3 Dark Energy (14 page)

“Helen! I can’t believe you did that!” Perry exclaimed with amazement.

“Neither can I.” Helen smiled at him with elation. “What a rush! I couldn’t have done that without the power from the enchanted garden though.”

“You have a lot of natural ability. Just like my dad.” Perry patted Mark on the shoulder with affection. “I’m so proud of you.”

“I have to say that even I’m amazed by what white magic can do,” Alice said. “However, I’m also a realist and I can’t help but notice how quickly white magic fails when it’s confronted with black magic.”

“White magic is always stronger than dark,” Mark said.

“How can you say that after what just happened?” Alice asked.

“It’s the properties of light energy and dark energy that aren’t fully understood,” Perry lectured. “They both repel each other and even though light energy is stronger, it bends away from the dark.”

“Then what good does being stronger do?” Alice pressed. “It will still fail in the end during any confrontation.”

“There’s something different about me,” Josephine announced as she tried to identify the difference in her energy body.

Perry fixed an intense look on her then grinned with excitement. “You and Dad are linked with Helen now.”

“We are?” Josephine expanded her scan to take in Helen and Mark. She quickly confirmed Perry’s observation. “You’re right. So what does this mean?”

“Your powers should be even stronger. All of you.” Perry made a gesture at the three of them.

“Am I in danger of becoming a white magic practitioner?” Josephine asked.

“No, the stream of light energy is stronger because of your link with Helen but your mainstream magic is intact and stable. If we had the ability to measure power beyond a six, I would guess that you would be a category twelve at this point.”

“Are you serious?” Josephine peered at him with astonishment. “How is that even possible?”

“That’s why wizards like to link magically with one or two others. You should be careful not expand your connection any further though. Groups larger than three risk growing volatility and vulnerability,” Perry cautioned.

“What do you mean by that exactly?”

“Your powers would be so strong that you could cause explosions of uncontrollable energy. Furthermore, if something happened to any member of your group, your powers would be crippled for awhile.”

“Are we in any danger of that happening the way we are now?” Helen asked.

“No, you’re perfectly safe but if your group keeps getting larger, those are the risks that you would be facing.”

“So if we had four or more people linked with us, if one of us got hurt, it would temporarily disable our power?” Josephine asked for clarification.

“That’s right. Any serious physical injury would cause that reaction.”

“What about death?” Alice interjected. “If you had a large group and one of them died, what would happen?”

“You’d lose your powers for days,” Perry said. “But you don’t have to worry because with a group of three, none of those risks apply to you. Although it would be very bad if one of you were captured by the Valituras.”

“Other than the obvious, why would that be bad?” Josephine asked.

“They could access your link through any one of you which means they would be able to track all of you and even bind your powers. They couldn’t completely disable your abilities but you’d be very weak,” Perry explained.

“I’m too old for all of these problems,” Helen fretted. “Why can’t everything go back to the way it was?”

“I could help you to safely remove the link from each other,” Perry offered.

Helen’s face brightened with renewed hope. “You can?”

“Sure.”

“Before we do anything rash, I just want to point out that the Valituras are a threat that won’t just go away. We might as well take advantage of this new link between us and your awakened abilities,” Josephine said.

“White magic has proven to be a liability,” Alice argued.

“This feels right. I think it’s important that both Helen and Mark explore and develop their work with light energy,” Josephine said.

Chapter 15

Mark’s heart raced with panic as he sat up in the tent, torn from a deep sleep. It was still dark outside and his eyes struggled to adjust so he could see.

“Mark, help me!” his sister’s voice shouted in his mind and he could have sworn she was sitting right next to him.

Mark reached out for his flashlight and turned it on. He took a deep cleansing breath as he oriented himself and stepped outside into the enchanted garden. Helen’s tent wiggled as she obviously had awakened as well. He saw movement coming from the front as she worked at finding the zipper so she could step outside. Mark wondered what his dream was all about. The details were hazy as though he was remembering something from years ago. The feeling of terror still clung to the back of his mind and unsettled him. He shoved those disturbing thoughts aside as he waited for Helen to emerge. They hadn’t gotten any sleep after their encounter with Frederic and had spent the next day preparing niveus imperium enchantments. The company Josephine had hired to set up wards over her property had finished their work so their safety in the enchanted garden was no longer completely reliant on white magic. However, the protection wasn’t nearly as powerful as the house.

“Good morning.” Helen poked her head outside and offered an airy smile.

“Good morning. How are you feeling?” Mark asked.

“Pretty good except for the fact that I’ve never liked camping.”

Mark noticed Perry watching them in the form of a white dove perched on the branch of a weeping willow tree a short distance away.

“Hey, Perry,” Mark said.

“Hi there.” Helen leveled a friendly smile at the bird.

“Greetings. You’re both looking well. No sign of burnout,” Perry observed. His voice sounded strange as a bird with a slightly higher pitch.

