“A spell book,” she whispered.
There was no surprise in her voice, as I had expected. She stated it as a matter-of-fact, as though it were the most natural thing in the world to be given a spell book. I wondered about her reaction. If I had lived my whole life thinking I was human and someone had given a spellbook to me, I would have thought it was a joke.
Aaron picked up the last present on the table. He put the small box into Shaylee’s hand and said, “This is from Jaden and I.”
Shaylee unwrapped her last gift. I couldn’t help smiling at the memory of all the planning that had gone into it. Shaylee opened the jewelry box and stared at the necklace. I didn’t need to see inside the box to know that she was looking at a round amethyst pendant set in white gold. Aaron and I chose amethyst specifically because of its inherent magical properties.
Aaron picked up the necklace and put it around Shaylee’s neck.
“It will protect you,” he said.
“Thank you,” Shaylee replied, all the anger gone from her voice. “It’s beautiful.”
Andrew got up and went into the dining room, muttering something about the cake. I looked over at the clock. It was approaching seven twenty. I controlled the fresh wave of fear that hit me and watched Andrew carry in the cake.
Together we sang to Shaylee and watched as she blew out all eighteen candles with one breath. It was quiet as we ate. Andrew and Aaron pretended to talk about football.
I ate in silence and watched Shaylee do the same. She seemed far away and I wondered what was going through her mind. I also wondered what she would be like when the night was over.
Just after seven forty-five, it was becoming obvious to me that Aaron and Andrew were having difficulty keeping up their fake sports conversation. Just as I was about to change the subject for them, I heard a noise from the kitchen. Without thinking, my senses went directly to the kitchen.
I could feel them as they moved through the back door into the house. I knew their intentions before I saw them.
“They’re here!” I shouted and sprung to my feet.
Aaron stood and moved around Shaylee to stand next to me as the intruders came around the corner.
“Drew, get Shaylee out of here. Jaden and I will handle this,” Aaron said in such a commanding tone that it registered with me even though I was entirely focused on the group of men coming toward us.
“What’s happening?” Shaylee cried, catching my attention.
I turned and saw that both Andrew and Shaylee were on their feet. He was pulling her back towards the fireplace, as far from the intruders as they could possibly get, when suddenly, Shaylee’s face went blank and she stopped moving. Andrew tried to pull her behind him, but she wouldn’t move.
I was gripped with overwhelming fear. Not because of the man holding a sword that was barely two feet away from me, but because I no longer sensed Shaylee’s presence. Feeling nothing but fear and despair, I turned back to face our assailants and meet my fate.
Chapter 19
Shaylee
Several imposing men came around the corner from the kitchen. Andrew pulled me away from them. Aaron was facing the men and I knew that no matter how afraid I was I couldn’t leave him.
“What’s happening?” I asked, but no one answered me.
Andrew continued to pull me back towards the fireplace. The man nearest to Aaron raised his sword and swung. I closed my eyes, unable to watch.
When I opened them, I was standing in a long corridor. I recognized it instantly as the one I’d dreamed about. I looked out the window, expecting to see distant mountains, but instead saw that it was night.
I began walking, my feet moving without any conscious thought. I passed through several corridors, embracing the familiarity around me, before entering an immense room. It was dimly lit, but I knew it instantly as the throne room. I couldn’t explain it, but I felt in my heart that I had been to this place before.
I paused at the door, unsure whether or not I should proceed, when I saw a figure standing in the middle of the room. I walked toward the figure, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.
As I drew near, I could see that it was a woman with light hair, wearing a silver gown. The dim lighting made it difficult to see much more. It wasn’t until I was only a few feet from her that I recognized her face. My face.
“Who are you?” I asked, breathlessly.
My voice, even though it was whispered, echoed in the large empty room.
“The question you should be asking is: who are you? Do you truly not recognize me, Shaylee?” she asked with a smile.
“Are you my mother?” I asked. It was the only explanation that made sense, but I also knew in my gut that it was wrong.
“No, I am not your mother,” she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. “I am Sophia.”
The name caused several of my dreams to come rushing back to me. Things that had once seemed vague about them suddenly seemed crystal clear.
“I had dreams. People called me Sophia.”
“That’s right,” she said with a sad smile.
“I don’t understand.”
“The answers you seek are complicated, but you must understand the truth before you leave this place.”
“Please,” I said. “If you can explain what’s happening to me, I want to know.”
Even though I was fairly sure that I was hallucinating and this was all a figment of my imagination, I was desperate to try to understand all the strange things that had been happening to me. Maybe she was a part of my subconscious that had worked out the answers the rest of my brain hadn’t figured out yet.
“This is the Throne Room of the Royal Palace of The Sacred
