Page 18

Seth

I ran toward the shrill scream, panic filling my entire body. I didn’t know where I was until I recognized the front yard of my childhood home when I got there. Father stood at the front door, his hand wrapped around Mom’s neck.

“Release her!” I demanded.

But Father just laughed. “Or what? You’re useless without magic.”

My magic? I had my magic. I had strong magic. Stronger than his.

I reached my hands out, sending my magic to tear him away from the woman who raised me. But nothing happened. My magic was gone. No! This can’t be. I’d identified myself with my powers for so long. It was who I was. A part of me.

I looked down at the hands of a child, suddenly feeling helpless and inconsequential. I was young and hadn’t come into my magic yet. Maybe I never would. And without it, I was nothing. I couldn’t even protect those I loved.

Father lifted Mom up into the air, her feet dangling, and I watched as he sucked the remnants of her magic right out of her, leaving her a husk of herself. Then he threw her down to the ground.

I tried to send a fireball to toast his ass, but again nothing happened. Frustrated, I charged at him, my tiny child-sized fists swinging, but when I got there, I was stopped by an invisible shield.

“So pathetic. No wonder even that useless demon has left you for something better. Did you really think he’d stay around after you gave him his freedom? You’re so gullible. Such an embarrassment. ”

Did he mean Liam? Liam would never leave me. Would he?

“You’re lying!” I charged the magical shield.

But instead of hitting it, the scene changed.

I found myself standing in front of a restaurant, looking into the window.

I saw Liam immediately. He had a demon on each arm.

One was male and in human guise, though his smoky aura gave him away.

He was the perfect specimen in every way, molded to suit Liam’s every whim and desire.

The other was female. She was in her demon guise and plastered to him like she couldn’t wait to get to a bed.

Suddenly overwhelmed with jealous rage, I tried to charge in to confront him but was stopped at the door by a snooty-looking man in a suit.

“We don’t serve your type here,” the man said, his eyes scanning my clothes. “Run along now.”

But the female was naked now and pushing Liam down onto the table, so I ignored him and pushed my way through the door.

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

The familiar female voice had me turning toward Officer Cooley. She looked at me like I was a stranger.

“Hazel? It’s me, Seth.”

“Who?”

The officer next to her frowned. “You know this creep?”

Hazel shook her head.

“Thought not. As if you’d spend time with a loser like him.” The man turned to me. “Now get out of here.”

When I didn’t move, the man lunged for me, and then we were grappling. But we weren’t by the restaurant anymore. We were at The Breach. And he was dragging me toward the edge.

I dug my heels into the soft grass on the road verge, but it was useless. The Breach called to me. In the gaping maw was salvation. I’d be strong again. I’d have respect. And most importantly, I’d have the people I loved. All I had to do was jump in.

I woke sweaty and in my own bed, my limbs still entangled with Liam and Hazel’s. The quiet hum of the wards protecting my house surrounded me.

Shit! I couldn’t believe I was fooled by a dream.

I was usually able to tell that I was dreaming; the abrupt scene changes always gave it away. So why had this dream tricked me so easily?

Come to me, Seth.

I froze, my breath hitching in my chest. I knew that voice. It was The Breach. That nightmare must’ve been its doing. How was it reaching me in here behind all my wards?

No wards can hold me, wizard, because I am your every desire. I’m everything you’ve ever wanted.

“No!” The exclamation woke Liam and Hazel.

“Seth?” Hazel’s voice was a welcomed relief. She was real. She was here. The Breach wasn’t.

“Sorry. It was a dream.”

“I know exactly how to chase away bad dreams,” Liam murmured. “You can help, Hazel. I’ll hold him down for you.”

Then there were about a dozen hands on my body, touching me everywhere, all of them his. Several of them grabbed my limbs, holding me to the bed, my arms and legs in a large X.

“You mean a Seth free-for-all?” Hazel asked, her smaller and warmer hands joining the fun. “Count me in.”

I watched in dismay as the concrete several yards directly in front of me crumbled, and The Breach grew just a little bit larger right toward me. I’d just tried to shrink it with my magic and failed. It was like it had taken the magic I threw at it and used it to grow instead.

Yes, Seth, The Breach moaned in my head. Give me more.

I ignored the voice that had been whispering to me since my last visit, something I’d kept from everyone for fear that they’d take me off the case. This was personal now and I had to figure out a way to beat The Breach.

“I’m glad you only used a little magic,” Sybil said.

Sybil was the witch who ran Auntie Syl’s Wards one just sounded fancier. “They can’t push back on results,” I said.

Nina wrinkled her nose like she thought they would try.

“They can’t be that bad,” Sybil said.

“I only talked to one of them on the phone, and yes, he is that bad. He’s insufferable. Got an ego the size of a whale.”

“So you mean like Sethy boy here?”

I glared at Sybil. She knew I hated that nickname.

“Nah, Seth’s okay. But his ego is massive.”

“That’s not the only thing that’s massive,” I blurted out. I couldn't help it; they made it too easy.

Used to dealing with me, the two just rolled their eyes and started back toward our vehicles.

“I expect both of you at the meeting with the head office reps.” Then Nina was stepping into her EA logoed SUV.

I was glad to be leaving The Breach. I couldn't wait to be back home. I was just strapping myself into the driver’s seat when I got the message.

Hazel and Liam were in trouble!