by S. L. Watson
“Who was at the door?” Jasper asked as he came back in from the kitchen. “Oh, hey, man.” He bumped knuckles with Lucas. “Good to see you. You ready for the gig tomorrow night?”
Jasper had been standoffish with Lucas in the beginning, but they’d slowly bonded over their shared love of music, and he’d invited Lucas to play in his showcase for the Halloween masquerade ball tomorrow night. It was our town’s biggest event of the year, and Jasper’s first year as the headlining entertainment.
“Absolutely.” Lucas nodded. “I’ve got my gear loaded in the car.”
“Sweet! Since you’re here early”—Jasper threw me a glance—“maybe we can get some extra rehearsal time in tonight.” He moved his hands in the air as if he were hitting drums.
“You bet,” Lucas agreed. He shifted the pack on his back, anxious to show me what he had come early for, but he seemed unsure now that there were others around.
I reached out a hand and smoothed his shoulder. “What was it you wanted to show me?”
He slid his backpack off his shoulders. “It’s about the picture,” he whispered.
“Oh,” I breathed, knowing exactly what picture he meant. “What about it?” My heart thumped. The pictures had led to a dead end, and we’d found no other clues about what had happened to Creagan last year.
Lucas closed the distance between us. “I think he’s back.”
The room spun.
Lucas dropped his backpack to the floor, swooping his arms around me to steady my balance.
Darion darted to my side, coming in just as Lucas caught me. “What’s going on in here?”
Jasper bolted to my other side.
I pushed away from all three of them. “Would everyone just chill? I’m fine. It was just a dizzy spell.”
I grabbed a glass of water from the table and drank deeply, turning to hide the tremble in my hands. My skin flushed as the chilled water filled my belly. I forced my hand to steady as I set the glass down on the table. “Show me.”
Lucas extracted a large manila envelope from his pack. “Are you sure?” His eyes darted toward the kitchen, where we could hear my mom, Selkie, and Calista talking while they cleaned.
I nodded. “They know everything.”
Lucas slid a stack of eight-by-ten photos out of the envelope. He laid them exactly where the tarot cards had been only minutes ago, and the images on the cards flashed in my mind as Lucas spread the photos out.
“You recognize this top one.” His finger pointed at the date printed on the photo. “It’s the one we printed from last year.”
How could I forget the hooded figure who sat next to my father shortly before his murder?
“Look at the ring he’s wearing.” Lucas had circled the ring on the stranger’s finger in red ink, a detail we hadn’t noticed before. “It was blurry in the original prints, but I went back through the footage and caught a new angle.”
The tips of my ears sizzled. How could I have missed this?
“Now, look at this one.” He slid the second photo next to the first.
A hooded figure similar to the one sitting next to my father in the first photo sat at the bar, holding a glass. The camera was zoomed in closer to the man’s hand on this photo, and the ring circled in red ink in this one was identical to the first.
“This photo was from last week.” Lucas pointed at the recent date printed from the video camera.
A shiver raced down my spine as I bent closer and scanned the two photos. The masculine profile in each photo mirrored the other. The same broad shoulders and confident posture. And an unmistakable letter marked the top of each ring. I studied the E with such intensity, my eyes ached.
“You’re the bartender behind the bar,” Darion pointed out. “Do you remember what he looked like?” Darion’s words came out as agitated as I felt.
“That’s the thing.” Lucas scrunched up his face and rubbed the back of his neck. “I have no memory of ever seeing or serving him.” He grabbed the third photo. “Although I clearly did.”
The third photo had a crystal-clear image of Lucas handing the man a drink. “I have a vague memory of seeing the ring and thinking there was something familiar about it, but that’s it, nothing else. My mind goes blank every time I try to remember anything about the man.”
Lucas squeezed the top of a chair, his knuckles turning white as he stared hard at the photos. “It’s infuriating. I’ve been racking my brain, trying to figure out how I could forget.” He turned his head toward me. “I’m sorry, Ev. This is huge, and I’ve let you down.”
