Chapter 7: Looking for Answers

When Leah's car disappeared in the distance, I transformed myself into a bird and started after them. I needed to investigate why I was able to sense Leah's magic this time but why I had not been able to sense it any of the other times that I had seen her. I follow Leah's car in the air to their house, even though I knew that they would not be able to recognise me, I made sure to keep my distance. 


Leah's car pulls up in the driveway, as I got the Cassie's house. I could still sense Leah's magic on her but when they walked inside the house it stopped. No matter how hard I tried, I could not sense anything unusual, only Cassie's energy. In all my years I have never encountered anything like this. I was not sure what to do, should I tell nick about it? I was considered telling him, however, I wanted some more information before I break the news to him. 


The only person I know that may know what could be going on is Freya, so I guess that was where I would go, or rather fly as that was a bit quicker.

It felt a bit ironic, usually I see Freya a few times every 100 years or so, but this would be the second visit in less than a week.

As usual the door to Freya's house was open and the tea was finishing brewing in the kitchen, she obviously knew I was coming. 


Over the years, I had been speculated on whether Freya had the ability to see the future, I was pretty sure she did. When I was a little, and Freya was taking care of me, I asked her once if she could see the future. I never got a proper answer from her, instead she told me that it would not change anything. Afterwards, when I had grown up, I realised that asking someone about what abilities they have is very personal. I did not want to disrespect Freya, as she had given me so much, so I have accepted that I may never truly know for sure whether she can actually see the future.

I walked into her house and found Freya sorting out the tea for us. She grabbed the cups and handed one to me before she made herself comfortable in a chair.

"I understand that you have questions about magic."

I told her about my discovery, that I had not realised that Leah had any abilities until this afternoon but that all the supernatural energy disappeared as soon as she walked into the house. Freya was listening attentively but stayed quiet.

"Do you have any idea why this happened?" I asked her, when she still had not said anything for a while.

"Ancient magic has the ability to shield, however such a spell cannot be done by a mere mortal witch. It requires sacrifices and dedication. That begs the question, who would go to that length and why?"

That was indeed the question. No one should know about Cassie, so it was unlikely to have anything to do with her, at least directly. But did it have something to do with Leah? Were Set and Mark supernatural too? Abigail?


Cassie's none panic reaction when I told her about the supernatural and her abilities started to make more sense. She must have known about Leah's magic, which was why she did not freak out when I told her about the supernatural world. Come to think about it, it was probably why she asked if she was a witch.


Freya did not say anything else after that. I doubt she even knew what was going on. Talking to her had helped me though, as I now knew that there was something conspicuous going on, and someone with supernatural blood was behind it. 


I knew I had to report what I had discovered to Nick, but it bothered me that I did not know why the house was shielded or have any idea of who could be behind it.

While I was making my way to Nick's house, I tried to come up with a good way to break the news. I could just have teleported to him, but I decided to get there the old fashion way. Besides, I needed to think and flying usually helped with that.

When I got to the outside of Nick's house, I changed back to my human form. The house was a hidden portal, and even though it looks completely normal from the outside, the minute you stepped over the threshold, you got transported to another dimension.

It was a bit strange, but Nick had his reasons, and he prefers it that way. He wanted to keep his ties to the house, as so many things happened in the house. Things that made him who is he, memories that helps him hold on to his humanity. Unfortunately, his bitterness over losing his wife, left a big mark and staying in the house in the human world created a beaker of sort, which made it a target. I think that was one of the reasons why Nick decided to hide away Cassie in the human world. 


To get rid of the negative energy that Nick unintentionally created in the human world, he transferred the whole inside of the house to another dimension. It seemed impossible to me, but he somehow pulled it off. I do not know if he moved it by himself or if he had help, either way it was not my place to ask.

Because Cassie was only part demon, she was unlikely to be able to make the journey between the realms before her powers has manifested properly. Which was why Nick currently refused to see her. The realm that Nick now lived in, was a place where demons dwell. The energy there was filled with negativity, so no one would sense anything. I was pretty sure most of the realm's inhabitants had no idea that Nick lived there. On the other hand, Nick is a very powerful demon and would be able to handle most, if not all, of the demons that called that realm their home.

As I waited for Nick to come and let me in, I thought back to all the memories I had from this place. Nick had got this house as a surprise for his mother. She had always talked about being able to live in a proper house with a garden. Growing up, Nick and his mother had lived in a small flat in an unlikable part of town. They did not have much, but they had each other, which was why Nick valued family, blood or otherwise, so much. 

My thoughts got interrupted when Nick opened the door. He did not look great, but he never did get over losing Lily, and who can blame him. He looked me up and down with a sour expression.

"Why are you here? Did something happen to Cassie?"

"Cassie is fine, at least for now. There are some other issues that are indirectly connected to Cassie, that I wanted to inform you about."

Nick invited me in and walked into the living room, I followed him, and we both took a seat. I started to tell him about what I had discovered; that Cassie's adoptive sister was a witch and that the house was shielded. Nick looked at me confused.

"What you mean it's shielded?"

"As soon as they go inside, I can't feel any supernatural energy. I haven't been able to sense any supernatural energy from any of them, until yesterday when Cassie's sister picked her up and I could sense that she was a witch, but her energy disappeared from her as soon as she walked into the house."

"That's very strange. Why would someone do that? And what about the other kids that lives with her?

"It's what I am trying to figure out. I asked Freya about the shielding, and she said it could only be done by ancient magic"


"I'll see what I can figure out from my end, if it is done by ancient magic someone must know something. Please make sure that Cassie stays safe even if it means that you have to watch her 24/7." 


"Will do" I actively made the choice not to tell Nick what had happened between me and Cassie. I probably should but I did not want to give him anything else to worry about, besides Cassie's safety was my main priority. I got up from the sofa and Nick walked me to the door.

"By the way Cassie seems to have developed some of her abilities" I said randomly.#

Nick looked a bit thoughtful for a moment.

"That's early, but I guess not overly surprising with what you are telling me. Don't you remember that my abilities developed much quicker after there was a potential threat on my head."

Thinking back, I do remember that as soon as we started to hang out regularly and as things were starting to try to either kidnap or kill Nick, he quickly seemed to get more abilities coming though. Then again, I also remember how often his abilities seemed to malfunction before he got a hang of them.


"I'm trying to teach her, but I can't read other people's minds, so I don't know how much help I am."

"So she trusts you then... that's good, it will make it easier for you. Just do what you can, the abilities will come to her when she needs them"


"Like your ones did." I said sarcastically. Nick gave me a pretentious angry gaze. 


"Well they always seemed to work when we needed to get out of trouble"


"Yeah trouble that you caused by having them malfunction"


The side of his lip went up into a small smile. 


"Well you weren't that much better if I remember correctly"


We did make quite a team back in those days. Thinking back, there was a few funny but scary moment, but I also think that the moments when we were almost being killed, and always having each other back was what made us brothers.


"Anyway I better get back."

I gave Nick a light slap on his shoulder before I opened the front door.

"Let me know if you discovered anything else" Nick said as I stepped outside.


When I got out of the house, i turned into a bird and flew back to school. I needed to know more about Cassie and the family she lived with to be able to figure out what was going on.