The Forgotten Twin

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Caden

I stand still in the back, near the book shelfs. I watch how both the girls take the stone test. Meredith had pass with all flying colors, no surprise there. I have been able to see Meredith practice a few times and she is exceeding very, very well. I have high hopes for her future. There’s no doubt she wouldn’t do great by our coven.

When it was Elizabeth’s turn, that’s when the room felt like it shift. It worried me more than anything in this world. I already had a bad feeling. But the father in me prays to every God and Goddess that Elizabeth pass. I don’t want to lose my child. I watch Elizabeth as she took the stone into her hands. She was scared, I can tell. I was scared too. I don’t want to lose one of my girls. This test will just conform the ultimate fear for us.

Sage step in as she sees Elizabeth step back. Helping her by placing the stone herself into her palms as she suggests her to close her eyes. And Elizabeth did, waiting for all of this to be over with. Like she knew something was wrong. Did my wise little witch knew about the test? Does she know she would not pass? How does she know? f**k!

My eyes widen as I see the stone glow in her palm. I was slightly over the moon, relief that she pass. I didn’t have to imagine a world without one of my girls. We didn’t have to come up with a plan of killing them for being mortal. This was great news! Both of our girls are witches. Now we can move forward, no more of this none sense from Sage. Maybe I can talk Sage into moving Elizabeth back upstairs.

When Sage took the stone back, placing it back into its box. She looked up at me with an emotionless look. Shaking her head at me very lightly so the girls won’t notice. My joy had vanish right away. My heart clench to the love for both my girls. Sage had told the girls to go out, as I can sense she wants to talk to me privately. I knew she wanted to explain how Elizabeth test went. I saw it glow, why was she not happy?

“So she pass, aren’t you happy?” I walk over to Sage. And she lean into me running her hands down my body. Her warmth felt good. She met my eyes and close on to my lips as she sigh very loudly. She tease a kiss to me, leaving me to grip her wrist and pull her back, closing all space.

“Don’t. You know better than to do that,” her eyes smirk with a smile. I took it as a sign and endure in a kiss with a war with our tongues as we battle together. I won as I taste her mouth and grip her hip to mine. It was now my turn to tease her. When I feel her being turn on with my kiss, I pulled away from her and she gasp with breath.

“Mhhh, now who’s the tease?” We both laugh. As much as I want to get lost in my wife. I knew Sage all too well. She was trying to hid something.

“So the girls test, can we now move forward from this damn thing? The girls are good now?” I lean against the table, feeling the relief come over.

“Meredith did good. Liv on the other hand, did not!” Her eyes left my gaze and her tone change all together. Her face wasn’t clear.

“What are you talking about Sage? She pass, I saw it myself!” I plead as I don’t understand what Sage was trying to say. I saw with my own eyes, the stone glowed in Elizabeth’s hand. What else can there be?

“It wasn’t her.” I frown, trying to read her lips. “When I took the stone myself, I put a spell on it. Letting it glow if there was no absorption after 10 seconds. The test only takes 5 seconds.”

“So what are saying Sage?!” I pulled away from the table, standing tall at her. Holding back the adrenaline that builds, telling me to not overthink.

“Liv didn’t pass. I just made it look like she did. I didn’t want her to know like this.” She walk towards me holing my arm, lightly caressing it.

I look at her as I hold back tears. I try to look at her and see her sadness but there wasn’t any. She wasn’t hurt or shock at knowing this truth, why? “This doesn’t bother you?” I asked Sage.

“I already knew, the Ancestors told me the first day I sense it. I just needed to prove it before..” I cut her off, feeling hurt by her lies.

“Before what Sage?!” She looked up with no change. She took a step back as she clears her thoughts before speaking.

“We have to kill her Caden.” She turns to me with no remark.

“No, no, no.”

“Caden yes.” She said.

“No, no.” I plead over and over.

“Caden?”

“No Sage!” I yelled, feeling something new inside me. “No we can’t kill our daughter. How would we even explain her death or her missing?” My body tones up with more than just rage. I don’t know what this feeling was but I wanted to punch a hole in the core of the world.

