Hidden Island Chapter 42, part 3 of 3

Hidden Island
Chapter 42, part 3 of 3

"It's alright," Jack said. "I wish you'd explained a little more first, but it sounds like that might have been enough to set off... whatever this is."

"Yes," Quinn said.

Something in his stoic voice caught Jack's attention. "This has happened before?"

"Twice," Quinn said grimly. "The first, I did not recognize the enchantment for what it was. My master ordered me to do something I later understood to be against his will. Second, I did not take proper precautions. When I attempted to remove the enchantment, my mistress killed herself."

Jack's eyes widened in horror. "I can still talk, though. Couldn't I still order you to do something?"

"I know you are enchanted. I would refuse," Quinn said.

"I thought you couldn't do that," Jack asked.

"I would never refuse your wishes," Quinn said. "Currently, though, you are not yourself."

"I still feel like me," Jack said with another yawn.

"That is exactly the danger," Quinn said, squeezing her hand again.

"Mary," Caine grunted.

The woman dumped wine all over her nightgown as she jumped in surprise. Her face twisted into a rage, and she hurled her silver glass at the intruder. He leaned his head to the side, letting it bounce off the wall.

"Good to see you too," Caine said.

"Fuck you, Greyson," the woman said, shaking the wine off her bare arms and pulling her soaked nightgown away from her skin. "What do you want?"

She pulled her nightgown over her head, threw it in a hamper, and walked towards the lavish washroom attached to her bedroom. She looked somewhere between thirty and fifty, but Caine knew she had used the best tinctures and enchantments to keep her body youthful.

Only the streaks of silver at the edges of her black curls gave away that she was older than she looked. Nobody would have guessed she was nearing ninety now.

Caine watched her move, appreciating her grace. He took great care with others to be polite and only looked when he was bidden. He and Mary were long past that. He knew she never showed anything she didn't want to be seen. The tangle of history and emotions was so snarled that the angel on his shoulder had just given up trying to influence him where she was concerned. He watched her like art. She was stirring and incredible in many ways, but she was apart from him and always would be. She was a relic of a past he'd done his best to leave behind. Tonight, he intended to deal with one of the last loose ends.

Mary came back into the room, blotting herself with a lush towel. She stopped abruptly as the quiet sank in. By now, Caine should have said at least three things that irritated her. Silence wasn't like him. "It's time?" she asked sadly.

"Yeah," Caine said with a slight nod. "Just wanted to see you first. Didn't want to surprise you."

"That is... oddly kind," Mary said flatly. "Did you kill anyone on your way in?"

"No," Caine said. "Came in through the window."

"You always were a romantic," she smirked.

"The spikes on all the ledges are a bit much," Caine said wryly.

"Not everything is about you," Mary said, rolling her eyes. She went to a wardrobe and began picking through dozens of nightgowns, each worth more than most would see in their lifetime.

"There was an assassination attempt a few years ago."

"You didn't tell me," Caine said.

"It was another family, not my own. One of the Freebooters," Mary said, waving her hand dismissively. "I hope my efforts at least slowed you down."

Caine held up his blood-streaked hands. "It hurt like hell."

"Oh good," Mary smiled. She finally picked a gown and draped it around her body, then settled herself into an overstuffed lounger. She didn't bother tying it closed. "He's not going to make it easy, you know. You gave him a long time to prepare."

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this," Caine said. "He might have changed his mind. Or died in his sleep."

Mary laughed. "If only."

"I kept my promise," Caine said.

"You did," Mary sighed. "I appreciate that."

"As of now, I consider us paid in full," Caine said as he stood up.

"Thank you," Mary said. "Honestly, I expected this a generation ago."

"You helped keep things stable," Caine said. "I hope that continues."

Bitterness crept into Mary's eyes. "It's been harder the last decade. His mind isn't what it was.

He doesn't listen to me anymore, so his sons don't listen either. Worse, they eventually figured out how far he's slipped, so they barely listen to him anymore. It's all unraveling."

"I tried to," Caine started.

