Clearwater Witches Boxset

by Madeline Freeman

  Her words take the breath out of me. I feel like I’ve been sucker-punched. It takes several attempts before I manage to gulp down some air. That everything happening is a result of my actions is not news to me, but to hear it so plainly from someone else somehow puts it into a different light. Is she right? Should my previous decisions be enough to keep me from taking further action now? It seems like every time I attempt to make a situation better—helping the circle find the crystal to save Jodi, using the stone’s energy to bring us back to the present even though I didn’t know what spell Crystal was attempting to cast, trying to separate the circle from the stone’s power—it turned out worse.

  But this plan isn’t mine, it’s my dad’s. I’m just going along with it. But is his desire to take matters into his own hands as misguided as my own? What if what he thinks is the best course of action is really something that will bring more unexpected consequences? The elder council in Seth’s day managed to trap him for generations. Who are we to think we can do better than they did? Maybe the town is better off without the influence of magic or psychics. And maybe the world is better off without me possessing either kind of ability.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Dad doesn’t say anything about the elder council finding out about our plan to take on Seth ourselves, but his disappointment radiates off him. I know as soon as I wake up Saturday morning that I can’t spend the whole day with him or I’ll burst from the pent-up tension between us. I don’t want to be the one to bring it up, don’t want for him to point out one more mistake I’ve made. And part of me is afraid if he asks what all they’ve learned I might tell him—I might tell him everything. It’s bad enough the council knows as much as it does. I don’t want my Dad to look at me the way Ruby did.

  I text Felix as Dad drives us to the shop and he and I make plans to hang out in the afternoon. I count the hours until he arrives. Dad gives me busy work around the store—dusting, inventory, restocking. I’m thankful for it because I can do it without thinking. I focus on the task before me and fill my mind with numbers and plans instead of memories of Ruby’s words or worry about the coming days.

  The bell above the door tinkles around noon and I peer around the shelf expectantly. Since the incident with Dana, I’ve been keeping a stronger wall up for fear of anyone else gleaning information from my mind. But the wall works both ways, so I don’t know who’s walking in until I look. Disappointment floods me when it’s Anya, not Felix, who enters.

  I’m surprised to see her. She’s been spending most of her time in the woods by the Althea, even though there’s nothing her presence can do to make it mature any faster. If I’m honest, it’s been nice not having her buzz around all the time. It seems that wherever my dad is, she is also. It chafes because I know my parents aren’t getting as much time together as my mom would like. She hasn’t said anything about it, but it’s not difficult to sense. Her husband is back, but not really. The five years have changed him, possibly more than they’ve changed her, and for now she doesn’t fit neatly into his life. And having Anya around all the time doesn’t help matters.

  Anya waves and smiles as she passes and I do my best to smile back. I’m sure it looks more like a grimace. It’s not that I dislike her, not really. But no matter how integral she is to the plan to get rid of Seth, I can’t see her as more than the woman who took my dad away.

  When she locates Dad in the stock room, they begin a low conversation. Part of me wonders what’s going on, but I don’t edge closer in an attempt to find out. What if they’re not talking about the plan? What if it’s a personal conversation? Do I really want to hear something like that?

  Bells tinkle again and this time it is Felix who enters. I call a goodbye to Dad, who pokes his head out of the stock room long enough to acknowledge me as I grab the coat I stashed behind the register and head out the door.

  “Thanks,” I say as Felix and I start down the sidewalk.

  “You can thank me by explaining what’s with the tension between you and your dad.”

  I sigh. I’m not surprised he picked up on that—he is psychic after all. But I’d hoped he’d give me some time to ease into the situation on my own. Instead of answering, I survey the street. Now that the weather has the distinct edge of winter, there are fewer people milling about. Those who are walking around move with purpose, clutching their coats tightly when a gust of wind blows by.

  “I’m hungry,” I say, ignoring his request. “Do you want to grab something at the coffee shop or get some real food?”

  For a moment, I’m afraid Felix won’t drop it, but he blows out a breath. “Let’s get some pizza.”