“That’s great news.”

“What time is it?” Mark asked.

“I’m not sure. Josephine’s been awake for a long time though.”

Mark and Helen went inside the house, poured themselves coffee, and met with Josephine and Alice in the dining room.

“It’s about time you two got up,” Alice teased. “It’s getting late.”

“It’s not even seven yet,” Mark said.

“I can’t believe I slept in like that. I’m such an early bird,” Helen fretted.

“Your body has already gone through a major conversion from mainstream magic to white magic,” Mark explained. “You’ve progressed very quickly to the later stages of development.”

“At least my allergies aren’t bothering me anymore,” Helen said.

Alice turned her head away as she sneezed then faced the group with a frown.

“I wish I could say the same,” she grumbled.

“Does white magic cure allergies?” Helen asked.

“No,” Mark replied.

“I didn’t think so.” Helen’s expression was contemplative. “I must have been coming down with something. I know that light energy will prevent and cure most diseases.”

“That’s true.” Mark sipped some of his coffee then grinned with amusement. “I guess you can say white magic comes with perks instead of a cost.”

Josephine’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “I like that.”

“I don’t feel so hot,” Alice said.

She took several deep breaths and shook her head as if to clear it.

“Are you all right?” Josephine regarded her friend with concern.

“I’m fine.” Alice’s lips curved in a reassuring smile. “I was just out of breath. These allergies are really bothering me. I can’t wait for the winter for some relief.” She leveled a sardonic look at Helen. “How did you like sleeping in the backyard?”

“I don’t like it but I’m hoping we can extend the power center into the house soon so it won’t be necessary.”

“Perry seems pretty optimistic that it won’t take too long,” Josephine said.

“He told Helen and I we should go shopping today for plants,” Mark said.

“I don’t like the sound of that. Just to be safe, why don’t you wait for me to return from work and then we’ll go out together.”

“I thought you had the day off today?” Mark leveled a questioning look at her.

Josephine scowled. “Ben called me an hour ago and told me I had to come in. He didn’t have any choice in the matter. The mayor is breathing down his neck and micromanaging like crazy. He wants some kind of breakthrough with the Valituras threat and he wants it yesterday.”

“I thought the entire government is in hiding with extremely limited communication to the outside world,” Alice said.

“That’s true but the mayors don’t make the cut. They have to stay out in the open and continue their daily duties,” Helen informed her.

“I had the most disturbing dream about my sister,” Mark said. “She was trapped in a large glass box. It was tall enough that she could stand up and she was surrounded by a huge fire in the forest. When I woke up, I could hear her asking for my help. It felt so real.”

“I wonder if it’s a new ability that comes with white magic. We have enhanced intuition. Maggie might be in danger,” Helen hypothesized.

Alice regarded Mark with a contemplative gaze. “Isn’t she the tattle tail who spied on you and found out you were a white magic practitioner then told your father?”

“Yes, that’s her.”

“I don’t think this is any kind of warning. I think it’s a manifestation of your unresolved feelings about this betrayal,” Alice advised. “You told me that the two of you used to be close but that as teens, you drifted apart because she took on the role of the Freeman legacy like most of your family. You may not be aware of it but your subconscious probably wants to make sense of it and would like to have that relationship back again.”

“That may have been true when we were younger and her attitudes changed but I came to terms with that a long time ago. I don’t have any expectations that Maggie and I will ever be friends again.”

“You’d be surprised what secrets we don’t know about our unconscious mind. I’ve seen it all. Or at least, it seems that way with all the patients I helped over the years,” Alice remarked.

“Maybe you should talk to your son,” Helen suggested.

Alice’s expression became stern as she focused on Mark. “I strongly suggest you get out of the habit of thinking of Perry that way and to break him out of the habit of calling you ‘Dad.’ It’s very unhealthy and will lead to trouble.”

“I think it’s sweet,” Helen argued.

“I don’t care. It’s bad news. As a professional in the psychological field, I know what I’m talking about,” Alice said.

“I really don’t see how it’s hurting anything.”

“For one thing, it might give both Perry and Mark an over-inflated sense of confidence in Mark’s abilities which can be fatal in a confrontation with dark wizards or other life threatening circumstances.”

“You don’t have to worry. I don’t think I’m a superhero or anything. I’m very aware of my limitations,” Mark said.

Alice regarded him with a stern look. “Over time, those feelings can change if you unconsciously assume the role of parenthood. It’s an easy thing for it to sneak up on you over time. The change is so gradual you don’t even know it’s happening. You need to put an end to Perry’s misguided perceptions of you as his father.”

“For heavens sakes, leave Mark alone,” Josephine interjected.

“It’s for his own good. I’m a doctor.”

Josephine’s lips twitched in a teasing smile. “You’re retired now, remember?”

“Whatever,” Alice grumbled. “No one ever listens to me.”

