Soothsayer: Magic Is All Around Us (Soothsayer Series Book 1) (23 page)

“Robert, I don’t know if I want to tell you,” I admitted.

“You can tell me anything, you know that.” He tried his best to make his voice sound soothing.

“I know but…”

“It can’t be that bad,” he joked.

He placed his hand on my leg. The electricity that had been crackling between us since we woke up this morning coursed through me. What I felt, the way Robert looked at me, it couldn't just be because our souls were connected. There had to be more going on between us than some Magical bond, right?

His touch broke down my walls and I caved. "It happened because of you,” I explained, “because you saved me.” I pulled up to a red light and looked at him.

“What do you mean, because I saved you?” he asked.

“You know how you said you were either born with a Magical soul or you weren't?”

“Yes.”

“Well, because I wasn’t born with a Magical soul, I had to be given Magic by other means. When you saved me, a piece of your soul bonded with mine and vice versa.”

“Arthur,” Robert whispered and removed his hand from my leg.

“You know the story about Arthur and Merlin?”

“Of course.” He shook his head, still lost in his own thoughts.

“So it’s real then?”

“Yes, it’s real. This is incredible. Healers have tried countless times to duplicate what happened with Arthur and Merlin but very few have ever been able to.”

“What do you mean healers have tried to duplicate what happened?”

“Some healers aren’t as ethical as others. They experiment with humans by trying to pass on their magic to them, but I've only heard of a handful of cases where it actually worked.”

“Why would healers want to pass on their magic?”

“There are two reasons. The most noble, but by no means accepted one is when a child is born to a Magical family with no magic.”

“And the other reason?” I asked, hesitant. If it wasn’t acceptable to try and give a child magic, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what the other reason might be.

“To create your own army of Magical people.”

“Why would someone want to do that?”

“Control, power. The usual reasons people do inhumane things.” He shrugged his shoulders matter-of-factly.

I shivered at the thought of someone experimenting with human life so callously.

“My aunt said I was always meant to get my magic from you,” I said bringing the topic back to us as I parked in front of the studio.

“I suppose she's right.” He exited the car in one swift motion.

I unlocked the front door to the studio and flipped on the lights as I walked in. I was a little surprised with myself, at how calmly I was talking about all of this. I put my purse on my desk and turned on my computer. Robert had followed me in and sat down in the chair across from me. I looked him over while his eyes wandered the studio.

Robert had changed my life so much and had become someone I really trusted. I felt safe with him. It had been a long time since I’d really felt safe with someone. My heart swelled and I realized I had fallen for him. I’d been so preoccupied fighting against the Magical world that I couldn’t see him slowly sneaking his way up and over my walls.

I felt ridiculous, but I had to ask. I had to know if what I was feeling was just because of our soul connection or if it was something more.

“Robert?” I started.

“Yes?” he asked, turning his gaze to me.

“Does the connection between us… I mean, is our souls being connected why I feel…” I paused. I sounded like a mumbling idiot. I felt incredibly self-conscious, more than I’d ever felt in my entire life.

His expression softened in understanding. “No, we’re not drawn to each other because of our souls being connected. It’s just a way to pass on Magic to someone who doesn’t have a Magical soul.”

So it wasn’t just me then. He felt drawn to me too. I smiled. “That’s it, then? It’s just a way magic is transferred between two people?”

“Well, no,” he said, hesitating as he tapped his finger in thought. “That’s not it.”

“What else is there?”

“Now don’t quote me on this. I don’t have a lot of information to go on. But it’s been said that Arthur and Merlin were able to wield very powerful magic when the two of them worked together.”

“Have you felt a difference at all?”

“No, at least I don’t think so. Let me make a few calls and see if I can get some more information.”

“Sure, I need to get to work too.”

We didn't talk much the rest of the day. Robert left me to my task and he made phone call after phone call, taking notes in his journal after every one. I kept glancing over at him, wondering what he was writing about. If he had found something new, I wanted to know. After all, this connection affected me too.

Around lunchtime he went and got us sandwiches from the deli a couple doors down and told me what little more he knew about Arthur and Merlin.

So much of what happened back then had been lost or turned into fictitious stories. The only hope was to find a family journal, like Robert’s, that had been passed down through the generations. That was a long shot.

Jessie showed up a couple hours later in her P.E. clothes and chatted with Robert about school. She clearly had a crush on him and it was cute how she shamelessly flirted with him.

