Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

E DGE

The moment Bellona Willoughby strolled into Immy's house with her nose held high, I knew I'd dislike her. She cast a disdainful glance at Immy, who wore a simple t-shirt and jeans and had her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. My anger flared just seeing this woman.

"Imelda," Bellona sneered, her voice dripping with disapproval. "Is this truly the best you could do for your appearance? You look like a commoner."

I watched from my incorporeal form, feeling the sharp sting of resentment toward this woman I'd never met before. How dare she judge Immy like this? Immy's shirt fit her perfectly, accentuating her breasts as the neckline dipped low enough for me to see the swell of her breasts. Not to mention her jeans showed every delicious curve she had. Dammit, Immy was getting to me. I shouldn't be this attracted to someone who had the power to… what? Destroy me? I had no idea what would happen if she removed the splinter.

"Mother," Immy said, attempting to pacify her. "I didn't expect you to visit. I'm sorry if my attire isn't up to your standards."

Bellona scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "And what, pray tell, is this nonsense about you dating?"

"Who I date is none of your business," Immy replied, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"None of my business?" Bellona retorted, waving a dismissive hand. "You are a Willoughby, Imelda. Your actions reflect on our entire family. You should know better than to engage in such foolish pursuits."

As I watched the exchange, I couldn't help but feel a surge of protectiveness toward Immy. It wasn't fair how her mother treated her, as if she were somehow less deserving of love or happiness. I wished I could say something, do something to defend her. But I was still exhausted from how much I'd done yesterday. All I could do was watch and fume in silence.

"Imelda," Bellona said, drawing herself up to her full, imperious height. "You know our family is expected to engage in negotiations with witches from powerful families. It's time for you to make a good match, not waste your time with some... nobody. Or worse, someone who wasn't a witch."

My anger simmered, threatening to boil over as Bellona continued her tirade against Immy. I clenched my fists at my sides, wanting nothing more than to defend the woman I was falling for and remind Bellona of all the things that truly mattered in a relationship. Love, trust, understanding… These were the things she seemed to dismiss so easily. And something I never dreamed I would ever find.

"Mother," Immy replied softly, trying to keep her voice steady despite the hurt in her eyes. "I don't want to marry someone just because of his family's reputation. I want to find love, real love. Surely you can understand that?"

"Love?" Bellona scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "A useless thing we Willoughbys wouldn't deign to entertain. Our duty comes first, always."

I gritted my teeth, feeling my frustration grow. How could this woman be so cold-hearted? All Immy wanted was to live her life and find happiness on her own terms. Was that really too much to ask for?

Immy stood tall, her chin raised defiantly as she faced her mother. In that moment, I knew I had to do something, anything, to help her. Had anyone stood up for her before? I didn't know, but I wouldn't fail her.

"Mother," Immy said again, pleading this time. "I need you to trust me and believe that I can make the right decision for myself. I don't want to be forced into a loveless marriage."

"Enough!" Bellona snapped, her eyes flashing with anger. "You will do as you are told, and that is final!"

My frustration surged, and I felt an unexpected power well up within me. It was as if Immy's pain released some sort of energy in me… Energy I could now use to defend Immy.

"Leave her alone," I growled, my voice echoing through the room as I began to materialize. "She has the right to choose her own path."

"Edge?" Immy whispered, her eyes wide with surprise. "What are you...?"

"Never mind that," I said, turning my attention back to Bellona. "This ends now. Immy deserves better than the life you're trying to force her into."

The room seemed to close in on me as I watched Bellona Willoughby wave her hand dismissively, her voice dripping with contempt. "This is how witches have found their partners for centuries, Imelda. It's tradition. To think you can do otherwise is simply ludicrous."

I clenched my fists, anger boiling within me at her callous disregard for her own daughter's feelings. The lights flickered above us, and I struggled to control my emotions, knowing that it was my growing frustration causing the disturbance.

"Mother, please," Immy implored, her voice cracking under the weight of her desperation. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for me, but she couldn't see me in my incorporeal form. She could hear me even though her mother couldn't.

"Immy, darling," Bellona said, her voice sickly sweet. "You really must learn to accept your place in our society. Your protests are getting tiresome."

"Edge? Where are you?" Immy whispered under her breath, her eyes still scanning the room. She seemed so vulnerable, and it infuriated me that her own mother could treat her this way.

"Focus, Edge," I muttered to myself, attempting to calm down. My thoughts wandered to what my purpose was here and why I hadn't moved on. The uncertainty gnawed at me. Then her mother spoke again, pulling all of my attention back to her.

"Really, Imelda, I don't understand why you're being so difficult," Bellona continued, oblivious to my presence. "What could possibly be more important than securing a powerful alliance for our family?"

"Love, Mother!" Immy exclaimed, her voice rising in defiance. "Finding someone who cares for me, who understands me. That's what I want!"

