Warlock Truth: Magic Bound, #3

By J.E. Cluney

You know that feeling you get when your whole life is turned upside down? When things go so wrong or something so unexpected happens that you're lost for words and just numb?
That's exactly what I experience when a frenzy of untold truths come out after my father's return.
I find out just what I am, and the truth behind my mother's death. And to top it off, a body has turned up in my best friend's house. With the help of my father, we discover there is something far more sinister going on with my friend than I could imagine.
And to add fuel to fire, Percy comes back onto the scene to stir up my emotions. Yay.
Can I help save my friend while learning the truth behind what I really am?

***PLEASE NOTE- Previously published as Ghosttruth of the Portland Ivy series***

***This book contains adult scenes***

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.E. Cluney
• Release date: Apr 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201638498

Book preview

1

You know that feeling you get when your whole life is turned upside down? When things go so wrong or something so unexpected happens that you’re lost for words and just numb?

You’d think with all the crap I’d been through, being somewhat dead, helping a ghost girl be set free from this world, and helping find the killer of my work friend, that I’d be used to it.

You’d think I’d be growing accustomed to the shit hitting the fan around me all the time.

Like I was some strange little magnet for the weird and unexpected.

Well I’m not.

And I certainly wasn’t prepared for this moment. My mother died just after my eighteenth birthday, and then to top it off, my father abandoned me and I’d never heard from him again.

Until now.

Until this mind-screwing moment.

I sat squished on the couch with my two school friends in my apartment, staring numbly at the man seated across from us.

The man who’d just turned up on my doorstep.

The man who’d discarded me years ago.

My father.

And if that wasn’t enough, he had a pig with him. An actual pig, the size of a Jack Russell terrier. It was perched on the couch beside him like it was a person, wearing a studded red collar.

I’m not sure we should talk with your friends here, he murmured as he leaned forward, his purple suit standing out against my brown couch. His deep chocolate eyes were aware and focused as he gazed at me, and I shifted uncomfortably.

It’d been years since I’d seen him, and it just felt strange now. I wanted to shout at him for leaving me, for making me feel so alone and lost in this world.

But nothing came out. I just felt numb.

His brown hair was greying, and his neat beard had flecks of grey and red sprinkled through it.

The crows feet that appeared at the edges of his eyes as he smiled at me, reminded me of my childhood, all the times we’d laughed and played.

I want them here, I stated, suddenly remembering he’d said something. My voice came out more pissed off than I’d intended it to be.

Rose and Shane sat awkwardly beside me, jammed onto the two-seater brown couch uncomfortably with me.

Feeling them beside me reassured me. I needed them right now.

It’s… it’s nice to see you again, Mr McCloud, Rose stammered as her eyes flicked between us in shock.

Rose and Shane Owens, it’s been some time, he nodded at them as he smiled. Call me Grey.

Grey. A nickname my mother had used so lovingly as I’d grown up. Graham McCloud.

The thought of saying it made my tongue suddenly heavy, as though coated in ash.

Rose didn’t bother to correct him now that she was married. It wasn’t a high priority right now.

Why the pig? Shane had to ask.

This is Otis, he comes everywhere with me, my father stated as if it were normal.

Otis made what I’d assume was the standard oink everyone knew. It sounded more like a snort-squeak. He was a light pink color, covered in almost white, fine hairs. He had mismatching blue eyes, and his little cloven feet were poised on the couch cushion as if he was ready to leap to attention. He was adorable if I considered it, but seeing him sitting on my couch bothered me a bit. How would Axle respond to him?

You’re probably wondering where I’ve been, why I’m here, why I left you? my father’s eyes zeroed in on me once more and I shuffled closer to Rose’s side for comfort. As if the fact we weren’t already barely fitting on the couch wasn’t bad enough for her. But she didn’t move, as if she sensed my unease. Hell, she’d downright just know I was a broken mess right now.

I nodded weakly, unable to form words. Despite everything, a tinge of relief was evident. He was alive, and well, judging from the looks of his fancy purple suit and glowingly healthy skin.

Evelyn, the air elemental witch you reached out to, she contacted me. Told me you may need help. That you thought you were an elemental and you’ve got some weird ghost thing going on, he frowned as he searched my eyes for an answer to this state. As if I magically understood what I was.

Why’d you leave? the words snapped out of me like lightning, and I felt Rose and Shane stiffen as the air became thicker, almost electric.

Well, that’s going to require a longer explanation. Let’s start with this, he waved his hand at the air around me. You’re growing stronger every day.

I gave him a stupefied look. Stronger? What the hell did that mean?

