The Gift of Magic

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

It was Morgan’'s turn to be shocked, “Your mother?”

“I was only a toddler when we left my father and she would never tell me why we left.” He explained, “What else do you remember?”

“The angel left me with her, that's how I knew it was an angel.” Morgan said, then went silent when Devon shook his head.

“I don't think it was an angel.” He said.

“Oh, well I guess not, but the woman was so kind. She kept saying I'm going to save you both. She said it over and over, I remember that.”

“What do you mean, you both? Was there someone else there with you?” Devon asked, his heart pounding in his chest.

Morgan closed her eyes and concentrated, “Yes.” She said, her eyes flying open. “There was a little boy.” Then she looked at him again, looked into his eyes. “Your eyes, they're just like hers.” Then she clamped her hand over her mouth, unsure what to think. “It was you, you were there too, she wanted to save us both.”

Devon was silent for a long time, his head spinning, “I don't remember anything about that night, but something must have scared my mother very badly that night. That must have been when she left my father.”

Morgan let that wash over her, the memories coming faster then, “We ran out the back door of the house we were in, she was carrying you and pulling me by the hand. It felt like we ran for a long time and then my dad was there. The last thing I remember is that your mother got in a car and drove away, you must have been with her.”

“We have to tell Isobel. She needs to know this.” Devon said, getting to his feet. Then he stopped and looked at her, “The first time I saw you I thought I knew you, felt like we'd met before and now I know why.”

“I feel it too.” Morgan said, glad to finally be able to tell him just a fraction of what she was feeling for him.

He opened his mouth to say more, but then closed it and turned away, the moment turned awkward for a second, until Morgan said, “We'd better go find my grandmother, knowing her she'll be expecting us.”

“I wouldn't doubt that.” Devon said, smiled at her and offer her his hand.

When she took it, it was warm and solid in hers, making her feel safe and protected. She might not be much of a witch yet, but even she could feel the power in Devon, a power that when unleashed would be formidable. He squeezed her hand and smiled down at her, “We'll figure this out, it's beginning to look like our future has been entwined for far longer than either of us knew.”

Isobel did know that they were coming long before she saw them walking down the street, so she was ready with fresh ice-cold lemonade and cookies on the side porch when they climbed the steps hand in hand. She didn't miss the fact that they had their hands entwined, nor that they were laughing and teasing each other, as if they had nothing more than each other on their minds. Clearly something had happened that morning to change things, and she hoped she'd made the right choice sending Devon after Morgan.

“Let me guess, you knew we were coming.” Morgan said, when her grandmother led them around the porch to the refreshments.

“You're never far from my thoughts.” She said, tweaking Morgan on the nose.

Once everyone had lemonade and cookies, she became serious, “So, tell me what you've been doing this afternoon. As much as I'd like to think this is just a social visit, I can tell by the look on your faces that you have something to share.”

Together Devon and Morgan laid out what they believed happened the night Morgan was kidnapped. When they'd finished she said, “Your father never told me how he got you back so quickly. You'd only been gone for a few hours when he got a call and went to get you. When I pressed him, he told me that he couldn't tell, that it could put someone in danger.”

“He was protecting my mother.” Devon said.

“Yes, I believe he was. I think that's why your mother wouldn't talk about your father.” Isobel said, the pieces beginning to fall together in her mind.

“She didn't want me trying to find him, was afraid of what he would do to me, and she was right.” Devon said, finally understanding the words his father had screamed at him in his office that day when he was twelve.

“What happened?” Isobel asked, understanding now that she'd only gotten a glimpse of what Devon had been through.

“By the time I turned twelve I was convinced that my father wasn't the monster my mother made him out to be, that she was only bitter and angry. I was sure that he was out there some where wishing that he could get to know me, be the father he'd always wanted to be. I ran away to New York to find him.” Devon had to stop, he'd only told this story a few times and it was difficult.

Isobel laid her hand on his arm, “You don't have to tell us if you don't want to.”

“No, I think you need to hear this and that I need to tell it.” He said, then continued. “I thought everything was going great, he'd agreed to see me without a moment's hesitation. But as soon as I walked in the door he was on me, screaming in my face about traitors and what he did to them, about how weak my magic was. I had no idea what he was talking about and tried to defend myself, but that only infuriated him more. By the time I walked out of the door, I was covered in bruises and had a broken collar bone.”

