The Secrets of Myth

By Amarissa Ainsworth

Leila Butterfield, an exceptionally intelligent teenager, finds her world turned upside down when she discovers she may not be human. After washing up on the beach at the age of six with no memories except for a disturbing reoccurring nightmare and an incapacitating fear of water, she is adopted into a family that knows nothing of her past. But someone does know and they aren’t telling. With the help of a mysterious stranger, they dive into her past, unlocking secrets about who she really is. But time is running out. Leila races against the clock to find out the truth. But whom can she trust? One day could alter the course of her entire future, but will she even survive that long?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amarissa Ainsworth
• Release date: Jul 26, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311661418

Amarissa Ainsworth

From the time Amarissa was young, she was intrigued by the worlds of fantasy, magic, and make-believe. As time when on, she became the ultimate fan of those genres. Besides raising two active boys and a very busy husband, Amarissa finds time to put her imagination into words in her debut novel "The Secrets of Myth" and is working on the two sequel books.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Leila’s hair whipped around her face as she stared out at the murky ocean. She stood in the exact place that had been haunting her nightmares for nearly twelve long years: the same sinister stretch of shore. The cool ocean spray dampened her skin while the gentle waves washed up to the beach. She could almost hear the distant lullaby rising from the deep recesses of her memory. She hummed the notes, the words indefinable in her mind, but feeling the power deep within her soul.

The light breeze swirled around her as she slowly moved closer to the waters edge. Dry sand ground between her toes and a chill shot up her spine as the wind tickled her neck. Her slow progress ended abruptly when terror seized her core, and she was unable to make herself take another step. The partial memory she desperately wanted to forget but longed to remember flooded into her mind, forcing her breath to catch in her throat.

Leila could not remember anything from the first six years of her life when she was with her biological family. Over the years, only one last torturous memory had surfaced.

The waters hold many secrets, her father had said, rowing the two of them further into the ocean. The great and powerful ocean has many stories to tell. All you need to do is listen and you will one day know of them all. He started humming the beautiful lullaby, even calming the sea with the rich melody.

Daddy? Leila asked. What’s that song you’re humming?

It is the song of the sea sirens, he replied softly. If you listen closely on a calm day, you might be able to hear it in your heart.

He winked at her before closing his eyes and a peaceful look smoothing out his young features. The sea made him so calm and relaxed, even with the uneasy rock of the waves.

She had stared at her father, wondering why he loved the ocean so deeply. The light waves swayed them further towards the endless blue. When he felt the unmoving eyes of his daughter, he opened his stunningly green eyes again, a smile stretching across his face.

Is my baby ready to go home? he asked with a twinkle in his bright eyes.

I’m not a baby! She objected defiantly, sitting up taller. I’m almost six!

You will always be my baby, he said softly with a smile. Are you ready?

The little girl smiled back and nodded excitedly. Mommy will be there? she asked.

Your brother, too.

Leila’s father continued to row the boat steadily towards the vast outstretch of the deep. The sky was tinged pink through the fluffy billows with an encouraging sunset on the horizon.

We’re almost there.

Leila looked over her shoulder and she could barely see the stretch of the beach in the distance. A cliff face prevailed tall and menacing, growing ever larger before them. Rocks sloped down the cliff extending far and deep out into the ocean. Their destination was on the end of the jagged, half drowned peninsula.

As they sailed further out, they approached a massive rock formation erupting out of the water. Sharp black rocks protruded dangerously, creating an opening into a cove. They glided easily through the hazardous archway on the trembling sea of glass.

She glimpsed the last of the setting sun in the western sky, turning the horizon a deep shade of pink and purple before they sank into semi-darkness. The rock cove surrounded them entirely except for the opening through which they came. The nose of the boat bumped against a wall of solid rock.

Leila’s father had prepared her for this moment. Beyond the wall was an immense cavern, but the only way to reach it was to swim underneath the rock wall and up into the grotto.

An odd looking piece of sea glass rested in her father’s lap. He picked it up and turned the clear glass over in his hand. It was rough with toothed edges, like a torn piece of paper. The glass miraculously did not cut him though he slid the sharp edges through his hands multiple times in his apprehensive state. The colorless sea glass was large, about the size of a picture frame with a beautiful frosted surface. The edges also had a faint glow of gold that had not been there moments before.

The boat bumped against the solid wall again with a lurch before Leila heard it. It was the beautiful lullaby coming from inside the cavern. The same song her father had been humming mere minutes before extended from beyond the wall of solid rock.