After finishing a little more than half of the pictures, I went through the messages I’d pushed aside earlier. The elementary school had called me back with a date next month for picture day. I called them back to confirm the date and moved on to the next message. It was from Matthew. He had called yesterday afternoon.

I dialed the number Jessie had jotted down and Matthew picked up on the second ring.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Hey, it’s Violet. You called yesterday but I wasn’t in,” I said.

“Off playing hooky, huh?”

I laughed. “No, just working from home. Did you need something?”

“Yeah, I’m going to be in the area tomorrow and Meredith wanted me to check with you and see if you had anything done I could bring back with me.”

“I have a little more than half the pictures printed. I should be able to get everything else finished by tomorrow.”

“Alright, perfect. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”

“Sounds good. Talk to you later, Matty,” I said. I couldn’t help myself.

“Just when I was starting to like you,” he laughed.

We both hung up and I went through the rest of the messages. I had a few from Becky that made me feel guilty I’d completely forgotten about her the past few days. I dialed her cell to see if she still wanted to do something later tonight.

“Hey, what's up?” she answered after a few rings.

“Not much. I’m finishing up here at the studio and wanted to check in with you about dinner and a movie tonight.”

“Yeah, I’m still going to be a couple hours and I won’t have time to make food but Aaron’s at the house.”

“No worries. I have a few things I want to do at home first.” I eyed Robert. He was still talking with Jessie but looking in my direction. “I’ll pick up some takeout on my way over.”

“Alright, see you in a bit.”

“See ya," I said and hung up.

“Ready when you are,” I told Robert as I walked over to him and Jessie.

He nodded and said, “It was good talking to you again, Jessie.”

“You too,” she said, smiling ear to ear.

“Why don’t you get out of here,” I suggested to Jessie.

“Are you sure? Day’s not over yet.”

“Yeah, but the clouds cleared up and it’s still pretty nice out there. Take the rest of the day on me.”

“Alright, thanks so much, Violet!” Jessie pulled her phone from her bag and started texting away the moment she was out the door.

“That was nice of you,” Robert said.

“She’s young. She should be out enjoying life, not being around what I’m going through.”

“So we’re heading back to your place?”

“Yep, there’s something I want to try if you're up for it.” I was determined to learn a little more about my Magic.

Robert gave me a skeptical look but then a small smile played at his lips. “I’m up for anything.”

We left the studio and got back to my place in a matter of minutes. Robert didn’t ask what it was I wanted to do and I was grateful. I needed the drive home to really think about what I would ask him and wanted to be sure I was ready. If I went through with this, there was no going back.

I parked the car down the street and we walked up to my complex. The sun hadn’t begun setting but the cool ocean air made it clear that night was fast approaching.

“So, are you going to tell me what we’ll be doing?” Robert asked. His eyebrows rose innocently.

“Yes,” I replied and looked him up and down. Two could play this game.

“Anytime soon?” His lips curled into a smile that would have any girl at his mercy.

“Yes,” I said, a little breathless. I swung the gate open and headed down the path, trying to stay in control of the emotions bubbling inside me.

He placed his hand on my lower back as we walked down the shaded path. I could feel the warmth of his hand through my thin, cotton t-shirt and my skin tingled at his touch.

“Violet, tell me,” he whispered. His breath on the back of my neck sent chills all over my body. I felt like I was overheating despite the cool air. He was good at this, but so was I.

I turned to face him and placed my hand on his chest. Following my movement his fingers now rested on my hip. Surprise flickered in his eyes and his grip tightened around me.

“Can we just get inside first,” I suggested. I held his gaze as my fingers fiddled with one of the buttons on his shirt.

He hesitated a moment, giving himself away. In that split second of hesitation I could see just how much of an effect I had on him. I smiled, glad it wasn’t just me, and turned away from him, needing to put a little distance between us.

Unlocking the front door I walked inside and Robert followed a good distance behind me. Tossing my purse on the kitchen table I took a deep breath and turned to face him as he closed the door.

“I want you to teach me how to use Magic,” I blurted out.

His eyes still held a hint of desire from our playful banter but the look on his face was pure shock. I waited for him to say something but he just stared at me.

Uncomfortable with the silence, I took a step toward him and said, “You said yourself I'm not able to protect myself against Magic.”