  We make our way down to the restaurant in silence. A group of six spills onto the sidewalk when we’re still several feet away. I force a smile. “That’s gotta be a good sign, right? Hopefully there won’t be too long a wait.”

  I’m feeling good about our choice. Once we’re sitting in the warm restaurant, noshing on gooey, delicious pizza, maybe we can forget about the ongoing drama our lives have become.

  Felix darts forward to grab the door, but before he can, it swings open and another patron exits. Her energy assails my senses and my whole body tenses. Her looks are unfamiliar—she’s the kind of person who ordinarily gets overlooked, with mousy brown hair and thin, plain features—but I know that’s not who she really is. Although my abilities were muffled by the spell she was casting that night, her essence is forever burned into my subconscious. I know it’s her.

  Sasha’s mouth curls into a smile when her eyes land on me, and she drops the glamor disguising her. Now she looks just as I remember—rich, wavy dark brown hair, heart-shaped face, and a haughty expression. So similar to her sister and yet so different. My hands ball into fists and my brain whizzes with possible escape scenarios. Sensing my apprehension, Felix stops and takes a step back, closer to me. His consciousness brushes against mine, and I allow him in just enough to glean the source of my discomfort. His eyes narrow and Sasha’s smile broadens.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Felix growls.

  She tilts her head, her hair swishing over her shoulder. “Isn’t it obvious?” Her eyes slide to the restaurant’s door. “A girl’s gotta eat.”

  “You’ve got some nerve, showing your face in town after what you did to Krissa. If it wasn’t for your sister, I’d give you a taste of your own medicine right here.” Felix’s body is coiled like a snake ready to strike. For someone who’s usually so easygoing, this abrupt change is disconcerting.

  Sasha’s confident facade cracks slightly. Her smile drops and her eyes narrow. “My sister is dead,” she says, her voice low.

  Did Elliot not tell her about seeing Anya in the shop? It seems cruel to keep something like that from a person. If Sasha knew the truth about Anya, is it possible she might turn from her blind devotion to Seth? “No, she’s definitely alive,” I say firmly. “She’s alive and she’s trying to make the world safer for everyone. She’s seen a future with Seth and it’s not good. Maybe if you just listen to her—”

  “She’s dead to me,” Sasha snarls. “She betrayed our family when she left. When they told me she was dead, it was the truth. The sister I knew is gone.”

  Even with the shield up around my abilities, Sasha’s raw emotion reaches me. So she does know about her sister’s presence in Clearwater. It’s dredged up a swirl of emotions she’s worked hard to bury in the years since they last saw each other. But then she draws back her shoulders, submerging the feelings once more. She scans me, her gaze lingering on my right wrist. Although my coat covers the bracelet there, I can tell she senses it.

  “Are you really so weak you need a protection charm to keep you safe from me?” She takes a step forward, invading my personal space.

  Fast as lightning, Felix shoves the palm of his hand into Sasha’s shoulder, pushing her away from me. A couple in their forties eyes us warily as they edge by. I tug on Felix’s sleeve. This isn’t the place for a confrontation.

&nb
sp; Sasha surveys Felix appreciatively before turning back to me. “Just how many boyfriends do you have?” Before I can answer, she cocks her head. “Well, whatever the number, I’m pretty sure there’ll be one less shortly.”

  Panic surges and it takes all my will power not to grab Sasha by the coat and pull her toward me. “If you hurt any of my friends—”

  “It’s not me,” she says, hands held up innocently. “But I think you should know I saw one of your boys in there with some brunette. The youngest member of your elder council, if I’m not mistaken. They were having a pretty serious discussion in there, and he was not very happy with the things she was saying about you.” A satisfied smirk spreads across her face and she pushes past me as she heads down the sidewalk.

  I dart for the restaurant door, but Felix hooks my elbow with his hand. “Whoa—what’s wrong?”

  I shake off his grip. I haven’t told him about Dana and the council. The shame of my mistake is still too strong. But if there’s one person who’s proven he can be trusted with the truth, it’s Felix, so I push the information about the Dana situation into his mind as I pull open the door and step in. The truth is, I don’t know what all she sensed when she saw my thoughts. But I have the sinking feeling she picked up on more than just our plans related to Seth.

