Bloodlines

Chapter Three

The room was deathly silent.

I shook my head slightly. "I'm sorry, what?" I laughed a bit in disbelief. "Yeah, right. So we're what? Witches?"

"Cadence, give her a chance to explain," Arya said softly, setting a hand on my shoulder.

My mom smiled gratefully at Arya and nodded, "Please, Cadence, just hear me out."

I pursed my lips and crossed my arms over my chest with a huff, "Fine."

And so I listened to every word she had to tell me.

The term 'witches' was just something that people used to explain our people. It was just easier that way, but it wasn't true. We didn't cast spells or curse people. Our powers and capabilities came from our bloodlines and our personalities.

All of the powers branched from the main four elements; water, fire, air, and earth. The fun stuff happened when more elements branches from the main four. Electricity. Light. Darkness. Ice. Nature. And then from those ever more were discovered.

My grandma was apparently one of the few who had control over all of them. She was the leader of her people. Well, I guess 'is' because she isn't actually dead. She left to help those who needed her.

My mom also finally told me about a topic she'd been ignoring for years. My father's death. He was kidnapped and killed by the ones to turned to the darker side of their abilities.

All in all great sixteenth birthday, right? Said no one ever.

During the conversation, Arya gripped my hand tightly and then slumped backwards on the couch, unconscious.

Naturally, I freaked. Who wouldn't panic if their best friend just randomly passed out with no warning or explanation behind it?

She was fine though. It was the same thing that happened to be at school. The powers or whatever unlocking themselves. I know I'm talking like I know what's going on, but to be completely honesty I'm still not sure about anything I learned.

Oh, and another thing I learned from my mom. Apparently there's a good reason my grandma called me 'little gem'. Every one of my people had a certain gemstone based on their powers. Over the years, I just thought the garnet necklaces, bracelets, and rings with black metals were just because they looked cool. Nope. Evidently, garnet was my gemstone. Did I know what that meant for me? Not in the slightest, but my grandmother does.

"So, what now, mom?" I asked, helping Arya sit up and setting a cool washcloth across her forehead. I wrapped one of my arms around her shoulder comfortingly as I stared my mother directly in the eyes. "You've told us what you know, so where do we go from here? I'm not making a reckless decision without having a plan."

My mom let out a small sigh. "I was hoping to avoid this in its entirety, but the only one who could help you-the only one who knows what she's doing and what you and Arya need to do is your grandmother." She explained to me.

I snorted. "Yeah, I gathered that much. But where do I find her?"

"Don't you feel the tug-the pull towards something?" She asked.

"No. I don't feel-"

My mom cut me off. "Cadence. Try. Reach with your mind and search for the pull."

I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to feel for something. Right when I was about to give up and claim how stupid this whole this was, I did feel a tug in the back of my mind.

"Okay, so I feel a tug. But it's really faint. How is that supposed to help Arya and I find where it is that she's hiding?" I huffed in annoyance and leaned back against the couch, pulling my arm away from Arya's shoulders.

"Your necklace." My mother stated simply.

"What about my necklace, mom? It's a necklace that happens to be my witchy gemstone thing." I said skeptically, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

"You can channel the energy of the tug from your mind to the necklace. She designed it herself so you could find her if and when the time came."

She being my grandma, I assumed.

"Okay, so the necklace will help. But how do I even channel the energy into it?" I asked. Honestly, this was getting kind of annoying. It was like she expected me to automatically know what to do despite the fact I'd never done something like this ever.

"Just in-vision it, Cadence. See it in your mind, a connector of sorts connecting the tug to the necklace. See the energy transferring like a power cord does." My mom said gently, setting a hand on my shoulder.

I did as she instructed and closed my eyes, my brow furrowing as I concentrated on the image I wanted to make happen. I felt the necklace go warm in my skin, sending a surge of pleasant heat through my whole body. Then, the familiar pressure of it against my chest left slowly, floating as the energy was transferred to it. After the energy transferred, the necklace lowered back down and I opened my eyes again. "Did it work?" I asked quietly.

My mom nodded towards the necklace. "Test it out. Click the gemstone."

I did as I was told and the necklace pulled gently against the back of my neck in a certain direction. I laughed a bit under my breath, it was like the little microbot things from Big Hero 6. "It actually worked."

I turned and looked at Arya who was smiling back at me. "It actually worked, Arya!" I repeated, a little more sure and happy this time.

Arya smirked at me. "So, are we going to find out what the hell the world wants from us, or are we going to lay around and be useless?"

I returned her expression. "Oh, I think we both know the answer to that one, Duman."