Read Online The Curse of Dark Root: Part Two (Daughters of Dark Root Book 4) by April Aasheim - Free Book Online
Authors: April Aasheim
Ads: Link
packed.”
Sarah races up the stairs, her head tucked into her hands.
Jackson leaves, slamming the door behind him.
But not before throwing a lit cigar onto the floor, which catches the fringe of an expensive Arabian rug.
THE ROOM WENT black and the vision faded away. The light from my wand dimmed, too. I stared into the dark, wondering if what I’d seen had been a hallucination, brought about by Merry's tea. In answer, I spied the embers of the altar still burning near the far wall.
“Jackson, come back,” I urgently whispered.
The flame flickered, as if indecisive, then sprang back to life. Jackson manifested before me, young again, and handsome. Sarah appeared as well, standing some distance behind him in a pale blue dress.
“You found her!”
Jackson looked at me, and then looked sadly back at his wife. Sarah stared through him. She had found the altar, but she hadn’t found him.
I held my wand out before her, without response.
She was lost, traveling in a separate dimension altogether. She looked around warily, her eyes never leaving Jackson's altar while her hands rested on her abdomen. She was young and beautiful, no older than twenty-two. She had never gotten to live out her life, nor had she been allowed to have her child.
How temporary life was, I thought dismally, and all a ruse––the illusion of health and immortality. One moment you had everything, and the next your life was snuffed out like a lit cigar.
Jackson stepped to her side, his eyes imploring me.
“She can't see you, Jackson, or me either. She’s in a separate realm from either of us. There are thousands of planes, and the fact that you found her at all is a sign of how much you love her.”
“Please...” he managed, his voice a wisp.
I moved between them, placing my hand over hers on her belly. She startled but didn't retreat. I lifted my wand and her eyes flickered, as if she'd caught a speck of light in an otherwise dark mirror. “Sarah, my name is Maggie. I've come to help you. Jackson is here in this room with me. He is sorry. He never meant to hurt you. He was angry, but the fire was an accident. He loved you very much and built this altar to honor you.”
She pursed her lips and spoke, though only mist issued forth. She wasn't corporeal enough to make sounds. She was a ghost, like Jackson, but without the resolve to solidify or cross over. She was stuck in a shadow world.
Jackson stepped behind her, draping his arms around her waist and weeping on her shoulder. She gasped, as if sensing him, though she continued her vigil before the small flame.
“I don't think you can reach her. The light will come for her when she's ready.”
He pointed to a dark corner. Suddenly, a glowing blue orb appeared. It started out small, the size of one of my snow globes, suspended in midair. It gradually expanded until it became as large as a door. It was brilliant and I had to look away.
“The light!” I exclaimed. “Go into it, Jackson. There are good things inside.”
He shook his head and touched Sarah's hair. I realized the light had come for him long ago, but he wouldn’t cross over without her. He meant to guide her home.
I took one of Sarah’s hands, squeezing it. It was cold. She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head. I lifted my wand again and stepped closer so that our noses nearly touched. “I'm Maggie. I'm going to help you.”
Sarah blinked slowly and smiled, her eyes moving towards her pregnant stomach. She had a doll's face, perfect and fair, still unmarred by the tragedy of the fire. I became suddenly protective of her. What if the fire had been no accident? What if Jackson was manipulating me so that he could take her to someplace horrible? A place like the one my father tried to take me to?
I looked to Jackson again. His expression was one of love and agony and regret. His was not the face of a killer.
And obviously, Sarah loved him as well, or her spirit wouldn't have followed him here and stayed near
Sarah races up the stairs, her head tucked into her hands.
Jackson leaves, slamming the door behind him.
But not before throwing a lit cigar onto the floor, which catches the fringe of an expensive Arabian rug.
THE ROOM WENT black and the vision faded away. The light from my wand dimmed, too. I stared into the dark, wondering if what I’d seen had been a hallucination, brought about by Merry's tea. In answer, I spied the embers of the altar still burning near the far wall.
“Jackson, come back,” I urgently whispered.
The flame flickered, as if indecisive, then sprang back to life. Jackson manifested before me, young again, and handsome. Sarah appeared as well, standing some distance behind him in a pale blue dress.
“You found her!”
Jackson looked at me, and then looked sadly back at his wife. Sarah stared through him. She had found the altar, but she hadn’t found him.
I held my wand out before her, without response.
She was lost, traveling in a separate dimension altogether. She looked around warily, her eyes never leaving Jackson's altar while her hands rested on her abdomen. She was young and beautiful, no older than twenty-two. She had never gotten to live out her life, nor had she been allowed to have her child.
How temporary life was, I thought dismally, and all a ruse––the illusion of health and immortality. One moment you had everything, and the next your life was snuffed out like a lit cigar.
Jackson stepped to her side, his eyes imploring me.
“She can't see you, Jackson, or me either. She’s in a separate realm from either of us. There are thousands of planes, and the fact that you found her at all is a sign of how much you love her.”
“Please...” he managed, his voice a wisp.
I moved between them, placing my hand over hers on her belly. She startled but didn't retreat. I lifted my wand and her eyes flickered, as if she'd caught a speck of light in an otherwise dark mirror. “Sarah, my name is Maggie. I've come to help you. Jackson is here in this room with me. He is sorry. He never meant to hurt you. He was angry, but the fire was an accident. He loved you very much and built this altar to honor you.”
She pursed her lips and spoke, though only mist issued forth. She wasn't corporeal enough to make sounds. She was a ghost, like Jackson, but without the resolve to solidify or cross over. She was stuck in a shadow world.
Jackson stepped behind her, draping his arms around her waist and weeping on her shoulder. She gasped, as if sensing him, though she continued her vigil before the small flame.
“I don't think you can reach her. The light will come for her when she's ready.”
He pointed to a dark corner. Suddenly, a glowing blue orb appeared. It started out small, the size of one of my snow globes, suspended in midair. It gradually expanded until it became as large as a door. It was brilliant and I had to look away.
“The light!” I exclaimed. “Go into it, Jackson. There are good things inside.”
He shook his head and touched Sarah's hair. I realized the light had come for him long ago, but he wouldn’t cross over without her. He meant to guide her home.
I took one of Sarah’s hands, squeezing it. It was cold. She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head. I lifted my wand again and stepped closer so that our noses nearly touched. “I'm Maggie. I'm going to help you.”
Sarah blinked slowly and smiled, her eyes moving towards her pregnant stomach. She had a doll's face, perfect and fair, still unmarred by the tragedy of the fire. I became suddenly protective of her. What if the fire had been no accident? What if Jackson was manipulating me so that he could take her to someplace horrible? A place like the one my father tried to take me to?
I looked to Jackson again. His expression was one of love and agony and regret. His was not the face of a killer.
And obviously, Sarah loved him as well, or her spirit wouldn't have followed him here and stayed near
Similar Books
