I sense his presence a split second before he clears his throat, a split second before Owen’s lips meet mine. The two of us lean away from each other quickly, but it doesn’t matter. Even if our intent hadn’t been obvious, I’m sure Fox can sense the emotions between us. Although he’s a witch, it’s obvious from the impressions I’ve been receiving from him that he’s picking up on some of what’s going on in my head—and probably Owen’s, too.
Fox stands awkwardly in the archway, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “They, um... They want you in there.”
I wish I couldn’t read him so easily. He’s doing his best to cover it up, but Fox is no psychic, and he can’t block his feelings. Confusion. Betrayal. Anger. Sadness. I want to explain, but what can I say?
The truth.
I’m not sure whether the idea comes from me or Owen, but I push it away immediately. After Crystal and I did the spell that ended up changing the past, changing our present, she insisted we keep the truth to ourselves. I agreed and did my best to move forward, living the life I found myself in. Fox was a big part of that life. If he feels betrayed now, how much worse will it be if I tell him I’ve been lying for weeks? That the girl he was with for three years is gone?
As much as I wish things were simple right now, that Owen and I could pick up the relationship we began before the circle ever got its hands on the crystal, the fact is that things are far too complex at the moment. Maybe things wouldn’t be so difficult if I didn’t care about Fox, but the fact is I do. And while I’m not entirely sure what that caring means, I know I don’t want to cause him more pain than is necessary. Making him deal with Owen and me as a couple while the three of us are linked, while he can sense our emotions, isn’t fair to him.
Owen gets to his feet first, giving Fox a wide berth as he crosses into the hallway. Fox’s head doesn’t move, but his eyes follow Owen’s progress until they no longer can. When his gaze snaps back to me, I press my lips together. I should say something right now to explain what he just walked in on, but my scrambling brain can’t come up with a truth vague enough or a lie plausible enough. Instead, I stand and start out of the room.
At first I think he’ll just let me pass, but Fox hooks my elbow gently with his hand before I make it to the hallway. “I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but... I know there’s something. I can sense it, but I don’t understand it.” His eyes lock on mine. “If the three of us are gonna be bound together, eventually you’re gonna have to tell me.” He exhales through his nose. “I mean, I know we’re not together anymore, so you don’t really owe me an explanation. But after three years… Krissa, I just… I need to know.”
I nod, even though I have no idea how I’d begin to explain.
Chapter Five
With my help, Dad and Anya do their best to explain the state of things to a bewildered Tucker. I do my best to empathize with him—after all, it’s understandable to be overwhelmed by the idea of psychics and witches and binding spells and a guy from the past bent on taking over the town. Still, my patience wanes after the third or fourth time he whines about his hangover.
Once Dad is satisfied that Tucker is sufficiently caught up to speed, he announces we’re all free to go.
No one moves.
“Is that it?” Griffin asks, sounding incredulous. “You get us here, tell us we’re bound to each other—which we already knew, by the way—and tell us there’s some crazy powerful dude who wants to kill us, and that’s it? Now we’re just supposed to go home and what? Wait for this guy to come at us again?”
“There’s no reason to believe he’ll come after you any time soon,” Dad says, using the same placating voice he would use when I’d wake up from a nightmare. “Kristyl was able to stop him last night—something I’m sure he didn’t think was possible. There’s no way he’ll try again before he’s sure he’s stronger.”
“Well, I’m reassured,” Griffin mutters sarcastically.
West sighs heavily, leaning forward and propping his elbows on his thighs. “As much as I hate to admit it, he’s got a point. If we’re stronger than Seth is right now, shouldn’t we be doing something to stop him before he gets the upper hand?”
Dad and Anya exchange a glance. I catch Jodi’s eye but her face remains neutral: If she knows anything, she won’t give it away.
“We have a plan in the works,” Dad says. “It’s not quite ready to put into action, but when it is, you’ll know the details.”
