Legacy Rangers (Book Two of the Chosen Universe)

Chapter Twenty-Two

LIZA

The storm brewing was mildly concerning. It wasn't the fact that thunder shook her enormous house or that there was enough lightning to make it look like her parents were putting on a light show, but the fact that this was all occurring inside of the house that unnerved Liza a bit.

Maybe if I turn around and go back to school, they won't realize I came home, she thought. Cheerleading practice had ended a little while ago, but there was a good chance Mrs. Peabody was still in the auditorium getting things ready for the drama club. She never minded it when Liza hung out and ran lines with her or just did her homework. She also never questioned why Liza so rarely wanted to go home after school.

"Liza! Come in here!" Her father said harshly.

Liza sighed. "So much for that," she mumbled. She walked into the house with her head held high and greeted her parents with a casual shrug. "Hello, Mother. Father."

"Give Consuela your school things and join us," her mother demanded.

Liza handed the head housekeeper her bag. Connie looked at her apologetically before taking it and walking away. The very well-paid domestic had worked for the Edwards family since before Liza was born. She was a kindly older woman who spoke just enough English to get by as a servant for the wealthiest family in Ridgeview. The Edwards prided themselves on being the only wealthy family of color in town. This bothered Liza, who knew damn well that the Liu family, who were Asian, and Gloria Ramon and her son, who were Hispanic, were technically also minorities who had acquired a great deal of wealth. Gloria's status as a single mother had somewhat tarnished her reputation, however, and the Lius were the whitest Asian people Liza had ever met, so maybe that was why no one counted them among the minorities.

"Give me your hand," her father said.

"May I ask what this is for?" Liza asked dryly.

"We have another merger. This will ensure it goes smoothly and we profit greatly," her mother said. Of course, Samantha wasn't really her mother, but she was expected to address her as that. Keeping up appearances was essential.

Of course it's for money and status... What else do they care about? Liza thought. She extended her hand toward her father, knowing she had no other choice. He took the ritual blade and cut her wrist, holding her wrist painfully tight over a chalice.

"With the blood of this Campbell, I summon the Granter of Wishes to bless our merger!" Her father declared.

Liza rolled her eyes. Most teenagers were expected to come home by a certain time for their safety. Her parents demanded she come home so they could use her blood and her magic in rituals. She was starting to feel a bit dizzy when a figure appeared. It took the chalice and drank her blood. Liza felt sick as it laughed and got drunk off of her magic.

This will end, a voice said as Liza struggled to stay conscious. A woman appeared, but it seemed only Liza could see her. Find me, Liza. Come to me. I will free you from this life.

The words were nice, but Liza felt threatened. She knew who the woman was... Her mother, Aisha Campbell. Her father had spent Liza's entire life bragging about the way he'd tortured and broken her mother before making her forget Liza had been born and escaping back into the time he'd come from. Aisha had been a terrified, innocent fourteen-year-old girl at the time. It was a couple of decades later, but thanks to the manipulation of time, Liza was only sixteen.

I'm hallucinating from blood loss, Liza thought. Her mother didn't know she existed. Her father was too powerful. His magic wouldn't have failed... Still, it was nice to think she might escape this life eventually. Her whole life had been about giving her parents power in their dark rituals. She was pretty damn sick of being used, and in spite of an exterior she admitted was quite bitchy, Liza was actually a good person. She behaved as she did mainly to push people away so they'd be safe from the evil world she'd been raised in.