Holding out her hand, she let flames slide through each finger. This was just weird. Holding a finger to the bread, she watched as it browned. That was handy.
This was her new life. The knowledge that floated around in her head.
When he wasn’t making her body come at the snap of his fingers, he made her mind curious and wonder. He made her laugh. He was her peace.
Another planet. Sure, why not? There wasn’t much here for her, anyway.
Maddie swallowed. Another planet. Okay. That sounded a little more strange, a little less like a vacation and more like she’d lost her mind.
Swallowing down the dry bite, she doubted herself again. What if she was dreaming this all up? Witches, shifters, vampires, goblins, freaky Fae people. Aliens? Uh. That one had her mind stretched a little thin.
“Mom?”
The room temperature droped a few degrees as her mother shimmered into existence.
Sure, now the woman came when called.
“Yes, dear?”
Maddie rubbed her temples.
“Mom? This whole Kal thing. He’s real, right?”
Her mother's ghost shimmered in and out as she milled about.
“Oh yes, dear. I’m pretty sure your body can tell he’s real.”
Maddie’s face heated. “Yeah. Okay. Right. But what about this whole space thing?”
Her mother paused. “Oh that. Yes, yes. Of course. He’s really not from here.”
Rolling her eyes, she stood. “Mom. I get he isn’t from here, but what does that mean?”
Her mom started to bob again and shimmer in and out before stopping.
“I mean, Maddie, sweetheart. He’s from another world. One much more complex than even our own. You’ll live for an eternity there, or well, much longer than your mind can grasp. Their magic is so much more than even yours.”
Right. Okay.
It’s real. She’d be leaving. From the corner of her eye, Maddie caught her mother's ghost going from corner to corner, crossing the room, circling back.
“Mother? What’s going on? Please settle down. I won’t leave if you don’t want me to.”
Her chest tightened.
Okay. Maybe she’d have to come up with another solution.
“No. No. Dear, you have to go. It’s uh. Well; promise me you’ll do as I say and he will come for you.”
Tilting her head, she glared at her mom. “I’d ask if you were drunk, but I know that’s not a ghost thing.”
She suddenly noticed her mother wringing her hands.
“Mom? Are you okay? You’re a ghost. You shouldn’t be stressed out.”
Maddie’s mom stopped in front of her, taking on a mostly corporeal figure.
“Sweetie. You don’t understand. Kal is meant to be yours, but with him comes one more hurdle. One that I have tried to see any other way around. There is none. If all goes as planned, you will come out stronger. If all does not go as planned, well, we best never think that way. In all the variations of the future, Kal has never failed.”
Maddie’s heart pounded to the beat of sheer panic.
“Mother, now you’re just scaring me.”
Her mother nodded. “Yes. Okay. Good. That means you’ll listen.”
Maddie reached for her mother's hands. They weren’t quite human, but as she let her magic flow, her mother appeared more and more alive. Perhaps whatever it was wouldn’t be too bad, and if it was, at least she got to hold her mother’s hands one more time.
“When they come for you, don’t use your magic. Or well, attempt to not use it much.”
“Mother? Who is ‘they’?”
Her mom nibbled her lip. “You’ll find out soon enough.” Her eyes darted to the door.
“Madeleine? Forgive me, but this is for your own good. And, just remember he will come for you. It’s best these people don’t know your true powers.”
Maddie tried to pull her hands away from her mother, her words scaring her. What the hell. She couldn’t pull away as if her hands were somehow glued to her mother’s in an electric current. Within a few seconds Maddie suddenly felt drained and stumbled backwards.
“Mother? What did you do?”
Trying to raise an arm, she grunted in the effort. Maddie didn’t even have the energy to be scared anymore.
Her mother’s face blurred in and out of focus.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. This is the best way to protect you. Your magic will return to full strength soon enough. I had Mrs. Webber cast a transfer spell for me. You know how weak she is though, but I needed to. They are of little threat to you being weak. You will need to protect Kal and his brothers, and you will. But right now, you need to protect you, first.”
“Who is ‘they’.” Sinking to the floor, Maddie suddenly didn’t see the point in standing. Maybe a nap. Naps were good.
A knock sounded at the door.
She peeked, trying to open her eyes.
“Is that them, Mom?”
Maddie couldn’t be sure, but she was pretty sure her mother nodded.
So tired.
“Trust me. Trust in Kal.”
“Yeah. Sure, mom. Suck my energy. I’ll trust you.” Maddie was so damn tired though. Honestly, she didn’t think she could panic right now if she wanted to.
Getting up failed once, twice, and then, nope. She rolled over onto all fours and started to crawl.
Another knock.
Impatient much? She’d get there when she damn well got there.
When had that damn door gotten so far?
Fumbling at the lock, she pulled it open with a creak.
“Hello?” she asked.
Blinking at the brightest damn sun, Maddie fought to see against the light streaming through.
“Maddie? Are you alone?”
She blinked again. His voice. So familiar.
So tired.
Maddie nodded as she slid back down the door propping her up. Her arms shook in exhaustion. Nope, she wasn’t staying up. That was fine. The floor was now her friend.
“Maddie? On my God! What did that monster do to you?”
Her head rolled back and forth. Who the hell was at her door? The voice it was so familiar.
Oh, right. Light bulb moment. “Donnie?”
She tried to focus on the dark blob at the door, looking up into his face.
“Of course it’s Donnie. Who else would it be?”
Her head was really heavy. Maddie fought against her will and the weakness in her muscles as her heavy head lolled to the left. Then she pulled her head to the right.
