Blood Prophecy (Witch Fairy) (4 page)

I’m pretty sure that Dad’s chuckling isn’t helping to take the sting out of Kallen’s words for Grandma since her face is bright red.  But who cares about Grandma.  Maybe there’s hope for my parents liking Kallen after all.  At least Dad, anyway.

After taking a deep breath, which I doubt helped, Grandma says between tight lips, “I apologize if I offended you and your kind.”  Your kind?  That’s just a tad bit insulting.  And I don’t think it’s going to win her any points with Kallen.  “I have been told tales of Sheehogue intervention between the Pooka and the humans on occasion.  But I also understood from these tales that the Sheehogue prefer to remain neutral, and are not prone to intervention unless the situation has become dire.  So, you can understand my assumption that you are of the Pooka Fae.  I did not realize that the situation had reached the point where the Sheehogue would intervene.”  Wow, that was not the world’s greatest apology.  I wonder if Kallen is aware that I like to have the use of all my fingers, not just the ones that aren’t being crushed in his grip right now.

“And as I have heard tales of you and your husband’s treatment of Mrs. Smith, and personally witnessed your husband try to kill Xandra, you can understand my hesitation to believe you to be anything more than a distraction while your husband gathers
seven
other Witches to take on
one
Witch Fairy.”

Grandma’s eyes flash.  If it turns out that she is on our side, I don’t think she and Kallen will ever bond after this exchange of words.  “Yes, I can understand why there is hesitation to trust me.  It simply took me by surprise that I would be making a blood oath with a Fa…with you.”  Oh, good catch on her part.

Dad crosses his arms over his translucent chest and he has a don’t mess with me expression on his face.  “That’s the deal, Athear.  Take it or leave it.”  I didn’t know Dad even knew her name, as he’s been calling her ‘that woman’ for the last half hour. 

Glancing over at Mom, I wonder why she’s been so quiet.  That’s not normal for her.  And I’ve never seen her bite her nails before like she is right now.  I wonder if she can change the length of her fingernails by biting them.  Do they feel solid to her?  Does anything feel solid to her?  I’ll have to ask her that later.  We haven’t talked a whole lot about what Mom and Dad can feel.  Again, part of that trying to seem normal thing we’ve had going on.  We just pretend that everything’s the same for them as it is for the rest of the family.

Straightening her shoulders, Grandma says, “I will make a blood oath with whomever you would like.  I am here to help.”

“Are you sure, Mother?”  Mom asks quietly.  There’s the implication in her question that she believes her mother may not be telling the truth, and will suffer the consequences of the blood oath.  Which is always death.  I wonder how a person dies from a blood oath gone wrong?  Do they just drop dead wherever they’re standing from a heart attack or stroke or something?  Or is it some kind of slow painful death?  I’ll add that to my list of questions to ask later.  It kind of ruins the effect if I seem ignorant about what is going on. 

“Yes, Quillian, I am.”

“Her name is Juilienne,” Dad practically growls. 

Grandma inclines her head towards him.  “Of course.  It will take some getting used to on my part, but I will adjust.”  Turning to Mom, she says, “Are we ready to begin?”

Before Mom has a chance to respond, Kallen says to her, “If you do not object, I would like to set the terms of the blood oath.”

Mom’s brow furrows.  I don’t think she’s a hundred percent on board with this plan.  But, I’m pretty sure she knows she’s outnumbered if she disagrees with it.  She nods at Kallen and says, “Okay.”  Then she turns towards Grandma.  “Mother, please take the knife and add your blood to the bowl.”

Grandma looks down at the bowl and knife for the first time and her breath catches.  She looks back up at Mom.  “You are using your athame for a blood ritual?”  Apparently, athames are never supposed to draw blood. 

“It’s a little late to be concerned about that.”  Mom says pointedly.  She had to stab two guards instead of using her magic to escape my grandparent’s house.  “It has already shed blood, a little more will not make a difference.”

Grandma looks down at the athame again.  Is that a tear in her eye again?  Over a knife?  Or is she feeling guilty about what Mom had to do.  I hope it’s that one.  I would hate to have my opinion of her drop even lower.

Picking up the knife, she holds the index finger of her left hand over the bowl and uses the tip to cut her skin.  Several drops of her blood drop into the ceramic bowl without making a sound.  She turns and hands the knife to Kallen.  He has no hesitation about using the athame to draw blood.  It doesn’t seem to be a thing for Fairies.  He repeats the process and his blood joins Grandma’s in the bowl.

“Speak the words of the oath,” Mom directs him.

“By this blood, let Queen Athear Levex join me in my oath to protect Xandra Illuminata Smith from harm or death, whether by magical, natural, spiritual, Cowan, blood relative or any otherworldly means.  This binding will forsake previous loyalties forged by blood, marriage, debt or friendship.”  Looking over at me and Dad briefly, he continues.  “If we choose to sacrifice our own lives for our cause, our dying breath will be spent in an effort to fulfill the promises set forth with this binding.”  Turning back to Grandma, he adds, “Let the laws of the Sheehogue take precedence over Witch law in concerns to this binding, and let the Witch and Fairy magic come together as a force to hold this oath true and unable to be unbound by either.”  Grandma’s eyes spark when he finishes, but she doesn’t say anything.

Mom hesitates for a moment but then with her mouth in a grim line, she closes her eyes.  When she reopens them, she begins to speak the words that joined Kallen and me in our blood oath.  “Bound by blood, moon and tide, by this oath you must abide.  If by traitorous heart you deceive, or by lack of courage you mislead, count that breath to be your last, as the earth will claim its next repast.”  