  After a quick scan, I spot Fox and Dana at a booth toward the middle of the dining area. The hostess smiles warmly, but I ignore her, starting for them instead. Fox sits on the far side of the table, his face clearly visible. His expression is a mixture of confusion, hurt, and disbelief. What could Dana be telling him?

  But I already know the answer. The truth. When Ruby spoke to me yesterday, I assumed her comments were based on general impressions, but there’s no way generalities could make Fox’s eyes so dark and stormy. Somehow, Dana must know the truth about my presence in this reality and now she’s appointed herself bearer of the news.

  Fox’s demeanor changes and he stills like a rabbit sensing danger. When his gaze locks on me, anger floods his features and he stands so abruptly he bumps his table, making water slosh over the rim of the glass in front of Dana.

  I cross to him, but he holds out his arm to keep me back. “I don’t want to talk to you,” he snaps.

  I grip his forearm, forcing him to slow. “But we need to.” Ignoring the alarmed looks from nearby patrons, I tug Fox toward the front door. Felix watches as we pass but doesn’t follow. I don’t release Fox’s arm until we’re standing in the doorway of what used to be a flower shop. Now its windows are covered with newspaper and there’s a sign tacked up with a number to call for information about leasing the space. I take in a slow breath and release it. “Fox…”

  He crosses his arms over his chest, eyebrows raised expectantly.

  I know I have to say something, but my brain refuses to form a coherent thought. “Let me explain,” I say, although I have no idea how.

  His eyes narrow. “I think Dana explained things pretty well. I just have one question: Were you ever going to tell me? Were you ever going to let me in on the fact that you’re not the girl I’ve been with for the last three years?”

  I squeeze my eyes shut, sinking my upper teeth into my lower lip. After all my lies, he deserves this truth, even if it won’t be a comfort. “No.”

  He releases a soft tut and attempts to push past me but I block his way.

  “It was Crystal’s call to keep it all a secret,” I insist. Even though it’s true, the excuse sounds hollow. “The night we brought the crystal back, I was so confused. Nothing was the way I left it. My whole world was completely different. Pretending like I was the person you thought I was seemed like the best thing to do. But I never wanted to hurt you.”

  “Well, mission unaccomplished. How could you keep something like this from me? I loved you—well, I loved her. And even if you didn’t feel the same way after you took over her life, you should’ve told me. I deserved at least that. But instead, you chose to lie, to pretend everything was fine.” He throws up his hands. “No wonder you were so eager to break up. No wonder you’ve suddenly got all these feelings for Owen. You never loved me—never even cared.”

  “That’s not true.” I swallow, debating whether to share the next piece with him. But if he already knows where I come from, a little more understanding can’t hurt. “The other you, from my reality—he had his flaws. But at his core, he was a good person. And you—you’re a better version of him.” I reach for his hand a squeeze his fingers. “I didn’t expect to, but I’ve really grown to care about you.”

  He yanks his hand away. “You can’t care about a person and lie to his face at the same time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get out of here. There’s nothing you can say right now to make this better, so stop trying.”

  Fox pushes past me and I don’t block him. By the time I emerge from the doorway, his long legs have taken him halfway down the block. I turn back toward the restaurant just in time to see the self-satisfied smirk on Dana’s face as she passes. She picks up speed, waving her hand. “Fox, wait up!”

  Felix’s hand cups my shoulder. “You wanna talk about it?”

  I don’t answer, but Felix doesn’t seem to expect me to. He leads the way to the coffee shop formerly owned by one of Jodi’s friends. Like Dana’s father, Millie was killed by Seth. Another casualty of my actions.

  Tears prickle my eyes and Felix guides me to a high-top table before standing in line. When he returns, he sets a lidded paper cup in front of me. I wrap my hands around it for warmth but don’t bring it to my lips.

  “She told him?” Although his tone indicates a question, Felix already knows the answer. “Why would she do that?”

  I shrug. “She’s dealing with a lot right now. Maybe she thought he deserved to know the truth. I mean, if she’d known the truth about all this stuff, maybe her dad would still be alive.”

