Chapter Twenty Six – A Burn to Return

Slowly, I wake up to my standing body, surrounded and engulfed by fire. I know I haven’t been absent for more than a few seconds to them. Like dreams, my thoughts were much faster than reality. But that doesn’t stop Ivette.

She voice shrieks me, trying to convince me that there is a way to be free of heartache. I hardly hear her pleas over the crackling of my flames and Xander who still shouts for me to fight for what’s right. Ivette says we can be as close as we were and much more powerful. We could live as queens and others would serve our every wish. But that’s not me. I’m not the monster I used to be.

With the help of Emily guiding me along, I stretch my hand toward the chalices. Flames spew in their direction, making Susan drop them and back away. She screams for the tips of her fingers, burnt from my wrath. I don’t stop there.

I urge the flames forward, letting them take off toward the crowd. They weave through the tall grass and push the Witches and Demons toward the trees. The entire gathering scatters as the fire intensifies. They scream, falling backward over themselves. I guess being Demons, their sense of terror is also heightened. I return my energy to focus on the golden cups and raise the heat. The blood in them boils and they are no more. The entire ceremony is ruined within seconds. No Spencings are allowed to die from my blood. Not now, not ever.

“No!”

I whip my head toward Ivette whose own eyes radiate a severe blue. Her followers are gone save for Carter watching us in awe and Tammy being pulled away by her boyfriend. She pushes him off, fighting to get back to Ivette. Not letting himself be caught by the fire, Marco picks her up and drags her away. Carter smiles, looking pleased with the outcome like he knew how this would turn out. Maybe he was on my side all along.

“You can’t do this,” Ivette yells at me. The Demon helps my sea-witch sister off the rock and tries to escape. “Emily, they’ve fooled you!”

“I’m not Emily and you are not a queen, Ivette.”

My words stake her through the heart. Both she and Stephanie narrow their eyes. As a last attempt to save her sister from the backlash of my vengeance, Ivette throws the Mermaid girl over the Ledge and back to the ocean. She would never let anyone hurt the baby of the family. As for me, I’m nothing more than someone who got in her way.

Lisa, finally freed from Steph’s control, hurries toward my friends. Her fingers make quick work of their gags and wrist fastenings. The ropes around their waists are removed but Ivette grabs her by the neck before she can finish and hurls her into the trees. I watch as Lisa slams into the trunk and falls unconscious to the ground.

“You should have helped us,” Ivette roars, her voice gurgling with her transformation. My sister’s teeth grow and her skin darkens to the grey for the others to see. Her eyes set deeper into her skull glowing brighter. Katie falls to her back and scrambles to Xander. Brenda, who has been crying over her palm huddles into Ryan’s chest. Their fear brings me strength. I have people to fight for.

My eldest sister clears her throat and takes a hesitant step toward me. A twisted laugh starts deep within her and grows into something more malicious. She’s the same girl from the psychiatric ward: never sure of what she wants but ruthless if you take it away. I flash my eyes protectively to Ryan who tightens his arms around his sister my best friends who debate whether or not to run. The panic sets in and I struggle to keep my flames alight. She sees that as her opportunity. Even after all this time, she knows my emotions are my weakness.

“It’s your fault this happens to the ones you love,” she accuses. “You did this to yourself.”

In a moment I wasn’t expecting, Ivette grabs for Xander. The world crumbles around me as she forces his head to the side and sinks her teeth into his flesh. His blood spurts out and I watch the horror unfold. Ivette howls like a rabid animal, ripping the skin on the crook of his neck.

“Xander!”

Katie and I both rush toward them. She’s easily thrown back by Ivette’s Demon strength. I reach for Xan but Emily pulls me back from inside. I knew she would do this.

They are our sisters, Emily whispers through my thoughts. I can’t let you hurt her.

And I can’t let her hurt Xander!

My best friend cries out and kicks, losing his strength bit by bit. Ryan pulls Katie back, stopping her from being injured again. Tears overflow from her eyes but I can’t fight Emily’s restraint off. Ivette tosses Xander’s bleeding body to my feet and where he curls into a ball from pain. Blood seeps through his fingers and I can’t help him with my skin still on fire. I feel more hopeless by the second.

Ivette laughs a little and walks over while I fall to my knees. Sorrow extinguishes my Blessing powers until only an inch of blue flame covers my skin.

“You feel the rage yet,” Ivette asks me. “He’ll be dead in a few minutes, blistering his skin from the inside out. Remember how that feels? It’s just slow enough to make the dying painful.”

My anger grows hotter. The light off my skin burns white with intensity and I’m amazed Xan hasn’t been burned by being this close to me. He gazes at my face while he holds the wound on his neck. His eyes are so gentle, so soft. Something inside me knows what to do as I look in his green eyes and that one second is all it takes. One wave of realization and I know I have the strength to defeat my sister. Xander’s last words roll over my thoughts and I take Ivette by the wrist, searing her skin.

“I’m not angry, Ivette,” I say to her. “I just pity you.”

