Yield (22 page)

I remember the pain. 

I looked around the room.  Seeing the concrete walls and the older lady sitting on the short stool beside me brought it back. 

“Do you keep this room hidden and concreted so people don’t hear the screams?”

Grandma Clark bellowed a laugh.  “No Emma, my dear.  I wish it was some great story to tell, but it
’s simply because I haven’t the storage anywhere else in the house.  I have all of my jarred pickles and jams in the corner over there.”  She pointed to rows and rows of dark purple jelly jars.  I’d seen them at the farmer’s market when it came to town with my stepmother sometimes.  At least they weren't eyeballs or brains.

“So what did happen?” I asked ready to get up and rub the kink out of my neck.

“You drank a gruroot mix to take away your magic and passed out during it.”

“No, I know that.  I mean, did it work.”

Grandma Clark looked at Ames.  Ames nodded and looked away from me to the stairs.  

“Let
’s go somewhere else.”  He turned to her again.  “Is there a backyard?”

“Through the kitchen.”

Ames took my hand and pulled me up and through the backdoor of the tiny kitchen.  A screen door popped and bounced against the doorframe.  I stood in the middle of a brick-layered back porch with a two-seater swing and a charcoal grill.  Off to the side of the fenced-in yard was a small fountain and little stone statues.  Ducks.  A mama duck and her three ducklings. 

“There.  Try to blow them up.”

“What in the world.  You’re nuts.”

“About you.  Sure.  Never mind the ducks.”  He pulled a finger to his chin.  “Stay there.” 

He walked across the yard and diverted my attention to the tall Oak tree that beautifully stood in the middle of the yard.  I couldn’t figure out what we were doing, but his grandma sent us out here.

“Forgive me first.”

“What?”

“Forgive me for what I
’m about to do.”

“Ames,” I said mistrusting his intentions.

“When I tell you to save yourself, do what you must.”  He turned around and walked around the tree.  It made no sense.  Like a panther, he jumped out and yelled, “Joshlin is behind you.  Strike him before I kill him.”

I wasn
’t afraid of Joshlin, but I didn’t want him to hurt Ames again.

Her eyes grew fear in them, but she moved with lightning speed to cover me and threw her hands out to save herself.

When nothing happened and Joshlin wasn’t there, she was back facing me and stomping over in the grass.  I tried to read every single emotion during all of this, but it wasn’t there.

“Your magic is gone, love.  It is all gone.”

“That was a dirty trick, Ames.  I don’t know why I fell for it.  It even sounded cheesy.  And how can you be sure?”

“Because you would have blown a chair or something to smithereens if you had any.  I can
’t read you at all right now and I know very well how angry you get when Joshlin is around.  I can see your eyes right now and they are not green anymore.”

Of all that, the eyes startled her.  “Let me see.”  She disappeared into the house.

“Where’s a mirror?”  I heard her ask loudly.

No one answered, but I heard her footsteps stomping across the hardwood floors.

I joined my grandmother in the living room where Emma was staring and poking her face.

“They are gray.”

“They are beautiful.”

“They are colorless.  Ugly.”

So focused on her eyes and not a word about the fact that the stinking curse had been broken.  I took her hands away from her face and turned her in my direction. 

“They are the color of the clouds on a rainy day.  The color of the moon when it is full and shrouded in the mist.  I could get lost in them over and over just like I did the green.  You are amazing no matter what color your eyes are.  Now stop making me gush junk like this and know that the color of your eyes means little compared to what else it means.”

Her lip lifted up a touch.

“What?” I asked fearing she was mad at me now.  I couldn
’t read her and it kind of perturbed me.

“I knew you
’d write me a poem one day.”

She was impossible.  I didn
’t want to ruin her fun though.  “Maybe you should hold your breath for another since you seem fit to make fun of me when I do.”

“No, no.  I loved it.  I don
’t love the eyes, but I love the way you see them.”  As if pulling her head out of the sand, she stood up taller and veered back into reality.  “I think I have my senses back.  I swear I have been running on adrenaline for the last few.”

“You
’re going to be fine, dear.  I would love to continue reveling about the changes in you, but I think I recall you saying something about a time schedule.”

“Oh!  Yes.  But.”  Emma placed a hand on the woman
’s shoulder.  “I can’t thank you enough.  I don’t know how we could ever repay you.”

“You already have.”  I sure didn
’t like the look Granny Wolf showed my girl just then.  It left the promise of demise in my eyes.  I’d keep surveillance on her awhile just to be sure.

Of course, she heard that.  I didn
’t care.  She would know not to come near Emma unless I deemed it allowed.

