Night World : Spellbinder Chapter 12

Fhea settled on the rap springs, non the most comfortable seat. Now, this all happened concealment in the days when there was still magic, very well? And Helle-wise could do magic, and so could most of the people in her tribe. She was the daughter of Hecate Witch-Queen-She was a witch? Roz sounded intrigued.Well-they didnt call it that then. They called her a Hearth-Woman. And she didnt look same a Halloween witch. She was beautiful tall, with capacious yellow hair-Like you.Huh? Oh. Thea grinned. Thanks, alone, no. Helle-wise was real beautiful-and she was dexterous and strong, too. And when Hecate died, Hellewise became co-leader of the tribe. The opposite leader was her sister, Maya.Rosamunds whole item was above the mattress now. She was comprehend with fierce, if skeptical, interest.Now, Maya. Thea chewed her lip. Well, Maya was beautiful, too tall, but with long drear hair.Like that girl who came to the vets after you.Thea was briefly startled. Shed forgotten Rosamu nd had seen Blaise. Well-uh, by chance a shortsighted. Anyway, Maya was smart and strong, too-but she didnt care having to start do the leadership with Hellewise. She takeed to rule alone, and she call fored something else. To live forever.Sounds like a good idea to me, Rosamund growled.Well-yeah, theres null wrong with organism immortal, I agree. Except, see, that it all depends on how much youre willing to pay to be it. okey? Following me?Nope.Well Thea floundered. Any Night Person would know immediately what she was talking ab come on, charge if by some protruderageous chance they hadnt already heard the story. and of bod humans were different. Well, you see, it was a national of what she had to do. No ordinary piece of music would furbish up her immortal. She tried all sorts of things, and Hellewise even helped her. And finally they figured out what kind of spell would do it-but then Hellewise refused.Why?Because it was too awful. No, dont ask me, Thea added as R osamunds interest train immediately shot up. Im not dismissal to tell you. Its not a subject for kids.What, what? If you dont tell me, Im mediocre going to imagine even worse things.Thea sighed. It had to do with babies, okay? And blood. solely thats not the point of this story- They shooted babies?not Hellewise. Maya did. And Hellewise tried to stop her, but- I bet she drank the blood. Thea stopped and looked hard at Rosamund. Human kids were ignorant, but not dumb. Okay, yes, she drank the blood. Satisfied? Roz grinned, nodded, and sat back, listening avidly. Okay, so then Maya became immortal. But the thing was, she didnt know until afterward the footing shed chip in to pay. She would live forever-but only if she drank the blood of a mortal beast every day. Otherwise, shed die.Like a vampire, Rosamund said with relish. Thea was shocked for an instant, then she laughed at herself. Of course humans knew most vampires- the same way they knew around witches. Silly leg ends filled with misinformation.But that lowlyt Thea could tell her own story without fear of being believed.Just like a vampire, actually, she said impressively, h dodderinging Rosamunds eyeball. Maya was the first vampire of all. And all her children were cursed to be vampires, too.Roz snorted. Vampires cant have children. She looked doubtful. bay window they?The ones descended from Maya can, Thea said. She wasnt going to say the word lamia to a human. Its only the kind who keep up made into vampires by being bitten that cant. Maya had a vampire son called Red Fern and she bit people. Thats the story, you see-Maya trusted to make everybody like her. So she started biting people in the tribe. And eventually Hellewise decided she had to stop it.How?Well, that was the problem. Hellewises tribe wanted to fight with Maya and the other vampires. But Hellewise knew if they did that, theyd probably all put down killed. Both sides. So Hellewise challenged Maya alone to a duel. Single combat.Rosamund pushed the mattress everyplace with a thump. Id fight a duel with Mr. Hendries-hes the boys trekleader. She jumped on the mattress and attacked a pillow with hands and feet-and teeth. Id win, too. Hes out of shape.Well, Hellewise didnt want to fight, but she had to. She was scargond, because as a vampire Maya was a lot stronger now.For a milliampereent, Thea thought about it, visualizing the old story the way she had as a child. Seeing Hellewise in her white leather shift, standing in the dark forest and waiting for Maya to come. And knowing that even if she won the fight, shed probably die-and being brave ample to keep standing there. Being willing to convey up everything for the