Isaac closed his eyes. His sorrow rolled off him and mixed with mine. “It’s not a matter of what emotions fuel us,” he replied. “It’s a matter of what is and isn’t in our power. This isn’t.”
“I don’t believe that.” I’d seen Isaac lose control once, and the amount of power he’d had was frightening. “I need to try.”
“You’ll taint your soul.”
“I don’t care,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Believe me, I know.” He paused. “And neither did I, but my parents said that it wouldn’t matter. Witches don’t have the ability to choose who lives and who dies.”
“I can’t lose him,” I whispered, swiping at my tears with the sheet.
There had to be a way to save Chase. I already knew that we couldn’t turn back the hands of time, having asked Isaac this once before. He had commented that even if it were possible to rewind the calendar to a specific date, my past self wouldn’t know what was going to happen in the future, so I wouldn’t know to do something differently. He hadn’t said our
“What if I went back in time?” I asked. Isaac’s gaze locked on mine, but he held back his reply and let me finish. “I could visit the day I first read
He dragged a hand through his hair. “It’s too risky. Manipulating time, creating a wormhole, it’s dangerous business. I don’t know of anyone who’s ever done it and come back to tell about it.”
Thrilled he hadn’t said it was impossible, I said, “I’m willing to take that chance.”
“But I’m not. Madison, it would take a full coven of experienced witches to work a spell like that. We’re already down one witch because I can’t leave this room.”
I shook my head. “I won’t accept that I have this gift but am powerless to help Chase.”
“Madison, there’s no way for us to cheat death. I’m sorry.”
“Us?
Isaac hadn’t said it was impossible for someone else to cheat death. He took a deep breath, and I could tell he was trying to keep a poker face. It didn’t work.
“Can a faerie?” I asked.
“No. They don’t save humans. They snatch them.”
“Your friends said I’d find you here,” a voice said from behind me. “I’m Dr. Peters.”
An older doctor walked up to me. He had olive skin and short gray hair. He shined a light in my right eye, then my left. “I must say you’re recovering much quicker than I had anticipated. How about we finish this examination in your room? If everything checks out, I’ll let the nurse know I’ve given you permission to stay with your brother.”
He held an arm out, indicating for me to go first and pretty much saying,
To Isaac, I said, “
“I won’t.” When I didn’t stand, he added, “I promise.”
With my fingers wrapped around the arms of the chair, I pushed myself up, glad I was steadier on my feet. The doctor trailed behind me.
Kaylee and Josh weren’t in my room when Dr. Peters and I got there, but Josh’s coat was draped over one of the chairs. I figured they were still with my dad. While I followed the doctor’s pen with my eyes, I stewed over being powerless to help my brother when he needed me the most. Then when I took slow, deep breaths, I tried to figure out what type of creature would have what it took to give life: God, but he wasn’t on speed-dial. Angels would have the power of heaven, but if they existed and were willing to step in to save my brother, they would have done something already. And I crossed reapers off automatically, being that they schlepped souls to the afterlife.
Dr. Peters draped his stethoscope around his neck. “Are you experiencing any pain?”
“No.” I sniffed. Not the kind he meant, anyway. “I’m okay.”
“Madison, I know what you’re going through is very difficult.” He wrote a name and number on a slip of paper. “Dr. Cooper is a therapist. I’d like for you to make an appointment with her. She can help you through this tough time.”
“I don’t need a shrink.”
He tucked the paper under the pitcher of water on my bedside tray. “In case you change your mind.” He typed something into a computer mounted on a portable cart. “Just promise me you won’t bottle your emotions up inside until they turn into a demon you carry the rest of your life.”
“A demon?”
“Metaphorically speaking.”
“Of course.”
“Well, Madison, I’m happy to say you’ll be able to go home tomorrow.”
“Great,” I replied, but he had just given me the answer to my problem, and I had no intentions of sticking around that long.
Chapter 21
As soon as Dr. Peters left my room, I threw open the narrow closet door and sighed with relief when I saw my dusty rose backpack. By the neatly folded pair of sweatpants, long-sleeved T-shirt, and other items tucked inside, I knew Kaylee was the one who’d packed it. I changed quickly and then searched Josh’s leather jacket for his keys. I’d made it to the door when I realized it would be cold outside. A moment later, I was wearing the jacket too.
I kept my head down and calmly strolled past the nurses’ station. At the end of the hall, I slammed my finger against the elevator button and waited for it to make its agonizingly slow ascent from the lobby.
My plan to summon a demon was crazy; I knew that. And just because I could call an audience with one didn’t mean the thing would be able to stop death, but I was desperate for a way to give Chase a second chance.
After several long seconds, the elevator stopped on my floor. Josh’s muffled voice came from behind the closed doors. I glanced down at his keys clutched in my fist and his jacket draped over me. No way were they going to buy that I needed fresh air. With no time to do much of anything, I flattened myself against the wall to the right of the elevator and prayed they’d step out and turn left without looking around.
“What if Isaac taught us whatever it is he’s doing?” Kaylee asked as she stepped out of the elevator. “We could take shifts and buy us more time to look through the books you two have.”
Josh’s long strides had him walking next to her in moments. “We’ve asked our parents, who’ve asked the people they know and trust. There just isn’t a spell to keep a person’s soul from crossing over. It’s the laws of nature. When your time’s up, it’s up.”
“But he’s only six.”
I scurried into the elevator before the doors closed. My knees shook so badly I could barely stand. I reached the lobby and headed straight for the wide front doors, hoping Josh had parked in the same lot as when Kaylee had been a patient; I wondered how long it would take him to notice his jacket was gone. A nurse in a pink smock turned her head as I passed. I picked up my pace and practically ran to the exit.
The winter breeze smacked me in the face when I stepped outside. Large fluffy snowflakes drifted down from an ash-gray sky. I stopped on the sidewalk and focused on my powers, knowing that if they were on the tip of my tongue, they’d heighten my senses.
When the familiar tingling sped through me, I pressed the unlock button on Josh’s key fob. It took a few tries, but I finally heard the faint click I’d been listening for. The silver Mustang was one row over and about six cars back. Once inside it, I quickly adjusted the seat and started the engine. I heard Josh’s voice in my head calling my name. It had to mean he was onto me. Without wasting any more time, I backed out of the parking spot and sped toward the exit.
