To Raise the Dead- Book Three

Ch. 16- A Man Who Knew Pain

"My hands are shaking and my knuckles are bruised, but I survived."

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Jasper

If someone had told me that my life would change after years of being tormented, then I would say they were lying. I mean, seriously. I spent most of my life within Agnes' grasp and now I have a family I can call my own. I only have my aunt and sister now, but sometimes I wish I could meet my parents. Elora has more memories of them than I do and sometimes there is a gut of jealousy when I see her. I know, I shouldn't feel that way. That her and I share the same grief of losing our parents, but it doesn't feel the same. I never got to have the same childhood as her and I wish I could have. 

Losing Elora was possibly the worst thing to ever happen to me. Yes, being tortured was bad, but finding out that she died trying to save everyone was the worst. The fact that I was not there when she took her last breath was all I could think about for months. I was supposed to be there, her brother. Her closest family member was supposed to be by her side as she closed her eyes for the last time. But it was Sebastian. I guess if it someone who was beside her except for me, I would want it to be him in a heartbeat. 

My legs were crossed on the bed as I flipped through the pages of the book that brought my sister back from the dead. The Red Book. It contained many spells of which witches used. Magic with deadly repercussions. It reminded me of what I was taught as a child by Agnes. It was much different from this one, but it held the same value. It held fear. And that was a deadly thing to possess. I could still hear her voice in my head, "Jasper, little boy, if you don't do as I say, I will bury your family alive with one snap of my fingers."

I shook my head to try to forget that memory. I, instead, conjured my own magic from the earth itself. The blue light flickered from my hand as it danced around the room like a shadow. This light that I could conjure without a thought was the only thing that brought me from going insane. It was my only friend and it was there in the darkest of times. 

I got up from the bed and looked in the mirror. What I saw was the same blue in my eyes as my light. When I was using my magic, my eyes changed to this color. And Elora's did the same. It was something out of this world when I saw myself with these eyes. Like maybe we weren't made to exist in the first place. That we held so much power that it was dangerous to live. 

Just then, I heard a knock on my door. Grace came in without being invited and I let my light consume me so there was only one lantern on. I looked back and my eyes returned to the same hazel that I always recognized. Her face looked as if she was upset. I would never tell anyone, but she looked beautiful as ever if she was smiling or frowning. 

"What's wrong?" I narrowed my eyebrows, sitting on the edge of the bed. Over the course of four months, Grace and I started becoming great friends and bonded over pretty much everything after Sebastian and Ellie went their own ways. 

She rolled her eyes and laid down in the middle of the hardwood floor in front of me. Her eyes stared at the ceiling and she took a heavy breath. "Have I told you that I hate being told what to do?"

I chuckled. "Yes, many times," After a second, I also laid down on the floor beside her and stared at the boring ceiling above. "Who upset you?"

"It's Sebastian who is so ignorant of everything and everyone around him," she admitted. "Sometimes I wish I could slap him."

"Trust me, I have the same wish."

Grace laughed as she turned to me. Her icy blue eyes stared into mine and I felt a chill go through my spine. "He is making me plan Elora's surprise party with Ellie."

"And you don't want to do it?" 

She smiled, looked back at the ceiling. "It's not that I don't want to, it's just that he didn't ask nicely. I do everything for him but I don't get the same in return." 

I turned my head toward her. "If it's any consolation, I would have asked nicely."

"Tell me something to make me feel better," she said at once. "I want a distraction." 

I thought about it for a moment. "Anything?" I asked. 

"Anything you wish to tell me. If it's a secret, I will keep my mouth shut. It's a promise." she said as she turned to me once again. 

"Very well," I paused. "I was only a child when Agnes kidnapped me. It was retribution for the things my parents did that made her angry. I was held in a house that had little light and many witches that didn't like me. I was taught to be a nightmare. A weapon. And the only companion I had for those years was my light, my magic deep in my veins. This light in my hands that gave me the feeling that I wasn't so alone in the world."

After a moment of silence, Grace finally spoke. "Can you show me?"

I hesitated for only a second, but I let my light out from my fingertips as it wrapped around both of us. Her eyes lit up like a child and I smiled at her. Minutes passed and I finally let my magic back in me again. 

"You truly are something else, aren't you Jasper Miller?" she said with a smile. 

"If that's what you believe." 

After what felt like a long time, she finally stood back up. I did the same. "Well, thank you for telling me and showing me your light. I've got party planning to do so I'll talk to you later." 

"You need help?" I wondered.

"Not to be mean, but you got your style from your sister. Don't worry, I've had years of this. I know what to do." she winked. 

"You owe me a story when you're done." 

"I'll confess during the dance." 

And then she was gone and I was left alone in the room again. 

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