Annabelle (part 38)

This chapter is part of a longer series. If you need to catch up, you can find the other chapters here.

The next day, Annabelle woke up later than usual. It took her a moment to realize where she was and to remember what she had learned the previous night. She still could not believe that Lucas Scott was her father! And what the hell was all that other stuff he and Leda had been talking about? Lucas had said that if she was Théa’s daughter, she was the heir, but… heir to what? And what was this gift she supposedly had? She felt like her head was bursting with unanswered questions. She turned over to tell Lydia but found that she was alone in bed. Lydia was probably outside making breakfast. It felt a bit strange. She couldn’t really put her finger on it, but she felt an unease by Lydia’s absence. And Lydia’s side of the tent was unusually tidy. Lydia was many things, but super tidy was not one of them.

Annabelle got up, rubbed her eyes, and went outside, still in her pajamas. She did not see Lydia or Leda. Instead, she found Lucas sitting by the fire, cooking something in a pot.

“Good morning,” he said cheerfully. “Breakfast?”

Annabelle sat next to him nodding. It felt weird sitting next to him now, knowing that he was her father. It was weird that the man she used to call “Dad” was not really her father at all. She wondered how she had ended up with him. Did he know who she was? Why had he never told her she was a witch?
Annabelle accepted a bowl of oatmeal from Lucas.

“Thanks,” she muttered.

“So…” Lucas said. Then he said nothing.

“So…” Annabelle replied.

“So… how are things?” He asked nonchalantly.

“Lately they have been pretty bad,” she replied.

“Ah, yes… the school business.”

“Yeah, that really sucked.”

“I can imagine. I went to an academy as a young boy, but I much more liked learning from a mentor.”

“Me too,” Annabelle agreed.

“For years he was like a father to me.”

“Must be nice. I don’t have a father,” she said, looking at him for his reaction.

Lucas looked guilty. It was as if he wanted to say something, but instead, he kept quiet.

“Where are the others?” she asked, changing the topic. She wanted to yell at Leda for keeping this secret from her. She wasn’t ready to talk to Lucas about it just yet.

“Oh, um… we can talk about that after you have eaten.”

“Talk about what?”

“About… well… just finish your meal.” He looked away, unable to keep eye contact. He suddenly got up and pretended to check the tent pegs, making sure they were firmly in the ground.

“Lucas?” Annabelle asked, her tone accusatory.

“Yes?”

“What is going on?” As she asked the question, the uneasiness that she had felt in her stomach got a lot worse. Something was wrong. She put her breakfast down and got up. She stared him down, suddenly feeling her breathing get heavier and her eyes watering as if she would soon have a reason to cry. “Where is Leda and Lydia?”

“They… eh… “ Lucas scratched his neck like some schoolboy in trouble. “They went to the coven.”

“What? Where?”

“Well, that location is secret.”

“But surely you mean Leda went to the coven? Not Lydia?”

“Well, Lydia is going to join the coven and work for them. Her cooperation with them is crucial. She has a lot of useful information, not to mention, she is a skilled witch.”

“But… when did they decide this? I thought we were going to Andromeda. Did they just have to leave straight away? When are they coming back for me?”

Lucas, actually looked ashamed at this point.

“Annabelle… they are not coming back for you. You are still going to Andromeda.”

Annabelle felt her stomach drop.

“But…”

“I will take you,” he said, reaching out to touch her shoulder, but chickening out.

“But… Lydia… ” Annabelle felt her eyes fill with tears. Lydia had abandoned her. She left her, and she didn’t even have the decency to tell her.

“Annabelle…” Lucas started, but Annabelle turned on her heels and ran towards the forest.

“No!” he shouted.

Annabelle felt a force keep her from crossing the protective wards around the tent.

“Let me out!”

“I can’t do that, kiddo. I’m sorry.”

“You let me out right now!” Annabelle screamed. She was so angry.

“You’re not going to find them,” he said. “They left hours ago, and they had brooms.”

Leda had brooms with her? Had stealing Lydia from her been her plan all along? And why had they all been walking on foot like mortals? Why did they always have to make everything so complicated? And why did they always have to keep her in the dark?

“I still want you to let me out,” she argued.

“No,” Lucas replied. “It is not safe for you to run off on your own. My job is to take you to Andromeda’s, and we are almost there. Once you’re settled in, I will go back to Dragonsdale.”

“I don’t want to go to Andromeda’s!” Annabelle shouted. “I don’t care about the plan anymore. I don’t care what they want. I am my own person and I decide what I will do. And I want you to remove this fucking ward so that I can walk freely.”

