“That’s a compliment,” I said back with a smile. Jen had always been friends with my dad, and I guessed that somehow she and my father were the only ones who truly understood Travis’s good qualities. “I am still not dating anyone.”
“Thank goodness,” Jen said. “Emmy has a boyfriend now and it’s making me go mad.”
“Since when?” I asked.
“Two weeks. That new brother of hers might just scare him off, but at least I know someone is looking out for her when she’s at Travis’s. I worry about the cars, and the liquor cabinet, and the lost Canadian child, but it turns out he’s not that bad.”
“I don’t think so either,” I admitted. “But what about her boyfriend? Do you like him?”
“I don’t know him well yet. I just hope she makes the right decisions.”
“Emmy’s smart, and guys know not to mess with her.”
“You’re right,” Jen sighed. “Thank you, Rose.”
“It’s been one hell of a year for you, and I just want you to know I’m here.”
“You’d never dream leaving your Aunt Jen.”
My face broke into a smile, knowing I could tell her almost anything.
When I found Stan he had picked out his shampoo.
Sandalwood.
“And?” he asked me.
“Great for the memory,” I said out loud. “It was also used to embalm the dead long ago.” Come to think of it, most witches regarded it as an aphrodisiac. That explained quite a few things.
“That’s not all it’s great for,” he told me.
I Paused. There was no way he could hear a thought that wasn’t clearly directed, was there?
As an emerging empath, and especially after my powers mix up, I thought of banning all essential oils like that from the house. Why hadn’t I noticed before that I was taking in daily amounts of aphrodisiac oil against my will?
“I’ll review it when I get home,” I promised.
I wandered slowly back to the checkout counter, wondering if my lies had tells.
As Stain paid, Aunt Jen gave me a few samples to take home to Helaine, and then added a few more for my other housemates. Stan said it wasn’t necessary, but she disagreed.
As we left the shop Aunt Jen gave me a crooked smile and looked back to Stan. She blew me a kiss and I returned one.
I told Stan what was on my mind, “I think I want to take up painting.”
“Why?”
“I need a hobby that isn’t martial arts.”
“Do you think you’d excel at it?”
“Maybe.”
“I could teach you piano—”
“No,” I interrupted.
“Okay, Avereis,” he said with a slight laugh. “Painting it is.”
Back in the indoor promenade, I saw a familiar face in the crowd.
“Dad!” I said. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m an adult and I go where I please,” he said dryly. “You’re not questioning me on official Coven business, are you?”
“No,” I laughed. “I’m just shopping with Stan, my mentor.”
“Hi,” he said to Stan, holding out his hand. Stan paused only a moment before he made the decision to reach out, and the firm grip between them mortified me.
“I trust you know who I am,” Stan said. Stan would know about my dad’s power—the power to recall anyone’s true name by looking at them. No one else had the power, not even another Changeling.
“You know who I am as well, but we haven’t seen each other in some time. How is your progress going with Rose?”
Stan didn’t dare correct my father, though he had every right to.
“Well,” he said, putting up a wall.
“Have you two had dinner yet?” My dad asked us.
Oh no.
Oh no, what?
Mind your business, Stan.
“I’m starving,” Stan told him.
“Reggie’s is still open,” Dad offered. “Let’s go get dinner.”
I made both my thoughts and emotions neutral as could be, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I’d hang out with my dad any day, but I’d rather it be a day in which the sexy nightmare about the guy sitting next to me at dinner wasn’t so vivid. Even though my dad could help me with my problems better than anyone, I couldn’t ask, no way.
Reggie’s was a Mediterranean restaurant, which was a great choice because witches didn’t eat a lot of meat. We settled into a booth, and Stan trapped me, sitting next to me on the outside.
“How are things going?” Dad asked.
“Challenging,” I told him, hoping no one around us was listening.
“You’ll get the hang of it, especially with such a capable young man like Stan mentoring you. You are helping her right?”
My dad’s violet eyes narrowed, and I knew he could tell how uncomfortable I was. I had a lack of confidence concerning my element, and not enough energy to hide it when I was already holding back so much.
“I excelled in my element. I’m the best Spirit element we’ve seen in the past fifty years.”
“Says who?” Dad asked with slight amusement peppering his voice.
“The Mages. The Coven. I’ve unlocked more attainments than anyone. Those are individual tasks that hold merit. I have more than any witch before me.”
“You must be dedicated then.”
“I am. And I’m dedicated to being a mentor. We spend time with each other every day. It makes mentoring easier because our rooms are on the same floor.”
“Oh, are they,” my dad said back. Stan didn’t understand. I saw red rising from dad, but it was controlled as if an invisible outline kept it together. The edges were a darker red that kept the rest confined. I had never seen anything like it, and that’s what my emotions needed to look like.
“Right next to each other,” assured my mentor.
My father put down his fork and stared at Stan. He was going to murder him, I knew it, and with Stan’s power of rumor enacted, they’d never find the body.
Think of Gray and Mom, was the first thing I thought as I tried to find words. If he killed Stan, he’d have a one-way ticket to exile.
