CHAPTER 22

Emmy After my amazing weekend with Carter, I almost don’t want to go back to the real world, but I know I have to. Vivian has been bothering me about meeting up with her and I finally agree to meet her to get her off my back. Besides, she has answers and I have questions.

On the drive up to the coven’s manor with Kenzie and Jason I tell them all about finding out that Carter was my soulmate. They both are happy for me. Kenzie insists that she now has to meet him. I agree with her. I also tell them about Carter’s uncle being a Warrior. They don’t seem surprised or shocked, they just nod their heads which makes me wonder if they already knew. I don’t press them for more information. I’ve learned that in the magic world when it’s time for you to know something you will find out then and only then. I’m also distracted by my meeting with Vivian. I have a feeling it’s time for something to be revealed.

I have on a navy blue dress with pink roses on it and black combat boots. I have to make sure I look presentable to meet with Vivian. Kenzie is also in a dress but hers was a maroon color, and she has a jean jacket over it. Jason is also dressed on the nicer side. Apparently, the coven takes their meetings and parties seriously and it’s always good to look presentable.

We are led to the back of the house and into the gardens that are blooming with the May flowers and glowing with sunshine. Kenzie and I are both surprised to see Brielle and Bexton there with Vivian sitting at the cast iron table. The twins hug their parents and then me. I’m not sure why they were here, but I’m glad to see them.

Everyone takes their seats. As we do the servants bring out trays of tea with milk and sugar, a platter filled with little sandwiches, a tray with cheese, crackers, and olives, another platter with cookies and other assorted desserts, and the last tray has mini quiches on them. Everyone helps themselves to the tea and food. Once we all had plates and teacups in front of us, Vivian seemed ready to start our meeting.

“I’ve called all of you here because I have to tell you something very important about your family history. Jason, I believe you filled Kenzie in on everything.” Jason nods his head. Kenzie looks nervous. “Good, so it’s just the children we have to inform. Emmy, Bexton and Brielle, you are cousins. Jason and Gemma have the same father but different mothers. Henry, your grandfather, and I were soulmates, and after some time together I decided I didn’t want to be with him. We both wanted to be Reapers. I wanted to investigate, and he wanted to fight. Once we realized our lives were going in different directions it just seemed natural for us to go our separate ways. I didn’t know I was pregnant with Gemma when I left Henry. A few months later Henry met Beth on a mission, and they fell in love, and soon had Jason.”

“What? How could Henry and Beth have a child if they weren’t soulmates?” Bexton questions.

“If a witch or warlock leaves their soulmate, it breaks the connection they have to each other and allows them to find another soulmate,” I answer. I guess reading that damn soulmate book paid off.

“Emmy is correct. I couldn’t really raise Gemma, so I gave her to my mom Val to raise her. I was a bit of a wild witch then. You could say it runs in the family. I kept my identity hidden from the coven because, as a Reaper, we become nameless to protect our families. By the time I returned to the coven no one knew who I was. I had been a child the last time I stepped foot in these walls. Everyone just assumed I was dead, and I let them believe that it was easier. Of course, the council and higher members of the coven know who I really am. I took over for my mother when she passed away. At that point I had been studying under my mother and everyone knew I was the one chosen to take her place.” Vivian turns her attention to me” Emmy, when Gemma died, I was going to come get you. Then I found out you had been sent to live with your father and that you weren’t allowed to know who you were until your seventeenth birthday. Your mother used a potion to protect you so no one could tell you until then.”

“How did my mom get pregnant with me if my dad wasn’t her soulmate?” I’ve been wanting to know the answer to this question since I first found out about the soulmate thing. Who better to ask than my grandmother who I didn’t even know was alive till now.

“Gemma was a good witch when she was younger, but when she reached her teens, she stopped practicing her magic. She had enough control to not make herself obvious to the world of what she was. My guess is that whatever she was using for magical birth control failed. It’s rare, but a witch or a warlock can have a child with someone who isn’t their soulmate. There’s more I have to tell you kids. There is a prophecy about you along with two others. The five of you are going to save our world. There is a great evil coming to eliminate it.”

“Great, just what I wanted for Christmas,” Brie says sarcastically.

“Who are these other two kids that we are supposed to save the magical world with?” Bexton asks, ignoring his sister’s comment.

“Emmy, I believe you know one of them already. Alice and Ryan, come out.”

My mouth drops as I watch my best friend Alice walk out from the shadows. I jump up and hug her.

“You’re a witch?” I ask taking a step back to look at my friend.

Alice has jet black hair that was cut into a long inverted bob, her right eyebrow is pierced, and she wears a black dress with fishnet stockings and black combat boots.

“Yeah girlfriend. I didn’t know you were a witch until recently,” Alice says, looking at me with that smirk on her face that means she was trying to not be a smart ass.