My power explodes. No matter how Emily protests, I don’t let her win this time. Flame after flame torches Ivette’s skin. She crawls back, dazed by my vigor. My friends watch as I pick her up in one swift motion and slam her into the boulder Stephanie was sitting on. There are no tears left for her with my anger. She’ll pay for her murder.

Emily screams inside, begging me not to kill her. My hand tightens around the wound over her throat and she gasps for air. Her blue eyes plead with me but I couldn’t care less for her remorse. I could do it right now. I could end my sister and her hatred for good if I wanted to. All of this would forever be behind us.

But I can’t. I slowly bring Ivette to the level of my narrowed eyes. She doesn’t deserve mercy but I’m not like her and I never could be. My sister struggles to remove my hands but my Phoenix powers are much stronger. I toss her to the grass anyway. She smothers the flames which dance on her neck and waits for what I have to say.

“Leave here,” I command. Ivette barely nods. “Never come back. Never challenge me. Never hurt my friends again.”

The fear in her eyes assures me I won’t be seeing her anymore. I let my flames fade on my skin and around the clearing of the Ledge. Farther off in the trees, Tammy and Marco help my sister hobble away. She glances back to me and I’m tempted to run after her. But Carter, who has found his way toward us, places a hand on my bare shoulder.

“It’s finished for tonight,” he says. “You need to get back to your friend.”

My breath quickens as I realize who he means. Xander. I turn around and head for him but not before Carter stops me again. I cringe as I realize my clothing was burned away and I’m left cold in the nude. The Witch man removes his button up shirt for me and I quickly don it over my skin before rushing back to Xander’s side.

Katie huddles over his body and grips his hand tightly. She rocks back and forth, sobbing away. Ryan and Brenda stare off to the distance where their stepmother ran off. I can only imagine what will happen with their home life. But putting those thoughts on hold, I stumble next to Xan and watch as he arches his back in agony.

“He can’t die,” Katie mumbles over and over. “Please baby, don’t die on me.”

Xan shakes his head turns his gaze to me, bidding a silent goodbye. He’s losing focus in his eyes and it’s a struggle for him to breathe. Ivette’s bite was much more damaging than Susan’s was to me and Xander, no matter how strong, can’t handle it. My hands start to shake from not being able to do anything.

“Lisa,” I scream. My sister does not move. I hurry over to her, shaking her awake. “Lisa, please! Lisa, wake up. What do I do? I need to save him. I have to save him. Please, wake up!”

Lisa barely stirs but she is conscious enough to open her eyes. Carter staggers over and places a hand on my shoulder as Lisa starts to speak.

“The Spirit Spell,” she whispers, half out of it. “You can save him with your spirit. Share the power. Destiny…”

“What?”

“No,” Xan coughs and calls me back. Xander still knows more of the spells and my powers than I do. It’s still blocked to me. Carter helps Lisa over close enough to Xander who takes me hand.

“The Spirit Spell draws the energy of a Witch and gives it to a Spencing,” the Witch explains. Carter focuses his energy on Lisa, trying to wake her. When she blinks her eyes and gasps for breath, newly revived, Carter continues. “You give them half of your power.”

“It’s too much,” Xander objects again. “I’d need to be tethered to you for the rest of my life and you wouldn’t be able to handle me.”

My eyes look frantically from Carter to my sister to Xander. If this is true then I’m willing to do whatever. Share my soul, split my energy. My best friend isn’t leaving me if I have a chance to save him.

“I won’t let you die,” I whisper behind a sob. Xander’s reassuring smile fades. The grip from his hand relaxes as he passes out. He’s still alive but for how long? Katie weeps to the side with Ryan and looks at me with her face paler than I’ve ever seen her. “We won’t let you die,” I reiterate.

“Gail,” Carter murmurs behind me. “The Spirit Spell will use your energy but if you do it, you can no longer be a full Phoenix or Witch. If you ever wish to do magic, you would have to be connected or touching him in some way.”

“I’ll do it,” I decide. In truth, I’ve decided it before this ever happened. It will always be friendship before witchery and I’ll never let that change. Ever. “Tell me what to do. I won’t let him go like this. Just hurry!”

Carter nods and takes my face into his palms. His lips whisper the spell in a language I don’t understand.  My head feels lighter with every breath but I can’t tell if it’s from me worrying or the connection. Lisa places her hand on my thigh too to soothe me.

“Relax your mind,” she says calmly. “Before it’s too late.”

I do as told. Carter’s energy surges through my mind. I feel his essence wrap around my thoughts, wrap around the very core of my soul. For a moment, Carter pauses with a look of surprise etched on his face. Lisa smiles though, always knowing what the Witch man has just figured out.

“It’s always been him,” Lisa reassures me, caressing my damp cheek. Our eyes connect and there’s a pulse that I know is me melting with Xan’s spirit. Lisa places the tips of her fingers on each of our hearts. “He is destined to be a part of your life but he’s not as strong as you. You need to let go completely and trust in him. Let him have your strength.”

I breathe out a long sigh and let my mind drift. A feeling I could only describe as the magic of the world seers gracefully into my heart and I fall beside my best friend. I am fire, he is spirit but we are one.

We will live.