I looked at Dad’s excited face and was physically overwhelmed by what I felt from him. For once, I was really glad to be able to feel his emotions.
As far back as I could remember, his pain and guilt at not being able to provide a better life for us had cut me deeper than any other emotions he ever sent my way. He felt I was being denied so many things, and he desperately wished he could do more for me. Something that would make me happy.
For him, this was the answer to his prayers. A once-in-a-lifetime miracle. A true blessing from above.
A tear slid down my cheek as I leaned forward to give him another hug.
“I can’t wait.”
Chapter 3. Changes
Crystal Cove, California
~today~
When I woke up, my first feeling was one of bitter disappointment. I’d hoped…expected…to see Nicholas while I slept. I’d assumed he’d find me and reassure me that everything was okay, and that he and Justin were somewhere safe.
But my mind was blank. If I’d seen him, I had no recollection of it. And my heart felt so empty, I knew I hadn’t.
There was a light jostling beside me, and Sophie snorted in her sleep before rolling over. She slowly opened one groggy eye, and then suddenly opened both of them wide. Then she smiled and rolled back over again.
“You know, it still freaks me out to see you with your hair like that,” she said in a throaty mumble. “Almost didn’t recognize you for a minute.”
I sighed and propped myself up on a pillow, aware of the sounds coming from the other room. Dad was up. And attempting to make breakfast from the sounds of it. “Yeah, well, speaking of freaking out, my dad still hasn’t seen me yet. Can’t wait to see how well this goes over with him.”
“It could be worse.” Lily’s soft voice piped in from the other side of the room where she was snuggled up in the daybed. “I mean, it’s not like you got tattooed, or got some crazy piercings or something. He should be relieved.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not so sure he’ll see it that way.” I got out of my comfortable bed and went to the closet to grab some sweats.
Sophie stretched her arms and let out a loud, dramatic yawn. “How’s he not seen you yet? Your hair changed two nights ago.”
I shrugged and zipped up my hoodie. “Well, remember, I covered it up with a towel yesterday morning, and I didn’t see him the rest of the day yesterday or last night.”
“I can’t believe it’s only been, what, like thirty-six hours since—you know. It seems like so much has happened since then,” Sophie murmured.
She was right. It was now Monday morning. Saturday night had been the dance. It was there that my dear friend Justin had triggered the curse that revealed him to be a Witch-Hunter. I shuddered as I remembered the brutal attack—how one moment he was kissing me, the next, trying to kill me. And he probably would have if Nicholas hadn’t pulled him off. And now Nicholas was gone—trying to save Justin from killing himself, and trying to get the curse removed. It was a long shot—and a dangerous one. But it was Justin’s only chance. Otherwise…
Lily slid on her jeans and looked at me hopefully. “Speaking of seeing people, what about…?” She let the unfinished question dangle.
I shook my head. “I’m sure Nicholas was just busy doing something really important,” I murmured. “I’m sure I’ll see him soon.”
“Hope so,” Sophie said.
“It’s only been one day,” I said.
“And one night,” she added pointedly.
There was an uneasy silence. Lily brushed out her long, sable hair. “I have to go,” she announced. “I have rehearsal in an hour.”
“For the Christmas pageant?” Lily nodded. Sophie finished tying her shoes and added, “I gotta split too. Mom wants me to go Christmas shopping with her.”
“Thanks. Abandon me in my moment of need,” I grumbled as I twisted my hair into a tight bun. Maybe I could make its red color less noticeable if I tucked it away more. Or maybe I should suddenly develop a fondness for wearing hats.
Sophie laughed. “Relax, Cal. You’ll be fine. Remember, my dad went crazy at first too, but now he likes it. Even calls me ‘Goldilocks’ sometimes.”
It was still hard to imagine sweet, bubbly Sophie as anything but a natural-looking blonde. I hoped she was right. “You guys coming back tonight?” I asked.
