Precious Anathema (11 page)

*

“
Xander come downstairs
right now!” I heard him yelling and I knew that the secret of Cora
was out. I threw the journal under my bed and made my way
downstairs to face my father. “Were you with Delilah when she saw
Cora?” I sat at the table and nodded, I hadn’t told him in the hope
that I would find some answers before it got out.

“
I am sorry I didn’t tell
you, but I only caught a glimpse of her. She scared Ella pretty bad
so I know she got a good look at her, but as we were heading back I
heard Cora’s call to the dead. Her scream was earth shattering but
as far as Ella knows I still don’t know anything.” I stood up to
face him; he looked at me with such disappointment in his
eyes.

“
Look at me boy, do not
look me in the eye and lie to me. You know what you have to do and
I don’t want your feelings getting in the way do you hear me?” I
never blinked as I stared at him.

“
I know what I have to do,
don’t think I am not thinking about what I have to do every second
of the day since she got here!” As my voice raised, my heat sped up
and my palms began to sweat, I had never raised my voice to him
before and he seemed just as shocked as I was to hear
it.

“
As long as you know
Xander, we need to meet at the house so they can begin preparing
Ella for the first stage.” He walked past me and I exhaled, he
turned around and held up a finger as he spoke.

“
I know it’ hard for you,
and as long as you know she can be a play thing for you right now
and nothing more you will be fine.” He walked out of the room
before I could speak and tell him the words he feared hearing the
most. I felt anger fill me, a sense of rage began at my toes and as
I raised my hand, imagining his face I punched the wall, screaming.
The pain was nothing compared to the pain in my heart. From the
window I saw my father stop in his tracks upon hearing my rage, but
he kept walking after a moment and never looked back as I made my
way outside.

*

I walked into the parlor and Freya
started yelling up the stairs and through the house.

“
You don’t have a spell to
gather everyone Freya?” I asked as I watched her strain to
yell.

“
Of course I do honey, but
it takes longer and they know I mean business when I call them
all.” I watched as my Aunts came in from the south garden, Selene
began to walk down the stairs, Eris walked in from the Dining room
and the front door opened revealing Israel and Xander. I was
surrounded by the dream team and Freya gave me a wink.

“
See my Dear, I told you.”
We all walked into the dining room and Xander sat next to me at the
table. Selene conveniently sat next to him and smiled as she moved
her chair closer to his. I ignored her as Freya began talking; I
had nothing to worry about.

“
I know that the rest of us
have had our whole lives to find our gifts and perfect them to this
point, Delilah doesn’t have this luxury. Cora is here.” Gasps
filled the room and both Carna and Kali looked at me with sad eyes,
they knew what that meant before Freya spoke again. “Cora being
here is very dangerous for Ella and we all need to work together to
make sure she is ready for whatever is to be thrown at her. Cora
doesn’t know that Ella hasn’t perfected her gifts yet so she is
lying low and scared, just watching for now.” I looked out the
window and Xander took my hand. This was certainly not what I
signed up for in agreeing to come to Maine this summer.

“
How are we going to
start?” Carna looked worried. “We still don’t know what gifts her
mother had so how do we know where to look?” Freya smiled at her
and pointed to me.

“
We are going to start by
teaching her how we all surface our gifts, if she can do that we
have somewhere to start.” I started to feel anxious and excited at
the same time. Freya walked away and we all followed her into the
music room. She asked for Israel and Xander to move the equipment
so we would have room, as they walked away Selene winked at Xander
and he turned his head and winked at me. I rolled my eyes at her
and she blew me a kiss, before I had time to react Freya pushed me
into the middle of a small circle that had formed. I was surrounded
and thanked the heavens they were on my side; well most of them
anyway as I looked at Selene and saw she that was looking
everywhere but at me.

“
Each
one
of us” Freya yelled, looking
directly at Selene. “Will step into the circle with Ella and we
will all harness our gifts to make it easier for her to tap in.”
Kali was the first to step in; she smiled at me and took my
hands.

“
Don’t worry sweetie this
isn’t going to hurt or anything, and with any luck we won’t need
you to use them alone.” She closed her eyes and then opened them
quickly, a look of panic swept her face and then I saw it, I saw
what she saw and I screamed as I let go of her hands and turned to
see Xander and Israel.

“
Don’t pick up that piano!”
My voice echoed through the great room and both men turned to look
at me. I was scared, I could see a string let go striking Israel in
the neck, blood everywhere. I looked back at Kali and she was
smiling.

“
That took no effort on my
part at all Delilah, you really are a natural. What did you do to
bring that out?” I shrugged my shoulders at her; I really had no
idea what I had done. I touched her hands and the minute she saw it
so did I, no trying on my part.

“
I don’t know Kali, I don’t
remember doing anything.” She took a deep breath and grabbed my
hands again.

“
Then this should be a
snap, I knew how to do this when I was five. We are going to think
of a place together and close our eyes; you need to see it clearly
for it to work, ok?” I nodded and closed my eyes, and then I saw
what she saw, a gorgeous forest, thick with green hues and yellow
rays of the sun peeking through the branches. A large waterfall
behind us sounded like a train we were so close to it, I had
imagined in my life that once upon a time looked like this and now
I knew it really did. I could smell the flowers and feel the mist
on the back of my neck as I became entranced in the beauty around
me, this was the most vivid dream I had ever been in. I looked at
Kali beside me and she smiled as she watched me take it all
in.

“
So real isn’t it?” I
smiled back and then felt the sun on my face as the clouds
parted.

“
How are we feeling all of
this Kali?” She picked up a flower and handed it to me.