Damn, he’s mad at me, isn’t he, Avereis?
You can’t say everything that comes to mind!
I didn’t say anything.
By this point my dad sat idly, watching us have our mental conversation.
“W—we’re out today to learn more about each other as friends—as people—and not just as Coven members.”
“That’s right,” Stan agreed. “And I’m happy to meet you, Mr. Avereis.”
“Audin is fine,” he said, making me take a long blink, thankful he was being civil. “Unless you take my class, then it’s ‘Sir’.”
I gave dad an unamused look.
“I’m a pacifist,” Stan explained, “I don’t see us sparring at any point in the future.”
“I can respect that,” dad agreed. All I needed were their similarities to become even more sparse, and my father was plucking out every little weed that could potentially blossom into hope.
They talked about football a little while (my savior), and when the time came to go home, I was ready to bolt.
“Is it okay if I walk my daughter home?” he asked.
“Perfectly fine,” Stan said. He reached out to shake my dad’s hand, thanking him for dinner, and relief radiated through me at their exchange. At least Stan was as uncomfortable as I was. “See you at home, Avereis.”
When Stan left ahead of me, so did my anxiety. My purple eyes snapped back over to my father as we remained standing at the table with the restaurant closing around us.
“What do you think?” I dreaded his response.
“I don’t like him,” he said.
“Come on, seriously?” I whined, even though I knew he hated it. “The Mages thought he’d be the perfect mentor because I can’t read his emotions and manipulate lessons.”
“You can’t?”
“And you can
?” I accused. Unbelievable. Helaine was right. My father was a freak of nature.
“All I’m saying is that I don’t like him, and I’m entitled to my own opinion.”
“Fair enough. Thanks for sharing,” I added sarcastically. I sounded so much like him.
He ran a hand through his light hair, smiling. I followed him to the door and outside, onto the promenade of Block Thirteen and down the steps onto the street.
“One thing about being an empath is holding back information others aren’t ready for,” he lectured. “But witches, they should always be ready.”
“Look, he’s just trying to help. He’s been friendly—not too friendly—and I’ve made a few breakthroughs. Give him a chance before you plan his murder, alright?”
“Alright, but only because you’re my favorite daughter.”
I giggled.
“Nothing is going on between you?”
His over-protective emotions smothered me up to the whites of my rolling eyes. His concern was worse than mom’s, but at least the two of them weren’t here together. That was the absolute worst.
And like I’d actually tell him about the dreams, or the way Stan looked at me… the way I didn’t think he looked at anyone else.
“Just because we live in the same house under a sacred supernatural institution doesn’t mean anything besides friendship is going on. With me and anyone in the Coven.”
“You’re not seeing anyone, are you?”
“No,” I said pointedly, hoping he couldn’t tell that I had been having dreams. “I am not. I am working on my induction. Happy?”
“As happy as a father could be.”
“You know, someday, you’ll have to let me go. I’m nineteen now. You remember what it’s like to be nineteen, don’t you?”
“When I was nineteen I had just escaped from an experimental laboratory and found out my parents were dead. I had extreme goals too. We are so much alike, Rose.”
“I just told Aunt Jen that it was a good thing that I was like you, but remember that I’m just as stubborn as you and mom put together, and you will have to let me grow up eventually.”
“Ah, I didn’t account for your mom’s stubbornness as well.” The Irish accent on the end of his words made me smile. “That is going to be a problem for any father, but don’t rush growing up, okay?”
I groaned.
“Rose, you’re an adult but you’re still a teenager. Be both.”
I wished I could tell him about my powers problems. Everyone in my life was stuck in the past, and no one knew the new me, the real me. Some days, I wanted be blonde-haired Rose again, but she was only burned in my memory. Brigid had taken over my flesh, and since that day, I hadn’t been the same. That taste of power reminded me that I could improve, and showed me what I could be. I needed to be stronger than my father, but I wasn’t sure if I could catch up to him so quickly.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Summer Solstice
Helaine
For the past few weeks, the Coven didn’t say a word about what we were doing together for the summer solstice, only to meet in the living room the day before it. London was buzzing with warmer weather, attendance was up at the dojo, and the goddamn birds living in the courtyard were awake before dawn every morning.
I was the last to meet the others downstairs.
Without a hello, Gregory turned to me and Rose: “We’re letting you leave London.”
“No way!” She yelled first. “This isn’t some kind of joke, is it?”
“I’m serious,” Gregory assured us. “We go to the beach for a weekend and do our ritual there. We just don’t like the general public to know we are gone.”
“What if something happens back in London?” Rose asked immediately.
“We can teleport back in case something happens,” explained Maddi, “and we always assess the threat level before we go. London is quiet right now. It’s the perfect time to go.”
“It’s like a mini vacation?” I asked with a wave of excitement in my voice.
“In other words yes. You’re free to do what you want at the beach, but we will perform a ritual tomorrow night. A change of scenery does everyone well in their first year,” Gregory explained.
“Summer is also a great time to explain the duties of the Coven,” Maddi said. “Going to nature sparks a different kind of learning.”
