by LJ Rivers
“I gave my word.” I worried my lip. “But there’s more, isn’t there?”
She crouched by the pond, reaching out to the ducks. They both waddled out of the water, and she stroked a hand over each of them. “Karl’s death is causing ripples.” She picked up a pebble and tossed it into the pond. It broke the surface, and the rings in the water highlighted her words. “Some vampires—and I suspect quite a few witches—believe the cats retaliated, using Petra as a decoy. Vampires are hard to kill, and ever since we allied with them, only a handful have died. The rarity of this makes the matter especially delicate. While Ursula and I are on the same page in this, we’re sensing unrest in both camps. I feel a storm brewing, and I can’t shake the feeling it’s headed our way, and fast.”
“Ladies,” Leon greeted us as he entered the clearing from another pathway.
“Leon.” Saga rose, smoothing out her long skirt. “How is Noelle finding her new room?”
I blanched, but zipped my mouth shut.
Leon grinned. “She’s loving it. I must say, I had my doubts, but I think the open space out here will be good for her.”
“I think so too.” Saga touched my arm briefly. “If you need to talk, I won’t be far.” She nodded at Leon and brushed past him, heading back the way we came.
“You’re moving in too?” I asked, even though the answer was clear as day.
“Don’t look so horrified.”
“Sorry, I just … I thought you liked your own space.”
He offered me his arm, but I declined. “I do, and I’m not getting rid of it, but when we stayed here last week, it got me thinking. Noelle will need something bigger soon, and if her animal calls on her, it’s better she’s here than in the center of the city. Also, Saga has tasked me with training you, and I think it’s beneficial we’ll be living more or less in the same place.”
“Right. Didn’t think of that.”
We began walking down the path to my new home.
“How are you feeling? I mean, now that you’ve had a few days to digest everything.”
I inhaled the warm air. “I feel good, like I’m supposed to be here.”
“And about us?”
I froze in my tracks, unable to meet his eye. “Us?”
He shrugged. “We haven’t talked about it, and I’m sorry if this is too forward, but I like you a lot, and I think the feeling is mutual.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I mentally slapped myself. “It is,” I admitted.
His lips broadened, and he moved closer. I backed up.
“But not the way I think you’re suggesting. We hardly know each other.”
His eyebrows fell at the corners. “I would like to get to know you more. I mean, it’s been a long time since—” He put his hands in his pockets. “I don’t really know how to approach these things, so I figured it was best to clear the air and ask you outright. You’re right, there’s a lot we don’t know about each other, but isn’t that part of the process? I like what I’ve seen so far, is all I’m saying.”
I placed my hand over his heart briefly. “You only like me because of the silence, Leon. That isn’t who I am. I think you are incredibly special, and I owe you my life, but I can’t tie myself to you out of gratitude. That wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to—“
“I know. I’m still figuring this world out, learning about myself and my power. Can we agree to just be friends?”
“Friends.” He huffed out a sigh and resumed walking. “It wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but I can do that. We’ll be working closely together going forward, and I suppose making this into something other than what it is would complicate matters.”
We stopped outside my cabin and faced each other again. “I hope you’ll find what you’re searching for, mon sorcière silencieuse.” He brushed the tip of my ponytail over my shoulder. “See you soon.”
As he turned to walk away, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I hadn’t expected it to be this hard. Hadn’t expected him to break through my walls. And I especially didn’t expect the ache in my chest when watching him leave. After a few steadying breaths, I went inside and made myself a cup of coffee, adding a dash of milk and one sugar cube. Coffee in hand, I opened the front door wide and made myself comfortable on the garden swing outside.
I waved my feet as it moved in a gentle back-and-forth rhythm. The sun was high in the sky, and the flowers were in full bloom. Ahead, the forest loomed tall with thick green leaves, stretching endlessly, as if telling me that tomorrow was full of opportunities.
There was so much I had yet to figure out about what I am and the potential that lay inside me, but I had the lifespan of a witch to learn. I had even gained new friends, although I still questioned the motives of some. My new boss, for one. She claimed to offer me protection while at the same time handing me a warning. As it was, my gut told me I was in the right place.
A bird squawked in the distance, and I spotted an eagle swooping above the treetops. A majestic creature. Leaning forward, I narrowed my eyes. Was it an eagle, or was it a person who had turned into one? Moreover, did my father still have eyes on me?
Hopefully, I would get the answers I wanted soon enough. In the meantime, I would practice my magic and prepare for the oncoming storm.
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THE VEILED WORLD CHRONICLES
1. Broad Daylight
2. Midnight Blues
THE LIBRARIAN CHRONICLES
1. This Fractured Mage
THE RUBYVERSE:
1. Essence of Magic
2. Sentries of Camelot
3. Virtues of Purity
4. Tears of Pestilence
5. Knights of Avalon
6. Blood of Morgana
7. Acolytes of Nimue
8. Son of Merlin
9. Lady of Avalon Part One
10. Lady of Avalon Part Two
OTHER WORKS IN THE RUBYVERSE
Harvester Academy – A Ruby Morgan Prequel
Scream of Death – A Ruby Morgan Novelette (for newsletter subscribers)
ANTHOLOGY
Acts of Divinity: The Otherworld Anthology
Features LJ’s story Hel on Earth, a tale connected to the Librarian Chronicles universe.
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SPFBO Semi-Finalist 2019
Fate does not wait for you to be Ready
An historical Fantasy. A young Sami girl, destined to become the Noaidi—a shaman—of her tribe, sets out on a perilous journey through the treacherous landscape of the cold north, when Vikings ruled the lands.
Heart of Sin
Not All Sins Are Forgivable
A sword and sorcery tale about young Sinyara: A trained assassin, skilled with a blade, and with a rare magical gift. This is her journey.
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