I shook my head. “It’s not your fault, Lucas. We don’t blame you for not remembering. You see a lot of people every day.”
“Yeah.” He tilted the chair back. “But it looks like I’m engaging in conversation. I just don’t understand how I can’t remember anything.”
I knew how he could forget, but I couldn’t tell him without revealing the truth about myself. Whoever sat disguised under the hooded sweater had made sure Lucas wouldn’t remember his face by using magic.
A fiery heat burned up my esophagus as my gut screamed that I was looking at the person responsible for my father’s death.
My fingers curled into balls as I imagined shredding the hooded figure into pieces.
Forks, plates, and candlesticks rattled atop the table as my nails cut deep into my palms. A pressure on my shoulder jarred me back to my senses. Darion knew I was losing control. Our link intensified when we touched, and amplified our abilities. Darion wasn’t a dominant Empath or Siphon, like me, but he did have some similar abilities, and he used those now.
The tension eased from my chest, and my tightened fingers uncurled as the rattling on the table subsided.
Jasper shot me a concerned glare as he distracted Lucas with more questions. I’d have to tell him about my little problem with Siobhan’s magic.
“We need to show Mom,” Darion said, letting his hand slide from my shoulder.
“Show me what?” asked our mom from behind. She came into the room, flanked by Selkie and Calista. Selkie had smoothed her strawberry hair neatly back into its floppy bun, while Calista’s curly chestnut locks flowed past her shoulders, wild as ever.
The A-line of my mom’s recently sheared raven hair framed her face with sleek edges. Her worried frown lifted into a welcoming smile when she saw Lucas.
“Lucas.” She masked the concern that hovered in her energy. “It’s nice to see you.” Her dark sapphire eyes traveled to the table, where the photos lay. The three women moved in closer. “What are these?”
I wasn’t sure I had my power under enough control yet to explain the photos without causing another earthquake across the table.
Darion sensed my unease and jumped right in. “Lucas brought these photos,” he began, and explained everything to her while Calista and Selkie both listened and examined each photo.
When Darion told them the part about Lucas’s memory, the three women shared a meaningful glance.
There wasn’t much we could speculate about in front of Lucas, since he didn’t know about our magic or origin. But my mom seemed fixated on the ring the stranger wore. She turned the photo this way and that like she expected a new angle to reveal more detail.
“Do you mind if I hold onto this one?” she asked Lucas.
“Yeah, yeah. Of course,” Lucas answered while I gave my mom a questioning look, but her attention stayed glued to the photo.
“Boys, would you three mind helping Cal and me carry some things out to my van?” Selkie took off toward the kitchen with the men in tow.
“What is it, Mom?” I asked as soon as Lucas was out of earshot.
She squinted at the photo. “This ring. I’ve seen it before, or one like it, in the Royal Museum back home.”
When she said “home,” she was referring to the planet she had come to Earth from, Aenoas-Vita.
“The E sits within a rune. It’s the signet of the Ever family. Each member of the royal family had a ring
made for them.”
I shuddered. “Are you sure?”
She shook her head. “It’s been many years, but I’m sure this ring belonged to a royal member of our family. But what’s it doing in this photo, and who is the man wearing it? You, Darion, and I are all that remains of the Ever line.”
“Well.” Jasper yawned loudly enough to warn us that they were done helping Selkie and Calista. He stretched his long arms over his head as Darion and Lucas trailed in behind him. “You still crashing at my pad?” he asked Lucas.
“We’ll talk later.” My mom kissed my cheek, then tucked the photo under her arm and dashed out of the room.
“Yeah, man. If it’s cool that I’m a day early.” Lucas scooped up the remaining photos and slid them into their envelope, then handed them to me. “I’m sorry I can’t remember anything.” His lips curved down apologetically.
I shook my head. “No more apologies. It’s not your fault.” I handed the envelope to Darion. “I’m going to walk Lucas and Jasper out.”