I’m just about to think how much I like Fairy magic better because it’s more visible, when there’s a sizzling sound and a puff of smoke rises from the bowl.  “What was that?” I ask as I peer around Kallen into the bowl.  The mixed blood has turned a strange shade of amber.  And are those sparkles?  What the heck?  That’s not supposed to happen.  Nothing visible is supposed to happen.

It’s Mom’s turn to give Grandma an accusing look.  “Did you attempt to nullify the oath?”

Grandma closes her eyes and sighs.  “No, I did not."  Opening her eyes, she says firmly, “That is what happens when a Witch and a Fairy form a blood oath.”

That didn’t happen when Kallen and I did ours, but then again, I’m only half Witch.  Still, I turn to Kallen whose face has become blank as he and Grandma link eyes.  “Is that true?”

Kallen takes a moment to answer me, his eyes never leaving Grandma.  “It can,” he says vaguely.  And then he adds more firmly, “The oath is complete.”

Dad doesn’t look like he believes him.  Yeah, me neither.  Something’s fishy here.  With doubt in his eyes and a frown on his brow, Dad asks, “Are you sure?”

Kallen finally tears his eyes from Grandma to answer Dad.  “I am positive.”  His face is still a blank page.  Grandma has tiny worry lines around her eyes, and it’s obvious she’s trying to school them.  Something is going on between her and Kallen, but I have no idea what.  I give Kallen a puzzled look but he ignores me.  Oh, I really don’t like that.

Dad still doesn’t look convinced, either.  He turns to Mom.  “So, what, now we’re supposed to just welcome her into our home?  I don’t like this, Julienne.  There is something going on with
that woman
,” he flings his arm towards Grandma, “that I don’t trust.”

Kallen is standing stiff as a board, not reacting to Dad.  His eyes have moved back to Grandma’s.  “What’s going on?” I hiss quietly, trying not to clue Dad in on whatever is happening between Kallen and Grandma.

He finally tears his eyes away and deigns to look at me.  It’s about time.  “All is well.” 

On the list of all the crap answers he’s given me over the last week, this is the biggest.  This is my life we’re playing with!  But there’s something about the set of his jaw that tells me that I’m not going to get a better answer than that right this minute.  

I huff and turn towards Mom.  “What now?”

“I would like you and Kallen to get your Grandmother’s bags from the driveway.  Your father and I need to talk to her.”

I expect Dad to object since he has that murderous sociopath look on his face again, but he doesn’t say anything.  I guess Grandma’s staying then.  Great, I’m so excited.  Maybe we can get to the cookie making part of our relationship sometime.  If she doesn’t decide to kill me first, that is.

Without a backward glance at Kallen, I walk to the front door and go outside to get the suitcases sitting at the end of the driveway.  Grandma had apparently taken a cab up the mountain.  That must have cost her a fortune.  Good, I hope it did. 

Kallen catches up with me and puts his hand on my arm so I’ll stop.  “She is telling the truth.  She is here to help.”

I pull my arm out of his grasp and whirl around.  All the frustration from the last hour comes pouring out at him.  “Really?  Just how do you know that?  Because some blood smoked and sizzled and you and Grandma made eye contact?  Forgive me if that isn’t enough to make me want a group hug with the two of you.  I’m a little too selfishly concerned right now with keeping myself alive.  I figure one of us should be.”

The hurt on his face quickly turns to anger as he lets his arm fall back to his side.  “I thought I heard you say in there that you trusted me.  I must have been mistaken.”

“So, what, I’m supposed to have blind faith in you?  Even I’m not that naïve.”

He has shuttered his face now so I can’t tell what he’s thinking or feeling again.  “Is blind faith such a bad thing when you claim to care about someone?”

Ignoring his attempt to guilt me into compliance, I ask, “Are you going to tell me why you suddenly think that Grandma is one of the good guys?”

His mouth sets in a thin line and it takes several heartbeats for him to answer.  “There are some things that should be explained by the person who holds all the answers.”

“Enough of the stupid cryptic speak.  Between you and Mom, I’ve had enough of it to last me a lifetime!  Are you going to tell me or not?”

“I can tell you that she took a great risk making that blood oath with me.”

“Oh, well, that clears everything up.  Thank you.”  Where’s my sarcasm napkin?  I seem to have some dripping down my chin.

Kallen runs a frustrated hand through his hair.  “Xandra, I am sorry.  I cannot tell you.”

“Cannot or will not?”

“Cannot.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m bound by Sheehogue law.”

“Are you trying to make me hate you?  Because you’re on the right path if you are.”

His frustration is almost palpable now.  “Xandra, I am not deliberately keeping something from you.”

I snort.  “Funny, it feels like you are.”

Kallen hangs his head.  Something I haven’t seen him do before.  He’s always been too proud to do something like that, so it can’t be a good thing that he’s doing it now. “I made a mistake when I set the guidelines of the oath.”

Uh oh.  That sounds ominous.  I almost expect to hear the duh duh duhn music start playing.  Maybe I really don’t want to know what he’s keeping from me.  “You made a mistake?” 

“Yes.”

I wait a minute expecting him to continue, but he doesn’t.  “What kind of mistake?” I prompt.

“I weaved Sheehogue law and magic into the oath because I was sure that your grandmother was not the Witch she says she is, and that would have exposed her lies.  But I stumbled into an ancient law by mistake.  I am now bound by it.”

“Kallen, that doesn’t make any sense at all.  What ancient law?”