Page 127 of Destined Dawn

It was them. My aunt, my mom. They’ve been with me all this time. Protecting me, helping me, loving me.

“I don’t want to let you go,” I call out.

But they don’t answer me. These spirits, these echoes of what once was flesh, they melt away into the trees until they are gone completely and I stand there alone.

Alone but stronger.

The hold on my magic – the cage containing it – has gone too.

45

Mabel

I watch my daughter,Bronwyn’s daughter, our girl, walk away. Away from us. No need for us any longer. She is grown. A woman herself now. No longer the girl she once was. A strong woman, full of determination, courage and love. Like her mom, like her grandma, like me, like all of us. Born with this steel in our backbones.

And now it is time for her to end the story. To put an end to what was started long ago.

They will not use her for her powers. Not hunt her. Not abuse her. Perhaps they won’t ever use a woman again. That will be her legacy. Her gift to the world. Our gift.

And while she strides out into the world, this girl who has always had both light and dark inside her, we will linger here as all spirits do, waiting one day for the reunion.

And while we wait, we are not gone. She will carry our love in her heart, she will feel it there, even though she will no longer have us by her side guiding her.

Our girl, our precious, precious girl.

Our Rhianna.

46

Rhi

I findWinnie where I left her, waiting for me by the entrance to the forest, an anxiety crisscrossing her face which lifts when she sees me. She runs forward and engulfs me in a hug.

“Oh Rhi. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Winnie. I’m fine. I promise you, I’m fine. I understand now.”

“But why–”

“Pip was a familiar – just like you said. He wasn’t just any ordinary pig.”

“You don’t say.” She manages a half smile, sniffing. “Then why let him go – why let those spirits go if they were here helping you?”

“To unleash the full potential of my powers. I think I will need all of it forwhat’s coming.”

“Still, it’s hard to let people go,” she says, a new sadness filling her eyes.

“Rosa?” I say, not sure I want to know.

Winnie shakes her head.

“What happened?”

“They took her – that’s what one of her neighbors told us anyway. We’ve heard nothing since.”

“I’m so sorry, Winnie,” I say, wrapping her in my embrace. “She was such an incredibly awesome woman.”

“She was,” she says.