Witch’s Promise (Shadowguards #3.5)

6. Gabe

Chapter 6

Gabe

T hey were at The Cauldron, Salem's trendiest magical fusion restaurant, washed over Gabe as he sat across from his siblings. The familiar scent of herbs and spices mingled with the crackling energy of ambient magic, creating a sensory experience that was uniquely Salem. Gabe couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia mixed with a hefty dose of guilt. How long had it been since he'd sat down for a meal with Gino and Giana like this, without the weight of the world on his shoulders?

Gino, ever the foodie, was practically salivating over the menu. "I'm telling you, the dragon-fire grilled salmon here is to die for. Literally, if you're not careful with the spice level."

Giana rolled her eyes, but there was fondness in the gesture. "We get it. Some of us prefer our taste buds intact, thank you very much."

Gabe chuckled, the sound feeling foreign in his throat. When was the last time he'd laughed like this, free from the constant tension of waiting for the next supernatural disaster to strike?

"How about we start with some appetizers?" Gabe suggested, playing the role of peacekeeper as he'd done so many times in their childhood. "Those levitating mozzarella sticks look interesting."

As they placed their order with a waiter whose name tag proclaimed him to be "Merlo”, the conversation drifted to the reason for their impromptu family dinner.

"So," Giana said, leaning forward conspiratorially, "any ideas for Dad's birthday? I was thinking maybe a surprise party, but you know how he feels about surprises."

Gino snorted. "Yeah, last time we tried that, he nearly hexed half the guests thinking we were under attack."

The memory of their father, pajama-clad and wild-eyed, brandishing his wand at a group of terrified party-goers, brought a reluctant smile to Gabe's face. "Maybe something low-key this year? A nice dinner, just family?"

"Boring," Gino declared, but Giana was nodding thoughtfully.

"Actually, that might be nice. It's been so long since we've all been together without some kind of magical crisis interrupting."

The words hit Gabe like a punch to the gut. How many family gatherings had he missed because of his work with the Shadowguards? How many times had he used the excuse of his "private security job" to bail on birthdays, holidays, simple Sunday dinners?

The guilt must have shown on his face because Giana's expression softened. "Hey, we get it, Gabe. Your work is important. We're just glad you're here now."

"Yeah," Gino chimed in, his usual joking tone tinged with sincerity. "The Three Gs, together again. Mom would be proud."

Ah, yes. The Three Gs. Gabriel, Gino, and Giana. Their mother's clever way of making sure she could always remember which child she was yelling at. The nickname had stuck, becoming a symbol of their bond as siblings. Gabe felt a lump form in his throat at the thought of how he'd been neglecting that bond lately.

"Speaking of work," Giana said, her tone casual but her eyes sharp, "how about you cut the bullshit and tell us what's really going on with you, Gabe?"

Gabe nearly choked on his water. "What? I don't know what you're talking about."

Gino leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Come on, bro. We're not idiots."

For a moment, Gabe considered deflecting, falling back on the carefully constructed lies he'd been telling for years. But as he looked at his siblings' concerned faces, something inside him cracked.

"You're right," he said quietly, the words feeling like a dam breaking. "I haven't been honest with you. With any of you. And I'm sorry for that."

Giana reached across the table, squeezing his hand. "Whatever it is, Gabe, we're here for you. You know that, right?"

Gabe nodded, his throat tight. "I know. It's just complicated. And potentially dangerous. I didn't want to put you at risk."

"At risk?" Gino's eyebrows shot up. "Okay, now you've got to spill. What are you, some kind of secret agent or something?"

The levitating mozzarella sticks chose that moment to arrive, bobbing gently in the air above their table. Gabe used the interruption to gather his thoughts, to figure out how to explain the unexplainable.

"Before I say anything," he said once the waiter had left, "I need you both to promise me something. You can't tell Mom and Dad. Not yet. I need to be the one to do that, when the time is right."

His siblings exchanged a look, having one of those silent conversations that only people who've grown up together can have. Finally, they both nodded.

"We promise," Giana said solemnly.

"Cross my heart and hope to be turned into a toad," Gino added, making the appropriate gesture.

Gabe took a deep breath, feeling like he was standing on the edge of a precipice. Once he said this, there was no going back. His siblings would be dragged into the dangerous, chaotic world he'd been trying to protect them from.

"I work for an organization called the Shadowguards," he began, his voice low. "We're... well, I guess you could call us supernatural law enforcement. We deal with magical threats that regular authorities can't handle."