Isobel and Morgan were silent letting Devon take a few minutes to collect his thoughts. “When I got home my mother took one look at me and panicked, she sent me off to live with her best friend, afraid that the evil in my father would grow in me since I'd seen him. But meeting my father had done the opposite, I knew what evil looked like, what corruption can do to someone.” He finished, and sat back in the chair exhausted.

Isobel smiled at Devon, “I don't think we have to worry about your father's evil rubbing off on you, your mother broke the circle taking you and leaving. It was a brave thing to do and you should be proud of her.” Isobel said, “In fact, why don't you go call her and invite her for a visit, I think you two have some talking to do.”

Malphas landed on a branch, his lungs pumping from the exertion of slipping through the tiny opening in the protective spells that blanketed the island. It had taken him far too long to find his way in, but after seeing the witch on the beech and assuring himself that she was just as strong as he'd thought, he'd know that he needed to get closer. He'd been sitting in the window when she's lit the candle and known immediately that she was exactly what he’d been waiting for all these long centuries. A witch who was strong enough to command the legion of demons in his name.

Unable to stop himself he cawed several times, so pleased with the way things had turned out that he just had to let it out. Now not only was the witch within his grasp, Malcolm's son had appeared out of nowhere, and the bond forming between the two was apparent even to him. The link between them a visible thing to him, the stronger that link grew the closer he came to having not one witch but two in his power. It wouldn't be easy to do, but if he was careful, he could use Malcolm to bring them to him, to give them over to him, then he'd take what belonged to him.

It brought him no small amount of pleasure that Malcolm had no idea what was happening right under his nose, was so sure of the demon's loyalty that it had never occurred to him that Malphas might be working toward his own goals. He couldn't wait until it was all over and he could rub the magician's nose in it, right before he sent the man to his fate in the underworld.

He'd just gotten his breath back when he felt the pull of a summoning, Malcolm was pulling him back. Instead of fighting the pull as he usually did, he let himself go, thinking about how much he was going to enjoy this encounter. Of course, he had no intention of telling the man anymore than he had to, would hold back all the good stuff, after all Malcolm had only told him to find out what was going on the island, very nonspecific instructions.

When he materialized in the circle, he stood looking a Malcolm hands on his hips, wings outstretched and waited. “Well, demon I don't have all day. You've been gone for two weeks.” Malcolm sneered at him.

“You asked me to find out what was going on, that takes time. What's your hurry?” He sneered back.

“That's my business not yours, I ask the questions. Now stop stalling and tell me what you found.” Malcolm's temper was hitting the boiling point.

“Okay, okay. Relax.” Malphas said, then took a deep breath to stall some more. “Thomas Corey's daughter is on the island, she's an untrained witch and not much of a threat as she is.”

“That's it? It's taken you two weeks to find that?” Malcolm roared.

“Well, there might be another witch on the island that might be a concern. He's very powerful and evidently there's a connection between the two. I'd be more worried about him than I would Morgan. Her powers are unharnessed, untrained, untried, but his are honed and quite powerful.”

Malcolm considered that for a second, “The spirits haven't mentioned a man, but I want to know more about him. Who is he? Where did he come from?” Malcolm demanded.

“I don't know.” Malphas lied. “He's new to the island, not one of the family.”

“Go back, find out who his is. Find out what he's doing there and it better not take two weeks this time.” Malcolm said, flinging his hand in the direction of the demon who immediately changed back into a crow and flew off in the direction of the island.

Malcolm stormed back into the house, he'd thought that this was going to be easy. Kill Thomas Corey and take what was his, but he'd forgotten about the kid, the kid who had forced him to wait all these years for his destiny. She'd be over twenty now, he thought making his way to the upper floor and his workroom, the one place he always found peace. But the demon had said that her magic was undeveloped, so she couldn't possibly be the one the spirits had warned him about.

No, it had to be the mysterious man, he was the one that he'd have to watch out for, he was the one the spirits had been telling him would be in the way of his goal. They'd warned him that there was a new threat and at first, he'd been sure that it was Morgan, the daughter, but now he was convinced it was the man he'd have to beat, not Morgan. It was time to rethink his plans, to come up with a new strategy, one that would make him the winner, then he could collect his prize.