A rumble of unease flows through the circle, but I’d know what they were all thinking even if we weren’t connected. “Why can’t you tell us now?”
Dad purses his lips, affecting the look he used to give when I’d ask for the truth about Santa or the Easter Bunny. “Honestly, for the moment, it’s best as few people know as possible. As I’m sure you can appreciate, the more people in on a secret, the harder it is to keep it secret for long.”
“So you don’t trust us?” Felix asks slowly.
Dad opens his mouth, but Anya places a hand lightly on his forearm. “Remember, Seth isn’t just a witch, he’s also psychic,” she says. “It’s not a matter of trusting you, it’s a matter of keeping you safe from him for as long as possible.”
Before anyone can respond, a knock sounds at the front door. Jodi, who has been sitting in the chair Anya placed in the hall since Tucker’s arrival, stands and disappears toward the sound. Although I can’t hear the words spoken, I recognize the cadence of the voices that join hers moments later—David Cole and Shelly Tanner, members of Jodi’s old circle who helped her cast the binding spell last night.
Dad stands, clapping his hands and rubbing them together. “Okay, I think that’s all for today. I suggest you all spend some time doing what Anya suggested and talking with the person you’re linked to.”
Griffin snorts as Dad and Anya join Jodi in the hall. “Yeah, us kids’ll just sit tight and wait for the grown-ups to figure everything out,” he grumbles darkly, standing. “Let’s get out of here, little brother.”
“Wait,” West says. “We’re supposed to talk about how to handle being linked to each other.”
Griffin points a finger at him. “That’s easy: Stay outta my head, psychic. Fox, let’s go.”
Although I sense distinct hesitation in Fox, he does as his brother says. As much as he wants to stay and talk to me about what he walked in on earlier, he’s also afraid to hear what I might say. He keeps his eyes trained forward as he follows Griffin out.
Tucker is the next to leave, muttering something about needing time to process—although I get the distinct impression as he passes that his processing will rely heavily on whatever alcohol he has left over from last night.
I sense Felix’s reluctance mingled with determination as he approaches Bridget. Lexie and Bria eye each other coolly, both still deciding whether they want to talk.
Owen wants to discuss what almost happened earlier. More accurately, I feel he’d like to pick up where we left off. There’s a part of me that wants to do that, too. The night of our first kiss, when he was leaving the house, Owen told me not to change my mind and I promised I wouldn’t. Even now, I’m not sure that I have, but I can’t deny that other things have changed. As much as I know he doesn’t want to hear it, I don’t think we can simply pick up where we left off in the other timeline.
A split second before he stands, I do, crossing to Crystal who is staring blankly at the coffee table before her. “Thirsty? Let me make you some tea.”
She fixes her eyes on me before nodding and standing. As we enter the hallway, so do the adults, who have spent the last few minutes on the porch. Jodi nods as we pass each other and leads her group into the dining room. By the time Crystal and I make it to the kitchen, it’s clear Jodi’s cast some sort of spell because although I can see Dad’s mouth moving as he sits, no sound reaches my ears. Whatever they’re discussing, it’s clear they don’t want the rest of us to overhear. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m starting to feel
the same irritation as Griffin. What could be so important as to require the help of Jodi’s circle but not the combined power of the witches and the psychics I’m connected to?
As I fill the tea kettle, I try to shake off the concern. Anya is right, after all. Seth is a psychic. Maybe she and Dad figure he would assume my friends and I would have knowledge of the plan, but not anticipate Jodi’s circle might. I set the kettle on the burner before turning to the cupboards and scanning the bags of loose tea Jodi stores there. I find one good for energy and clarity and pull it down before turning to Crystal. She seems out of it. I know we’re all tired this morning after last night’s events, but this is different somehow. She’s distant. Could this be about being linked to Tucker? The two were in a relationship until recently, when Crystal dumped him—rather publicly—because she had a crush on Seth. It must be awkward to learn not only is he a psychic, but he’s her psychic.
