Mated to a Mermaid

Chapter 5

Horice’s POV

I wandered into the airport and checked the arrivals board for when Lucas’ plane was arriving. I still had 15 minutes and I walked to the nearby chairs to wait for him. He mentioned he found some information about an enchantment he wanted to talk to me about. I don’t know if it’s on the three monkeys; that’s the enchantment the girls used on them. There should be no record of it. Who knows what King Isaac’s grandfather, Thomas, had written?

“Grandpa” I heard Lucas call out, coming over to me. I wrapped him in an embrace. I swear he has grown another foot since I saw him last. I think he has put on more muscle too. He looks more and more like his father every time I see him. I don’t think he had a hard time with the ladies while he was gone. However, he hasn’t found his mate yet. I wonder if the pretty girl on his phone had something to do with that.

“How was your flight?” I asked, signing at the same time. “Not too bumpy, I hope.”

“Not really” he responds as we headed towards baggage claim. “There was a bit of turbulence, but nothing anyone had to worry about.”

“Let’s get going” I signed to him, and he nodded his head, collecting his suitcase from the conveyor of luggage going around in circles.

We head to my green SUV and I get in the driver’s seat, while I wait for Lucas to place his suitcase in the trunk and climb into the passenger seat. “So, grandpa” he begins as I pull out of my parking space and make my way through the traffic. “This enchantment that I found; it’s called the three monkeys. It’s based on the legend; monkey see, monkey hear and monkey say.”

Damn; Thomas and/or Nina did write something down about it. They needed to keep her identity a secret; why would they do that? “That’s all it says. It sounds as though it is the enchantment Liz, Helen and I have on us.”

Oh; they didn’t give any specifics. I guess they didn’t want people to put two and two together if there was more than a name. “Bruce; can you relay this to Lucas? It does sound like this is the enchantment you have on you. I’ve told you all before; it seems to me it’s to conceal your witch side”, I told him.

He looked out the window before turning to look in my direction; “Grandpa, I know you know more about this enchantment. I just don’t know what. I’m an alpha and can feel when something isn’t adding up with what you are telling me.”

I knew this day would come; Enid hadn’t come to tell me it was time to let them know everything. I need her to come; she may be in danger if I speak about it too early. I will have to give him some information; but not everything I know. “I do know more. I came across something your mother had written down about this very enchantment. It’s in my files; I didn’t know what it was. I’ll see if I can find it again and show you. Did you get all that, Bruce?”

“You knew it was the three monkeys?” He asked as I turned down the dirt road leading to the coven.

“I knew of the enchantment, yes. I don’t know if this is definitely the three monkeys or not. What I knew, it didn’t reverse, which means they added something to it. Until I know what, I can’t tell you any more information”, I explained and wait to see if Lucas reacts to the knowledge.

He lets out a long breath; “is there a way to reverse it?”

I know in the original enchantment; ‘the one true love of fate will awaken; whenever close, give back all that was taken.’. I’m not sure if it applies to the three of them. It’s a hard pill to swallow; when something you created is different, and you don’t have any more clues than they do. Will they never have their own sight, hearing or voice for the rest of their lives? I can’t answer that for them.

“I can’t answer that because I don’t know” I murmured, pausing for a moment. I hear Lucas let out another long breath. I pulled up out the front of my house; “How about we go inside, and I can show you this bit of information your mother left. It may tell us more” I signed to him and he nodded his head. The kids all do that when they want to process information being told to them.

We head inside the house; “Lights”. I clap my hands as the dark entrance way lights up. Lucas sits on the couch while I make my way to my study, pulling out the piece of paper. I found it when I was cleaning Julie’s old room. “Here it is” I said, pronouncing every word; handing the piece of paper to Lucas. I made sure he was looking at my face before I said anything, so he could read my lips.

I’ve read this particular piece of paper over and over; I’ve memorized it like the back of my hand. ‘The fated of the enchanted will create a bond like no other. They will prosper in the enchantment and be bound forevermore.’

Nothing tells me Lucas won’t be able to hear again. In fact, it tells me his mate bond will be stronger than that of a normal werewolf or witch. The same goes for Helen and Elizabeth too. “Can I take a photo of this?” Lucas queries, taking me out of my thoughts.

“I can’t see why not”, I signed to him, and he pulled his phone out of his pocket and took a picture. “There isn’t anything else; I only found one piece of paper. It’s hopeful your mate bond will create a bond to help lift the enchantment.”

“It doesn’t say that” Lucas sighs, putting his phone back in his pocket. If only I could tell him the original enchantment did have that in it. It doesn’t seem to me, they are any different.

“What do you think it says?” I asked, while signing.

“It’s saying we, as in my mate and I, will be bound together in the enchantment. It could mean she is going to lose her hearing too”, he replies, lying back on the couch. “I can’t do that to my mate. It’s bad enough for an Alpha not to have his hearing, let alone the Luna as well. I’ve had 8 years to adjust to not having it. My Luna will be thrown in the deep end. I can’t do that to her.”

“It could mean she will help you lift the enchantment and your bond will be stronger because she did” I signed, and he shrugged his shoulders at me. “I can keep looking for more answers for you. In the meantime, Steven should be getting back soon. He was picking Peter and Shelby up from the Grey Moon Pack. Did you want me to drive you to the house?”

“It’s a ten-minute walk, grandpa. I think I’ll be OK” he states, getting off the sofa. I walk outside the front of the house and wave goodbye to him as he sets off towards the Silver Falls border.

I returned the piece of paper to my filing cabinet and took the photo of my beloved from the top draw of my desk. “Enid, my love. Have you been able to see if the kids will speak, hear or see again? I know you knew about them being enchanted; you told me I had to be there for them.”

I looked around the room; she was somewhere. I know she is. I think back to the last time she came to me, just after Julie and Lucinda were killed. “Horry” Enid's voice cried from above my bed. She could Astral project herself, and it wasn’t strange to see her opaque figure above me. She had been coming since she was taken.

“Enid?” I whispered, flicking my eyes open to where she was standing. “My love; where have they taken you? What do they want? They can have it. Anything to get you back” I stated again. It was always my response to her when I saw her.

“I can’t stay for long” she sobs, reaching out and placing her hand on my face. “You can’t come for me. It’s too dangerous, for me, you and the grandchildren. They will kill them for being in existence. I haven’t told them, but I think they know or can sense it.”

“Know what?” I asked and she shook her head. “Can’t you tell me?”

“It’s too dangerous. Just know, you must be there for them. Our grandchildren are key for what is to become. You can’t tell anyone about the enchantment. There will be a time to reveal it; but you need to remain silent; even to them” she says as her image flickers away.

“Why won’t you let me come get you? Why won’t you tell me who has you? Is it the same people that killed our girls?”

“Be patient, my love; be there for the grandchildren” Enid’s whisper came to me. I darted my eyes around the room.

That was the last time she came to me. It’s been eight years, two months and three days. “I’ve kept our secret, my love. I haven’t said anything and I don’t plan on telling them until you say it’s OK.”

I glanced around the room one more time before kissing the photo and placing it in the top draw again. When I hear from Enid, I hope the kids can forgive me for not telling them what I know sooner.