DF Chapter 8

Kalina sat up from the sofa and blinked until her vision cleared. Her stomach swam, but no where near as bad as usual. “Slowly dear.” Deirdra’s voice sounded besides her and she felt the woman’s comfort spread through out her body.

 

“How long was I gone?” Kalina asked but her voice came out weak and low. Clearing her throat, she tried again. This time it was a little louder.

 

“It’s close to ten the next day.” Deirdra answered and handed her a cup of tea. To Deirdra, tea could fix everything. “You and Kristina have been out close to seventeen hours.”

 

“That's normal Deirdra.” Kristina said from her sofa besides them. She was sitting up, drinking her own cup of tea. “I expected at least twenty-four hours with the history Badanie has. But Kalina knew more than most for her coming of powers.”

 

“Coming of powers?” Kalina lifted her head and looked at them questioningly. “But my birthday isn’t for a couple days yet.”

 

“Well dear, that would be the truth if your birthday was a couple days away.” Deirdra sighed and lifted from her knees. She went to the window and let the midday light inside. As she stood there, Kalina watched her. ‘What the hell is she going on about? How could her birthday be anything other than her birthday?’

 

“Kalina, your birthday was actually yesterday. That’s why I wanted the sleep over then.”

 

“WHAT!?!” Kalina launched to her feet. Her head swam but she gripped the sofa and caught herself. “What the hell are you talking about Deirdra?”

 

“Kalina you need to calm down. I’m sure Deirdra and the council knew what they were doing.” Kristina had risen and placed a hand on Kalina’s shoulder. Giving it a reassuring squeeze, “Didn’t you Deirdra?”

 

Deirdra closed her eyes and hung her head. “We had hoped. Oh goddess had we hoped.” Her shoulders slumped and she took a deep breath. Turning, she matched Kalina’s furious eyes with her own. “Long ago, three children were born to a prominent magical family. The Noreens were well known for their spell work.” She paused for a moment, “And their tendency to turn black. But these three were special. For they were all born of the same sign, but of different elements. And there was a prophecy.

Three Noreens born together yet apart.

The eldest shall cool

The youngest shall burn

But the middle, a female of earth.

She shall become great.

She will be a legend.

A legendary six.”

 

“A legendary six is a black Wiccan so immersed in black magic that she can surpass the demons without ANY consequences. Even a five can die if she performs demon magic. To have a level six roam the Wiccan community is dangerous. Not to mention if she was a Noreen because only Noreen’s can undo Noreen magic. That girl, Kalina, was Badanie Lana Noreen.” Deirdra stopped to let it sink in. Moving slowly, she went to her winged chair and sat down.

 

Kalina was confused. Where was this story leading to? “But, what does that have to do with my birthday.” She sat back down on the sofa and looked Deirdra into the eyes. “What does that have to do with me?”

 

“Because you are her,” Deirdra said as she pointed at her. “The prophecy wasn’t fulfilled in that life time, but it will be. But back to the story, it will explain everything.” Deirdra sighed and sank further into her chair. “Because of the prophecy, everyone in the Noreen clan refused to tutor the girl. No one wanted to be known as the teacher of a killer. Badanie was left to fend for herself by everyone but her siblings. So to prove them wrong, she became the best white Wiccan in centuries. She joined the council first as a lackey. Then she became a guardian. Then a protector and was on a fast track to becoming a Council Woman. It was then that the Noreen clan claimed her as their own again. And for peace sakes, was forced to marry Damien Grieve. The Grieves and Noreens were arch nemesis. One pure physical the other mental. Everyone thought the marriage would fall apart and with it the contract of peace between the two clans.

 

But we were proved wrong. Badanie and Damien, as fate turned out, were Murien Breatha Dan. They loved each other very much. Then their child was born and the prophecy and hatred between the families forgotten. It appeared that for once, destiny was wrong. Even when it was found that Badanie had a demon friend, we believed nothing would happen. The council began to relax.” Deirdra let out a weak laugh. “The calm before the storm.”

 

“Their… my son turned to black magic and set everything into motion.” Kalina stated. “I began to study black magic with a vengeance. Training with my demon friends and quickly climbing the ladder.”

 

Deirdra nodded, “Exactly. The council went into hyper drive, trying to cover our and your tracks quickly. The prophecy was found and read and reread over and over. We were looking for any clue we could while hoping you would stop your track. Then disaster struck. Tamesis was defeated, but Damien was killed by your own hands. You let the power get to you. Even though you were a level five, you were unstable because you hung to your love for him. You NEEDED to be stopped.”

 

“And I was, by my coven sisters and brother.” Kalina sighed and stood up again. Pacing the room, she finally stopped at the window. “What does that have to do with the present though?”

 

“We needed to make sure that would never happen again.” Deirdra explained. “Kalina, you were born into the Noreen line. Unlike Kristina, your surname is truly Noreen. But the council staged your death. Making your parents believe you were still born. You were then put into a mortal family. A family that had truly lost their child in still birth a few days later. You’re powers were bound and you were given a new name. But, destiny proves to be stronger than we think. The bind was broken and Marg’s Gran found and trained you. Kalina, I’m sorry, but we couldn’t afford a repeat.”

 

Kalina felt the anger boil inside her. A lie, her life had been one big lie! She clenched her fists and felt the power stir inside her. But she wouldn’t prove them right. She wouldn’t lash out, not like that. Instead, she clenched her fists until her nails broke the skin. “So I’m a ticking time bomb to you? Nothing but a threat to be watched and if something went wrong, disposed of?” She turned and glared at the woman. “If I was black, were you going to kill me? Get rid of the threat?”

 

Kristina could feel the anger come off Kalina in waves. She had felt that anger before. But that was when she was Hope and the girl before her Badanie. When their family had shunned her for who she is. “Kalina, I know how you feel. But you need to calm down.”

 

“Calm down! I find out my life is nothing but a lie. That they think I’m going to destroy everything and you want me to calm down!”

 

“We don’t believe that Kalina!” Deirdra stepped over to her and tried to envelop her in a hug. But Kalina had stepped back and shrugged her off. “Please darling, understand. We wouldn’t have killed you. We would have tried everything else before we even considered it.”

 

“Mum.” Careen stepped into the room. Her eyes lit with fear and misunderstanding. “What’s going on here? I left my room and could feel the energy on the other side of the house.”

 

“Just a revelation Reen.” Kalina answered her friend and grabbed her bag from besides the sofa. “Lies are only truth for as long as fate allows them to be. No…” She stepped back as Deirdra tried to comfort her again. “I need to be alone.” She turned and walked past her friend and through the door, leaving them to themselves. Going out the door, she slipped her tennis on and broke into a run. She went right for the woods that divided Reen’s house from the main road. She needed to be alone. She needed to be surrounded by her element. She needed to think.