Page 13 of Twisted Fates
For now, you should spend as much time in your new home as possible. Getting to know your servants and understanding that having clear boundaries will help ensure you have the space you need to hone your craft.
The room on top, in the attic, is further enchanted. You can use the space to train, learn, and recuperate. Only one spirit has access there, and his name is Orville. Please understand Orville is not the easiest spirit in your home to get along with, but he is the one you can trust with your life.
As your duties become more dire, you will need his help. So, please be patient with him.
Give yourself one full week in the home, get to know your servants, and allow Orville to introduce you to those willing to be known, and he will guide you. Place the quill back onto the parchment when you are ready to begin your instruction.
I’ve informed Orville to remind you of this instruction. I dare say that means he will be a bit more insistent than you may wish, but for your sake, you will need to train sooner rather than later, so forgive me for placing him in your way. Ultimately, you will appreciate the chance to begin your training early.
One can never know when the dark powers will attack. For some reason, each wizard is given a grace period. None before us have understood why. However, the grace period always ends sooner than we wish, and the first challenge of your powers is often the greatest.
Controlling the outcome decisively is the best course of keeping peace during your service.
I apologize, young wizard. I’m already going into teacher mode. Take your first week, enjoy your new home and your servants. The house is a fussy place with odd nuances, but it has served me well through my service. I can only hope it serves you as thoroughly.
Elias Ericson
I stared at the parchment long after I finished reading and then read it all again. Finally, the writing disappeared from the parchment, and I stored it back in the envelope with the quill.
The strange man in The Magic Shop had called me a wizard, but I hadn’t understood what he’d meant. I didn’t understand it now. I was supposed to be the wizard who replaced thisElias guy who’d recently died. And spirits as servants? I mean, having seen the picture, I had to assume that was real.
Even having a name, I wasn’t sure I felt any better about facing him. The idea of ghosts living in my home with me, especially when I knew they were there and could see them? Damn, I’m not sure I can handle that.
Trust your instincts had been the instruction. Right now, my instincts told me to go back to the house and meet these… What were they? Ghosts? Meet my servants. And I probably needed to do that before I brought my friends over.
I picked the envelope up and walked toward the exit. I paused when a strange-looking man stood across the street, watching the front of the deli. I could feel him staring at me, seeing me even though I was still inside the building.
Finally, he turned away and walked toward the end of the street. I’m not sure why, but it felt like he was saying “until later” in a threatening way. Trust your instincts? Right now, my instincts told me that man was no good.
They also told me I wasn’t in danger, at least not yet. I left the deli, climbed into my car, and headed toward the Queen Anne neighborhood and the mansion I’d toured yesterday with Owen.
I scanned the area where the weird man had walked, but there was no evidence of him now.At least that was good, right?
The regal house sat in the Victorian neighborhood, almost inviting as I drove up to it today. Unlike yesterday when it wasmisty, the sunshine made all the difference as it shone off the multicolored paint.
I thought of my dad’s apartment and then of the mansion. Would I be able to leave all I’d ever had and move into a level of opulence I’d never considered or even wanted? Would I be a fool not to want it?
The memory of the man staring at me moments before convinced me I might need any protection I could find. If the house gave me that, I’d be a fool not to take it. That propelled me out of the car and through the front gate.
I’d forgotten to lock the front door when we left yesterday, but it was locked tight when I tried to open it. I would’ve wondered who’d been here, but now, thanks to the magical parchment and quill, I assumed the ghost servants had closed and locked it.
Jeez, when had I begun to think of ghosts as normal? That was weird.
The house was spooky. I mean, knowing there were ghosts made it worse, but even not knowing, the place felt like it had been designed to be haunted. Would the spirits accept me? That was the real question.
I turned the key and walked in, expecting to see ghosts rushing around, dusting and stuff. Luckily, that didn’t happen, but I still felt like someone was watching me. “Um,” I said, leaving the door open so I could bolt if needed. “I guess I’m supposed to get to know you. Elias gave me this place. He said Orville could help me get to know you.”
I heard movement above me, and a few moments later, I heard someone descending the stairs. I don’t know how, but I could tell someone was standing in front of me. “Mr. Orville?” I asked.
Slowly, a figure began to take shape, like one of those strange lights popular during Halloween that made your window shades look like people were walking behind them.
“What is your name, sir?” the figure asked once he became solid enough to see.
“I’m…uh…I’m Damian Richards, and yours?” I asked.
“Orville is the name I go by now. You are the new Legacy Wizard, then?” he asked, walking around me as if assessing whether or not I was up to the task.
His behavior got my back up, and even though he was a freaking ghost, I still would’ve walked away or flipped the guy off had the parchment not told me this was typical.
