Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

E DGE

The door swung open with a creak. All attention in the cottage turned to the sound, and in strolled Aurelia, her laughter ringing through the room like a sinister melody. She clapped her hands together, her eyes gleaming with wicked delight. "Oh, this plan of yours for blackmail is so quaint and human." Aurelia mocked in a sickly sweet tone.

My anger ignited like a flashpoint, but I held it in check as I focused on Immy, who looked horrified. Before anyone could move or do anything, Aurelia snapped her fingers and muttered an incantation that I couldn't quite catch. The air around Immy and Blythe grew cold, and they froze in place, their faces contorted in fear.

"Edge, disappear!" Immy yelled, but her voice faltered as her mouth paralyzed. I saw the panic in her eyes, and it tore at my heart. I glided toward her, desperate to help, but Aurelia just clicked her tongue and pointed a finger at me. I stopped in my tracks not knowing what she would do to me if I got too close.

"Ah-ah-ah, not so fast, ghost boy," she taunted. I gritted my teeth as I wished I was closer to Immy, but I didn't dare take my gaze off Aurelia.

"What do you want?" I demanded, my voice shaking with rage. Aurelia grinned, clearly enjoying the power she held over us.

"Isn't it obvious? Oh wait, you don't remember." She sounded almost proud, admiring her own handiwork. "I must say, I didn't expect my memory block spell to last all these years, especially after your death. But here we are."

My outrage flared up even stronger, and I clenched my fists. "I remember who you are, Aurelia. You won't get the grimoire."

She shrugged nonchalantly, unfazed by my threat. "Seems you don't remember everything yet. That means my spell has lasted for hundreds of years and has barely weakened."

My frustration almost consumed me. What else was she hiding? How could I protect Immy if I couldn't even remember the full extent of what Aurelia was capable of? But I couldn't let her see my fear. For Immy's sake, I had to finally put an end to this.

"Whatever you're planning," I warned, "I won't let you hurt Immy."

Aurelia's wicked grin widened, sending a shiver down my spine. It felt like a game of chess, each move calculated and deadly. And I wasn't sure who would come out victorious.

"Bold words, Edge" she said, her voice dripping with menace. "But we'll see how long that conviction lasts."

With a ghostly wail of frustration, I let my anger surge through me, causing the nearby glass to vibrate violently. A few small baubles shattered on the nearby mantle and shelves.

"Is that all you've got? Ghosts always were too much of the showhound type. I prefer to keep company with those who have actual power." Aurelia sneered. "I'm not here for a social call, Edge. I came to collect my grimoire."

"Your grimoire?" I spat, incredulous. "It's not yours. The Kemera Grimoire chose Immy; it won't let anyone else use it, let alone touch it."

Aurelia's eyes narrowed as she studied me, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "Oh, but you see, the Kemera Grimoire may have chosen Immy, but it's also bonded to you. So you can give it to anyone and it will obey. All you have to do is pick it up and give it to me. Then it will be mine, as it was always intended to be."

My heart clenched at the thought of betraying Immy, but what could I do? If I didn't give it to Aurelia, she would surely hurt Immy, or worse. And yet, the thought of handing over such power to someone so malevolent left me cold.

"Edge," Aurelia said softly, her voice deceptively sweet, "I don't have a problem murdering Immy before your eyes. I killed Emma, remember? What's one more pathetic life? A witch who never amounted to much isn't much of a loss."

What was she talking about? I only remembered her threatening me. My sister Emma wasn't even there that night.

"So you were bluffing. You barely remember anything." Aurelia says, sighing, "this isn't much fun if you don't actually remember what happened." She flicked her wrist at me, a shimmering pink powder flying into the air.

The memories slammed into me with the force of a tempest, and I couldn't hold back the torrent any longer. Images of that fateful day flickered around me, like a sinister kaleidoscope, taunting me with my own failures.

"Please, Aurelia!" I had begged her, clutching at her robes as she held Emma hostage. "Let her go! She's innocent!"

"Give me the grimoire, Edge," she demanded, holding the same blade she'd use to draw my blood now to Emma's skin. Her eyes were cold and unfeeling. "Or she dies."

"I can't do it unless you let her go," I insisted, tears streaming down my face. I knew I was playing a dangerous game, but I couldn't give in to her demands without ensuring Emma's safety first.

