"I can't believe it. Poor mom." Melinda said, reaching out and hugging Chris to her. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know!"
"It's okay, my fault, I forgot about the memory spell."
"No, don't be sorry. I'm happy you told me!"
"You're happy to know how mom died?"
"Of course not. I'm happy you told me. That's what I'm happy about. I'm sad to know how bad dad was as well. I can't believe it. If I hadn't seen it myself I might have denied it. How old were you turning?" She thought he seemed fairly young but not too young.
"It was my 14th."
She couldn't imagine, wanting to change the subject for Chris' sake. "What did you mean before when you asked if Wyatt was really good? Is that why you're here? Aunt Paige said something about a demon hunting Wyatt?"
"Yeah if I told them the truth from the get go they'd have kicked me to the curb long ago. They're not big on wanting to know the truth. A demon or something kidnaps Wyatt sometime before I'm born and traumatizes him. He's now all about power. The world is a veritable dystopia."
"Oh so why didn't you bring the book back with you?"
"Wyatt keeps it close to him. At all times."
"Wait, you said he believes in power. Didn't you also say he rules demons?"
"Yes to both. But apparently the book doesn't qualify him as evil. He can still touch it."
"Really? What about a museum?"
"Wyatt wanted to remind everyone of the power he came from. So he turned the mansion into a museum. He has tours for mortals to see. Witches caught there are captured and have a choice, tortured and killed or agree to follow him. To him it's all about power. He keeps the book with him."
"But if he's ruling demons doesn't that make him evil?" Melinda asked.
Chris shrugged, "I classify him as such but the book doesn't."
X-x-x-x-x-x
2026
Wyatt had convinced Chris to go on another demon hunt. While Chris was making the vanquishing potion he'd gone downstairs to grab a snack. He was about to orb back upstairs when the phone rang. He sighed their dad was at Magic school and he wasn't sure if their mother was at P3 or her restaurant Halliwells. So with Chris in the attic it left him to answer, "Hello."
"Wyatt? What are you doing there?"
He and Chris had moved out last year and currently shared an apartment not far from the manor. "Researching another demon and making a vanquishing potion."
Phoebe laughed, "In other words you're eating and Chris is doing all the work?"
Wyatt scowled at the air, "Hey I can make a vanquishing potion!"
"Of course you can sweetie." Wyatt growled at the insinuation he couldn't do it. Phoebe pushed on, "Have you seen Ladybug today? She was supposed to have been home an hour ago. Her college homework has been slipping lately. I only know as I saw one of her papers she tried to hide in her room, then uncompleted assignments. One of her coworkers at Lamps and such called to ask if she was coming in as she had missed several days."
Wyatt blinked, if Ladybug's college homework had been slipping then likely Mel's was too and maybe her job. "Yeah they said this morning they were going to the mall and maybe see a movie or two. I'm sure they just lost track of time."
"I see, well if you see her send her home."
"I will bye." Wyatt sighed and orbed upstairs, "We have a problem."
"What now?"
"Mel and Ladybug are missing."
"Define missing?"
"Aunt Phoebe called and said Ladybug was supposed to have been home an hour ago. When was the last time Ladybug challenged Aunt Phoebe's rules?"
It had been a while Chris knew. The grounding and binding of her powers for a month had made her more cautious of breaking a rule. That had been last year since then she rarely broke a rule or at least not one that would get her caught. "True, but what does that have to do with Mel?"
"Chris, when was the last time you saw one without the other? Plus if Ladybug's skipping school and work I can imagine Mel is too."
"Okay how does that affect us?"
"Well we both know that Mel and Ladybug are probably demon hunting...alone. Who is mom likely to blame for this?"
"We don't even live here, how can we be held responsible for what Mel or Ladybug does?"
"You want to try telling that to mom?"
Chris sighed, "No, she'd probably blame us for not taking Mel on more demon hunts. Saying she and Ladybug wouldn't be going alone if we took her with us."
"Then if she finds out Mel even got a paper cut she'd yell at us for not protecting her better."
"Exactly! Fine go get her hairbrush or something for us to scry with it. I'll make another strong vanquishing potion and hope it'll work on whatever demon she got mixed up with."
Just then the pages in the book turned and the demon Strinlongly that Mel and P.J. had run from.
"Well I guess we got our demon, Thanks." Chris said to whatever spirit had helped them.
After the potion was made Wyatt had found where the crystal stopped. They orbed in. "This is where the crystal pointed but I see no sign of Mel or Ladybug."
"Welcome, it's rare to have 4 visitors in one day." Strinlongly laughed then turned and ran away. Chris and Wyatt did follow but unlike Melinda who had run after it they were more cautious.
"Welcome to your nightmare. A place you will never leave!"
"Look, just tell us what happened to our sister and maybe we'll consider letting you live longer."
"The silly little girl vanished without a trace. All she left me was this." Strinlongly tossed Melinda's cell phone in the air.
He hadn't counted on Chris being able to get it from so far away. Chris held out his hand and the phone flew into his hand. "Thanks, we'll take this back."
"No, that's my souvenir."
"Was yours." Wyatt said. Tossing the potion at the demon who screamed and went up in flames. "You think he told the truth?"
Chris shrugged, "Don't know maybe. Mel wouldn't have left her phone behind willingly. Let's get out of here, it's obvious Mel's not here and the scrying led us to her phone."
"I can't orb." Wyatt said.
"Maybe that's what the demon meant when he said Mel disappeared. She and Ladybug got trapped here and Ladybug couldn't beam out. She must have said a spell to get out."
"Why can't we orb?"
"Must be something about this section. The demon led us here for a reason."
"He knew, he knew we wouldn't be able to orb once we got here."
"Let's go back the way we came. I'm sure we'll be able to orb out once we're past this section."
Sure enough once past that cavern they were able to orb back to the manor.