Important
1777 Words
Joey's POV
I think Marsden was actually starting to like raids.
He came home all hyped up and grinning and I didn’t think it was to keep up the act. I think maybe he got a surge of power from it. While I was happy that he was finally smiling, I was worrying he was getting in too deep.
I wasn’t the only one displeased with Marsden’s happiness with the raids. Regan Thorton seemed to be getting increasingly annoyed with Marsden being more favored than he was. I think he thought when he got broken out of prison he expected to take his spot back, but he was already replaced. With his own son at that.
Now I was watching him carefully as Count Killoran told me to, but I was more so doing it for Marsden’s sake. I didn’t want him to get hurt.
“Are you okay Regan?” I asked.
He had been drinking heavily today.
“I was once one of the best Dark Vampiric Warlocks, you know that?”
“Yeah,”
“I used to walk in a room and people would practically shiver in my presence. Now no one notices me anymore. It’s like I’m invisible in my own space.” He whispered.
“You just got back, Regan,” I pointed out. “It’ll take time to get into the swing of things right?”
“I guess…when did Marsden become so involved with all of this? He begged to not become one and now look at him, taking my place.”
“Marsden finally realized what really mattered. You know he wouldn’t be in this situation without you?”
“I didn’t kill Wade Highmore!” He hissed.
“I’m not talking about Wade. The moment you chose to become a Dark Vampiric Warlock, you doomed your family with this life.” I whispered. “And then when you went to prison, Marsden had to step up. You can't be mad at him for that.”
“Yeah, step up, sure. He probably took so long with that damn barrier because he was so busy with you. How does he get engaged in under a year? And to someone like you. You do know who my son is right?”
“Of course I do.” I stated.
Regan shook his head. “No, there’s no way you could. He’s been nothing but a disappointment to me! He's a scared little boy. I don’t know what you or Count Killoran see in him. He’s useless.”
“Useless?” I challenged. “Last I checked he actually completed his task and you…ended up caught and in prison. If anyone’s been useless this last year, I believe it’s you. Marsden turned out great, no thanks to having you as a father.”
“I wouldn’t talk about fathers if I was you Joey,” Regan snapped. “Yours is no better.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Your father killed Wade Highmore, not me.”
Chloey’s POV
Poor Marsden.
Ever since his father had gone to prison, people treated him like dirt. Like he was the scum of the earth just because his father had killed the most adored Hunter. All for it to all be a lie.
It should have been me and my sisters. We should have been the ones receiving the dirty looks and the cruel words and the sneers. It was our father who had done this. I wasn’t sure why I felt so guilty about it.
It wasn’t my fault. It was Dad’s. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I just felt horrible for Marsden. He’d had such a bad year and now he was on the verge of being killed by Count Killoran.
I wanted to tell Joey about our father, but I knew she was going through enough. She didn’t need to know at the moment. I would distract myself in a different way.
“You can’t keep reading that journal,” Rune stated. “Nothing is going to change.”
“It could. Maybe I missed something.” I sighed.
“You didn’t. What you should be reading is the blue energy book.”
“What’s the point if I don’t have my sisters here with me?”
“So you can teach them when they get back. Or even now. You’re in contact with both of them you know? Take advantage of the connection you have babe.”
I looked up at him. “What’s up with you lately? You’re like an excited Kilcross coach.”
“I finally feel important, Chloey. We are literally in the center of this whole thing. We have all the information right in front of us. We can win this war! Doesn’t that motivate you?”
“What do you mean you finally feel important?” I asked.
“You know…I’m just Rune Crimson. I’m nothing special and I never have been. But now I get to be useful and help and actually be vital to something.”
“I’ve always thought you were important,” I whispered. “Didn’t that matter?”
“Of course it did, it just…”
“Wasn’t enough?”
“Chloey, you’re taking this the wrong way! I love you and I love that you love me too but…you’re biased when it comes to my importance. And still I come after your sisters and your mom.”
“So because I put my family first, I make you feel not as important as you want to feel?” I demanded.