“I cannot do that,” Lucas said calmly. “You might hate me now, but it is for your own good.”

Annabelle stormed back to the tent. On her way back she kicked the uneaten bowl of porridge. It flew towards the forest and smashed into pieces as it collided with the magical wards. At least they were solid. Nobody could break in and hurt them. In fact, nobody could see or hear them.

She went back to her bedroom, got into bed, and hid under her duvet. She was grateful that Lucas did not come after her to talk. She just laid in bed, crying. Her heart felt like it was about to burst into a million pieces every time she thought about the fact that Lydia had left her there. She didn’t even say goodbye. She and Leda had snuck off into the night and left her with Lucas, her father. It was all too much. At that moment, she wished more than ever that she was with Gwen and Aisling, safely in their comforting arms. They had a way of making her feel safe. Leda just made her angry, and Lydia had just broken her heart.

*

“Annabelle?”

Lucas carefully entered the room. He had given Annabelle a couple of hours, knowing she needed time alone to process her feelings. Annabelle was still under the duvet. She gave no reply, but he knew she was listening.

“I know you are frustrated and hurt. It was not an easy decision for them to make. Lydia left you a letter. I’ll leave it here on the bed and then you can read it when you feel up to it. I’ve also got some food for you. You’ve got to eat something, kid.”

Annabelle gave him no response or sign that she had heard him. She just lay there. Minutes after Lucas had left the room, she still had no willpower to get up and read the letter. Lydia’s betrayal weighed heavy on her heart. It was all too much. How many people would she lose before all of this was over? First her mentors and those who gave her the maternal affection she had always needed, and now her first love. They were all still alive, but not available to her. Lucas was still here, but she had never wanted a father, she had one for seventeen years. She was curious about him, but she hadn’t found something that she felt she was missing. And even if he could give her something, he would soon leave her too. She lay there on the bed until she fell asleep, and it wasn’t until hours later that she finally read Lydia’s letter.

Annabelle,

When you read this, you will no doubt be furious with me. I get it. I would be angry too; angry and hurt. Part of me still thinks I should have told you, that I should have tried to explain, but another part of me knows that that would have made it almost impossible to leave. You would have begged to come with me, but you can’t. You would have begged me to stay, and although it would have killed me to do it, I still would have to leave you. I know that I am of much better use to people actively working for the coven. I have information that is going to be useful, and I know I will be able to do important work for them. But Annabelle, know that I love you more than you know. You are so very special to me, and although you might hate me for leaving, I know that you are much better off at Andromeda’s. You will be safe there.

PS. Please don’t blame it all on Leda, she did not force me to do anything I didn’t want.

Love,

Lydia

Annabelle ripped the letter into several pieces, crumpled it up, and threw it on the ground. And for good measure, she pointed her finger at it, setting it on fire. She was not ready to forgive Lydia. She had gone from soul-crushing sadness to fiery rage. She left her room and went to find Lucas.

“I am ready to leave now,” she demanded.

Lucas looked at her suspiciously. “And when you say leave, you mean…”

Annabelle rolled her eyes impatiently. “I mean I am ready to go to Andromeda’s.”

“Oh good, because I’m not taking you to the coven,” he said, making sure they were on the same page.

“I know,” Annabelle replied angrily. “I don’t want to see their stupid faces anyway; especially not Leda’s.”

“You know, Leda has done a lot for you,” Lucas started.

“You mean because she delivered me as a baby?” Annabelle couldn’t keep the information she learned the other night any longer. “Yeah, I heard you two talking.”

“Oh, so… how mu…” Lucas started, but he didn’t get to finish his sentence.

“I heard it all,” Annabelle said, cutting him off.

“Oh, good… so…”

“Yeah…”

There was a silence in the air as the two of them looked at each other, no doubt thinking about the same thing. Their familial bond.

“Okay then. So now we?”

“Now we leave, dad. I want to get going.”

“Da…?” He cleared his throat. “Yes, of course.”

*

They packed up their stuff mostly in silence. There was a lot unsaid in the air, but Annabelle didn’t feel like being the one to talk first. Once the tent was taken down and put into Annabelle’s satchel, they had a look at the map. They still had a stretch before they would get to Andromeda, at least if they were going on foot.

“We can make that in one day,” Lucas commented.

“What? Are you mad? It’s too far for that.”

“It’s too far if we travel the way we have,” Lucas said thoughtfully. “But… if we flew…”

“We can’t. I was told…”

“You were told that you cannot fly a broom and that if someone sees a witchling on a broom, it might be a way for someone to find you. However, personally, I think we are too far away from where you disappeared for anyone to stop you, and second… nobody is going to find it suspicious if a wizard flies.”

