Grace watched as EMS brought the stretcher carrying the imposter wizard to the front door. She still didn't know the man's name, only that he’d assumed Jeffrey's life.
No wonder he had never tried to get in touch with her during the past forty years.
Somehow, she would find out what he’d done to Jeffrey and ensure that he paid the price for his actions. But it wouldn't be today or in the next few weeks, either.
The ambulance would never reach the hospital. She was certain of that. The imposter would overpower his caregivers and leave Texas in his own way. She doubted, however, that he would leave unscathed. The force of being thrown into the doorframe had done something to his spine. Even wizards — or faux wizards — were not exempt from pain.
As for Derek, she and Ellie were going to accompany him to the hospital. He had refused an ambulance, which was fine. He was not going to refuse to be seen by a physician, however. His face was drawn and still too pale. For the past five minutes he’d been babying his left arm.
Ellie should be seen by someone, too. She’d been bounced around in the room. She might have opened up her wound. Or encountered other injuries.
It might not be a bad idea to have Ellie stay with her for a little while. Being her guest would send a message to the Elders. Leave her alone; she’s under my protection.
Derek had stubbornly insisted on walking down the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Now he stood leaning against one of the open front doors watching as EMS carried the imposter wizard out of the house. Derek’s white shirt was spotted with curious blue green stains. Later, she would take it and examine the marks to discover their composition.
The look in his eyes concerned her, as if he’d seen something no human should experience.
Her concept of magic, a tradition carried on from her parents and their parents, had been that goodness and beauty and righteousness accompanied true practitioners of the art. They’d turned toward the sunlight and eschewed the darkness. Yet it was still there, lurking in the corners of a man or woman’s psyche or ambition. She knew, only too well, that there were people within the movement who would sell their souls to have more power, more standing, and acquire obedience from others.
She had never looked into the heart of darkness herself, but Jeffrey had. What he’d told her had frightened her to her core. Now she stood studying her son, her beautiful, magnificent son who looked so much like his father that it made her heart ache, and remembered what Jeffrey had said.
Derek would never be the same man after today.
She approached him, reached out and put her hand on the arm he was rubbing. She closed her eyes and invoked a simple spell, one that banished pain.
She felt the warmth beneath his shirt and knew that she’d been successful.
He didn't say anything to her, only glanced at her and then away.
"Was it Breanna?" she asked, wondering if he would answer her. "The spirit that was in the room with us, was it Breanna?"
She’d felt something, a power that had shocked her, a malevolence that she’d wanted to flee. She hadn’t wanted it to be Breanna, but perhaps death had the ability to coat the soul in darkness.
He shook his head, surprising her.
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. It was Lionel."
Her hand went to the base of her throat as if to catch her scream.
Nothing could be worse. Even Breanna returning from the dead would have been preferable to Lionel living again.
"Are you sure? You have to be sure, Derek."
"I'm sure. I’ve never been more sure.”
He turned and walked through the door, leaving her staring after him. With only a few words everything had changed. The world had shifted on its axis.
In the future an imposter wizard would be vying against one still learning. Woven through all of it was a madman. A madman with a great deal of power.
The scene in the room upstairs was not the end of it. She’d known that even as they’d fought off the entity.
The Crow’s Nest succored evil.
Ellie came to her side. "Are you ready, Grace?"
Was she ready? She was very much afraid that she wasn't ready for what was surely to come.
However, Ellie didn’t need to know that right now. There was more than enough time to inform the girl about what would be expected of them. Some of them wouldn’t live through the coming battles. They might lose the war as well and the whole of magic would be catapulted into darkness. Ready? No, she wasn’t ready.
Still, Grace nodded, forcing a smile to her face as she left the Crow’s Nest and followed both of them.