Beautiful Curses: Book One (13 page)

Jo didn’t quite know how to behave being out in public with James for the first time. Luckily, he had no such problem. While waiting on the station platform, he grabbed her hand and didn’t let it go. On the train he put his arm around her and after a while she settled into his embrace and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Are you worried?” he whispered in her hair.

She raised her head and looked at him. “Not now you're with me. I could be going to feed a tank full of sharks and I wouldn't care.”

He smiled and squeezed her tighter.

They arrived and made their way to the Bridge. Sarah had told her to wait on the walkway side and had emailed Dan a photo so he’d recognise her and Spencer. Jo checked her watch and realised it was only ten to one.

“We’re a bit early. There's no one here,” she said, and shivered as the cold wind swirled around them in the shadow of the Bridge.

James grinned. “We can do some warm up exercises while we’re waiting.” He grabbed her playfully, feeling James’s warm breath on her cheek she turned to meet his lips when over his shoulder, she noticed a tall, well dressed, man with dark brown hair, scrutinising faces as if searching for someone.

“I think I found Dan,” she whispered.

James whipped his head around to look in the same direction. “I think you might be right. Shall we go and ask him?”

Jo nodded and James pulled her behind him to where the stranger was standing.

“Hello, are you Dan?” James asked.

The man’s brilliant blue eyes surveyed his face. “Yes. And who are you?”

Jo took a deep breath and stepped in front of James. “We haven’t met before. I’m Jo and this is James. Sarah sent me. You wanted to give me some things from my parents. ”

The man's blue eyes widened for a moment, before he cleared his throat a couple of times, then he glanced down at the ground, while his jaw ticked.

Strange reaction.

After a few seconds he raised his eyes and offered out his hand. “Jo—so very lovely to meet you." He cleared his throat again. "You are so like your mother.”

Jo’s heart jolted. Being likened to the woman she had never met, but had always wanted to, took her off guard, but she managed to keep her hand steady as Dan gripped it tight, enclosing both of his hands with hers. He surveyed her face, his eyes intently focussed on her, as if he wanted to remember every detail.

James shuffled from one foot to the other and Dan suddenly pulled his hands away from Jo’s and turned toward James, extending his hand again. “James, It’s a pleasure to meet you. I thought Sarah said Spencer would be here.”

“Um ... James is a close friend. Spencer couldn’t ... um  come,” Jo stammered, surprised by how shaky her voice was. She hadn’t expected to feel so emotional.

Dan’s face broke into a beaming smile, revealing dimples in both his cheeks. “Right. Well, I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me.”

He turned to James. “I promise to bring Jo back as soon as I can. Do you have a number I can contact you on?”

“Actually, I promised Jo, I’d stay with her,” James said as he locked his arms around her waist, gripping her tight.

Dan widened his smile. “Of course. I understand. If you’d both like to follow me, I have a taxi waiting around the corner.”

James held Jo's hand throughout the ten minute journey. When they arrived at a row of old terrace houses, Dan paid the taxi driver while Jo and James waited for him outside. Daniel shut the taxi car’s door, then turned and bounced up the steps of an old white terraced house and knocked. Jo frowned, wondering why he would knock on his own door.

Dan glanced at her. “Barley, my uh … grandfather … likes us to announce our arrival. His hearing isn't very good and he becomes agitated if anyone bursts in on him.”

Jo nodded and noticed James did the same, but when Dan turned around he shrugged and frowned at Jo. Looking unsure.

A few minutes later, loud footsteps approached, followed by the scrape of bolts being drawn back and the clatter of locks being undone. The oversized door creaked open on unwilling hinges and an old man stood in the doorway. His white hair hung loose to his shoulders, so fine, the sunlight shafting in through the open door created a transparency that competed with the white whiskers on his chin. He wore a black linen shirt over loose tan pants. His glasses were small and round and sat on the end of his nose. He smiled warmly at Jo and then eyed James with a quizzical expression. “I wasn't expecting to meet two new relatives.” He extended his hand to Jo and then to James. “Nice to meet you. I’m Barley a cousin of your father. This must be Jo, and who are you?” he asked looking at James.