A pang sears through me as a memory floats to the surface of my mind. It didn’t surprise me when I found out that in this timeline Crystal and Tucker were together because I already knew she had a thing for bad boys. In our reality, she and Zane had hooked up from time to time. I release a breath. As much as I don’t want to talk about him, to dredge up the guilt that stabs me when he comes to mind, I don’t know whether the two had the same history in this reality. I might be the only person she has to talk about this with.
“How are you doing?” I ask, my voice low.
She blinks a few times before responding. “I’ve been better.”
I wait for her to continue, but she doesn’t. My instinct is to press forward with my abilities—amplified by the binding spell, it shouldn’t take much effort to figure out what’s happening in her head. But a psychic intrusion now, since we’re all constantly intruding on one another, feels wrong. None of us needs an added layer of invasion right now. “If you need to talk about him—about Zane—you can talk to me. You know that right?”
Her eyes narrow and she can’t conceal the red flame of anger that flares within her, but a moment later she shakes her head, the anger dissipating.
She blames me. Of course she does. How could she not? I was stupid to mention his name.
The kettle whistles and I busy myself making her a cup of tea. My fingers tremble as I add leaves to the infuser and tiny bits of herbs flutter to the counter. Just another mess I’ve made.
I leave the mug on the counter, my eyes down as I turn toward her. “It should steep for a few minutes,” I murmur. “I’ll leave you to… Crystal, I’m so sorry.” I look at her as I say the last words before stepping toward the hall.
She catches my arm, her touch light. “Thank you.”
Even though I technically still have company, I don’t make my way back into the living room. Instead, I ascend the stairs toward my room. I appreciate Crystal’s words, but they do nothing to absolve me of the shame billowing and swirling within me. I don’t know if anything can.
Chapter Six
Voices wake me Monday morning. The room is brighter than it should be and I squint at the time on my phone. Nine fifteen.
What little remnants of sleep were clinging to me evaporate. I’m late for school—like, really late. Why didn’t anyone wake me?
I sit up and my head spins, leaving me lightheaded through several breaths. My body still aches in places, but overall I feel much better than I did yesterday. Still, I’m not entirely recovered from the events of Saturday night. Maybe that’s the explanation for the unscheduled day off.
A day off. If it’s Monday, Jodi and my mom should be at work already. If that’s the case, whose voices woke me? I shudder at the mental image of my dad and Anya sitting around the table, sipping coffee as she brushes her fingers over his forearm. I don’t know if I could stomach walking downstairs to see such a spectacle. If that’s what I’ve been left to deal with, I’d rather go into school late.
Tentatively, I reach forward with my abilities. I sense Dad and Anya, but also Jodi and three others that are bright and vaguely familiar. The members of Jodi’s old circle. David and Shelly were here yesterday because they live in town. The only other member I know of is a guy named Ryan Alcott who—at least in my other reality—lived in Ohio. That he’s here means something big must be up.
I get dressed as quickly as I can before heading downstairs. It’s not possible they’re planning to make a move on Seth right now, is it? There’s no way Jodi’s circle of four is as powerful as mine. Besides, they have to realize there’s no way I’d sit something like this out.
Before I reach the first floor, I hear the creak of floorboards under footfalls and a gentle swell of voices. The group is on the move. I don’t see them in the hall at the bottom of the stairs, so they must be emerging from the sitting room at the back of the house. I quicken my descent as much as I dare, not wanting to slip and end up as a heap on the floor, but before I make it all the way down, Jodi appears, steaming mug of tea in hand. The footsteps and voices move farther away; everyone must be headed to the greenhouse.
Jodi presses the mug into my hands when I reach her, blocking my way into the hall. Instead, she nods toward the dining room table. “Let’s sit.”
I hesitate, my eyes dropping to the teacup. I really want to know what’s going on in the greenhouse, but the fact that Jodi is here to head me off suggests the others might clam up if I appear there. Or maybe they’re all done talking about whatever the plan is and moving into the greenhouse for spell supplies, in which case maybe Jodi’s here to fill me in on the details. Deciding my best course of action is to go with my aunt, I nod and follow her into the dining room.