"Love?" Bellona scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Such a foolish, human notion. What we need is power, influence. Not some silly, fleeting emotion."

"Enough!" I roared, unable to contain my anger any longer. If Bellona Willoughby wanted power, she was about to get a taste of mine.

The sky outside darkened as a thick black fog rolled in, swallowing the sunlight like a ravenous beast. Immy's eyes widened in panic, and she quickly positioned herself so that Bellona couldn't see what was happening outside. I felt my own unease growing, the tension in the room reaching a breaking point.

"Mother, please understand," Immy pleaded, her voice shaking slightly. "I want to live my own life, make my own choices."

"Your duty is to our family, Imelda," Bellona snapped, her patience wearing thin. "Just as I did, and just as I continue to do, for the sake of the Willoughby name. You are no exception."

Glasses on the table began vibrating, trembling with the force of an unseen power. I clenched my fists, struggling to hold back the fury that threatened to consume me.

"What is going on here?" Bellona demanded, her gaze finally shifting from her daughter to the quivering glassware. "This couldn't possibly be you, Immy. You have no magic. Not really."

"Mother," Immy tried, her eyes darting nervously around the room, searching for any other explanation.

"Seriously, what is-" Bellona started to ask, but she didn't get to finish her question. The windows rattled in their frames, and the vibrations intensified until every object in the room seemed to tremble with anticipation.

Unable to contain my anger any longer, I forced myself into corporeal form despite the heavy drain on my energy. My body materialized before Bellona, blocking her view of Immy.

"Enough!" I roared, my voice echoing through the room like a clap of thunder. "How dare you speak to your own daughter this way?"

The shock and outrage on Bellona's face was priceless. She stared at me as if I were some kind of monster, which, admittedly, I might have been in her eyes. But I didn't care. All that mattered was putting this woman in her place.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Someone who knows what it's like to grow up without parents," I replied, my voice dripping with contempt. "Every night, I dreamed of what it would be like to be loved, to have someone care for me. And now that I've met you, I'm glad I didn't have parents if they would have been anything like you."

Bellona's jaw dropped, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of crimson. How satisfying it was to see her speechless.

"Immy deserves better than you," I continued, my anger unappeased. "No one should have to suffer such ungrateful parents."

"Excuse me?" Bellona spat, finding her voice again. "You dare to insult me? You're nothing but a vagrant! My daughter is well aware of how I feel about her. Those things don't need to be said."

Immy opened her mouth, attempting to intervene, but I held up a hand to stop her. My gaze remained locked on Bellona.

"Your daughter is a kind, intelligent, and loving person," I said, my tone low and intense. "She deserves happiness, and she certainly doesn't need your approval to find it."

"Imelda has responsibilities, obligations! How dare you interfere in our family matters!" Bellona's voice shook with fury, but my anger had finally quieted, replaced by a fierce protectiveness for Immy. "I don't even know why I'm bothering to talk to you."

"Your daughter has the right to be happy," I said simply, my voice calm and steady. "To love who she chooses, regardless of their status or power. That is all that truly matters."

For a moment, Bellona seemed to falter, her haughty expression wavering ever so slightly, but then she collected herself, staring me down with cold, unyielding eyes.

"Leave," she commanded, her voice icy and sharp as a dagger. "You have no place here."

"Leave her alone," I growled, my voice low and dangerous.

"Who do you think you are?" Bellona hissed, her eyes narrowed into slits. But before I could respond, a sudden gust of wind slammed the front door wide open, and a torrent of ghostly water rushed into the room.

As the water surged around us, I watched in amazement as it seemed to flow past Immy without touching her. Bellona, on the other hand, was not so fortunate; she gasped and sputtered as the icy deluge drenched her from head to toe. I couldn't help but feel a grim satisfaction at the sight, even as I struggled to comprehend what was happening. I'd only meant to scare here with some typical ghostly showiness.

"Edge, what's going on?" Immy shouted over the roar of the water, her eyes wide with fear.

"I don't know!" I yelled back, trying to keep my focus on maintaining my corporeal form. And then I saw it… a shimmering image of an old spell book floating amidst the chaos, its ancient pages seeming to beckon to me.

My memory flashed back to conversations I'd had with my fellow pirates about a cursed grimoire. They said it held immense power but would destroy anyone who tried to wield it if they didn't truly deserve it. The connection dawned on me.

"Immy!" I cried out, desperate to reach her through the swirling water. "I remember something important! You have to listen!"

"Edge, I can barely hear you!" she shouted back, her face pale and frightened.

"Immy!" Bellona screamed, her voice a mixture of rage and panic as she struggled against the ghostly flood. "Do something about this! Now!"

"Edge, what do I do?" Immy asked, her voice shaking.

I wished I knew what to tell her. This had never happened before.