Chapter 25

Jenna slowly opened her eyes to be greeted with a sight from the past. She groaned as the memories of Edina rushed to the forefront of her mind. She now knew what was expected of her. However first she had personal matters to take care of. Family business.
She pushed the covers back and climbed carefully from the bed listening to the sounds of the house. Slowly, on tiptoes she made her way to the window and opened it. It was a bit stiff, and Jenna had to use more force than she thought into opening it but eventually the window swung open.
Jenna paused hoping she hadn’t been heard before climbing out the window. She used the vines that decorated the outside of the house to climb from the second floor. Once on solid ground she set off in a sprint.
If Edina’s memories severed her right than neither the shifters nor Donna/Cassidy would let her leave that house alone.
In no time at all she came upon the old Victorian building that housed the hospital. She entered the building walking past the cranky old lady who was seated behind the reception desk. Jenna gave her a polite wave and pushed the glass double doors open which led to the private part of the hospital.
Outside her father’s room she took in a deep breath before she entered. When she stepped in the room shock caused her to pause. Her Gran who she had not seen in over five years sat on a seat beside his bed. How did she get out of the nut house?
The old lady got to feet and made her way to Jenna.
“Oh, dear how lovely it is to see you,”
“I need a private moment with my dad. If you don’t mind Rose,” her voice was cold as she spoke, and the woman nodded passing her. When Rose reached the door, she placed her hand on the door handle and froze.
“The hands of fate that have found you will see you cease to exist,” she opened the door and softly closed it behind her leaving Jenna conflicted. She needed to confront her father and gather the truth, yet she also wanted to follow the old lady and find out what she meant by her words.
Instead, she had to deal with her father and get the answers that had been plaguing her mind. Pulling her shoulders back she moved to her father’s right side. His body was still bandaged, and a tube was attached to his nose. He blinked servile times while Jenna stared at the mess her father had become. The machines that were keeping him alive beeped in the background serving the only sound to be heard in the room.
“Why?” she asked him. His pupils moved in her direction while the rest of his body stayed still.
“Why did you experiment on the shifters? Why all the lies?” he made a gargling noise and Jenna took a step back.
“We were close…. Almost there…” his voice was strained and barely audible.
“Do you understand what you have done?” she asked him and in return he smiled.
“Made an army stronger…...than any before,”
“No, you created monsters, and now those very monsters are running free around town. It is only a matter of time before they can’t control their shift and people die,”
“No, No, they are trained,” he said.
“No, they are wild. I hope you can live with yourself when the deaths mount up,” Jenna knew the conversation wasn’t going anyway so she turned to leave.
“People will die, and when they do, it will be on your hands,” without another word she exited the room. Her gran was sat on the plush seating in the waiting area.
“Come sit down dear we need to have a little chat,”
Jenna compiled curious to what the old lady had to say.
“I am sure you know the legend of Dem’Say Woods and Cora De’Mar?” Jenna nodded everything came back to the queen.
“But do you know the legend of Edina Fairhaven?” Jenna was silent as she thought about Edina.
“Many years ago, Cora had gone mad. She burnt villages and killed humans for her own pleasure. Edina was the sole survivor from one of those villages,”
“I already know all this,” Jenna snapped.
“Listen darling there is things that you are yet to know,”
“Edina stepped forward to become the protector. She was infused with the magic from those banished from the land of De’Mar, and of that of the Sherman’s,” Jenna sighed and fidgeted impatiently.
“Edina wanted revenge. She wanted the queen dead. In the end she went through with the spell that gave her great power. But the Sherman’s left out one important detail. One that would change the life of one of Edina’s offspring in years to come,” Jenna sat up straighter and faced her gran as what she had just said was new to her.
“Once the spell was complete the head of the Sherman’s pulled Edina to onside, he told her that in years to come she would rise again.
Edina laughed at this as she had already been told a woman who was blood related to her would hold all her memories and power when the time came that the protector should be needed again.
The Sherman shook his head and explained when Cora was about to raise Edina would take over the body of her relative. Her offspring would serve as a host for her soul. When she returned the soul of her relative would die a body can only hold one soul at a time,”
“That is not true,”
“Oh, but Jenna it is. You see the story of Dem’Say woods and Edina has been passed down through our blood line for decades,”
“See after all those years the story as changed. Just like Chinese whispers,” Jenna stated.
“No Jenna, soon you will cease to exist, and your body will hold the soul of Edina. I knew it was you from the moment you were born. I told the story to your father which was a mistake. From that moment on he has been obsessed with shifters and magic,”
“Gran what your saying is crazy,”
“Is it though. Look deep inside, and the answers will be there,” closing her eyes Jenna cleared her mind and dug deep into Edina’s memories. A scene slowly gathered around her, and she found herself in a clearing face to face with a tall man with a man who resembled Santa without the red suite.
“One day you will rise again, and your soul will take over a body of a blood relative,”
“You lied to me?” she felt her lips move yet she wasn’t the one speaking.
“If I had told you the truth then would you have gone through with the spell?”
“No, I would not have. I do not want to be a part of this. No one shall die for me to live long after my life as expired,”
“Then I am afraid it is too late,”
“Do the spell again. The girl shall only need my memories and power to keep Cora sleeping,”
“Edina that is not the way magic works. I am sorry,”
“So, I shall kill an offspring of mine to fix the mistakes of the witches?” The scene faded away and Jenna found herself sat in the hospital.
She stood on shaky legs and gazed at her gran who had a knowing smile on her lips. She took a step to leave when the machines from her dead machine echoed around the hall frantically beeping.
Doctors ran down the hall and burst into his room.
“You have always known what was going to happen,” it wasn’t a question but rather a statement.
“I am what you call a keeper. I can see the future. Yet the future is never set in stone. You have time to fix what is to come Jenna. Use your time wisely,” Jenna bolted out of the hospital. Once outside she took in a deep breath of air.
Walking away from the hospital her heart felt heavy and her breathing was slow.
She glanced at the house that lined the street. Most were decorated with lanterns and pumpkins. Some had skeletons and other monsters on their front lawns ready for Halloween.
She almost scoffed as she saw the décor. If only they knew what real monsters were.
Jenna had no destination in mind. She let her feet guide her. She found herself outside the wreaked building that was once Josh’s home. She had done that. Destroyed the house, yet her job was unfinished. Her job she laughed out loud. It was never meant for her. Soon she would be dead, and Edina would be the one living in her body.
Would she move on? Or would she just fade away?
It was funny death had never crossed her mind before, yet now she knew her time was coming and there was nothing she could do to stop it.