Bound by Spells & Regrets

Chapter 10: Harper

I know where Dad will be; I just need to figure out what secret passage he's in today. I walk into this old antique store that feels like stepping into a nightmare, its dim light casting shadows that seem to breathe. At the end of the shop, I find three doors, and the only way to know which one he's behind is to use magic. My dad is a very old witch, one of the most powerful, but he's also sort of a recluse in the supernatural world. He's always hiding away because of it. He taught me everything I know about spells and powers, guiding me away from the dark side my mother embraced.

I'm not even sure if my parents loved each other; I was the result of a one-night stand. Yet, despite everything, they've always loved me—well, "loved" is a tricky word when it comes to Dawn and what this all is nowadays. There was once a genuine love between them, but that feels like a distant memory. My dad has always protected me when I asked, stepping in like a shield whenever I needed it.

The only problem with him is that he detests wars and fighting. He would never engage in conflict, no matter who asked. It's one of the reasons he never works for people like Drake. He was mortified when Dawn first took a job with Kane. I can still hear him on the phone, calling her every day, listing all the reasons why she shouldn't be involved with him. But she never listened.

I wish she had. Our lives would be much better if she had taken his warnings to heart. Instead, she got caught up in something dark and dangerous, dragging me along for the ride.

I place my hands on all the doors, feeling the energy pulsing through them. With a deep breath, I pull open the door I feel drawn to and walk in.

Inside, his room is messier than usual, which signals that he's working on something big and needs all the resources he can gather.

"Dad!" I yell into the abyss of clutter.

"Harper!" His voice echoes from somewhere in the chaos. I walk around a corner piled high with old spell books and broken artifacts, finally spotting him emerging from the dark circle, wrapping something up and tucking it into a jar.

He usually does this to preserve spells he runs out of space for, jarring them for next time. I watch him as he steps out, the jar glowing with the remnants of the spell he was working on. He once told me that vessels can hold amazing things, and the most powerful spells often need the ugliest vessels; otherwise, the prettiest would attract too much attention.

He rushes over to me. We aren't huggers, but today, I can't help it. I squeeze him so tightly that I fight back tears, he lightly pushes me away, by grabbing my forearms. "Harper, what are you doing here?" He looks down my body, clearly noticing the changes in my appearance and the sunken eyes that I never usually have. The concern etched on his face makes my heart ache.

I grab him tightly again, and for a moment, he hesitates, but then he wraps his arms around me. It's a shock to me, and although I know he's very uncomfortable, I continue to hold him, letting a flicker of love I long to feel again break through. The only person I've never betrayed is Dad.

"Are you okay?" He pulls back and steps away. I pull back to look at him and quickly scan for a place to sit. A pile of boxes will do. I push down the tears threatening to spill.

"Not really, Dad. I need your help with something—a spell, really. I'm missing a piece, and maybe you could help with it." He nods, his expression turning serious. He looks me over waiting for me to say more.

"Which one? Is that all?" He walk over the other side of the room, fixing up some of the books and making sure things are neater then what they are. "The binding spell, the mate spell, or are you here to face the council?"

His question shocks me, but I know I can't hide anything from him; he always knew things before I did. It wasn't magic, but years of living and an innate understanding of people. Dawn would say he connected with others on a level beyond this world, the reason she was drawn to him. He never called it love; she referred to it as being connected or drawn. I can see what she means—he has a calming vibe about him.