You’re not an elemental, Ivy. You’re so much more than that, his eyes glittered as his mouth curved into a delighted smile. One someone would make if they were…proud.

I recoiled, taken aback by this. Why was he proud? He wasn’t even allowed to feel like that after abandoning me, forcing me out into the world barely prepared.

You’re like me, Ivy. I can feel it, he stated as he clasped his hands together, his delighted eyes drilling into me.

And what’s that? Shane jumped in for me impatiently, as if the uncomfortable, thick, static air was driving him mad.

Well, I’m a Warlock.

Warlock. The word repeated over in my head as I looked down at the floor. More powerful than the high level witches. A race that had been hunted near to extinction due to their power. Thought to be not even thirty worldwide now.

And a female one? Me? There was only two even known about. I’d be a Sorceress.

Ivy’s a Sorceress? I heard Shane’s mouth practically hit the floor and I could feel Rose staring at me with bug eyes.

I scoffed as I shook my head and drew my eyes back to my father’s. But the sincere, straight face he wore screamed everything. He wasn’t lying.

Shit, I breathed as I dug my fingernails into my jeans.

Every Warlock or Sorceress has an affinity. An element that is the first to awaken in their power. Usually around their eighteenth birthday. Guess you’re a late bloomer, he winked, and I couldn’t stop the groan that escaped me. I remembered him saying the exact same thing and laughing when I first got my period. I’d matured late, not even having my boobs begin to fill out until well into high school.

Mine is electricity, he stated as he held up his hand. Electricity crackled and sparked around his fingers and I stared in awe. Yours is apparently fire.

I snapped backwards as my jaw hardened.

That still doesn’t explain why you left? You left me, so soon after mom, I choked, fighting back the tears that welled in my eyes. I would not let him see the pain he’d caused me, not now.

I left because Warlocks are still hunted. And with your mother gone, he sighed, his shoulders slumping as he leaned back. I thought it was the best way to protect you.

Abandoning your family is a shit form of protection, Shane growled, and I inwardly cheered for him.

Rose wrapped a reassuring arm around my shoulders, but it only made it harder to fight off the tears.

Otis snorted softly as he stared at me, his incredibly human-like eyes making me purse my lips. They were two kinds of blue, one was a sky blue and bright, the other a dark stormy hue.

I had to. Your mother, he inhaled sharply as he contemplated his next words, as if afraid of the pain they would cause me. But his brown eyes softened as he stared at me. I crossed my arms in an effort to feel somewhat safer, like I had some control right now. But in truth, I felt like I’d just been hit by lightning. Apparently I was a Sorceress. Something that was all powerful and hunted.

Your mother didn’t die from cancer. She was murdered. Poisoned, to be exact, he exhaled slowly as he waited for my reaction.

Cold. I suddenly felt cold, like all the life and heat had been sucked out of me. Which was quite a feat considering I couldn‘t feel temperatures.

Memories of my mom flooded my mind, her laughing and baking cookies with me, or having a picnic outside with her and dad, our road trips for holidays. It was too much, and I gasped as I closed my eyes.

The images flashed and danced behind my eyelids, replaying the good life I’d had with my parents.

Then the moment she became ill. I couldn’t remember much of it to be honest, just that I’d always believed and been told it was breast cancer that had claimed her.

But now this?

My Dad had rocked up out of the blue, completely alive and well, telling me I was a Sorceress and my mother had actually been murdered?

No, I managed to whisper. I squeezed my eyes, trying to force the tears streaking down my face to stop. My body shook and Rose pulled me close.

That was all I needed as I sobbed, clinging to her for dear life.

Who would hurt my Mom? Who would take her away from me like that? When it was cancer, I’d believed it was just life, that it wasn’t something we could have seen or stopped. But murder?

I’m so sorry pumpkin, my father murmured.

I wanted to scream, to kick him out and pretend I’d never heard a word of what he’d said. I wanted to be normal, go back to my easy, mundane life before all of this. Before all the ghost shit, the vampire and werewolf crap. I wanted to forget it all.

I tried everything, every spell and ritual, every potion. But nothing worked, and when she finally passed, my father’s voice hitched and I managed to draw my blurry eyes to look at him. I couldn’t let it happen to you as well. I had to protect you.

My stomach dropped at his words. Would someone have tried to kill me?

Well, you failed, I died anyway, I snapped through my tears, the anger boiling over as I pulled away from Rose.

What? he looked shocked.

A vampire accidentally killed me, that’s why I’m like this, I growled as I allowed my body to fade into a translucent state.

