Page 30 of Stalked

Do I really want this kind of power? Would I become like this?

“Why did you ask Lily to have me come to see you?” I asked.

“Because I know I’ll lose your powers in a few weeks. I can barely hold on to them now. I was hoping you’d see how dangerous they really are for you and willingly give them to me.”

My mom really was gone.

She leaned forward and whispered, “There’s a way to lower the shield in this place that will allow you to transfer them to me, you know?” She looked over at George, then back at me. “I’ll tell you what?—surrender your magic to me, and I’ll spare your life.” She giggled again as if she were laughing at a joke. “You can even help me get out of here, and together, we can be a family again. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

She honestly believes I’d buy that.

“You stuck in a knife in my fucking chest—”

“Mercy?” a woman interrupted from behind me. My mom’s grin tapered off into a frown. Whoever the woman was, she did not like her.

“My name is Leah. Will you walk with me for a moment?” Leah had straight, shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. She wore a black business blazer over a red blouse and a black pencil skirt with tall red heels. She was also incredibly petite, and if it weren’t for her heels, I would guess she was about five feet.

She looked familiar, but I couldn’t recall from where. “Do I know you?”

“My family owns this institution.”

No, that’s not it.

She placed her hand on my shoulder, gesturing toward the hallway. “Let’s talk out there.”

I glanced back at my mom; my eyes drawn to her shaky hands.

“Yes … yes, of course,” I stammered.

We walked into the hallway next to the recreational room, and she closed the door behind us, leaving it open just enough that she could still peek inside the room.

“Caleb just called me,” she said when we were alone. “He’s going to wait for you in the parking lot when we’re done here.”

My blood now boiled because I specifically asked him not to come.

“Listen, Mercy. In a moment, you’re going to go back into that room. You’ll grab your mother’s hands when I give the signal and take your powers back. This can be done only if we lower the shield in the room. We can’t lower the entire shield in the hospital, for safety reasons, of course. Wear this.” She handed me a black stone bracelet. “It’s enchanted with retrieval magic. If you wear it when you touch her, you’ll be able to draw your powers out of her and back into you.”

I glanced at the bracelet, but I immediately drew my attention toward the hallway to our right. I heard cries coming from the other rooms where they’d kept the patients. I wondered how many other witches had been sentenced to this place.

“But be cautious, Mercy,” she warned, drawing my attention back to her. “When she realizes the barrier is down, she’ll try to use her magic to stop you. Because she also has your magic inside her, she’ll be stronger than all of us here combined.”

Her warning made my stomach twist into knots. But I also wondered if I should trust her. She, just like Caleb, was a stranger to me. She was also associated with Caleb, who alone made me uneasy every time he simply stared at me.

He makes me feel other things, but I don’t want to think about that.

“I’m scared, Leah,” I confessed. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”

Leah smiled genuinely, her arms now hung loosely at her sides, and she leaned against the wall. It was as if someone had flipped a switch, and she dropped her formal persona in the blink of an eye. I felt a little less nervous seeing her relax in the hallway.

“You’re the most powerful witch I’ve ever known,” Leah said. “I realize you’ve lost your memory, but we were like sisters once.” She placed her hand on my shoulder again, and I instantly felt a bond and connection with her, like I had with Caleb. It was warm and loving. She was also a witch, and not just any witch from my past; she was part of my coven.

Leah leaned over, peered into the room where my mother sat, and looked back at me. “Put on the bracelet.”

I did as she asked, and we both peered inside the room again. “Let’s go,” she instructed, gesturing to the door.

Leah followed closely to my side as we headed back into the room. My mom observed me as I sat back down and stared into her dark eyes. The only sound was the clock ticking on the wall behind me.

Tick tock. Tick tock.

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