Annabelle’s eyes widened. Was he being serious? “But… Leda and…”

“Leda is not here,” he said firmly but smiling. “I am.”

Annabelle smiled. Finally, someone who would let her bend the rules.

“Why are you bending the rules now?” she asked.

“To tell you the truth, Annabelle, while you were in your room, I got a message from one of Alexis’s spies on where the wizard apprentices are being kept. Things have changed. I have a responsibility toward my apprentice, Finn. I need to rescue him from the clutches of the order.”

This confused Annabelle. How could he act so quickly without even planning what to do? “You didn’t know before? It seems you have known about where the witchlings have been for a while, yet it took ages for anyone to contact me.”

“We did know where you witchlings were, that is true. Not from the start, mind you. And it took us some time to plan your escape because it seems the witchlings are being guarded more fiercely than the wizards.” He winked. “Some of the more powerful magicians in your age group are witches. Not to mention the apprentices of some really powerful witches, such as Leda. Do you have any idea how many offers she got to mentor someone before she found Eylion? Hundreds!”

“Yeah, I heard something like that. I never would have guessed, she is so modest.”

“That she is, kid, but Leda is in a league of her own. One of a kind.”

“Yeah… well… she is also in her own league as far as liars go,” Annabelle said pouting.

“You don’t mean that, kid.” Lucas gave her a soft look. “I know you’re hurt, but I know you love her.”

Annabelle’s eyes glazed over. “I guess.” A tear ran down her cheek. “I guess I haven’t been very nice to her lately.”

“No, you haven’t, but she knows you’re frustrated.” He sighed. He came closer and put a comforting arm around her.

Annabelle leaned into his side and found that it wasn’t hard for her to accept his affection. Maybe these things came naturally for them because, regardless of the fact that neither of them knew until the previous night, they were father and daughter. “But… you do realize that this entire time she has known me, she has known she is technically my stepmother,” she said, still not able to let go of Leda’s betrayal.

“Yeah, crazy, huh? Leda a stepmother.” He laughed out loud. “We, Leda and I, we were never going to have children. We didn’t want that, it was never in the cards for any of us. Not even…” he sighed. “Not even your mother.”

“Well…” Annabelle said, a little hurt. “It’s not like any of you ever had to be a parent.”

“Oh, Annabelle, what do you think being a mentor is like?” He hugged her. “We didn’t plan for a lot of things, and then life happened. And yeah, we didn’t have to parent a child we gave birth to, but being a mentor is in many ways similar. Finn, my apprentice, is like a son to me. True, an apprentice comes into your life at a grown age, but the bond between a mentor and their apprentice is special.”

“Is Finn also impossible?”

Lucas laughed. “No, if anything, he’ll remind me to behave.” He smiled at the thought of his apprentice. “Anyway, no time to lose. I need to get you to Andromeda so that I can get Finn out of the nasty grip of the order.”

“I only have one broom, but I know you have some experience with transfiguration magic. I will make you into something small. How about a cat? And you can sit on the back.” He took small a pouch out of his pocket and opened it. Then he stuck his arm inside and pulled out a whole broomstick.

“With this, we should be at Andromeda’s in no time. I think that is worth a little risk.”

Within five minutes Annabelle was sitting on the back of Lucas’s broomstick as a cat. They flew high up, but she felt quite safe. She had no fear of falling off, she could feel the broomstick’s magic keeping her in place. Part of her wanted to get closer to Lucas. She wanted to sit next to him in human form and put her arms around him and hold tight, the way she had with her first father on horseback as a child. Part of her was also a little sad that their journey would be over very soon. She had just learned that he was her father, and she wanted more time alone with him. But she knew Lucas had urgent business at home, which was why he was so keen to get her to Andromeda so soon.

*

After a couple of hours, Lucas landed in a forest clearing. He held the broom steady as it hovered in the air next to him. He picked up Annabelle, who was still a cat, and gently placed her on the ground. He then helped transform her back into a human as she had not mastered transfiguration yet.

“There we go. Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, as well as I can be,” she replied stretching her legs and cracking her neck a bit. Being a cat for hours was one thing, but sitting still on a broom was another.

“Yeah, I’m sorry it wasn’t more comfortable,” he said, winking. “Let’s go kiddo, we’re getting close.”

“How close?” Annabelle asked.

“Oh, very close.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “Once we’re there, I will feel much more relaxed. Nothing is going to happen to you with Andromeda around. You’ll be safe.”