My father just stared, mortified at this.

That can’t be right, I can feel your life essence, it’s still there, faint, but there, he shook his head in denial.

I’m practically dead, I don’t have to eat, I don’t sleep, I can jump through the ghost realm to travel in seconds, I can become invisible, I rattled off all my abilities.

You’re not dead though, he stated firmly.

I shut my mouth as I let my body solidify again.

What makes you so sure? I muttered.

Well, I’ve met real ghosts. They give off a different energy. You’re still alive, somehow, in some small way, he cocked his head as he tried to figure it out.

Who would want to hurt mom? I changed the subject. The thought hurt like hell, and the anger and despair it filled me with was crushing. I swallowed in an attempt to rein my emotions in. I could already feel the fire burning inside me, begging to fly out and ignite something, anything.

Another Warlock, well, a Sorceress, he sighed. When your mother passed, I wanted to shield you from her, so I did the only thing I knew how. I wiped your memory of all things magical and cast a powerful tongue binding spell, making all other witches and beings who knew of me and my power incapable of speaking about it. It was my only way to protect you. I then decided to hunt her down, he explained. Casting such a large tongue binding spell took a lot out of me, it took me a few weeks to get my strength back and go after her.

You wiped my memory? I squeaked. As if this wasn’t bad enough, now he told me this?

You wouldn’t remember the true cause of your mother’s death, you wouldn’t remember all the magical things you’d known of. You’d have a chance at a normal life, he tried to explain the reasons.

I shook my head as I glared daggers at him. How the hell would wiping my mind shield me from her? I didn’t have my name changed, I still lived here in Portland! I practically shouted, and I gritted my teeth to calm myself as Rose flinched beside me. Shane and her must really feel awkward right now.

Because, if you didn’t know much about magic, you wouldn’t sense the runes I’d left on you. A hidden spell, one to make you impossible to find by someone like her. It was formulated specifically to shield you from her, created just for her magic, he said slowly.

I have runes on me? I arched a dumbfounded eyebrow.

Not anymore. The spell would’ve worn off after two years. It gave me enough time to find her and deal with her, he said.

But my memory? I questioned.

I can return it to you, once we figure out this ghost thing, he said.

Why did this Sorceress want to hurt Mom? I asked, grateful that the sting in my eyes had subsided.

My father shifted uncomfortably for the first time and I leaned forward. What was so distressing about the question? I knew it would hurt, it’d hurt me to find out her true death, but I needed to know.

She was a past relationship. She wasn’t happy I moved on, my father finally caved in.

Fury scorched through me. My mother died because of a jealous ex? Some wretched woman murdered my Mom because she was annoyed he’d moved on?!

The magazines on the coffee table burst into flames and Shane leaped up. I wasn’t sure if it was to find something to put the fire out or just from shock, but my father simply waved his hand and they died out.

You need to learn to have better control of your emotions, my father stated.

I shot him a foul look as I shook my head in disbelief. This was madness, all of this.

I need some time, I muttered as I let the familiar sensation wash over me.

I sighed as I found myself standing in Alex’s room, watching as he slept peacefully. I’d spent an exciting night with him and then gone home, only to be confronted and learn all of this.

I just wanted to rewind, to crawl back into bed beside him and never leave. To never go home and discover all of this.

I let myself solidify, and Alex shifted, sensing my presence but not rousing from his slumber. I guess he didn’t perceive me as a threat.

I carefully slid into bed beside him and nuzzled into his bare chest.

His arms wrapped around me and he sighed. A quick look at his face made me smile. He was still asleep. The automatic movements made me warm inside despite his cool skin.

I was safe here, safe from the things my father had told me.

I just needed some time to get my head around it all.

I closed my eyes as the information swirled in my mind. The true reason for my mother’s death, my father being a Warlock, my mind being erased, me being a Sorceress.

This was crazy. It was too much for me to process all at once.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and Alex grumbled as he rolled away from me, his sweet embrace leaving me.

I scowled as I pulled out my phone, the light from my screen blinding me.

Where are you?

A text from Rose.

Ugh. I said I needed time. I’d barely been gone ten minutes.

Getting air.

I sent back as I sighed.

It’s a bit awkward here with your dad. We asked how come we didn’t remember you being a witch or something from school. We went to your house enough times as kids, we should’ve known about your father being what he was. Seems he wiped the minds of those closest to you but not related. Took away their magical knowledge of you.

I squinted to make out the message in the blinding light. My mouth tugged into a smirk. Well, I bet it was awkward. Still not as awkward as the fact that