people she loved, and for peace.I dont hypothesise I could ever be that brave. I mean,Id certainly hope I would be, but I have a terrible feeling that I wouldnt.And then a quaint thing happened. At that instant, she seemed to hear a voice, not her usual mind-voice, but one that was u rgent and almost accusatory. Asking a question as if Thea hadnt except decided on the answer. Would you give up everything? Thea shifted. She didnt usually hear voices. I suppose thats what Hellewise must have been thinking, she told herself uneasily.So what happened? Hey Thea What happened? Rosamund was war-dancing on the mattress.Oh. Well, it was a terrible fight, but Hellewise won. She drove Maya away. And the tribe was left in peace, and they all lived happily ever after um, except Hellewise. She died of her wounds.Rosamund stopped dancing and stared in disbelief. And youre apprisal me this to make me feel better? I never heard such a lousy story. Her chin began to tremble.Thea forgot she was dealing with a human child. She held out her arms the way she had to Bud the puppy, the way she would have to any creature in pain-and Rosamund threw herself into them.No, no, Thea said, anxiously cuddling. You see, the point is that Hellewises people lived on, and they were free. And t hat may seem like a little thing, because they were just a little tribe, but that little tribe got bigger and bigger, and they stayed free. And all the witches in the world are descended from them, and they all remember Hellewise and honor her. Its a story every bewilder tells her daughters.Rosamund breathed irregularly for a moment. What about her sons?Well, her sons, too. When I say daughters I mean sons and daughters. Its just shorter.One putting green eye looked up from a mop of shaggy hair. like he and him are supposed to mean she and her, too?Yeah. Thea thought. I evaluate maybe neither is the best system. She shrugged. The important thing is that one womans courage kept us-them- all free.Look. Rosamund straightened up, arrant(a) with the hair. Are you just jerking my chain or is that a true story? Because candidly you seem like a witch to me.Thats what I was going to say, an amused voice behind Thea said.Theas head snapped around. The door was open a few inches and a wo man was standing there. She was tall and lanky, with little render and long silky brown hair. Her expression reminded Thea of a look Eric got sometimes, a look of very scented puzzlement, as if hed suddenly been struck by one of lifes overwhelming mysteries.But that didnt matter. What mattered was that she was a stranger. An Outsider.A human.Thea had been blurting out the secrets of the Night World, the history of the witches, and a human adult had been listening.Suddenly her hands and feet went numb. The golden haze disappeared, leave her in a cold, gray reality. Im muddy, the human was saying, but to Thea the voice seemed to come from a distance. I didnt mean to startle you. I was just kidding. I really was enjoying the story-sort of a modern legend for kids, right?Theas eyes focused on another human behind the adult. Eric. Hed been listening, too.Moms such a kidder, he said nervously. His green eyes were apologetic-and intense. As if he were trying to make a connection with T hea.But Thea didnt want to be connected. Couldnt be, to these people. She was surrounded by humans, trapped in one of their houses. She felt like the rattlesnake in a circle of big creatures with sticks. Sheer, raw panic overtook her. You should be a writer, you know? the human woman was saying. all that creativity She took a step inside the room.Thea stood up, dumping Rosamund on the floor. They were coming at her-by now, the very walls seemed to be closing in. They were alien, cruel, sadistic, terrorizing, evil, not-her-kind. They were Cotton Mather and the Inquisition and they knew about her. They were going to point at her in the street and claim Witch Thea ran.She slipped between Eric and his mother like afrightened cat, not touching either of them. She ran pop out the hall, through the living room, out the door.Outside, the sky was clouded over and it was getting dark. Thea only stopped long enough to get her bearings, then headed west, walking as fast as she could. Her hear t was pounding and telling her to go faster.Get away, get away. Go to earth. Find home.She turned corn whiskeyers and zigzagged, like a fox being chased by the hounds.She was ten minutes from the house when she heard an engine pacing her. She looked. It was Erics jeep. Eric was driving and his mother and Rosamund were passengers.Thea, stop. Please wait. Eric stopped the jeep and jumped out.He was on the sidewalk in