by Lila Kane
She sighs and wraps her arms around me. “I know, Willow. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you more when you were younger. I would have taught you what you need to know.”
“Then come back and teach me now.”
When she pulls back, her eyes are fierce. “You can’t try to bring me back.”
“Why?”
“The spell. With you and me, and one other, the spell will be complete.”
“But…” I step back, eyes searching the mist. It’s not quiet anymore. The wind is picking up, rustling the leaves. “What’s wrong with doing the spell?”
That’s what Kane wants. It gives us our power back. With that power, maybe I can heal my mom. Maybe I’ll discover a way to bring her out of the coma.
“You’ll restore power to all supernatural beings. Not just those in Shadow Hill. Everywhere.”
“But, Kane‒”
“He’s evil, Willow. Don’t listen to him. You can do that spell, you can do what it takes to keep yourself safe, but don’t wake me up.”
“I thought you said we couldn’t do that spell.”
“No, you can. One witch, even two, will make it temporary. With three‒with two descendants from the original family…”
“It’ll be permanent.”
Another whip of wind makes me stumble. “Mom‒”
“Go now, and be safe.”
“But‒”
A howl of wind jerks me back to reality. I gasp, sitting up in the seat. My heart’s beating loudly, but not as loudly as the machines. One is beeping repeatedly and another wails like a siren.
Nurses rush into the room and James steps back. Behind him, in the hallway, I see the flash of light brown hair before someone disappears into the bathroom. Cheyenne.
“What happened?” one of the nurses asks.
“Nothing, I‒” I glance at James, not sure what to say.
“She was just talking to her.”
Suddenly, the machines stop. They go back to normal, slow beeping and regular readings.
James nudges my arm, lowering his voice. “What happened?”
“I saw her, in her dream‒or whatever.”
“And?”
I watch the nurses check the printout on the machines and gather my mother’s stats.
“And that’s it.” I’m too afraid to tell James. “I saw her and I was about to ask her how to bring her back, but it got windy and I couldn’t hear anything she was saying. And then I woke up.”
He frowns. “You were actually in her mind?”
“I think so.”
“But that’s all?”
I nod, hoping he believes me. “That’s all.”
One of the nurses turns to me. “That’s so strange. Nothing’s changed.”
My mom is still on the bed, looking as peaceful as she had before. But I’d reached her in her dream.
“I need to use the restroom,” I say.
James nods. “I’ll give Kane an update.”
Swallowing, I move to the bathroom. I think Cheyenne’s still inside. And if she’s creeping around the hospital near my mother’s room, it means she’s probably looking for me.
I step inside the bathroom, ready for anything. She’s leaning against the counter, texting something on her phone. When she sees me, she straightens, like she hadn’t expected me to come in here.
“Willow,” she says.
“Are you following me?”
Her shrug is apologetic. “Yes. But just to make sure you’re okay.”
My fingers curl into my palms. I’m not sure who to believe. The only one I think is telling me the truth is my mother. And she said Kane is evil.
“I’m okay,” I tell her.
“You’re not going to like this, but I don’t think you are. Willow…” She wets her lips, looking unsure what to say. “This isn’t you.”
She’s confirming my suspicions, but I still don’t know whether or not to believe her. Just because my mom says Kane is evil doesn’t mean Cheyenne and Logan and their team are any better.
“I have to go.” Kane is waiting for me. He’ll get suspicious if I don’t come back soon.
Cheyenne holds up her hands. “I’m on your side, Willow. I’ve known you since you came to Shadow Hill. We’re friends.”
I back to the door. “I don’t know.”
“I’ll explain. Everything. Whatever you want to know.”
“How can I be sure you’re telling the truth?”
She smiles. “You’re a witch, Willow. I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
Before she can say anything else, I turn and leave the bathroom. The nurses have finished in my mother’s room and James is waiting for me in the hall.
“You okay?” he asks.
“I’m fine.” Shaken up a little, still, though. And I can’t talk to anyone about it. What about Cheyenne? She says we used to be friends. How do I find out for sure? “Is Kane upset?”
“He’s not happy.” James stares at his feet before continuing. “He’s outside waiting. We should probably get going.”
We exit the hospital, stepping back out into a warm, summer day. Wes stands at the car with Kane, deep in discussion. When Kane sees us, he shakes his head at Wes and steps toward me.
“James says you weren’t able to wake her up.”
“I tried.”
“I heard the commotion. What happened?”
“I…I tried to get into her subconscious.” His eyebrows furrow so I rush to explain. “I just‒I tried to talk to her, to go deeper so that maybe she’d hear me. I know it didn’t work, but‒”
“Damn it, Willow.” He blows out a breath. “You’re supposed to make this work.”
“I tried. Really, I‒”
“Fine. It’s fine.” He smoothes out his expression. “You tried, right?”
My stomach swirls. He doesn’t look safe at all. My mom’s right, he looks evil. And he looks like he has a plan. “I tried.”
“Well, then, we’ll just have to try something else, won’t we?”
“I think we can still do the spell,” I blurt out. Anything to keep him trusting me. If he finds out I’m doubtful of his intentions, I don’t know what he’ll do.
