Fates Intertwined

62. | Gift

Zyran, Eric, Esme, and Evelyn were all crowded in Aurora's room, a bowl sitting on her desk. Evelyn combined the herbs and put them together before she dripped the small vial of Aurora's blood into the bowl. Allison appeared beside Eric, making him flinch and his hands begin to shake. "Here's the incantation." She handed him a piece of paper and he hesitantly took it. "Evelyn can do the spell, but only you can send her spirit back."

"Why?" He asked, glancing at her.

"You're not just a medium, Eric. You have a gift that not many people can do, if any."

"What gift?"

"You can manipulate the other side. You can use the other side for your benefit, and that alone is considered dangerous." She explained.

His face scrunched in confusion. "How do you know I have that power?"

"You just took that paper from me, for one thing." He turned to the paper in his hand. "And the other side talks. Of you and your power." He looked at her confused. He didn't know what they'd have to talk about. "You manipulated the other side in order to save your friend. Trust me, spirits talk. It might be how Aurora knew to come to you."

"It's been a week." He stated.

"Sometimes, spirits get lost, or don't understand what's happening to them. It's possible she only just recently became aware and that's why she appeared to you."

Esme walked to Eric. "Is that the spell?" He nodded and handed it over.

"Was that Allison you were talking to?" Zyran queried. He was leaning against the nightstand beside Aurora's bed, his arms crossed.

Eric nodded, glancing beside him, but she was gone. "She said that Evelyn can do the spell, but I'm the only one who can send Aurora's spirit back."

Evelyn's head snapped to him. "Why?"

"She says I have a gift." He shrugged. "Not sure how much of it is true."

"What gift?" Zyran asked, brows furrowed.

"I can...manipulate the other side?" It came out as a question, due to his confusion. The three of them froze, glancing at one another. "What? Is that bad?"

Esme turned to him and sighed. "Mediums who can manipulate the other side are considered dangerous."

"Eric's not dangerous." Zyran defended immediately, straightening.

"I know that." Esme assured, then turned to look back at Eric. "But others will consider that dangerous. Consider you dangerous. And if the other side talks, word will get out about you."

"So basically he's going to be targeted." Zyran retorted.

"In the outside world, yes." Evelyn spoke. "But in here, within these walls, no one will harm you."

"What about the ghosts?" Eric asked, fear rolling in his stomach.

"I can perform a spell to keep ghosts out of the castle." She offered. He nodded.

"Come on. We need to work on getting Aurora back." Esme said, redirecting the conversation.

"We need a personal item of Aurora's." Eric stated.

"Well, that's a little difficult considering she doesn't have personal belongings." Evelyn retorted.

"Actually..." Zyran stepped toward Aurora, unclasping the necklace and holding it up. "Except this."

Eric grabbed it from him, wrapping it in his hand. As he did, Aurora's spirit appeared in the corner. He looked up, watching her glitch. "She's here."

"Good. We can start." Evelyn said, then turned around to the bowl. She waved a hand over the bowl and began to speak the incantation. The herbs and blood inside sizzled as the spell started.

Eric turned to Aurora, just as she appeared before him. He hesitated, terrified of her. But then he forced himself to remember she wasn't dead. She was just stuck in limbo.

Zyran stepped toward him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You've got this. Remember, you're saving Aurora. Our friend."

Eric blew out a breath. "Okay." He nodded. Zyran didn't remove his hand, though he moved back. He glanced at the necklace, then handed it to Zyran. Eric inhaled, closing his eyes as he held out a hand toward Aurora's body and allowed his magic to flow through him. Black tendrils formed from his palm, linking to Aurora's body through her sternum. When he opened his eyes, they were pitch black.

Evelyn didn't stop repeating the incantation, Esme and Zyran watching. Eric's face twitched suddenly, the black energy flickering. Wind appeared out of nowhere, blowing around them as the lights flickered. Eric was struggling. He was weak in his powers, due to his lack of using them.

Allison appeared in front of Eric. "You're losing control. Fight through the panic."

"I'm trying." He grunted. The wind picked up.

"Eric!" Esme yelled, her tone a warning.

"Fight it, Eric. Or it won't work. You have to try. Save your friend." He glanced down at her. "You're okay. Nothing is going to hurt you." She assured him. "Save her."

He closed his eyes and focused on Aurora, on bringing her back. His face contorted into a grimace as he struggled. Zyran squeezed his shoulder and with one final push, the lights burst and a wave of magic sent them flying back.

The wind disappeared and the lights returned to normal, only dimmer. Eric coughed as his head lolled to the side, Zyran turning over and pushing himself up with a groan.

Evelyn rushed to Esme's side. "Mom." She called. "Mom, wake up." She stirred, her face scrunching.

Zyran stood up as Eric pushed himself into a sitting position. Zyran moved to the bed, his hand wrapping around Aurora's. He leaned over her, brushing her hair back. The veins around her temple and her neck disappeared.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, almost as if she were waking up from a long slumber. Her green eyes landed on Zyran's brown ones and a smile pulled at her lips.

"Hi." She whispered, her voice soft and barely audible.

Zyran's lips pulled up to match hers. "Hi."

She then looked around, noticing she was in her bedroom. Her face scrunched. "Why am I here...?" She breathed out. "Nara. She's— She's in—"

"We found her. She's here. She's going to have a proper burial." He assured, nodding his head.

Her breathing picked up. "There's something else. Hydra—"

"They're dead, Aurora. They can't get in and they can't hurt you."

"No. No, that's not it." She shook her head. "I know why Van Helsing wants me. Why he's done all of this. Why he's wanted me since I was a baby."

"Why?" He asked. He didn't understand what she was saying, why she was panicking.

Her eyes turned glossy, and her bottom lip trembled. "I'm Van Helsing's daughter."