Page 36 of Dreams Of Fate

“Doing magic in the open was dangerous, so they didn’t do it as much as they would have liked to. I was seven when some of my powers developed. Nothing big, but it was fascinating. Mom was proud.” I glance at her. “She could barely wait until Dad came home to tell him. They celebrated me, and the small fire spell I accomplished.” I rub my hand through my hair and look away. “Mom made a feast that night. Life went on. Every small step I took in my spells was a big deal to them. It felt good.

“A year later, more of my power hit me. It felt a bit overwhelming. It wasn’t simple. I accidentally influenced a boy in town. Mom was with me, and she realized what had happened. We came home quickly. She was still excited, but cautious. Learning how to control it became a challenge, yet I was committed to doing it. Mom and Dad were patient. They stressed the importance of not using it for anything bad.

“I was beginning to grasp my spells as my ninth birthday was coming up. Mom was planning what we would do. She bought me presents and made the others. She always made a big deal of birthdays, holidays, and every occasion. Dad had just come back to the house, happy to be done for the day. He was telling us about a dream he had. I felt something different.” I exhale sharply and keep my focus on the trees. Instead of vegetation, I see the scene in our kitchen. “A ball of magic exploded inside me. I didn’t know what it was, or what it did. They kept talking, and Mom said something about a nightmare she had. It recurred every few months. It was something she had had since childhood. I remember staring at her, and she stopped talking mid-sentence. Dad laughed at her, but her expression was blank. He expected her to continue the story and thought she was messing with us.

“I knew I caused it,” I whisper, clenching my fingers. “I didn’t know how or why, but I could feel the spell inside me. Dad panicked and rushed to her. He grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her. She stared at him, no reaction, no recognition. She couldn’t move or speak. I stood up, trembling, and tried to pull my magic back.” I bow my head, and Savy rubs my back gently. “I can delve into anyone’s mind, dig around, and find their worst fear. If I wish, I can make them live within their nightmare. They become frozen, stuck in the dream with no way out. They are alive, but not. In their mind, there is no concept of time, and the real world is gone. Every bit of the mind and body is immersed in fear, living it, breathing it, every day for the rest of time.”

Savy moves closer. “Oh, Archer,” she says softly.

“Dad was confused and scared. I can picture his face as he figured out where the spell was coming from. Shock soon turned into fear. He feared me, and the love he showed for me disappeared. I was so young,” I rasp, rubbing my eyes. “I tried. I really tried to command my power, but it didn’t work. Dad demanded I fix her. He kept screaming at me to fix her.” I drop my hands, and clench my fingers, staring at them. “I couldn’t. I couldn’t even describe what I did, so how did I take it back? He picked Mom up and moved her to their room, shutting the door in my face. It was locked, and it stayed that way for two days. I could sense his spells. He attempted every kind of magic to bring her back. I slept in front of the fire, my focus on their room, but he didn’t speak to me. I didn’t eat or sleep. My power receded inside of me, and I wished it would go away permanently.

“When Dad left the room, he looked at me with hatred. Once again, he commanded me to remove the spell. I told him I didn’t know how, but he shoved me into the room.” I swallow harshly. “Seeing Mom lying on the bed, her eyes wide, and her body unmoving will forever be clear in my memory. I sat beside her and held her hand. I sobbed as I searched inside myself for a way to change what I did. The answers weren’t there. I hovered above her and attempted to use my influencing power. I thought I could make her come back to us. I failed. Nothing worked. Dad was hysterical. I heard him in the other room, throwing the furniture and screaming. If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t be losing his soul bond.”

Savy wraps her arms around me. “You didn’t know.”

“At the time, I thought I was being punished. Why would the universe give me such power? It could cause damage, and that’s not what we're about.” I shake my head and stare at the grass. “My mom wasted away. She never regained her senses. Dad tried to feed her, yet she couldn’t eat. Nothing snapped her out of it. The fear finally killed her. The nightmare took her life, and I gave it to her. As she took her last breath, I came to find out what the consequences of my power did to me. Soon after I use it, I fall asleep, and live in my nightmare.” I turn my head and look at her. “I relive the death of my mom. Over and over again for seven days.” Her eyes fill with tears, and I look away. “I slept for a week, immersed in my nightmare. When I woke, my dad was gone. He took Mom and abandoned me. I was left in an empty house. No more love. No parents. The death of my mom marked on my soul with no idea how I did it. I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye or help Dad bury her. I slept through my birthday, and my presents were scattered across the floor in pieces. I hadn’t eaten, so I was starving. I debated finding food. What if I just let go? I had nothing left.”

“No.” Savy drops her head to my shoulder and tightens her arms.

