Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

I was dreaming. I felt safe . . . I was safe, dancing around in my field of flowers. Suddenly someone's arms snaked around my waist.

"You did it, baby," the voice whispered in my ear. "It's going to be all right now. I promise."

I turned toward the sound of the voice I loved more than anything else in the world.

"What did I do?" I asked Vance innocently, staring into his bright-blue eyes.

"You saved me. It worked!" he replied with a wide smile.

"What worked?" I was confused, unable to figure out what he was talking about.

"The binding spell, the healer's magic. All of it." He laughed and hugged me tightly.

"Healer's magic?"

"You've proven to be a very powerful healer witch."

"Then why am I still sleeping?" I asked suspiciously, narrowing my eyes.

"You still need to rest for a while. Your body was very depleted." He leaned down to nuzzle his face into the crook of my neck. "I'm sorry about that."

I wasn't sure what he was talking about, so I just relished the feel of him for a few moments, too happy to try and straighten things out in my head. But I became very tired all of a sudden and wanted to go to sleep, so I closed my eyes.

Wait a minute, wasn't I already asleep?

The physical pain of separation began to seep into my system. I opened my eyes to look at him, but he wasn't there.

"Vance?" I exclaimed. "Vance! Where are you?" My heart was pounding in my chest, and I twirled in a circle, searching.

When his voice finally came, it was in a distant whisper.

"I'm leaving you for a while, baby," he said apologetically.

"What? No! Don't go!" I ran in the direction I thought his voice had come from. "Don't leave me!"

"I have to—just for a little while. I'll see you again someday, though. I promise! I love you!"

I knew he was gone then because I couldn't feel him anymore. Sinking to the ground beneath me, I curled into a ball and allowed the tears to overcome me until I fell asleep.

Later, I awoke to find myself still lying in a heap in the field of flowers. I sat up and looked around, the breeze in the meadow blowing gently over the top of me. Voices tinkled softly in the air moving around me, but I could only catch snippets of what they were saying as I tried to recognize them.

"Is she okay?"

" . . . don't know if . . . "

" . . . hasn't woken up since . . . "

"No, he's gone . . . "

I tried speaking to get their attention. "Hello? Is someone there?"

" . . . just moved . . . " came the reply.

"Maybe she is . . . " another voice answered.

I concentrated real hard on the sound of those voices.

"Grandma?" I called out, thinking I recognized one of the voices as I heard more mumblings. "Shelly!" I shouted when I recognized her voice out of the blue, but there was no reply from either of them.