“Don’t you think I could be safe with the others?” she asked.

He gave her an understanding look. “It depends.”

“On what?”

“On what they are doing.” He sighed. “Look… do I think they are capable of protecting you? Absolutely. However, right now they are busy doing some stuff that might make that harder for them. And I really do agree that it is better for you to stay with Andromeda. You need more protection than most people.” He smiled at her and put his arm on her shoulder. “You are not just any witchling, Annabelle.”

“You mean because I’m your daughter?”

“Mostly because you are Théa’s daughter,” he replied. “It’s hard to explain. Being her heir… it makes you a target. I can’t really explain right now, but please promise that you won’t try to run away from Andromeda.”

Annabelle thought about his words and nodded. “I promise.”

“Good. Because that would be unsafe, and also, I really don’t think she’ll be happy with you if you try. And as my wife has informed me, with you technically being an adult, nobody will listen to me if I tell them to go easy on you. Especially not Andromeda. I might be your father by blood, but I have no say.”

Annabelle nodded. “I understand. I am a grown person and I stayed with the coven by choice. Sort of.” She smiled at him. “As frustrated as I am with them, they have given me a home and a family. I wouldn’t trade our relationship for anything. If they trust Andromeda enough to send me to her, then she must be a special person.”

“Oh, Andromeda is great, kid.” Lucas smiled. “Some people are a little intimidated by her, but they don’t know her like I do. You’ll see.” He gave her a little push towards a path from the clearing. “Let’s get going.”

*

In the forest, they approached a stone archway. It was similar to the archway they had gone through when Alexis took Annabelle and Eylion to the Witch’s Council’s meeting. It was tall and old and stood alone among the tall trees. Once they went through it, as Annabelle expected, the path looked slightly different. There was a new path in the forest that hadn’t been there before. They followed the new path which took them out of the forest to a picturesque sunset. They were by an old gravel road on top of a hill and below Annabelle could see a view of grassy hills and trees as long as the eye could see.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Lucas asked.

“Yeah, it really is,” she said smiling. “Albert would love it her.”

“Albert?”

“He’s my horse.”

“You have a horse named Albert?” Lucas didn’t laugh, but he smirked.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do,” Annabelle said, insulted. “Why does everyone always imply that there is something wrong with that?”

“It’s not,” Lucas said. “It’s actually kind of neat. Sounds almost regal.”

“Thanks,” she said as they started walking again.

After walking down the road for a while, they came across a grove of trees and a little overgrown pathway. It looked neglected, but Annabelle had a feeling it was carefully left that way to provide more privacy from passers-by. She could tell there was a garden pond by the sound of water. She took another step forward and found her way blocked by an invisible ward.

“We can’t get through,” she complained.

“You can’t get through,” Lucas smiled. He waved his hand through the ward easily. “I am always welcome here.”

Annabelle tried again, but found that she still was not able to get through.“Well, you’re not the one who’s supposed to come visit. I am.”

“Oh, she knows we’re here. She has weaker wards further from her house, so she knows if someone is approaching. And now that I have touched her main ward, she’ll recognize me.” He put his hand up to his ear, cupping it as if to listen. And sure enough, within seconds a woman’s voice could be heard.

“Lucas Storm, is that you?”

Annabelle could hear the woman approaching by the sound of footsteps on what sounded like gravel.

“It is indeed, Andromeda,” he said grinning. “And I bring a guest. May we enter your property?”

A tall, dark-haired woman dressed in black appeared. She grinned as she saw Lucas, then she took one look at Annabelle and her jaw dropped.

“You!” Andromeda looked to Lucas then at Annabelle, and then back to Lucas. “What is this? You’re dead… you…” then a look of understanding on her face. “Annabelle,” she said quietly.

“She does look like her mother, doesn’t she?” Lucas said, amused.

“Yes, but she is slightly different. She has some features of her father.”

“Yes. I must admit… I didn’t see it at first. I knew she reminded me of her, but I couldn’t quite connect the dots. I mean… I never even knew she was pregnant.” He gave Andromeda a knowing look. “You on the other hand…”

Andromeda nodded. “I knew. Of course, I did.”

“You didn’t tell me,” Storm said, a little hurt.

“Which should not have surprised you one bit. We had no way of knowing if we could trust you.”

“Not even about this, Andromeda?” Lucas looked disappointed. “Maybe you didn’t trust that I loved Théa, which I really did. However, I cannot say that it doesn’t hurt that you did not trust that I would protect my own child.”

