Reclaiming Magic

Chapter 16: Into the woods

I stood at the window, watching the sun rise at the horizon, casting shadows over the forest that surrounded our small cabin. The triplets wanted to go outside early this morning. It was barely six o’clock in the morning. The vibrant hues of orange and purple painted the sky, but unease churned within me. Lila’s laughter had been filling the air just moments before, but now the sounds of the property were eerily silent. I turned to scan the area, only to find that the oldest triplet had vanished; they had a tendency to slip away when they thought no one was watching.

“Lila?” I called out, hoping my voice would bring her back. No reply came. A cold knot formed in my stomach. Panic had a way of creeping in when silence fell like a shroud. “Dev, have you seen Lila?” I asked, turning toward him, the coolness of the autumn air contrasting sharply. His brow furrowed, mirroring my concern. “No, I thought she was with you and Alice,” he replied, looking around. “Maybe she’s just playing inside?” “Maybe,” I said, though doubt gnawed at me. I pushed through the front door, the chill brushing against my skin, and called out again. “Lila! Come back!”

I went back outside to check around the cabin’s property. As I ventured further outside, the familiar comfort of home began to fade, replaced by the vastness of the forest that loomed beyond our property. Turning in a slow circle, I took a few steps into the underbrush. My heart raced with each moment that slipped by without her response. I could feel the weight of the trees around me as if they were holding their breath, waiting—and I was afraid.

“Evelyn! Are you out there?” Alice’s voice broke through my escalating worry. “Lila’s gone,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I can’t find her.” “What do you mean you can’t find her? Did she wander off?” Alice hurried out, concern etched across her face. “We have to find her, Ev.” “I know!” I snapped, fear making my tone sharper than intended, yet I felt the weight of it crushing me. “I could try a locator spell… but I’ve never done one before and Daniel could locate us if he senses my magic.” “Do it,” Alice urged, her eyes wide with desperation. “We need to find her. Fast.” I took a deep breath, allowing my fear to momentarily settle to a dull thrum in the background. My training pointed to a solution, but the knowledge of consequences stirred in my gut. Magic always had its risks. “Alright,” I said, shaking off my doubts. “But I’ll need you to keep an eye out while I focus. If Daniel shows up, we have to be ready.” “Got it,” Alice nodded, watching the tree line closely.

I found a clear patch of ground, creating a small circle with my feet as I knelt down. Closing my eyes, I reached for the energy around me, drawing upon the connections I shared with Alice. Images of her face flashed in my mind, the way her laughter danced through the air, the warmth of her spirit. I took a deep breath, allowing the magic to seep into my veins. “By the whispers of the woodlands, echoing in the night, guide me to my daughter, caught in shadows out of sight,” I murmured, feeling the vibrations of the words pulse through the air around me. A gentle warmth enveloped me, and I opened my eyes to see swirling light coalescing, forming a soft ball above my palm, shimmering with hints of blue and green. It pointed out toward the woods, and relief surged within me. “I think it’s working!” I exclaimed, fueling my resolve.

“Follow the light. It’s leading us to her!” “Let’s go!” Alice responded, her eyes brimming with urgency. We darted into the woods, my heart pounding as I followed the glowing orb. Each step pulled me deeper into the maze of trees, the underbrush crunching beneath our feet. Shadows danced ominously, whispering secrets through the leaves. My focus remained solely on the glow guiding us, and after a few moments, I felt the dreaded clenching of dread in my chest. “What if she’s hurt?” Alice fretted, glancing around as if the trees might speak back. “She’ll be fine,” I reassured her, though doubt clawed at my confidence.

The woods were familiar, yet they felt foreign and menacing as we walked deeper. “Just keep following the light—stay close.” A sudden gust of wind rustled the leaves, sending a chill down my spine. We plunged deeper, moving swiftly but quietly, and with each step, the air thickened. I stole glances at my glowing guide, willing it to pulse brighter, to lead me to Lila faster. But as we pressed forward, an unexpected surge of energy flickered within me. The magical connection that I had forged to locate Lila was proving effective, but with it, I felt the shifting of other senses nearby—an awareness that was not just mine.

As if sensing my magic, I felt the presence of another. My heart raced as the realization struck me; Daniel could track magic, and he might be closing in on us. “Evelyn, I think we should hurry,” Alice breathed, her voice strained. “This way!” she urged, heading toward a clearer path. But my feet felt heavy, instinctively aware of the danger inching closer. “We can’t—we must find Lila first. If he’s onto us…” A flicker of movement caught my eye, a shadow slipping between the trunks of the trees further ahead. My heart sank. “He’s here,” I whispered to Alice, urging her to slow down as the air crackled with tension. “We won’t let him find her.” We pressed on, the glow leading us further until it illuminated a small clearing.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding when I spotted Lila in the distance, crouching down beside a cluster of roots, her little frame barely visible in the shadows. “Lila!” I cried out, elation swelling my chest. Relief surged through me, but it quickly morphed into urgency. “We need to get to her!” Just as we started to move toward her, I felt a sudden crackle in the air—a presence looming closer. “Go, Alice! Get Lila!” I shouted, thrusting the glowing orb forward to guide her. “Evelyn!” Alice called back. “I’ll hold him off! Now!” I urged, harnessing the latent energy still coursing through me.

