There was something wrong with my head. It wasn’t like anything had physically broken; it was more like I had mentally cracked. Whether it was from the shock of barely escaping my death, or the last few hours finally catching up with me, I didn’t know. But for whatever reason, I couldn’t seem to focus. Everything kept spinning and spinning, like I was trapped on an out-of-control merry-go-round. I was starting to get nauseous when Alex had me lie down and elevate my legs, mumbling something about how it would keep me from going into shock.
I was lying down in the back seat of the GTO, with my legs resting on Alex’s lap. It didn’t occur to me until later that lying down in a skirt and putting my feet on a guy’s lap may not have been the greatest idea.
When I started to grasp a hold of reality again, I realized that, if he really wanted to, Alex could see straight up my skirt. Luckily, he seemed fixated on staring out the window. And really, who was I kidding? There was no way Alex wanted to look up my skirt.
I sighed, tugging the hem down.
Alex turned his head and looked down at me. “Oh, good, you’re awake.”
“Was I asleep?” I asked.
His eyes skimmed over my face like he was checking for visible signs of my head being broken. “Are you sure you didn’t bump your head?”
I thought back to when I had just about been killed. “No…I’m pretty sure there was no head bumping.”
He glanced at Aislin. They both exchanged a look I couldn’t interpret.
“What?” I asked, starting to sit up. Whoa. Can you say head rush? I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead. “Ouch.”
“Gemma, you need to lie back down,” Alex insisted.
I slid my legs off his lap and sat up straight. “What’s going on?”
They exchanged another look, and this time I thought I saw a hint of disappointment in Alex’s expression.
“Why do you two keep giving each other weird looks?” My head had stopped spinning, and I realized not only had the car stopped, but Laylen wasn’t in it. “And where’s Laylen?”
“He’s inside.” Aislin pointed out the window at a redbrick building with the words “Adessa’s Herbs and Spices” printed across the door. “He went in to check things out and make sure everything was okay before we all went inside.”
“Oh…well, why do you guys keep looking at each other like that?” I asked.
“Like what?” Alex asked so casually I knew he was playing dumb.
I looked back and forth between the two of them. Neither of their expressions gave anything away. But still, I could sense something was up.
“Are you sure you didn’t hit your head?” Alex wondered. “You’re acting kind of funny. Are you feeling okay?”
Hmm…Am I feeling okay? Suddenly, I had an epiphany. “Wait just a second,” I held my hands up in front of me exasperatedly. “Did you guys think I had gone back to not being able to feel again or something?” Aislin shifted uncomfortably in her seat, and I could tell I guessed what they were thinking. “Why would you think that?”
“Because you were acting weird,” Alex replied in a laidback tone.
“You were so mellow,” Aislin added in an unsteady voice.
“Oh.” I raised my eyebrows. “So, you guys thought that I bumped my head and knocked the old unemotional Gemma back in.”
Neither of them said anything. Aislin fiddled with the visor above her head, and Alex stared out the window. I knew he was only trying to avoid making eye contact with me, seeing as how we were in a dark, desolated area, and there was nothing particularly fascinating to look at outside.
“Well, that’s nice,” I muttered, slumping back in my seat.
Aislin slowly turned around in her seat and looked at me with sad eyes. “Gemma, we didn’t mean it like that. We just thought…”
“That I stopped feeling,” I finished for her grudgingly. “Well, sorry to break it to you, but I don’t think a bump on the head is going to knock me back to that.” Then I crossed my arms and pretended like I was harboring this huge secret about what had caused the sudden onset of my emotions, which, strangely enough, felt very gratifying.
“Gemma, if you know something…” Alex began, but I turned my back to him and stared out the window, tracing the lines of the surrounding buildings with my eyes.
I tried to brush off the fact that Alex seemed disappointed that I showed emotion. Who cared what he thought. I could feel and that was all that mattered. Okay, well, that was a lie. But I was going to try my best not to focus on how Alex felt about me because, if I did, it would probably eat away at my insides.
As I stared at Adessa’s Herbs and Spices, I noticed a crescent moon outlined by a black star sketching the window of the door. I glanced at the tattoo on Aislin’s shoulder. It was exactly the same as what was on the window.
“What is that?” I asked, pointing at her shoulder.
She traced the lines of the tattoo with her finger. “It’s the witches’ mark. After I became a witch, it appeared on my skin.”
“Like the mark of immortality?” I inquired.
Her eyebrows dipped down in perplexity. “How do you know about that?”
“Laylen told me while we were at the Black Dungeon,” I explained.
“Oh great,” Alex scoffed. “What else did he tell you?”
“Nothing,” I lied. “So does everyone have a mark?”
Aislin nodded. “I actually have two. One because I’m a witch.” She lifted her foot onto the center console and flipped the ceiling light on; a black circle trimmed by fiery gold flames tattooed the side of her ankle. “And one because I’m a Keeper.”
“And, what? They just all of a sudden showed up?”
“Yeah, my Keeper’s mark appeared when I was about twelve. It was also about the same time I really started learning about what it is to be a Keeper. And my witch’s mark showed up when I was about fifteen, which is when I first found out I possessed Wicca magic.”
