Chapter 19
-Salem-
Shooting stars, like lovers, are cruel. They come and light up your world. They fill your soul up with bright and childish joy, making you hope and dream that anything you want can happen. You don't believe in darkness. You don't believe in fear. Because they make everything better, more magical. Then they're gone. And you're left with a empty gaping hole is your chest that you feel will suck you up until you're nothing.
Ian knew. It was over. Everything was gone. All those carefree laughs, stolen kisses, heated looks, tender touches - everything just... gone. I felt like I was falling apart, like I would fly away if the wind blew hard enough. It hurt to breathe, to think, to feel. If you never experienced it, then you'd never understand the shattering and burning agony of heartbreak. You just can't.
I sniffed my tears back and the sound broke the silence of the forest. When I had ran, I ran to the only place where no one could find me, my Ground. I was hidden from everywhere and everything in the protective circle. I sat on the soft rug and pillows in the huge round tent that I had brought here a while ago. The sun was down and I had to create witch light so I wouldn't be in total darkness.
"Stupid." I held my head in my hands, "Stupid, stupid, stupid."
A fresh round of tears broke through the flimsy dam I created.
"So stupid!" I shouted and my powers involuntarily released a blast of black energy.
The black energy silenced the forest immediately, killing the sounds of the animals and insects as they sensed a dark presence among them. My breathing was the only sound. I'm so stupid. Did I really think that I could hide myself from Ian? That he would never find out? So stupid!
I sniffed my nose and tried to wipe it with my sleeve but my septum got in the way. With a growl of frustration, I took it off and tossed it. I only got it to stand out, and now I just wanted to disappear. Stupid piercing, stupid nose, stupid me.
Salem.
I looked up when I heard the deep and feminine voice in my head and saw Sammy, my cat, staring at me with her glowing lime eyes. I frowned at her.
"Where the hell have you been?" I asked and my voice sounded scratchy and stuffy.
You didn't need me, so I went out to play.
She swished her tail gracefully and stepped over the mountains of pillows to reach me.
"Out to play? You've been gone for weeks!" I scuffed.
Doesn't matter now, dear. I sensed your distress and I came back. What's wrong, Salem? Why is your heart breaking?
I shook my head and wiped away a tear just as she moved her black body into my lap. She nudged me with her pink wet nose and I ran my hand over her sleek, soft fur.
Tell me, pet.
I let out a shaky laugh. My pet cat always called me "pet".
"Sammy, everything is just so fucked." I cried.
Sammy didn't respond. I think she knew that anything she said wouldn't do any good. Instead, she curled up in my arms and let me cried.
-Ian-
What the fuck.
What. The. Fuck.
Ian paced his room tirelessly, trying to get a grip on his spinning mind. Salem was glowing, literally glowing! Her eyes were black, fully black. Her hair had been flowing like it was caught up in a wind. The very memory brought back the goosebumps her presence had given him. What the fuck!
"What the hell happened!!!" Ian exclaimed.
Salem ran from him. She left him there in her room with no fucking clue what just happened. Ian followed her out of the house, but she ran into the forest before he could call out to her. Blair looked troubled, but Ian had a feeling that everyone in that house knew exactly what was going on with Salem.
Ian left and was glad when no one was home when he got there. He wasn't sure if he would have kept all this shit to himself otherwise. One side of Ian was afraid and freaking out terribly, the other was sick with worry over Salem. Where was she? Was she okay? Was she lost and afraid?
"Goddamn it." Ian sank down onto the bed and held his face.
Everything was rushing at him too fast. He felt all this pressure and weight on him like he was carrying the world on his shoulders. He felt a building in his chest. What is she? Where is she?
"Ian? Hey, man are you cool?" A voice interrupted his thoughts.
Ian jumped and looked up. Isaac and Daniel were looking at him with concerned eyes. Ian shook his head and ran his hand over his face.
"Tell us, what's up? You know we always told each other everything." Daniel sat on his left.
"Yeah, remember when we told you we had superpowers and you laughed at us for days." Issac sat down on his right.
"So yeah, tell us, Ian." Daniel chuckled.
Ian looked at them. His cousins, they were his first best friends, they were as good as his brothers. He could tell them anything right? But would they understand?
"Is it Salem? Did you guys break up?" Isaac asked.
"I..." Ian opened his mouth. "She-"
"Ian," his mother opened his door and looked at him with wide eyes.
"Ma?" Ian frowned.
"What happened today?" She asked in a frantic voice.
"Ma-"
"Come downstairs now." She said dismissively.
Ian stood and Daniel and Issac followed him out. Ian's heart began to pound and he didn't know why. His skin seemed to vibrate, and he felt like electricity was rushing through him. Each step down the stairs made him feel edgier and edgier. Daniel and Issac followed Ian to the living, and they all stopped in their tracks.
Salem's grandfather, Izrael, was standing in Ian's living room with his two aunts, who looked pale and awestruck by Izrael's presence. Ian's eyes connected with Izrael's, and he felt that same struggle as before. Like he wanted to spill his guts to this man but he knew that wasn't right.
"Ian." Izrael's deep voice disturbed the silence. "You and I have some things to discuss. Things concerning a certain young witch."
-Gwen-
This couldn't be happening. What on earth was the Sorcerer King doing here?! Gwen's eyes lifted to her only son, who was looking the Sorcerer King in the eyes, fully and completely and it was utterly disrespectful. Fear moved into her heart. Would the King think Ian was being disrespectful? Her son didn't know.
"Witch?" Ian frowned. "Is that what she is? Is that what you are?"
"What's going on?" Gwen asked.
"Gwyneth, I am here to speak to your young son." Izrael said dismissively.
"Izrael," Ian's voice seemed a little desperate, "I have no idea what to do and I'm still trying to make myself believe this really is happening. I... I just want to know if Salem's alright."
Izrael watched Ian silently and Gwen's heart was pounding hard against her ribs. What was going on? How did King Izrael know Salem?
"That is precisely what I want to know from you, Ian. She has run off and has yet to return." Izrael said and Gwen saw that Ian looked distressed. "And in light of this new information, I believe you can find her."
"What information?" Ian asked.
"Information regarding your family, young man. You aren't what we originally thought. And it seems your family has been keeping that precious information from you as well." King Izrael looked at Gwen disapprovingly.
Ian looked at his mom and Gwen felt her heart clench. She saw the distrust in his eyes as he looked at her.
"What I don't understand is why they would keep your identity a secret." Izrael looked at all of them.
"It was for his own good!" Gwen defended.
"Silence." Izrael spoke and silence came.
Ian looked at all of them with betrayal and distrust fresh in his eyes and Gwen feared what he would do. Izrael looked back to Ian.
"Now, you need to find my granddaughter."
"Granddaughter?" Gwen gasped.
"How?" Ian asked, ignoring his mother.
"Just follow that voice in the back of your mind. If you want to find her as much as you say, you will."
*hey I know this is short and I don't really like it but I hate to not update quickly. so you know the drill VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!! COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT!!!!*