Enchanting Wilder (34 page)

“Wait, Maker has full control over who gets to come in and out of Beneath?” I ask, astonished.

“Basically,” Kai says. “Maker is our God. We never had the opportunity to question the authority.”

We fall silent.

“Until recently, that is,” Kai finishes, looking earnest, willing us to believe him.

“So, what do we do? Just wait for Maker to call for you?” Candy questions.

With a pensive expression, Kai shakes his head. “No. We have to find another way in. I fear if we don’t, they’re going to kill your parents. Crone…or as you call her, Mrs. Carlson is dead now. It won’t take long for them to figure out he gave us information.”

“What are our options?” Declan asks, ready to fight.

“Our only option is to dig inside our minds. Mine and McKenna’s, that is. There might be something hidden.”

“You think McKenna might know more than you?” Candy asks.

“Maybe. It’s possible. We have to examine all possibilities, and unfortunately for us, this is the only one.”

My stomach churns, gurgling angry bubbles. He’s going to say we have to use Manifestation again, and I can’t make up my mind on how I feel about using it. On one hand, it’s great and I can talk myself into controlling it. Then the next minute, I’m swimming in the ocean, being overtaken by the waves. Manifestation is like dangling a piece of pie in front of my sugar-deprived ass. It’ll taste so good, but it might also make me fat.

This back and forth is hurting my head.

“You have to,” Candy encourages, feeling my emotions. “It’s the only way to get mom and dad back.”

I rock in place, twisting my neck as if it’s sore. It’s not. I’m just awkward. I feel weird because something primal inside me tells me Manifestation is okay. That it’s acceptable to like it—to want it. Just reach for it, hold on tight and never let it go because it makes me feel powerful. Then there’s another part of me that’s screaming, yelling at me to stop because this kind of magic is a lot like pizza. A couple of pieces is fine, but eating the entire thing will only make me feel awful in the morning. Bloated and ashamed. Manifestation isn’t any different. It’s my extra-large pizza and I’m starving for greasy, bad-for-me food.

God, I’m comparing demonic magic to pizza. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.

“I don’t know, Candy…” I pull at my fingers, popping the knuckles.

“What are you afraid of?” Kai asks.

“Losing myself,” I admit right away, not afraid to tell them my truth. “I’m half demon, this feeling fizzles inside me. I’m a glass full of ice, just waiting to be filled up with something to give me an identity. Manifestation could be this toxic substance to make me someone I’m not.”

“It doesn’t have to be like that. You can control it. You may be a demon, but you aren’t defined by what’s inside of you. You’re defined by your actions on the outside. The choices you make,” Declan encourages.

I swipe my hair to one shoulder. “The allure is so strong now that I know.”

“Then fight,” Declan urges. “Fight to be who you want to be and do what you have to do to get your parents.”

His reassuring smile and strong touches push me. I close my eyes and center myself. “Okay. Let’s give it a try.”

“McKenna…stop…” Sally says, materializing in front of us, her long green dress flowing in the wind. She tugs her white jacket closer to her, her eyes kind yet worried. “Manifestation is a gateway to darkness.”

Kai turns around, facing her while the rest of us stand.

“Sally?” I say. “What are you doing here?”

My Sprit Guide sighs, crossing her arms over her chest. “I know I gave you time off to figure out what’s going on with your parents, and I appreciate you keeping an open and honest dialogue with me throughout the past weeks, but this has gone too far.”

I rub my lips together. I do feel bad for skimping on my Strix duties, but she was so willing to allow me to go find mom and dad. I kept in contact with her every day. She visited us frequently, but my subconscious is starting to tap-tap on my brain, warning me of something I probably don’t want to hear.

“What has gone too far?” I ask, scared to hear what she has to say.

Her hands fall limply at her sides. “You. Using Manifestation. You must be careful.”

I sputter, baffled—and frankly, a little annoyed. “Did you know I was half demon?” Why do I feel like everyone around me knows more about me than I do? Being a Strix is simple…being this—a demon—not so much.

She looks away, hesitant to answer. “Yes.”

My eyes go wide and I take a couple steps toward her. “What? Why didn’t you tell me? You’ve known all along?”

Her eyes find mine, and then fall to the ground, embarrassed. “It was never my place. Your mom and dad planned on telling you.”

“Do you know where they are?” Candy asks.

“No, I’m sorry. When I got news of their death, I couldn’t believe it was true. I’m relieved to know it’s not.”

We fall silent.

“Well, is there any way you can help us?”

She blinks a few times. “I can help you get to Beneath, or at least the backdoor. Magic is required, but not Manifestation. I suggest you keep that under wraps until you know you can control your urges.”

Declan places his hand on my back. “It’s the better option, Mighty. Let’s do it.”

A chill breaks out on my back but I nod. “Okay.”

“Getting into Beneath is just a series of spells to test you,” Sally tells us as we sit down at the table in the Wilder’s house. The white, mismatched chairs skid against the wooden floor as we all make ourselves comfortable. I rest my elbows on the faded wood top. “It’s not supposed to be easy. As a matter of fact, not many people—or beings— know about this entrance, so hopefully that’ll be an advantage to you. On top of that, only people with angelic or demonic power can get in through it.”

Candy and Wood sulk together, sighing.

“But seeing as how you have both angelic and demonic power on your side,” Sally looks to Declan and I, “you all should be able to get in. Your mission is going to require everyone.”

