Redemption

Chapter Fifteen: The Other Protector

"What do you mean you've been expecting me?" I asked suspiciously.

"Your mother told me that you would come to me one day," the stranger replied.

"You know Abigail?" My heart leapt at the thought. Was it possible that she was still alive and had communicated with this man?

He shook his head. "Not your adoptive mother. Your biological mother- Brianne."

"That's impossible. Brianne has been dead for nearly two decades," Micah said skeptically.

"You should know by now, Micah, that anything is possible when magic is involved," the man said with a smile.

"I don't trust him," Micah muttered in a hushed voice. "How does he know our names? There's no way he could have known we'd show up here, at this exact time, on this exact day."

I had my doubts too. But the smile on the man'a face seemed genuine. He was comfortable and at ease, no defensiveness in his stance.

"I don't know, Micah. Like he said, anything is possible with magic. I, of all people, have come to believe that during the last several days."

"How do we know you're really Fletcher?" Micah asked the man.

"You don't," the man said."But I haven't done anything to show otherwise. I could have easily attacked while you without making myself known, if that were my goal."

"That doesn't prove anything. Maybe you're just trying to play mind games with us," Micah said suspiciously.

"Lexi," the man said, turning to face mr. "Look into your heart. Do you get a bad feeling about me? A witch's instinct is the most reliable form of magic there is."

I did as he asked, and was surprised when I didn't sense any negativity about the man. My heart wasn't racing in fright, and I didn't feel the need to run. In fact, I almost felt drawn to him. I knew in my core that this man was an ally, a confidant, someone who could be trusted.

Of course, I wasn't entirely sure I could trust my own dispositions. Perhaps I was only calm because I had Micah by my side, his arm still draped protectively around me. Or maybe this stranger was using some form of magic to sway my decision, to make my body anodyne when I would normally be terrified. I was more confused than ever before.

"I'm not sure," I muttered, looking from Micah to the man.

"Take the leap, Lexi," the man whispered.

His words make me smile. This was something Christopher used to say to me when I was afraid to try something new.

"Take the leap, Lexi. Dive in with the faith that everything will be okay."

Those words took me back to memories of riding my bicycle without the training wheels, jumping into the lake at Jerry and Kate's cabin, learning to drive a car.

Take the leap, his words echoed, and the man gave a knowing smile.

"I believe him," I said. Micah turned his head around to look at me in shock. "We can trust him."

Micah shook his head. "Well, excuse me if I don't believe the intuition of a woman who has only known that she's a witch for a week," he muttered. "I'm sorry, but that just doesn't convince me."

"When we first met, you wanted me to use blind faith to trust you and follow you halfway across the country," I reminded him.

Micah narrowed his eyes at the memory. I could see his defenses slacken infinitesimally.

"You don't have to trust him, but can you at least try to trust me?"

Micah stared at me, his striking green eyes looking deep into my bright hazel. He was gazing intently, searching me as though he can feel what I felt, believe what I believed.