“A
friend
of the family,” he answered as he squeezed Jo’s hand tighter.

Jo watched as Daniel glanced at Barley with smiling eyes. They had obviously realised her and James were more than just friends.

“Well it’s wonderful to meet you at last. You are most welcome, both of you. Please come in. You will have to excuse the mess, as you know we are in the process of moving.”

Jo fidgeted nervously even though she had a strange warm sense she was among her family. Both Barley and Dan seemed so friendly she felt an instant bond. They had an old world charm, similar to the eighteenth century characters in the classic novels she loved so much. She smiled to herself, wondering if they liked cards and port. James looked at her sideways, probably wondering what was so amusing, as they followed Dan and Barley into the house and down the long narrow hall.

As they entered the last room on the left, Jo’s mouth gaped open.

Wow!

The walls on every side of the room were lined with floor to ceiling empty bookshelves with piles of boxes stacked full of books, sitting in front.

“Wow, you have a fantastic collection,” Jo commented, still fascinated by the awesome sight in front of her.

“Yes. I like to collect old, unique copies of the classics. I can’t manage the markets like I used to, but I’ve had some amazing finds over the years.” Barley smiled. “Do you like to read, Jo?”

“I think I could be quite comfortable reading all day in this room,” she said, wishing she’d visited before he'd started packing his books away.

“Jo, James may I get you a drink?” Dan asked them.

James nodded.

“Thank you. A cup of tea sounds lovely,” Jo said.

Dan left the room and James shot her another quizzical look. She suppressed a giggle, but she couldn't resist. This gorgeous setting called for it. What with the fire crackling away in the grate and the beautiful bay window looking out onto a small paved courtyard filled with pots of various green plants. Icing on a very tempting cake. She just wanted to curl up on the sofa and tackle Barley’s book collection for the next few days.

Dan quickly returned setting a tray on the table in front of them. It was filled with assorted cups, a tea pot, a jug of milk, a sugar bowl, along with a heaped plate of what looked like homemade biscuits.

“Help yourself. I prefer people to make their own. A good cup is such a personal thing.” He smiled then walked across to lean against the window ledge, tapping his finger on his side.

James reached across and began to make their tea while an eerie silence unsettled the cosy room. Jo glanced at Barley and noticed a half filled brandy glass on the small table beside him. She guessed at his age, he was allowed to indulge even if it was only early afternoon.

Dan coughed and Jo looked up at him, thinking he was about to say something, when Barely shuffled forward to the edge of his seat. “That’s a very beautiful and interesting ring, Jo. Where did you get it?”

Jo slipped her hand in her lap. “It’s a family heirloom.” She had no desire to discuss her ring with anyone, and certainly not strangers, no matter how nice they were. “So, I’m eager to find out about my parents and what they left here?”

Barley shot Dan a quick glance, then proceeded, “I never met your mother and I only remember your father as a young man. I never saw him very often, so I’m afraid I’m not much help. They called in when I was out one day and asked Dan if they could leave a box of items with us.”

Jo looked across to Dan, and he gave a tight smile while clenching his arms around his waist.

“They must have forgotten though, because they never returned to collect them,” Barley continued, and Jo looked back to him.

He took a rather large sip of his drink and then nodded at her hand. “You say that’s a family heirloom?”

Jo clenched her jaw. He seemed a little too interested in her ring, making her uneasy.

Shifting closer to the edge of his chair, he continued to stare at her hand. “I only ask, because I’ve seen a replica.”

What?

Jo swallowed. “You’ve seen a ring the same as mine?”

“Yes, indeed. Exactly the same, in fact. Your father’s sister, she had one. How did you come by it?”

“A gift from my ... um ... father, for my eighth birthday.”

Dan coughed and she glanced at him again. He had a pained expression on his face, and she creased her brow, wondering what he was so upset about.

“Right. Yes, of course. So, um ... Jo, have you ever noticed anything unusual about your ring?” Barley continued.

Jo stiffened and James looked down at her hand which she had moved to place beneath her leg.

“What do you mean?” Jo asked, getting more and more unsettled by this line of questioning.