"I know!" she snapped. "Yes, you were right! Happy?"

"Of course not," Caine said sympathetically.

"The captains aren't going to accept me," she said grimly as she poured herself another glass of wine.

"Their loss," Caine shrugged. "How many of them are you going to kill?"

She hid her sorrow with her silver cup. "As many as it takes."

"Chance is skimming, you know," Caine said.

"I know," Mary nodded.

"Your grandkids are probably going to kill him," Caine said from the doorway.

Mary looked despondent. "Serves him right."

"Right now, he's the only thing keeping your place afloat," Caine pushed.

"You could go back," Mary said wistfully.

"So could you. Take over. Do what you always wanted," Caine suggested gently.

"Maybe I will. After I grieve," Mary said with a sad, wistful smile.

"Take care of yourself," Caine said, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Quiet and alone in the dark, Merry Mary Teachandi, Last of the Grand Coven, put her head in her hands and cried.

Bella and Friday rushed through the tent flap and scrambled to Jack's side. "Learn anything new?" Bella asked.

"No," Quinn said. "I can sense it, but little else."

"My diagnostic skills run more towards the physical," Friday said. "No enchantress, I."

"Me neither," Bella said.

"Start with what we know, we," Friday said, focusing on Jack. "Feel odd, you?"

"You mean other than flopping around like a fish because Quinn slowed my blood?" Jack asked tersely. "Yes. It's been a strange day. I haven't felt right since we got to Shady's Cove."

"You were not enchanted on the cliffside when I left you," Quinn said.

"No, I felt fine then. Great, even," Jack agreed.

"When did you first notice feeling off?" Bella asked.

"When Will and I met with Shae," Jack said.

"Be more specific," Friday nudged.

Jack thought for a bit and fought back a yawn. "My emotions were all over the place. That's normal with Will, but this was worse. I was... upset with him for..." She shook her head. "He was shameless. We met with Shae, and it felt like a bad dream. He was flirting with her, and they... ignored me. I felt like he was... like he was deliberately trying to upset me. I... was jealous. He had all her attention, and I was just... there."

Bella looked at Jack oddly. "He had all her attention? Not the other way around?"

"It's never bothered me before," Jack said defensively. "That's why it felt odd. Will and I have helped each other flirt a hundred times. This was different. I felt discarded by both of them."

"It wasn't just Will making you feel that way?" Bella pushed. Something was definitely out of character here."

"Yes! He can't stand negotiations and has all the business savvy of a golden retriever," Jack continued. "She should have been talking to me. I could have gotten at least as good a deal, and he could have come back here where it's safe, and she would have..." Jack blinked. "I'm so confused."

"Well, that wasn't too hard," Bella told Friday.

"I... I want her to like me," Jack said. "I want to prove myself. To her. Why do I care about that?

I don't even like her. When we met, I hated her instantly, but now, I want her to like me. It's... I feel like if she likes me... I'll... I don't know."

"Keep going," Bella encouraged her.

"It's so twisted," Jack shook her head. "Will likes her. Maybe if she likes me, she could... help me with Will. That doesn't make any sense!"

"No," Friday agreed. "But it feels like she could give you everything you want?"

"Yes," Jack nodded sluggishly.

"But only if you make her happy?" Friday continued.

"Yes!" Jack said as emphatically as she could.

"Love spell?" Bella suggested.

"With a few nasty additions," Friday agreed.

"Will she be a danger to herself?" Quinn asked.

"I doubt it," Bella said. "Love spells only get dangerous like that if someone under the effects becomes convinced they can't have the person the enchantment is binding them to. She might be dangerous to us, though."

"How?" Quinn asked.

"She's probably going to fight us," Bella explained.

"I don't want to fight any of you," Jack said. "I just don't want to feel like this. Maybe if we ask
Shae for the antidote, she'd..." She trailed off as she saw the expressions all three were giving her. "This is terrible," she said, horrified. "It feels... real. Every time I think of her, I have an impulse to act in whatever way I think will make her like me the most. Even now. I want to forgive her for this. I feel like telling her I know and don't mind would make her happy."