He folds his arms. “Go on.”
“I know we need three to make the spell more powerful, but I think we can still reverse the curse at the very least. That way, while you’re here in Shadow Hill, it’ll be in effect. And then we can go from there.”
His jaw shifts but he looks like he’s listening.
“If we do, we’ll be more powerful.”
James nods. “She’s right. We’ll have more of our powers and a better chance of doing that next spell‒or helping Willow’s mom if that’s what it takes.”
Wes frowns at me. I don’t think he believes me. But it’s not up to him.
“What do we need?” Kane asks.
I glance at James.
“Her Book of Shadows, probably, since it’s a spell only a Keeper of a Flame can do.”
“And what about the others?” Wes asks. “Do you think they’re just going to stand back and let us do the spell? They already know we’re up to something.”
Kane flashes a smile and takes my arm, guiding me to the car. “I’m not worried about that.”
I look up, daring to meet his dark eyes.
He continues to grin. “I’ve invited a few more friends.”
Chapter 18
An army. Kane’s building an army.
He spends a good portion of the day on the phone. He has meetings with the group, excluding me like usual. But worse than all of that is his glee.
He actually seems happy about getting more paranormals into Shadow Hill. He’s going to use them to keep the other team in check. And if Kane is evil, then his intentions are, too. And so is the group he’s forming. Which means I should warn the other team, right? If they’re outnumbered and they actually were my friends and helping me…I owe them that.
By the middle of the next day,
I’m antsy. And I’ve also figured out a truth spell that makes me want to talk to Cheyenne again.
When I walk out of the bedroom and to the table where Kane is talking with Wes and Shane, I try to keep my voice light. “I can’t remember where my car is.”
Kane’s expression doesn’t change, though Wes shifts in his seat. He looks guilty. He looks like he knows something. And now that I think about it, the rest of the team does a lot of the time as well. Without Kane’s influence, I’ve seen a lot more than he thinks I have.
“What do you need your car for?” Kane asks.
“I thought I’d go into town for lunch. You think that’s safe?” I hate that I have to ask for permission and pretend like he knows what’s best for me. But it’s the way I need to play it right now. “I know you have a lot to do here and I feel like I’m in the way.”
“You’re not in the way.” Kane pushes back from the table, coming to stand in front of me. He towers over me, and I know he uses his height to intimidate. His eyes focus on mine. “Tell me how you’re feeling.”
I answer immediately. “Bored mostly. I want to get out, walk around, maybe do some shopping.”
Which sounds so ridiculous. Shopping while Kane’s creating an army? But he’s supposed to think I don’t have a clue what’s going on. That I’m useless for the most part‒besides being the Keeper of the Flame. So I’m trying to play along.
Kane holds my gaze for a long moment, then seems to decide I’m telling the truth. “I understand. No, I don’t think it’s dangerous if you bring amethyst and”‒he glances over his shoulder‒“Wes can go with you.”
I was hoping he’d offer James or someone else, but I nod. “Yes, that’s a good idea.”
Apparently satisfied with the situation, Kane turns for the table. Then he angles toward me again and reaches into his back pocket. When he pulls out a wad of bills, I start to protest. “It’s fine,” he says, brushing me off. “Get some ice cream or something.”
I almost laugh. It’s like he thinks I’m a little kid. Hopefully that’ll work to my advantage. Maybe I can find a way to get by myself if Wes thinks I’m less than capable as well.
I take the money and leave with Wes, walking to his car in the warmth of the sun, wishing my mind was as clear as the day. How am I going to get the truth from Cheyenne if Wes is following me around wherever I go?
The same hawk I’ve been seeing for the last week circles overhead. I pause by the car, staring up at it. Wes pauses, too, and follows my gaze.
“It’s another shifter,” he says.
My gaze snaps to his. “What?”
“The other shifter. Ryan. He’s watching you. That’s why Kane wanted me to come.”
My mouth opens, but I don’t know what to say. I forgot they have a shifter. And I forgot what they’re capable of.
“Let’s go,” Wes says.
We drive into town, and more memories flood my mind. I remember this. The diner, where I had pancakes once, and the library. That’s where Cheyenne works. I continue to look around, hoping more will come to me, but it doesn’t.
I want to remember people. I want to remember Ryan and Myra because I know I’ve talked to them before. And I want to remember Logan, to see if he’s really as dangerous as his brother. I want to remember how close me and Cheyenne were.
“Are you going to follow me the whole time?” I ask Wes when we get out. When he looks at me, I shrug. “Just that it’s got to be pretty boring for you. Browsing.”
He points to a bench by the car. “I’ll wait here, keep an eye on things. That way you’ll know where to find me if something is wrong.”
I nod. “Good. Thanks.”
He doesn’t respond, just sits on the bench and pulls out a book I hadn’t seen him put in his pocket. The library is across the street, and it’s going to look way too suspicious if I go in there now.
Instead, I walk into the closest store. A candy shop. It smells sweet and fruity, like taffy. The stretchy candy runs on a large, metal spool in the corner, winding back and forth, back and forth.
