by Patti Larsen
I wanted it to last forever. And in that endless moment, I felt he did too. We were perfect for each other. It had never been so clear to me, this truth. He was my other half, the part filling me up and making me complete. I was never going to let him leave me again.
Until I felt him tense, start to pull away. My throat tightened even as I let my lips part from his, the sigh of his breath drawn into my lungs as we separated. Quaid looked into my eyes, his so dark, endless pools, full of something I couldn’t read.
Why did I let him set me down? Why did I not fight him when he released me from his arms? He turned and sat on the bench, our familiar place, his leather pants sighing as he shifted his weight.
I sat beside him, miserable no matter our closeness, knowing despite the fact he was back he wasn’t mine anymore.
“I found them, Syd.” His voice vibrated with excitement and I tried very hard to be happy for him. “My family.” He took my hand and squeezed it and I allowed myself to believe maybe I was wrong.
“That’s awesome.” And it was. But it also made me so afraid.
“They are coming here.” He tapped his fingertips against the armrest of the bench, knee bouncing in excitement.
Um, weird. “Why?” Covens didn’t just up and visit each other. Not that it was illegal or anything, but a visit wasn’t typical. Tended to end in power plays and property damage. Witches didn’t exactly know how to play nice with others.
“Only a few of them,” he went on, as if that mattered. “It’s a huge coven, Syd, over four hundred members.”
Ours was around a hundred. “Must make for crowded rituals.” I choked on a laugh. Not really funny.
He didn’t seem to notice. “They aren’t as strong as we are.” He scowled then, shook his head. “You, I mean.” The frown remained a moment as he continued. “Did you know how rare we are?” Quaid met my eyes. “The fact most members of this coven can use all five elements?” He sat back though his knee continued its jiggle. “I had no idea.”
Me either. “What are they like?” I didn’t really care just then. I only longed to keep him talking. Not because I adored his voice, which I did, but because with every moment that passed I felt him leaving me, drifting farther away. And as long as he was talking, he was still here and still with me.
“They’re great,” he said softly. “The Dumont coven. They’re my family.”
I wanted to sob in grief. I heard the finality in his voice.
“They are the biggest in North America,” he went on while I barely heard him, “originally from France. Just recently migrated to New York as a group, since I was born.” He grinned crookedly, making me want to kiss him again. “Imagine that,” he said. “I’m French.”
I choked on a giggle, not really amused, but not wanting him to sense my bitter disappointment. If I just pretended he was staying, maybe he would.
“Why are they coming here?” Finally, a good question. A smart one, even. When I allowed myself to think about it, the idea didn’t make much sense. Covens just didn’t visit each other. Especially ones that weren’t connected by blood.
He fell quiet, his body tensing, and I knew then this was really happening. It was over and he was lost to me.
“I have to go.” Quaid lurched to his feet and I followed, the stupid, desperate girl I swore I wouldn’t be, clutching at his sleeve with tears threatening.
“Mom would love to see you.” I gestured at the door, knowing it was impossible now.
“I can’t, Syd.” He had to say it, didn’t he?
“And that talk you promised me?” I hated myself then for throwing it in his face, but I couldn’t help myself, couldn’t. I’d waited for this moment, for him, we’d been through so much together it just wasn’t fair.
Wasn’t.
“Things are complicated now.” He looked away from me, hands clenching. “I just wanted to come and see you before the family arrived. To let you know I was okay. That I found them. And to tell you I’m happy.”
I let my hands fall, gathered my strength around me while my demon howled her sorrow and my Sidhe side wept silently so I wouldn’t have to show it.
“I’ll see you soon,” he said as he backed away, long stride widening the distance between us. “I promise.”
I nodded, made myself smile. Watched him round the corner of the house and disappear into the dark.
Only then did I crumple a little, letting my shoulders sag, sobbing softly into my hands that still smelled like him. No way was I letting Quaid Moromond or Dumont or whoever the hell he was destroy me because of his stupid family. But I was allowed a moment to cry, damn it, and I was taking it.
