The Unholy Trinity

The Oath

Joey’s POV

Raina Crimson almost died on Yuletide night.

The combined anger of me and my sisters created a deadly blue fire that had it out for her. It didn’t touch any other part of the house or any other person. It only wanted her. 

I swear we weren’t controlling it. I wasn’t even really processing what we were doing. Raina screamed and desperately ran through our home as the fire snake pursued her. Everyone else was screaming too. 

“Girls enough!” Mom yelled, although she sounded so far away. 

We still didn’t stop. We couldn’t. The fire had taken over completely. It was like we were trapped in a trance.

Raina’s screams were ringing in my ears. I wanted to stop but I was completely consumed by the anger of her hurting my sister. 

“Zoey, stop!” Tate begged. “She’s had enough!”

I felt hands on my face. “Baby, it's Marsden. Listen to me baby, you have to stop. Let go of the anger. It doesn’t control you, you control it.”

My vision suddenly focused on Marsden. His stunning grey eyes were swimming with worry. That snapped me out of the trance. 

My sisters and I gasped loudly as the fire disappeared. 

“You’re okay,” Marsden whispered. “It’s okay baby.”

Mom cleared her throat. “I think it’s safe to say that this night is over.”

***

I jolted awake. Something in my body wanted me to wake up. 

I looked over at Marsden who was sound asleep. I wouldn't wake him. He barely gets sleep at school with all that he stresses over. I slipped out of bed quietly and tiptoed across my room to the door. 

I closed it as gently as I could. I turned and was shocked to see my sisters. 

“What are you doing up?” I whispered. 

“Something woke us up.” Zoey answered. 

“Wanna go to mom’s room?” Chloey questioned.

We nodded before grasping hands.

After Dad and Brody left, we would have nightmares and every time we did, we’d go to mom’s room and lay in bed with her. It always made us feel better.

We pushed her door open and were surprised to see that she was awake. “Hey girls, come in.”

We climbed onto the bed. “Um, sorry for last night.” Chloey whispered. 

“We didn’t mean to do it,” Zoey insisted.

“It shouldn’t have happened.” I finished. 

“I know you didn’t mean to do it, but...as you girls get older, your powers become more...well powerful. It’s something you have to have control of. This is the third incident since you started at Stormine.”

“You know about the forcefield?” Chloey questioned with wide eyes.

Mom nodded. “I do. What happened there honey?”

“Rune broke my heart, so I felt like I had to protect it.”

“So did we,” I stated. “All I wanted was to save her from the heartbreak. To protect her.”

“And what happened with Jade…”

“Same thing.” Zoey answered. “We needed to protect Joey from her. We just wanted to save her.”

“And last night it was about protecting Zoey,” Mom whispered to herself. “You girls have more power than you know.”

“So what are we supposed to do with it?” I asked. 

“Honestly, Joey, I don’t know...and that’s what scares me.”

Zoey’s POV

What Mom said to us kind of shook me a little bit. 

Why was she scared? We never meant to hurt anyone. Sure Jade hadn’t woken up yet, but she tried to hurt Joey first. We just wanted to protect each other, was that so wrong? And how dangerous were our powers?

“Anyways, tell me about the boys,” Mom stated. “Joey you first.”

Oh I couldn’t wait to hear this. 

“What do you want to know?” Joey asked. 

“How do you feel about him?”

“I...love him. I’ve never felt this way about anyone else. And I would do anything for him.”

That much was true.

“Giselle was telling me how close you two have gotten. I think it’s really good for both of you.” Mom smiled.

How?! What in the world was wrong with my mother? Why did she think Marsden Thorton was good for her when he was clearly trouble?

“What about you, Chloey? Why didn’t you want Rune to be here last night?” Mom asked softly.

“I had a really big crush on him and I asked him out, but he got with another girl and broke my heart. He’s been such a jerk to Cade and I hate it. I just want to be happy with Cade.”

“He clearly adores you,”  Mom whispered. “It’s nice to see you so happy with a boy. Remember, don’t do anything you’re not ready for.”

Chloey nodded. “I know, I won’t.”

Mom turned to me and I winced. “What is going on with you Zoey?”

“I...messed up. I had this huge crush on Tate and then he kissed me and said he would leave Raina, only he didn’t and then I got with Zander and I really like him but then Tate kissed me last night and I realized I’m in love with him.” I rushed out. 