I wondered how many marks Alex had. Was he more than just a Keeper?
“If you’re wondering if I have one, the answer is yes,” he said, like he read my mind.
Hold on. What if he could read minds? I mean, with everything else I learned over the last twenty-four hours, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if there was such a thing as mind-reading abilities. If Alex could read minds then that would totally suck, considering how my thoughts tended to center around him and his beautifulness.
“I only have one mark, though,” he said, meeting my eyes “The Keeper’s mark.”
Phew. What a relief. “Does it look the same as Aislin’s?”
He nodded. “Same mark, just in a different spot.”
Why, for the life of me, his remark fired up the electricity was beyond me. I chewed on my bottom lip, severely distracted by my thoughts of where his mark could be.
A sly grin spread across his face. “If you want, I can show you where it is.”
“Alex,” Aislin hissed. “What are you doing?”
“Relax,” Alex said. “There’s no need to get all wound up. I was just teasing her.”
I came to the conclusion right then and there that maybe Alex had some kind of a bipolar disorder or something. First he hated me. Then he kissed me. Sometimes I irritated him. And sometimes he was teasing me. For someone who didn’t want me to feel, he was sure sending my emotions all over the place.
Looking out the window, Aislin heaved a huge sigh of relief. “Oh good, we can go in.”
I followed her gaze and saw Laylen, standing in front of Adessa’s, waving us in.
Inside of Adessa’s Herbs and Spices, the air smelled of sage and a few other spices that I couldn’t identify. Black and white tile checker-boarded the floor, the witches’ mark painted in the center. Glass countertops displaying simple things like jewelry, candles, and incense outlined the room. There were, however, some things inside the display cases that looked rather questionable. A black pot with a creepy looking eye painted on it (I swear the thing wa
s watching me), a miniature figurine of an Egyptian pyramid, and a statue of a cat with two heads. I couldn’t help but wonder what these strange objects did. Were they merely for display? Or did they hold some kind of magical power to them?
“So…” Aislin skimmed about the room with a puzzled expression. “Where’s this Adessa?”
“She’ll be down in just a minute.” Laylen leaned back against a display case and rested his elbows on top of it. “She had to run upstairs to get something.”
I walked around the room, trailing my finger aimlessly along the glass countertop as I gazed down at all the peculiar looking objects. On one of the counters, I spotted a crystal ball that looked like what Fortune Tellers used to see into the future. I peered inside it, curious if I would be able to see what my future held. Violet ribbons floated gracefully in a sea of shimmering water. Through it, my reflection stared back at me. Apparently I possessed no psychic abilities. Either that or this particular ball was a dud.
“If you’re not careful, you might get stuck inside it,” Alex said, appearing out of thin air and scaring the crap out of me.
I threw my hand over my accelerating heart. “Jesus. You scared the heck out of me.” I paused, catching me breath. “So what were you saying about me getting stuck inside something?”
“Stuck inside here.” He tapped his fingers on the crystal ball. “It’s a Foreseer’s crystal ball. The kind they use to see visions. But to see the future, they actually have to go into the future.” He flicked the ball with his finger again. “By going inside.”
“But why would I get stuck inside it? I’m not a Foreseer.”
“Yeah, but you’re…different. I don’t think you should touch it.”
“But you keep touching it,” I pointed out.
“But I don’t have the power of a star flowing around inside me, do I?” He rapped his fingers on the crystal ball again, trying to prove his point. “Who knows what might happen if you touch it? You might set off its power or something and get sucked into a vision. In fact, you probably shouldn’t touch anything at all.”
“Including the floor,” I said with sarcasm. “Because that seems like it would be very tricky.”
Most people would have gotten aggravated by my smart mouthed comment. Not Alex though. It was like a game to him.
“That does sound pretty tricky.” He leaned in toward me and lowered his voice. “I think you know that’s not what I meant.”
I took a few slow deep breaths because I had to. With how close he was, the electricity had ignited and forced me into a tug-o-war with my emotions. Part of me wanted to slap him, while the other part of me wanted to press my lips against his.
I tore my eyes away from him and looked over at Laylen and Aislin to distract myself from my insane feelings. They seemed to be engulfed in a very serious conversation. Laylen had his eyes fixed on Aislin, who kept waving her hands around in a heated kind of gesture.
“Well, if it’s that big of a deal if I touch something,” I mumbled, “then maybe I should go wait in the car.”
“You can’t go back to the car,” Alex said sternly. “Not by yourself.”
We stared at each other, as this giant bubble of electricity built around us.
Finally, Alex broke his gaze away. He kicked the floor with the tip of his shoe. “So yeah, just make sure you don’t touch anything, except for the floor.”
A few moments later, a woman around thirty years old or so waltzed into the room. She had golden cat-shaped eyes and wavy black hair that flowed all the way down to her waist. She wore a navy blue velvet dress, large gold-hooped earrings, and her skin was the color of honey.
“I’m Adessa,” she said in a voice as smooth as silk. “Now, Laylen told me that one of you is a witch and is looking for a Vectum Crystal.” Her cat eyes landed on me. “And let me guess, is it you?”