“You should try the watermelon,” a voice says next to me.
I whip around and find Cheyenne, glasses perched on top of her head and a smile on her lips.
“How did you‒”
“I came in the back so your shifter wouldn’t see me. Though I’m sure he can tell I’m nearby. You need a distraction, so I came to give you one. Go out there and tell your shifter you’ll be in the diner having lunch, and I’ll meet you there.”
I stare at her for one long moment, and then nod, stepping back out of the store. Wes stands next to the bench, scanning the street.
“Willow‒” he starts.
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone is here…”
Cheyenne? Or someone else? Myra maybe? Or Logan?
The thought makes me shiver and I ease closer to the bench. “I was going to the diner for lunch. Should I‒”
“No, that’s good. Get inside, wait for me there.”
I nod, heading in before he can change his mind. I watch through the window as he looks to the right, tenses, and then strolls in that direction.
“Over here.”
When I look back, Cheyenne’s waving at me from a corner booth. Lifting my chin, I stroll straight to her table and sit.
“That was quick,” I say.
“We don’t have much time. Ryan’s distracting the shifter.”
The waitress comes over and I order iced tea to get her to leave quickly.
“I thought you might want to talk,” Cheyenne says.
“I do. I want answers. And I want the truth.”
“I’ll give it to you.”
“I need…” I blow out a breath. “I need to know for sure. A spell.”
She smiles, leaning back in her seat. “You want to do a truth spell on me?”
“Yes.”
I expect her to protest, but she only nods. “Do what you need to do.”
I dip my chin, murmuring a spell under my breath and finishing up just as the waitress arrives with my drink. My palms tingle and I rub them together, pleased. That must mean the spell worked.
“Ready?” Cheyenne asks.
My throat dries. Now I’m nervous. Maybe the spell didn’t work. Maybe she knew how to block it. Or worse, maybe it did work, and she has answers I’m not ready for.
“How old are you?” I ask.
She frowns. “Twenty-five. And we don’t have much time, so you’d better start asking what you really came here to ask.”
I have a feeling she’s telling the truth, so I ask another question. “Were we really friends?”
Her gaze softens. “Yes. But not at first.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you first got here, I was trying to get you to leave so you wouldn’t be here during the full moon. But once you got stuck here anyway, we became friends.”
“Was I friends with Myra and Ryan, too?”
“Yes. And Logan.”
I straighten in my seat. “I don’t…no, I don’t think so. I remember…”
She leans in. “What?”
“He trapped me somewhere and I…”
“That’s a whole other story. I’ll tell you if you really want to know.”
I shake my head. “No, not now.”
That’s one of the answers that scares me. I don’t need another reason to doubt myself.
“Do you…” I clear my throat and try again. “Do you know why I can’t remember anything?”
“Kane must have influenced you.”
“When?”
“A few weeks ago.” She leans in even closer when I freeze in my seat. “I know it’s crazy, but that’s what happened. You were at your house, you were going to meet with Kane so we could try to stop him from getting you to do the spell. He came for you in the middle of the night‒”
“No.” The chair scrapes sharply on the tile floor when I stand. A few weeks? It hasn’t been that long. There’s
no way. I don’t remember any of this.
“Willow.” There’s sympathy in Cheyenne’s voice and it makes me even more defensive.
“Stop, no. I remember coming to Shadow Hill and‒and meeting Kane. And you‒you and I‒we didn’t know each other.”
“That’s what he wants you to remember. He put that in your head.”
I yank in a breath, trying to shove away the memories as they come raining in on me. Cheyenne reaches out for me but I back up. Three stumbling steps before I run into someone.
I turn automatically, mumbling an apology. Until I look up. Until I see his eyes.
Logan’s eyes.
“Willow.”
I slap a hand over my mouth. I remember him, too. His arms crushing me close. Lips racing along my jaw. His words, over and over, I love you.
“It’s okay,” he says. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Don’t,” I choke out, backing away. “I need‒I need to go.”
There’s too much now. Too many thoughts and memories bombarding me, telling me lies‒contradicting everything I thought was right.
“Please, Willow,” Logan says, glancing around.
We’re making a scene and I know it, but I don’t know what else to do.
“Don’t touch me,” I whisper.
I ease around him and run to the door, my breath coming in sharp gasps. Wes isn’t at the bench, but his car is still there. I glance around, frantic, before jumping in the car and foolishly locking the door as though it’ll shut out what I just learned.
Cheyenne was telling the truth, and I know it. I bury my face in my hands, hating that they’re trembling. If Kane influenced me, that means he altered all my memories for the last several weeks. He took away everything from the moment I stepped in Shadow Hill.
He took away my conversations with Cheyenne and my mom. He took away the truth, so I believed in fixing the curse and making him a full vampire. And…judging by the look on Logan’s face, the soft memory of his hands on me…he took away so much more.
I wait for Cheyenne and Logan to come out, but they don’t. I wait for Wes to return to the car, but don’t see him.
By the time I’m ready to venture outside again, someone opens the driver’s-side door. I gasp and whip around in my seat, only to slap a hand on my chest. “James!”