He Thought He Saw – Part 53

The teens find out more about themselves and about their parents. Jordan scoffs that it’s like Last Air Bender, only to have her father say that it’s very much like that.

“My mind is officially boggled,” Jordan said, holding her forehead. “This is like something out of a weird paranormal novel. I still don’t know what I am.”

“You’re another one like Miles, a combo,” Heath explained. “You’re a Caster, like your mom, but you have my Receiver abilities as well. You have no idea how powerful that makes you. You and Brian together will make an amazing team.”

“I just wish you were older,” Miles said. “A marriage bond always strengthens the gifts.”

“What?” Jordan held up her hands like stop signs. “Marriage? We’re fifteen.”

“We all knew at fifteen who we were destined to marry,” Heath replied. “I knew your mom was going to be my wife before I even knew her name. Miles and Maribelle grew up together. From the time they were toddlers, their parents saw they would be together. It’s like that for us. We find one another. Think of it as your soul mate.”

Brian and Jordan looked at one another, frowning.

“So, you’re saying I’m gonna end up married to this goon?”

Miles and Heath laughed loudly.

“Yes, honey. I’m sorry. This goon is my future son-in-law,” Heath teased.

“I’m sitting right here, you know,” Brian said, his tone disdainful. “Who says I want to marry Jordan anyhow? She hits me with pillows.”

“Better than her fists,” Heath said. “Don’t worry. That’s a few years down the line.”

“Of more immediate worry is what do we do about Mr. D.?” Miles changed the subject abruptly. “He’s decidedly on the offensive and he’s getting stronger. The last time I fought him, I almost didn’t succeed. If the dogs hadn’t helped me, he would have killed me. As it was, I was so drained afterward, I almost died. That was right after Maribelle lost her sight.”

“Can anything be done for her?” Brian asked.

“I’ve been working with her since we got here,” Heath said. “I imagine she and Jackie are working on that right now. She’s improving daily. But she may never have her whole eyesight back.”

“Some is better than none,” Miles said, sighing heavily. “I blame myself.”

“It’s not your fault. You all knew the risks.”

“I thought I could control it….”

“No use getting upset about it again,” Heath said rather sternly. “It’s done and over. Nothing can change it. What we need to do is make some plans. The kids will have to go back to school tomorrow and they will be vulnerable there.”

“Why?” Brian asked.

“It’s a public place. Anyone can go there. Unlike a private residence, no one has authority over it. You can bind evil and cast it from your home or a privately owned business. You can’t do that with public property like schools and city buildings.”

“We’ll figure something out. Dora Finley works there. She’ll be able to keep an eye on them.”

“Meanwhile, I think we need to get back to the house,” Heath said, glancing at his watch. “The women will be worried. You coming?” he asked Miles.

Brian’s father shook his head. “No. I’ll be fine here. Keep Maribelle and Brian with you another night. I have to ward the house. They got broken somehow. I still haven’t figured it out.”

“There was that bear,” Brian said. “Could it have caused some trouble?”

“A bear?” His father looked and sounded puzzled.

“Yeah, a few nights ago when it started turning cold. We had a bear break in through the back door. It didn’t get in the house, but it made a mess.”

“That wasn’t a bear,” Miles said. “That was Mr. D. He can use animals as an avatar. But that still doesn’t explain how he could breach the wards unless there was a hole for some other reason. I’ll have to see what I can find. Meanwhile, you all go back over to Heath’s.”

“I want to stay here with you,” Brian begged his father. “I have so many questions and I haven’t seen you in ages. Does Mom know you’re here?”

Miles shook his head. “I want to keep it that way for now. She’s very vulnerable at the moment. She needs to be around Heath and Jackie so she can get back her sight. She’s got to concentrate on that.”

“Dad, she’d want to know you were here and okay.”

“She knows,” he replied. “Your mom and I don’t have to be together to talk. We’re always in contact with one another.”

© 2016 Dellani Oakes

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