They looked at each other and nodded. “Sure, if your dad doesn’t ground you for all of winter break first,” Sophie replied with a chuckle.
Lily playfully whapped Sophie’s arm before wrapping a hand around her wrist. With a final wave and a “good luck” from Sophie, they shimmered away.
*****
I went into my bathroom, splashed some cold water on my face, and braced myself. I didn’t know why I was so afraid to see my father.
Well, actually…yes, I did.
Because now I looked just like my mother.
The resemblance was uncanny, even though my newly red hair was darker than her auburn shade had been. Dad would surely notice. And the thought of stirring up unhappy memories for him twisted my stomach in knots. The last thing I wanted to be was an obvious reminder of the love he had lost. The love he’d obviously never recovered from losing.
He was busy in the kitchen making some toast and cereal when I finally gathered up my courage and made my way out there. When he looked up and saw me standing near the counter, his shocked expression spoke volumes.
“What in tarnation?!”
“I just thought I’d experiment with a new look. It’s only temporary; I can wash it out if it’s too horrible,” I lied, wondering if that would even work. Something about having a magical hair shade made me question my ability to change it with a little Clairol Herbal Essence.
“Now why would you go an’ do somethin’ like that?” he grumbled, and shook his head. “You’re beautiful as you already is! No need to be dumpin’ hair-paint on yourself tryin’ to be better!”
“It was just for fun…trying something new. It’s a girl thing,” I added sheepishly. Usually that ended a topic of conversation for him.
“Well, I just don’t understand why you did it is all, but I guess it’s your choice,” he muttered, and returned to his cereal, staring down at his bowl with obvious concentration.
I made some maple oatmeal and cinnamon toast and joined him at the table. “What’re you doing today?” I asked brightly, relieved he hadn’t made more of a fuss.
“Workin’, Cal. Not all of us are on vacation.”
“How’s the house coming along?”
“It’s a comin’. Dry wallin’ the library today. Gotta scoot into town and get some supplies. What’re you doin’ to keep yourself outta trouble durin’ your break?”
“I have a lot of reading I want to do,” I replied. I had already decided I was going to spend my free time researching as much of my family’s history and our magical lineage and powers as possible. “And of course do my jogs to the pier. Going twice a day now.”
“Hmph. That’s good.”
“Can Lily and Sophie stay over tonight?”
“Guess so,” he mumbled, and took another bite of cereal.
After Dad left, I put on my tennis shoes and headed down to the beach. It seemed like ages since I’d been able to run, even though it had been only a few days. The cold air was still thick with fog, and the beach was practically deserted. Still, I found myself looking around, hoping to see some sign of Nicholas. Even a glimpse.
Nothing.
Of course not.
I returned from my jog and took a quick hot shower, then headed over to Ana’s. Maybe this time I’d be able to see something in the Looking Stone before I hit the books.
I breezed through the kitchen entrance, but when I walked into the parlor, I was startled to find it filled with people. Some of them I recognized, but many I didn’t. Sophie’s mom and Lily’s parents were there, and so was Edna Marks from the school. Next to them were Sophie’s Aunt Cleo, and Ariana Van Arken, the wom
en who’d helped to make my amulet.
I raised my hand to touch the warm tangerine diamond resting above my heart. Because of this, everything was falling apart right now. If my amulet hadn’t broken, Justin wouldn’t have transformed into a Hunter and tried to kill me. Nicholas wouldn’t be off doing God knows what to try to save him, and I wouldn’t be feeling like the girl who’d somehow opened Pandora’s Box.
Ana glided over to my side, looking elegantly polished as always. Her shiny silver hair fell in soft waves down the middle of her back, and her black, long-sleeved dress was fastened with a lovely antique cameo broach.
“Good morning, Calista darling. How are you feeling today?” As usual she smelled like fresh flowers.
I glanced around the room, keenly aware that everyone had one surreptitious eye on me. “I’m doing okay,” I replied in a hushed tone. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I didn’t know you were having a…party.”