Daddy! she said excitedly. I hear it!

The sound that touched her ears was mesmerizing. It was a faint, unearthly voice singing words to the melody she had heard for ages.

No, you cannot hear the song, her father said, his head snapping towards Leila’s. His beautiful eyes were full of panic.

She nodded happily, oblivious to his odd reaction. Can’t you hear it, too?

Before she could hear the rest of the song, her father spun the boat around and paddled vigorously towards the exit. After only a single stroke, vicious waves crashed over the sides of the boat, rocking the vessel this way and that as the unforeseen storm threatened to destroy them. The tempest inside the cave came out of nowhere and spun the boat out of their control. The light fluffy clouds showed no hint of bad weather, but now a storm started brewing and the sea started churning, shaking their comparatively trivial water craft.

Daddy! Leila screamed.

He reached towards her, to hold her in the safety of his arms, just as the craft made a violent tip and Leila went crashing over the edge.

Leila!

She heard a frantic cry from her father as the waves wrestled her under. She inhaled water and struggled to keep her head above the surface, but the waves were too strong for her little body. She fought for air, but the strength of her weak arms was no match for the power of the sea. It was dragging the little girl further down into the depths. Just as her death seemed inevitable, she felt hands under her arms.

Leila’s mind wrenched back to the present and she struggled against the barrier that prevented her from seeing more.

She stumbled backwards, away from the water’s edge, her head swirling from the lack of air. She had not allowed her lungs any oxygen since the thought of those last moments with her father. She took a staggering breath and tears streamed uncontrollably as though the air was the fuel to start the flow.

Though Leila did not see, a tall dark figure observed her from a distance.

That is undoubtedly her, he thought. A half smile lifted a corner of his mouth. There was a glimmer of hope that his hellish nightmare would soon be over.

He watched as Leila turned and ran as hard as she could to the safe confines of her home. Before he could see the girl go inside the house, he disappeared into thin air like he had been a whisper in the wind.

Chapter 2

There was one thing Leila guarded most protectively: her haunting memories. That last awful scene had filled her mind since she had moved back to the ocean. There was no hope of blocking the pain. She could still smell the salty sea air and feel the sand grinding between her toes. The cold wind brushing against her skin and the terror of the memory had Leila shivering with fright under her covers.

Glancing at the digital clock on her nightstand told her it was still the early hours of the morning and too soon to get up.

She closed her eyes, but the horrific images of that last moment with her father taunted her from behind her lids. His eyes had been full of panic as the waves overpowered them both. Sometimes she thought it was merely a nightmare that brought her fears to life, but deep down she knew it had to be real. It was like trying to remember something that never happened, but it fit perfectly with the circumstances of her life.

The recollection of nearly drowning was the anchor to her greatest fear. Water. The thought of drowning, swimming, or simply being near the deadly element brought beads of sweat to her forehead. She had never experienced any emotion as strong as that overpowering fear.

She jolted upright and yanked her cell phone off the charger. After dialing in the number, she waited impatiently for an answer.

Leila, do you have any idea what time it is?

Leila felt a measure of calm when the man’s tired and understandably annoyed voice sounded over the phone.

I know it’s early. Sorry, Patrick, she said, drawing her knees up to her chest. I just had m-my nightmare again.

She did not want to tell him she had woken up on the beach.

He sighed heavily. Anything new? This has only been happening for the past couple weeks. You seem to remember a little more each time.

I think I felt hands, she said. Someone was going to pull me out.

She shook her head trying to forget.

We figured that someone must have saved you, Patrick said. Put it from your mind and go back to sleep.

A sarcastic comment nearly made it out of her mouth. Instead, she said, I tried. But the nightmare is becoming more real and intense!

Just remember you made it out alive, Leila, Patrick said. I found you on that beach with no recollection of this. For all we know—.

Don’t say it, Leila said, gripping her bedspread. I know it was real! I watched my father drown!

Patrick’s voice took on a calming quality. All right. I believe you. What do you want me to tell you?

Tell me what happened when you found me, she said without a moment of hesitation.

He sighed once again. If it will help you relax. I found you at the crack of dawn when I was out jogging on the beach. You were only five years old and looked like you had been washed ashore. I called for an ambulance and stayed by your side until it arrived.

That’s when you introduced yourself as Doctor Griffin and looked me over to see if I had a concussion, Leila filled in. I remember that. Didn’t I say anything about how I got there? What did I say to you?

