Post by StoryGirl83 on Apr 5, 2014 22:52:14 GMT -5
Chapter Nineteen – Too Easy?
Wyatt and Chris looked at each other questioningly.
“I don’t know,” Wyatt admitted.
Chris looked at Gary, remembering the spell he had cast earlier. “Test the shield.”
Gary reached out his hand tentatively. The farther his hand went the more confident he got.
Chris waved his hand and the crystals dispersed. “The spell is obviously gone.”
“But the demon?” Arie persisted.
Chris shook his head, uncertain. “I don’t know. That was unlike any vanquish I have ever seen.”
Mark moved away from the wall. “You didn’t say a counter, so does that meant it’s safe?”
“Maybe,” Chris’s voice wavered.
“I think we’re safe now,” Wyatt admitted, finally.
Beth looked at Kali, who was remaining silent. “Kali.”
Kali looked at Beth. She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”
“The shield came down,” Mark admitted grudgingly.
Kali didn’t even seem to hear him. “I don’t think he’s gone. That was too easy.”
In the center of the room Gary was watching his palm as he moved it around.
“Maybe it was just his time,” Mark suggested. “Maybe you guys just found the right combination of potions. I don’t know. Sometimes it is easy.”
“I think he was scared of us,” Beth announced suddenly.
“I didn’t see that,” Kali returned, surprised.
“Scared?” Wyatt scoffed. “He practically laughed at Kali and he ignored Chris and me.”
“Not you,” Beth corrected. “Mark and me. I think he was scared of us.”
“Hey, guys!” Gary called out suddenly, drawing attention away from Beth and to himself.” As all eyes turned to him he held out his palm. “Nothing’s happening. I think the powers are gone. I think you did do it.”
“Maybe,” Chris agreed cautiously. Looking at Kali, he asked. “With that gone would he be able to call Galskaper or do you know?”
Kali looked utterly hopeless as she replied. “I’ve never heard of anyone loosing the power.”
“What happened to the author of that book?” Chris asked glancing over at the computer screen.
“Mental asylum,” Kali informed him, “but he’s alive.”
“He’s still there?” Chris asked to verify what he heard.
Nodding hard, Kali said, “He’s insane and he still has that power.” Looking at Gary, she started to smile. “Maybe he really is gone.”
Almost to himself as he looked where Galskaper last was, Chris said, “Maybe.” He looked over to where Mark and Beth stood. “Are you willing to risk it?”
Mark looked at Beth.
Beth closed her eyes for several seconds before nodding. “Gary was the threat to Mark.”
“You said you have been constantly under attack,” Wyatt reminded her.
“But always by something vanquishable,” Beth reasoned. “We still have a lot to learn, but I think we’ll make it now. Thank you.”
Mark walked over to Gary. “Considering my sister is an empath, I guess if she says you are no longer a threat, I have to believe her.” Turning to Wyatt, Chris, and Kali he simply said, “Thank you.”
Seeing as Mark and Beth weren’t the only ones involved, Chris turned to Gary and Arie. “And what about you two?”
Arie blew him an icy kiss. “I think I’m safe from a demon who can’t actively attack me.”
Gary turned to look at her confused. “What do you mean he can’t attack you?”
Arie indicated the computer screen. “He imparts powers on others. He has none himself.” With a smile she corrected herself, “Well, other than transportation.”
“Shimmering,” Chris informed her.
“Sure,” Arie agreed, tentatively. “Shimmering. Sounds too pretty for something so evil.”
Wyatt chuckled.
Gary sighed and nodded. “If Arie feels safe then yes, I’m willing to risk it.”
Chris turned, finally to Kali. “And you, Kal.”
She nodded. “I’ll be fine, Chris. Thank you for your help, Wy, Chris.” She walked over to Chris, who was closest to her and hugged him tight. She let go almost before he could react and moved to Wyatt’s side.
Wyatt beat her to the punch and hugged her. “Be careful, Kid.” He let go of her and looked at her.
She nodded. “You bet. I’ll see you next break.”
“Or crisis,” Chris teased.
She shrugged. “That’s a given. I know I can count on you.”
He nodded. “We’ll see you later then.”
“Don’t forget to call,” Wyatt added.
“Never would,” Kali denied, smiling.
As Chris and Wyatt left the room, Chris threw one last look at the spot where Galskaper vanished from.
Kali turned to Gary. “Can we talk?”
Gary looked at her for a few seconds, his expression growing more sober by the second. He finally nodded.
Arie looked at her brother and his girlfriend. She cast her attention at the two Trudeau siblings. “I get the idea that maybe we should leave.”
Mark nodded. “Yeah.” He hugged his sister’s shoulder and pulled her in the direction of the kitchen. He held out his hand for Arie. “How about I fix us up something to eat while those two talk.”
Arie grinned. She bypassed his outstretched hand and skipped into the kitchen.
Beth smiled up at her big brother as she allowed him to lead her out of the room.
Once the three were out of the room Gary slumped down onto the couch. “Look, if this is about the deal I made, I get that I was an idiot.”
Kali shook her head. “Acknowledged, but not the topic of conversation. This about the fact that you couldn’t tell me something was wrong.”
“I didn’t think you would believe me.”
“You had fire coming out of your hand in the form of round balls.”
“Fine, then I figured, you would be freaked out.”
Kali sighed. “You didn’t have to tell me that. You didn’t even tell me anything was wrong. You tried to keep the fact that you were stressed and worried from me.”
“It worked didn’t it.”
Kali walked over to the couch and sat down next to him. “I hadn’t seen you in three days, but when I talk to you on the phone you sound tense and short with me. I even asked if something was wrong, but you denied it, and when I tried to see you, you had Rick send me away. Your call, but I did try and you didn’t trust me.”
“Are we breaking up?”
Kali shook her head. “Not unless you want us to be. After nine months, I’m not going to break up with you on a whim, but I won’t deny I’m going to be careful. You need to trust me. If not with the big stuff like fire coming out of your hands, then with the bigger stuff, like someone is threatening your family. I know I didn’t tell you about being a Gypsy, so I can’t throw blame about the magical cover-ups. So what do you want?”
Gary sighed. “Time. I guess I want time, time to know if this will work, with all this out in the open.” He bit his lip and looked at her. “Thank you.”
Kali smiled. He didn’t have to say what for. Considering the day they and the others had, it was an all encompassing gratitude for everything.
and Galskaper