“
You still think this is a
dream Ella?” I took the flower and smelled it as my eyes closed and
I felt something poke my rib really hard, I yelled and opened my
eyes. Kali had just stabbed me slightly with a stick and as I
reached around to see blood she stepped closer to me. “This is no
dream Ella, we are here. You and I are here together and anything
that happens here happens to us in life as well. You have projected
yourself here with me; you are the first person to do that in my
lifetime.” I felt the blood drip down my side and thought I may
throw up, I was feeling so overwhelmed.

“
Kali, how do I use this?”
She sat down on the grass and patted the space beside her for me to
sit as well.

“
Delilah, I have used this
for many reasons over the years to help people, to hurt people,
seek revenge and even lust in my younger years. You are only the
second Grace woman in history to be able to have this gift Honey,
don’t abuse it.” She stood up and reached for my hand. We stood up
and I had to ask while we were alone.

“
Kali, what will Cora do to
me if I am not ready for her?” Kali squeezed my hand and pulled me
in for a hug.

“
No one knows Ella, but if
I had to guess she wants to hurt you and we have to make sure that
doesn’t happen. None of us want you to get hurt for any reason,
even if it means the curse isn’t lifted, including Selene if you
can believe that one.” I rolled my eyes at her and she laughed.
“She is all talk you know; she’s just been the princess her whole
life and is having a hard time with the change. Eris has always
been a tomboy so Selene has never had to share the spotlight, but
she will come around I promise.” I gave her the best fake smile I
could muster and closed my eyes, when I opened them we were in the
music room and no one even knew we had left. As Kali looked at me
and winked I knew that this was only the beginning for me, I was
overwhelmed and overjoyed that I could possess such a gift. I
looked at Freya who was all smiles.

“
This gift Ella will help
you in more ways than you could ever imagine, good job ladies, now
who is next?” Next, wow I was really being thrown to the lions
here. I already felt tired and worn out and still had five more
witches to go.

“
Delilah you are bleeding!”
Carna ran into the circle as Kali walked out and as Carna put her
hand on my side I felt warm and tingly all over, I looked down and
the cut in my side was gone and so was the blood that had pooled on
my hip. Freya suggested that Carna go next since she was in the
circle.

“
Well, you know I can heal
let’s see if you can my dear.” She looked around the room for
something to hurt herself with when Freya lifted her arm and Carna
slapped her head with her hands in pain. She dropped to the floor
and I looked at Freya who motioned for me to help her, and quickly.
Carna rocked back and forth on the floor holding her head. I wasn’t
sure what to do, but all she did was put he hands on me, so I
placed my hands on either side of head and as I did this I felt a
cool sensation run up my arms and fill my body with a blast of air
conditioned chill. My body and hands began to heat back up just as
Carna stood on her feet with her mouth hanging open in surprise and
happiness.

“
Delilah, it’s gone. My
headache is actually gone, you did it.” She flashed a look at
Freya, “Next time Mom how about you not try to kill me though?”
Kali laughed and Carna rolled her eyes at her, you could tell they
were sisters in these moments more than any others; I smiled again
thinking of what my mom would be doing right now. “Now you know
that I can read minds, but it’s tricky to figure out, I am going to
open myself up and you try to figure out what I am thinking I can’t
tell you how to do it though since I am not sure myself Hun,
sorry.” I nodded and took her hands as she closed her eyes. I began
to close my eyes and then stopped, that couldn’t be what she was
thinking right?

“
Carna, I think I know.”
She opened her eyes and smiled.

“
Already?” I
nodded.

“
Are you thinking that
Israel looks hot in those jeans?” Carna blushed and all the women
smiled and then looked at Israel who had turned four shades of
red.

“
Delilah, that’s what I was
thinking before I took your hands.” So far I had been able to
duplicate all of my Aunts gifts, this seemed strange since Eris and
Selene didn’t have the same gifts as their mother’s but I quickly
forgot about it as Carna hugged me and walked out of the circle.
Eris volunteered to go next and skipped into the circle with a big
smile on her face per usual. Sometimes she was a little too happy,
but I guess one had to be to offset Selene’s bitch most of the
time.

“
So I have two gifts, and I
can only work on one with you while we are inside, but later we can
work on the second. I can talk to animals and besides the beast
over there.” She glanced at Selene, “I don’t see any in here.”
Selene rolled her eyes and gave Eris the finger. Eris continued to
talk without notice, “I can make people forget things, but only for
a few minutes so if you can harness this skill you have to remember
that, it only works a few minutes after what you want them to
forget.” I took her hands in mine and she smiled at me, then she
closed her eyes opened them and looked confused. “Why am I in the
circle?” I let go of her hands as soon as the words came out.
Selene and even Freya began laughing as they explained to her that
it was apparent I had this gift as well because for the first time
it backfired on her. We all had a good laugh and Eris even chuckled
a little before leaving the circle. I looked at Freya, beginning to
feel self-conscious of the fact that so far no one had stumped
me.

“
Freya, what do you think
it all means?” She walked into the circle.

“
One way we can find out is
for you to take my hands now, one gift cannot be handed down, it is
special only to me and if you have it I think it’s pretty apparent
that you can take on any gift and then know how to use it. This may
be the greatest gift ever given my Dear.” She held out her hands
and I took them reluctantly in my own. As I closed my eyes it was
hazy, and then I saw a light and a shadow of a person walking
towards me. I wasn’t sure what gift this was or what I was supposed
to do, but I spoke.

“
Hello? Freya is that you?”
The shadow answered and I lost my breath.

NINE

“
My beautiful Delilah, I
love you and I am so proud of you for being so brave honey.” My
mother’s voice echoed through my soul. I began to cry as I reached
out for her. I could hear her and even see her standing before
me.

“
Mom, is it really you?”
She laughed and touched my face; I felt her hands on my wet cheeks.
“Mom I am scared, I need you more than ever.” I just kept crying as
she lifted my face so we were looking each other in the
eye.