Lucas picked up his backpack and swung it over his shoulder. He and Jasper talked excitedly about their jam session as we made our way through the living room.
I paused on the front porch, breathing in the sultry floral scents of the wisteria that still bloomed.
“I’ll meet you at my place,” Jasper told Lucas as he grabbed his helmet from the porch bench.
I followed him to his motorcycle, and he pulled me into a hug. “See you at the party tomorrow.” We both knew he referred to the not-so-secret birthday party my mom had been planning for me and Darion.
Jasper’s amber eyes darkened when he whispered, “Don’t worry. We’ll take on whatever is coming.”
I squeezed him tight before letting him go.
Lucas waited patiently. He understood how close Jasper and I were and had no jealousy issues over our friendship. I waved as Jasper straddled his motorcycle and turned out of the driveway. Our friendship had endured a lot over the last year, and I’d worried how Jasper would feel when I’d talked to him about my developing relationship with Lucas. He’d been hurt when he’d confessed his love for me last year, and I couldn’t commit to more than our friendship. But we’d moved past that, and he’d been supportive of my feelings toward Lucas.
I lifted my head toward the sky. Even though the planet I had been conceived on was somewhere galaxies away, its looming presence felt closer by the day. I pushed away the dread and instead focused on the constellations that illuminated the night as a new worry consumed my thoughts.
What threat was the Spider Witch warning me of? And what answer is written in the stars?
I searched the flickering lights for some kind of meaning in the witch’s riddle but found none.
A warmth pressed close behind me as I closed my eyes and filled my belly and lungs with crisp autumn air. I relaxed against Lucas and listened to the harmonizing melody of crickets and tree frogs that sang in the night, oblivious to the woes of larger creatures.
My skin tingled as strong hands grazed my sides, traveling up my back and massaging my neck and shoulders. The tension melted from my muscles as Lucas supported my body weight with his own. His fingers swooped my hair over one shoulder, and soft lips brushed the side of my cheek before trailing down my exposed neck.
Flashes of another filled my memory: Arden’s body pressed tight to mine as his touch electrified my senses.
No! I pushed Arden’s image away. I’m with Lucas now. I want Lucas!
“I’m glad you’re here,” I whispered, and kept my eyes closed as Lucas shifted his body and turned me to face him.
“Me too.” His lips gently touched mine.
I stood on my tiptoes and ran my fingers through his silky hair as images of blue-green eyes shrouded in a golden halo stole me away. My stomach stirred as his kiss deepened.
I want you. Arden’s voice echoed in my mind.
I froze. I’d done it again. Every time Lucas touched me like this, I lost myself in the memory of Arden. I slammed the door on his memory and opened my eyes.
Lucas stared down at me with the same confusion I’d seen over and over. “I should probably head to Jasper’s.” The unanswered question lingered between us.
There was no way for me to explain why I pushed him away every time things got heated. How could I tell him that another had stolen my heart and taken it with him to another planet?
I knew Lucas hoped I’d invite him to my place. But I just couldn’t, not as long as Arden filled the space between us. It wouldn’t be fair to Lucas.
Guilt twisted my insides when Lucas smiled down at me with his usual understanding and lifted my chin with his finger.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He kissed me, then opened his passenger-side door and tossed his backpack inside. He walked with heavy steps to the other side of his car and paused before getting into the driver’s seat. “Night, Ev.”
The wind rustled his sandy-blond hair, and my stomach tightened. A halo of golden hair bled into my vision as my mind betrayed me again.
Stop! I silently begged my traitorous thoughts.
My lips curved up into a forced smile. “Night, Lucas.”
As Lucas drove away, I glanced up at the stars one last time, not thinking about the Spider Witch’s warning but about something else—someone else—then turned for the door.
3
The next morning passed in a flurry of activity. Darion had stayed overnight at the house, in the spare room my mom had fixed up for him. He had his own apartment above the café, but I think he stayed over so frequently to watch over us.
