Hidden Magic

Amulet

“I am the most awful friend in the world. It’s official,” Rosie said grumpily into the phone the next morning, slumped on her bed, feeling like the world might just end at any moment. And knowing how my life’s been going recently, it probably will. Maybe I’ll get eaten by a werewolf tonight too. Or haunted by a vengeful ghost. It really would not surprise me.


Shane chuckled down the phone, which didn’t help her mood at all. “I’m sure everything is fine. Maybe it’s good that you two are taking a break.”


“You make us sound like a married couple with issues.”


“Hey, whatever your preference, the advice still goes the same.” Shane sighed. “Do you want to come over? You know, since you’re all loner these days.”


Rosie’s heart thudded a little faster for just a moment at the thought of being alone with Shane. All alone. There would be no Amber. Just her and Shane. It sounded pretty amazing to her. Even though there was nothing going on between the two of them. But it sounded good to be around someone who not only seemed to have the ability to make her relax, but who also was pretty fine, really. “Sure,” she heard herself say nonchalantly. “I mean, I’m not doing anything today.”


“Okay. Come over in about half an hour. That okay?”


“Yeah, that’s fine,” Rosie said, smiling. She felt excited already.





Rosie left the house and hit the sidewalk. It felt weird to be out walking again, on the same streets she’d walked with Amy. The same street they’d headed down when their rescuing plan had commenced. It wasn’t a particularly nice day, there were a few mischievous looking clouds floating across the blue sky. The air had a strange kind of scent to it, as if the freshness had been replaced by smoke. It felt intoxicating when she breathed it into her lungs.


She walked a little faster.


She didn’t live that far away from Shane. It was about half a mile in total. Rosie felt her hand shake as she lifted her fist to knock on Shane’s door. She shook her head, mentally told herself to stop being such a wimp, and then knocked casually on the front door.


Shane swung the door open, and stood there with a huge grin on his face. He wore jeans...and no shirt.


Rosie blinked.


Her eyes gawked at his perfect, broad, defined chest, and then moved further down to stare at his impressive abs. They were the sexiest things she’d ever seen in her entire life. They were perfectly tight and toned, and she was pretty sure they must have taken hours in the gym.


Rosie finally realised she was just staring at them, when Shane coughed.


She looked up, already feeling a blush creep its way up her cheeks. “Hi,” she said, and waved awkwardly.


“Hi,” he said with an amused smile. He stared at her face, which Rosie was positive was an unattractive bright red by now. Rosie stared down at the ground, refusing to meet his gaze. Shane chuckled slightly. “I’m gonna go finish getting dressed. You... make yourself at home, I guess.”


She finally looked up, and instead of an arrogant, amused smile, Shane was giving her a warm, friendly smile. “Okay,” she said shyly, and squeezed past him into the living room. She felt his stare all the way.


Shane returned a few minutes later, wearing a black t-shirt. He sat down next to her on the couch. “How are you doing?”


Rosie looked up at him, and then rolled her eyes at his clueless expression. “How am I doing? Seriously? My sister is missing, my Mum is grieving, I nearly got murdered by your crazy Aunt, and, oh, my best friend hates me. My life is falling apart! So the answer is, not too well, thanks. How about you?”


Shane acted as though she hadn’t just ranted at him. He shrugged. “Okay, thanks.”


“You’re an asshole.”


“Thanks, you’re so kind,” he said jokingly, but his eyes were serious. “She doesn’t hate you.” Shane’s voice was soft and kind. “If you want my honest opinion, you’re both as bad as each other.”


“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rosie asked defensively.


“Nothing.” Shane sighed. “Girls will be girls.”


“Okay, you’re a grade A asshole.”


“So I’ve been told.” He winked. “Want to go upstairs?”


“Upstairs?”


“My room, better than in here. Plus, electric’s off. I, um... forgot to pay my bills this month.”


Rosie couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re such a guy.”


“I’d hope so. Come on,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her up from the couch, as if she was as light as a feather. Shane leaded her up the stairs and into his bedroom. His room was really amazing. The walls were painted a flickering orange, and he had a dark brown carpet. His bed was a double, she couldn’t help but notice, and he had a bedspread with all the different shades of orange creating a beautiful flame. She looked across at him.


Shane blushed cutely. “I kind of like the colour orange.”


“Your element?” Rosie guessed.


Shane shrugged. “I kind of love it and I kind of hate it.”


“Why?”


“Because it’s the second most powerful, and definitely very dangerous.”


Rosie sat down on the bed. “There a story behind that?”


“Maybe,” Shane said, leaning against the door. He seemed to be lost in something, a tragedy by the look of the pained expression on his face. Rosie was about to speak when he said, “It was a few years ago, I was very inexperienced with magic. I...” Shane paused and shut his eyes tight. “I... I couldn’t do anything to stop it... They...” Suddenly he slumped down to the floor, burying his head in his hands, curling up like a vulnerable little boy.


