to see Michelle and the woman, Eva, with the baby. Instead, I found myself in front of an even older, silver-haired Michelle with a teenage boy.
I concentrated on the youth beside her. I knew without a doubt that it was my
father. Why would he keep the fact that he is the grandson of Michelle Elliott from us?
“Elliott, our family has hidden too long. I should have stayed and fought, but
I let fear guide me,” Michelle confessed. She took Elliott's face into her hands.
"You need to go home and protect the magic. One day, you will have a daughter,
and she will be blessed with the gift.”
“Ok, let's all go back, then,” Elliott pleaded. “I don't want to leave you both.
We can go back together.”
"No, Elliott, no one will know you are my son," Eva said. "It is safe for you to return. However, we cannot. Do you understand everything we told you,
tonight?” With those words, she held out a small, silver box to him.
Elliott opened the container and pulled out a silver ring with an emerald
stone. After he gazed into the box, he held the ring in front of him and said with
determination, “I know what I need to do now. I promise to protect the magic at
all costs.”
The candle in the center of the table they were seated at knocked over, and
the blaze began to spread. Soon, the room was filled with fire. I could feel the heat, but the flames licking at my skin didn't burn. Reaching through the ignited
wall, I felt a cool breeze.
I stepped forward into the fire, praying, “Goddess, please protect me.”
Thoughts of being burned alive came to mind, but I was pleasantly surprised
when I found myself sitting at Gram’s kitchen table. Everyone was in the places
they had been seated before the mist rolled in.
Gram stood up and gave me a long hug and released me with a kiss on my
cheek. “I love you, Mar.” She then turned towards Cole. “Let's make some tea,
and then we can all talk.”
Cole looked at me.
I felt all the questions he was asking without saying a word. Nodding, I let
him know I was going to be ok.
Giving me one of his warm smiles, he winked and went with Gram.
Elliott and I stared at each other for a long time.
“So, you're the grandson of Michelle Elliott?” My tone was, once again,
much colder than I had intended. “You are, also, a protector of the magic?”
Feeling the emotions of the day crashing down on me, I choked back my
tears. “And, you really are my father, Elliott Stone?” As I spoke the words, my
vision blurred, and then everything went black.
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
“Maraaaaa. Maraaaaa,” a soft voice whispered my name.
I opened my eyes and was greeted by a blinding light.
Shielding my sight with my hands, I tried to gather my
