Salem's Civil War (Book Five of The Silver Society)

Chapter Eighteen

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The scene was horrific. The earth was scorched where Aideen had been, and the explosion was strong enough to shake the entire park. Once he was able to clear his mind enough, Arnie desperately searched for any hint of Aideen's energy. She couldn't really be dead. Aideen never stayed dead for long. She must just need some help coming back this time.

Arnie's biological father had vanished, but he didn't care at the moment. Evan stared in disbelief at the scene and didn't say anything to Arnie. Neither one spoke for a long time, each almost holding his breath as they waited for her to miraculously reappear.

"Where is she?" Arnie finally asked. "Why can't I feel her? Oh Gods... Gods, no... This can't be happening. Not Deenie. Not Deenie!"

"Arnie, look, I know you're freaked out but-" Evan began.

"Shut up," Arnie said.

"Excuse me?"

"Shut the hell up, Evan. You don't know anything. Just shut up!"

"Arnie, you have to pull yourself together."

"I'm fine. Just like she's going to be." He ran off before Evan could say anything else and headed straight for Aideen's house. He needed to tell Courtney and Clarissa what had happened. If Aideen needed help, they could give it to her, and regardless, they needed to know that she was dead.

Temporarily, Arnie told himself. I can't feel her because I'm too freaked out. They'll be able to find her.

Tears were streaming down Courtney's cheeks when she answered the door. She flung her arms around Arnie and asked, "It's Deenie, isn't it? Something's happened to her."

Arnie took a deep breath. "There was an explosion," he said.

"No. Gods, no..."

"I'm sorry, Court. I'm so sorry. It was my birth father. He flung a spell at her. This is all my fault."

"She'll be okay. She has to be. She can't be dead."

"Do you feel her? I can't find her, Courtney. Please tell me that you feel her..."

Courtney visibly focused what little energy she had on trying to find her sister. Finally, she began sobbing harder. "I can't feel her, Arnie. She's gone. She's just vanished."

"She can't be... I... Oh Gods, I'm so sorry!" Arnie sobbed.

Courtney retreated to the couch, where Clarissa was already sitting in tears. Arnie followed her, trying to keep himself from completely breaking down.

"It's not true," Clarissa said. "She's not dead. If she was dead, we'd be able to feel her. We can't."

"It was an explosion, Mom. Who knows what was in that spell? Maybe she's been smited," Courtney replied, then began sobbing even harder.

"I don't believe it. I'm not giving up on her," Clarissa insisted. "Deenie's tough. She's got to be hiding somewhere." She stood up. "I'm going to get Johnny and see if he can trace her. He's usually able to find her even when we can't."

"Mom-"

"Don't, Courtney. Don't say it. I'm going to find her, and we're going to fix this. She isn't dead. She's my daughter, and I would know if she was really gone. She's still out there somewhere." Clarissa walked out of the house.

Courtney looked at Arnie and said, "She's in denial. She just can't handle this, not so soon after losing Dad."

Arnie nodded. "Will you be okay, Courtney?" He asked.