Patrick did not speak for a minute. She almost said his name, wondering if he had fallen asleep, but then he spoke.

You didn’t say anything, he said. You had this incredible fear of water. You refused to drink water at first for fear of drowning. I thought your fear would have lessened by now. It was a long time ago, Leila. Aren’t you happy with Allan and Kate?

Leila was horrified Patrick would jump to that conclusion. Her adoptive parents, Allan and Kate Butterfield, had been better than anything she could have hoped for. True, they thought her mortal fear of water was on the borderline of insanity, but she loved them dearly.

Of course I’m happy! I just have questions. I must have said something. Was my father a fisherman? Was he returning to the ship? Am I even from California? What if the ship was on the other side of the peninsula? Did I say which way I came from?

You said nothing, Leila.

Leila stopped talking when he took on his intimidating persona. Okay.

You lost your memory. You hit your head and could not remember anything. End of story. I am sorry.

Leila already knew this, but hoped Patrick would remember something. Thanks, Patrick.

Goodnight, Leila.

Goodnight.

Patrick had been a great friend and father figure growing up, though his demeanor intimidated everyone. Being the genius he was, it gave him great opportunities to progress and become a success in his career path. He had an incredible memory with an uncanny ability to remember anything on command. However, he was arrogant about his intellect and his unmatched understanding and made sure other people knew it as well. The thousands of books alone that he had read in philosophy, math, science, politics, geography, economics, and many more subjects showed his intelligence.

Patrick was unbelievably condescending and most people shrank into the shadows if he approached. But as Leila grew older, what she had once found intimidating she now found rather humorous.

She glanced at her clock again, but only minutes had passed since she last looked at it. She gave up on the thought of getting more sleep and got out of bed. She tiptoed down the hall and shut the bathroom door. The drumming of a hot shower would relax her and possibly bring peace to her troubled mind.

Little did she know that just outside her bedroom door was that strange man who had been watching her on the beach.

His name was Aiden. He was a gifted being and could do extraordinary things with the power of his mind.

Though Aiden was plainly visible in the hallway when Leila left her room, she did not even glance in his direction as she tiptoed down the hall. He glared at her as she shut the bathroom door. How could someone so young and helpless be so much a part of his destiny? It was time to figure out how to get this girl involved.

He needed to find a way to have her voluntarily help him. Forcing her would have grievous repercussions. He had to figure out a way to get her to do it voluntarily. To make things even more complicated, it was obvious she had no idea where she came from or what she could do.

Aiden slipped soundlessly through the open door to her bedroom and closed it softly behind him. He held out his hand and a ball of firelight appeared. The red and orange flames were soundless other than the small puff of the creating magic. With a soft flick of his wrist, the glowing globe floated to the ceiling giving light to the room. Now he could fully observe the space.

His first reaction was that it was unusually clean for a teenager. A stack of unpacked moving boxes sat in the corner next to a desk and a pair of sandals was on the floor against her dresser. But other than that, he did not see one thing out of place. A single bed was tucked neatly into the corner, the covers haphazardly strewn about.

The boxes did not seem out of place either, as her move back to the western shore was recent. He knew that the call of the sea would bring her back whether she wanted to or not; it only surprised him it took her so long. And judging by the boxes still unpacked, it was not a desire to return.

On the desk were stacks of papers. Aiden walked directly over and started thumbing through them with curiosity. This was his first glimpse into her life and he was more than a little interested. It was vital to know every small detail of this girl’s life.

The top sheet was an extraordinarily organized handwritten note that almost looked as though it were typed. Equations were impeccably symmetrical and the notes underneath were flawlessly legible. Upon closer inspection of this random piece of paper, it looked like it had been a lecture in a physics class.

Curiosity had him reading the notes she took. How was something like physics explained when magic was not involved? How did humans rationalize the laws of magic? He looked across the even handwriting and almost laughed out loud.

A piece of iron is made up of tiny individual magnets. When something becomes magnetized, all the little magnets inside will line up.

There was a sketch she had spent way too much time on for a not magnetized piece of iron and a magnetized one showing what the magnets were supposed to look like.

