Part Five

Malachi glanced at Jessica every so often as he drove towards her house. It had been a long day and the time was creeping closer to midnight. She’d been quiet ever since they left the house and he wished she’d say something.

“Jess.”

Jessica knew exactly what he wanted to say. Malachi was loyal to a fault, always pushing and putting everyone else first. “No, I’m not going to do it.”

“Why not?” The tension in the car was thick and Malachi exhaled slowly as he felt the familiar rise of irritation that could and would turn to anger in the blink of an eye.

“You have no idea what you’re doing, he has no idea. That spell I mentioned, I’ve never done it and I don’t know of any witch that has successfully completed the spell.”

Malachi remained quiet as he pulled into the garage and Jessica climbed out of the car and pulled the side door open. Malachi gritted his teeth when he noticed that she had yet again failed to lock her doors.

“Jess…don’t walk away from me.” Malachi put his keys down on the counter as she stopped in the doorway and turned to face him.

“You have no idea what you’re asking from me.” Jessica was shaking her head and Malachi knew she wanted nothing to do with this.

“So the alternative is to let Kai die?” Malachi’s voice rose as the anger surged in him, anger he couldn’t control. His fist slammed down on the counter, sending his keys up into the air.

Jessica’s hands started to glow as her eyes snapped to his. “Don’t yell at me!”

“I’m sorry.” Malachi took a deep breath and calmed his beating heart. “I can’t just stand by and let that little boy die, not if there’s something we can do about it.”

“And you think I don’t care?” Jessica turned towards the stairs again and stopped. “Go home, Malachi, and let me think and while you’re at it, replace the tiles on my kitchen counter.”

“I’ll buy you a whole new kitchen but I’m not leaving.”

Jessica sighed audibly and sat down on the first stair as Malachi walked towards her and sat down next to her. “How well do you know your supernatural history?”

“That depends on which realm you’d like to discuss.”

Jessica shook her head. “Vanaheim.”

“Before or after Ragnarök?”

“I get it, you’re a nerd.”

Malachi smiled and saw the ends of her mouth turn up into a small smile. “Vanaheim was the home of the Vanir gods, Njord, Freya and Freyr. It’s the realm of magic, predictions, prophecies, and sorcery. It’s where most witches choose to go after they die.”

“Good to know you’re not just a pretty face, Malachi.”

“You’re prettier.” Jessica snorted out a laugh as Malachi took her hand in his.

“The thing is…I need to go to Vanaheim before I even consider doing this. I was a late bloomer, Malachi, and I don’t really have the backing of a coven, I mean I’m sort of a part of them but I’m also not.”

“I’m not asking you for anything other than to do that spell. Help Kiran harness his mother’s magic so he can save his children, both of them.”

“Then I need to go to Vanaheim. Don’t freak out and start performing CPR and crack my ribs or anything else that could be justified as stupid. I’ll go into a trance, essentially I’ll be leaving my body so I’ll look dead until I come back.”

Malachi shook his head. “No, that’s too dangerous.”

“Dude, everything’s dangerous. Just don’t tell anyone that I can do this.” It’s not that Jessica wanted to keep secrets, but walking through the realms wasn’t for everyone and those that couldn’t, would kill to harness the power from those that could.

“How long will you be…incapacitated like that and what do I do if you don’t come back?” Malachi swallowed to hide his nerves.

“Probably an hour. I shouldn’t be in there for longer than that. Dead witches don’t really like the living trampling through their realm. I will come back, Malachi.”

“I still don’t like it…just forget it, Jess. We’ll find another way, another witch.”

“Fine, I’ll help you find another witch at least. Go make us some coffee while I take a shower.”

Malachi headed downstairs and looked at the cracked tiles on the small kitchen island. He needed to get a grip on his emotions. Anger once almost cost him Karani and he wouldn’t let it cost him Jessica.

By the time Malachi returned with the two cups in his hand, Jessica had entered Vanaheim. Traveling through the realms wasn’t something every witch could do. If it was destined you’d feel the pull and you’d figure it out.

“My, my, a living witch coming to us willingly.”

Jessica turned towards the voice. Vanaheim was a beautiful realm, full of magic and electricity sparked in the air. She had always wondered what the afterlife looked like and this was her first time coming to Vanaheim.

“Be gone, witch, you’re not the one I’m looking for.”

Vanaheim consisted of Freya’s palace, the palace of magic and fertility. The seas around Vanaheim belonged to Njord and Freyr dwelled in between. There were rolling green hills that flowed into flowery meadows.

She could smell the salt from the sea and hear the waves splashing against the rocks. Cliffs separated the land and the sea and the air seemed alive with magic. She could really believe that here in Vanaheim anything was possible.

Jessica closed her eyes and concentrated on the image of the witch she wanted to call to her. She’d never done this before, although she’d travelled to other realms but only looked in from the outside. She’d never entered one as it was dangerous.

Jessica felt the air around her shift and swirl in a cloud of light, almost like sunlight fighting through the dark and finally infiltrating it in a beam of light. She opened her eyes and looked into the bright blue eyes of the woman standing before her.

“I knew someone would come. I didn’t expect you, Jessica.”

“He needs help, so here I am.”

Karani smiled at the young woman in front of her. “You love him.”

Jessica wasn’t sure what to say but she’d always been a stickler for the truth. “Yes. I love him more than I thought I would.”

“He needs an anchor. You need to be the balance in his life. Once we die our bonds with those on Midgard are severed and what we felt there can’t be felt here.”

“Kiran needs you.”

“Kiran needs to find his own path. Once he accepts it, he’ll ask the right questions and then you can give him the right answer. When he’s ready he’ll ask for your help and you can tell him that he needs to find me.”

Jessica could feel the pull of Midgard in her soul. It was time for her to leave. “I’ll help him.”

“Your destiny is intertwined with Malachi’s now. He needs you just as much as you need him. His anger is his downfall, be wary of it and know that a love like what you two share will only come once in your lifetime, twice for him.”