"Very well," Aurelia hissed, and before I could react, she snapped her fingers. Emma crumpled to the ground, lifeless. I could only stare in horror at my sister's body, the pain in my chest unbearable.

"Emma… no," I whispered, falling to my knees beside her.

With heaving sobs, I pulled her body into my lap as I begged for some sign she might be alive. A breath, a sound, anything. Time stood still as I waited for something, but it never came.

"Edge Halyard, you are under arrest for the murder of Emma Halyard," an official announced, entering our cottage. When had it gotten dark outside?

"Please!" I cried, desperate for someone to believe me. "I didn't kill her! It was Aurelia!"

"The poison he used is on the table." Aurelia pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. "I had hoped we would get here in time, but I've failed."

"Save your lies for the court," the official spat, dragging me away from the only family I had left. I tried to protest, to demand that they arrest the witch for her murder, but they didn't seem to recognize her or notice the brand on her face.

Days later, I sat locked in a dank cell and awaiting my execution. The sound of keys jangling outside my door startled me. It creaked open, revealing none other than Aurelia herself.

"Come with me," she commanded, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "Cooperate, and I'll clear your name."

"Clear my name?" I spat, incredulous. "You're the one who framed me!"

"Perhaps," she conceded. "But if you help me get the Kemera Grimoire by bringing it to me, I'll use a spell to have someone else confess to the murder. Someone already guilty of such crimes, but never caught."

"Fine," I agreed, gritting my teeth and making a deal with the devil herself. The thought of dying with everyone believing I murdered my sister was unbearable. "I'll do it."

"Good," she purred, her eyes gleaming with victory. "Now let's get that grimoire."

The scene of my memory faded as I grounded myself to the present. The fury and despair swirling within me erupted in another tormented, ghostly wail that made even Aurelia flinch. She may have framed me for my sister's murder, but she would never take away the love I had for Immy.

"Stay away from her!" I snarled, my phantom form vibrating with rage. "I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

Aurelia laughed, brushing off my threats as if they were nothing. "You have no power to stop me, Edge. You're just a pitiful ghost."

"Fine," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "I'll get the grimoire for you. But if you so much as lay a finger on Immy, I swear to whatever gods are left that I will haunt you until the end of time."

Aurelia laughed, her eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "Very well, Edge. Give me the Kemera Grimoire, and your precious Immy can live another useless day."

As I looked into Immy's terror-filled eyes, I knew I had to do something. Aurelia couldn't take the grimoire without my help, so if I wasn't here, there'd be no reason for her to harm Immy. As I moved toward the grimoire, my thoughts were consumed by an overwhelming need to protect Immy, no matter the cost. Somehow, someway, I had to find a way out of this.

"Immy, I'm so sorry. This isn't how I wanted things to turn out." My voice trembled as I begged for her forgiveness, and a single tear escaped her eye, even though she couldn't move or speak.

Taking a deep breath, I moved toward the grimoire, only to change course at the last moment and reach for Immy's hand instead. My fingers passed through her flesh, grasping the splinter that bound me to her. With a flick of my wrist, I dropped it into one of her candles, causing the flame to flare black.

Aurelia screamed as she realized what I did, but it was too late. A blinding white light filled the room, and I uttered one last plea to Immy before the world changed. "Please, forgive me."

Suddenly, the room was awash in brilliant illumination, casting shadows across the walls. The air crackled with energy, and I felt the finality of my decision settling upon me. Death would finally claim my soul.

The white light that filled the room began to take shape, morphing into a majestic unicorn with wings. Kallenus. I'd never seen him before but his name appeared in my mind. He spread his wings wide and looked directly at me. I braced myself for the end, ready to be taken away from this world.

"Edge," Kallenus said in his deep, soothing voice, "I'm not here to collect you. Instead, I have a visitor for you. Someone who needed a little help to cross the veil."

My confusion turned to shock as Emma, my beloved sister, appeared before me. Her ethereal form shimmered, her smile warm and loving.

"Big brother, I've missed you so much! There is so much to tell you, but you don't have time. But there is one thing I do need to say. I don't blame you for my death," she said tenderly. "You need to stay here with your mate. I'm with our parents now; you don't need to care for me anymore."