  He shakes his head. “Bull.” He covers my hand with one of his. “She couldn’t’ve done anything to stop Seth, just like you couldn’t. I know you feel like everything we’re going through is your fault, but it’s not. You’re not a bad person. If you were, you wouldn’t be sitting here trying to make excuses for the girl who just went out of her way to hurt you.”

  I offer a small half smile. I’m grateful for Felix’s friendship. He always knows what to say and his very presence is soothing. We sit in silence for several minutes. Felix sips his drink at intervals, but his free hand remains on mine, the touch reassuring.

  The door opens, letting in a gust of cold air along with the patron. I’m content to ignore him, focusing instead on calming down and figuring out a way to make things right with Fox, until the newcomer stalks right up to my table and I recognize him.

  “Owen?” My hands twitch against my coffee cup, but neither Felix nor I pull away, even when Owen’s blue eyes fix on them.

  “I thought you were at the shop all day today,” he says, his voice measured.

  I nod. “Just on my lunch break.”

  He scans the table but doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to. There’s no food in front of us. “Felix, you mind if I talk to Krissa for a couple minutes? Alone?”

  His tone is pleasant, but I detect an edge beneath the surface. Felix flicks his gaze to me for verification before nodding and standing. “Sure, man.” Taking his cup with him, he heads out onto the sidewalk.

  Owen wastes no time claiming the vacated chair. “What’s going on?”

  I blow out a breath. I’m sure the upset is still fresh on my face, but I’m in no mood to explain. Not only do I have no interest in telling him how Dana gathered secrets from my mind when I wasn’t paying attention, I know bringing up Fox will just upset him. “I don’t really feel like talking about it.”

  He closes his eyes momentarily, exhaling. “That’s too bad, because we need to talk.” He runs a hand through his hair, taking a breath to calm himself. “I sensed Fox was upset today, and that it had to do with you. I figured you finally talked to him. I thought you’d
be upset, that you could use some support afterward, so I came to give that to you, to be that for you. I’ve been trying to give you your space, even though it’s killing me. So imagine my surprise when I walk in on this.”

  I gape. What is he talking about?

  “So, what?” he continues, agitation rising in his voice. “You’re with Felix now? Or are you just trying to jerk him around like you’re doing with me and Fox?”

  “What?” His accusation is so insane I can’t even form a coherent response.

  “Don’t give me that,” he grumbles. “I walk in and you two are holding hands. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together.”

  I glance down at my hands, still cupped around my drink. “Felix and I are friends—just friends. The last day has been kind of rough and I needed someone to talk to.”

  “And you couldn’t talk to me?” A thread of hurt weaves its way into his words. “There was a time—not too long ago—that we shared our secrets with each other. I thought we still had that connection. But when you need someone to talk to, you call him? You and Felix barely know each other.”

  I shake my head. “You’re thinking of before,” I say firmly. “But since things changed, Felix has been a good friend to me. And I’m not going to let you make me feel guilty when my friend tries to comfort me. If it were Bria in here with her hand on mine, would you be this upset?” I pause, although I don’t actually expect an answer. “I remember sharing my secrets with you, but whether you like it or not, you’re not acting like that person right now. You’re too focused on trying to make everything like it was before I messed up the timeline. But we have so many other things to worry about right now. I was afraid if I called you, you’d read more into it than I meant.”

  He presses his lips into a tight line, exhaling through his nose. His hands slide across the table and lightly cover mine. “You’re right. I’m sorry about that. Maybe I’ve been too focused on getting us back to where we were before—but you’ve got to understand how crazy this whole experience has been for me. I don’t know why I can remember the life I had in the other timeline, but all I can think is it’s so we can be together—because we’re meant to be together. Otherwise, what’s the point?” He offers a smile. “But I get where you’re coming from, too. And I’m sorry if I haven’t been the friend you’ve needed me to be. Let me start making that up to you. If you need me to be the friend you can share everything with, that’s what I’ll be. No hidden agenda. You already know how I feel—and after Seth is gone and the circle is unbound, we can talk about that. But I promise I won’t bring it up again.”