“We will say that she was sick and she died, simple as that. I have theses and we can use to make it easier on her. She won’t know or feel anything.” She hands me a bag that’s fill with powder. As I look at it, I can tell it was just a sleeping dust.

“What exactly are you planing to do?” I ask her, as I grip the bag in my hands.

“We will keep her away and give her a brew that will make her organs stop working in a few minutes. It will be fast and easy.” Again her face expression never change. I didn’t see how this didn’t bother her. Sage was completely fine with the fact of killing her our child. Just for the fact the coven and Elders don’t know she had been turn away from our Ancestors. How can she be so heartless. Why doesn’t it bother Sage?

Before I can try to argue with Sage over her evil plan on killing Elizabeth, we heard shrieking. And the shrieking turn to full blow terror over the coven. Both Sage and I exchange concerning looks and ran up the stairs and out the doors.

We look around seeing everyone running for safety and howls fills the air with crying. “The wolves broke through!” I turn to look at Sage who turn her gaze to me with nothing but bravery. In situations like this Sage over boots her foot forward to be strong and fight for what is hers. “We need to get the girls!”

“Okay where’s..” she trail off as she ran pass me and I turn with her. Seeing Elizabeth running into her arms and she picks her up rubbing her back as her daughter cries from fear. s**t! I hope she didn’t see anyone get kill.

“It’s okay Liv, where is your sister?” She ask as she smooths her down.

“She sshhe went to her heer ffrriend house. The one with pink roses out front.” She sobs.

She then looks up to me as she pulls Elizabeth’s head on her shoulders. After rubbing her back she then gives her to me to hold. Why? I needed to fight the wolves off, not care for the girls right now.

“I know which house it is. Take Liv and DO IT, DO IT NOW Caden.” Her eyes turn dark when she looked at me. Knowing what she was hinting at. My pit grew hard, I felt sick.

“Now! I can’t Sage!” I plead but she step towards me and kisses me deeply as she leans her head on mine whispering to the air between us.

“The attack will give us an excuse. Use the dust and finish it. Doesn’t matter how just do it OKAY!” Before I can say anything Sage went off into the pile of people running.

I turn and look around stepping back from the crowd. As I walk away, I ran into a few witches who fought off the wolves. I try to not look as I make my way into the forest. Hoping deep inside that no one sees me with Elizabeth. Even though deep inside I wanted to take her home and keep her safe somewhere. And then fight with my fellow witches, but I couldn’t. If I didn’t do something now. And Sage finds out I didn’t kill Elizabeth. She would not forgive me. She wouldn’t want everyone knowing the truth and seeing it as a weak point for us, but more for Sage. And I know how Sage feels about weakness.

So I make the entrance. I ran and ran further and further into the forest so we wouldn’t be found nor seen by anyone.

“Father where are we going?” Elizabeth ask as she lift her head. I didn’t know what to say, so I stop my running and put her down by a tree looking at her. Searching her body to make sure she wasn’t hurt.

“Father what’s going on?” I looked up and cup her little face. She was scared I feel it, but I was also scared too. I smile as I place one hand on her and the other into my pocket. Grabbing the bag I grab a small hand full of the dust.

“Father what is that?” I ignore her questions and crying as I focus on the one thing I can do right now. I cup her wet cheeks and place a kiss on her head. Praying everything will be okay.

“I love you Elizabeth, you will always be my wise little witch. You will do amazing work. I know it. You are apart of me. You are better off somewhere else than here.” My voice was strain and Elizabeth cries for me to explain.

I than pull away from her and blew the dust into her face. In seconds she fell asleep and drops into my arms. And again I pick her up like she was nothing but a pound of rice and ran more into the forest. Until the sound of the attack distances away.

My mind was blank as I try to think of something to do, anything to do. I needed to get Elizabeth out of here. But where can I take her? I ran and ran as the cold air hit my face like rocks throwing at me. I plead at the air to help me get out of here. Finding a way out and into the town with my sleeping daughter. I ran so far I couldn’t hear the screaming or growling anymore.

