Page 103 of The Book Reader
“I’m sorry, Papa. I couldn’t save you.” Tears soak my cheeks. I was so young when he died—the guilt of not being there for him still feels like a stone in my gut; it’s never gone away.
“Shhhh, it wasn’t your job to save me, it was my job to save you.” He assures me. He looks down at me, his eyes matching my amber ones. “You have grown into a beautiful, powerful lady, and I’m so proud of you.” Pride glistens in his eyes.
I’ve missed my family so much. I wished every day that I didn’t have to lose them, that I wasn’t alone in a world that got so much larger and scarier.
Aunt May stands next. She is elegant as she strides over to us, as if floating on air; her eyes are tear-filled, and she smiles. “You are brave, my darling, you are a Jay after all.” She envelopes me in a tight hug, her warmth and scent wrap around me like a cozy blanket, and she whispers, “You are going to be so powerful.”
I wish I could feel that way. Right now, I’m terrified of what I am going to wake up to. I reluctantly step back,immediately missing my aunt’s warmth. I have questions that need answering. I never thought I would get a moment like this to ask. “Why didn’t you tell me we are daemons?” I question.
My dad speaks first. “Because I asked them not to,” his voice stern.
Flicking my eyes to my dad, baffled that he would care so much. He is not magical at all; his side of the family was all non-supernatural. I remember him not getting too involved in the witchy side of things—only if he had to, and only if my mom asked him to. Other than that, he kept away, always making sure I knew how to do things the non-magical way. I thought he loved that I had powers like my mother.
“I asked your mother not to tell you; I wanted you to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.” He waves a hand dismissively.
“What your father is trying to say is,” my mom interrupts him, placing her hand on his chest and giving him a look that says, “I’ll handle this.” “Being a Jay comes with risks, not only as the Book Reader, but as a member of an ancient daemon witch tribe.” She explains.
“With Tate after us, the whole clan went into hiding centuries ago. When we found out that we were going to be gifted you… We knew Tate would stop at nothing to get your powers. So, we stayed hidden and kept our powers secret. Everyone thought we were normal, low-level witches, just like we wanted them to.”
“You knew I was the Book Reader?” My voice rises with shock that hits me hard in the chest, making my heart beat faster. They knew all along.
Aunt May steps forward again and takes my hand before squeezing it lightly to comfort me. “I had a vision that you were going to be born into our family, a gift from the powers that be, and what a gift you are.” She smiles fondly. “We knew you would be powerful. Even at a young age, you showed signs.” Sorrow fills her eyes, and Mom comes to stand next to us both, linking her arm with my aunt. They look so similar, amber eyes, the same kind smile, and olive skin.
“We had to protect you at all costs,” Mom says, reaching for my other hand.
“At all costs? Your lives is what it cost!” My voice shakes. My heart feels like it’s about to shatter from the pain I felt when I was told about each of their deaths. I was left at a young age by my mother; I had to go through my life without the one person who was meant to show me how to be me. My father was gone before he could even scare my first date away. My Papa never got to see me dance again. My aunt died in my arms. I clamp my eyes shut tight, trying not to let my mind relive each moment that everything came crashing down around me.
“At all costs, Arianna, you are my baby. I was not going to let anything happen to you, even if that meant I had to die.” Mom’s voice breaks my thoughts, stopping me from spiraling down into the dark hole of grief again. She squeezes my hand as I begin to cry. My eyes still clamp shut, the tears leak out through the lids, soaking my cheeks anyway. “You don’t remember because you were so young. Tate found out where we were, and he came to our home. Thankfully, I was the only one there. We fought, and I couldn’t win; neither could your father when he came home. He took our lives.” I peel my eyes open, tears overflow, and rush down my face. Hearing Tate killed my parents is torment ripping at the roots of my soul. I don’t want to hear anymore. I just want to take my family home with me.
Mom lifts her hands and wipes the tears from my cheeks, just as she used to when I was a kid; her touch is capable of fixing everything. “You’ve got to live a full life, Arianna, just as we all hoped you would. The sacrifice was worth knowing you are going to save everyone,” She sounds confident, and I wish I could join her in that feeling. Knowing Tate has been after my family and me my whole life makes dread and fear churn in the ever-growing pool of anxiety in my gut.
Aunt May rubs the back of my hand, her touch as familiar as my mom’s. All these touches I’ve longed for so long… I just wish it were under better circumstances. “You are going to be even more powerful than we thought. You have a lot to learn, my darling. I know you can do it.” She leans up and kisses my tear-stained cheek.
“I don’t think I can do this alone, not without you all.” I weep as the realization that they are never coming back crashes into me. Whatever this sick dream is, it’s breaking my heart all over again.
“You can, Pudding. You are not alone, Gaelan is with you—your soulmate.” Papa comes over and wraps his arm around my shoulders.
“Papa? How do you know about Gaelan?” I glance.
“He came to visit me a long time ago. He was interested in a spell book… wanted information about it. I knew who he was then; he knew too many details about a book that no one should know about, and you had not even been born yet, so whispers of your power or the book hadn’t started yet.” He beams. “He is meant to be yours, Ari. Your lover and protector,” he finishes, looking satisfied.
A wistful look graces my face. Gaelan is mine, I know it to be true. Just like the blood that runs in my veins and the next breath I take. They always knew about him, about what I am going to be. I miss my family so much.
“We will always be here,” Papa says, tapping the space over his heart, as if reading my thoughts, encouraging me. I just wish that in the times that I needed them the most, I could have felt them. He gestures to the kitchen door. “This is only the start of your journey. Why don’t you go and see for yourself?”
Taking a reluctant step closer, my head tilts to the side when whispers from behind the door hit my ears. They echo around the room, so familiar to me, yet I can’t seem to place where Ihave heard them before. The tugging feeling wraps around me again, beckoning me closer. My soul aches, as if it’s telling me to open the door. I move another inch closer, unable to fight the allure. My hands shake like an addict needing their next fix.
I look at my family. “I don’t want to go; please, can I stay a little longer?” I beg, my words almost getting lodged in my throat.
My grandfather is at my side in seconds, his voice reaching me over the whispers.. “You can do this, Ari. Remember what I have always said: Listen to the voices, they are your guides.” He murmurs. He kisses my cheek before taking my shaky hand, leading me over to the door. My steps falter when I catch my family watching, pride showing on all their faces. A feeling of dread washes over me, making my steps pause.
I’m scared I’ll never see them again.
I fight the hold this strange light has on me. Rushing back to my mom, I hug her tight and breathe in her warmth again, savoring the feeling of having her to hold. “I love you.” A whisper leaves my lips, filled with as much love as I can master.
She kisses my cheek before I straighten.
I smile at them all. “I love all of you.” My voice is thick with sorrow as tears run down my cheeks. I only have a couple of people left in my life. Everyone else is standing here looking at me expectantly, like I am about to save the world as a whole.