He waited for the disbelief, the laughter, maybe even anger at being lied to for so long. Instead, Giana and Gino just looked... relieved?

"Oh, thank the spirits," Giana breathed. "I was worried you were mixed up in something illegal."

Gino nodded emphatically. "Yeah, we had this whole intervention planned. Giana was convinced you were in some kind of magical fight club."

Gabe blinked, feeling slightly off-balance. "You believe me? Just like that?"

Giana shrugged. "Gabe, we grew up in a family of witches in Salem. Is it really that much of a stretch to believe there's a secret organization dealing with supernatural threats?"

"Plus," Gino added, grabbing a mozzarella stick out of the air, "it explains a lot. Like that time you came home looking like you'd gone ten rounds with a chimera."

"That's actually pretty close to what happened," Gabe admitted, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. He hadn't realized how much the secrecy had been weighing on him until this moment.

As their main courses arrived, he found himself spilling years' worth of stories. He told them about the Shadowguards' headquarters in New York, about his team and their various magical specialties. He recounted missions that had gone well and others that had nearly ended in disaster.

Through it all, his siblings listened with rapt attention, only interrupting to ask the occasional question or to express their awe.

"So let me get this straight," Giana said as Gabe finished recounting a particularly harrowing encounter with a rogue necromancer. "You've been out there saving the world on a regular basis, and we've been giving you shit for missing family dinners?"

Gabe felt his face heat up. "It's not... I mean, I'm not saving the world. Not single-handedly, anyway. It's a team effort."

"Always the modest one," Gino said, shaking his head. "Dude, you're a fucking superhero. Own it!"

"I'm really not," Gabe protested, feeling the familiar weight of responsibility settle back onto his shoulders. "Most of the time, I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. There's always another crisis, another threat. And if we screw up, if I'm not good enough or fast enough or smart enough..."

He trailed off, the words sticking in his throat. How could he explain the constant fear of failure, the nightmares of what might happen if he made a mistake?

Giana's hand found his across the table, her grip firm and reassuring. "Hey. Look at me, Gabe."

He raised his eyes to meet hers, seeing nothing but love and support there.

"You don't have to carry this alone anymore," she said softly. "We might not be able to fight magical bad guys, but we're here for you. Whatever you need."

"Yeah, man," Gino chimed in, his usual joking tone replaced by sincerity. "You've always had our backs. Let us have yours for a change."

Gabe felt something crack inside him, a wall he hadn't even realized he'd built. The emotions he'd been holding back for so long came flooding out, and to his horror, he felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he managed, his voice thick. "I should have told you sooner. I just wanted to keep you safe. To keep you out of this mess."

"Oh, Gabe," Giana sighed, squeezing his hand. "Don't you know by now? We're Reeds. We're already in the mess. At least now we can face it together."

Gino raised his glass, a mischievous glint in his eye. "To the Three Gs, taking on the supernatural world one family dinner at a time!"

Despite himself, Gabe felt a laugh bubble up. He raised his own glass, clinking it against his siblings'. "To the Three Gs," he echoed.

The warmth of the moment lingered as they left the restaurant, spilling out onto Salem's cobblestone streets. The night air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of sea salt and something else, something distinctly magical that Gabe had almost forgotten in his time away. It felt like coming home, in a way that simultaneously comforted and unsettled him.

"So," Gino said, clapping his hands together, "we've eaten, we've had life-altering revelations. What's next on the agenda?"

Giana rolled her eyes, but there was fondness in the gesture. "You do remember why we're here, right? Dad's birthday?"

"Right, right," Gino nodded sagely. "The old man's big day. What are we thinking? Sky-writing spell? Enchanted fireworks? Ooh, how about we hire a troupe of dancing leprechauns?"

Gabe couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's enthusiasm. "I think we might be overthinking this. You know Dad. He's more of a 'quiet evening with family' kind of guy."

"There's that new shopping center on Essex Street," Giana suggested. "They should have everything we need."

"Perfect," Gabe said, fishing his car keys out of his pocket. "Let's head over there before they close."

The shopping center was a bustling hive of activity, even at this hour. As they walked through the automatic doors, the cool air-conditioning a stark contrast to the warm night outside, Gabe felt it. A prickle at the back of his neck, a sudden hyperawareness of his surroundings that he'd come to associate with impending danger. His magic surged, responding to a threat he couldn't yet see.

