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  Hidden Magic

  Emmy Oakes

  Copyright 2015

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  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Prologue.

  A cold rainy night in 1998.

  Rain pelted down on a young woman as she got out of her car and hurried along a drenched street. Her heels clicked madly on the rough pavement as she ran. She turned a corner and turned into a deserted alley way. A bright light flashed behind her and she turned around. A tall woman with bright white hair had appeared behind her, cradling something in her arms.

  Tears streamed from the white haired woman’s face but were quickly swallowed up by the rain.

  Moonlight gave enough light for her to see the woman in front of her. The white haired woman lowered her head and stared at the covered baby she held. She gently unveiled the baby’s face and laid a kiss on her forehead. She covered the baby back up to protect it from the rain and reluctantly handed it over to the woman in front of her.

  The woman stared back at her with a resistant look in her eyes. The white haired woman nodded at her as if to reassure her.

  Not one word was spoken.

  2013

  “I want you two to watch her,” Temorvick’s raspy voice bellowed out of his scaly mouth. The only light in the room came from a single candle that sat inside a candle holder made out of bone. Two black transparent shapes with gaping red mouths stood before Temorvick’s throne.

  “Watch her?” one shape replied eagerly while the other one stayed silent, bowing.

  “Take over some weak minds and keep an eye on her. I don’t mind if you cause a little trouble but nothing too noticeable, ” Temorvick ordered, his red eyes glowing in the candlelight.

  “Yes, master. Is that all?”

  “That is all.” Temorvick held up a clawed finger. “No. There is one more thing. Do not let the Sians sense your presence.” The two dark shapes floated out of the large empty room leaving Temorvick alone in the large dank room.

  A gleaming crystal ball sat on a stool that looked like the skull of a very large animal. Temorvick placed a rough hand onto the ball. “Show me the girl. Show me Alexia.”

  Chapter One

  2015

  “Not again, please not again!” Alexia Martin pleaded to herself as she clambered noisily down the stairs. She was going to be late for art class for the second time this week. Alexia feared what her art teacher would do to her if she was late again. Mrs. Crock had a reputation of being the most strict art teacher who had ever existed. She was nothing like her much loved teacher Miss Avery she had in year eleven. Now that she was in year twelve everything seemed worse.

  Alexia stopped running when she approached Mrs. Crock’s classroom. She was relieved to see the door was still open. If the door was shut that meant that you were late.

  Two sinister green eyes belonging to Mrs. Crock watched Alexia as she entered the room and took her usual seat near the back. Mrs. Crock’s wobbly knees cracked as she stood up to shut the door. She ran a hand over her gray hair which was tied back in a strict bun.

  “Right. Today we are going to do something different. I want you to come and take one of these mirrors,” she said while holding up a hand held mirror, “and you are going to start a self portrait.” A few groans sounded out from the students. The loudest one coming from Rupert Strout who never wanted to take art in the first place as his mother had made him. Mrs. Crock narrowed her eyes on him. “Something wrong, Rupert?” She snaked her way to his desk. He looked up at toward her, avoiding her gaze.

  “I don’t want to draw myself,” Rupert said shyly. Alexia didn’t blame him, he was a handsome boy but his confidence was marred by the noticeable scars on his face.

  “I don’t care what you want. You won’t get any special treatment from me just because. . .” She suddenly came to her senses and decided to stop talking. She slammed a mirror down on his desk nearly breaking it making him jump. Alexia rolled her eyes thinking there was no excuse for Mrs. Crock to be so cranky.

  Alexia followed the small crowd of students up to Mrs. Crock’s desk to take a mirror.

  “You were lucky!” Ava Malone yelled into Alexia’s ear making her wince. Alexia turned to her best friend and smiled.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You know that Mrs. Crook would have given you detention for a week if you were late.”

  “Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. I could catch up on all of my school work.”

  “Stuff that. You worry too much about school,” Ava said as she took a mirror and flicked a stray blond hair out of her eyes.

  “I have to. They don’t let just anybody be a vet you know.”

  “Whatever. Hey do you want to come over tonight?”

  “Maybe. Mom’s being kinda strict at the moment,” Alexia lied, she had to stay home to finish a biology project that has been bugging her.

  “Okay well I’ll call you anyway.” Ava smiled at Alexia and bounded off to her desk. Alexia shook her head, Ava was more behind with her school work than she was but it didn’t bother her a bit.

  Alexia selected a mirror and took it back to her desk. She stared into the mirror and tried to work out where to start with her portrait. The sun shone on her thick brown hair, highlighting blond strands, and her porcelain colored skin glowed in the daylight.

  She opened up her large folder and flipped through pages of beautifully drawn animals ranging from dogs to horses. She found a blank piece of paper and started to pencil the outline of her face.