If a magnet is heated to a red-hot temperature and then cooled again, it won’t be magnetic any more. If Mr. Campbell would have been able to wake up to his alarm, he would’ve been able to spend more time on his hair this morning instead running a hand over it nervously, worrying that he didn’t have time to style it, making the point that he might be paying more attention and realize that he is explaining the wrong slide on the screen. The slide shows a picture of the magnetic field and not the alignment of the magnets. Only about a fourth of the class is paying attention anyway…

Her notes trailed off into a journal with snide remarks about the rest of the student’s intellect status. When her notes did continue, she mainly pointed out how the instructor contradicted his own words and he might need to take a few refresher courses at a college before he considered teaching again.

Aiden kept thumbing through the notes. They were an entertaining read and gave him a glimpse into her personality. She was exceptionally smart and seemed thoroughly unchallenged in her studies. That would soon change.

A note shoved in the front of a textbook caught his eye. Go to was all that was visible. His heart leapt as he realized he could go somewhere to find more about her. He had listened to the family during their casual exchanges in hopes something vital would creep into the conversation, but nothing of much importance ever did. He had already tried tuning into their mental chatter, but quickly got irritated with their human-like thoughts. After that, he contented himself with searching the documents in the house.

So far his half-hearted attempt to figure her out had been a waste of time, but time was of the essence now. He had spent too long trying to find a way to prolong everything to give him time to think of a way around his devastating and deathly orders. Time did not last forever and now it was reaching a crossroads – Leila.

He heard the shower turn on and he glanced out the window. How much time did he have left? Was she eighteen? No. He would know if she had reached that age without warning. That was something he had not been expecting and now he had a looming deadline.

Aiden heard voices echoing from the next floor up. He had keen hearing that was quite useful.

I was just up, it’s your turn.

The woman’s voice was hoarse and sounded tired. It gave the impression it took all her energy just to speak those few words. Floorboards creaked as footsteps sounded overhead.

Where did she go this morning? A man’s deep voice asked.

The woman did not reply. Aiden suspected by the way her thoughts became muddled that she had already fallen back asleep.

He picked up the textbook and flipped it open to the note that had caught his eye. Several folded sheets of paper that were thoughtlessly shoved between the pages went flying to the floor. With one graceful movement of his hand, they disappeared from the carpet and reappeared into a neat stack in his hands.

The first was a perfect paper on the civil war. The teacher had given it a large letter A with three lines underneath. The word excellent was scribbled to the side with an exclamation mark. The next four papers were similar except with more descriptive praises.

Though he did not understand much of humans or their education, he had noticed a paper done by Leila’s younger brother, Eric, on the refrigerator with the letter B. This looked to be better than Eric’s, but tucked away like she did not want anyone to see or she simply did not care.

Aiden found the paper that had the words go to on it. Though it looked like it had been written in a hurry, it was still graceful script. It was a form of the English writing, but each letter was hooked together like she did not lift up the writing implement. He believed the humans called it cursive.

Go to mom’s new office to drop off Eric before dentist appointment at 4.

Underneath it was an address. Aiden smiled triumphantly and shut the textbook right as the shower turned off. It became clear then as to why personal documents were not in the house. All the records he would need would be at Leila’s adoptive mother’s place of employment – a law office.

Chapter 3

Leila stripped off her nightgown and stepped into the hot shower. She let the water run down her face and neck and wash away the salty sea air that had saturated her hair and skin. Before she had time to fully appreciate the heat of the shower, she heard a soft knock on the bathroom door and a slight creak when it opened.

She did not usually lock the bathroom door. The family generally respected each other’s privacy. But for some reason, today was an exception.

Leila?

Allan cracked the door open and stuck his head in.

Leila was shocked at the intrusion. Though the shower curtain was dark and she had complete privacy she was still embarrassed and appalled at his untimely arrival.

Dad! she scolded in a squeak.

Just making sure you’re okay, he said apologetically.

I’m fine, she snapped defensively, a reaction to the awkwardness of the situation. In an attempt to sound truthful and make up for her shortness with her father she tacked on, I just couldn’t sleep. Sorry to wake you. You can go back to bed.

This was more a command to leave her to her privacy.

Okay, he agreed.

Leila knew better than to think that would be the end of it. She was sure one of her parents would ambush her before school.

Allan and Kate had been great parents for the past twelve years. They were everything she could have hoped for and more. To her, they were her mom and dad, even if they did not have any matching chromosomes.

The resentment she held for her biological mother flared. Why had she not come for her daughter after hearing of her husband’s death? Over the years the awful truth sank in. Her father was dead and her mother did not care about where she was or what happened to her life.

