’t mind that choice. They are some of the best people in the world. And for better or worse Aunt Lua, my mother has created me. For six years I was with her, alone, and I became who I am under her. There, at one point, had to be a flicker of light in her soul. Maybe she gave me that flicker when she faked her death. Maybe the only light she had in her soul, she had to give to her daughter to save the world in the end. Maybe that is what keeps my eyes from turning red with power and darkness. But if that flicker lives with me, I will hope for the mother I knew, not the one planning my death. The flicker of light is all one needs to keep the darkness at bay.”
“Katherine…” Lua had tears in her eyes.
“No Aunt Lua, nothing needs to be said. I just wanted you to know. I am thirteen years old, and I know my place in the world. I am happy. Through all the pain and darkness, I have people that create my flicker of light. Mother lost that when she faked her death. She lost me. I have people who keep that fire burning within me. You talk about my power; my place in this war, there would be no power, no place, no me, if it wasn’t for those who show me love. Because of them I cannot let darkness win. Because of them, my eyes are not red with the blood of innocents. My hands have blood on them, but they are not red, it is not innocent.”
Sandra came up at that moment before Lua could respond. “Are you staying for dinner Lua?”
“No. I have much to do for school, letters to get out.” Lua straightened and smiled. “Sandra, I was wrong. I am sorry for the past.” Lua stated and walked away.
“What was that?” Katy asked Sandra as they walked into the house.
“Something I never thought I would hear;” Sandra said. “Now, Deen told me that Lua forced you to pierce your ears, and bought you a lot of useless dresses?” Sandra asked, as she led Katy out of the hall.
“Oh… yes… I hate my ears pierced. Must I keep them?”
“No. They are not you, my child. They are you that never got the chance to exist. If you had been raised a Poe… You may be an heir to the Poe fortune and social statue, but you are still a daughter of a MacCathmhaoil. You are expected to destroy your clothes as you blow up the lab.” Sandra stated with a smile and ushered her towards the family dinner.
Kris Charles - Author 