“If it makes you feel better, you can be his aunt.” Helen’s eyes twinkled with mirth.

“For heavens sakes.” Alice scowled with annoyance then sipped some of her coffee. Josephine, Mark, and Helen chuckled with amusement. Alice focused on Mark again. “I’m sorry if I come on too strong sometimes but I just want what’s best for you. I would suggest you start writing down your dreams in a journal. You should keep the book where you sleep so you can write them down right away while they’re still fresh in your mind. The details of our dreams fade away quickly when we wake up.”

“I don’t usually remember my dreams,” Mark said.

“Most of us don’t. You’ll discover that just the act of keeping a journal by your bed will program your unconscious to recall more of them,” Alice lectured.

“I’ll do it,” he acknowledged.

“Great. We can do that when we go shopping for plants,” Alice remarked.

Josephine regarded her with trepidation. “If you go without me, just be sure to bring plenty of niveus imperium enchantments. Those two construo letalis curses are still out there and you may be secondary targets. And then there’s Frederic.”

“We’ll be careful,” Mark said.

As soon as Josephine left for work, Helen and Mark ate breakfast, took showers and left with Alice to visit Palm Grove Nursery to check out their plants. Perry refused to leave the enchanted garden and remained in the form of a white dove. He’d suffered a couple of relapses during the day yesterday with his energy matrix destabilizing.

“Poor Perry. I feel so bad for him,” Helen said as she, Mark, and Alice stood in front of a bunch of large, five-foot-tall ferns.

“Why are you so fixated on him?” Alice threw her a curious look.

“If you were made of just energy and you felt like your very essence was going to evaporate into nothingness, wouldn’t you be worried?” Helen retorted.

“It’s like you’re obsessed or something.”

“I am not.” Helen’s vibrant green eyes flashed with irritation and her face flushed with embarrassment.

“You’ve got a crush on him!” Alice exclaimed.

“That’s rubbish! You call yourself a psychiatrist?”

“He does have a very nice figure if you’re into the muscular type,” Alice observed.

“I hadn’t noticed.” Helen turned away from her to grab one of the potted ferns and placed it in her cart.

Alice watched her friend with undisguised amusement.

“I think we should get about six of these ferns. They’re capable of holding a good deal of light energy and are easy to care for,” Mark said.

“That’s right. Josephine isn’t good with house plants.”

“She and I agreed that I’ll take care of them,” Mark explained.

They loaded their flat, green cart with six pots then got some margarita trees since they were relatively simple and trouble-free. They purchased the plants and brought them home, placing half of them in the living room and half in the dining room.

“They go well with the décor,” Helen commented.

“That’s true. I love the splash of red on the margarita trees,” Alice said in reference to the red tinged leaves.

“I suppose we should get started,” Mark said.

He, Helen, and Alice went out in the backyard to find Perry who was perched in one of his favorite spots, on a branch of the weeping willow tree closest to the house.

“You’re going to have to leave the enchanted garden so we can extend the power center,” Mark told him.

“All right.” Perry remained standing on the branch for several seconds as if gathering his courage to leave. He jumped into the air then exploded into a white sparkling cloud as he transformed into his human self. Helen walked over to him and patted his arm in reassurance.

“You’ll be okay,” she said.

Perry smiled at her then the group made their way to the front yard. Because Alice couldn’t work with white magic, she stood off to the side and watched in silence as Helen, Mark, and Perry joined hands in the front yard and began weaving threads of light energy between them. Every once in awhile, the energy gathered would manifest in the visible spectrum as silver white streams of luminescence that flickered in and out of sight. They lost track of time as they worked and finally managed to weave a large self-sustaining energy sphere roughly eight feet in diameter. They directed currents of energy to flow between the nearby trees, bushes and the sphere. Mark’s cell phone chimed in his jeans pocket, indicating he had an appointment.

“I’ve got a client. Sorry guys.” Mark swept an apologetic gaze at Perry and Helen.

“That’s all right,” Helen said. She looked around with puzzlement. “Where did Alice go?”

“She must have gone inside,” Perry said.

Mark’s appointment arrived fifteen minutes late with a couple of family heirlooms that had been damaged. Mark restored them in brand-new condition which impressed his client. Afterwards, Mark remained outside in the front yard to call his sister. He was pretty sure his father would let him know if something was wrong but the Freemans were a strange group.

“Hello, Mark,” Maggie said in a crisp, businesslike tone.

“Hi, Maggie.”

There was a short pause and Maggie heaved an impatient sigh. “What do you want?”

“I had a dream that you were in danger. I wanted to be sure you were okay.”

“So you’re telling me that you interrupted my important work because of some stupid dream?” Maggie said in a condescending tone. “You would do better to consult with a dream therapist or a psychiatrist.”

“I just had a bad feeling that I couldn’t shake and I had to know for sure that you’re all right.”