I couldn’t let Daniel reach them. As Alice dashed toward Lila, I turned to face the darkness, drawing on the power of the woods. “Daniel!” I yelled, forcing the words through the tension. “You won’t take her from us!” He emerged from the shadows, his expression a mixture of anger and mockery. “How sweet, Evelyn, trying to play the hero. But you’re just a child playing with toys.” His eyes glinted, reflecting the dim light. I felt my pulse quicken, anger boiling beneath the surface. “You don’t scare me!” I shot back, feeling the magic swirl within me, amplified by the fear that had fueled it.

“You’re not taking her!” With a swift motion, I aimed my energy toward him, releasing a wave of light in his direction, enough to blind him momentarily. “Let’s see how far you can run,” I said through gritted teeth as the spells danced in my hands. I felt Lila’s energy strengthen behind me. She had not been afraid; she bore the courage of spirit I had instilled. I glanced back quickly, seeing Alice scoop Lila into her arms, the glow of my magic illuminating their escape path. “Run!” I commanded, snapping my focus back to Daniel, who had stumbled backward. Anger ignited within him as he regained his footing, eyes narrowing as he realized I was the source of the spell.

“You think you can stop me with your little games?” he hissed, charging toward me. No. I couldn’t let him reach me. I could feel the pulse within me growing stronger, fueled by the knowledge of my family’s safety. Summoning every ounce of my resilience, I called upon the earth around me, feeling roots intertwine with my energy. “Leave us alone!” I shouted, thrusting my hands forward as a wave of energy surged outward, sending a shockwave through the ground. The trees seemed to respond, leaves exploding into the air around us as they bent to my will. Daniel was thrown backward, caught off guard as he tumbled to the forest floor. I felt a rush of triumph, but it was momentary; I needed to act fast.

“Alice, go!” I shouted, eyes wide with urgency. “Evelyn!” she shouted back. “PLEASE!” I pleaded, desperation heavy in my voice. “Take Lila and run to the old safehouse. I’ll catch up!” “Ev—” Alice began, but I shook my head. “Trust me,” I said firmly, locking eyes with her. She hesitated only a moment before nodding, her expression one of fierce determination. I turned back, focusing my energy on creating a barrier. “Go! Now!” That was all it took for them to sprint toward safety, the glowing orb lighting their path as the woods welcomed them into its embrace. Once they were out of sight, anxiety surged through me, but there was no time for doubt.

Daniel was getting up, his expression twisted in fury. “You think you can hide from me?” I confronted him, my heart racing as I prepared another spell. “You’ll never keep us apart, Daniel. This is our family, and I will fight for them!” With newfound resolve, I stepped forward, wielding my magic like a weapon. The earth responded to my call, branches elongating and snapping into place around him. He would not get close. “Pathetic!” he scoffed, but I sensed a flicker of fear in his eyes. I could see the brilliance of my magic pushing through the shadows, illuminating the space between us. Just as I was about to unleash my power, I felt a surge within me—an echo of the magic I had used to locate Lila.

It was strong, pulling from deep within. I closed my eyes, channeling every ounce of energy and determination, sending it charging toward him. “You will not take my family!” I screamed, releasing the force. The pulse of raw energy erupted, expanding outward, sending ripples through the ground. Daniel stumbled back, eyes wide as he was pushed off his feet and into a thicket of bushes. The ground trembled with the force of my power, an impact that echoed like thunder in the stillness. Just as the tremor subsided, I turned and tore through the woods, my heart racing toward the path I had chosen, following the last thread of connection I had established with Alice and Lila.

As I finally emerged into the clearing where the old safehouse stood, I felt the weight of the world lift, if only slightly. I burst through the door, smacking it in urgency as I called out, “Alice! Dev! Are you here?” And there they were, the safety of our family radiating in the dim light. The fear and worry etched in their features melted slightly as I rushed in, wrapping my arms around them, holding them tightly. “I was so scared, Mommy,” Lila said, her voice shaky. “Never again,” I promised, brushing her hair back gently. “I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

Alice looked at me, a mixture of gratitude and concern in her eyes. “I can’t believe you faced him alone.” “I had to,” I replied, my breath still shaky. “We’re a family, and I’ll protect you no matter what.” Dev grabbed the suitcases that we keep packed in case something like this ever happened, and packed them into the back of the van and piled the triplets; Lila, Olivia, and Sophia into the vehicle. But as I glanced out the window into the shadows, a flicker of doubt seeped in. This battle was far from over, and the woods still held secrets that would challenge our unity. Together, or apart, we would endure, face whatever darkness lay ahead.

There, in the old safehouse, cradled in a sense of safety despite the chaos of the world outside, we could breathe, draw together the pieces of our family, and prepare to fight for our future. Magic or not, our bond was our greatest strength, and that was something I would protect with every ounce of my being.

Once everyone was in the car and we were driving down the road, I turned to Dev, who was in the driver’s seat. “We need to talk.” He glanced in the rear view mirror and I turned to look back in the back seat where the triplets calmly slept and Alice sat, staring out the window. “What’s going on?” “I know it’s been a couple of years since Daniel took me and tortured me…” I paused, not sure how to continue. “We never really talked about it, but I’ve been thinking about what this guy said to him just as I passed out.” Dev turned to look at me with a serious look etched across his face. I hesitated, but continued. “He said, “We need to find out where she hid the key to the Pheonix.” Which makes me think… Daniel might’ve been after me because he’s obsessed but I think he was also after this key.” We glanced to the back seat again to make sure no one was listening to our conversation. Finally, Dev spoke. “Once we get to the back up safehouse, we’ll do our research on it, I promise.”