My sisters and mom looked at me like I was insane. “Honey, why is it always drama with you?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I have no idea. It’s just all a mess now, and I don’t know what to tell Zander.”

“Don’t...tell him anything for now. Truly think about how you feel and which boy you want to be with. But don’t overthink it. You’re never going to be this young again. Love should be fun.” Mom shook her head.

“Was it fun for you and Dad?” Joey asked. “I mean he was kind of...bad news back then right? B-but you still loved him. How did it work for so long?”

She would ask that question. She’s Mom and Marsden is Dad. Couldn’t she tell that this was her fate? Getting her heartbroken by a man who would leave her because Count Killoran’s cause always came first. 

Or worse. Giving up her life to follow him.

“Your father and I had something really special. I think the stars aligned for us to meet and fall in love so quickly. It was a whirlwind. We didn’t care about anything else. It was so much fun. It worked because we always remembered that we were the most important thing...until it wasn’t.”

“Do you regret anything?” I questioned. “Pushing people away or hiding parts of your life?”

“No,” Mom grinned. “It was worth every sweet poisonous second.”

Oh why couldn’t she have said something else? Why couldn’t she say that it was all horrible and the only good things that came out of it was us. She was unknowingly encouraging Joey to continue down this dark path.

“So love is worth it?” Joey smiled slightly.

“Always,”

Mom had no clue, but she had just given Joey permission to be all in with Marsden Thorton and not give a damn about anything else.

Chloey’s POV

It felt nice to talk with Mom and my sisters about relationships and love. I usually didn’t get to participate in these conversations since I was forever single.

Now I had Cade. And all these feelings about him. I was kind of ready to give myself to him even though it was too soon.

I wasn’t even sure how to talk to them about it, so I decided to leave it for another time. I was still thinking of the power of the blue energy. It scared Mom, so it had to be something no one had ever seen before.

If that was the case, how were we meant to ever control this? Was there even a way to control it at all or would we have to just learn to be cautious? How many more people would be in danger because of it?

“Chlo?” Joey asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. “Hideout?”

“Yeah, okay.”

Our hideout was Brody’s room. It's the one room that Mom wouldn’t go inside. It was just as he left it. We hadn’t changed a single thing.

We sat down on the floor like we always did. No one spoke at first. 

“So what do we do about the blue...thing?” Joey asked. “I mean last night we were out of control.”

“Raina cursed Zoey,” I protested. “She deserved that!”

“But did Jade? Did Rune?” Zoey asked. 

“Yeah,” Joey nodded.

“Kinda,” I agreed. 

“What if we can’t stop it the next time?” Zoey whispered. 

“Maybe we can ask Giselle?” I suggested. “She knows a lot.”

“She’d be really helpful,” Joey pointed out. 

“No,” Zoey said quickly. “Um, maybe it’s best we just keep it between us for now. I mean you’re right. Every time it’s happened, it’s deserved.”

“I kind of like it,” I admitted. 

“Why?” Joey asked. 

“It means we love each other very much. The fact that it only comes out when we want to protect one another. Isn’t that amazing? Doesn’t that prove how strong our bond is?”

Joey smiled too. “Yeah, it does. You’re right, it’s amazing. When people hurt you, it’s like they’re ripping my heart out. Because I love you guys so much.”

Finally Zoey grinned. “We’re our own protectors. We don’t need anyone else if we have each other.”

“And it should stay that way, forever.” Joey stated. “Nothing ever comes between us. Not boys or friends or differing opinions. We’re sisters for life. By blood and by choice.”

I nodded. “Yeah, we are. A-and we should make a promise...a vow. An everlasting one. That no matter what we’re always one. Three intertwining souls until the day we die.”

“So let’s do it. Make the vow.” Zoey announced, as she twisted her hand. 

Red sparks formed into a small ring of fire. Joey twisted her hand and purple sparks that made the shape of lightning came down in the middle of the circle. I twirled my fingers and white sphere appeared around the fire and the lightning. 

“On this day, we the Rosaria Three make the oath to protect one another, to love one another, and to always be there for one another.” We chorused.

“I, Joey, take this oath.”

“I, Zoey, take this oath.”

“I, Chloey, take this oath.”

“We bind this with our blood, soul, and hearts.”

The sphere of fire and lightning broke apart in three pieces and flew to our chests. Necklaces formed around our necks. Physical symbols of the bond we just made. A visible form of our vows.

There was no breaking it.