front of her. Thea froze.Listen to me, he said in a low voice, turning away from the jeep. Im sorry they came, too-I couldnt stop them. Mom feels awful. Shes blatant, Roz is crying please, wont you come back?He looked close to crying himself. Thea just felt numb.Its okay. Im fine, she said at random. I didnt mean to lost anybody. Please let me go away.Look, we shouldnt have eavesdropped. I know that. It was just youre so good with Rosamund. I never saw anybody she care so much. And and I know youre sensitive about your grandma. Thats why youre upset, isnt it? That st ory is something she told you, isnt it? Dimly, somewhere in the pit of Theas mind, a light shone. At least he thought it was a story.We have family stories too, Eric was saying, an edge of desperation in his voice. My grandpa used totell us he was a Martian-I swear to God this is true. And then he went to my kindergarten Back to School and Id told all the kids he was a Martian, and they made these beep-beep noises at him and laughed, and I felt so bad. He was really embarrassed.He was babbling. Theas numbness had receded enough that she felt sorry for him. But then a shape loomed up and she strain again. It was his mother, silky hair flying.Look, Thea, Erics mother said. Her expression was wretched and earnest. Everybody knows your grandma, knows how old she is, how shes a little quirky. But if shes scaring you-if shes telling you any kind of weird stuff- Mom Eric shouted through his teeth. She waved a hand at him. Her little glasses were steamed up. You dont need to deal with that, okay? No kid needs to deal with that. If you want a place to stay if you need anything-if we need to call social services-Mom, please, Im begging you. Shut up. complaisant services, Thea was thinking. Dear Isis, therell be some sort of investigation. The Harmans in court. Gran accused of being senile-or being fragment of some cult. And then the Night World coming in to enforce the law.Her terror attain and left her deadly calm. Its okay, she said, turning her gaze toward Eric. Not looking at him, but going through the motions exactly. Your moms just trying to be helpful. But really-she turned the same face toward his mother-everythings okay. Gran isnt strange or anything. She does tell stories-but she doesnt scare anybody.Is that good enough? Close enough to whatever you believe? entrust it make you leave me alone?Apparently so. I just dont want to be responsible for you and Eric-well Erics mom exhaled nervously, almost a laugh.Breaking up? Thea made a sound that was also almos t a laugh. Dont worry. Id never want that. She turned a smile on Eric, looking down because she couldnt meet his eyes. Im sorry if I got- touchy. I was just-embarrassed, I guess. Like you said about your grandpa.Will you come back with us? Or let us take you home? Erics voice was soft. He wanted her to go back to his house.Just home, if you dont mind. Ive got homework. She lifted her eyes, making herself smile again.Eric nodded. He didnt look happy, but he wasnt as upset as he had been.In the backseat of the jeep, Rosamund pushed up against Thea and squeezed her hand.Dont be mad, she hissed, fierce as ever. Are you mad? Im sorry. motivation me to kill somebody for you?Im not mad, Thea whispered, looking over the top of Rosamunds shaggy head. Dont worry about it.She had reverted to the schema of any trapped animal. Wait and watch for your chance. Dont fight until you see a real opportunity to get away.See you tomorrow, Eric said as she got out of the jeep. His voice was almost a pl ea.See you tomorrow, Thea said. It wasnt time to get away yet. She waved until the jeep was gone.Then it was time. She dashed inside, up the stairs, and straight to Blaise.Wait a minute, Blaise said. Go back. So youre saying they didnt believe any of it.Right. At worst Erics mom thinks Grans bonkers. But it was a close call. For a while there I thought she might want to get Gran declared unsound or something.The two of them were sitting on the floor by Blaises bed where Thea had collapsed. Blaise was eating candy corn with one hand and scribbling on a yellow legal pad with the other, all the while listening attentively.Because that was the thing about Blaise. She might be vain and self-centered, quarrelsome, hot-tempered, lazy, unkind to humans, and generally hard to live with, but she came through for family. She was a witch.Im sorry I said you might be a little like Maya, Thea thought.Its my fault, she said out loud.Yes, it is, Blaise said, scribbling.I should have just found some way to keep him at a distance in the beginning.But of course, it was because of Blaise that she hadnt. Shed thought Eric was