  Suddenly Alexia stopped drawing. Hot air assaulted the back of her neck sending shivers soaring down her back. She spun around and looked around the room. There was nobody behind her except for Price Delany who had his head down staring into a mirror. A golden lighter that had seen a lot of use was sitting on his desk. Alexia turned back to face her desk feeling uneasy. Price was strange but Alexia didn’t think that he would be quick enough to breathe down her neck and then get back into his chair without making a noise. Besides why would he want to scare her anyway?

  Alexia worked on her self portrait until class was over. She was grateful to be away from Mrs. Crock’s watchful eyes and standing in line at the noisy cafeteria. The sound of plates rattling and teenagers chattering filled the air. When it came time for Alexia to choose her lunch she looked over baskets of soggy chips, hot-dogs, and sandwiches. She selected a wholemeal chicken sandwich and a can of lemonade to accompany the cheese and crackers she had in her backpack already.

  She sat at a table by a large window and began to unwrap her sandwich. She pulled a piece of cucumber out of the sandwich and flung it onto the table frowning. At this moment Ronda Smith arrived at her table holding a tray containing a basket of hot chips and a tomato sauce laden hot-dog.

  “Hey, Alexia!” Ronda sat down opposite Alexia.

  “Hi, Rhonda.” Alexia looked up and smiled. “How are you?” Alexia asked.

  “I’m great. You?” Ronda chirped.

  “I’m okay,” she said, lowering her eyes. Ronda placed her arm on the table, resting it in the piece of cold cucumber.

  “Ugh, Alexia! You know, if you bought hot food like mine you wouldn’t have to pull out nasty greens and s
tick them to the table!” Ronda grimaced as she pulled the cucumber off of her arm. Alexia couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Sorry, Ron,” she giggled.

  “Hey did you hear about Price?”

  “What about him?” Alexia shuddered remembering the hot air being breathed down her neck.

  “He broke up with his girlfriend,” Ronda said happily. She sounded surprised and a little pleased to find somebody who hadn’t heard the news yet.

  “Really?” Alexia said, the surprise noticeable in her voice.

  “Well actually I should say that Karla broke up with him.”

  “How come?” Alexia asked not wanting to hear the answer.

  “Apparently some girl told her to dump him.” Ronda took a bite of her hot-dog managing to smear sauce on her top lip. Alexia gulped hard. She was the girl who had talked to Karla. She didn’t tell her to dump Price though, just that she deserved somebody who would be nicer to her.

  “Price doesn’t know who told her does he?”

  “Yeah I think she accidentally worked it into the conversation when she was braking up with him,” Ronda said, wiping the sauce from her mouth and shoving a few chips into her gob. Alexia had suddenly lost her appetite. “You okay, Alex?” Ronda asked with her mouth full.

  “Yeah. Just got a ton of school work on my mind.”

  “Don’t let it bother you, I have heaps too. Want to get together and study this weekend?”

  “That'd be great,” Alexia looked at her watch. “Nearly time for class. We’d better go.” Alexia chucked her half eaten sandwich into her backpack next to her art folder and flung it over her shoulder. Ronda stood up and placed her tray on top of a rubbish bin and followed Alexia to their next class.

  After sitting through two hours of complex mathematical problems Alexia was happy to be on her way home. She soared through the streets on her silver bike enjoying the wind in her hair. Thoughts whirled in her mind. Namely, does Price Delany blame her for his brake up with Karla?

  Alexia parked her bike outside her garage and rushed up the balcony steps to her house. Inside the house was painted in warm terracotta tones and had framed photographs scattered all over the walls. Her house was always a comforting place. Warm and serene with an inviting atmosphere.

  Alexia climbed the stairs to her room and threw her bag down on the floor. She lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She let out a long sigh and looked around the room. Animal paraphernalia filled the room along with an easel and painting supplies. Splodges of different colored paints had been dropped under the easel and dried onto the carpet. Alexia closed her eyes and drifted off into a restless sleep still wondering if Price was angry at her.

  Alexia stood under the flickering lamppost, shivering. She had received a phone call asking her to meet a friend who needed help on the corner near her house. The moon shone brightly in the sky offering more light than the faulty lamppost.

  A noise made Alexia jump. She spun around to see a dark figure standing behind her glowing in the moonlight.

  “Alex Martin.” His voice was low and scratchy. He continuously lit his golden lighter over and over emitting a gassy smell into the air.

  “Price. What do you want?” Alexia couldn’t hide the fear in her voice.

  “I want to know what you were thinking telling my girlfriend to dump me.” His stern voice made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

  “I didn’t tell her to dump you. I told her that she should think about her situation. She’s not doing too well in school and spending all of her time with somebody who…”

  “Who what?” Price interrupted.

