Returned by Keeley Smith Page B

at the shop-”
    “I knew it!” he shouted, “she looks like the type to go meddling in people’s business!”
    “As I was saying, Tabitha was also involved in the witch trials. Her best friend was Alizon Device who has a daughter.” Eli held his finger in front of him signalling that he should remain quiet.
    Jack knew who it was. The pieces of the puzzles were falling into place.
    “You and Alizon’s daughter were at high risk at the time of these trials. Sons and daughters of witches were often taken and killed, they believed the devil would jump from the mother to their children. It was a miracle you were both able to escape. Once you’d witnessed the...” He shook his head and sighed. “You were both adamant that you wanted to be there at the end and we couldn't deny you the chance to say goodbye. Once it was over, Tabitha took you both into hiding.
                  “ Since that day you were placed in a family in which the relatives over the centuries have watched over you. Tabitha continued to do a spell on both of you every year or so to keep your past hidden from yourselves and from others. I'm not sure if or when your powers would have shown themselves. I was pre-warned by Tabitha that your power may never develop because we'd manipulated it and stalled your body doing what it should naturally. Until this moment Tabitha has remained neutral for the safety of you both.  No one knew about this arrangement other than the two families. It was just the Thomas family for you, Jack, and the Hunt family for Cora, Tabitha, the coven members and I.”
    He now knew the name of the most irritating girl he’d ever had the non pleasure of meeting. She was the reason behind his family’s demise.
    “So, what you’re saying is that my powers somehow barged past Tabitha's spell because I met Cora?”
    “I believe so. ”
    The room was silent as they both lost themselves in thought.
    “So there is no way of gaining my memories back with another type of spell?”
    “That process is too difficult, the result could be disastrous. We didn’t want to risk it.”
    “Right.”
    “We need to prepare you and your powers so we can face whatever is thrown our way,” Eli urged.
    “My powers are just fine,” he sang.
                  To prove it, he jumped off the sofa and ignored the way his head throbbed. His element respond instantly and he found himself levitating a few feet off the floor. His concentration lapsed, his legs collapsed beneath him as his body hit solid ground. He hissed as the pain in his body intensified.
    “I need to work on the landing,” he smiled as he slowly stood up. “What do I need to know? How do I deal with Cora?” He had a feeling she would need to be dealt with. How else was this going to be resolved?
    Eli shot him a stern look as he left the room only for him to return moments later holding some sort of book which was the size of his chest.
    “This is your family book, however, what I do know without looking in this book is how to handle her.”
    “How?”
    Eli placed the book on the coffee table and looked at him. “You need to meet with her and sort the problem out.”
    Something in Eli’s tone didn’t suggest sitting down with Cora and having tea and biscuits. “When you say sort the problem, do you mean like fight?”
    “Yes.”
    “Right, I don’t know if this will work. We’ve had some sort of thing that has happened between us and that hasn’t worked. It always ends with one of us running off or blacking out.”
    “Well, we will control the fight. One way or the other, it will end.”
                  That could only mean one thing and that wasn't something he'd considered, ever. Yes, the girl irritated him, there was some emotion that seemed to surge through his body whenever he was in her presence. He couldn’t understand during clear moments like this why he felt the way he did but those moments evaporated when he stood in front of