“Nonsense.” She casually waved a jeweled hand. “These people are your family, too. We were just discussing the incident and trying to assess any further threats.”
The last thing I wanted to do was talk any more about what happened. “Can I go upstairs?” I asked, as the others appeared to return to their own conversations. “I want to see if I can find anything on the Looking Stone and check out the Book of Shadows.”
“We’re almost done here…why don’t you wait for me? Go have some tea in the sunroom and we can go up together,” she suggested.
I wanted to go up there now, but I agreed to wait. I headed off to the far side of the sprawling mansion to sit in the glass room filled with its abundant greenery and white wicker furniture. Unfortunately, the air outside was so dewy and thick I had no hope of seeing out the window walls to the ocean. Then I remembered what Sophie had mentioned before about “pushing the fog out of the way” when she was trying to stargaze. I was concentrating on doing that when Ana entered and snapped me from my reverie.
“All right. Everyone has left. Now we can talk. How are you doing, really?” she asked, searching my face.
“I’m fine, really. I’m just so worried about them.” I couldn’t tell her that part of the reason I was so concerned was because Nicolas hadn’t found me last night as I slept. That he hadn’t checked in with me at all. And even though they’d been gone just under twenty-four hours, it seemed like I should’ve heard something by now, unless something had gone terribly wrong…
She nodded. “Yes, I understand. You care deeply for both of them, don’t you?”
Something about the way she asked the question gave me the impression it was more loaded than she was trying to let on. I shrugged and looked out the cloudy window. “Yeah…I mean, they’re my friends. I never had good friends before, so they mean a lot to me. The world.”
She cleared her throat and picked up the pot of tea on the table. Without asking if I wanted any she poured me a cup, then one for herself. She took a small sip, and I did the same.
“This Nicholas boy. How exactly did you meet him?” she asked.
“On the beach. I went down to the shore my first morning here and met him as he was jogging with his dog, Max.”
She took another sip of tea. “And was that the first time you saw him?”
I tried not to cough. I knew it. I knew she knew more than she was saying. “Yeah…Oh, I dunno. It’s sorta complicated, and I’m still trying to figure it all out.”
She narrowed her bright blue eyes some and softened her voice. “Calista, sweetheart…are you falling in love with him?”
This time tea spurted from my mouth, and I did cough, loudly. I wiped my lips with the back of my hand and met her amused expression.
“No! I… I just met him! I just…I just…Oh, I don’t know.”
“What is it?”
I wanted to confide in her, but still, I felt I should keep my guard up. There were so many questions in my own mind I hadn’t figured out yet. Like, just how deep did my connection with Nicholas go? Were we really in love in our past lives? Is that why we met at the beach, because we’d arranged for our souls to find each other again, like Lily and Sophie had suggested? Should I mention to her how we were both Spirit Walkers and we’d been meeting each other at the magical Isle of Druantia in our sleep?
No…I couldn’t tell her any of that just yet.
Ana sat patiently as I tried to gather my words. “I like Nicholas,” I started. “I really like him. And I want to get to know him more. But what I do know about him, yeah…I like. A lot.” I sighed and looked away. “But, it’s like, I feel as if my head needs to catch up to my heart. Does that make sense? I want to be with him all the time. But there are so many unknowns.”
I shut my mouth and bit my lip. Way to go, Callie. Why had I said all that? So much for playing it cool. I glared suspiciously at the cup of steaming tea and set it down.
Ana’s eyes were troubled, but she tried to mask her concerns with a smile. “And Justin? He said he loved you in his letter. Granted, he was distressed and planning on ending his life at the time, and such moments can lead to impulsive, and rather dramatic, declarations of love. But I do believe he was sincere in his affections. If he manages to survive this…if he returns free of the Hunter curse…what will you do? Do you share his feelings?”