Arms slid around me, the familiar scent of lilacs. I turned and hugged my mom as she stroked my hair and whispered her love for me in my ear until I fell still.
I snuffled as I pulled away, wrung out but stronger for the cry, oddly enough. I looked up, met her eyes, and felt surprise. I didn’t see the sympathy I was expecting. Instead, her gaze was strong and more than a little worried.
“Syd,” she said, “come inside. We need to talk.”
***
Chapter Twelve
I found myself sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of hot chocolate heating my hands while the two women in my life stared at me like they weren’t sure I was ready to hear what they had to say.
Gram poked at the mini marshmallows in her cup with one sharp nail, scowling like they offended her somehow. Mom ignored hers, shifting in her seat a time or two before she finally spoke.
“Honey,” she said, “there are things you don’t know about Quaid.”
I flinched from her, from her words, anger rising in place of sadness. “You were the one who wanted me to marry him.”
She made a face, guilt and grief at war on her flawless face. “I know, Syd,” she said. “That was before I understood where Quaid came from.”
“The Dumont coven.” I hated the name already. Hated everyone in that stupid family.
Turned out I wasn’t far off Gram’s feelings for them, either.
“The Dumonts.” Gram spit the name like it hurt her tongue to speak it. “Filth of the witching world.”
Mom reached out and patted Gram’s hand. “Mother,” she said, “we’ll get to that.”
Okay, that startled me. I’d expected Mom to chastise Gram, not agree with her.
What was going on?
Finally paying full attention, I didn’t miss the look they exchanged or the barely audible sigh Mom breathed.
“I knew, the moment he was free from the Moromonds.” So much regret in my mother, like I’d never seen. “I felt him, knew exactly who he was and what family he belonged to.”
“How?” I looked back and forth between them.
“Their magic has a distinct flavor,” Gram said, and not nicely either.
“Please understand, sweetheart,” Mom said, “we haven’t been purposely keeping your history from you. But there are things you need to know about our past, of your coven, that are important now.”
Okay, I got it. “I understand,” I said. “I wasn’t exactly witch of the month. And with all the crap we’ve gone through in the last year… okay. But now I need to know.”
She nodded, Gram too.
“You know about the Purity coven.” Gram’s voice growled over the name. She had every right to be furious. Their leader was the one who drove her insane. She’d killed the other woman in the process though so at least Gram got the better part of the deal.
Mom went on. “Their coven leader, Naudia, had a sister. Odette.”
“Yeah?” I said. “So?”
“So,” Gram mimicked my tone before tapping the back of my hand with her index finger. “Odette leads the Dumonts.”
Puzzle pieces clicked into place. “They were involved in the attack?” Just who were these people? And how much did Quaid know?
“We always suspected the sisters worked in tandem,” Mom said, “but had no proof against Odette.”
“Mother.” Mom shook her head. “She has always professed her innocence, even to the High Council Enforcers who investigated the attack. Odette condemned her dead sister, spoke in Mother’s favor, and mine.”
Maybe she wasn’t so bad after all, then.
Gram shattered that hope. “I’ve known those girls my entire life.” Well, she was crazy for part of it and one of them was dead, but I understood what she meant. “There is no way Naudia would make a move without Odette spurring her on.” Gram cackled, reminding me of her old self, blue eyes full of fury and dark joy. “I can’t wait to see her face,” she giggled, a wicked sound, “when she discovers I’m whole again.” She hugged herself, rocking and laughing silently, tears rolling down her wrinkled cheeks.
Mom didn’t try to stop her, instead absently stirred her hot chocolate. The tinkle of her spoon counted the seconds until Gram recovered.
“Well, she’ll find out soon enough.” I looked back and forth between them. Both women looked startled. “You were eavesdropping on my conversation, weren’t you?”
