5

  When my eyes blinked awake, I found myself in my room lying on my bed. The light was on, stabbing my eyes. Through the gap in the curtains I could see an inky black sky with pinpricks of light. Initially I tried to sit up but exhaustion prevented me. I let out a groan. Sebastian heard me stir as that’s when he came into the room.

  “Finally, you’re awake.”

  In an instant, the memories of what had taken place came flooding back.

  “Chloe?”

  He took a seat on the edge of the bed. “She’s okay, though worried about you.”

  “Her father?”

  “They took him to the hospital; I’m not sure what condition he’s in.”

  I exhaled deeply as he stared at me.

  “What’s the deal with the damaged cutlery?”

  I let out a chuckle, remembering I hadn’t cleaned up.

  He continued. “You lifted it, didn’t you?”

  I glanced at him sideways and nodded.

  He smiled and patted my chest. “Well I think we can move beyond the ring now.”

  I let out a stifled chuckle only to feel my head hurt. I reached up to grip it.

  “It will pass. You strained yourself. Probably from practicing for too long. That was quite a feat, Ethan. Most can’t perform that level of magic until they have trained for several months.”

  “Strained myself?”

  “Yes. There’s a lot we need to discuss, but first you need to rest.” He placed a hand on my chest then rose from the bed. “I’ll bring you some soup and bread. Relax; we’ll speak again in the morning.”

  The next day I stumbled into the kitchen. The head pain had eased but it was still throbbing. Sebastian was drinking coffee and watching the news on his laptop.

  He peered over his spectacles. “Morning, Ethan. I mean, afternoon.”

  I glanced at the clock, it was a little after one. I groaned as I pulled open one of the cupboards and slid out a box of cereal. After pouring a bowl I sat across from him filling my face. Sebastian watched me shovel it down.

  “Did anyone say anything about yesterday?” I asked.

  “No, but I think your girlfriend has questions.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend.” I continued eating, going a light shade of red. “Did she tell anyone?”

  “No. I spoke with her. You’re okay. However, you need to be more careful. If it ever got out…” he trailed off, looking away, his thoughts distracted by some news in New York.

  “So are you going to tell me how?” I asked.

  “Answers will come. Eat up. I have something to show you later.”

  I finished my breakfast and took a quick shower. I was beginning to feel better with each passing hour. As I slipped into a white T-shirt, and a fresh pair of black jeans, I looked over to Chloe’s house. It was quiet. No movement. There was no one in her room and no SUV in the driveway. I figured she was at the hospital. Despite her father being a royal dick, for Chloe’s sake, I hoped he was okay. I knew what it was like to not have a father around and it wasn’t something I would wish upon anyone.

  Sebastian called up to me. “Ethan. You ready?”

  My uncle wanted to take me out that afternoon. Where? He wouldn’t say. Outside the summer sun was invigorating; its warm rays brought my skin to life as a gust of fresh air carried the smell of fresh-cut grass. I pawed at my eyes as I made my way over to his vehicle.

  “Where are we heading?” I asked as we pulled out in his 4 x 4 Chevy truck.

  The engine growled, and the tires crunched over gravel as he turned out onto the main road. “Baker Island. There’s something I want you to see.”

  He’d never taken me there but I’d seen black-and-white photos of the place in a café. Baker Island was four miles off the shore of Stonecreek Harbor. For the most part, it was uninhabited with a white lighthouse and only three properties, two of which were privately owned. Throughout the year visitors could tour the lighthouse, but that was it. The journey to the southern tip of Mount Desert Island was short but beautiful. Large waves crashed against enormous boulders, and seagulls screeched as they wheeled overhead. There was something very tranquil about the large maple trees that lined the roads on the way down to the harbor. In the fall they would turn a blood red and the entire island would become a patchwork quilt of color. Though now they were a lush green.

  Conversation on the way amounted to small talk. When I asked him what he wanted to show me, he kept changing the subject and said it would all make sense when we arrived. I didn’t like him keeping me in the dark.

  We parked the truck and Sebastian told me to wait while he spoke with one of the boat owners. When ready, he called me over and we boarded a weathered fishing boat. The waves were less than two feet high as they lapped up the sides. I looked beyond the wake of water and saw jagged rocks and the trees of Acadia National Park sticking up like outstretched fingers. On the few times I’d visited the eastern dock I’d seen groups of whale-watching tourists return green faced, regretting their purchase of a tour. Thankfully the waters were calm as we crossed.

  On a good day if people were lucky, they could see whales splashing and breaching the water as well as harbor seals galumphing across rocks to tend to their young, but today it was barren. Dotted throughout the harbor were several fishermen laying down lobster traps while others pulled in vast volumes of fish. Although it was sunny, a chill came over me as a cold wind blew off the ocean.

  “Here, put this on.” Sebastian threw a large yellow fisherman’s jacket at me. I caught it and quickly slid into its protection. The boat bounced and water sprayed in my face. As we got close to the docking area, I could see a large white sign with red lettering that read: Private - No Trespassing.