safer with her than he would have been with Blaise. Shed thought that in some manner somehowThings would work out. That was it. thither had always been some secret underlying hope that there could be a future with Eric. Some little hiding place where shed kept the hope that things could be all right.But now she had to face reality.There was no future.The only thing she could give Eric was death. And that was all he could give her. Shed realized that, all in one terrible explosion of insight when shed seen Erics mother in the room.There was no way for them to be together without being discovered. Even if they ran away, someday, somewhere, the Night People would find them. Theyd be brought before the joint Night World Council, the vampire and witch elders. And then the law would be complete.Thea had never seen an execution, but shed heard of them. And if the Harmans tried to stop the Council from killing her, it would start a war. Witches against vampires. Maybe even witches against witches. It could mean the end of everything.So it doesnt look like we have to kill the mother, Blaise said, frowning at her scribbles. On the other hand, if we kill the kids, the mothers bound to be unhappy, and might make a connection. So to be safe-We cant kill any of them, Thea said. Her voice was muted but final.I dont mean ourselves. Im going to call one of our informal vampire first cousins. Ash-hes supposed to be out on the West Coast somewhere, isnt he? OrQuinn, he likes that kind of thing. One quick bite, let the blood run out-Blaise, I am not going to let vampires kill Eric. Or anybody, she added as Blaise opened her mouth. Its not necessary. null needs to die.So you have a better idea?Thea looked at a statue of Isis, the Queen of Egyptian Goddesses, on the desk. I dont know. I thought of the Cup of Lethe. Make them forget everything about me. But it might look suspicious-this entire family with a gap in their memory. And kids at school would wonder why Eric doesnt remember my name anyto a greater extent.True.Thea stared at the bootleg held between Isiss golden horns. Her brain, which had been working so coldly and logically, helping her to survive, was stalling now. There had to be a way to save Eric and his family-or what was the point of living herself?Then she saw it.What I really think would be best, she said slowly, because it hurt like a physical pain, would be for Eric to stop caring about me. To worsening in love with someone else.Blaise sat back. She stirred the candy corn with long, elegant nails. She ate a piece.I admire you, she said. Very sensible.Not yon, Thea said through clenched teeth. You understand that, right? A human. If he falls in love with another girl hell forget about me without any Lethe. Nobody will disappear or have amnesia nobody will get suspicious.Okay. Although I wouldve liked to try hi m. Hes got a strong will-I think hed have held out for a while. Been a challenge.Thea ignored this. I still have some of his blood. The question is, do you have something youve been holding back, some love spell that will completely blow him out of the water?Blaise ate another piece of candy corn. Of course I do. She narrowed her gray eyes. Also, of course, its a forbidden spell.I figured. Blaise, Im now the princess of forbidden spells. One more doesnt matter. But Ill do the actual working, I dont want you to get in trouble.You wont like it. It involves the bezoar stone from the patronage of an ibex-which I just happened to pick up while we were living with Aunt Gerdeth.Ibex were an endangered species. But this one was already dead. Ill do the working, Thea said stubbornly.You really care about him, dont you?Yes, Thea whispered. I still think were soul-mates. ButWould you give up everything?I dont want to be the moderateness he dies. Or the reason a war starts between the Harmans and the rest of the Night World. And if I have to give him up, Id rather do it myself, make sure hes safe with somebody else who loves him.Have you got somebody picked out?Her name is Pilar. Thea looked at her cousin suddenly. Blaise? When Luke asked you what youwanted, and you said nothing you could have what did you mean?Blaise tilted her head back and examined the ceiling. Then she looked down. Does anybody ever want anything they can have? Really?I dont know.Blaise clasped her knees and rested her chin on them. If we can have things, we dont really want them anymore. So theres always something out there that were wanting and not able to get and maybe thats good.It didnt sound good to Thea. It sounded like one of those terrible lessons in Life 101 that were supposed to make you more mature.Lets do the spell, she said.