  “Well, who doesn’t treat her very well.” Alexia bit her lip. What was she thinking? Everybody at Falls High knew that Price had an anger problem. A big problem.

  Price pulled something out of his jacket that glistened in the light. Alexia felt her heart race in her chest realizing what Price was holding.

  Price’s brown eyes turned red as they narrowed in on Alexia. He drove the knife into her chest. He moved his dry lips so close to Alexia‘s ear that they were touching. He whispered gleefully. “You made Karla brake my heart. So I will brake yours.” He dropped Alexia to the ground. She felt like she was falling into a bottomless black hole.

  Alexia awoke in a panic. Sweat covered her whole body making her feel hot and sticky. She scrambled in her bed feeling the soft covers with her flaying hands. Feeling satisfied that she wasn’t lying on the concrete with a knife in her chest she sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. “What a stupid dream,” Alexia muttered. Although she couldn’t help but think that the dream wasn’t so stupid.

  “Alexia?” a familiar voice called out from downstairs startling Alexia.

  “Up here, Mom,” Alexia yelled back. Cynthia Martin jogged up the stairs and knocked briefly before opening Alexia’s door.

  “How was your day?” Cynthia’s voice was calming to Alexia. Cynthia was a good looking woman of thirty seven. She had been a successful lawyer but gave up her promising career to raise children and be a loyal wife to a not so loyal husband.

  “Oh it was . . . school.”

  “I remember that feeling.” Cynthia sat next to Alexia. She leaned in close to her, inspecting her face. “Are you feeling okay?” she said, placing a hand on Alexia’s forehead.

  “Yeah, I was asleep. I had a bad dream.”

  “What was it about?”

  “It was stupid. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Okay then. What do you feel like for dinner?” Cynthia asked, placing a comforting hand on Alexia’s back. Remembering she didn’t eat lunch Alexia suddenly felt very hungry.

  “Anything will be fine. I’m starving.” Alexia stood up and took some clothes out of her drawers. “I might have a shower.”

  “Good idea. You’re all sweaty and gross.” Cynthia wiped her hands together and stood up. She smiled at Alexia and started towards the kitchen. Alexia poked her tongue out at her and laughed.

  Alexia turned on the shower and waited for it to heat up. She placed a hand under the water and decided it was warm enough to hop in. She stood under the warm water for a good fifteen minutes letting it wash away her bad thoughts.

  Cynthia Martin had cooked a meal big enough to feed at least six people. She had recently divorced from Alexia’s father and out of four children Alexia was the only one who had chosen to stay with Cynthia. Alexia was disgusted with her three sisters because she knew that they only chose to stay with their father because he was rich.

  Alexia took a big piece of steak and placed it onto her plate. Her Mom made sure she had a good dollop of potato salad and a large bowl of greens.

  “Did I tell you Gina is coming to stay this weekend?” Cynthia asked.

  Alexia sighed. Out of all of her siblings Gina was the most annoying. Sure she loved her but she was thirteen years old and wasn’t exactly quiet. “I thought you’d be happy to see her?”

  “Yeah, I guess. I have a lot of work to do and she makes it hard. Plus Ronda is supposed to be coming over to study.” Alexia cut into her steak.

  “I’m sure Gina will make me take her out somewhere anyway. She usually does. She needs to see me. You understand don’t you?”

  “Yes, Mom I’m not jealous. She just isn’t part of our family anymore.”

  “Don’t say that. Just because they want to live with your father instead of me. . .” Cynthia stopped talking and filled her mouth with salad. “Young women also need fatherly figures. You know your dad is dying to see you.”

  “I'm not going anywhere near that pig,” Alexia said with her mouth full.

  “If I can forgive him I’m sure you can.”

  “Divorcing somebody isn’t forgiving them.”

  “Yeah but I have come to peace with it. He cheated on me, I’m over it.”

  “Good to hear.” Alexia grimaced at Cynthia. She laughed and playfully threw a bread roll at Alexia.

  “Thank you for supporti
ng me, Alexia. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Cynthia had a tear in her eye but looked down quickly trying to hide it from Alexia.

  After dinner Alexia washed and dried the dishes. She couldn’t stop thinking about the dream she had earlier. She dried her hands on a tea towel and ran upstairs. She had to work on her self portrait that was due in two days. Art was Alexia’s favorite subject. She was a talented artist and could go far with her painting but was dedicated to becoming a vet. Instead she used her talent to paint people’s pets to earn money. This was a popular service but was getting out of hand. She could no longer juggle school and painting pets even though she was getting fifty dollars per portrait.

  Alexia emptied her backpack out on her bed. She tossed the half eaten chicken sandwich in the bin and opened the warm can of lemonade. She placed her unfinished self portrait on her easel and started to draw.