“Things here aren’t the way they are back home, Katarina. Mom knew that, and I do too. That man. He’s evil. He delves into dark things.”
I let out a loud sigh, standing and warming my hands by the fire. It was cold tonight, one of the coldest nights since I arrived here a month ago. I grew up with my mother insisting I had these “abilities”, so when Avery mentions “voodoo” things like that, I tune her out. At least I try to. “It’s Kate, by the way. Anyway, just say you’re right and your boss wants to get rid of his kid.’ I wave my hands around dramatically. “What are you going to do about it, tell her?”
She bites her lip, averting my gaze.
“Avery, you didn’t.” I gasp, rushing over to her.
“I tried to, but Salina refused to listen to me, she was in a hurry to get to the docks. That’s why I need you to ask Aydin to take us to the docks tonight. We can try to talk to her it before she does something stupid. Maybe …I don’t know, Kate. She’ll listen to Aydin, cause he’s one of them. I can’t donothing…” she trails off.
“You knew Aydin was coming here tonight?” I flush.
“There is very little that gets past me, especially when my little sister is involved.” she frowns.
As if on cue, we hear the soft sound of what is mistakenly pebbles being thrown at a window. That is usually followed by me letting Aydin in or sneaking out for the night to do things a backpacking graduate might do.
I open the door, and Aydin wraps his arms around me. This sneaking around has been going on since I arrived, but we’ve been talking about him leaving Istanbul and coming back to England with me. Instead of tiptoeing to my bedroom, I lead him to our living room. He’s surprised to see Avery sitting there.
“She knows.” I explain. “And she needs us to take her to the docks.”
“Of course.” he says without hesitation.
When we reach the docks, it’s so dark I can barely see anything in front of me. We jump out of the car and walk briskly behind Avery. She’s a woman on a mission. We stop by the boathouse, looking for Salina. When I see her sitting on a bench, my throat constricts. For some reason I feel a deep sadness I can’t explain.
“Are you okay?” Aydin whispers.
I nod.
A man steps out of the shadows, and before my sister or Aydin can stop me, I’m making my way closer to them. I’m just a few feet away, but the shadows keep me hidden. It’s odd but when I look at him up close, he doesn’t appear to be just a man, he’s a dark force, I feel it in my bones, and I feel it in my soul.
I can’t hear what he’s saying to Salina, so I close my eyes and focus. But all I see is darkness, it surrounds them both now. It’s like he’s draining her strength, and her goodness. I feel light-headed, voices shouting my name in the distance, but I’m falling into a nothingness from which I’m unsure I’ll ever return. I turn to look for Aydin, I look for Avery, but all I see is darkness, and all I feel is fear.
When my mind clears, I find myself standing in the corner of a candlelit room. Two people sit across from each other at a round table with nothing on it. It’s the man I now recognize as the one from the docks and a woman I have never seen before. Her eyes are dark, black almost, raven hair framing her frighteningly beautiful face.
“The boy will be mine. He will serve me, and you will watch over him until I have need for him. He will serve in the shadows, and through him my darkest deeds will be carried out.”
“As you wish.” the man tells her. “The deed is almost done. Salina has asked to see me, just like Avi Shah knew she would. She wants protection for her son.”
“And she trusts that you can give her that?”
“Wholly.” His smile is sinister.
They don’t seem to notice I’m in the room. Not even when I walk around them. The closer I get, the more afraid I am, not just for me, but for the woman, Salina, and her child.
“You know what you have to do, Katarina.” I turn to the voice.
“Mom?” I rush over to give her a hug, tears burning my eyes. “Oh, God, I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.” Her smile is just like I remember it. My mother passed away a year ago. It was so sudden. Seeing her again, here, fills my heart to the brim. “Katarina, you have to listen carefully to every single word. It is time. Your child is destined to give her heart to the boy they speak of.”
“My child? I don’t-” I still when she looks down at my stomach, smiling warmly.
I touch my now flat belly. I know this is all happening in my head, but could she be sure of such things?
“I always am.” She answers my unspoken question. “You have to hurry, you have to save the boy. And when the girl, with eyes as violet as yours finally meets him, it is she who will break this curse.” She looks at the two people still seated at the table.
“Only love, Katarina, only love can make him whole.” She smiles at me and takes my hand. “And love is all she will be.” She looks down at my stomach again.
“Katie. Katie.” I gasp awake, finding Avery is leaning over me.