“I must be out the coven grounds now.” I told myself.

My heart was in my throat as I slow down my pace. I was shivering with the adrenaline inside. And for a small moment I look down to see my sweet Elizabeth sleepy face. She was wise, young, beautiful little girl. She is one of my favorite girl in my life. And now I have to give her up.

Tears stream down my face as I search around me for any blunt object near by me. I didn’t need anything heavy, my gift of strength would be good enough. Maybe that’s what Sage suggested me to do, is that what she wanted? Did Sage wanted me to strangle Elizabeth? What did Sage really wanted from me? It all happen so fast. I couldn’t even imagine the horror of my daughter’s bloody death on my hands. It would be like killing a large piece of me along with her. What can I do? I can’t go back with Elizabeth still alive?

My mind trail on and on for an idea. “Come on Caden you f*****g weak bastard! Think for yourself for once!” I yelled in a low whisper.

I felt so defeated here. I have no clue on what to do now. I can’t go onward and I can’t go back. So what now? I lift my head up to the sky and plead for some kind of answer to sprang inside of me. I stare at the beautiful moon that stares back down at me. And a small smile creeped inside me as I feel a warm tingling feeling up my arm.

Then I hear a clutter of grass and leaf fumbler on the trail. It was a small gust of wind that blew them. I look up at the moon again and I had this feeling inside me that tells me to follow the winds path. So I did, I held Elizabeth close to my chest. The sense of knowing she’s still breathing keeps my sane of mind. I follow the wind, until I notice the old trail it lead me to. Now I know for sure that we are very far off the coven’s land. It was a junk yard where humans use to gather here to party and do dumb s**t. At some point they stopped and would dump cars, clothes, trash cans, trailers and so forth.

“This is perfect, thank you Goddess.” I ran up to the car that seem less beat up and that still had all the tires and doors attached to it. I slowly place Elizabeth inside the back seat of the car. And walk to the trunk and bang it open. I looked through the rubies to find a perfect little blanket that I can use to cover her up with. I close her door and try to hotwire the car. It didn’t take long to do so. I quickly got in and closed the door. I took a quick glance to make sure Elizabeth was still asleep and breathing. I took a deep long breath and let out a silence scream of relief that burst out my lungs.

“f**k, f**k, f**k!” Pretending to bast my head on the steering wheel. I took my phone out. And search the map app to see what was near me. Thankfully I found somewhere I can hide her at.

“There! I can take her there!” Putting on the GPS I started to drive up and make my way out the forest and on a main road. I had no clue for where I was at but, I honesty didn’t care at all. I need to do this, I have to do this.

Checking on Elizabeth over and over as I drive. I started to feel anxious as I make my destination. I kept biting the inside of my lip the whole drive there. Feeling this pull that lead me here. As I drove into the parking lot I look through the car to find a pen and paper. Writing down a quick note before I pick up Elizabeth and drop her off.

I knock on the door and a sweet lady in a night grown shiver as she open the door for me. “Hi, can I help you?”

“Umm yes you can. I need.. umm my child..she..umm, may I come in?” The woman tilt her head at me. I’m sure I look insane to her.

Her eyes lit when she notices me holding Elizabeth in my arm, cover up in the blanket. “Ohh dear yes, i’m sorry. It must be awfully cold. Come in, come in.” She steps aside and allows me to step in. She close the door and directed us to a warmer spot inside.

It was a nice place and well taken care off. I just hope I am bringing her to the right place. I plead to the Goddess this be the right place for my Elizabeth.

“Here why don’t you lay the child here to rest sir?” She points to a sofa in the den room that was lit slightly enough for me to see the outline of the home. I nod to the lady and place Elizabeth down to rest. Brushing her hair behind her ear as she still asleep peacefully.

“You will be safe now Elizabeth, just know I love you very very much.” I give her a kiss before turning around to face the lady.

I clear my throat. “Umm is this place safe?” The lady tilt her head with a confuse look. As if my question was strange.

