CHAPTER 28

Emmy It’s been a long day. The team and I are sitting with Kenzie and Jason while they visit. We are outside on the patio enjoying dinner together. Vivian also sits with us. Darren, Ivy, and Stella all have taken the night off to go into town and have some fun. At least someone is having fun, I think to myself. It’s not that I’m not happy to see Kenzie and Jason, it’s just that the one night we get off, we spend it visiting family. I would've liked a night in town. Hell, I would have taken just a night alone with Carter in a bed preferably.

My thoughts are interrupted when my senses kick in. Darren has taught us to be better at sensing danger. I’m the only one who seems to sense anything, but then again, I’m paying attention to the conversation like the others are.

Someone is here. Someone is spying on us. I close my eyes to use the air around me to find out where the intruder is hiding. I sense him. It’s a man, I’m sure of it. I can feel where the air changes as he breathes in and out. I need to be quick about this. In one swift movement I’m out of my chair and facing the bushes with my hands out in front of me levitating the intruder towards us.

Everyone shuts up, and stares at the man I have floating in the air. He has long dirty blonde hair that is mixed with grey that is tied in a ponytail. He has dark green eyes, and a scar over his right eye that runs from his eyebrow to his cheekbone. He is wearing a dark grey trench coat with jeans, and a black t-shirt under the trench coat.

“Who the hell are you?” I ask with a determination in my voice.

The man laughs. “Oh, you really are Gemma’s daughter. Not only do you look like her, but you have a fiery spirit.”

“You knew my mom?” I ask in shock. As I stare at the man, I realize he looks familiar. I know him from somewhere.

“Yes. I knew her very well. Now be a good girl and put me down. We need to talk.” The man says with authority in his voice. Who does he think he is talking to me like that?

“Nope, not until you tell me who you are first.” I demand.

“I know who he is. That’s Travis Caine and you’re supposed to be dead. The Reapers killed you years ago,” Jason answers my questions.

“Ah about that. I faked my own death. Gemma helped me get away from the Reapers.” Travis says casually.

“My sister had issues, but I don’t think she would help a criminal like you,” Jason spit the words out.

“She did, because I’m her soulmate.” Travis watches my eyes go wide. “Yes, that’s right Emmy. I’m your real father. Not that human we put you with to protect you. There is so much you don’t know, and that goes for you too, Jason. Vivian, you don’t know half the danger your daughter was ever in, or the danger that Emmy now faces.”

“How do we know what you say isn’t a lie? You are a wanted warlock,” Jason asks.

Jason is glaring at Travis.

“I know him. My mom would take me to meet with him as a kid. She always told me to keep them a secret.”

“Yes, that was for our safety. I hated not being able to hold you or act like your father. It broke my heart, but I had no choice.” Travis is sincere and he has sadness in his eyes.

“I don’t care if you know him or not. I don’t trust him.” Jason says and I can tell the others agree with him.

“I’ll take a truth potion. I believe Kenzie is known to be the best at making them.” Travis retorts with a smug look on his face.

“Fine, take the potion then I want to know everything.” I demand taking charge of the situation.

I was meant to be the leader of my team and I’m going to take charge just like everyone wants me to. I trust Travis, but I know the others don’t. I remember him. As a child I always wanted to know more about him, but my mom would always deflect my questions I ask Jason why Travis was wanted, and he explains that Travis mastered dark magic, and used it which is against magic laws. Travis having dark magic and being my father explains why I feel a darkness in me. He has answers that no one else has. The other night I called to someone and now I know it was him. I was calling for dad, and he came. He must know I need him.

Kenzie hands Travis the potion, and he drinks it. Once he is done with the potion, I sit him down. We all sit at the table except Travis, who leans against the manor stone wall. He has his one leg crossed in front of the other one. Jason still hasn't stopped glaring at Travis. Carter takes my hand, and I let him hold it. I have a feeling I was going to need his hand for the next shit storm that was about to hit me.

“Okay so talk.” I demand.

“Gemma and I met when I was on the run from the Reapers. Gemma was on the run for reasons I’ll explain in a minute. I knew she was a witch the minute I saw her in the bar. I needed someone to help me, so I captured her. I didn’t know what a spitfire she was.” Travis laughs as if he is recalling a memory.