"Emma..." I choked out, feeling an overwhelming mix of joy, relief, and sadness at seeing her again after all these years.

As the light faded, I found myself standing in the same spot, everyone else frozen around me. The only exception was Kallenus, still present in the room, his eyes fixed on the grimoire.

"Kemera!" he called out with a gruff bite to his voice. "You must deal with this situation before your witch is harmed!"

My thoughts raced, trying to comprehend everything that had just occurred. Was there a chance for me to save Immy and remain in this world?

The grimoire suddenly sprung to life, floating into the air as if drawn by an invisible force. Its pages flipped back and forth wildly, a whirlwind of ancient knowledge and power swirling around the room. A spectral image materialized from the book, taking the form of a stunning woman in clothing from the early 1500s. Her eyes held wisdom beyond her years, and she exuded an aura of regality.

"Behold, I am Kemera," she announced, her voice resonating with authority. "I am the original witch who crafted this grimoire and infused it with my own power."

Her gaze fell upon Aurelia, who trembled under the intensity of that stare. "You," Kemera spat out with disgust, "are unworthy of wielding my creation. Your heart has been corrupted by power, and I will not allow someone like you to touch these sacred pages."

"Kemera!" Aurelia cried out, desperation lacing her voice. "Please, I –"

"Enough!" The spectral witch cut her off, raising her hand in a swift motion. "You've avoided your fate too long. It's time for mother nature to take what is due to her." She muttered an incantation under her breath.

Aurelia's screams filled the room as she aged rapidly before our eyes, her skin wrinkling and hair turning white within moments. She clawed at herself in pain and terror, but there was no escape from the inescapable grasp of time. Within seconds, she shriveled up and crumbled into dust, leaving nothing but a pile of ashes where she once stood.

As the dust settled, Kemera turned her attention to me, her expression softening considerably. "Edge, I thank you for helping me find a worthy and powerful witch who just needed the right person in her life."

"Immy didn't deserve to be involved in any of this," I replied, my voice thick with emotion. "All she ever wanted was to help me."

"Sometimes, the most extraordinary things happen when we least expect them," Kemera said gently. "Remember that, Edge. You and Immy were brought together for a reason, and it is up to you both to discover what that reason may be."

Her words resonated within me, filling me with a renewed sense of hope and determination. I couldn't let Immy down; not now, not ever. And if there was even the slightest chance that we could have a future together, I would do whatever it took to make that dream a reality.

The grimoire seemed to come alive as Kemera's image twisted and returned to its pages. It hovered above the floor, pages flipping rapidly until they fell open to a green glowing page. A disembodied voice echoed through the room—Kemera's voice.

"Immy, cast the spell," she commanded.

As if released from invisible binds, Immy stumbled forward, tears in her eyes, and threw her arms around me. Her warmth soothed me, even in my ghostly form, and it was a sensation I never wanted to lose. She pulled back and gazed at the grimoire, determination lighting her features.

"Edge, this is the spell you've been searching for," she whispered, her voice filled with awe. "I need to do this… for both of us."

As Immy began casting the spell, her words weaving an intricate dance of power and magic, I braced myself for the unknown. The air crackled with energy, and then suddenly, I was gone.

Darkness engulfed me, and I felt suspended in nothingness. Time seemed to stretch on forever, each second feeling like an eternity. Panic clawed at my chest, but before it could consume me, I was thrust back into reality.

The room came into focus, and there, standing before me, was Immy. But something was different. My feet touched the ground, and I felt the cool wooden floor beneath my bare feet. The temperature of the room, the weight of my body… it was all new and overwhelming.

"Edge!" Immy cried, throwing herself into my arms. This time, I could fully embrace her, feeling the solid press of her body against mine. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she hugged me tightly. "You're fully in control of your form now. It will take almost no energy for you to manifest."

"Immy, I—" I was at a loss for words, my heart swelling with gratitude and love.

Our tender moment was interrupted by Blythe, who gaped at us in shock. Her eyes darted between Immy and me, unable to comprehend what had just happened. In a sudden burst of movement, she bolted from the house, leaving the two of us alone. I hadn't noticed Kallenus leaving either.

"Edge," Immy whispered, her voice trembling, "I love you."

"I love you too, Immy," I replied, my voice thick with emotion.