Charmed: The Next Generation *DISCONTINUED FOR THE TIME BEING*

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

           Melinda sat in the library at Magic School with the Book of Shadows lying on the table in front of her. She stared at the fresh handwriting on the bottom of the page. More are coming.

            The handwriting appeared right after the last demon blew up. It wasn’t there when she and her brothers first opened up to that page. Her mom had told her how sometimes their ancestors would write little notes in the book or flip the pages to where they needed them to be if their ancestors felt they were in need of a little guidance.

            For the past hour, Melinda stared at the book trying to will more words to appear, but nothing happened. She ran a hand through her long hair and sighed. What does this mean? She asked herself. Of course it meant more demons were coming. But who? And when?

           After those words appeared on the page, Chris and Wyatt orbed Melinda to Magic School in case more were coming right at that very moment. They knew that couldn’t stay there forever, but it was the safest place for Melinda to be.

           Chris walked into the library and saw Melinda sitting on one of the old couches.

           “Hey,” he greeted. He sat down next to her on the couch and noticed her hands were shaking. He put an arm around her and smiled. “Everything’s going to be okay, Mel.”

            Melinda did her best to smile back. “I know. I’m just scared.”

            “We’re going to protect you,” Chris said. He was the definition of the protective older brother. “We’re not going to let anybody hurt you.”

            “That’s exactly why I’m scared. You two are going to be so worried about protecting me that you won’t look after yourselves.”

            “We can take care of ourselves.”

            “I know you can, but you won’t. You guys got so caught up in finding out what you could about the disappearing mermaids that you didn’t notice demons were right behind you. You two could’ve been killed then and there.”

            Chris was about to dispute, but a light bulb turned on in his head. “You’re right; we could’ve been killed.”

            “That’s my point!”

            “No, Mel,” Chris cut her off. “They could’ve killed us right then. Why did they capture us instead? Why didn’t they just kill us? Unless… Unless we were the bait.”

            “The bait? The bait for who?” Melinda asked.

            Chris looked at her with wide eyes. “The bait for you.”

            Melinda couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous thought. “Chris, I love you, but I think you’ve finally gone bonkers. Why would those demons want me? I’m not nearly as powerful as you or Wyatt.”

            “It’s the only explanation that makes sense. ‘More are coming.’ It was a warning for you.”

            Melinda looked at him as though he really were insane. “Actually, that doesn’t make any sense.”

            “Why else would they capture us and keep us alive? They could’ve finished us off, but they didn’t. They kept us alive for a reason,” Chris said.

            “And you think that reason is me?” Chris nodded, but Melinda laughed again and shook her head. “Why would they want me? Like I said, out of the three of us, I’m basically the weak link. If anything, they would use me as the bait to get to you two. Not the other way around.”