Philomela woke with a start. " Whoa," she breathed. "What a weird
dream."
Somehow, though, Philomela wasn't quite sure it was a dream. It seemed too real, too intense. So what did that mean? Was she really meant to be evil? Philomela wasn't sure. She sighed and rolled over in bed, going back to sleep.
*********************
Leo slept peacefully. Even during sleep, he could still feel all his charges: Piper in bed beside him; Melinda and Prue down the hall; Phoebe and Peter across town in their own house; Paige in her apartment; and now, Philomela in her own bed. Everyone was sleeping as peacefully as Leo.
Except Philomela. He felt her heart rate increase, and he felt a struggle in her mind. It was so extreme that he woke up.
The jingle of bells of the Elders sounded. Leo orbed up into their chamber.
Four men and four women, each a different race or color, sat around a crescent-shaped silver table, surrounded by clouds.
" What happened to Philomela?" Leo asked. A black Elder, named Caelestis, answered.
" The Seer is trying to lead her into evil." He looked grave. " Leo, this cannot happen or else the consequences would be dire."
" What do you mean?"
" When your wife and sisters die, Melinda, Prudence, and Philomela will be the next Charmed Ones," explained the Asian seraph named Chiela.
" If Philomela is led into evil," concluded the caramel-colored Engel, " the Charmed line shall not continue."
Leo nodded. Despite the fact he did not want to think about his wife's inevitable death, the Elders were right. The Charmed line must carry on.
" So what do you want me to do?" he inquired.
" Talk to Paige and tell her to spend more time with her. The girl is more demon than witch, but you must not let that get in the way."
" You may leave," Caelestis told him. Leo nodded and orbed out.
*********************
Suspiciously Philomela watched the people in the hallway of San Francisco High School. They were all so…perky. Happy. They weren't half demon. They didn't have dreams telling them to conform to evil.
Philomela spotted Melinda Wyatt in the hall. She was walking down the hall with some black-haired guy, chatting. What a nerd, thought Philomela. The girl had straight A student written all over her.
" Yo, Turner!" some guy shouted. Spinning around, Philomela saw her other cousin, Peter Turner, amble through the halls. He was dressed in a letterman jacket and jeans, combing through dark curly hair. Stupid jock, thought Philomela, her dark eyes analyzing and stereotyping. I bet he's a real jerk.
The bell rang, and everyone in the hall scurried off to class, except Philomela. She stood in the hall, deep in thought.
" Ms. Freeman!" cried a voice. Philomela looked up at the teacher running towards her. Mrs. Lowell, the math teacher. The most annoying teacher born. She ran up to Philomela. " You should be in class."
" I'm going, I'm going," Philomela sighed. " Don't have a cow."
" Don't you raise your voice at me, young lady," Mrs. Lowell threatened. Philomela laughed. Like this woman could go against a demon. She held out her hand, and unleashed her fire.
Somehow, though, Philomela wasn't quite sure it was a dream. It seemed too real, too intense. So what did that mean? Was she really meant to be evil? Philomela wasn't sure. She sighed and rolled over in bed, going back to sleep.
*********************
Leo slept peacefully. Even during sleep, he could still feel all his charges: Piper in bed beside him; Melinda and Prue down the hall; Phoebe and Peter across town in their own house; Paige in her apartment; and now, Philomela in her own bed. Everyone was sleeping as peacefully as Leo.
Except Philomela. He felt her heart rate increase, and he felt a struggle in her mind. It was so extreme that he woke up.
The jingle of bells of the Elders sounded. Leo orbed up into their chamber.
Four men and four women, each a different race or color, sat around a crescent-shaped silver table, surrounded by clouds.
" What happened to Philomela?" Leo asked. A black Elder, named Caelestis, answered.
" The Seer is trying to lead her into evil." He looked grave. " Leo, this cannot happen or else the consequences would be dire."
" What do you mean?"
" When your wife and sisters die, Melinda, Prudence, and Philomela will be the next Charmed Ones," explained the Asian seraph named Chiela.
" If Philomela is led into evil," concluded the caramel-colored Engel, " the Charmed line shall not continue."
Leo nodded. Despite the fact he did not want to think about his wife's inevitable death, the Elders were right. The Charmed line must carry on.
" So what do you want me to do?" he inquired.
" Talk to Paige and tell her to spend more time with her. The girl is more demon than witch, but you must not let that get in the way."
" You may leave," Caelestis told him. Leo nodded and orbed out.
*********************
Suspiciously Philomela watched the people in the hallway of San Francisco High School. They were all so…perky. Happy. They weren't half demon. They didn't have dreams telling them to conform to evil.
Philomela spotted Melinda Wyatt in the hall. She was walking down the hall with some black-haired guy, chatting. What a nerd, thought Philomela. The girl had straight A student written all over her.
" Yo, Turner!" some guy shouted. Spinning around, Philomela saw her other cousin, Peter Turner, amble through the halls. He was dressed in a letterman jacket and jeans, combing through dark curly hair. Stupid jock, thought Philomela, her dark eyes analyzing and stereotyping. I bet he's a real jerk.
The bell rang, and everyone in the hall scurried off to class, except Philomela. She stood in the hall, deep in thought.
" Ms. Freeman!" cried a voice. Philomela looked up at the teacher running towards her. Mrs. Lowell, the math teacher. The most annoying teacher born. She ran up to Philomela. " You should be in class."
" I'm going, I'm going," Philomela sighed. " Don't have a cow."
" Don't you raise your voice at me, young lady," Mrs. Lowell threatened. Philomela laughed. Like this woman could go against a demon. She held out her hand, and unleashed her fire.