Barely adjusted his glasses and gave her an intense look. “Now, Jo. This is going to sound very strange, but your father’s sister, your aunt … she never took hers off and would never talk about it, when anyone asked her. Rowellyn wore it for as long as I remember.”

Jo scrunched up her face. “Did you just say … Rowellyn?”

Barley nodded.

“Rowellyn? She’s my aunt?”

Barley nodded again.

“The ring belonged to her?”

Barley kept nodding.

Wow, that wasn’t what she expected to find out.
Jo hadn’t thought about the odd visit from Rowellyn for years. When they didn’t hear from her after the first year, she basically gave up hope she would ever see her again.

“She came to visit us a long time ago, when I was little, but she never told us she was our aunt.”

“I can believe that,” Barley muttered.

“Do you know why?”

“Yes. I do.”

Jo arched a brow, waiting for him to elaborate. Except he didn’t. He sighed deeply and flicked a wary eye to James.

Jo had almost forgotten he was sitting there, too wrapped up in hearing about her father’s family, but Barley didn’t seem prepared to say much more in front of James, which made her even more curious.

She squeezed James’s hand. “This must be boring for you. Why don’t you go for a walk and come back later. I’ll be all right.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” James held her hand even tighter.

Jo turned to him. “James, I think I might need to hear this. Alone. There are some things about my family, that ... well, that might taint how you see us. And I don’t want that.”

James didn’t move. “I'm staying. My opinion of you and your family won’t change.”

Jo had never seen him so serious or determined before. He really wasn’t budging.

Sighing she turned to Barley, “Well, looks like we’re both staying.”

James settled back into the sofa, with his determined expression still plastered on his face.

Barley took another sip of his drink and peered at her over the rim of his glass, not offering any further comment.

“I’d really like to know. I’ve been so curious for years. Please, can you tell us what you know?” Jo asked, trying to encourage him. He obviously knew something about Rowellyn and her ring. She just had no clue what.

Total silence filled the room as Barely took another sip of his drink. He still hadn’t given Jo an answer, making her even more nervous.

After flicking another glance at Dan, who was still watching her with that same concerned expression, Barley placed his glass on the table, filling the room with a small tinkling sound as the ice clinked around.

He looked at James. “I’m going to give you one last opportunity to leave us. After I tell you what I know, I can assure you, James, you’re going to wish you had.”

Jo gasped.
How bad was this?
Now she had the urge to pull James off the sofa and sprint home. But that single niggling feeling deep in her gut, told her that she needed to hear this, so she sat rooted to the spot, while James gave Barely a small shake of his head.

“Right then. What I’m about to tell you has been a family secret for many years. A secret, my mother entrusted to me. And now I’m entrusting it to both of you.”

Jo shifted uneasily, her stomach clenched in knots, not quite sure if she was ready for more secrets. She’d heard enough over the past few months.

“I hope that fact is perfectly clear. This is not something that you will ever tell another soul. Mostly because they wouldn’t believe you, but more importantly, because it is not common knowledge. You will now be part of a very elite group.”

Jo swallowed hard, and nodded along with James.

“Now Jo, when your Aunt Rowellyn came to
visit
, she didn’t tell you who she was, because she didn’t want you to know. It wasn’t because your father told her where you lived. She had other motives. She was the one who owned and sent the rings you and Gabriella received on your eighth birthdays.”

Jo gasped. Always believing it had been her father.

“I’m curious to know. Have you ever spoken to your sister about her ring?”

Jo shook her head. “No. Never."

“Hmmm … that’s what I thought. You must understand Jo, Gabriella’s ring is
special
, as is yours, but probably in a different way.”

Jo stiffened and dropped James’s hand. Underneath her leg she caressed the purple stone with her finger.

Barely must know about the magic. But how?

“Gabriella didn’t tell you, most likely because she wanted to keep that secret to herself. Rowellyn on the other hand, needed to find out which one of you used the ring without a thought to any consequences. A test if you like. She was seeking out certain qualities.”

Jo let out another quiet gasp.