Emma smiled and we both said goodbye.  It was a fast exit like I wanted.  I wasn
’t up for chitchat about when we would visit for tea again.  Besides, I had some questions of my own and couldn’t ask them with Emma here.  And my grandmother read every single thing my mind was sharing with her as I left.  She knew I’d be back.

I am free.  I haven
’t an ounce of magic in me.  I wiggled and jiggled in my seat the whole way back to home with bubbling excitement.  I think I talked nonstop about what all happened at his grandmother’s house.  He just listened until I asked what happened while I was passed out.  He told me how he laid me down after I writhed in pain.  He said he learned a little more about his mother and father while I was out. I was glad for him.

I was so happy.  I felt like a millio
n bucks, not a girl who just drank a magic potion and tested her sanity all on a chance.  I couldn’t wait to get back and share the news.  I’d squash the treaty like a bug and Caydon would be so pleased.  Joshlin would be livid, but he didn’t matter anymore.  And Ames...Ames would be mine.  I couldn’t wait to marry him.  All he had to do now, was ask.

When we got back, it was only eight o
’clock.  Ames kissed me goodnight and told me he would come to my room after he checked on something.  I didn’t ask for I was in such state of bliss.  We were saved.  We could be together.  I couldn’t wait to wake up and tell the world.

I threw off my clothes and climbed under the covers.  I chose to lie on Ames
’ pillow since it had his scent all over it.  Laying there with my heart pumping loudly, I ran back through the whole day.

I didn
’t feel different inside even if I do remember the horrible pain I went through.  I didn’t feel like throwing anyone across a room, but no one has made me mad since we left.  Ames’ attempt to make me show magic in his grandmother’s back yard was so silly to me, but I never told him so.  He can’t really make me that kind of mad.  And even when I turned to see if Joshlin was there, I doubted it.  How could he be there?

And my emotions.  His emotions.  I couldn
’t read them like I could before, but I wasn’t trying either.  I wasn’t trying before, but they always kind of shouted out like a beacon at me.  I was going to have to learn to read Ames Cahn on my own.

That to me was frustrating, but worth it.

And the eyes.  I absolutely hated the eyes.  Ames claimed he liked them.  I would have to trust him on that because I sure didn’t.  Having your face stared at like you were a freak one day or that of a Athena the next for eighteen and a half years was hard to let go.

Tomorrow was going to be a great day.

I went to see my grandmother on my own.  I needed to know the truth before I let Emma marry me, treaty problem solved or not.  I didn’t want any secrets.

The second I closed her bedroom door, I called Wicker to stand guard.  He wanted answers, but I wasn
’t ready to give them yet.  I told him no one gets in but me.  That meant him too.  If she came to the door, he was to close his eyes and not look at her.  He thought I’d lost my mind.

My grandmother opened the door before I knocked.  Guess I know her telepathy is for real.

We didn’t mess with small talk.  I went there to ask her why the “ceremony” she delivered to both of us, only worked on Emma.

“Didn
’t you ever wonder why you so easily took down so many when they came to take it from you?  I was constantly being told how many of the other covens tried to test out your power.” My grandmother asked me.

“Focus on one thing.  Take what from me?”

“You’re part of the coven.  I am only the stand in who took the role in the leader’s absence.  It was passed to your mother, but she refused it.  She died before she could ever tell you what you were.”

“How do you know she would have told me?”

“I don’t.”

That makes two of us.  I didn
’t know what being a coven leader means or would make me gain, but I was already in up to my ears with goblin king problems.  I didn’t need anything else. 

“And what did you mean taking down so many?” I asked afraid I already knew the answer.  I
’d searched for years.

“The many warlocks who wanted to challenge you to your position.  They tried to take it from you by killing you, but you are so strong.  They never had a chance.”

“That wasn’t just me.  It was magic.”  A stinking light bulb just went off.  Those freaks in the gas stations weren’t there for her.  They were there for me.  They were going to take her to get to me.  Those weird feelings I got around them were not from me, they were from them. 

“Can I sense other warlocks?”

“If you say so.  I don’t know.  Like I’ve told you, everyone is different.”

“I took some of them out.  Why were they trying to kill me?  And why would they try to use Emma.”

“They wanted your seat and Emma was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  That’s all.”

I still didn
’t believe it was all bubbly powerful magic.  My father had to have a hand in what I could do.  “It wasn’t me.  Magic made them fall.”

“No, you can do what you do because you are strong and courageous, but you won because you have the same essence of your mother and all those before you.  Your magic is stronger because of your line.  You see why I couldn
’t let you release your magic.”

No, but yes.   “What
’s done is done.  I need to tell her the truth though.”

“I knew you would.  She will hate me for what I did, but it is for the best.”

“You doubt her.  She is stronger than even me.  Maybe you should hear her out before you judge her.”