Leila wondered about her brother that had been mentioned in her memory. If her nightmare was real, that meant she had another brother somewhere. Of all the people she could summon, she could only clearly remember her father; not even her own mother.

The memories of her family were completely erased from her mind, except her one nightmare. The nightmare had become real to her since they came to live near the beach again.

Leila turned off the water and wrapped herself in a towel, attempting not to think of it again though the unanswered questions of her family burned on her mind more than ever before.

A draft from somewhere in the hall made the hair stand up on her arms. She shivered as she danced quickly to her room. When she reached her bedroom door, she hesitated. Why was her door closed? She distinctly remembered leaving it open so she would not have to open it when she was wrapped in a towel. She shook her head and walked inside, flipping on the light.

The first thing that caught her attention was that her desk was organized differently. Had her father gone through her school things? Unlikely. She doubted her trouble-making little brother would get up this early. But this only left one theory that made sense. She turned to stare at her closed door and her heart pounded as she considered it.

The fact that a stranger may have been in her room made her uneasy. Could he still be there? Should she tell her parents or was she just being paranoid? She picked up her math textbook and held it protectively over her shoulder, ready to swing. She reached forward with one hand and yanked her closet open.

Empty.

Relieved, she replaced the book onto the neat pile on her desk and grabbed some clothes. She just put on the first two things she saw hanging there – blue jeans and a red t-shirt: her default outfit.

Maneuvering around unpacked boxes around the house, she made her way downstairs into the family room. She flicked on the lamp before sitting down on the short crème colored couch. A puzzle that she had started the previous night was scattered out on the table. She had already flipped the puzzle pieces right side up so she began to find the edge pieces creating the border.

It took less time than it should have so she continued on to the blue sky. It was a picture of a lion in a sunlit field lying in the brush while two little cubs were wrestling together. Fitting the jigsaw pieces together relaxed her because she was not obligated to think. It was just enough to keep her mind preoccupied though, and she did not have to worry about her nightmare or trying to hide it from Allan and Kate. Completely distracted.

Puzzles were her specialty, though she was effortlessly good at many things. Her grades at school were exceptional and her street smarts were even better. She always seemed to be one step ahead of the other students, and was at the top of her class. But she really did not care. She never drew attention to herself during lectures, sitting in the back corner taking her notes. It was an odd place to find a student of her caliber she supposed, but it was where she found the most solitude at school. In her success of trying to be unnoticed by the teachers, her ability to make friends was practically nonexistent.

Leila considered herself fairly pretty, but the boys tended to avoid her and the girls scorned her from afar. Whether she was a new student or not, it was the same wherever she went.

Though she did not think of herself as an arrogant person, she sometimes got the feeling that others saw her that way. She figured many were too anxious to approach the strange girl and she did not help them out by making the first move. She was by no means outgoing and it seemed that she was just a natural repellant for people. In all seven schools she had attended, she had only successfully made one friend.

She was in the process of fitting in her fifteenth piece of the azure sky when the sun started to filter in through the upturned blinds. Footsteps sounded the arrival of another person awake. Allan ambled down the stairs in a navy bathrobe and slippers. His shockingly blonde hair was starting to get a few wisps of gray with age. It was completely disheveled and his usually bright blue eyes were heavy with lack of sleep.

You were up early, he commented over a yawn.

He walked out of the room and the front door creaked open. When he reappeared, a newspaper was clutched in his hand. He pulled off the yellow elastic and flipped on the kitchen light.

Leila followed Allan into the kitchen, deciding she appreciated the company. She opened the fridge and pulled out the orange juice before grabbing two cups from the cupboard. She got her usual bowl of cereal and an apple before sitting at the light oak table that sat in the bay window with her back facing the Pacific Ocean.

Allan was a highly desired bone reconstruction surgeon in the state of California. He had been offered a ridiculous amount of money to live there, hence being able to afford a house right on the beach. She knew many of his patients were celebrities with feature issues, and he was excellent at what he did. His status of being a wanted surgeon had taken them all over the state. Kate’s attorney office could be portable and she followed willingly.

This last move had been the hardest as she was less than two months away from high school graduation. She did not have much to complain about because she was not leaving anything behind except for her social category as the girl who did not fit in. It no longer bothered her or caused her to feel awkward; now it was just plain irritating.

Allan eyed Leila suspiciously as she started on her cereal. Do you want to talk about it? he asked.

