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Chapter 3

Edward opened the file, flicking through several pages before he stopped, showing me a picture of a young woman. A woman that looked similar to my mother in many ways, her nose, the shape of her eyes and the way her hair fell across her face.

I pointed to the picture, “Who is that?”

“That is Beatrice, your great grandmother on your mother’s side.” Yornie said slowly, as though he expected me to freak out.

“What does my great grandmother have to do with the death of my mother, father and sister?” I stammered, knowing that the answer was going to be something terrible. Why else would my parents keep it from me.

Edward stared down at the file, “Both your mother and father originated from Scotland, it was only when they found out your mother was pregnant that they moved to this small town, they were trying to protect your sister from the chosen.”

“But why were the chosen after her?” I asked quickly, tired of the riddles. Why couldn’t they just tell me?

“Because your mother comes from a family of witches, Beatrice being the most powerful of them all. We had never seen anyone with the power that she had, and haven’t since her death. But that power came at a cost and the chosen noticed that Beatrice was helping our kind in eradicating each other, she helped various clans, killed many of our kind. Of course they couldn’t allow this. So they attacked her in force, killing the entire bloodline ... or so they thought. But, your grandmother managed to escape, knowing that should she ever reveal her name to anyone ... she would die along with her mother.” Edward explained quickly, too fast for me to truly understand. But one word rang out through my mind.

“A witch?” I gasped, shaking my head. “they aren’t real.”

“You never knew that we were real until our kind killed your parents, that didn’t make us any less present in the world.” Yornie growled lightly, seemingly offended by my words.

I was unable to believe in the possibility that all mythical creatures were real, especially witches, how was it even possible? How could it be true? I was brought up to believe that such things didn’t exist, that you could be thrown in a loony house just for thinking it could be so. So why now? Why did it have to be me? My family?

“I know this is hard to take in, but you must try. Yes, Beatrice was a witch, and their is a high chance that you are one also; and that means that your life is in danger. But we can protect you if you come with us. You are the last of your bloodline Ariel. The last Ariss.” Wallen said softly, placing a hand on mine as he continued; “I know that you have been through too much for a girl as young as yourself, and this must all seem sudden, but we have been searching for you and your sister for years. But Sarah kept you hidden well, she already had her powers. You have yet to get yours.”

“My sister knew?” I asked. How could Sarah know and not tell me? Was she trying to protect me?

“Yes, she knew. But she was protecting you from the wrong people, she hid you from us, believe me when I say she had a true gift.” Yornie smiled wildly, his musky brown eyes locked onto mine.

I signed, realising that even though I didn’t trust them, I needed their help. “But she wasn’t strong enough to fight of the chosen. I would be less able to fight them alone. Wouldn’t I?”

I looked down at the picture in the file, wondering if my great grandmother was terrified in her final moments, knowing that her family would always pay the price of her actions towards the chosen. That they would come after her us forever. I hated to think that my sister learned all this, and knew all this time that she had no chance of surviving. I knew now that her only thoughts were to try and spare me from the same fate, yet she had failed. Our family was doomed to face death at every turn, though perhaps if I followed these creatures I might survive; carry on the bloodline.

Yornie's smile dropped, his short black hair ruffled and dry. “No you wouldn’t, that is why we are here to help you.”

“But why do you want to help me? I am only human, I mean nothing to your kind.” I argued, still confused.

Edward stared down at me for a long moment before he spoke, the other cops leaving the room in silence. “That is where you are wrong Ariel, you are so much more than human and with the right training you could become as strong as Beatrice. Maybe more so.”

“But are you sure I even have powers? I have never experienced anything that would suggest I do.” I admitted, surely their would be some sign by now?

“You wouldn’t have yet, they only appear on the eve of your seventeenth birthday and you are not yet of that age.” Wallen explained to me, everything beginning to make sense.

“ok.” I whispered, not knowing what else to do ... I said: “I will go with you.”

Edward smiled triumphantly, his muddy brown hair pinned into a neat ponytail. “That is the right choice. With us, not only will you be safe from the chosen. But we will help you manifest your powers and harness them once they show themselves.”

“What about school?” I asked suddenly, forgetting that I even had a education at the dump I went to.

“We have schools in the main city, you will be safe there.” Yornie said bluntly, rising back to his feet.

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