“Do we have a chance?” Declan asks. “Do we have a chance of surviving? I’ve never gone up against anything like this Maker.”

Sally smiles triumphantly. “Oh, but you have, Declan.”

His mouth falls open and he points. “You…you know who I am?”

Sally laughs behind her hand. “Of course. You’re pretty famous upstairs. You caused all kinds of ruckus back in the day. Do you not have your memories back, yet?”

Declan’s dad clears his throat. “We just told him today.”

“Oh,” Sally says, stunned. “I can help with that.”

She closes her eyes and balls her fist. Soon, a blue light manifests in her hands and she touches Declan’s chest with it. The top of his body curls back against the chair, and he sucks in air, his eyes closing as if something hard hit his chest.

Sarah stands up, protectively, but Noah puts a hand on her arm.

I watch carefully.

Declan’s body collapses and his shoulders slump. He breathes in and out for what feels like forever, but eventually he says, “Holy. Shit.”

Sally smiles, satisfied. “Not very angel-like of you, Declan.”

He gets his bearings and shakes his head. “Apparently I’m not too worried about it.”

I touch his arm, his muscles tense underneath his skin. He twists the ring on his finger. “You okay?”

His eyes soften and he places his hand on mine. “I’m okay, Mighty. That was a lot to take in at once.”

I lower my voice. “You remember it all now? Everything?”

His mouth thins. “I do, but we can talk about it later. We need to focus.”

My mouth turns to the side and I take my hand back, placing it on the table. “Okay.”

Declan bites his lip and I turn back to Sally.

“Moving on,” she says.

“What’s the first step?” Wood asks.

Sally sighs. “Well, we’ll need demon blood to unlock the first gate.”

Kai sits up. “Which is where?”

“There’s a spot in Massachusetts called Gallows Hill.”

“Back home?” I say. “That’s right down the road from our house. That’s where the supposed Salem Witch Trials occurred.”

Sally frowns. “No, honey. There’s no
supposed
about it. That happened.” She shakes her head. “Tragedy.”

My pulse thumps erratically in my throat, so loud I can feel it. “Gallows Hill, that’s where the gate is?”

“Kind of appropriate, don’t you think?” Candy notes, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“What do you mean?” Declan asks.

“It makes sense there’s a gate to Beneath at one of the bloodiest sites in Massachusetts. It’s tainted our history for centuries. Witches cower at the mention of it. Of course this Maker person would put a doorway there.”

My chest tightens.

“Maker is nothing if not inappropriate,” Sally chides.

“So, blood?” Wood says, snapping us back to our mission. “We’ll need Kai’s blood for the first gate. Then what?”

Sally sits down, placing her hands in her lap. “I’m sure it’s guarded, so you’ll need a weapon that can kill demons.”

“We don’t have that,” Wood says, his eyebrows wrinkled.

“Well, actually,” Declan reaches into his pocket, producing a small pocket knife. “I’ve had this all my life.”

Noah scratches the side of his head. “It came with you, I’d always wondered what it did.”

Declan slides out the knife from its holder, pushing on the end with his thumb. Bright white color radiates from the handle and the knife grows double in size. The clean, shiny silver blade gleams in the chandelier light above us.

“Whoa,” Candy and I say together while something in the pit of my stomach warns me to stay away from it.

Kai watches the blade carefully, the same thoughts probably running through his mind.

“Holy crap,” Wood croaks, stunned. “How did you do that?”

Declan pushes the end of the blade again, the knife snapping back into its case. “It’s been my weapon for as long as I can remember.”

“Those memories are coming in handy,” Wood says, looking proud. Maybe he’s finally accepting what Declan is.

“Looks like,” Declan marvels, his eyes excited.

Sally nods. “Good. That’ll help. You can also exorcise the demons as well, but that’ll take time.”

A thought crosses my mind. “What if we record the exorcism on our phones and have it playing on a constant loop?”

“That’ll definitely stun them, but they’ll need to hear it start to finish to be truly exorcised.”

Candy’s face scrunches. “We’ll already be in Beneath, isn’t exorcising moot? There’s nowhere to send them to. Technically, they’re already there.”

Sally shakes her head, playing with the bracelet on her arm. “No. It’ll actually kill the demon. When you’re in Beneath and you exorcise a soul, it kills it automatically. No going to into Limbo. Nothing. It just…dies.”

“Wait!” Kai holds his hand up. “What about me? I’ll hear that spell and die.”

Sally rubs her lips together. “That’s going to be difficult. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“He’s right,” Declan offers. “We need him there – he’s part of the team, but if we exorcise him, it’ll all be over.”

Kai puffs his chest, beaming. It’s good to know even though Declan has his memories back, his heart is still the same. He’s still willing to work with demons because he believes in the good.

“I have it!” Sally snaps her fingers. “Once he’s inside, he can dissipate somewhere else, away from you guys.”

“How will I know where they are?” Kai asks. “I’ve never been that way. Hell, I’ve only ever been in Maker’s chambers.”

“You only have to dissipate yourself far enough to not hear the incantation.”

Kai swallows, his eyes drifting down to his lap. “I’ll try.”

Wood slaps him on the back in an encouraging manner.

“You’ll be okay,” Sally reassures. “Your instincts will kick in.”

“Is there anything else we need to know?” I ask.

“There is…” Sally stops to grab my hands. “I’d imagine if they haven’t killed your parents yet, it’s for a reason—a big one. I’m thinking you might be the reason. That means, you’ll have to find Maker in order to get them back.”