Divining Destiny

Chapter 28

Josiah and Ngaire stayed in Elpherton for a few days, in constant contact with Tia and her family. Josiah took over the selling of Faye's house, though in Faye's will she'd left everything to Susan and Tia, Susan sent an official letter to the real estate saying that Josiah was to be the executor of the estate until it was sold. Jaina and Susan organised the funeral, deciding it best to have it in Rossdale so Tia wouldn't be near Pernilla again. Many people were in attendance, though no one from Elpherton was invited, for obvious reasons. Nicole said she would organise a memorial service for friends and coven members instead once Pernilla was better. It all baffled Tia though, how everyone could just keep on going even though such a person like Faye no longer influenced their days, wasn't about to come visit. It left a hole in her heart that she was afraid she would never fill. The weeks passed, Faye's house sold, and the settlement money was deposited into Susan's account. Faye's ashes were scattered in the Robertson's backyard, and at the local park that Faye had loved, and the last small amount was left in a memorial urn sitting on their mantlepiece.

"Why hasn't she come to visit me?" Tia asked Jaina. They were sitting in the back room of Living Energies, Tia preparing for her initiation.
"Who?" Jaina asked, pulling a book to her.
"Aunt Faye. I thought she would have come and seen me by now." Tia said. Jaina sighed.
"I don't know. Maybe her soul moved on." Jaina said. Tia looked up at her, eyes dark.
"I want to see her. Tell her I love her. I didn't get to say it before she left. I have to tell her." Tia said, tears forming. Jaina moved around to her.
"She knew how much you loved her. She knew every day. If the Goddess needed her for something, then she couldn't stay. She lived a good life. You must be happy with that." Jaina said, not meanly, but certainly in a no-nonsense tone. Tia nodded, but she had an idea, and remembered Faye's things at their house. Lowering her head she went back to her studies, trying to keep her mind off her sudden idea.
Later that night Tia and Susan were sitting down to dinner when the phone rang.
"Isn't that always the way?" Susan said. Tia smiled.
"It's Josiah. He has news." Tia said. Susan answered the phone.
"Hello, Josiah." Susan said. He was taken by surprise.
"How did you know it was me?" He asked.
"Tia told me. How're things?" Susan asked.
"They're good. Ngaire is almost back to her old self, and we're leaving Elpherton. Nicole, Pernilla's daughter, told me that she's almost fully recovered too, and has no recollection of anything that happened, or of Tia, so in that we can rest easy." Josiah said. Susan relaxed.
"That is good." She said.
"Yes. We'll be  back tomorrow. Give my best to Tia." Josiah said, and they hung up. Susan went back to the table.
"Is everything okay?" Tia asked after swallowing a mouthful of food.
"Yes. Josiah and Ngaire are coming home, Pernilla is fine, she doesn't remember you, or Ngaire, or what happened with Faye." Susan replied. Tia sighed.
"That is good, tough it won't last long. She isn't gone for good. It is but a temporary solution." Tia said, almost sadly. Susan watched her.
"I wish I could stop it all from happening to you." Susan said. Tia shook her head.
"No one can do anything. This is what has to be. But I hope she leaves us alone. Or me, at least. She won't hurt anyone else, I hope." Tia said. Susan nodded.
"I wish she would leave you alone." Susan said.
"Me, too." Tia said, and kept on eating. Her stomach was in knots, anxiety filling her, but it had nothing to do with Pernilla. Earlier Tia had raided Faye's store of items and hidden things in her room, much to her sisters' annoyance.
"You can't do this. Jaina said so." Anna had said to her, though it wasn't entirely true, but they all knew that Jaina would have said it if she'd known. Tia had promptly ignored her, such was her determination to do what she felt she had to.
Later that night Tia went to bed and pretended to go to sleep, keeping her ears open so she could hear when Susan went to bed. She ended up dozing lightly until just a few minutes before midnight, and she turned on her lamp, sprinkled salt on the carpet, and after invoking her circle she sat down in the centre of the salt circle. She brought a candle to her, lighting it with matches, and placed it in front of her. Sierra appeared.
"You have to stop. This is wrong." Sierra said. Tia shook her head, tears flying.
"No. I won't stop. I miss her too much." Tia said, her voice barely above a whisper, the pain evident. She stared at the tiny flame, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, her breath making the flame dance.
"I'm telling Jaina." Sierra said, and vanished. Tia ignored that, too.
"Mother Goddess, you took my aunt too soon, I understand...sort of...why. I need to talk to her. I need to see her one last time." Tia said, hands resting on her knees, staring deep into the flame, sending an image of Faye into it, smiling, laughing, and Tia's heart wrenched, making her gasp slightly, but she concentrated.
"I need Aunt Faye back, just one more time, I need her. Bring her to me. Bring her to me." Tia almost pleaded. In the corner of the room a white mist appeared, and Tia moved to look at it, but her eyes wouldn't move from the flame, and she watched, out of the corner of her eye, the white mist grow thicker, and Tia's breath caught in her throat.
"Aunt Faye?" She whispered, hardly daring to break concentration.
"Tia? Tia?" She heard, and her heart pounded.
"Yes, I'm here. Come to me, Aunt Faye." Tia said, almost desperately. The white mist grew denser, and Tia could just make out a figure standing in the column. She had an urge to leap from her circle to run to the figure in the column, making out the arms outstretched to her, and she felt tears well up. She held on to the spell, though she felt a new presence, that of her mentor, Jaina.
"Stop!" She heard, and tried to ignore the building pressure in her head, fighting as hard as she could, and felt needle-like prickling on her knee, making her gasp in pain and look down to see a black kitten on her lap, its claws dug deep into the flesh of her knee. Her concentration gone, the candle sputtered out and the white column vanished, sending whatever creature that had been in it  back to the dark realms. Tia picked up the kitten, kicking away the salt, and curled up on her bed, sobbing wretchedly, holding the kitten. She felt the presence of her sisters, and screamed at them mentally to go away, and they vanished, leaving her alone in the dark room.