“Well join the club,” I state in a slightly sarcastic tone.

“I always thought you were a witch like me, but I was told to never tell you. As you know our moms didn’t get along.”

“Yeah and now I think I know why. My mom wasn’t a good witch role model.” I say feeling annoyed at the whole situation.

Vivian gives Alice and I a look that says this is not the time for us to be playing catch up. We turn our attention away from each other and back to Vivian. I’m sure there is much more that we must know about saving the world.

“Alice Quinn and Ryan James, meet Emmy Chase and Brielle and Bexton East.” Vivian introduces us and Alice and Ryan, and they join the table.

Ryan has brown hair that is cut into a mohawk. He is buff, and I can see Brie was trying not to stare at him. Bexton has muscles too, but his aren't overly pronounced like Ryan’s are. Bexton was more toned, but he is shorter than Ryan, but then again Ryan is on the taller side of the spectrum.

“So, what are we supposed to do? How are we supposed to save the magical world?” I ask the question everyone is thinking.

“Well first things first, we have to get you five trained for combat. I have some of the best Warrior and Reaper trainers coming from the academy to train you. You will live here in the manor for the duration of your training. You five will need to learn how to work as a team. You will need to learn weapon training and how to use your magic in battle.”

“Wait live here? What about those of us who have a life outside of the magical world?” I can only think about Carter.

Vivian smiles. “You may bring a guest if you wish. I know you might want your soulmate by your side Emmy and that goes for you too Bexton. I trust Avary has been restored to her human form?”

“She has. Um how did you know about my soulmate?” Bexton seems a little on edge now.

I was a bit curious about what Vivian meant about Avery being restored to her human form. I’m sure I'd find out at some point, but right now I have to focus on how I’m supposed to help save the magical world.

“I know everything that goes on within my coven. You all have three weeks to settle your affairs. That should give those of you who need an explanation to your families to come up with one. Emmy and Bexton that should give you time to talk to your soulmates. They are welcome to come and live here with you. We would train them as well. They can be backup to your team if they want to be. Three weeks that is all you get, so I suggest you make the best of them. Come prepared to train hard. You have a whole world depending on you.” Vivian's tone is serious.

We talk a bit more and finish eating. It becomes more of a social event instead of a serious meeting about saving the magical world. Somehow, I don’t think we will just be saving the magical world. I think the human world is going to get thrown into the mix it always does. I’ve read and watched enough movies to know how this is going to go.

Brie is off talking with Ryan, no doubt trying to figure out his soulmate situation. Bexton is talking with his father. Kenzie is talking with Vivian and I’m chatting with Alice trying to catch up on everything.

“I guess we are best friends for a reason,” I state.

“It would seem that way. I’m so happy we will be living together. This is so exciting! Oh, and I want to meet Carter. You will not keep him from me.” Alice throws an arm over my shoulder.

I knew it was only a matter of time before she asked about Carter. “Of course, you will meet him. Hopefully he will live with us too. Shit who I am kidding, I can’t ask him that. I just found out he’s my soulmate and he’s barely had time to get used to me being a witch now I’m supposed to tell him about this prophecy.”

“Relax. You have to tell him one way or another because how else are you going to explain where you are for who knows how long while we are here training? If Carter is the guy you think he is he will support you in this. Even if he doesn’t live with us, I’m sure you will be able to see him. You have to tell him and the sooner you do it the better. I know it’s a lot to handle for you and him, but a part of being soulmates is getting through the tough shit together.”

“When did you become all wise?” I joke.

“I’m the fucking Yoda of this group, I can see it right now,” Alice jokes back.

It feels so good to talk to her in person. I haven’t seen her in over a year, and I really did miss her. I’m glad we would be spending more time together as we would now be living together.

After a few hours, we say our goodbyes and I’m back in the car with Kenzie and Jason. The car ride is quiet which is fine with me because I have to process everything that happened this afternoon. My best friend is a witch like me, and we both are part of some crazy prophecy. I also found out that Jason was my uncle, Vivian is my grandmother and Brie and Bexton are my cousins. Talk about a bomb being dropped on me. Who knew there could be so many secrets in one family?

I went from having barely any family to having a whole damn family tree in one afternoon. Not only that but I’m supposed to save the world. Great! That’s not how I saw today going. I thought I’d get some answers but instead I only got more questions. I just found out I was a witch not that long ago and now I find out I’m destined to save the world. This is a lot to handle.

There is also the matter of breaking this news to Carter. I just told him I was a witch now I have to tell him I’m going away for a while to train to save the world with a group of people, oh and he can tag along if he wants to. This is crazy. I know his Uncle Darren has prepared him for some of this, but I’m not sure this was something any of us were prepared for.