Barley expelled a long breath. “Your sister of course didn’t know Rowellyn when they first met. Rowellyn couldn’t tell her. As for her ring, I believe your sister, discovered it’s special abilities years ago and has been using it ever since."

"What
abilities
are we talking about exactly?" Jo braved to ask, even though she was pretty sure she knew the answer.

"I can't be one hundred percent positive, but I assume it relates to somehow controlling time.”

James covered his mouth, coughing loudly. “Control time? You can't be serious? That’s not possible!”

Barley shook his head and grimaced. Obviously displeased by James’s outburst.

“Actually, it is,” she whispered and everyone turned to look at her.

 
Jo took her hand out from under leg and stared into the hissing fire. “I only know  ... because I’ve … I’ve seen it.”

No one spoke. Silence settling like a cold cloud of doom.

Jo suppressed a shiver, she had never told a soul. She had kept this secret for so long, talking about it, felt like she was betraying a confidence. A confidence with herself.

Now it was too late.

Holding up her hand, she showed them the purple stone. “If I twist this anti clockwise from its set position, it ... um ... reverses time."

Jo turned to look back into the fire, not able to look at their stunned faces. “I discovered this by accident. My dog. He was about to be run over, and I just twisted the stone in my ring and everything started going backwards and when it stopped, I rescued my dog and locked him inside the house. I was only little, but the whole thing scared me to death and I vowed to never use the magic again. I was too afraid of what the consequences might be and decided not interfere with the natural way of things.”

Dan and James both sat with open mouths, their eyes glazed. Either they believed her or thought she needed some serious psychiatric help, and were about to dial her in.

Dan cleared his throat. “That can’t have been easy for you, Jo. I admire you tremendously for not taking advantage. You must have been tempted to reverse events to make your life easier. I imagine you kept quiet to ensure you weren’t asked to use the ring for the benefit or detriment of others.”

Jo sighed. “If that kind of powerful magic fell into the wrong hands, I shudder to think what might have happened. I never let it out of my sight. My parents had entrusted me to keep it safe. So I did.”

Jo glanced up at James, wondering what he was thinking, hoping he wouldn’t storm out of the room and out of her life. He said he wanted to date a magical fairy, well, now he kind of was.

Fearing the worst, she squeezed her arms around her middle, waiting for his reaction. He looked at her then got up and moved to where she was standing. He gave her a quick smile and put his arms around her, hugging her tightly. “You’re waiting for me to run away, aren’t you.” he whispered in her ear. She nodded and held him to her. “I’m not going anywhere, Tink,” He winked at her, and she gave him a small smile. “Why don’t we sit down? I think we’ve only scraped the surface on this story, so we might as well get comfortable.”

Barley smiled at her as they took a seat next to each other on the sofa, James holding onto Jo’s hand firmly again. “As Dan said, Jo, you must be a special person to ignore that kind of power. I’m sorry to say your sister hasn't behaved in the same way. From what we can determine, she’s been using the magic for her own gain. She is becoming the perfect candidate for what Rowellyn wants.”

Barley took another sip of his drink while Jo’s pulse raced. His story was obviously far from over, and a small part of her still wanted to head for the hills.

“As I said previously, Rowellyn is not what she seems. You understand about the rings and how she tested you and Gabriella. This is a small example of her abilities. She is powerful and dangerous ... "Barley paused opening his mouth then closing it again, as if trying to find the right words.

Jo shifted in her seat and James squeezed her hand tightly, like he sensed what was coming next was going to shock them both.

Barley took another large sip of his drink, finishing it. After putting his glass down he pinched the bridge of his nose, saying softly, “Jo … Rowellyn is a sorceress.”

Jo let out a loud gasp, while James flopped back into the sofa and pulled at his hair.

“A ... a ... what?” she managed to splutter.

“A sorceress. They have been around for many hundreds of centuries. Each bred in exactly the same way. Following a family line.  Rowellyn became the next sorceress in our family. She underwent the same test as you when a vengeful curse was placed on her and her cousin when they were children. She turned from being human into a creature with no regard for humanity.”

Oh wow. What do you say to that? There are no words.

