Chapter 25 — Emmy

I open my eyes and find Carter asleep in a chair next to me. I am back at the manor. I feel so weak like my life force has been drained from me. I attempt to sit up, but I can't. Dad runs over to my side and helps me sit up.

“Easy Little Bird.” He warns.

Carter wakes up in the chair next to my bed and rubs the sleep from his eyes. Calder walks into the healing wing with two trays floating in the air. One floats to me, and one floats to another bed. I look over at the other bed and see my mom lying in bed. She is sitting up and smiling at me.

“How?” Is all I can manage.

I killed her. I watched her die as I faded into the darkness. I stabbed her. I look down at my skin and it’s back to normal. I sigh with relief. I don’t want Carter to see the monster side of me. I look down at the tray and there was chicken matzo ball soup with bread and iced tea. I look at dad and Calder. I am so confused. That must be my mom in the other bed and not the Enchantress. There is no way in hell that they would bring the Enchantress back to the manor.

“I...I don’t understand.” I say as I put my hand to my head. It’s pounding.

My dad hands me a yellowish green potion. “Drink this, it will help with your headache.” I take the vial and down it. Within minutes my head doesn’t feel like it’s going to explode. “You took quite the hit, Little Bird.” Dad says as he waves his hands to move mom's bed closer to mine.

“Emmy I’m glad you’re awake sweetie.” My mom says with a smile. Could it really be her?

I shake my head. “I...I killed you. I stabbed you. How are you alive?”

My mom smiles. “You would have killed me if Calder and your father didn’t get me to a Knights Wood Tree. You saved me, Little Bird. You weakened the Enchantress enough that I could fight her and push her out of my body.”

“Is she dead?” I ask hoping this whole ordeal is over with.

My dad frowns. “No, Little Bird, she isn’t. She is in spirit form till she takes over a new body. She didn’t stick around long enough for us to kill her.”

My dad fills me in on the Enchantress’s army. I sigh at this information. I should have known this wasn’t over. It would have been too easy if the Enchantress died when I stabbed my mom. At this point I’m just happy we aren’t stuck in the damn Dark Forest anymore.

I eat my soup and bread while my mom does the same thing. My mom is really weak, and she will be for a while. Her body has taken a serious hit from being possessed by the Enchantress for so long. I can’t believe the four of us are all together. It’s surreal to see my parents together. I’m really happy that mom is back. After some time and one he is satisfied that I am ok, Carter gives us some time to catch up.

After a few hours alone with my parents and brother, the others join us in the healing wing. Carter is back at my side. Jason and Kenzie are still here. They stayed once my dad, Calder, and I were placed under the sleeping death curse. Vivian looks so damn happy. Mom and her look nothing alike, but I am told mom takes after her dad’s side of the family, which would make sense because her and Jason look like siblings now that I see them together. Apparently, Jason is the spitting image of my grandfather much like I’m the spitting image of my mom.

After visiting with everyone dad kicks everyone out so mom and I can rest. It’s weird having my mom back. I thought she was dead for years only to find out she was taken by the Enchantress and now she’s back in my life. I haven’t had a chance to talk to her since we’ve had no alone time. Dad won’t leave mom’s side and Calder hardly leaves the room. Carter hardly leaves my side until I tell him he has to get rest. Carter reluctantly goes to his room to get some rest after he kisses me goodnight.

It’s been a few days since my mom, and I have been in the healing wing. The team is back to training, and I’ll join them once I am better. I took a real hit from the Enchantress. I went full blown dark Emmy and let the monster out to play which drained me. So, combine that with the hit I took from the Enchantress and my body is spent.

My dad informs me that if I wasn’t in my dark state the Enchantress would likely have killed me. I guess it’s a good thing I let the monster out then. Calder has barely said two words to me. I think he is pissed that I tried to kill our mom. It’s not like I wanted to, I just didn’t see another way.

The truth is the Enchantress brought us to the Dark Forest so she could trap us there. She knew we didn’t know how to save my mom, that we only had theories. We would have failed if we tried dad and Calder’s way. I think Calder believes we could have saved my mom in another way where she didn’t end up hurt, but the reality is no matter what we did she wouldn’t have come out of it unscathed. The thing is, the stab wound my mom has now is much better than what she could have had happen to her. The Enchantress didn’t think that I would try to kill mom, in fact she was counting against it. Mom knew this, that’s why she told me to kill her if I had to. In the end I’m glad I did what I did and I’m glad my dad and Calder came when they did.

Mom and I finally have some time to ourselves. Calder is training with the team while dad is doing some research with Vivian in the manor’s library. Calder has temporarily taken my place as the team's leader. He is now my second in command and will help me with the team which is actually a huge relief to me. I’m glad I won’t have to do the leader thing on my own anymore.

While Calder is with the team, dad is doing research with Vivian in the manor’s library. Dad and Vivian are trying to find out how to defeat the Enchantress’s army. It’s weird to be with mom just us again, but I am glad that we have some time to ourselves without everyone else around.

“How are you feeling, Little Bird?” My mom asks.

I’m standing by the window looking outside. I can stand, but I’m still on the weaker side. Dad hasn’t cleared me yet to train with the team, so I’m stuck in the healing wing with my mom which wasn’t exactly a bad thing because it gave us time together.

“Better, but still not back to my full strength. What about you?” I ask as I walk over to mom’s bed and sit on the edge of it.

“Honestly, I still feel like crap and I’m probably going to for a while. My body has been through a lot and it’s going to take some time before I’m better. Emmy, I want you to know I’m sorry for having to lie to you. I hated every day that I had to lie to you, but I knew I had to in order to keep you safe. After what happened with Calder, I couldn’t take losing another child. Of course, at the time I didn’t know he was really alive, but still your father and I knew we had to lie to keep you safe.”