Rosie got up to go to him. “No!” Shane said desperately, making her pause and watch him with wide, scared eyes. “Don’t come near me, I just need a minute. Sit down, please.”


She stepped back and sat down on the bed.


“Thank you,” he said, his voice muffled by his arms. “We were cooking some meal one night. Something my Mum wanted to try. I don’t know how it happened, but the oven just exploded...it was... it was...so strange. I still don’t understand.” Shane looked up at her, his eyes were filled with tears but none of them had escaped yet. “So bizarre. I thought maybe it was me...my power.” The look of despair in Shane’s eyes made Rosie’s heart ache for him. “The fire spreaded, so fast... so fast. I was in the living room, my parents in the kitchen. I heard my Mum scream. I opened the door...they were... they were, trapped... against the wall by the fire. I tried... Rosie, I tried, I really, really did. But I couldn’t do anything. I wasn’t strong enough to handle it.”


He put his head back against the door, breathing in fast pants. “Next thing I knew the place was up in flames... all over. I think when I tried to put it out it intensified the flames. I... I couldn’t even see my parents anymore. Then I blacked out.... I don’t remember much after that. Just waking up in hospital with some minor burns, and Lorraine and Amber being there. Then the news.”


“Shane... I’m so sorry.” Rosie looked down at her hands. “I can’t even begin to imagine...”


“That’s what everyone always says.”


“It wasn’t your fault, you know?”


“They say that too.” They both looked at each other at the same time. Their eyes met and for a second Rosie felt lost in the sadness of them. She’d never seen that kind of sadness in anyone’s eyes, ever.


“I don’t believe it was. I believe it was a horrible accident,” she said softly. “I’m sure they’d be very proud of you.”


“You don’t even really know me, Rosie,” he pointed out.


“Maybe not yet. Maybe I don’t know that much about you. But, Shane, what I do know is that you’re a hero. You nearly died trying to save your parents that day. You beat up that kid at school the first day I met you because he was hounding on some other, defenceless kid. You’ve saved me so many times in the little time I’ve met you.” Rosie got up and knelt down beside him. “I believe in you. I believe you’re a hero.”


Shane took her hand. “I don’t feel like much of a hero right now. And what I’ve learned about you is that you’re brave and strong and can handle anything life throws at you. Maybe I help people out, but you’re the one who has the right drive. You’re a good one, Rosie. You always will be. That’s why you don’t deserve any of this.”


Rosie squeezed his hand lightly. “Thank you for saying that, but I don’t care. It’s just the way things are.”


Shane shook his head and let go. He rose to his feet and sat down on the bed. He patted the place beside him for Rosie to sit down. She sat down beside him, all of a sudden feeling very self conscious.


Shane broke the silence. “I have something to give you.”


Rosie frowned. “What?”          


Shane reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small piece of old, expensive looking black cloth, folded over something. “I just found this last night and it reminded me of you.” His eyes flickered up to hers nervously. “Don’t worry. I’m not trying to make a move on you or anything.” He held the cloth out to her. Rosie took it with shaking hands.


It felt surprisingly heavy in her hands. She looked up wonderingly into Shane’s kind, dark brown eyes. He nodded in approval. She carefully unwrapped the cloth, and gasped when she saw what was inside.


It was a beautiful purple amethyst stone with a delicate silver border surrounding it. It looked ancient, but un-touched by any damage. Attached to it was a pretty, long silver chain. Rosie was afraid she might break it. The whole necklace took her breath away. It looked fit for a queen.


“It’s an amulet,” Shane said, making her look up. “It’s known to hold mystical properties.”


“Mystical properties?” Rosie repeated.


Shane looked like he was trying to choose his words very carefully. “Not to scare you, but it was known to belong to the Goddess.” He pointed at the lovely jewellery, which suddenly felt even heavier in her hands. “She’s the Goddess who rules us witches and warlocks. She is also the only one that controls the most powerful element, Spirit. It is completely unknown to any of her other children.” Rosie remembered Amber telling her this vaguely the other day.


“So is that what makes her special?”


Shane shook his head. “No, not entirely. The Goddess is so powerful. She controls all of the elements, which include Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. She is the creator of our species, and she is the one who gifted each of us with the gift of magic. Though some of us more than others.”


When Rosie started to say that Amber had told her part of the story, he carried on. “Some of us just have the basic power in each of the elements, except Spirit. You could call it the natural power, I guess.” Shane shifted to a more comfortable position. “But some of us have advanced natural talents. A whole full affinity for one of the elements in particular.”


Rosie stroked the stone of the necklace in fascination. “Does anyone have more than one affinity for an element? Minus the Goddess I mean.”


“No, there is no one known to be gifted with more than one.”


“So when you said you have natural powers in each element, does that include Spirit too?”


“No.”


Rosie was now really puzzled. “What about all those other people? Those mystical people in all those Spirit guide and horoscope magazines? The people who let you talk to the dead and all that?”


