The Vaga (22 page)

Julian quickly releases my hand.
How does he do that
? I grumble silently. If he just heard our conversation does that mean he heard everything we said?

Julian and I exchange a look and I know he’s thinking the same thing.

He moves past us and makes himself a tea. ‘Erebus will find your weak spot to lure you out. I think you need to get everyone out of here. Today.’

I swivel around in my chair. ‘That means you too?’

He dips the teabag back and forth. ‘Not going to happen.’

‘But he’ll target you as well.’

He pulls up a chair and sits down. His face looks sleep deprived and worn out. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

‘Neither am I,’ Julian says.

I shake my head. ‘No, no, no. Don’t do this to me. You just said that he could target everyone I love and care about. That means you two.’ They share a look. ‘I can’t have that. I can do this alone. I don’t need you in harm’s way.’

‘Well too bad, because I’m staying too,’ Sam says, gliding in with Magi behind him.

He startles all of us.

‘What is this? A sneaky party?’ I hiss, automatically reaching for Magi. She lays her head on my lap and sends me an image of her chained to me. I sigh. She’s obviously staying too.

Sam sits down at the only other chair available, and as I look around at them I realise that they are all my family now. Blood isn’t what binds people together, love is.

A weary sound escapes me. ‘Fine. So it’s just Phoebe and Aunt Lily then.’

Uncle Jo brings the mug up to his lips and blows. ‘That is going to be the biggest challenge.’

I smirk. We’re staring potential death in the face and he’s more worried about how Aunt Lily and Phoebe will react. Priceless.

Phoebe crosses her arms stubbornly. ‘I’m not going!’

‘Phoebs, please,’ I say for the hundredth time.

‘Don’t you
please
me, witch spawn. Watch my lips. I…am…
not
…going.’

I peer over her shoulder at Julian and Sam who exchange an amused look.

‘Phoebs, I’m not actually asking. You and Aunt Lily mean the world to me, and right now you’re both vulnerable. I need to take you somewhere safe. Please don’t fight me on this.’

‘I’m not going to fight you because there is no
fight
! I’m not leaving you.’ She flops down on the lounge and crosses her legs defiantly.

For an hour now I’ve been trying to convince Phoebe that she has to go. After everyone woke up we had a massive breakfast before I hit them with our plan, which didn’t go as well as I was hoping seeing as both Aunt Lily and Phoebe fought us all the way. Aunt Lily went down to her room and Uncle Jo followed. They were in there for a while, and when they eventually came back out she did not look happy. Since then I’ve been trying to convince Phoebe that it’s safer for her to be away from here, the shapeshifter and hunter in the background keeping well out of the conversation. Bloody scaredy-cats.

‘Ugh, will you deal with this?’ I say to Sam.

‘Don’t get him involved. He can’t make me do this either.’

I throw my hands in the air. ‘I’m going to have a shower,’ I say, storming down the hallway.

‘A shower’s not going to help you, Cole! I’m still not going!’ Phoebe yells after me.

Ignoring her I enter the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.
She’s so friggin stubborn
.

I turn on the shower and pace the tiled floor in agitation.

I’m going to have to force her. It’s the only way. I’ll have to take her family as well, just to make sure they aren’t targeted either. So much for not using my magic too often.

Now that I think about my magic, Isis has been oddly quiet lately. With all my emotions she would normally be trying to fight to the surface. The last few days swim through my mind, and the only thing that makes sense is that when Julian’s around her essence is softer, gentler.

He calms her…me…us.

I shed my day old clothes and hop into the shower, my body tired and worn out. Kneading my shoulders I let the water rush over me.

How am I going to do this
?
How do I defeat Erebus
?

I lean my head against the cold wall tiles. Is it even possible to take down a god?

Everyone is sitting around the lounge room, solemn and silent.

‘I don’t like this. Not one little bit,’ Phoebe says.

‘It’s not for long. Just remember what we talked about,’ Sam says, rubbing her back.

She glances up at him and her lip quivers. She turns and hugs him, her body trembling against his. I feel tears well up in my eyes and I swallow them down before they have a chance to fall.

‘Be careful.’ I hear her whisper to him. ‘Come back to me.’

Screw the tears. Here they come.

It’s taken two hours and thirty-seven minutes to convince Phoebe that she has to go. It was like the intervention from hell. Even bribing her with food didn’t do the job. In the end Aunt Lily stepped forward, coaxing her in that calm, soft way of hers.

Phoebe finally agreed and Aunt Lily flashed Uncle Jo a scowl, as if to say
I blame you for this
.
You left me no choice
.

We all decided that it was best if the others didn’t know where I was taking them, just in case. Phoebe rang her Mum to let her know that we were coming, telling her to get her dad and Tom and meet us at the farm.

I grab onto their hands and squeeze. ‘It’ll be alright.’

The men in our lives watch us helplessly, their faces reflecting worry and concern.

‘I won’t be long,’ I say.

Before any of them can respond I teleport us out.

We land in the living room, the familiar surroundings filling me with longing and comfort.

I’m home.

Nina, Ben, and Tom all jump up off the lounge, startled by our sudden appearance.

‘Mum,’ Phoebe says walking into her mother’s arms.

Phoebe face falls into her neck and Nina calms her with soothing words.

‘Hi, Ben.’ Aunt Lily steps forward and kisses Ben on the cheek. ‘Tom,’ she says acknowledging Phoebe’s little brother.

‘Man, you got big,’ I say to Tom, noticing that he’s shot up about five inches since I last saw him.

