Eternal Souls

Chapter 18

"I want some privacy with the doctor please." Penny told James and Gabrielle.

"Don't you worry about a thing. I will take great care of her."

"We will be in the kitchen, just holler if you need us." Gabrielle said.

"Turn the television on please." Penny told the doctor.

"This is no time to watch television."

"I do not want to watch it. I want it to be a distraction for wandering vampire ears. There is a thing I don't want them to know about just yet."

He did as she asked, "I am assuming this had something to do with why you passed out."

"Yes."

"Well I need to know exactly what happened, I know exactly what I can do to help."

"I don't think you can help."

"Why do you assume that?"

"There is always a price for doing that kind of magic."

He looked around the room and saw the salt circles, melted candles and grimoires mostly still in place.

"I am 50 years old and have been practicing magic since my youth, but I don't recognize the spell that requires these ingredients. Whatever you cast here was an ancient spell, a price I'm sure I would be unwilling to pay." He said as he was checking her vitals.

"If my family was not in danger, I wouldn't have paid it either. My granddaughter is more powerful and more important than she even realizes. My magic for her life will always be worth it."

"Your magic was the price?"

"Yes. If one day I am lucky enough to be gifted with magic again I will gladly give it up for her again."

"Well everything checks out." He said as he started packing his equipment. "It will take a while for you to get your strength back. It will seem strange without your magic, but that's just how normal people feel. If things begin to seem even more strange, just call and I will run more tests."

"Are you expecting any complications?"

"I have not dealt with it first-hand but I have heard of witches losing their powers before. Half of them had no complications, but then there was the other half that had relied on their powers so much that when they lost them, they became like vegetables."

"I want your personal opinion."

"Alright, in my opinion you should tell someone, besides me, what happened. You will need some kind of support system in these next few weeks if you truly intend on staying independent at your age."

"At my age! Are you calling me old?"

"Yes."

"Well at least you aren't afraid to speak your mind."

"Well James is paying me to speak the truth about my diagnosis. If I say that you are a young spring chicken then he wouldn't believe me when I say that you need lots of rest over the next week. Then he wouldn't pay me."

"You make a fair point." She said as she laid back in the recliner making herself more comfortable. "Do you mind letting them know they can come in here now?"

"Sure. I need my payment before I leave anyway." He grabbed his bag and headed into the kitchen leaving Penny to her thoughts.

He opened the hallway door and was immediately surrounded by the smell of the chicken and dumplings cooking on the stove.