Without thinking, Gabe activated his shield spell, the energy invisible but palpable to him as it shimmered into existence. He expanded it, enveloping Gino and Giana in its protective glow, all while maintaining a casual conversation about whether or not trick candles were too juvenile for their father's cake.

His siblings, oblivious to the magical shield now surrounding them, continued their good-natured bickering as they navigated the aisles. Gabe forced himself to focus on the task at hand, picking out decorations and party favors, all while his senses remained on high alert.

"Hey, Earth to Gabe," Gino's voice cut through his hypervigilance. "You with us, bro?"

Gabe blinked, realizing he'd been staring blankly at a display of party hats for who knows how long. "Yeah, sorry. Just thinking about work stuff."

Giana's expression softened. "You know you can leave that behind for a bit, right? We've got this covered."

If only it were that simple, Gabe thought. But he managed a smile, grateful for their concern. "You're right. So, what do we think? Classic 'Over the Hill' theme, or something more dignified?"

As they debated the merits of various decorations, Gabe felt himself start to relax marginally. Maybe he had been overreacting. Maybe-

A scream cut through the ambient noise of the shopping center, sharp and terrified.

Gabe was moving before he even registered the sound, his body operating on instinct honed by years of Shadowguard training. He burst out of the store, Gino and Giana hot on his heels.

"What the hell was that?" Giana asked, her voice tight with worry.

Gabe didn't answer, his eyes scanning the area. There – an alcove near the emergency exit, dark and foreboding. His magic pulled him towards it, a silent alarm blaring in his mind.

"Stay here," he ordered his siblings, already striding towards the alcove.

"Like hell we will," Gino retorted, keeping pace.

Gabe wanted to argue, to tell them it was too dangerous. But there wasn't time. As they neared the alcove, he saw her – a young woman sprawled on the ground, her clothes torn and dirty. And beyond her, a shadowy figure retreating towards the emergency exit.

"Hey!" Gabe shouted, his hands already moving to cast a binding spell. But the figure was too fast, disappearing through the door with unnatural speed.

"Fuck," Gabe swore, torn between pursuing the attacker and helping the victim. In the end, there was no real choice. He couldn't leave an injured civilian, not even to chase down a potential threat.

He knelt beside the woman, his magic already reaching out to assess her condition. No major injuries, thankfully, but she was clearly shaken.

"It's okay," he said softly, trying to project calm he didn't feel. "You're safe now. Can you tell me your name?"

The woman looked up, her eyes wide with fear and something else – recognition?

"Oh my god," Giana gasped from behind him. "That's Jessy Wisteria!"

Gabe's head snapped up, looking at his sister in surprise. "Wisteria? As in-"

"Caroline Wisteria's daughter," Gino finished, his usual joking tone replaced by seriousness. "The head witch of the Wisteria coven."

Well, shit. This just got a whole lot more complicated.

"Jessy," Gabe said, turning back to the young woman. "I'm Gabe Reed. These are my siblings, Gino and Giana. We're going to help you, okay?"

Jessy nodded, still looking dazed. "I... I don't know what happened. One minute I was walking home, the next..."

She trailed off, her eyes going distant. Gabe recognized the look – shock, probably some kind of magical attack on top of the physical assault.

"We need to get her somewhere safe," Gabe said, his mind already racing through possibilities. The hospital was out – whatever had attacked Jessy was clearly supernatural in nature. The Wisteria coven would want to handle this internally, but Gabe wasn't about to let a potential victim out of his sight until he knew what they were dealing with.

"Our place," Giana said decisively. "It's closest, and it's warded up the wazoo. Mom and Dad aren't home, so we won't have to explain anything yet."

Gabe nodded, impressed despite himself. Sometimes he forgot that his siblings were capable, powerful witches in their own right.

"Can you stand?" he asked Jessy gently. When she nodded, he helped her to her feet, keeping a supportive arm around her waist.

As they made their way back to the car, Gabe's mind was whirling. What the hell had just happened? Who – or what – had attacked Jessy Wisteria? And why did he have a sinking feeling that this was just the beginning of something much, much bigger?

The drive home was tense, filled with Jessy's quiet sobs and Giana's soft murmurs of comfort. Gabe's knuckles were white on the steering wheel, his senses still on high alert. Every shadow seemed to loom larger, every unexpected movement making him flinch. Fuck, he was on edge.