Her smile drew in with worry.

Emma gave up her witch magic to keep me.  I will remain the line that is not broken because it didn’t work due to Grandma Clark not putting the essence of her in the brew because it would take my magic away.  I am this coven leader who hasn’t taken his post and didn’t even know I had it. She tricked us to keep my magic.  I wasn’t sure I care for the coven leader thing, but it seemed important to this lady whom I just recently encountered and still didn’t trust.

“I will do just that if it is that important to you as long as you acknowledge who you are and what she is now not.”

This is why the tides have changed. Not just destiny or coincidence.  Her words only welcome the question of what Emma to this lady?  Perhaps it was all meant to happen.  Or perhaps it was all a Jeep ride to hell.

“Why did I not lose the magic?  And why are you intent on saying she doesn
’t have magic?  You seem rather happy about it like you did earlier.”

“Grant me the same patience you ask of me and I will tell you.”

I would have ripped her eyes out if she wasn’t my grandmother.  I didn’t make bargains.

“You are more than just the goblin king from your father
’s side of the family.  For a moment, I’d like to tell you about your mother.  And what she would have been.”

I
’m listening now.

Sharing a sofa with this woman was making me claustrophobic.  I wanted to inch back. 

“Your mother was born into a family of coven leaders.  You are the son of one.  When a coven leader dies, another arises.  Many times, but not always, a coven leader dies and leaves no heir, so another is appointed.  It has always been a male until about twenty years ago.”

She stopped.  Was she done?

“Not hardly.  You see, your mother was the next coven leader chosen by birth and her peers, but she refused at the tender age of twenty and married your father anyway.  She wanted no part of our world.  I was an angry, bitter woman for her disgrace and took it out on her and my husband in ways that only caused myself and them harm in the end.  When she refused the title, the next closest had to take her place.”

I had a bad feeling about this conversation now.

“I was that person.  They gave me no choice.  All of the sudden I was in charge of not just my daughter and her learning of the art, but thousands across the country.  The United States is a vastly growing pit of despair and many of the witches and warlocks were supporting and participating in acts of dangerous, never reversible magic doings that have altered our society to more evil than I’ve seen in my lifetime.  Those men who chased you were warlocks after the sole and ultimate power of the one who could make them twice as powerful.”

I really didn
’t like where this was heading.  I slid my eyes to the painting of her.  Emma had been content to stare at it for a long time and I wondered now what she might have been thinking.

“I couldn
’t let you lose your magic.  I had to make sure you were fully capable of all your unearthly attributes.  From your father and your mother.”

“What did you do?” I roared.  She leaned back on the seat as I moved my knees up in the air more.

“I couldn’t chance you losing one of the greatest gifts of any warlock’s life.”

I balled my fists.  I would never hit her, but I might smash that ugly brown vase beside her.

“I mixed Emma’s mother essence in the drink.  Her essence would never affect you though.”

“Because we aren
’t related.”  Thank the friggin’ air we breathe for that.

“That makes it unable to work on you.  I couldn
’t let you lose something you didn’t even know you had.”

“What does it mean then?”  Even I wasn
’t that dense, but I wanted to hear it.

“You are the true coven leader
, Ames.” 

“Even if it
’s true, I don’t want it.  I intend to go back, take Emma as my bride, and lead my people.”

“And even if that were to all come true there is something else here you have to consider.  Her grandmother may have been inventive with the curse, but it was half true in that the two of you put together could cause your magic to damage yourselves.  Everything I
’ve found points to why the last generation goblin king and queen died, but yours and Emma’s parents took each other out all on their own.  The Ryman’s didn’t know I would take her magic to make sure you didn’t die for the reason that I have yet to tell you.  I told her to send you here if you ever showed up and I would take care of it.  Now I have.  Emma can run the goblin world and you can take on your fate as well.”

She paused for effect.  I was starting to wonder if she didn
’t enjoy the heartache Emma and I have gone through.  She seemed way too dramatic in the story telling department.

“You gonna tell me or what?”

“You won’t do anything about it if I tell you.”
              “Don’t give me that crap.  You brought it up.”

As a grandmother, she gave me a look like my language was vulgar.  I held back what I really thought.

“I didn’t want to frighten her further, but if the taking of powers wasn’t the only item of importance to the curse, then the kiss was.”

Kiss?  “You mean...”

“You kissed her.  The true goblin heir kissed her just like everyone of the past kings did.  She is bound to you no matter who she is with.”

I revved up.  “Are you saying that it might not be over?  That she is still cursed and all of this was for friggin
’ nothing. A damn kiss.”

“You knew this.  Her magic may be extinguished, but your claim is not.”

Sometimes I wish I were never born.  Emma would have been better off without me.