So much had changed between us over the past year. Darion had been my enemy, and I’d hated him with every fiber of my being when we’d first met. He’d kidnapped our mother and tortured her. But that was before either of us had known the truth of his conception and birth. Darion still had his moments and still drove me crazy at times, but at some point, without even realizing it, the three of us had become a family.
I sipped my coffee at the counter, watching Darion flip omelets on the grill. I remembered the letter our father had left him before I’d known Siobhan wasn’t Darion’s real mother. Creagan had apologized in the letter for not being the father Darion deserved, and had asked him to look after my mom and me. He hadn’t used our names in the letter, but now we both knew it was us he’d referred to. Each day since that night on the beach when Darion had sacrificed his life to save our mother, his actions had proved his intent to fulfill our father’s final request.
“Hey, you two,” my mom chimed as she came into the kitchen through the back-porch door. The pile of herbs she carried and the dirt smudged on her cheek hinted she’d been in the greenhouse. “Darion, it smells wonderful.”
He flipped one of the omelets onto a plate and added a scoopful of roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes. “Perfect timing, Mom.” He set the steaming plate of food on the counter and nodded for my mom to help herself. He handed me the next and took the third for himself. My mom set her armful of herbs on the counter and dug into her breakfast. We didn’t bother carrying our plates into the dining room. Instead, we leaned casually against the kitchen island and ate together.
In between bites, my mom asked, “Would you two mind helping me unload some boxes at the café this afternoon?”
I glanced over my plate at Darion, and he winked at me. We both knew the real reason she wanted to get us down to the café. “Sure, Mom,” we said in unison, and laughed. After a minute, the room fell quiet, except for my mom’s fork circling her plate while she seemed lost in thought.
“Everything okay, Mom?” Darion asked, his amused demeanor switching to concern.
She perked up, realizing we’d noticed her distracted attention. “Sure, honey.” She rinsed her plate and filled a glass of water. “I hope you two don’t mind, but I’ll need to go to the masquerade separately tonight. There’s someone I need to meet with first.”
Darion’s brow creased. “But the three of us planned to go togeth
er.” He set his plate down. “Who are you meeting?” Darion never cared about crossing boundaries, which was why he hadn’t thought twice about spying on Calista while she was on her trip. But this time I agreed with him. Our mom was hiding something, and I also wanted to know what it was.
She finished her glass of water and washed her hands, quietly biding her time. She leaned against the counter and glanced between us as she held the hand towel, drying her wet hands, then sighed. “I’m meeting with Freya Moon.” She set the towel down and busied herself with separating her herbs.
“The lady who owns the crystal woo-woo shop and offers palm readings? What are you meeting her for?” Darion picked his plate back up and shoved a bite into his mouth.
I remembered the time I’d gone into the crystal shop with Molly. A girl our age had been working behind the counter and had helped us. While she gave Molly a palm reading, I pretended to browse the shop while homing in on a powerful energy that I’d since come to correlate with Vitarian energy. I scanned the crystals, charms, and tarot cards, all the while searching out the source of the energy. Then my eyes landed on a woman watching me from behind a beaded doorway. She slipped away deeper down a hall when I noticed her.
My eyes snapped to meet my mom’s. “Freya Moon is Vitarian, isn’t she?”
My mom set her herbs down and turned. The scent of fresh rosemary filled the air, masking the fading aroma of garlic from breakfast. She slid her hands inside the pockets of the overalls she always wore while gardening. Since Vitarians didn’t age at the same rate as humans, she’d always looked younger than what you’d expect of someone at her supposed human age, and with her new stylish short bob, she didn’t look a day over thirty.
“Freya is Vitarian.” My mom’s dark lashes drooped closed as she paused for a moment. “But she’s very cautious of other Vitarians, and she’s anything but woo-woo.” She quirked a pointed brow. “Freya was a stone reader and a crystal worker on our planet, and well-known for her ability to cross into the spiritual realm. We’ve helped each other in the past, and I was hoping she’d be willing to help me again with the Spider Witch’s reading, and she’s agreed to meet with me.”