Mom actually blushed. “Just the last bit,” she said.
“They’re coming here,” I said. “For a visit.”
Gram’s mug shattered, sending a shower of hot chocolate everywhere. I cried out in surprise, but before I could finish my reaction her power lashed out and gathered up the pieces and the spill, slamming them back together again. I shuddered, hating that it seemed nothing happened even when I could still feel the heat of the missing droplets on my skin.
“You didn’t know?” Imagine. I knew something Mom didn’t.
The pinched frown between her eyebrows told me she had no clue. “Did he say why?” Mom’s fingers tapped the surface of the table.
“Better to know when,” Gram grated. “We know why.”
“Okay,” I said. “Why?”
Another discreet look passed between them. I hated those.
“I thought we weren’t keeping any more secrets?” I knew better than to believe what Mom told me. She would never tell me everything, I was sure of it.
Instead of answering, Mom leaned forward and took my hand. “You need to be careful, Syd,” she said. “This is no social visit.”
Gram snorted. “Anti-social,” she muttered.
Mom went on. “Nothing will be as it seems with them here.” She leaned back though her gaze still held mine. “That counts for Quaid as well.”
I shrugged, feeling my throat tighten all over again. “He’s made his choice, I guess,” I said.
She seemed like she was about to argue, but shrugged instead. “Promise me you’ll be cautious.”
“Yes, Mom,” I said even as my mind went to the canine encounter earlier in the night. I almost told her. Almost. She wasn’t the only one with secrets and the last thing I wanted was to be confined to quarters because she was being paranoid.
“I’m just glad your sister is at camp.” Mom pushed back her chair. “Get some sleep, both of you. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”
I watched her go, not moving to rise. Gram muttered to herself, rocking back and forth, lost in her own thoughts. I caught the words ‘Odette’, ‘Naudia’ and ‘revenge’ but that was about it.
Unable to help her and too tired to really try, I left her there to make her plan and went to bed.
***
Chapter Thirteen
Sassafras and Galleytrot were waiting up for me when I closed my door.
“Was that Quaid?” Sassy’s silver tail showed his aggravation. “What did I tell you about running out into yard into the middle of the night?”
“You might want to ask one question at a time,” I said, feeling decidedly snarky.
“It was Quaid.” Sassy sighed. “What did he say?”
My face crumpled. I couldn’t stand it. Sassafras said his name twice. The first time I could fake it and pretend, but the second… the waterworks threatened.
“Just leave me alone.” I threw myself face first onto my bed, smothering myself in the pillow, squeezing my eyes as if that would make me forget. A hot, wet nose shoved against my hand on my left while a rough tongue licked my ear on my right.
“I’m sorry, Syd,” Sassy whispered.
“Me too.” Galleytrot’s mournful tone sounded like the rumble of a river.
“I guess we all are then.” My words were muffled, but I knew they heard me. I sighed and rolled over, scratching Galleytrot’s head while Sassy curled up against my shoulder with his nose near my ear. “Sass, do you know the Dumont family?”
He hissed, nails digging into me through my thin T-shirt.
“Ow!”
“Sorry.” The needles retracted. “Why do you ask?”
“Because,” I said, “according to Quaid,” it was so hard to say his name and not break down into tears, “they are his family.”
Sassy was quiet for a long moment while Galleytrot’s eyes flared with red fire.
“Syd,” my cat said, “I know you love him. But if he’s right, and I have no reason to doubt him, you need to be careful.”
I nodded, swallowing over and over to try to release the tightening in my throat. “I know. Mom and Gram told me. About Naudia and Odette.”
Sassy sighed. “This is terrible,” he said.
“Does this have anything to do with what happened earlier?” Galleytrot nudged my hand. I glared at him, though privately grateful for the distraction. I hissed at him as Sassafras perked up.
“What happened earlier?” His ears twitched forward before laying flat back against his head, eyes narrowing to angry slits. “Syd?”