“And now,” Barley continued. “Rowellyn has put the same curse on you and your sister and has chosen Gabriella to follow in her footsteps.”

What?
Now she felt like fainting. This was all too much. She leant forward, and clenched the couch with her free hand. “A
curse
? Ella and this Rowellyn … a
sorceress
… and me ... that just sounds ... ”

It sounded mental. That’s what it sounded like.
Jo had to get a grip. James holding her was helping to keep her sanity. She just needed to hold it together a while longer.

“The curse is an ancient magic that works like an enchantment or spell." Barley continued, without faltering once. "It usually requires two female relatives who are close in age. One of the two must embrace magic and use it, hence the test. Once the choice is made the curse entwines itself and begins feeding off the other in order to grow even more powerful. It only becomes permanent when both siblings reach eighteen. The sorceress who places the curse isn't allowed to interfere. They must stay away from the intended until the curse can’t ever be changed.”

Jo's heart raced, and her head throbbed. This just sounded so farfetched and unbelievable. I mean nothing awful had ever happened to her, well nothing life threatening. Being ignored wasn't that bad.
Was it?

“It might be easier to understand if I tell you Rowellyn's story.”

Nothing would be easy again, after hearing all this, but Barley had paused, as if waiting for her permission and Jo gave him a small nod. Even if he might be a little senile, and his story might be completely crazy, there was no turning back now.

“When Rowellyn was younger she lived with her cousin, Aspen. The curse was placed on both of them. Aspen provided Rowellyn with the power she needed, at a very high price. Aspen exists, but that is all. She lives. She breathes, but she has no friends, no lovers, no children, no one. She’s been alone since her parents died. Rowellyn basically took her life, and any chance she had to love, when she chose to become a sorceress.”

Jo sucked in a deep breath. That sounded a little close to home. She knew those feelings of isolation only too well. “So I will become like … like Aspen if Gabriella becomes like Rowellyn? … This so called curse will do that?”

Barley rose from his chair and took her hand, placing it in his own. He looked deeply in her eyes. “That’s the intention, but you can change the outcome. My mother did when she chose not to become a sorceress. She saved herself and her sister. They both lead full and happy lives and were much loved. You are already on your way to making changes.” Barley looked directly at James. “Only a strong and unique individual can see through the veil the curse creates around each sibling. It can be beaten.”

James kissed Jo’s forehead. “I swear Jo, if all this is true, that won’t happen to you. I won’t let it.”

Jo rubbed her head and swallowed down the hard lump lodged in her throat.
What if this was real?
The rings are definitely real. Rowellyn is real. Her and Gabriella are polar opposites. She was heading down the same path as Aspen, until Beth and James.

It all added up and made sense when she thought about it. But one question nagged her more than any other.

“Why would Gabriella want to be like Rowellyn? And how would she know about the curse? Maybe, she only discovered what her ring could do. I mean, even I thought about using it sometimes.”

Dan moved toward Jo and crouched in front of her. He pulled a printed letter out of his pocket, then hesitated before passing it to her.

“Jo, Sarah found this on Gabriella’s computer and contacted us. Barley was the only one Sarah knew that had any idea about Rowellyn. That’s how this all began, and why we needed you to visit us. If you read her letter you will have the answers to your questions.”

Jo took it tentatively, swallowed and opened the folded page. She looked down and skimmed over the words. Then she read it again and again while her world slowly crumbled around her.
Gabriella knew about Rowellyn and the curse
. The evidence was sitting in her hands.

“I ... I ... need some air ... I mean can we talk again tomorrow ... I need some time,” she spluttered, just managing to hold back the tears.

Dan patted her shoulder, his eyes full of concern. “Of course, Jo. I hope you understand why it was so important to tell you. We didn't want to upset you, but you needed to know."

Jo closed her eyes and nodded.

"Sarah only knows about the letter and nothing else,” Dan continued, in his quiet, calm voice. “She wanted to be with you today, but we thought it was better for you to hear all of this first. But now, I’d like to contact her and tell her the whole story. She’s so worried. I think she should be here with you.”

Jo nodded once more, incapable of speaking. Her throat constricted with all the conflicting emotions she was feeling.