“That’s not what I’m saying!” Rune exclaimed. “I just want to feel important, is that so wrong? Is it wrong to want to be seen as something more than the guy from the chocolate family?!”
“You think I don’t want to be important too?”
“You are important, Chloey! Your name is literally in a book! You’re a part of the only living triplet witches right now! You were always destined for greatness and you knew it, we all did. You yourself always said you wanted to make a difference in the Witching Domain. I didn’t even know I could.”
“Rune…”
“It’s fine. If you want me to remain just Rune Crimson, that’s okay. Maybe you like me better that way.” He muttered. “I’m going on a walk.”
“Rune!” He continued walking out.
I put my head on the desk and sighed.
That was not the distraction that I wanted.
Zoey’s POV
I could smell The Lava Oasis before we actually arrived.
Brimstone had a horrid smell. Like rotten eggs or something. Luckily Tate knew a handy smell spell and I was released from the tortuous spell.
“Can you reach out to Chloey and ask what we should expect here?” Tate asked.
“Sure,” I put all my focus on her. “Chloey? Are you there?”
“Yes,” She answered dully.
“What’s wrong?”
“Rune and I got into a huge fight.”
“But you and Rune don’t fight,” I pointed out.
“The craziest part is I think it’s my fault. I was insecure.” That did sound like something Chloey would do.
“I’m sorry, but do you mind helping us out really quick? We’ve just arrived at The Lava Oasis, what do you know about it?”
“Let’s see…oh this is quite tricky. There’s demons there and it looks like…oh my!”
“What?” I asked.
“If I’m reading this right, you have to find the highest volcano and…well that’s where the key should be found.”
“What the hell is wrong with our ancestors? Why wouldn’t they make this a little easier?”
“So Count Killoran and his band of buddies couldn’t find it easily either. Remember, this is your and Tate’s destiny. You can do it.” Chloey declared.
“Thanks. Hey, go apologize to your boyfriend. He’s a good guy.” I said.
“I will. Good luck.”
Tate was staring at me in amusement. “What?” I asked.
“You get a cute look on your face when you do your mind thing,” He smiled.
“Oh, I probably look ridiculous.” I laughed.
“No, just so cute.” He kissed me. “So what did Chloey say?”
“Demons and we have to go into a volcano.”
“So we’re supposed to die here?!”
“It seems like it.”
We finally came across The Lava Oasis. I wasn’t sure how we were going to do this. As the name suggested, there was quite a lot of lava. And there wasn’t any sign of the demons either. That made me nervous.
We walked carefully, squinting to find the tallest of the volcanoes. I groaned when I spotted it. The farthest one from us.
“You know, I thought it would be hotter here,” Tate commented.
“Right? I’m barely breaking a sweat. Maybe it’s magic keeping the temperature down or something?” I suggested.
“Magic never ceases to amaze me.”
“You’re jealous of Joey, aren’t you Zoey?”
“Excuse me?” I demanded, looking at Tate.
“I said magic never ceases to amaze me.” He repeated.
“I thought you said something after that,”
“I didn’t. Is it Chloey in your head again?”
“No…I must be hearing things.” I shook my head.
“You always wished you were as fun as Joey, but you’re boring.”
“No I’m not!”
“I’m useless?!” Tate asked. “Not as good as my father, how could you say that?”
“You said I was boring!” I shouted.
“Zoey, you said I was a failure and my father would be disappointed in me!”
“I never said that!”
“Well I didn’t say you were boring!” Tate shot back.
“And you’re not as smart as Chloey either.”
I gasped. Tate’s mouth wasn’t moving. It wasn’t him saying these mean things to me. I looked around desperately trying to find the voice.
“Tate will never love you the way he did Raina.”
“No stop!” I screamed.
The voices started overlapping.
“Your mother loves you the least.”
“You made Joey evil.”
“Joey and Chloey don’t need you.”
I fell to my knees, unable to take it anymore.
These voices were going to destroy me.
- Writer
