Enchanter (31 page)

To make matters worse, my eardrums began to ring painfully
and my brain began to drum against the sides of my skull.

God, is this supposed to hurt this much?

I watched Nelson’s face, locked in deep concentration as his
intensive chants became louder. I will not deny that I was petrified, but at
the same time I was fascinated by the process. Although it could not have taken
more than a few minutes, it felt as if it took hours.

The heat within my body began to intensify and for a few
seconds I thought I was going to melt in a disgusting puddle of flesh on the perfectly
clean floor of Nelson’s kitchen. To make matters much worse, the more the older
man chanted, the stronger the sensation got. Just when I thought I could not stand
the discomfort anymore, he took the paper and placed it over my bleeding
finger.

The blue paper sucked up the few droplets of blood like some
out-of-this-world sponge. I could not believe what I was seeing. It took a lot
for me not to bolt out of the kitchen, running and screaming at the top of my
lungs. And I would have done just that, but then the symbols on the paper did a
magical disappearing act, as if they had never been there in the first place. My
mouth dropped open. The elaborate piece of paper that was once filled with
black symbols was now completely blank and free of any markings.

Within seconds of the symbols disappearing, a white mist began
to materialize from within my body. I was shocked by the translucent fog
elevating itself from within my body and I realized that whatever this White Veil
was, it was so incredibly powerful that it had a mind of its own. It was a
beautiful but really unnerving sight to see it struggle to stay within my form,
but finally lose its grip on me and let go.

In a matter of moments, it lifted upward like a curtain
swaying forward by a strong summer breeze entering through an open window. As
the mist rose, so did my eyes. I could not stop staring at it, especially after
it began to circle around the top of my head as if searching for another way to
reenter my body.

Nelson removed the paper from my finger and lifted it up to
eye level. As he did, the white mist circling above my head directed its
rotation toward the paper and in a flash the fog was inhaled by the blue paper.
The second the mist vanished completely, Nelson forced out of the palm of his
hand the blue flame Enchanters were known for being able to hold within their
bodies, and used it to burn the paper until it, too, was no more.

“I know the question might come across as stupid, but what
the hell just happened?” Still slightly buzzed, I furrowed my brow and stared
at the older man, who now appeared extremely worn down.

“The spell was very powerful, so it took a lot of magical
concentration for me to remove it.” He appeared to have trouble keeping a
steady breathing pattern and for a second I thought he was going to pass out on
me. “The mist you saw was the White Veil spell Josh casted upon your person
when you were a baby. It’s a protection spell and it’s used to hide someone’s
identity from all magical and inhuman creatures.”

“I don’t think it was too fond of leaving me.”

“That’s because it has a strong instinct to protect and it’s
been a part of you for so long that it didn’t realize that its job was over.”

Why does he talk about it as if was some sort of living
thing?

“Where did it go?”

“Back into the power of the blue flame. When someone else
needs it, they can just summon it.”

“Okay…? Why the blood?”

“I needed a few drops of blood because Josh used your blood
to link the spell to you specifically. With your blood on the paper I could
lure the White Veil out and into the paper.”

“But you burnt it.”

“No, I didn’t, I just sent it back to its resting place
until it is needed again.”

“Care to tell what the White Veil is exactly?”

“It used to be Venetia, the white Goddess of fortification.
All the protections spells we have originally came from her.”

“What happened to her?”

“Evil came upon the land of the Goddess and—”

“Let me guess, they kicked our butts again, didn’t they?”

“Not exactly,” he said.

“You mean the white Goddess of fortification didn’t take
that form because she was defeated?”

“No, she took that form to help us. Venetia transformed her
human-like body into what was later named the White Veil so that she could lead
the Enchanters away from the ancient evil that threatened our kind.”

“Boy, this Lasher guy is a real douchebag.”

“This wasn’t Lasher’s doing. That event actually happened
some five thousand years before Lasher attacked our village.”