As they pulled into the driveway of the Reed family home, Gabe was surprised to see lights on inside. Weren't their parents supposed to be out?

"Mom and Dad are home," Gino voiced Gabe's thoughts, a note of relief in his tone.

Gabe felt a mixture of emotions at this realization. Relief, yes – their parents were powerful witches in their own right and could definitely help. But also anxiety. How the hell was he going to explain this?

"Come on," he said, helping Jessy out of the car. "Let's get inside."

The moment they stepped through the door, his mother’s voice called out from the kitchen. "Kids? Is that you? You're home early-"

She appeared in the hallway, her words cutting off abruptly as she took in the scene before her. Jessy, disheveled and tear-stained, supported between Gabe and Giana. Gino, uncharacteristically serious, bringing up the rear.

"What in the name of all that's magical happened?" His mother demanded, already moving forward to help.

"Mom," Gabe started, but was interrupted by his father's arrival.

His father took in the situation with one sweeping glance, his expression hardening. "Living room. Now. All of you."

The next few minutes were a flurry of activity. Jessy was settled on the couch, wrapped in a soft blanket that his mother summoned with a flick of her wrist. Gino was dispatched to make tea, while Giana hovered nearby, ready to help but unsure how.

Gabe found himself face to face with his father, his dad’s piercing gaze demanding answers.

"Alright," his dad said, his voice low and controlled. "Start from the beginning. What happened?"

Gabe took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts. He gave his parents a concise rundown of the evening's events – the shopping trip, the scream, finding Jessy in the alcove, the shadowy figure that had escaped.

As he spoke, he watched his parents' reactions carefully. His mother’s face was a mask of concern as she tended to Jessy, but Gabe could see the wheels turning behind her eyes. His dad, on the other hand, looked grim, his jaw clenching tighter with each detail Gabe provided.

"And you're certain the attacker wasn't human?" His dad asked when Gabe finished.

Gabe nodded. "The way it moved, no normal person could have disappeared that fast. Plus, my magic was going haywire. Something about that thing set off all my alarms."

His dad exchanged a loaded glance with his wife, a silent conversation passing between them that made Gabe's stomach clench with apprehension.

"What is it?" he asked. "What aren't you telling us?"

For a moment, His dad looked like he might deflect, but then he sighed heavily. "We were hoping to keep you kids out of this, but... it seems that's no longer an option."

"Dad?" Giana's voice was small, worried.

"For a while now," his dad began, his voice low and serious, "there have been disturbances in Salem. Strange occurrences, whispers of dark magic. At first, we thought it was just typical supernatural mischief. But it's been escalating."

Gabe felt his Shadowguard instincts kicking into high gear. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have-"

"Could have what, Gabriel?" his father cut him off. "Abandoned your life in New York? Your job? Your responsibilities there?"

The words stung, but Gabe couldn't deny the truth in them. He'd been so focused on keeping his Shadowguard life separate from his family, he'd never considered they might be facing magical threats of their own.

"What about the other covens?" Gino asked, returning with a tray of steaming mugs. "Surely they've noticed something's up?"

His parents exchanged another loaded glance.

"The covens aren't as united as they once were. There's been infighting, power struggles. And the Wisteria coven..." His mother said carefully, accepting a mug of tea and passing it to Jessy.

She trailed off, looking at Jessy with a mixture of sympathy and wariness.

"What about my coven?" Jessy spoke for the first time since they'd arrived, her voice hoarse but steady.

His dad sighed. "We don't trust them, Jessy. I'm sorry, but there's been too much secrecy, too many unexplained incidents. We can't be sure who's involved in whatever this is."

Gabe watched as Jessy's face crumpled, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "You think someone in my coven might be behind this? Behind what happened to me?"

The silence that followed was answer enough.

"Fuck," Gabe muttered, running a hand through his hair. This was so much bigger than he'd anticipated.

"So what do we do?" Giana asked, her voice small but determined. "We can't just sit back and do nothing."

His dad nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. "No, we can't. But we need to be smart about this. Jessy, I know this isn't easy, but we need to keep your presence here a secret for now. At least until we can figure out who we can trust."

Jessy nodded, clutching her mug of tea like a lifeline. "I understand. I... I don't know who to trust either, to be honest."

Gabe felt the familiar weight of responsibility settling onto his shoulders. This wasn't just a Shadowguard mission. This was his family, his hometown. Everything he'd fought to protect, now threatened from within.