“I regret that I didn’t,” Andromeda admitted. “But that’s easy to say now, knowing what I now know. Back then we didn’t, it was so hard to know who to trust.” She stared at Annabelle, a slight sadness in her eyes. “I just… I can’t believe you’re here. I don’t understand. What are you two doing here?”

Lucas opened his mouth to speak, but Andromeda held up her hand. “Wait. Let me guess, this has something to do with the eternal thorn in my side, doesn’t it?” Annabelle and Lucas looked at each other confused until Andromeda sighed. “Alexis.”

*

Andromeda raised her hand and reached out for the wards. She closed her eyes, concentrating, as she muttered words that Annabelle couldn’t understand. Suddenly, Annabelle could see the wards. They were glowing around the property like a protective web. And as soon as they became visible to her, they disappeared again. Andromeda motioned for Annabelle to walk through, which she did, and where had once been an invisible wall, Annabelle could now walk through freely.

Walking on to the property, Annabelle could see a large house, much too big for one person. But then again, Leda also lived in a ridiculously large house that she had inherited from her family. On their way to the house, they walked through a beautiful garden that would put Gwen’s to shame, and that was saying something. Annabelle could also see what looked to be a large greenhouse of glass and metal with a great dome at its center. No doubt, Andromeda kept some important plants in there. Once by the house, Andromeda took them in the kitchen door.

“Sit”, she said, motioning to the kitchen table, and instantly, a kettle filled itself from the sink and started boiling the water. Teacups and saucers flew through the air and landed on the table in front of them.

“I am pleased to see you both, but I have to admit, I’m a little shaken.” She gave them both a curious look.

“I understand,” Lucas said. “I don’t have to tell you who is behind this…”

“Alexis, of course. Who else?”

“Indeed.” Lucas nodded.

“Did she come and get you, Annabelle?” Andromeda asked. “Did she take you through the portal?”

“No,” Annabelle replied. “I came on my own. It was an accident. I didn’t know Alexis then.”

“Really, do tell,” Andromeda said, as the kettle was pouring tea into their cups.

“Yes,” Lucas said, “I don’t believe I have heard this story.”

And so Annabelle told them her story. About living with her awful stepmother and stepsisters, and how her stepmother had promised her hand to their neighbor, Lord Stratton. At this, Lucas’s fists curled and he looked like he wanted to punch someone. She told them about meeting Aisling and being invited to live with her and Gwen, and how her life was so much better after meeting them.

“And then the order kidnapped, Eylion and me and took us to school.”

“Eylion?” Andromeda looked confused.

“Leda’s apprentice.”

“My Leda? She has an apprentice?” Andromeda’s eyes widened.

“Yes,” Annabelle said nodding. “She’s still at the school.”

“Well, that surprises me. Leda always swore she would never take on an apprentice,” Andromeda said. “Clearly I have been away for too long.” She frowned. “Please don’t tell me she is from one of the wealthy families in town?”

“Oh, definitely not!” Annabelle said. “From what I understand, Leda didn’t want to apprentice anyone until she met Eylion. Gwen says that they both met when they needed each other the most. It’s cute, actually.”

“But I still don’t understand what the two of you are doing here,” Andromeda said, looking at Lucas.

“Yes, well…” Lucas scratched his neck. “I was only given this task at the very last minute.”

“What task,” Andromeda asked, looking suspicious.

“Delivering Annabelle to you.”

“To me?”

“Well, as you know, Andromeda, Annabelle is… um… special.” He gave he older woman a look. “After the order kidnapped all the withclings, it became crucial for Alexis to get Annabelle out before they realized who really is. She needs somewhere safe to stay. She needs someone to protect her. And Alexis has decided the best place for her is here.”

“Has she now,” Andromeda said, narrowing her eyes at him. “I don’t suppose Alexis had any plans to ask me?”

“Don’t shoot the messenger!” he said holding up his hands. “She wrote you a letter,” he said, giving her a scroll with Alexis’s personal seal.

Andromeda took the scroll from him. “I’m going to read this in my study,” she said, before she got up, leaving them alone in the kitchen.

Annabelle felt uneasy. “Lucas,” she whispered. “What if she says no? I mean, we just showed up out of nowhere. Isn’t it a bit presumptuous to assume that she will open up her home for me?”

He winked at her. “I think you will find that Alexis can be very persuasive, kid.” He grinned. “Besides, you are my child and Andromeda loves me, even when she found out I had been unfaithful to Leda, her protegee, she was still there for me. I find hard to believe she would say no.”

They sat in silence for a while before Andromeda came back into the kitchen.

“Very well. I will take the girl.”