“You know that’s not true right."
"It is true. I am my sister. I loved him and Aleks at the same time. I dated them both. I judged her for the same shit."
He rolled his eyes, "You saved his life breaking it off. Think of the shit that's wrong with you."
She sniffled, “It didn’t feel like it. It felt like I was destroying it.”
“Did you go get your dad?”
She nodded, “I took him to my grams. We sold his house a while ago and it closed the other day. He cried a lot. I’m an asshole. Everyone hates me.”
He put an arm around her, “Aimes you're being a sobby baby. Remember fierce death dealer. You need some of that 'I am woman hear me roar'. You aren’t an asshole. No more than any of us. We can’t have mortal connections. They die too easily.”
“Well my dad's staying with my gram in her new condo that I got Lorri to buy her. It’s in the south of France. No one knows they’re there. Not even Shane.”
“He’ll be happy Aimes.”
“I wish they could all be happy. I wish I’d cut the ties with them all long before I became a Rose. I don’t mind my life being fucked but I hate that they're all separated and scared and I can’t be there. I wish I knew what was going to happen.”
Sam pulled a gold plate from his backpack, “Then I have something to cheer you up.”
She glared at him, “Gold dishes?”
“Annabelle’s golden scrying plate. Ass.”
She snorted, “What in the eff could you possibly want to show me in that plate? You aren’t even magical. Wanker.”
He sighed and pinched his noise, “I’m not hammer head but Ophelia is and she is here.”
She burst into snotty laughter, “You’re a moron.”
“Be that as it may but you can see if it was the right choice.”
She stopped laughing and looked at him, “You think she could see that?”
He nodded, “And more. How to get Alise back. I bet she can.”
“Uhhh that Ophelia chick is wandering the halls and Hanna just called from Roland’s place. She’s coming over.” Giselle popped her head in.
Sam smiled, “Ask Ophelia to meet us in the den please.”
Giselle frowned, “I am not your servant. Besides I got me a vampire date.” She turned and shouted into the hall, “Jeeves get that witch in the den and I’m hungry.”
She walked away.
Aimee tilted her head, “I miss poor Giselle.”
Sam nodded, “I agree.”
“I HEARD THAT ASSHOLES.”
Sam smirked, "Guess we are assholes."
Aimee laughed and picked up the golden plate.
“Wonder what her date will be like?”
“He will no doubt be young and attractive and hopefully eager to fill my role as Jeeves the slave.”
Sam snorted as Hamish appeared in the doorway.
“Young miss Ophelia is headed to the den.”
“Thanks Hamish.”
“You are quite welcome Miss Aimee.”
Sam rolled his eyes at her grin as they walked out of the room. Giselle had gotten moody and snotty since they had moved into the castle. Aimee kept calling her mean high school Giselle.
Ophelia was standing in the den waiting for them when they got there. She seemed out of place. He felt sorry for her for a small second.
“Dim the lights and light a bunch of candles.” Sam grabbed the plate from Aimee and placed it on the small table. He grabbed a glass of water from the bar and poured it into the shallow plate.
“Make sure the candles are behind the spot. They need to be behind where she is going to read.” He smiled at Ophelia, “You need to look into this plate and relax your mind. We will ask questions and you will see answers okay?”
She nodded looking lost, “This is how a witch gets answers?”
He nodded, “I saw the Wiccan's do this tons. Plus this plate is really magical.”
She fidgeted with her fingers and looked into the water.
“Calm the mind Ophelia. Push away every thought and worry. Just relax and breathe.” He tried to speak as low as he could.
Chapter Twenty-OneOphelia
The water looked normal. She wanted to help them so they would help her get her sister and her life back but she doubted her own abilities. She knew there was magic, too many things had occurred for her to doubt that, but at the same time she had never seen a vision.
She cleared her mind and watched the water in the golden plate. Just as she felt the last cog in her mind stop turning, the water rippled. She looked closer. The bottom of the plate fell away revealing an incredibly deep hole filled with water.
“Okay I think you can ask now.” She felt detached and fuzzy.
Aimee blurted quickly, “Did I make the right decision to break up with Shane?”