  Once the boat was moored, we hopped onto a short wooden dock and made our way onto the island. A battered and worn wooden stairway led up the side of the steep granite boulders. Once at the top, the terrain was rough, hilly and offered few walking paths. Up ahead, beyond a dense collection of pine trees was an old white house made from clapboard with a stone foundation, and a wooden arched door with an iron handle. It looked like the kind of home that a lighthouse keeper might live inside. As we approached, Sebastian slowed his pace as if wary of entering.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  “Yeah,” he said in a low voice. “Just brings back a lot of memories.”

  Once we reached the rugged old door, Sebastian pulled a pitted key from his pocket and twisted it in the lock. The door creaked open into a dark room. It smelled damp and ancient as if the sea itself had flooded the room at one time. Once inside, Sebastian opened the drapes to let light in. It was a tiny one bedroom abode in desperate need of a lick of paint. The kitchen was cramped and the living room decor outdated. He gathered a few logs from out back and tossed them into an empty fireplace. After he lit it, the flames brought a glow to the rest of the room and with it a warmth that chased away the chill of ocean weather. Wood popped and crackled, spitting small embers onto a tiled floor. Sebastian went to a large oak cabinet and pried open the doors. The wood looked stiff and slightly warped. Holding them wide he pulled out a rectangular polished box and laid it on the table in front of me.

  I stared at it, curious.

  “Go ahead. Open it,” he said.

  A small silver key rested firmly inside the metallic keyhole. Engraved on the top was a crest of a lion within a seven-pointed star surrounded by what looked like a circle of fire.

  Sebastian moved to the kitchen, lit the stove and placed a tarnished kettle on top of blue flames. Water hissed. Next he took a bottle of bourbon from a cabinet and poured himself two fingers.

  “What is it?” I asked, staring at the unopened box.

  “It belonged to your mother.”

  My interest grew.

  I turned the key and heard a small click. The lid partially lifted. Cracking the rest open I saw several items: a distressed silver ring with the same crest as the one on top of the box, a collection of yellowed envelopes bound together with coarse twine, and a stack of really old vintage-style photos. They were wrinkled and aged by time. As I leafed through the photos, my jaw went slack as I spotted the woman from my dreams, and the school. I placed my finger on the photo about to speak when Sebastian beat me to the punch. “That was your mother.”

  I glanced at him. “What was her name?”

  All these years he’d never told me. I’d asked but he’d said it didn’t matter.

  Sebastian stared for a moment then said, “Naomi.”

  Naomi had dark wavy hair that extended just beyond her shoulders. She had piercing eyes that made it hard to look away. Cradled in her arms was a child. Some photos included a group shot of other adults her age. I pulled the ring out, holding it between my finger and thumb. Sebastian leaned against the counter, taking a sip from the glass. “Put it on, she would have wanted you to have it.”

  I looked at him and then slid my ring finger into it. It was loose, so I placed it on my index.

  “You’ll grow into it.”

  “Is it magic?”

  “No. It’s given to those who are part of the Circle.”

  Holding the photos, I looked down at one of my mother and a man.

  “That’s your father, Caelan.” He pointed to the taller one of the group. His features were striking and handsome, his hair slick and brushed back. He was similar in stature to my uncle. Sebastian walked over and tapped the photo. “And the man beside your father is Aeron.” He paused. “He was responsible for the death of your mother.”

  I felt a stabbing ache in my chest, and my heart caught in my throat. “Is he still alive?”

  “Some say he is.”

  I nodded. “What’s the Circle?”

  Sebastian returned to the kitchen. Before replying he collected a mug in one hand and the steaming kettle in the other. He poured out its boiling contents into the mug then took a dark bottle and emptied the contents. He stirred, then crossed the room and placed it in front of me. After taking a seat, he answered. “The Circle is a society that’s existed for centuries. Those who have had the secrets of magic passed down to them belong to it. At one time it was peaceful. It existed to help, heal and do good. In time it changed. They became greedy, full of themselves, full of rules and restrictions. They were responsible for hunting and murdering anyone who practiced magic. Both of your parents were members.” He paused. “Myself included.”

  “You? But you’re not involved now?”

  “No.”

  I looked at his hands resting on the table. “Where is your ring?”

  He smiled before sipping his drink. “You have a lot of questions.”

  “Don’t you think I deserve answers?”

  He motioned to the mug. “Drink. And you will get them.”

  Again I felt as though he was dodging the question. I looked down at the mug, the liquid seemed alive. What I thought was tea was something far different. It swirled counterclockwise giving off a greenish glow. It smelled like old socks.

  I screwed up my face. “What is this?”

  He met my gaze, his dark brown eyes penetrating deep into me. “A thousand words cannot explain what this will show you.”

  I glanced back at the drink, hesitant.

  “You want answers?” Sebastian asked.

  I swallowed hard, nervous, but then nodded.

  With a wave of the hand, he gestured. “Then drink.”