“I was mad for a time that you guys had lied to me but now I’ve come to realize it’s not your fault. The Enchantress didn’t give you much of a choice. She is the reason we didn’t stay together as a family. I don’t think she wanted us to be whole, because she knew we would be stronger together than apart.”

“You might be right. The four of us together are pretty threatening to someone like her. You and Calder are so powerful.”

“I think Calder is more powerful. His magic awoke in him earlier than seventeen.”

My mom gives a little laugh.

“Already comparing yourself to your big brother. It would seem you’ve adjusted to having a sibling. Like you, I didn’t find out I had a brother till I was much older. I was eighteen when I found out about Jason. I discovered it by mistake too. I was snooping through our family history trying to figure out if there was a way to hide from the Enchantress, I also wanted to know why I was so special that she was after me. I found our family tree in one of the books in the library. We keep all records of the families that are in the coven. Anyway, I found out I had a brother. Jason shortly found out after me, but I was gone by then. I was on the run and hiding in the human world. As for Calder being more powerful, I don’t know about that. I really think him dying and being brought back to life has something to do with his magic awakening earlier than it was supposed to.”

“But dad said that he and Calder would have to have something in common because they both had their magic awake earlier than it should have. Dad says he’s never died, well besides his fake death.”

My mom sighs and then takes a deep breath. “I think your dad has a lot of repressed memories. He didn’t have an easy childhood. His father was abusive and cruel. I think it’s entirely possible that your dad died and was brought back to life. He might not remember it, or he might have been so young that he just doesn’t recall it.”

“Dad never talks about his childhood.” I comment.

It’s true dad never talks about his childhood. He never shares stories about when he was a kid. He never brings up his dad, or where he grew up. I know why he didn’t bring up his mom. She is the freaking Enchantress, which is still so weird. I can’t fully wrap my head around that fact.

“He won’t. Don’t even bother bringing it up. I only know bits and pieces of his childhood. It took him a long time before he even talked about his childhood with me, and even then, he shut down. Calder is much like your dad. They have a very similar past and personality. I hate that I wasn’t there for Calder. If I had known he was alive…”

“But you didn’t know he was alive. The Enchantress deceived you. You can’t blame yourself.”

“I know.” My mom smiles at me. “You should get some rest. If your father sees you out of bed, he’s going to have a conniption.”

I nod my head. Mom is right. Dad would not be happy to find me out of bed. Dad is protective and wants me to be healthy. I’m lucky I’m even alive. I climb back in bed and just in the nick of time too. Dad walked in shortly after I got back into my bed. I look over at my mom and she gives me a half smile that says, ‘I told you so.’ I try not to roll my eyes at her.

Dad is all over my mom and me, and asks how we are feeling, giving us potions to help us feel better, and making sure we are eating and resting. Dad is totally fussing over us and it’s adorable. Dad is this big tough guy, but he’s totally being a big teddy bear right now. I watch as he fluffs my mom’s pillows and helps her to the bathroom. I love watching my parents together. They are so cute together. I would have loved to see what they were like as a young couple in love.

Time has passed since we brought mom home. Our family is whole again. We’ve been spending time together. While I was recovering in the healing wing, it gave me a chance to reconnect with my mom. My parents were off in their own world half the time. Dad slept in the healing wing with my mom, he wouldn’t leave her side unless he had to. Calder has stopped giving me the cold shoulder. Calder and I are bonding over our love of music and other things that we have in common.

The guys have taught Calder how to ride a motorcycle. He got his license and now the four of them will go for rides. I’m glad to see Calder making friends and bonding with Carter and Bex. Calder also jams out with the guys, and I do too. Somehow, I am the lead singer now. Alice joins us to do her screaming. Avery and Brie just like to watch us. We call them our groupies. I love how we are all bonding. I love that my family is whole. Vivian loves having mom back and so does Kenzie. Kenzie visits with mom often and they catch up and joke about old times. It’s great seeing them together.

At the moment I’m with Carter. We took a ride on his bike, just us. Spring is around the corner. It is March and the weather is just starting to break. We stop at this little spot that overlooks the mountains. I’m so happy that things are working out for once. Mom is home and now we are a complete family. My brother and soulmate get along. Mom also loves Carter. She thinks he is a gentleman, but what she doesn't know is the animal Carter can be in bed, I’ll keep that detail to myself.

Every day mom gets a little better. I know she is struggling with a lot of things. I know she talks to my dad, Kenzie, Vivian, and Jason about how she is feeling. I think she is really torn up about the things she did while the Enchantress possessed her. Not only that, but my mom feels guilty for what happened with Calder like she was a bad mother because she didn’t know her son was alive. Mom is also dealing with the fact that she had to lie to me. I forgave her for lying to me. I know why she had to do it, but my mom needs to forgive herself. Mom is shattered and broken, but I have faith that she will put herself back together again.

Carter holds my hand and then pulls me in for a kiss. We head back to the manor for dinner. Mom is joining us for dinner tonight in the dining hall. Vivian is there along with my dad, Jason, and Kenzie. Jason and Kenzie have been spending a good amount of time at the manor now that my mom is back. I love seeing us all together. It makes me smile. I’m so happy to have my family whole even if the threat of the Enchantress is still out there. Right now, that bitch can burn in hell for all I care. I’m happy at the moment and before fate decides to throw something my way that will put a damper on my happiness, I was going to enjoy this while I could.