Daughter of Magic

by Teresa Roman

  “A few hundred years,” he replied casually. That revelation left me speechless for a moment. “Of course, if Zoran finds out about you, neither one of us will be making it to our twentieth birthday, much less our hundredth.”

  I preferred not to think about Zoran. “What else can you tell me about my mother?”

  “Hmm . . .” Devin ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve always thought of Naiara as a rather sad person. After I got to know you I finally understood why. I think her heart was broken by the separation, just like your father’s was. In some ways, it’s probably been even harder on Naiara because she’s married to a man she doesn’t really love,” Devin explained. “I always assumed her pain came from her ability, but now I know there’s more to it than that.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked. “What’s her ability?”

  “Your mother is a seer.”

  “A seer? As in she can tell the future?”

  “Not in the way you think. She can’t look into some crystal ball and tell you what your future holds. Her visions come when they come, and she has no control over when or what she sees. It can be quite a burden, knowing the future and not being sure if there’s anything you can do to change it.”

  “How long has she been able to do that?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but most witches with unique abilities like hers don’t get them until they’re around the age you are now, give or take a few years. Seeing the future is too great a burden for a child to bear.”

  Hopefully, being a seer skipped a generation. I wanted an ability, but not that one. “Can she do anything else? Aren’t witches supposed to be able to cast spells and make potions?”

  Devin laughed. “Yes. Although it’s not quite as simple a task as TV shows here make it seem. It takes a lot of practice and some people are just naturally better at magic than others. Like your mother. She’s a Harwood witch, a descendent of the most powerful of our kind. All Harwoods have extraordinary mental abilities; they’re empaths, and telepaths, and seers and they have the ability to communicate with each other using their minds.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “If your mother was standing a few feet away and wanted to tell you something, something she wanted only you to hear, she could make it so you heard her voice in your head.”

  I wasn’t sure if I thought that was creepy or kind of cool, but Devin’s words brought me back to the same question. If I came from such a powerful family, why didn’t I have any abilities? That question wasn’t going to get answered until I saw my mother, though, so there was no point in dwelling on it. “What about you? What can you do?”

  “My senses are heightened,” he said. “I can hear, smell and see . . . well, let’s just say I do those things very well.”

  “You’re like some sort of human bloodhound?”

  “I guess so.” Devin grinned. “Although I’m not sure how I feel about being compared to a dog. Either way, I’m hoping that my ability can keep us safe while we’re in the Wilds.”

  “You really are worried?”

  “Yes and no. I’m fairly confident that I can get us both in and out undetected, but another part of me is scared that something could go wrong. I’ve dreamed my entire life of meeting someone like you. I never thought it would be possible and I don’t want to lose you. I refuse to.”

  An uneasy silence fell over the two of us. I couldn’t even guess what was on Devin’s mind, but I knew what was on mine. I’d already had more than my share of bad luck, so things would be different now. They just had to be. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder what I was getting the both of us into.

  Chapter 15

  Two days passed before Devin and I went on our date. Neither of us liked crowds, so we decided to wait until after the weekend to make plans

  “I want to take you somewhere fancy,” Devin said. Crescent City didn’t have fancy restaurants. I tried explaining that to him. “But I want to go somewhere where the waiters wear suits and you have to get all dressed up.”

  I laughed. “Do they have places like that in the Wilds?”

  “No. But I’ve seen them on TV, and I think it would be nice to go to one.”

  “The nicest place for dinner is the Chart Room,” I told him. “But it’s not fancy. We can go wearing what we have on now.”

  Devin agreed to the Chart Room, but was opposed to us going in our work clothes and insisted the two of us change into something nicer. We parted ways after our shift was over. He promised to meet me in an hour at my house.

  I rifled through my closet for something to wear. It was too cold for a skirt, so I decided on a pair of black leggings and a long gray blouse with a diagonally cut hem. Katy once told me that my mother and I were the only two people she knew who looked beautiful in gray because it brought out the color of our eyes. When I was little, kids teased me about my eye color and say that it made me look spooky—something my dad insisted people only said because they were jealous.

  I’d barely finished running a comb through my hair when the doorbell rang. I ran downstairs, smiling, knowing that it was Devin. Fifteen minutes later we were seated at a table with a waterfront view. Fancy or not, it felt romantic to be sitting across the table from him at a restaurant with the Pacific Ocean just outside our window, watching the sea lions play.

  After our waitress left with our orders tucked in her apron pocket, Devin reached across the table for my hand. He stared at it, then began tracing the markings in my palm. “Do you know how badly I’ve wanted to do this?” he asked.

  “What?” I teased. “Read my palm?”

  “No. Touch you, hold your hand, sit across the table from you without having to pretend I didn’t want more.”

  My heart did a somersault. It was hard to think straight, but slowly my mental haze receded enough for me to ask him a question I’d been thinking about all day.

  “Why is it that witches can do magic when humans can’t?”