  6

  He studied me as I slowly lifted the mug to my lips. Its odor was rancid like water that had been stagnant inside rusty pipes. Glancing one final time at Sebastian I reluctantly took a sip, and then grimaced at the bitter taste. I pulled it away.

  “It’s best to down it in one go.” He touched the underside, lifting it back to my lips, encouraging me to drink more. Though nearly vomiting in the process, I continued gulping until I’d drained the mug.

  “Very good,” Sebastian said.

  A moment passed. Nothing. I waited.

  “Something meant to happen?” I asked.

  He smiled, and leaned back in his chair. “Give it a minute.”

  I looked down at the photos and ring, pondering my parents’ history.

  Then, it began. The images seemed to take on a life of their own as if I was witnessing the group gathering together in real life, preparing for the photo. I strained my eyes trying to focus, thinking I was tired, but my vision quickly blurred. Then, things got really weird. It felt like an invisible wheel rolled over me. A heavy weight pressed down on my shoulders as I watched all of reality, including the surrounding air, become like fabric. Twisting, turning into a vortex I started to feel the sensation of falling back even though my feet were firmly planted on the floor. It was as if I was stuffed inside a suit and slowly slipping out of it. There wasn’t a damn thing I could do to control it. Panic crept up in my chest.

  “It’s okay, Ethan.”

  I heard Sebastian, but even he had begun to change. I pawed at my eyes but it did nothing to alleviate what I was seeing. Soon my surroundings turned in on themselves until the world that I knew ceased to exist.

  The strangest part was I stayed fully conscious the entire time. It was as if I had slipped through the very strands of time itself. Movement was fast, chaotic and speeding up. I heard voices, witnessed colors and geometric patterns of every kind, and then as quickly as it started, it stopped.

  It was then I became aware.

  That’s the only word to describe what it felt like. Aware, not of who I was or where I was, but only of what I was looking at, like a fly on a wall. I existed in a completely different location. I was wrapped in the blackest of dark. For a moment I thought I had died. Fear took hold, suffocating me, strangling me with panic and just when I didn’t think I could take any more, from out of the darkness a pinprick of light emerged, expanding and pushing back the darkness to the far corners of my vision until nothing but brilliant white light filled my view. It was so intense I had to squint. Moments later, the light was replaced by an ocean of blood as history played out before my eyes and revealed how it all came to be. I witnessed terrible atrocities as brother turned on brother, son against father and mother against daughter. Eventually I watched as all the vile acts of violence were sucked into a golden box, and the lid sealed shut. With it the light vanished.

  What came next was familiar.

  It was a moment when I realized where I was. It was my dream but now crisp, clear and vivid. Like seeing the world in high definition. As I looked down at my body, I was aware that I was a young child, maybe only two or three years of age. There I was in the arms of my mother. She clung tightly to me with an intense look of desperation and worry in her eyes. At the echo of a knock she placed me on the floor inside an opening. At first, I had no idea what it was, except that there were doors. A closet, maybe? Then it became clear. She placed a finger to her lips and then closed me in. Between the slats of the door, I saw my mother hurry across the room and open a door.

  “Where is it?” a voice growled.

  The man from the photo entered the room.

  “Aeron, stop, it’s not here.”

  “Don’t lie to me, Naomi.”

  “I’m not,” she yelled.

  “I will tear this place apart piece by piece if I have to.”

  Behind him, another man entered the room.

  “Sir, we’ve got him. He’s saying nothing.”

  “He’ll speak.”

  My mother spoke up. “Aeron, you’ve gone too far. I won’t be a part of this.”

  She turned my way and was moving towards the closet when she was grabbed. A struggle ensued, her face was slapped and then the man attempted to silence her. With his hand over her mouth, my mother’s muffled moans grew smaller. They became so quiet, until I could no longer hear her. Then her legs went limp. Minutes, maybe an hour passed. It was hard to tell how long I sat there looking at my mother’s body on the floor. All I knew was long after her killer left, I couldn’t move, I was frozen by fear.

  Next, feet pounding the floor, and another man shot into view.

  “Naomi?” he called out before turning towards her body and stumbling back in horror. “No, no, NO!” He let out a gut-wrenching cry as he rushed to her side and held her in his arms, rocking back and forth. It was then he looked my way. I must have moved and made some rustling sound as he slowly crawled towards the door. My heart thumped in my chest. The same fear I’d experienced in my dream overtook me. As the slatted doors opened, his large shadow swallowed me before he scooped me up in his arms.

  In an instant I was back, sitting across from Sebastian. I gulped air fast as if taking my first breath. “It was you. You took me out. You were the one in my dream,” I stammered.

  He nodded. “After I retrieved you from the closet, I knew I would have to flee. Aeron was hunting down those in opposition. It would have only been a matter of time before we would have been killed.”

  “But I was just a child.”

  “That’s not the way they would see it.”

  I was at a loss for words.

  “Why didn’t you allow me to see this earlier?”

 

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