“Drink your tea,” Jodi admonishes as I sit. “I made a whole bag of it and put it in the cupboard. You should drink a cup every day.”
“Okay,” I agree, despite her lack of detail on why I should drink it. I trust her enough to do it just because she’s asking. Even though I’m burning with questions, I pause to take a few sips. “What’s going on? Should I call everyone?”
The corner of Jodi’s mouth quirks upward, but the motion doesn’t resemble a smile. “We won’t need your circle’s help today. My friends and I can handle this.” Her eyes dip to my mug and I hastily slurp some more, knowing she won’t continue until I have. “We’re going to cast a protective spell around the town line. That way, no one with abilities will be able to get in. It’ll keep you all safe until the time is right.”
I nod, coughing a little as I struggle to swallow the current mouthful. “So we know for sure Seth isn’t in Clearwater?”
Jodi presses her lips together. “Yes. We’ve done several spells and Anya’s used her abilities, too. Although we haven’t pinpointed exactly where he is, we know where he isn’t. And to make sure he doesn’t come into town before you’re ready for him, we’re going to cast a barrier spell. No one with abilities can cross it—in either direction.”
I consider this. “So—wait. You mean we’ll be stuck here?”
She nods. “Yes. You’ll be stuck here. Why? Did you have some hot out-of-town plans or something?”
“Well, no, but… Seth isn’t in town. When we’re ready to take him on, how are we supposed to get to him? Will you guys just undo the spell or something?”
Before Jodi can answer, the voices from the greenhouse grow louder, more distinct. They’re moving into the main house. Shelly Tanner emerges first, followed by David Cole and Ryan Alcott. Anya and my dad bring up the rear.
“We’ve got everything on the list, Jodi,” Shelly says. She gives me a nod of acknowledgment as she approaches. “I think we’re about ready. Ben’s already put the coordinates into our phones, so we know where to go.”
“Good. Then I think we’re all set.” Jodi turns to my dad. “What do you think, big brother? Want to drive with me?”
Dad smiles. “Of course. I figure we can take Ryan. Anya’s going to drop off Shelly and David.”
Jodi turns to me. “What do you think? You up for a trip to the town line?”
I follow the adults out of the house. When they split up to go to their respective cars—Anya, Shelly, and David to the Challenger, and Ryan, Jodi, Dad, and me to Jodi’s Focus—Anya makes sure each witch has a paper bag and a long black taper candle.
When Dad walks purposefully to the drivers side and tugs at the handle, Jodi clears her throat. “Excuse me?”
He holds up his hands innocently. “Sorry. Figured I’d be the one driving. Wasn’t sure your little feet could reach the pedals.”
She elbows him in the ribs, nudging him out of the way with her hip. “It’s my car, jerk. Budge over to the passenger side before I banish you to the backseat.”
My heart fills at the sight of them like this. My memories of Jodi from before Dad went away are fuzzy at best, and I don’t recall ever seeing them interact like this, like siblings. Still, as Jodi claims her rightful place, I can’t help noticing her smile isn’t quite as carefree as it should be in the moment. There’s a hint of sadness, of apprehension behind it.
The atmosphere in the car is tense. I suppose Jodi and Ryan are just preparing for the spell they have to do. Or is it more than that? I try to reach out with my psychic abilities, but the result isn’t good: Even though Jodi and Ryan are close by, my mind is drawn immediately to Fox, Owen, and the rest of the circle. I would have to wade through all of their thoughts and emotions—or systematically tune each of them out—to get a useful read on Jodi or Ryan. I want to ask questions—how will they cast the spell, what are they using to cast it—but, given the heavy atmosphere, I have a feeling my questions won’t be welcomed. I don’t want them to regret inviting me along, so I bite my tongue and stare out the window as Dad drives.
Clearwater Witches Boxset Page 55