“A thought lingered: What if Dad came back? Perhaps he found a way to bring her back, and I wanted to be alive when they returned. I had to force myself to eat and clean myself. The house was dirty, and all the furniture was broken. I did what I could, and then I waited. I practiced my spells, hoping to figure out how to control them before they came back.” I grasp Savy’s arm. “I stayed there by myself for a few weeks. I had to face the facts. I killed my mom. Dad left me, unable to face the person who took away his soul bond, and I was alone. No one was coming for me. I had to go on without a family. There would be no more picnics, parties, or holidays with my loving parents. I thought no one would love me again.”

“He never came back?” she whispers.

“No. I stayed longer, until someone came to buy food. They had noticed their absence in town, and food was promised to them. I hid but realized they would come back. What could I tell them? Just in case he returned, I wanted to stay close, so I stayed in a little shed we had on the property. Soon, more people came. They searched the house, and eventually, assumed we had moved on. The house was taken over by others, and I had to leave. I didn’t have a plan, money, or any idea of where I would stay. I hovered around the edge of town, hoping I would sense Dad’s magic. I never did,” I rasp, dropping my hands to the grass.

“What did you do? How did you survive?” she asks, sniffing.

“I stole food. Slept behind buildings. My ninth year of life is a blur of pain and grief. I had no dreams of the future, anything to look forward to. All I concentrated on was learning my spells and surviving another day. Perhaps Dad would eventually find me and forgive me.” I grasp the grass. “I left the town we called home. I walked for hours to another community. Months went by, moving from place to place, never knowing what to do. My magic was unpredictable, so I used it as little as possible around humans. I found time at night, when I was alone. I was determined to control it. Until someone saw me.” I glance at her.

“Who?” she gasps.

“Margarete, Rome’s mom.” I smile slightly for the first time since I started talking. “I felt her power and knew she was like me. She gave me a home. A mom and dad, and a brother. She saved me.”

And I will always love her for it.

Chapter Nine

Archer

“She looked at me with such…sympathy. I wasn’t scared of her, but afraid of doing to her what I did to Mom. Scrambling back, I got to my feet to run, and she grabbed me.” I frown. “She hugged me. I knew I was skinny and dirty. I froze. It had been over a year since I had any physical touch. I just couldn’t help it, I squeezed her back.”

“Of course you did,” she says roughly.

“She was warm and beautiful. She looked like an angel, and I let myself believe for a moment that everything would be alright. Until I remembered what I did. Pulling away, I told her to leave, that I would hurt her. She stayed, watching me intently, and placed her hand on my chest. I cried as I looked at her face. She wanted me to come with her. I didn’t know if it was right, but I told her about my spells. If she was determined, I needed to scare her,” I huff.

“And she couldn’t be scared.” She scoots closer, our heads inches apart.

“She didn’t run away in fear,” I say softly. “Assuring me that we would figure it out, she took me home. Her husband, Arthur took one look at me and took me behind the house. I thought he was angry. His wife invited a dirty boy into the house without an explanation. Instead of kicking me out, he filled a tub with water after Margarete warmed them on the fire. He crouched next to the tub and cleaned my hair. I didn’t know how to react, so I let him. They gave me clothes and a place to sleep. They told me I was safe, and we would talk in the morning.” I press my forehead to hers. “I was hesitant to trust it, but I felt safe. I slept through the night. In the morning, I didn’t know where I was for a moment. There was laughter in the house. The conversation stopped as I walked into the room. I saw Rome for the first time.” I ease back and grin. “He was the same then, a little arrogant, confident, and smiled easily. I held still as he studied me. My first instinct was always to run, but I wanted a family too badly. Margarete introduced us, and Rome stood up, sauntered toward me, and held out his hand. I felt something move between us as we clasped hands. I was where I was supposed to be.”

“I can tell how much you love each other,” she says, gliding her hand through my hair.

“He’s been my brother for one hundred and forty years. We didn’t trust each other right away. Probably because I didn’t have the confidence in myself,” I sigh, closing my eyes briefly, enjoying her caress. “Margarete knew a warlock who had a power like mine. She immediately sent him a letter, and he came a week later. Fritz was a character, serious, and never laughed. It was a relief, though. He had some of the same experiences. My spells responded well to his teachings. I never wanted to lose control again, especially on the people who took me in.”

“They loved you.” She moves her hand from my hair down my back, circling lightly.

“I wouldn’t say that I loved them at first,” I chuckle. “Rome was a smartass and wasn’t afraid to mouth off. We fought sometimes. I was testing their dedication to me, and he was adjusting to having a brother. I met his aunt and uncle. Adeline is as outgoing as Rome and openly expresses her emotions. Mavin was serious and cautious. We slowly began to trust and fell into a family dynamic. Fritz lectured me daily on embracing my magic. I resisted, and the more I did, the more out of control I felt. Once I gave in, love came, and my spells stabilized. Life became normal. We laughed all the time, had family dinners, and Rome and I practiced magic together. I don’t know what I would have done without them or what I would have become. I'll always be grateful, and I would do anything for them. It’s still difficult for me to show my emotions openly. They accepted me.” I exhale harshly. “Can you?”

“Archer.” She kisses my cheek. “I already have.”