I’m fine, she said, slightly startled that he was asking rather than sending Kate. This was highly out of character.

Lying was the answer this morning; it avoided awkward questions. She was not sure which was worse, keeping her problems to herself and seeing the hurt in his eyes at her secrecy or telling him the truth: that she was probably mentally unstable. She doubted that sleep walking to the beach was normal. However, getting up extra early to shower because of a restless night was nothing out of the ordinary.

Then would you like to tell me what you were doing sneaking into the house this morning? he asked, opening the paper casually.

Like trying to sneak a cookie when you are not supposed to, she had been caught red-handed. That explained his questioning; he knew she had left the house.

Daring a glance up at her father she could see into his eyes. The blue irises were pretending to read the paper in his hands, but he was curious where she had gone in the wee hours of the morning.

Um… she started.

Again, she did not know what to say.

Half of her thought, Just lie and avoid the questions! But her other half demanded the truth.

When Leila did not answer immediately, Allan looked up from his paper to read her face.

The Golden Rule pounded on her mind when she saw his face and she felt guilty. Her parents had always been honest with her and they deserved the same.

I think I was sleep walking again, she said, looking down.

She did not want to see the pain she inflicted with that simple statement. She was sure he knew she was having a nightmare, but Leila had never explained it to either of her parents.

His expression was serious as he thought what to say next. But just as he opened his mouth to speak, Eric shuffled into the kitchen.

What’s for breakfast? Eric asked groggily.

Saved by the brother! There would be no way Allan would let Eric know she snuck out of her room at night; regardless of whether it was intentional or not. Her fifteen-year-old sibling already located trouble everywhere he looked and almost always got away with it. If Eric found out she was able to sneak out of the house in her sleep and not get discovered until after returning, he could do the same. Not to mention that he probably would not get caught.

Gourmet cereal, Leila said brightly, hopping to her feet.

His blonde hair and blue eyes, like Allan and Kate’s, made him truly fit into the family. Eric was just a toddler when Patrick convinced the Butterfield’s to adopt Leila, so she had been a big sister right off the bat whether she wanted to be or not.

Eric was a great brother and, though she would never admit it to him, she loved him. He treated her better than most brothers would treat their older sister and they were actually pretty good friends. She thought it was mainly because he felt sorry for her not having any friends of her own and her social ineptness, but the truth was that Eric did not mind hanging out with his older sister. Leila enjoyed teasing and getting a rise out of him, but they generally had a good time together.

Besides his trouble-making side, Eric was already a ladies’ man at the age of fifteen. Everywhere they moved, the girls always seemed to fall all over him and he loved every second of it. He had a gift; he could have any pick of friends he wanted, yet more times than not he chose to, in his words, chill with her. He knew how lonely she was, and the fact that he would spend time with her over all his many friends made Leila adore him even more. But she did secretly wonder if his motives were purely just to get free movies and desserts.

Allan scrutinized Leila’s relieved face. Leila quickly downed the remains of her cereal and rinsed the bowl in the sink.

She patted Eric’s cheek playfully as she passed him and gave him her half-eaten apple.

Wake up sleepy head! It’s morning, she said, grateful for his impeccable timing.

He pushed her hand away, annoyed at being tapped in the face. Leila…stop it, he groaned and glared at her through squinted eyes, his voice still heavy with sleep.

She flew up the stairs and took refuge in the bathroom when she heard Eric yell a comment about her apple. Maybe if she stayed in there long enough, she could avoid talking to anyone before school.

Leila flipped on the light and shut the bathroom door. She sighed and looked in the mirror for the first time that morning. Her tired reflection stared back. She had deep purple bags under her dark brown eyes that gave her a haunting look. This was due to lack of real deep sleep because of the reoccurring nightmare.

She had a natural olive tone that glistened bronze in the right light. The color of her skin had nothing to do with the hot California sun or the countless number of tanning salons in the tri-county area. It was how she was born, though she was not dark enough to be considered anything other than Caucasian or a mix. There were countless possibilities that she had spent years contemplating.

Her long dark brown hair fell to the middle of her back in thick waves that were starting to frizz with the humidity. She ran a brush through the tresses before pulling it into a messy ponytail.

Leila glanced at the door when she had the distinct feeling that Kate would be up at any moment to trap her despite her efforts. She started brushing her teeth just as a soft knock sounded on the bathroom door.

I’m busy, she mumbled around her toothbrush.

Sweetie, I just want to talk, Kate said through the door.