"Which would make you happy," Bella added.

"Yes!" Jack said with as much emphasis as she could muster. "It feels like my happiness is contingent on hers. I don't understand why everything feels tied up with Will's thoughts. He's part of it all too. I can't explain it."

"I think I understand, but it isn't important right now," Bella said. "Let's focus on the enchantment."

Jack looked up at Quinn with tears in her eyes. "You said you could get rid of it?"

"Yes," Quinn said. "You will forget, and it will be gone."

"Forget how much?" Jack asked.

"I do not know. You'll forget the things that have been unnaturally influenced. This day, certainly, and how you have felt about everything. It may also remove other things that the enchantment has touched."

"Some important things happened today," Jack protested. "There's things I'd like to remember."

"May have another way, I," Friday said. Quinn and Jack both looked at her. The dark-skinned doctor pursed her lips. "Love spells are not real. They feel real, but, as we've seen, as soon as you start thinking about them too much, they stop making sense. They can be broken fairly easily, with the right application of the real feelings they simulate."

"True love's kiss," Jack asked dubiously. "That is a real thing?"

"Essentially, yes," Friday smiled. "Just have to be reminded of what's real, you."

"What do I need to do?" Jack asked.

"Who do you love?" Friday asked.

Jack's eyes flicked from Bella to Quinn, then away. She swallowed, then shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

Bella gave Jack's limp shoulder a rough shove, then took her hand angrily. "It's never mattered more, you stubborn jackass!"

Jack shook her head again. "I hurt the people I love. I think that's why... this feels easy. I don't care if I hurt Shae. I could love her, but I hate her also.

Maybe this is better?"

Bella rolled her eyes in exasperation and looked up on Friday. "It's defending itself."

"Sure hope so, I," Friday said with a small, strained laugh.

"I could get inside her organization and help all of you. Make her like you," Jack suggested.

The expressions of everyone in the tent slowly sunk in as they watched her in silence. She suddenly looked disgusted and then angry. "This is nonsense!" Her brows furrowed, and she shook her head, then stared fiercely at Bella. " I love you. I never stopped, and I am so sorry."

Bella smiled, tears welling in her eyes. All she could do was nod.

Jack's fierce, determined gaze moved to Quinn. "I love you. I know it breaks the rules, can't last, and endangers us both, and I don't care. It's worth it."

Quinn gave her a rare smile.

Jack's eyes closed. "And I love Will. I think... I think I always have." She started to cry softly. "I hate what I've done to all of you. I hate... myself."

Bella squeezed her hand and then looked up on Friday. "Do you think a proxy would work?"

"With an illusion, maybe," Friday answered. The possibilities of her suggestion were very intriguing.

"I can do that. You'll do the rest?" Bella asked.

Friday's eyes glittered with excitement. "Gladly."

"We'll be right back," Bella said—the two witches left in a rush.

Quinn stroked Jack's face. "Do you remember what you first asked me?"

"I asked if I could give you to someone else," Jack told Quinn. "You said no."

Quinn gave her a rare smile. "That is when I loved you first."

"That doesn't make sense," Jack shook her head limply. "I treated you like a slave."

"I am a slave," Quinn said. "You treated me like a gift."

"That's just as bad," Jack said. "I didn't realize you'd be... a person."

"You were willing to give me to another to help them," Quinn said. "In all my existence, I have never seen such selflessness."

Jack clenched her eyes closed. Tears ran down her temples. "I used you. I still am."

"Yes," Quinn said lovingly as he stroked away her tears. "I was lost. Angry and bitter. I had forgotten what it felt like to be used how I was meant."

"I wish I could free you," Jack shook her head.

Quinn laughed. "You are lovely."

"I won't ever really understand you, will I?" Jack asked sadly.

"I am reminded of Mister Sterling and Miss Fortuna," Quinn said. "If they ever truly understood what you have done for them, their gratitude would be eternal as mine is. My love for you would bind me even if I were unbound."



To be continued