“We’re not camping though, are we?” Rose asked.
“Avereis can only go where there is indoor plumbing,” I mused.
“I am not surprised,” Stan spoke. She wouldn’t have issued him a scathing look if it wasn’t true.
“It’s a beach house,” Gregory said, “quaint, but you’ll love it.”
We packed without hesitation and piled into the car, as to not miss a moment more. In an hour, we pulled up to the beach house, a rental from a distinguished witch family.
The cottage was a slate blue color, and a white fence surrounded the quaint two-story building. We could hear the rolling waves from the ocean as soon as we got out of the car. The beach was secluded, and the nearest cottage was just a tiny speck in the distance.
“I didn’t think we’d get here so soon,” I told everyone, as we moved from the car to stretch our legs.
“We do live on an island.” Maddi winked. “This is the same house we rent every year. The equinox isn’t until tomorrow, so just have fun today. I’ll try to keep Stan off of your back, Avereis,” Maddi added.
“Thank you,” she said back.
“Oi, I’m not going to ruin the beach for a witch from a water line,” he reminded Maddi.
Feet on the ground, Rose and I exchanged mischievous glances before shrieking and racing each other to the ocean’s edge. We kicked off our shoes halfway between the cottage and the shore.
The sand between our toes and the waves washing over our feet made me feel perfectly serene. There was so much ahead of me in life now. I knew I wanted to live by water one day.
“I missed the water so much,” Rose sighed from beside me, her eyes closed. She walked into the rolling waves until they made it to her thighs, and then came back to join me.
We sat down, the warmth of the tide just barely touching our feet.
“You don’t even want to see the cottage?” Gregory asked from behind us.
“In an hour or two,” Rose responded.
We chatted for an hour in the sun before Maddi collected us for a quick tour.
As we entered the cottage, we realized someone had already taken our bags inside.
“Thanks, Stan,” Rose said with a grin. He smiled back from the couch, nose in a book. Even though this was a mini-holiday, he was probably up to something witchy.
“There are three rooms and a study here, oldest picks first, so you can either double up in the last room, or one of you can take the couch or loft.”
“We’re aces at slumber parties,” I told Maddi. “No problem.”
There was a small loft overlooking the open living room and kitchen, and one hallway off the main living area. Greyish shiplap coated the walls, and the nautical themed decorations were subtle and not overdone. The curtained glass doors of the study rested under the loft. It had been claimed by Gregory, who was more or less after the telly. The bedrooms were close together, all off of one hallway.
“Comfortable?” I asked Gregory, who was lounging just inside the study doors on a futon.
“I am catching up on my shows the whole weekend—but I will be at the solstice party, and I’m just a ‘Gregory, get your lazy arse out here!’ away if you need me.”
“What do you usually do on the weekend?” Rose asked Maddi.
“I always write poetry during the solstice.”
“I should paint,” Rose said, “before it gets dark. Anyone care to join me?”
“I have no artistic talent,” Stan said immediately.
“You’re a musician,” Rose argued.
“Have you ever seen me paint though?”
Rose rolled
her eyes and climbed to the loft to grab an easel and canvas. I knew without a single doubt that she was going to paint the ocean.
“Need a hand?” I asked her.
“Sure,” she replied.
I wanted to see the loft too. It was barely big enough to fit the sofa it held. A trunk was set up as a small altar, but whoever it belonged to had packed most of the items inside. The owners were probably happy as could be knowing that we were here now… even if they were rooting against me or Rose.
Helping Rose with the compact easel, we headed outside again.
I sat on the shore next to Rose as she painted. Fortunately, the sun wouldn’t be hot enough to burn my pale skin, but I’d probably leave our vacation with more freckles.
“First time painting, right?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged. “Mom always liked sketching, and I’m used to drawing with pencils, but I don’t know the first thing about painting. Maybe I should have started with the smaller canvas.”
“I hope you surprise yourself then,” I approved.
“Me too.”
When the sun set we met everyone back inside for dinner and drinks.
“You two are really going to stay inside this whole time?” I asked Gregory and Stan.
“Hell yes,” Gregory said. “I don’t think I’m solar powered. I’m a Luison after all. This is a natural tan.”
“I only go out at night,” Stan explained. “I like the beach in the dark. When you dip one foot in walking down the shore, you feel like you’d get lost forever if a strong wave picks you up. It might not be my element, but water is strong and powerful. It is said that witches descended from Atlantis.”
Rose held up her canvas as if Stan he had just asked her to telepathically.
“That’s gorgeous,” Maddi squealed, setting down a wine bottle and opener to get a better look. The ocean was more green than I remembered it being, but it looked brilliant.
“It is pretty good,” Gregory agreed.
“I told her it would be,” I said, flashing Rose a smile.
“You should keep it,” Stan said. “It looks inspired.”
Rose cleared her throat and turned back to Maddi. Déesse, she was acting weird concerning the painting. It was just the ocean.
But with the way Rose read into signs, I bloody well knew that nothing was never only the thing it was named.
Death's Primordial Kiss (The Silvered Moon Diaries Book 1) Page 33