My mind spun. What was this? Three months ago I’d barely ever spoken to a guy, and now I was in the middle of some twisted love triangle like something straight out of daytime TV.
“Ana, I really don’t know what to tell you,” I sighed. “I do care about Justin, a lot. And maybe if Nicholas wasn’t in the picture, I’d feel different. But he is. So for now, Justin is just my friend.” I looked down and wove tiny braids in my hair as I searched my mind. It was weird how I’d never actually thought about it in those terms before. If Nicholas wasn’t in the picture, would my feelings for Justin be different? Stronger?
Impossible to tell. I couldn’t imagine Nicholas ever not being in the picture, somehow, some way. As long as he was still breathing, as long as I still had a pulse, he would be in the picture.
“I must confess it worries me to know the two boys you have bonded with the most are both so…unstable.”
I looked up at her, confused.
“One is a Hunter who tried to kill you,” she continued, as if I needed reminding. “The other is a magical unknown who appears skilled — or at least somewhat knowledgeable — in the use of powerful dark magics.”
“What?! I thought we’d discussed this already! Nicholas is NOT a dark warlock, and Justin was CURSED! It wasn’t his fault!”
Ana held up her hand. “Now, dear, no need to get upset. I’m simply pointing out that your attachments come with some serious…complications.”
“Nicholas isn’t a complication,” I muttered, annoyed that I couldn’t say the same thing about Justin. Unfortunately, she was right in that regard. Having a friend inflicted with a Witch-Hunter curse was horrible…more horrible than anything I could ever have imagined. Especially because when Justin was normal, when he was good, he was genuinely one of the coolest, friendliest people I’d ever known. Just being in his presence made me happier, and I could feel the light and goodness that radiated from within him.
“I just want you to be aware that there may be some serious risks with your associations. With our family history, I know you’ll understand if I need to be a bit protective. Even if you don’t agree with what I might say or do.”
“What are you trying to say?” I whispered, my heart tightening.
She glanced out to the murky sky, her mouth drawn in a thin line. “Nothing, yet. We’ll just wait and see what happens. If they return—”
“When they return—”
She smiled tersely and took a small sip of her tea. “When they return, we will have to assess the situation. Because, Calista, you must know this. Nothing is more important to me than protecting this family and guarding our magical lineage. And right now that line ends with you. That means you are the most important thi
ng in my life. And I will never let anything bad happen to you. No matter the cost. Understood?”
I nodded. I could not mistake the ominous warning in her voice.
*****
“Now don’t be too upset if you don’t see them right away,” Ana said, as we left the brightly lit warmth of the lower floors and ascended the stairs to the third floor room. “It is possible they are in a place that is magically cloaked, especially if they have gone to the other side.”
I ignored her little dig as I passed through the inconsequential-looking door and into the enchanted room of magic. I was confident I’d be able to find them, ‘other side’ or not.
Once again, I was astonished at how the room seemed larger, brighter, and filled with more things than even the morning before. Ana had said this was because the more my heart opened to magic, the more my eyes could see. But it still totally blew my mind.
I took my position at the round table in the middle of the room. Ana pursed her lips, and tapped the mahogany with her fingers. Slowly, the milky slab rose from the table’s center. I took a deep breath and ran my hands over the opaque block. It turned bright orange, then a dark purple, before finally settling on a light pink.
“It is ready,” Ana whispered. She moved away and took a seat on the couch. I took another deep breath and focused all of my energy on seeing Nicholas.
But after thirty minutes of seeing nothing but pink mist, I had to admit that maybe Ana had been right. With a frustrated sigh, I staggered over to the couch and collapsed beside her.
“Why can’t I find them?” I whimpered. I was a little sick to my stomach, and my brain felt like it had just run a marathon.
She took a small cloth and wiped away the beads of perspiration on my forehead. Then she poured me a tall, cool glass of water.
“You might still be a bit spent from yesterday. Seeing is a very taxing activity and it takes time to build up your strength.”
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