“Oh.”

With so many evils looking to destroy Enchanters, do I really
want to be a part of this hocus pocus world? Then again, do I really want to
lose Brandon?

“Let’s put your powers to the test.”

“Am I supposed to feel different, ’cause I don’t.”

“I don’t know. I’ve been an Enchanter all my life, so how I
feel is normal for me.”

“Great. Now what?”

“Let’s try a simple exercise.”

“Okay.”

“Lift your hand up and turn it around so that your palm is
facing the ceiling.”

I followed his instructions. “Now what?”

“Now close your eyes and concentrate. Try to push the flame
out. Concentrate your magical energy into manifesting itself so that it can
emerge from within your hand.”

Easier said than done.

Not entirely convinced that anything major actually happened
during the light show, but willing to give Mr. Porter the benefit of the doubt,
I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated. Well, I tried to concentrate anyway,
but every time I tried to do as he instructed, I kept envisioning my sister,
Natalie, and Brandon together, and that made me very angry.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking about, but I suggest you
cut it out.” Nelson’s booming voice startled me.

“Huh?”

“Open your eyes, Leah.”

“What— Holy shit!” I stared, openmouthed, as all sorts of
kitchen gadgets were floating around the room. The second I spoke, all items
came crashing down onto the hard floor, making me jump.

“You’re stronger than I thought you would be,” Nelson
muttered.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized when I caught sight of the broken
coffee maker.

“Don’t be. I’m actually quite proud.” Then again, he did not
seem to mind.

“How the hell did I do that?”

“My guess is that you were angry about something.”

I could have sworn all blood rushed to my cheeks.

“What were you thinking about?”

“It’s not important.”

He obviously did not believe me, but he kept whatever
thoughts crossed his mind to himself. “Okay, well, let’s try again.”

“I don’t know how to do it.”

“It will get easier with time, but since that is something
we don’t have—”

“Hold on a second! What do you mean by that?”

“Now that I’ve finally lifted the White Veil from you,
Lasher will know that you do exist. He’ll be able to sense the change in
atmosphere. And make no mistake, Leah, he will come after you and try to finish
the job he started soon after your birth.”

“Oh, fantastic! I’ve had my powers back for a total of five
minutes and now I have to worry about this asshole coming after me?”

“Enchanters have to constantly watch our backs. That’s
something you have to learn, too.”

“If I don’t know how to use my abilities, I doubt I’ll be of
much use.”

“Speaking of powers, where is the charm Brandon gave you?”

My hand instinctively shot to my neck, where the charm
should have been. Matt must have taken it off the night before when he put me
to bed, and because I had woken up with a hangover and in a hurry, I forgot to
put it on.

“I left it at home.”

“He gave you that for a reason, you know.”

“I forgot it.”

“It’s dangerous for you to go out without it.”

“Now that I have my powers, I don’t need it.”

“Not unless you learn how to use them.” His words made
perfect sense, of course.

“Fair enough, let’s try this exercise again.”

For the better part of an hour we practiced. Or, at least, I
tried to practice. But having to learn this skill as an adult was not easy. By
the time Nelson decided to call it quits, I had ruined half his kitchen.
Fortunately for me, the man had the patience of a saint and not once did he
become angry or impatient. Not even after I had caused the microwave oven to
explode into fifteen pieces of junk.

I, on the other hand, had had enough of the mind tricks and could
not take it anymore.

“Look, I’d love to stay and practice some more, but I have
to go home and get ready for work.”
Besides, my head is not fond of all
these exercises.

He seemed genuinely surprised by my words.

“You’re not going to wait for Brandon?”

“I’d love to, but I’ve missed several workdays already, and
if I miss any more shifts I might get fired, and I need the job. I have bills
to pay, you know.” I shrugged. “Besides, I tried calling him before, but I got
no answer.”

“And you were bothered by this?”

