“That would explain why when she had me do her reading, both “Death” and “The Devil” appeared right away,” Victor proclaims.
Leo tilts his head, pondering, “You’re not wrong. But unlike other necromancers, she ensures that her powers are used appropriately. She hates it when it’s used as Dark Magic. Well, itisDark Magic, but she teaches it as though it’s not.”
“So why areyoutelling me all of this?” Victor questions.
Leo turns to face Victor, “I’m kind of like a mentor. I was picked to help you along your way.”
“What if I choose not to?” Victor queries.
“Then I guess we will let you be. But you might change your mind after you discover that untapped energy inside you.” Leo gently tilts his head to the side, gazing deeply into Victor’s eyes. “You seem to be taking this pretty well. Most people we find who discover they have magic as adults experience mixed emotions, become scared due to their religious background, or are overly excited. But you seem very calm about everything I told you.”
Victor pauses for a moment, then licks his lips before he responds. “I guess subconsciously, I’ve always known there was something different about me. Like, how could I read someone’s tarot and understand it without being taught? Also, my mom did have some lovely necklaces that I now realize could mean something.”
Victor looks down at his watch. “I need to head back to the hotel and get some sleep. I have to fly back out tonight. I hate these short layovers.” He pauses for a moment before he continues. “How much time can I think all of this over?”
Leo puts his hands on Victor’s shoulders. “Take all the time you need. But I would appreciate it if you don’t take too long.” He takes a maroon business card with silver writing out of his pocket. “When you’re ready, call this number. And this time, someone will answer.”
Victor takes the card from Leo, and then they walk back to the hotel in silence.
Chapter Eight
Two weeks have gone by since Victor spoke with Leo. During this time, he has been lost in his thoughts. He dropped two trips so he can be at home during this time. His memories of his grandmother and mother feel fragmented, as though he is trying to remember his childhood the way he wants to remember it. But could there have been more he overlooked? Was there something about his past that was kept hidden from him?
Late one afternoon, he’s in his living room, looking through a family album sitting on the coffee table. The TV is on with the volume down low as he strolls down memory lane. Pictures of him as a baby, in his grandmother’s arms, nothing out of the ordinary. A picture of him when he was four, sitting in his mother’s lap. A memory he knows is authentic, as his mother always took photos of them twice a year before he was 10.
As Victor turns the page, he sees something appear out of the corner of his eye. He looks over to his dining table, and Akishais sitting in one of the chairs. She looks at him without saying a word. Victor doesn’t seem startled this time, mainly because he’s not naked like the other times. He notices a hint of translucency, which tells him Akisha isn’t there.
“Can I help you with something?” Victor asks. She doesn’t respond. “I guess when you guys astral project, you’re unable to talk.”
“No, we can talk, as well as hear. With the right training,” Akisha responds, which surprises Victor. “I just wanted to see you for myself this time. I’m Akisha. Leo might have mentioned me.”
“Well, Akisha, you’ve got to look at me,” Victor comments.
She takes a moment and gazes at Victor. “You have your grandmother’s eyes.”
“I was told I had my mother’s,” Victor quickly replies.
Akisha scoffs with a smile. “And she had her mother’s, so in some retrospect, you have your grandmother’s.”
Victor stands up and walks to the dining table. “Did you know my grandmother?”
“I did. She was an amazing person. Kind and generous. I never worked alongside her, as we were both in different covens. But the times I did meet her, that’s what I got from her.”
Victor takes a seat across from Akisha. “What was her specialty?”
Akisha sits back as she reminisces. “She was very talented. She could melt metal and keep it cool to the touch while manipulating it into an elegant design. There’s a beautiful metalwork tapestry hanging over my coven’s fireplace that your grandmother gifted to a former superior. It inspired my coven’s emblem that we use today.”
Victor leans back and clasps his hands on the table. “I have a feeling you are wondering why I haven’t called Leo yet.”
“Empathic,” Akisha remarks. “Even with someone who’s astral projecting, it’s very impressive. You do seem to take after your grandmother. What else can you feel?”
Victor focuses on Akisha. He doesn’t know what to say, but instinct sets in to answer her. “You’re nervous, and you’re also expressing mixed emotions about me,” Victor asserts.
Akisha nods with approval. “Very good. I won’t lie to you, but you do make me nervous.”
Victor grows confused. “Why? What is it that makes you nervous about me?”
Akisha doesn’t hesitate to respond. “You don’t understand the great power that runs through your veins. It’s sad that your mother never got to experience it. Now, you have an opportunity to carry on your grandmother’s legacy.”