I glanced around nervously and then shook my head, lost as to why she’d think that. I pointed a finger at Aislin. “No, not me—her.”
“Hmm…that’s interesting.” She focused her attention on Aislin. “So what particular one are you looking for, dear?”
“Well, I’ve been using the purple amethyst.” Aislin paused. “But since we have to travel a long distance, I think maybe the gold one would work better.”
Adessa twisted a necklace that hung around her neck. “How long of a distance is it, dear?”
“Oh…I think about 500 miles,” Aislin said. “Give or take a few.”
Adessa wandered behind the counter and waved at Aislin to follow her. “I think I have something that would work even better than the gold one.” She raised her hand and drew an invisible rectangle in the air. One of the shelves lining the purple walls shifted backwards, sinking into the wall like it had been drawn back by an invisible force; or a magical force. My mouth dropped agape as the shelf disappeared altogether and revealed a solid black door hidden behind it. Adessa flicked her hand like she was shooing a fly away, and the door swung open. From where I stood, I couldn’t see what was inside. I tried to casually lean to my left to get a better look, but no such luck—Adessa and Aislin were blocking my view.
Adessa motioned at the doorway. “After you, my dear.”
Aislin bit down on her lip and tentatively stepped inside. Adessa followed behind her. A bright red flash sparkled throughout the room, and the door slammed shut.
Then they were gone.
“What the heck?” I was resting somewhere between being completely fascinated and absolutely terrified. “Where did they go?”
“To a secret place where Adessa keeps certain things hidden,” Laylen answered.
“What kind of things?” I asked, intrigued.
Laylen came over beside me, his hands tucked in his pockets. “The dangerous kind.”
“Laylen,” Alex warned.
“What?” Laylen gave him an I’m-so-innocent look. “She asked a question, and I answered. What’s wrong with that?”
“Everything’s wrong with it,” Alex said forthrightly.
I sighed. Would the secretiveness ever end? I could cross my fingers and hope so, but I wasn’t holding my breath—I’d probably die from lack of oxygen if I did.
I traced my finger along a crack in the display case. “So why did Adessa think I was the witch?”
Laylen cocked his head to the side, his forehead scrunched over. “I’m not really sure.”
Alex spun the Foreseers’ crystal ball in its stand. “Probably because of your eyes.”
I absentmindedly touched the corner of my eye. “Why would my eyes make her think that?”
“You’ve seen them, right?” he said derisively. “The color’s anything but normal—a dead giveaway that there’s something different about you.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen them,” I snapped.
“I’m not trying to be mean.” He sounded like he meant it, but who could tell for sure? “I actually like the color. It’s a nice different.”
Confused if he was teasing me or not, I opted to keep my mouth shut. That way nothing stupid would escape it.
Laylen wandered away from us and started fiddling around with a set of black and blue ceramic boxes on a nearby shelf. Electric sparks started kissing at my body, moving from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. It wasn’t too hot or too strong, and I had to admit, I liked the way it made me feel. But I wondered if there would ever be a time where I could just freely enjoy the feeling. Or freely enjoy my life. Would I ever just be normal? Maybe after I stopped this end-of-the-world thing from happening, I just might be able to live freely.
But what was even going to happen to me after I stopped the end of the world from happening?
“Can I ask you something?” I asked Alex.
He fixed his gaze on a tiny black stone inside the counter. “Depends on what it is, I guess.”
I shook my head. I highly doubted he was going to give me a straight answer—or any answer at all—but I had to at least try. I took a dee
p breath and quickly threw my question out there. “What happens to me after the portal closes?”
Okay, so I have learned from past experiences that Alex was a good actor. He could lie like a real pro. Pretend to be something he wasn’t. Manipulate my thoughts. So when his face drained of all its color, my heart stopped. Whatever the answer was, it had to be horrible.
“What is it?” My words rushed out of me in a panic.
He shook his head, his skin still very pale. “Gemma, I’m not sure we should be talking about this right now.”
“What do you mean you don’t think we should talk about this right now?” I stomped my foot on the floor—yes, like a two-year-old, but considering the circumstances, I think it was called for. “Just tell me.”
“I’d rather not,” he said flatly.
“Well, I’d rather you did,” I retorted.
“No, this isn’t something we should be discussing right now.”
And that’s when I knew it. I was never going to be normal. I was never going to be able to enjoy things, be happy, and do whatever I wanted with my life.
“I’m going to die, aren’t I?” I choked.
“I don’t know.” He hesitated. “No one knows, really. You could just go back to normal or….” He drifted off.
“Or I could die,” I finished for him.
He didn’t answer, but he was looking everywhere else except at me.
Freaking out, I whirled around on my heels, preparing to make a mad dash for the door, but my elbow bumped into something cold and hard—the Foreseers crystal ball. It bounced out of the stand, rolled off the counter, and hit the floor with a loud clank.
“Crap,” I said. Without even thinking, I bent down to swipe it up.
Alex and Laylen yelled, “No!”
As my fingers grazed the glass, I felt my body being pulled. And then I was spiraling down a dark tunnel.
Chapter 21