“Not exactly. I was more worried than anything else. But—”

“Once I told you he was with Natalie your state of mind changed.”

“You know, it’s quite scary how you can read my mind.”

Nelson laughed then. “I can’t read your mind at all. You’re
just easy to read.”

“Well, I guess I’ll have to do something to change that.”

“The eyes are the portal to the soul, and you have very
honest eyes.”

“You think so?”

“Absolutely,”

“Thanks.”

Nelson smiled. “All right, then. Come on, I’ll take you
home.”

“Really?”

“Sure. When Brandon drops Natalie home later on I’ll pull
him aside and have a conversation with him.”

“Don’t leave anything out.”

The older man rewarded me with an amused grin. “I won’t.
Although I suspect Natalie will be thrilled to find out her sister is alive, I
don’t think she’ll be too happy to know it’s you.”

“Can’t say that I blame her.”

Nelson reached out for a set of keys hanging from a hook
right next to the doorframe and took the keychain with the most keys. Before
opening the door, he paused to look at me.

“You girls can’t let a simple infatuation come in between
you.”

“It’s not an infatuation. I love Brandon.”

“Your parents would have been proud to know that.”

“They were good people? My parents I mean.”

“The best.”

“I wish I would’ve had the chance to meet them.”

“Maybe you will one day.”

“I hope so.”

“Leah, since you don’t know how to use your powers yet, I
need you to stop by as often as possible so that we can practice until you’re
able to master your abilities.”

“If it goes as well as it went today, you won’t have a house
left by the time I do learn.”

“Material things come and go. It’s more important that you
stay alive.”

With a proud smile on my face, I followed Nelson out of the
house and to the car parked inside the garage at the back of the house.

****

After Nelson Porter dropped me home, I ran up the stairs to
the third floor, hurried into my apartment, and got ready for work. A quick
shower, a change of clothes, and some makeup later, I was good to go. With keys
and cell in hand, I hurried out the door and to the elevator. Since Matt was not
home and I was about five minutes away from being late for my shift, I did not stick
around to wait for him.

Since the attack a week before, he had barely let me out of
his sight, not even allowing me out of the building, unless I was being
accompanied by someone. His absence however, left me with no choice but to have
to walk to work. Thinking that a seven-minute walk in the daylight would not place
me in any immediate danger, I opted for not calling him and decided to just
make it to work on my own.

I walked down the long and narrow hallway to the elevator
and pressed the tiny red button. After a few minutes of waiting, my impatience
won over and I took the stairs.

I had just made it to the second floor when the emergency
exit door opened and a very surprised-looking woman walked out, staring at me
for a second or two before breaking out into a smile.

“Fancy seeing you using the stairs. I hardly ever bump into
anyone when go up and down this staircase.”

Oh, no! Not the creepy old woman from 2B!

“Um… yeah, well, I’m kinda in a hurry.” I thought that alone
would deter any attempts at a conversation, but I was wrong.

“The youth these days.” She shrugged. The gesture, although
innocent, completely unnerved me. “They’re always in a hurry.”

“Maybe that’s because we lead busy lives.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

Not wanting to seem as if I was trying to avoid her – which
I was – I sidestepped her and started for the second set of stairs.

“Well, I really have to go. I’ll see you around.”

“But, Leah, why are you in such a hurry?”

The sound of that utterly freaky and completely callous
voice forced me to turn around just seconds before her lightning fast hand
struck me hard across the side of my face. The blow sent me tumbling down the
stairs in a rapid heap.

As I landed, my head struck the cement floor with a
sickening thud. Within seconds, the world began to look fuzzy and out of focus.
I desperately tried to get up, but my brain was not sending the right signals
to my body and I kept slamming against the floor each time I placed my hands on
the flat surface.

Unable to stand or even push myself into a sitting position,
I laid there and watched as the creepy woman from 2B descended the stairs. Her
unnaturally young eyes were now glowing red, her movements fast and fluent.