“Incantations that can interfere with someone’s physical or mental health,” Blaire began. “However, those health hexes are mild, but accumulative, so it may take up to a year or longer to see any change in the victim’s health. Anyway, there are hexes that can give someone either specific or random nightmares, or even prevent them from sleeping all together. There’s also a hex that can turn someone into a total klutz… there’s more, but I can’t currently think of them. Anyway, any more questions?”
“No,” Jessica and Karla said.
“The magical wand and the voodoo dolls were all I was wondering about,” Everett said.
When everyone turned towards Ellen, Ellen said, “I don’t have any questions.”
“Ellen, Jessica and Karla, I have a question for you three,” Devon began. When they gave him their focus, he asked, “Are you three virgins?”
“That’s a personal question,” Jessica shot at him before Ellen or Karla could respond.
“You’re right, and you three don’t have to answer, but if any of you are a virgin, I highly recommend that you three lose your virginity,” Devon told them.
“You’re telling us to have sex?” Ellen demanded to know.
“No-no, I’m not telling you to become sexually active,” Devon began. “I’m just recommending for you to lose your virginity if you’re a virgin, and you only have to have sex once for that.”
“Why?” Ellen quickly asked.
“Sacrificing virgins might make good horror movie plots, but they’re also a fact,” Devon began. “And if that sacrificing virgin happens to be a wizard or a sorceress then the benefits of the spell doubles for the one who’s performing the ritual.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ellen told Devon.
“Okay,” Devon said.
“Alright, well, if no one has anything to add or to ask, we’re through here,” Blaire said.
After a short moment of silence, Ellen said, “I do have something to tell Harris and Allyson, and it doesn’t really matter who hears.”
“What is it?” Allyson asked.
“My mom’s brother and parents didn’t die in a car accident as reported thirty-two years ago,” Ellen began. Except for Everett, everyone gave Ellen a curious look. “In fact, they’re very much alive and living here in Savannah, Georgia, and I had met my uncle just before returning home.” Ellen gestured towards the bag that she had brought in while continuing with, “He works at the drugstore.”
“And you had no clue of your grandparents or uncle being alive?” Karla was the one to ask.
Ellen shook her head before explaining, “They went into the witness protection program thirty-two years ago after witnessing Liam Seawall murdering someone, and Liam Seawall is Clayton Seawall’s father.”
“And who’s Clayton Seawall?” Jessica asked.
“The crime lord that my dad had worked for before my dad went to prison,” Ellen replied.
“And you’re certain that the guy you’d met was your uncle?” Harris asked.
“I’m very certain,” Ellen assured Harris.
“I can vouch of how certain she is,” Everett added. “In fact, the man was trying to deny it at first, but when Ellen wouldn’t let up on him of him being her uncle, he finally came clean of who he was and why he was in hiding.”
“Could this guy have been telling you what you had wanted to hear, Ellen?” Allyson asked. “Just to shut you up?”
“No, he’s definitely my uncle,” Ellen replied. “And I knew who he was as soon as I saw a thick scar that encircled his right wrist.”
“And you knew what your uncle’s scar had looked like?” Jessica asked.
Ellen took a breath before saying, “When my mom was fifteen and my uncle was twelve, my mom had shoved my uncle back to keep him from stepping on a hamster; however, when my uncle was shoved back, he fell into a large glass window and his right hand was severed off at the wrist. It had been successfully reattached, but from the day of the accident to the day when my mom had died, she had always felt guilty that her brother had almost lost his hand from her shoving him back. And that scar at his right wrist and him favoring the picture that I have of my mom’s dad were how I recognized him.”
“Okay, I’m convinced that you had met your uncle,” Harris began. “So what does that mean exactly?”
Ellen shot Harris a confused look before asking, “What do you mean?”
“You chose to live with Allyson and me because of your feelings towards your dad…” Harris was only able to get out.
“This is my home,” Ellen interrupted. Harris and Allyson pleasantly grinned. “You, Allyson and Sonya are my family. My grandparents and uncle might be blood relatives, but they are also complete strangers to me and I won’t trade family for strangers no matter who those strangers might be. So the only thing I want from this is for me to get to know them.”
“Okay,” Harris pleasantly agreed.
“Of course there’s a good chance that I will never see them again,” Ellen added.
“Why do you say that?” Allyson asked.
“While my uncle and grandparents are in the witness protection program, they are not allowed to live in a city where someone knows their true names. And since I had correctly identified my uncle, my uncle and grandparents will most likely be relocated to a city where they can continue their aliases without fear of being discovered.”
“Are you okay with that?” Allyson asked sympathetically.
“I have to be,” Ellen replied. “I did give my uncle our address and the phone numbers to the house and to my cell phone.”
Allyson grinned before saying, “That’s fine.”
“Anyway, if we’re through here, there’s something I want to do before it gets too late,” Ellen said.
“And what are you planning on doing?” Allyson asked.
“Andie’s uncle lives a couple of blocks from us, and I’m going to talk with him… in Andie’s behalf,” Ellen explained.
“Ellen, you shouldn’t be involving yourself in other people’s family matters,” Allyson told her.
“Andie shouldn’t be on those drugs that her parents have her on,” Ellen retorted. “And I’m going to do what I can to convince Andie’s family of that—without getting myself into legal trouble.”
Allyson sighed before saying, “If your mind is set on talking to Andie’s uncle, I have no doubt that you’ll find a way; however, if I have to bail you out of jail because of it…”
“You won’t,” Ellen interrupted. “Getting myself into trouble won’t help Andie or me, and if I don’t at least talk to Andie’s uncle or do what I can within reason to help Andie, then I would feel like… like a lifeguard who had allowed a drowning swimmer to drown.”
“Fine, go,” Allyson told Ellen in a defeated tone. “We’re going out to eat in an hour, so be back before then.”
“Okay,” Ellen said as Jessica and Karla stood up.
Ellen glanced at Jessica and Karla before turning towards the exit and walking away. Everett, Jessica and Karla followed Ellen out.
Chapter Five
Ellen, Everett, Jessica and Karla had found Cole Middleton’s