“Well yes, but-”

I cut him off. “No more buts or excuses from either of us. If I’m going to do this, if I’m really going to accept this part of myself, then I have to be all in.”

“Are you sure you’re ready, though?” he asked, frowning with concern. He looked worried and rightfully so. Only a few days ago I’d been fighting him tooth and nail about all of this.

“Yes, I’m sure. Robert, my life’s been turned upside down and I need to regain control,” I pleaded. I felt like a child asking permission to go to the school dance. It made me uncomfortable and I crossed my arms to keep the agitation from showing on my face.

“I don’t want you to move too fast. You need to really believe first.”

“I do believe. I want…” I faltered. “I need this.”

“Why the sudden need for control?”

“Because I’m sick of other people telling me who I am or who I’m supposed to be. I need to know for myself. I need to experience it for myself.”

He looked at me for a long moment and then smiled. “Alright,” he said, “close your eyes.”

I took a deep breath and did as he instructed.

“Clear your mind,” he continued with a soft voice. “Feel the beat of your heart and follow it inward.”

“How?” I asked.

“There’s an energy inside you that wasn’t there before. Clear your mind and try to focus. It’ll be very subtle at first.”

I took a deep breath and cleared my mind. I wasn’t sure what exactly I was supposed to focus on, so I listened to my heartbeat from within and focused on my lungs expanding with each breath. In and out.
Thump-thump, thump-thump
. In and out.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.

Robert wrapped his hands around my wrists like gentle manacles and lifted them from my sides.

“Let me guide you,” he said, caressing the insides of my palms.

I let out a ragged breath and gave myself over to his influence. A tingling sensation started in the tips of my fingers. It slowly moved up my arms and throughout my entire body. The hunger that had been growing just under my ribcage the last few weeks relished in the sensation and expanded to fill me from head to toe. Bit by bit the energy left my extremities and rushed to my core. It coursed through my veins, ready to be freed from the shell of my body.

“Now try thinking about a blanket of protection. Let it wrap around you and feel its defense,” Robert instructed. “Use the energy inside you to make that blanket into a barrier between us.”

The room had grown so quiet that his voice startled me. I took a breath in cadence with the hum inside me and tried to picture an impenetrable blanket wrapped around me.

“Open your eyes,” he said.

I hesitated for a moment.
This is it, no turning back now
. I still had some reservations about Magic but I’d honestly come to terms with it. Now it was time to let go and release the Magic within me.

Cautiously, I opened my eyes and glanced at my extended hands. Robert was no longer holding onto me. Looking up, I couldn't believe what I saw. A beautiful, golden shimmer hung between Robert and I. The barrier rippled like the ocean and was transparent enough that I could see Robert standing on the other side of it. I looked up again and the golden barrier disappeared.

“What happened?” I asked. The smile faded from my face.

Robert chuckled and said, “It takes a lot of concentration to keep up a shield.”

“So I did it then?”

“Yes. Now that you’ve seen how your shield manifests itself, it should be easier to bring it up again.”

“Manifests itself?”

“Everyone’s shield is different. When you tap into your Magic, you’re tapping into the essence of who you are. Even though I can teach you everything I know, healing aside, your Magic will manifest different than it does for me.”

“What does your shield look like?” I asked.

Before I could blink, a burning red shield flew up between us. It was the most remarkable thing I’d ever seen. It rippled as different shades of crimson wove in and out of each other, flowing to an unheard beat. The shield hung between us like a piece of transparent fabric. I reached out and let my fingers graze the shield in front of me the way I used to run my fingers across the water when I was a kid. I could feel his energy and tried to push my fingers through the sea of red but couldn't penetrate the barrier. I looked up at Robert, amazed as a smile spread across his face.

“This is unbelievable,” I said under my breath.

“It’s all real. The world is at your fingertips,” he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me through the red curtain. I felt his energy as I passed through the shield, the same warm energy I’d felt the night he healed me.

“How’d you-”

“It’s my shield,” he explained before I could finish my question. “I’m in control of what comes through it.” One of his arms found its way around my waist.

I reached out to touch the crimson waves and the shield disappeared leaving a current in the air that was almost palpable. Robert watched me carefully, curiosity written in all the lines of his face. He still had his arm wrapped around me and it brought all my emotions bubbling to the surface.

“What?” I asked, trying not to blush.

“I’m just surprised. You’re handling this much better than I thought you would.”