Shane shook his head and gave her a small, amused smile. “Fact and fiction, Rosie. They’re humans; they’re not witches in any way. It may be true that they have some kind of connection, but many are just bulls***ting you.” He shrugged. “The kind of power that the goddess has with the Spirit world is powerful beyond your imagination. I couldn’t even begin to explain, because I couldn’t even begin to imagine myself.”


She looked down at the magical amulet again. It did look very powerful, and certainly looked like it was made for someone special, someone royal, or well, Goddess-like. It felt wrong that she held it in her ordinary hands. “Why do you have this?” She asked curiously. “If it belonged to the Goddess, how do you have it?”


“Good question.” Shane gave her a proud smile, like she was a good student. Rosie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “This amulet has been passed down through my family for many generations now. They say that my family had a close tie with the Goddess herself, near the beginning of witchcraft. Others say that a descendant of my family fell hopelessly in love with the Goddess.”


“Wow, really?” Rosie said, astonished. “It seems really unreal.”


“It’s probably just a myth though,” he said. “But you should remember the Goddess is one of the most selfless people ever. I’d say she’s more than capable of love. And the males of my family are pretty irresistible.” Shane winked cheekily.


“Oh really?” Rosie smiled as Shane stared at her. “Well, I’m sure they were very happily in love.”


“I’m sure they were,” he said, grinning back. “May I?” He asked, taking the amulet from her hands and holding it out. Rosie nodded and held up her hair. Shane leaned forward and clasped the delicate chain behind her neck. The amulet rested just above her cleavage, the stone twinkling in the sunlight from the window. Shane smiled, and said, “It looks beautiful, just like you.”


Rosie dropped her hair and looked into Shane’s warm eyes. “Thank you,” she said quietly.


“No problem,” he said, chuckling sweetly at her forming blush.


“Why are you giving it to me?” She asked, looking down again at the gorgeous amulet.


“With it being the Goddess’s amulet, it holds mystical properties of Spirit, which means it, can heal you and protect you.”


Tears sprung her eyes at the thoughtful gift. The idea of Shane finding this and giving such an important amulet to her made her feel special and ultimately protected.


“Hey, don’t cry,” he said softly, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closely to him. Her head lay softly against his broad chest. “I want you to be safe, and I’m hoping this gift here can protect you.” He surprised her by kissing the top of her head gently. “I don’t want anything like the other day to happen to you again. No s*** with Lorraine or with any of the vampires around here. I’ll sleep a lot better at night knowing that you’re a little bit safer.”


This time tears ran down her face in hot tracks, and she felt a burst of happy and sad emotions as she leaned into Shane’s comforting embrace. He held her there for a few minutes, letting her cry silently.


When she eventually stopped, Shane said, “Rosie, I care about you. And I want you to be safe.” She looked up into his intense eyes. “I might not always be able to save you from attacks. I mean just look at how many times you’ve come close to death in these past few days.” He stroked some of the tears away with his finger. “I can’t let anything happen to you.”


“I care about you too,” she said, not daring to look away.


Shane stared at her for another few long moments, and Rosie thought he was actually going to kiss her. But he blinked and seemed to realise what he was doing. He pulled away and cleared his throat. “What time’s your Mum wanting back anyway?”


Rosie looked at the clock on his bedroom wall. It was already early afternoon. “In about fifteen minutes,” she said with a sad sigh. She didn’t want to go. “I guess I’d better be going. Mum will go mental I’m late home.”


Shane waggled his eyebrows. “Your Mum doesn’t trust me and my hot abs?”


“You know, it’s not attractive to be vain,” Rosie pointed out, but she smiled.


“I’m not vain,” he said defensively. “But I know you liked my abs.”


“Oh really?”


“Yes. Your thoughts are ridden with them, broad chest and all.”


“Stop eavesdropping on my thoughts!”


“Fine.”


Shane grinned and pulled up his shirt playfully, making her eyes dazzle at the exposed, gorgeous skin. Rosie raised her eyebrows, pretending to be unaffected.


“You can touch if you want to,” Shane said, smiling down at her.


Rosie smiled back. “I admit, they’re impressive, and I now permit you vain rights. How many hours in the gym do they take?”


Shane shrugged. “I have to do something when I’m not saving you, saving Amber, or you know, saving people in general. And I’ve always sucked at school anyway.”


Rosie laughed. “Give yourself more credit, Shane. You’re smarter than you think.”


“Thank you.” He pulled his t-shirt back down, and Rosie felt sad that the show was over. “I hope you don’t get separation anxiety.”


“From what?” She asked.


“My hot abs.”


Rosie picked up a pillow and threw it at his head. Shane laughed and threw it back. “Hey, you gave me vain rights. I will remember that.”


“You’re so cocky,” Rosie stated.


“I know I am, but that’s why you love me.” He picked up his car keys and jingled them. “Want a ride home?”


Rosie rolled her eyes. “Yes, I would love a ride home. And I so do not love you!”


“Whatever you say,” Shane said sarcastically.