“Anyway, we fell in love. Turns out we were each other's soul mate. I didn’t think I had one, and she wasn’t looking for hers, but fate brought us together anyway. I’ll spare you the detail of how we figured out we were each other’s soulmates. That part isn’t all that important right now. Gemma was running because she knew she was in danger. She never really turned her back on the magical world. It was an act to protect her friends and family. Gemma was being hunted by the Enchantress.” Travis maintains a serious expression.

“The Enchantress is a myth,” Jason says coolly.

“I can assure she is not. The Enchantress is the one responsible for creating dark magic. I’m a direct descendant of hers, which is why I’m able to use and master dark magic. Every decade or so The Enchantress must take over another body, but she can only take over witches who come from powerful bloodlines. They are the only ones able to withstand the darkness that eats away at a witch's soul when she is possessed by the Enchantress. Gemma was to be the next victim. She only pretended to rebel from magic. When Gemma found out she was pregnant with Emmy, she used a spell on William to make him think they were together and to make him think he was Emmy’s father. William was just a pawn. We knew that if people thought Emmy’s father was human and not me that she wouldn't be hunted down.” Travis directs his attention to me.

“Emmy you are one of the most powerful witches to ever live. You are the only one powerful enough to defeat the Enchantress, and she knows it. There is a prophecy about you. Only the one who comes from a dark and light bloodline can defeat the Enchantress. You have two very powerful bloodlines that course through your veins. You don’t even know how powerful you really are. You are the Chosen Child.”

Vivian nods in agreement. “I thought Emmy was the Chosen Child, but I wasn’t sure because I wasn’t sure William was her real father. I’ve had my suspicions about what Gemma was up to. Not only that but after she ran away, I discovered a page missing from the book of prophecies. I never knew what it said but I assume it had to with Gemma and the Enchantress.”

“Yes, it did. She took it in hopes to protect her loved ones.”

“What really happened to my mom?” I ask not sure I want the answer.

“I see your intuition is good, which will be important if you have any hope of surviving what’s to come next. Have you learned to read minds yet?”

I stay silent.

“No well we need to fix that.” Travis makes it sound like it is an easy fix.

“Reading minds requires Emmy to use dark magic.” Vivian states.

“Yes, it does, but only few can do it. I’m one of those few and since she is my daughter, she will be able to as well. The Enchantress can do more than read minds, she can control them. She wants to destroy the magical world, so she is the only magical being left in the world. Then she will make the humans worship her. She will be their goddess and enslave them to do her will. You want to know what happened to your mother?”

“Yes.” My voice is barely a whisper.

“The Enchantress took her. She made it look like your mother died from the black sickness, but she didn’t.” Travis informs me, and everyone around us.

“How is that even possible? That would have to alter hundreds of people’s memories.” Kenzie states. It was the first time she has spoken.

“That just gives you a taste of how powerful the Enchantress really are. My memories aren’t altered because I used dark magic to protect me. Your light magic never stood a chance even though most of you here are powerful. Just not powerful enough. You have no idea what the Enchantress are capable of.”

I stand up and slam my hands on the table. With all this new information I feel the darkness bubble to the surface and consume me. I can’t control it anymore. Anger courses through my veins. My emotions are strong and no longer under my control. I’m not me anymore but some other being entirely.

“Any more secrets I should know about? Huh? Perhaps I have a secret sibling I don’t know about. How many secrets have you all kept from me over the years? From having found out I have a secret godmother, grandmother, uncle and cousins, to finding out my mother was taken by a deranged witch who calls herself the Enchantress, and I’m the only one who can stop her. Oh, let’s not forget me being one of the most powerful witches to ever exist. Oh, and the man I thought was my father really isn’t. Anything else I should know? Anyone care to tell me something else that will shatter my world?” I look at everyone. They all stay silent. “Right, that’s what I thought.”

I storm off away from everyone.

I can’t control myself. My emotions are everywhere. I want to set the world on fire. I’ve reached my breaking part. I can’t take anymore lies and hidden truths. Secrets are destroying my world and I’ve had it. I’m done. I’m seething in anger and frustration. Everything I have been holding in is bursting forth in furious blaze. I feel stronger than ever before. I don’t know what this new power is, but I can’t deny I like it.

As I make my way through the woods this new power takes over. Why did I ever deny this? My thoughts race around in my head. Everyone wants me to save the world, but they keep things from me. How am I supposed to save the world when the people I love keep shit from me? I don’t care if it was to protect me. Suddenly I don’t care at all. I’m coming undone at the seams of my very being and I can’t stop it and I don’t want to. I want this, no I need this.