Read Online Nightwish (An Echoes of Eternity Novel Book 1) by Sydney Bristow - Free Book Online
Authors: Sydney Bristow
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hands.
I couldn’t avoid the most logical explanation: Grams had crafted a spell to prevent others from seeing the room. Given that, at some point in the last twenty years, one person or another must have bumped into the wall…only to fall into the chamber.
That’s when I recalled Grams stating that only people with a sixth sense even noticed supernatural powers. It meant only those with paranormal sensitivity could see the room, much less walk inside. Grams had certainly withheld quite a bit over the past two decades, probably for my own good, but it annoyed me that I had to soak up so much knowledge with very little time to process it all. And right now, I wanted to know why Grams had stored these weapons in an invisible room.
I walked toward the violet curtain, and stepped through it, paying no attention to the pleasant sensation it evoked. I came out on the other side.
The front door opened, and Grams stepped back inside. She sighed heavily and glared at me. “I cannot recall the directions to return to my residence.”
“What if I don’t want my powers?”
“Such preposterous discourse! You cannot simply return your gifts at a local market.”
“Well, if I lost my receipt, of course not.”
She stared at me, clueless to the meaning of my play on words.
I didn’t trust The Intruder with the secret room, and since Grams told me to trust my intuition, I decided to heed her advice.
“Your abilities are a privilege. Your ancestors would be appalled by your disrespect.”
My real Grams would never have disregarded my feelings so thoughtlessly. Earlier, I’d assumed that she and my new family members had created a cocktail of rage and frustration then hurled it at me. In response, a claustrophobic frenzy seemed to have entrenched itself in every molecule of my body. I gasped for air, unable to restrain all of the anger that had overwhelmed me. I just wanted her out of sight.
“You parked across the street,” I said. “The red Hyundai Elantra. The directions are on the passenger seat.”
“Yes, of course,” she said, bewildered. She remained in place for a few more seconds before adding, “Then I shall take leave.” With that, she headed toward the door, opened it, stepped into the threshold, and swung back to me. “Would you be so inclined to operate the mechanized structure of which you speak, this Hyundai, to see me home?”
“Hmmm, based on our pleasant conversations today, that’s one hell of a tempting offer. But I’m gonna go with…no!” Despite her negativity and patronizing behavior, I admonished myself for mistreating Grams: I needed to blame the disease…not her. “I’m sorry for being short with you. You go ahead. I’ll be home later.”
“Of course.” Uncertainty clouded her face for a moment before a steely expression took hold. She turned around and exited the shop.
As for Grams’s wavering demeanor, I assumed that Alzheimer’s and magic didn’t mix well. I didn’t have any other theories. Then an obvious thought popped into my head: in the past, during these memory lapses, Grams had never remembered me. But today, while she switched between herself…and The Intruder , she recognized me without any difficulty. She just acted differently.
But why? Obviously, something wasn’t right. Perhaps slowing the aging process had deteriorated her mind, resulting in splintered realities. I didn’t know what captured my imagination more: getting to the bottom of that mystery…or discovering what was inside the box in the middle of the secret chamber.
CHAPTER SIX
An hour later, after locking up the shop and walking home to contemplate all that had occurred today, I entered our home, catching a whiff of cloves mixed with the scent of iron. Grams must have gone to sleep because I didn’t see a light from her bedroom splashing into the hall at the other end of the house. I crossed through our cramped family room. The walls held framed pictures of me and Grams
I couldn’t avoid the most logical explanation: Grams had crafted a spell to prevent others from seeing the room. Given that, at some point in the last twenty years, one person or another must have bumped into the wall…only to fall into the chamber.
That’s when I recalled Grams stating that only people with a sixth sense even noticed supernatural powers. It meant only those with paranormal sensitivity could see the room, much less walk inside. Grams had certainly withheld quite a bit over the past two decades, probably for my own good, but it annoyed me that I had to soak up so much knowledge with very little time to process it all. And right now, I wanted to know why Grams had stored these weapons in an invisible room.
I walked toward the violet curtain, and stepped through it, paying no attention to the pleasant sensation it evoked. I came out on the other side.
The front door opened, and Grams stepped back inside. She sighed heavily and glared at me. “I cannot recall the directions to return to my residence.”
“What if I don’t want my powers?”
“Such preposterous discourse! You cannot simply return your gifts at a local market.”
“Well, if I lost my receipt, of course not.”
She stared at me, clueless to the meaning of my play on words.
I didn’t trust The Intruder with the secret room, and since Grams told me to trust my intuition, I decided to heed her advice.
“Your abilities are a privilege. Your ancestors would be appalled by your disrespect.”
My real Grams would never have disregarded my feelings so thoughtlessly. Earlier, I’d assumed that she and my new family members had created a cocktail of rage and frustration then hurled it at me. In response, a claustrophobic frenzy seemed to have entrenched itself in every molecule of my body. I gasped for air, unable to restrain all of the anger that had overwhelmed me. I just wanted her out of sight.
“You parked across the street,” I said. “The red Hyundai Elantra. The directions are on the passenger seat.”
“Yes, of course,” she said, bewildered. She remained in place for a few more seconds before adding, “Then I shall take leave.” With that, she headed toward the door, opened it, stepped into the threshold, and swung back to me. “Would you be so inclined to operate the mechanized structure of which you speak, this Hyundai, to see me home?”
“Hmmm, based on our pleasant conversations today, that’s one hell of a tempting offer. But I’m gonna go with…no!” Despite her negativity and patronizing behavior, I admonished myself for mistreating Grams: I needed to blame the disease…not her. “I’m sorry for being short with you. You go ahead. I’ll be home later.”
“Of course.” Uncertainty clouded her face for a moment before a steely expression took hold. She turned around and exited the shop.
As for Grams’s wavering demeanor, I assumed that Alzheimer’s and magic didn’t mix well. I didn’t have any other theories. Then an obvious thought popped into my head: in the past, during these memory lapses, Grams had never remembered me. But today, while she switched between herself…and The Intruder , she recognized me without any difficulty. She just acted differently.
But why? Obviously, something wasn’t right. Perhaps slowing the aging process had deteriorated her mind, resulting in splintered realities. I didn’t know what captured my imagination more: getting to the bottom of that mystery…or discovering what was inside the box in the middle of the secret chamber.
CHAPTER SIX
An hour later, after locking up the shop and walking home to contemplate all that had occurred today, I entered our home, catching a whiff of cloves mixed with the scent of iron. Grams must have gone to sleep because I didn’t see a light from her bedroom splashing into the hall at the other end of the house. I crossed through our cramped family room. The walls held framed pictures of me and Grams
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