The water turned stormy and dark suddenly. Waves started to lap across the tops of the hole. A handsome man with dark blond hair and bright blue eyes sat alone in a room. He was drinking a beer with the TV on and his police uniform shirt open to reveal a white under shirt. He looked like a slob. He looked miserable. In a flash he was at a scene of an accident. A woman in blue jeans and a baby blue t-shirt held her hand to her face. Blood dripped from her forehead. He wiped the blood away. She smiled at him. The next flash he was holding a baby in a hospital room. The lady from the accident smiled from a hospital bed. His eyes still had sadness in them.
“He’s going to save a woman and fall in love and have a baby. He looks happy I guess. Haunted still maybe. So I guess you did. His life looks like he moved on.”
“My turn, how can I break my match?”
She frowned. She didn’t understand the question. She watched as the water churned again and when the picture cleared a beautiful woman stood at the edge of a lake. An older woman walked to her. Her back was to Ophelia. The scene looked old fashioned. They both wore old-fashioned dresses and bonnets. The young woman opened her dress and the older woman whispered, “Fod yn rhydd o’r cadwyni o gariad” then she pulled a dagger from the holster on her hip and dragged it across her hand making bright red blood appear. She coated the dagger in the blood and then plunged it into the heart of the woman. Ophelia gasped and the woman screamed in agony. The older woman pulled the dagger out. No wound was there but a scar remained. The older woman turned to face Ophelia. She gasped again seeing the younger face of Lydia walking away from the screaming woman.
“I have to cut myself and say some shit and then stab you. Lydia did it in the mirror to a young woman. She is so beautiful. She looks like she is in agony though.”
“You know what to say right? Not just some shit?”
“Yeah god. The words are repeating in my head right now.”
Aimee cut Sam off, “Will I get my sister back?”
Ophelia thought of her own sister momentarily as the water splashed and rolled inside of the hole. She waited for the water to clear but it didn’t. She started to feel sick. She dropped to one knee.
“I don’t think I can do anymore right now.”
Sam was behind her smelling amazing. She felt rejuvenated as her body leaned back into him.
“Ophelia I have the dagger if you could just do this little spell for me quickly.”
She looked back at him and nodded, “Yeah alright fine whatever.”
He bent down and pulled a small dagger from his sock.
“What is this Braveheart? Who keeps knives in their socks?”
He smiled, “Hey I grew up with earth witches. They always have a spare blade somewhere or salt in a pocket.”
He passed her the blade. It was still warm from being near his skin.
She looked at him, “Are you sure I can do this?” Her nerves started to freak her out.
“I can’t die anyway. Stabbing me in the heart is just going to hurt if the spell doesn’t work.”
She glanced at Aimee who seemed off in space. She sighed and spoke the words she’d heard the younger Lydia speak.
“Fod yn rhydd o’r cadwyni o gariad,” she slid the blade along her hand slicing it open. The pain rushed in. She started to panic but coated the blade in her dark red blood. It seemed darker than she remembered it ever being. It was almost black.
He pulled off his shirt and took a deep breath, “Do it."
She looked him in the eyes, about to back out but he shook his head, “Please, I need this.”
The desperation in his eyes spoke to her. She plunged the knife into his soft skin. He screamed and writhed in pain instantly. She pulled the blade out and let it drop to the floor.
She wrapped her arms around him and began to cry, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Aimee snapped out of her daydream and grabbed him as well. She wrapped her arms around him.
He screamed in pain.
He dropped to his knees on the tile and fell to his side. He curled into a ball. Ophelia sobbed wrapping herself around him and cradling his head in her arms, “I’m so sorry.”
Suddenly a redhead rushed into the room, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?”
She dropped to her knees in front of him sobbing.
Aimee reached a hand for the redhead but Sam put a fist out, “No Aimes. She isn’t worth it.” He spoke through gritted teeth.
The redhead cried into her hands, “I never meant it. I never meant it Sam. Please. Please.” She shook her head reaching for him.
He recoiled at her touch, “Never speak to me again.”
“Sam. I was confused. You were right I shouldn’t have gone there. Sam I’m sorry. Please. I love you Sam.”
He reached for Aimee instead and let her help him off the ground. On his chest sat a brand new scar in the shape of a heart with singed edges.
Aimee lifted him, “Get out of our house.”
He looked weak as Aimee led him from the room.
Ophelia knelt on the floor, “I didn’t know. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know it would work.”
The sobbing girl covered her face. Her skin shook and shivered like the sheriff’s had. Ophelia felt the air grow cold.