I sighed and picked a piece of lint off his shirt. “It’s important for me to accept this side of my life.”

“Violet.” He lifted my chin so I had to look at him. “It won’t matter that it’s important if you don’t truly embrace this side of you.”

“I’m getting there.” I smiled and leaned in a little closer to him. My heart had gained some speed with his arm around me and I desperately wanted to break the tension between us.

“Shall we try again?” he asked, releasing me and taking a deep breath.

“Sure.” I stepped away and closed my eyes.

This time I found the energy inside me without Robert’s help. Now that I knew what I was looking for and how it felt, it was easier to stay focused. It took much longer to summon up the same force Robert had on my own, but slowly the electric hum built up inside me. I saw the beautiful golden shield in my head and tried to focus on seeing it in front of me. Robert stood quiet in the room somewhere, watching and waiting. I felt the electricity ease some and opened my eyes. A golden shimmer hung in the air and quickly fizzled into nothing.

“That was really good,” Robert said with a proud smile.

“Really good? Nothing happened. It didn’t look anything like it did the first time,” I lamented.

“Violet, it’s not easy. For doing it on your own, that was perfect. It didn’t take you nearly as long as I thought it would for you to summon the Magic.”

“How long did it take you before you were able to do it instantly?”

“Just try again,” he said, avoiding my question.

“How long?”

“It doesn’t matter, everyone’s different. Now try again.”

I closed my eyes again and found the flicker of electricity inside me once more. It took even longer this time to build up the same sort of intensity and I felt like I was going to break a sweat as I wrinkled up my face in focus. Once I thought I was strong enough, I imagined my shield. I pictured the golden shimmer wrapping around me like a cocoon. I felt the electricity bubble over and let it flow out of me with ease.

The cloth-like shield glowed all around me. Not at all as vibrant as when Robert helped me, but it was there. I smiled. I was really doing this. This was real. I looked at Robert, my smile still in place as the shimmering light faded around me.

I tried twice more to produce the shield but both times nothing happened. Feeling like the wind had been knocked out of me, I sat down next to Robert on the couch.

“Why can’t I do it anymore?” I asked, near panting as I caught my breath.

“It takes a lot of energy to use your Magic. It’ll get easier with time. You’ll build up your strength but for now you did amazing,” Robert said, beaming.

Robert’s eyes held mine and I let myself fall into their warm, russet depths. He had accomplished the impossible; he had helped me believe in the Magical world and he couldn’t be happier. I let the moment linger on a little longer and then tore myself away from his warmth and happiness.

Despite being absolutely spent, I sighed with wonderful relief. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from me, the anxiety and torment that had been living inside me was gone. I wondered if that was what my aunt meant when she said it went against our nature to abstain from Magic. Had the unused Magic inside me caused my anxiety? I let my head fall back and gave myself over to my senses. The raw, ancient hunger that had been gnawing at me flickered with satisfaction deep at my core.

“Huh,” I said.

“What are you thinking?” Robert asked.

I sat up and pulled a pillow into my lap. “Have you ever gone a long period of time without using Magic?”

“No, why?”

“It’s just something my aunt said.”

“Care to enlighten me?”

“She said that it goes against our nature not to use Magic.”

“That’s true. Using Magic is like breathing for us. It just happens naturally, sometimes without thinking.”

“Well I was wondering, if our souls became a part of each other the night you saved me, then I’ve gone quite a long time without using Magic.”

“And what exactly were you wondering?” he asked.

“I was wondering…” I rolled my head his direction. “If that’s why I've been so anxious lately, because the Magic was building up inside me.”

“It’s possible, but you’ve been having visions since that night, right?”

“Yes,” I said, furrowing my brow, unsure where this train of thought would take him.

“When you had the visions, were you emotional in any way?” he asked, picking up on my mood.

I thought back over all the times I’d had visions, of the future, the past. I guessed my emotions were heightened somewhat in those moments. Whenever I thought about the night I was attacked I seemed to get sucked back into that moment. And then there were the couple times Robert’s touch had sent my heart into overdrive, which resulted in my seeing that kiss I so desperately wanted.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” I finally replied.

“Well, that’s probably why you had the visions. Your Magic had been building up inside you and when you were in an emotional state the Magic bubbled over and resulted in your visions,” Robert explained.

“Hmm, I guess this isn’t an exact science is it?” I laughed.