I tapped Galleytrot on the nose. “You promised.”
“Not to tell your mother.” He chuffed softly under his breath.
Ooh. Unfaithful pets.
“Fine,” I said. “I was walking home from Pain’s and I felt someone following me. I thought it was Galleytrot because it seemed canine, but there was more than one of them. Anyway, they took off when I challenged them.”
Sassy held very still. “Who were they?”
I shrugged. “No clue. But they’re gone. So no,” I told him at my most eye rolling sarcastic, “they have nothing to do with Quaid.”
I didn’t know that for sure, though, did I?
Sassafras leapt up so fast he startled me, heading for the door. I didn’t see him use his magic, only caught the creak and the light from the hall as he let himself out.
“I’m not sorry I told him,” Galleytrot said.
That triggered my anger like nothing else had. “Get out.”
He groaned a soft sigh before padding his way to the exit. I heard him thud to the ground just outside my door, curling up to watch over me.
I wished he would just go away. I wanted everything to just. Go. Away.
I didn’t cry myself to sleep.
Not quite.
I would have stayed in bed all the next day, I’m sure if it, if it wasn’t for Alison. Perky as ever, her ten in the morning text radiated happiness despite its length.
Shpg?
I tossed my phone on the bed, hands over my face. Did I really want to go shopping with her the condition my head was in? On the other hand, our friendship was just getting back in order. This odd obligation I felt toward my friends kind of sucked.
I fumbled for the phone.
Gt me
Alison didn’t disappoint. She showed up to collect me about a half hour later, perfect blonde hair in a sleek ponytail at the nape of her neck, lips shining with gloss. She was lucky I changed out of my pajama bottoms and into jeans.
One look at me, the remains of black eyeliner smudged under my eyes, hair a mess knotted on top of my head, and her eyes narrowed. “Change of plans,” she said with a wink, escorting me to her car. “I think a pampering session is in order.”
Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t neglect myself or anything. I run almost every day, shower regularly, even wear makeup every once in a while. But the thoug
ht of going beyond that was pretty foreign. The only real experience I had with the beauty industry was when Mom used to paint my nails when I was little, when I’d let her, and just a few weeks prior when I’d gone to prom. That was it. End of Syd and primping.
When Alison dragged me through the doors of her favorite spa, air kissing the receptionist, she handed me over to a sweet-faced young woman. My handler had the darkest skin I’d ever seen and the most amazing platinum blonde hair, making her look glamorous. She tsked over me like I was some kind of disaster. Okay, I was a disaster.
“Girl,” Theesha sighed, “we have so much work to do.”
What followed was the most awkward, uncomfortable and yet amazing experience of my life. I was planted in a chair first, hands and feet soaking as Theesha bent me back over a sink and shampooed my hair. If you’ve ever been shampooed by someone who really knows what they are doing, you’ll understand. If not? Well, despite how weird this all was, I was practically purring like Sassafras after a scratching session.
Next, hot wax was slathered under my eyebrows and the hair jerked out with no regard for the fact it was attached to me. Skin tingling with the cream she rubbed in, I sat up so she could wrap my head in a towel.
No wonder she washed my hair first. If she’d done my eyebrows from the get go, I’d have been so out of there.
Instead I sat and observed as she and her co-worker Dally, a lovely little red head with a very perky chest covered in tattoos, went at my hands and feet. Dally hummed to herself as she worked, Theesha offering a counterpoint every once in a while.
It was very, very cool.
“Pink?” Theesha showed me a handful of bottles. On impulse, I pointed out the electric blue.
“Minnie,” I said with a grin.
She flashed her perfect white teeth. “Sure, honey.”
While my matching nails dried, Theesha wheeled me over to a mirror and proceeded to cut my hair. I almost panicked. Almost. No one had ever cut my hair but Mom. She always did a great job. But some of the things my new favorite person was doing seemed to be working so I let her at it.