“Yes sir, we are a fine orphanage. One of the best in the 4 states. We held both girls and boys of all ages,” she pointed to a chair for me I take the chair as she smiles at me and seats on a deep red cushion chair of her own.

“Ohh that’s good, I think.” Stuttering my words as I do not know this place. I am not aware of an orphanage.

“May I offer you a drink?” The sweet lady ask but I shook my head politely. “May I ask what brought you two here so late sir?” She lean against the arm to met my eyes.

“I just need a well kept place that’s safe and far from our home to take my daughter. She needs a home. Well, more like a shelter really.”

I try to hid my emotions but I assume I fail. The lady straighten her posture and her smile change to a more of an administrator smile. I smile back, it was like she knew actually why I came for. Like this sort of thing happens all the time. I hope not? But by my guess this home is quite large. Must held a school amount of children here, along with staff to live as well.

“Well I would give you a tour but it is late and everyone is asleep. But I also can tell by your facial expression you didn’t come for a house tour, did you now?” Again I shook my head at her.

I lead my guard down a little. For my eyes met the ground for a brief moment before meeting her eyes again. I swallow hard but my throat was dry.

“Well sir, I can tell you we will take care of your daughter. And for her age, it wouldn’t take her long before she finds a home.” She tries to reassure me that I make a good choice. And I pray to the Goddess that I did.

“Why is this place so large. Is it a boarding school. I can find the money to pay.” I asked.

“Ohh no no sir. This is a home for children who have no one to take care of them.” The lady shook her head and wave her arms around. Telling me my assumption was wrong. Very wrong.

“Oh,” I said as I look at Elizabeth across from me. I felt sad, as I watch my child sleep.

As of right now. My wise little witch has absolutely no one. Even after this. I will still be losing her. And this feeling is the most shattering feeling I ever felt. But it’s a must have. We both have no choice.

“Many fine folks come by to adopt a child. Many can not have children of their own. And I assure you we do our background well in these folks before allowing the child to live with them.” She was very nice, I can sense her warm heart. That had to be a reason the Goddess lead me here.

“I am sorry Elizabeth. I never wanted this to happen. But you will be better off and more loved here.” I whisper inside my head as I turn to stare at Elizabeth. Watching her slumber so peacefully. Unaware of how much her life has just change.

“She will be fine, I promised you sir. We take very good care of all the children as if they were our own.” I didn’t look away this time. I wanted to watch her sleep just a bit more. This was my last time I’ll be her father. It be my last of it all. “She will be fine. She’ll have love, peace, and more.”

“Can you give her this note for me, when she awakes?” I grab the note from my hands to hand to the lady. Taking small breathes as I capture myself. Resurfacing the truth of it all. I got up and walk to her.

“Of course sir, may I ask one thing?” I nod a yes to her as she takes my note. “Does she hold control for her magic? I want to make sure, she doesn’t harm no one once she wakes up and knows she will be living here for now.”

My eyes widen at her question. Jaw dropping to the cleanest floors. “How did you know?” I asked mumbling.

“I have live a long time sir. And I am one of you too. I just chose to branch out like others are now.” We both let a matching smile.

“She is no danger.” I said as I exhale deeply. I truly felt a small gush of relief. My dear witch will be perfectly safe here. Goddess has send me to her savior of our own. This place and lady will be able to do much more than I can now. I trust in Goddess and her.

“I am sorry you had to make this choice.” Her words hurt. And my heart broke knowing what this final moment means.

“Thank you madam. Please give her my note and tell her, tell her, her father loves her dearly.” The lady nods her head yes in respond.

I try my hardest to not turn around and look back. Afraid if I do. If do then I wouldn’t be able to do what is needed. So I walked fast and I made my way out and back to the car. I sat there for a small moment and cry to the Goddess for the lost and pain I adore. The large piece of my soul has just been rip out of me as I left it in the hand of a stranger. But now she is more mortal than witch. And she should live a happy and peacefully life now. That’s all I wanted for her, that’s the least she deserves.