About what? Leila asked innocently, concentrating on anything other than her mother.

You did it again last night. I don’t know what we’re going to do with you.

Leila knew both Allan and Kate were at their wits end with her rollercoaster emotions and dangerously vivid nightmares. She also knew they were about ready to send her to a psychiatrist, but she was not going to give in. She was doing her best at trying to smooth things over.

She wiped her mouth on the towel and sighed. Nothing! You’re not going to do anything with me.

Your father and I think it’s time for you to see someone about this. Just to help you cope with being back here on the coast, Kate said.

Leila ground her teeth as her mother started with the mental health therapist talk again.

I assumed she was down by the beach, Allan said, now also on the other side of the door. A therapist is the best thing for her.

Leila flung the bathroom door open in irritation. No! I’m not going to a shrink. I doubt a therapist can help me.

Kate was ready to go, her short blond hair curled under her chin. It was fluffed and sprayed into place with a liberal amount of hairspray. Her perfume smelled like wild flowers on a summer day.

It is because you’re stubborn. Therapists aren’t bad; they help! Kate said with a touch of desperation. We’re not sending you away. Just one week. That’s all we ask.

Leila kept her face impassive, but clenched her jaw so her quick temper would not get her in trouble.

Why don’t you just tell us what is going on so we can work through this together? Kate suggested.

Leila pursed her lips. She knew they would send her to a shrink whether she told them what was going on or not.

Is this really the best time… she gestured at the bathroom surroundings with a quick flick of her wrist. In that moment they were plunged into darkness. …For this discussion? she finished slowly in the pitch-blackness.

This had not been the first time the lights had gone out. They had come to the conclusion that there must be a short in the wiring throughout the house.

Maybe you’re right, Kate said quickly reaching around Allan and flipping the light switch. It was now backwards to the way it was supposed to go. "But we will talk later."

Fine, Leila answered grudgingly at her mother’s threat. Then added sarcastically, Now if you’ll please excuse me, I have six hours of torture to endure.

She shouldered past them and marched off to her bedroom. She heard Kate’s voice still in the bathroom when she entered her room.

Not again, Kate sighed. This light switch is backwards in here now too. We need to get this wiring fixed.

We will. I’m more worried about Leila’s ever-growing attitude… Allan started, but Leila tuned them out as she picked her backpack off the floor and left, shutting the door behind her.

Strange things started happening when they moved into their new house. The family was not really a believer in the paranormal or the supernatural, but this house had made Leila think twice. Since the first day they had moved there the lights had been flicking on and off at random intervals during the day. It also seemed that whenever there was too much excitement, something would unexpectedly break or shatter.

The day before, as they were eating dinner, the faucet turned on of its own accord. Leila honestly did not know what to think. She had never believed in mystical things, but the house was creeping her out. Maybe there was something to those ghost shows on the television.

Chapter 4

The sun had not even started to light the sky yet, giving Aiden the privacy he needed to look through Kate’s workplace. Bookshelves covered from floor to ceiling all the way around Kate’s law office. Everything from textbooks to college degrees to pictures from the family’s latest vacation cluttered the shelves. A metal plate with the name Katherine Butterfield engraved in large loopy letters rested on the front edge of the circular oak desk.

Aiden sat down in the leather chair behind the spacious desk. Tiny keyholes dotted each drawer and cupboard, which ensured security from thieves and dishonest people. He merely waved his hand and all the drawers slid open at once. Glancing over the contents of each he found the perfect source for information. A thin laptop was in the top drawer. Aiden had run across these human inventions a few years back and thought they were rather enlightening. He was amazed at how humans invented gadgets to help them get along without magic.

With a simple finger movement and a thought, the laptop appeared on the desk, up and running. It only took him a few seconds to scour the laptop by using a few magical devices of his own to find every personal document on the Butterfield family.

He hit the jackpot. Leila’s adoption papers.

As he read over the papers, he realized the entire adoption had been under the table. Kate had obviously been working hard to keep this out of the state’s hands. Just before giving up on this search, one name screamed itself out of the page.

Patrick Griffin.

Patrick, Aiden whispered, vaguely remembering the name. He found what he was looking for.

That was the only place Patrick was mentioned on the laptop. He stood from the desk and started opening every drawer of the filing cabinet. He let his hand glide across all of the tabs in each drawer until he sensed the traces of magic. He opened the green folder and found the hard copy of what he had been looking at on the computer now in