Ember's Awakening

Chapter Sixteen

Ember opened her eyes and saw the familiar surroundings of the shop. She hadn't been gone long from first leaving the pub. Maybe Selia was there still. Maybe she could help her.

'I can find him', the voice surrounded her making her cry out. She could feel pain radiate through her.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Ember was frightened. Was the voice causing the pain she now felt?

'Do you want to find him or not? He can help us.' The voice replied, avoiding her question completely.

Did she want to find him? Did she really want to know?

Ember was angry, frightened, and really tired of secrets.

Ember sat in front of the fireplace, pulling the grimoire from her bag.

Concentrating on the logs she flicked her wrist, unsure if it would work. But it did.

Flames shot up, consuming the logs, turning to a full blaze.

She opened the book in her lap. There should be something in it about binding. If her family had done this to her there should be something about it in this book.

She heard the voice make some noise that sounded like a chuff.

What the hell is this thing in me?

That thought made her pause. Until now she had believed it to be a separate entity. Something haunting her; tormenting her. But now she felt like it was a part of her. Something in her. Trying to be freed.

Could this be what they were talking about? What the binding was holding?

'You're so close,' the voice told her.

Ember skipped through the pages that she knew she had already read and began at those she hadn't had a chance to study yet. She searched for what seemed like forever and almost missed it.

Two of the pages were missing; cut from the book- So neatly that she didn't see it the first time.

An angry hiss escaped her lips; sounding an awful lot like the voice. Ember slammed the book shut.

It was time to get some help.

She stood stretching her cramped limbs lazily, like a cat. Walking to the phone that rested on the checkout counter she picked up the handset with a sigh and punched in Selia's number.

To think that a few short hours ago she was having a wonderful day. That she was actually happy for a brief while.

After a few rings a young woman answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Sel. It's Ember...."

"Oh, hey Em."

"Listen, I'm sorry to be calling you this late but is there any chance I could come over?" Ember's voice wavered.

Was her asking for help a good idea? She usually didn't have anyone to confide in, or involve in her personal matters. She closed her eyes, the seconds stretching out, waiting on Selia's reply.

" O'course ya can. Are you okay? Ya don't sound well."

Ember laughed bitterly.

"No," her voice cracked, "can you tell me how to get to your house?'

"I'll come get you. Ya don't need to be walkin alone right now. Are you at home?"

Ember heard movement over the line. Fabric rustling, keys jingling.

"No. No, I'm back at the shop," Ember whispered, "Please hurry Sel."

"I will be right there. Ember, whatever it is....." Selia paused "Whatever it is, we will figure it out. It's gonn'ta be okay."

"Thank you, Selia," Ember replied not really knowing if she believed her newfound friend's statement.

Ember hung uo the phone when she heard the click of the line. Now all she had to do was wait. She went to her bag, packing the big book in it. Surveying the shop her eyes fell on a bookshelf, full of books from the old shop and quite a few that were newly acquired.

She walked to the shelves scanning the book titles.

Would any of these hold any information to help her with her current situation?

Ember sighed. She didn't have time to go through all of the books. She knew that she would need to familiarize herself with them. How could she sell them, not knowing what they were about. She just found out she was a witch; that Fae were real and suspected that she had something inside of her that wanted to be released. It made her wonder what was coming next.

Just then an old weathered-looking book with a deep crimson spine caught her eye. It looked hand stitched. She felt drawn to it somehow.

How very interesting and peculiar. Ember didn't recall this particular book being in their inventory. There was no title or name on the binding. Ember slipped it off the shelf and when she did she felt that familiar spark.

Magic.

The silver and green embroidered symbol on the cover shimmered as she gazed at it. Running her fingers over the stitching she could have sworn she saw it begin to glow. Just as she was about to open the cover she heard a faint light knocking at the front door.

Selia was standing at the shop door, waiting for Ember to open the door for her.

Ember shoved the red book into her bag and headed to the front to open the shop door.

"Are you okay?" Selia's voice was filled with concern, her smokey gray eyes reflecting the very same.

Her friend was worried for her.

Ember snorted, "Where should I begin?"

Selia smiled sadly. "C'mon; Lock up an les' go on ta my house. We can have a drink an talk."

Ember locked the shop door, trudging to the little black car and slipped into the front seat.

"Did ya go home? Do ya need ta ring up yer Gran or Aunt? They will come lookin if ya don'na let them know where ya be."

"I'll call my Gran when we get to your house if that's okay?" Ember leaned her forehead against the cool car window.

"Aye, s'okay wi' me. I live nearby." Selia gave her a wry smile.

At least they were headed the opposite way out of the village; away from her house.

Moments later Selia turned the small black car onto a hidden road winding back into the thick treeline. Trees enveloped them snuffing out any light that was breaking through the already cloud covered night sky.

She lives in the woods! Let's just hope her house isn't made from gingerbread.

A laugh bubbled up in her throat. She really was losing it.

Selia sat quietly, not commenting on the odd laughter.

The trees broke open and in the middle of the clearing sat an adorable cottage. Ember instantly fell in love. It was brightly lit from the inside; wispy smoke funneled from a stacked chimney. Ember could see faint movement through one of the front picture windows.

"Who else is here?" She asked glancing nervously at the cottage and to her friend.

"Oh, tha be Conor. He an I share a place. There be plenty of room though; if ya need ta stay." When Selia saw Ember's facial expression she went on. "Conor will no bother us, so don' worry about that."

Ember nodded. After Selia heard what she was about to tell her, she wasn't so sure that invitation would stand; but she had to talk to someone. Selia was the first friend that she had that she felt as if she actually could share things with. The first that came to mind when she needed a friend to help.