had never succeeded with advanced spells. Her power remained with parlor tricks and simple kitchen spells.
It had never bothered her. She got along quite happily with her small amount of power. It pleased her to help Mrs. Prescott with her garden magic, assisting with the growing of plants and herbs that she used for her kitchen spells.
Power was never what Julia desired.
Until Drake arrived.
Then she desired the necessary power to protect her family.
“Tell him, Julia!” Marianne screamed from the center of the room.
“I cannot!” Julia yelled back to her sister. She clenched her fists as Marianne waved her hands at Basil, desperately seeking his attention, his awareness. Somehow he had sensed her, sensed the power of the magic done to her, of Drake’s curse, but Basil did not know Marianne stood in front of him.
He did not see her.
“I should hope you cannot,” Basil said, taken aback by Julia’s sudden outburst. “Black magic is not to be trifled with. It’s dangerous. It will mark your soul in a manner that cannot be undone.”
Julia whimpered with frustration. When she spoke to her sister, Basil thought she answered him. She should be accustomed to hearing her sister make remarks and not being able to answer back for fear everyone think her crazy or ask too many questions. Her sister had been cursed for over six months now. And no one in this house knew of their dilemma. She kept it secret for all this time.
All she needed was that spellbook! All of her problems could be fixed with one of the Merriweather grimoires. Which one? All Drake wanted was one blasted spell. If she could find the book that contained the necessary spell, he would set her sister free, and all would be well.
“We need help!” Marianne pleaded, tears coursing down her cheeks. “He can help us! Basil can save us!”
Julia silently shook her head in response. She dared not speak to her sister again. Not while Basil stood in the room watching.
Marianne let out a howl of protest and slapped at Basil’s arm. He shivered in response and glanced around, searching for the source of the cold air that just assaulted him.
And he would find none.
No one could see Marianne.
No one but Julia…and Drake.
“Julia! Julia! Please! I beg you!” Marianne continued to sob, and Julia’s heart wrenched to see her sister struck so low. Julia’s fingers quaked. She clenched and unclenched her fists. She clenched her fingers, grasping and twisting them with each hand.
Still they continued to shake.
“I can’t,” Julia said, tears clouded her vision. “I can’t. I can’t.”
“Why?” Marianne screamed, turning toward her. Her pretty face twisted with pain and anguish. “Why do you allow me to suffer? I am a shade. A ghost. My body remains locked away in Drake’s castle dungeon while my spirit lingers in this limbo. I cannot touch nor taste. No one but you may hear me speak. I am nothing, Julia! Nothing! And you allow me to remain so!”
Julia trembled, shaking her head. “No, no, no, Marianne,” she whispered in response to her sister’s accusations. She loved her sister. She wanted to help her. Drake wanted the book. She would find the book. To save Marianne.
But, she could not involve Basil for she loved him, too. What would Drake do to Basil? What if he cursed Basil as he had done to Marianne?
And her father.
At last, the tears fell. She choked back a sob, fighting despair, but the sounds of Marianne’s weeping reached her ears. She could contain it no longer.
And then Basil’s arms wrapped around her. Julia clutched at his jacket, clinging to him. She sobbed her pain.
It took quite a long time for the tears. She held them in for so long that once one escaped, they flooded loose.
Basil held her close, one hand caressed her back, soothing her as no one had done since before her father died. The thought of her father’s death sent her into another wave of fresh tears. She had not cried since her father was taken
It had never bothered her. She got along quite happily with her small amount of power. It pleased her to help Mrs. Prescott with her garden magic, assisting with the growing of plants and herbs that she used for her kitchen spells.
Power was never what Julia desired.
Until Drake arrived.
Then she desired the necessary power to protect her family.
“Tell him, Julia!” Marianne screamed from the center of the room.
“I cannot!” Julia yelled back to her sister. She clenched her fists as Marianne waved her hands at Basil, desperately seeking his attention, his awareness. Somehow he had sensed her, sensed the power of the magic done to her, of Drake’s curse, but Basil did not know Marianne stood in front of him.
He did not see her.
“I should hope you cannot,” Basil said, taken aback by Julia’s sudden outburst. “Black magic is not to be trifled with. It’s dangerous. It will mark your soul in a manner that cannot be undone.”
Julia whimpered with frustration. When she spoke to her sister, Basil thought she answered him. She should be accustomed to hearing her sister make remarks and not being able to answer back for fear everyone think her crazy or ask too many questions. Her sister had been cursed for over six months now. And no one in this house knew of their dilemma. She kept it secret for all this time.
All she needed was that spellbook! All of her problems could be fixed with one of the Merriweather grimoires. Which one? All Drake wanted was one blasted spell. If she could find the book that contained the necessary spell, he would set her sister free, and all would be well.
“We need help!” Marianne pleaded, tears coursing down her cheeks. “He can help us! Basil can save us!”
Julia silently shook her head in response. She dared not speak to her sister again. Not while Basil stood in the room watching.
Marianne let out a howl of protest and slapped at Basil’s arm. He shivered in response and glanced around, searching for the source of the cold air that just assaulted him.
And he would find none.
No one could see Marianne.
No one but Julia…and Drake.
“Julia! Julia! Please! I beg you!” Marianne continued to sob, and Julia’s heart wrenched to see her sister struck so low. Julia’s fingers quaked. She clenched and unclenched her fists. She clenched her fingers, grasping and twisting them with each hand.
Still they continued to shake.
“I can’t,” Julia said, tears clouded her vision. “I can’t. I can’t.”
“Why?” Marianne screamed, turning toward her. Her pretty face twisted with pain and anguish. “Why do you allow me to suffer? I am a shade. A ghost. My body remains locked away in Drake’s castle dungeon while my spirit lingers in this limbo. I cannot touch nor taste. No one but you may hear me speak. I am nothing, Julia! Nothing! And you allow me to remain so!”
Julia trembled, shaking her head. “No, no, no, Marianne,” she whispered in response to her sister’s accusations. She loved her sister. She wanted to help her. Drake wanted the book. She would find the book. To save Marianne.
But, she could not involve Basil for she loved him, too. What would Drake do to Basil? What if he cursed Basil as he had done to Marianne?
And her father.
At last, the tears fell. She choked back a sob, fighting despair, but the sounds of Marianne’s weeping reached her ears. She could contain it no longer.
And then Basil’s arms wrapped around her. Julia clutched at his jacket, clinging to him. She sobbed her pain.
It took quite a long time for the tears. She held them in for so long that once one escaped, they flooded loose.
Basil held her close, one hand caressed her back, soothing her as no one had done since before her father died. The thought of her father’s death sent her into another wave of fresh tears. She had not cried since her father was taken
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