He blushes. ‘Hey, Ellie.’

I move forward and give him a hug. He gives me an awkward hug in return.

‘Hi, Mr. Campbell.’

Ben Campbell is a big, burly man who looks like a lumber jack, beard and all. He has the heart of a teddy bear though, despite his size.

‘Ellie,’ he says, moving forward, his knee giving him obvious grief. He gives me a peck on the cheek. ‘You okay, darlin?’

I nod, no words able to express how I’m really feeling.

‘Well, this was a bit of a surprise,’ he says, stroking his beard.

‘I know. I’m sorry I have to do this, but it’s the only way you will all be safe. I don’t want any of you hurt again.’ My gaze falls on Phoebe and she nods in understanding.

‘Did you get everything you need?’ Aunt Lily asks.

Nina nods. ‘Yes. Everything is there.’ She points to the bags near the front door. She pulls Phoebe down next to her on the lounge, clasping her hand as if her life depended on it. ‘Can you tell us what’s going on? Why we have to leave?’

Since finding out I was a witch Phoebe and her family have kept their promise of never revealing my secret. Our families have been close for years, but the truth about me caused a few unsettling ripples in the beginning. After showing them what I can do, and explaining what had happened to my family over the centuries, they soon came to accept, and even embrace, my abilities as a gift.

‘I think we should all sit,’ Ben says, settling himself back onto the lounge and patting Phoebe’s leg. He winces as he tries to get comfortable.

I kneel down in front of him and gesture towards his knee. ‘May I?’

He nods and I cast a healing spell.

He stretches out his knee and tests its mobility. ‘You are an angel.’ He whistles. ‘Nina, will you look at that?’

Phoebe’s mum rolls her eyes. ‘That’s wonderful, Ben. I only told you to ask Ellie to heal it six months ago.’

He ignores her sarcasm, still looking at his knee in awe. Tom shakes his head at his dad.

‘Anyway, Ellie. Back to the reason why we have to leave?’ Nina reiterates.

‘I’ll go and get my things while you explain,’ Aunt Lily says, moving past us.

I watch after her, knowing that her emotions are all over the place. She’s pissed and I can’t say I blame her. I’d hate to leave my family too, especially if I knew they were facing the dangers that we are up against right now.

I turn back to see the eyes of Phoebe’s family, all watching me warily. What am I supposed to tell them? That an Immortal named Erebus, who lives at the gates of the underworld, wants to kidnap me for breeding purposes? I think not.

‘Uh, it’s a bit complicated. I really can’t tell you much, I’m sorry.’

‘Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting,’ she grumbles.

‘Mum, you’re just going to have to trust E. It’s for our own protection.’ Phoebe throws me a wink.

I’m about to mouth the words
thank you
when a loud humming noise assaults my ears.

Old Olsen
?

‘Uh, I need to get a few things myself, so I’ll be back in a sec.’

Before they can respond I rush out of the room and head upstairs. When I reach my bedroom a nostalgic feeling washes over me. As I look out over the bay window and the patchy walls where my posters and vintage trinkets used to hang, I realise just how much I miss this place.

The humming becomes louder, more forceful, and I cringe against the sound before beaming out.

Landing next to Old Olsen is like standing next to a Jumbo Jet getting ready for take-off. His whole body is rippling with intensity, and the noise is almost unbearable.

I move towards him, his large branches providing a canopy of shade in the midday sun. His massive trunk emits a faint pulse of green light while his roots vibrate beneath my feet. As I reach out my hand, I feel his power ripple through me, intense and unnerving. I’ve never seen him like this.

A clap of thunder in the distance makes me jump, and as I look off towards the sound I see a dark cloud over the ranges, rushing towards the farm.

What’s happening
?

Old Olsen’s branches start to move, and as my hand brushes against his trunk a bolt of electricity zaps through me.

Run
! I hear him say. Not in words, but in vibration.

This old tree that has stood by the house for as long as I can remember is warning me. The wind picks up speed and ruffles the leaves. I push the hair out of my face and hear him again.
Run
!

Run? What does he mean? I’m trying to comprehend what is happening when I hear cracking and snapping sounds coming from the surrounding forest. The tops of the canopy sway and move. My heart pounds faster, waiting to see what is making its way through the forest towards me.

Frozen in place, I try to move but can’t. Isis’ magic awakens, coursing through my veins. I withdraw my hand from his trunk, ready to turn and run back into the house…but then I see it.

A huge beast emerges from the forest—high-ridged back, thick matted fur, elongated pig snout surrounded by two large tusks, and an ugly head, too small for its monstrous body. Its beady eyes are staring right at me.

What the…?

It snorts and a plume of ashen smoke rushes out of its nostrils as it kicks at the ground, stamping its foot like a bull about to charge.

I back away from Old Olsen who is still humming like a maniac, keeping my eyes on the boar-like beast while swallowing the lump in my throat.

‘E, what’s going on?’ Phoebe yells behind me. ‘I was looking for you everywhere. Where have you been?’

I can feel her walking towards me. ‘No, stay there. Don’t move,’ I yell, holding my palm out towards her but still keeping my eyes on the beast.

‘What? You’re talking crazy,’ she says, still moving forward. ‘I wanted to tell you that—’

She stops talking, grabbing my outstretched arm tightly.

‘What in the name of pharaoh’s ass crack is that?!’ she hisses, her fingernails digging into my skin.

‘Back away slowly. Get back to the house. We have to leave, now!’