Chapter 22 - Elize #2
I looked away when my eyes fell on the leader book I’d been clutching in the basement. I’d almost forgotten about it. Janella and I tried to open it, but it was locked with a code we didn’t know. I thought of my mother’s words. You need to be strong today. I couldn’t just throw my arms up and cry.
I looked back at Riley. “Do you mind if I use this room? I think I need to hunker down and get through all of the books I have and that diary.”
His eyebrows went up. “I thought you said you couldn’t open it.”
“I can’t, but I’m not going to stop trying. The answer has to be in it somewhere.”
I called up Janella, and over the next couple of days, we stayed in Riley’s office and went through all the books my mother had given me.
I tried to open the journal several times, not getting into it.
I even tried to just pry the thing open.
I tried spells and tried to heat the metal, thinking we could melt it. Nothing worked.
I read until I fell asleep on the small couch that Riley had in there. Janella stayed late before she went home to sleep.
I couldn’t stomach going home either way. I didn’t want to go into the house where we held memories.
I chewed on my cheek as I leaned forward in the chair onto the desk. There were cups scattered around me. Janella was sitting on the couch, the journal in her hands as she turned it over and over.
“Have you just tried to put numbers in? Guess the answer?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know if there is a spell to do anything if you fail too many times.”
She grunted and threw it onto the table. “My eyes are burning.” She rubbed at them. “We’ve scanned these all twice, Elize. I’m not seeing anything that we didn’t already know.”
I frowned. “It just doesn’t make sense. How is it we have all this knowledge?” I waved a hand around the space. “And still can’t find a solution to anything?”
I paused and remembered her pack. “How did you heal yours?”
Janella’s eyebrows went up. “Well, I had gone to the cauldron, and the dark magic was attached to me. Riley and I agreed not to touch each other because I knew it could attach to him. But Riley became unstable, and it attached to him anyway.”
I watched the way her eyes glazed over in fear. “I thought for sure that I was going to lose him.”
“How did he come back? How did you save everyone?”
“We touched, and Riley fought to save himself.” She offered a sad smile. “I know it’s not the answer you’re looking for, but it’s just that simple. It happened.”
I scowled. “Maybe I just need to let it attach me to me.”
She shook her head. “I wouldn’t recommend it, nor do I think that was really a part of the answer. I think Riley had to fight to come back to me.”
I frowned. “Do you think Troy’s not fighting hard enough?”
Janella shook her head. “God no, that’s not what I’m saying. If anything… I think it might be harder this time. It’s obvious that the magic is only growing worse. You’ve lost members, whereas we hadn’t. Your healing ability has stopped working.”
I swallowed.
“I think you’re doing everything right. It would be everything I’d do.”
I took a deep breath and sighed. “I think I’m going to go see the cauldron again.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m just going to go check it out. I should be back in a few minutes.”
I slipped out of the room and headed into the basement. I felt the hair on my arms raised as I got to the bottom of the stairs. I headed down the hallway and paused at the door. I took a deep breath before I opened the door.
The cauldron was bubbling away, but calmer than it was before. I stood nervously as I stood in the doorway.
But then I heard that voice once more. It was soft like a whisper traveling through the air. I stared at the cauldron, wondering where the voice was coming from.
“Why won’t you help me?”
I stepped further into the room.
“Don’t you understand what they did? They hurt me.”
I frowned, looking around the room. It must be the woman that they wronged. It was the only reasonable explanation.
“They did all of this because they were scared.” I did a circle, feeling like I was being watched.
“You don’t understand.”
I moved closer to the cauldron, hearing it start to bubble louder.
“I understand. I understand that they made a mistake. But they won’t do it again.”
I stopped in front of the cauldron and stared into it. I suddenly felt my heart sink as I thought about what had happened. “Just… stop this before things get worse.”
The voice was silent before it came back, but darker.
“Never.”
I suddenly felt like someone shoved me in the back, and I slammed into the cauldron. My hands landed hard against the cold metal, and a vision hit me like a whip.
I was standing in front of the city hall. I was watching as Troy and I were standing together. He was talking to a group of people, but his hand was holding my arm tightly. I could see myself wince under his strength, and I felt my stomach dip.
I could see that I looked like a shell of a person. I had a bruise on my neck, and my eyes looked empty of life. I was there, but I really wasn’t. Troy looked harsher, and his eyes flickered to me, filled with disgust.
I stepped back from the sight, unable to stomach it. I knew Troy. He would never hurt me.
I heard laughter erupt around me as darkness caved over me. “I’ll get what I deserve,” it snapped.