  “Witches have a deeper connection to nature, to every tree, every flower, the wind, the rain, the stars and the moon, to fire, and to every drop of water. That connection gives us the ability to channel magic. Humans aren’t linked to the natural world the way we are. Instead, they’re drawn to religion and science. Witches don’t care to explain the unexplainable the way humans do. We embrace the idea that some things just are. Humans’ whole lives are ruled by logic. Even love, the most mysterious and magical thing in the universe, has a scientific explanation. I still find that confounding.” Devin’s eyes shifted from me to our waitress, who was headed toward our table with our food. “We better talk about something else. It wouldn’t be good if anyone overheard our conversation.”

  After our dinners were placed in front of us, and I was sure the waitress was out of hearing distance I whispered, “What would happen if someone heard us talking or caught you using magic?”

  “We’re not supposed to use magic in front of humans,” Devin replied. “But if I ever had to and someone saw me, I would have no other choice but to bewitch them into forgetting all about it.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “It’s almost like hypnosis. That’s the best way I can explain it.”

  “So if you felt like it, you could get people to do whatever you wanted them to?” I thought back to Tim’s party and the time Devin had made that rude hotel guest apologize. So that was how he’d gotten those people to back off.

  Devin nodded.

  “You haven’t used that on me, have you?”

  “No, never. But even if I tried, I don’t think it would have worked. Some of the more powerful witches can bewitch other creatures besides humans, but witches cannot bewitch each other. At least not without using dark magic.”

  “Dark magic?”

  “Dark magic isn’t exactly my favorite subject, Lilli. I promise to tell you all about it, but not on our date.”

  “Fine, but can you at least teach me how to bewitch someone?”

  “It’s no
t something that can be taught. Bewitching comes naturally, once you’re aware you can do it,” Devin replied. “It is a rather convenient ability. It’s helped me here a lot. Do you know how hard it is to get a driver’s license or a job here? Humans have so many rules. I didn’t even know how to drive when I got here, but after I realized I wasn’t going to get very far without a car, I convinced Rob to teach me.”

  “Is that how you got the job at the hotel?” I asked. I was pretty sure they didn’t have Social Security numbers in the Wilds, so Devin must’ve done something to get Rob to overlook that issue, or maybe he figured out a way to get one here using magic. Either way, it dawned on me how much he had pulled off in order to make a life in Crescent City.

  Devin nodded, leaned in closer, and whispered. “It’s also how I got you your job.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say. I’d had a feeling that it was more than just luck that I got hired at the Tides.

  “Are you mad?” he asked.

  “No. It’s just that . . . how did I not figure any of this out?”

  Devin lips curled into a satisfied smile. “Actually, you seemed pretty suspicious of me. I had the hardest time trying to act like a normal human being around you.”

  “Yeah, you sorta did. But I just figured you were Amish or something like that.”

  “What’s an Amish?”

  I laughed and shook my head. “Never mind.” I took a bite of my fish taco and then looked at Devin as he eyed his plate of fish and chips suspiciously.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “I can’t believe what passes for food in this world.”

  “Do you just want to go somewhere else?” I asked, feeling bad that he was unhappy with his dinner.

  “No.” Devin looked up at me. “I’m being silly, this is perfectly fine.” He took a bite of a french fry and smiled.

  By the time we finished dinner and the dessert Devin insisted we get, it was dark. After driving me home he parked behind my car in the driveway. The two of us got out, I headed towards the front door, expecting him to follow.

  Halfway up the path toward my house, Devin stopped and tugged at my hand. I turned around to see what he wanted.

  “Lie down with me,” he said.

  “You mean out here?” I had a jacket on, but it was still a little cold. Devin must’ve noticed the slight shiver that ran through me.

  “I’ll keep you warm, I promise.”

  We walked over to the patch of grass in my front yard and Devin lay down. He patted the ground next to him, held his hand out and looked up at me with a mischievous grin.

  “Why are we out here instead of inside where it’s nice and warm?” I asked as I lay beside him.

  Devin laced his fingers through mine. “I never told you how much I love looking at the stars in the night sky?”

  “No, you didn’t.”

  The twinkling lights were like diamonds awash in a sea of coal. It was so quiet outside that I swore I could hear my heart beating. I never could control how crazily it fluttered when I was near him.

  “Out here, under the stars, I feel like I’m not so far away from home.”

  “You miss it?” Why did that surprise me? I’d always assumed Devin was happy in Crescent City. I never stopped to think about how much he missed his family and friends, even though he talked about his best friend, his little brother Sage, and his two perfect sounding parents all the time.

  “I do miss it. I never realized how different things would be here, and the Wilds really is a beautiful place. But, if you can’t be there with me, it will never be my home again. You are my home now. Where you go, I go.”

  Awed by his declaration, I buried my face in his neck. I wanted to offer my own similar assurance, but the words got stuck in my throat. Devin was fearless when it came to telling me how he felt. I didn’t have that kind of courage. My mind was racked with too many what-ifs.

  “So tell me,” I said trying to ignore the pang of guilt that stabbed at my heart. “What is it like in the Wilds?”

  “When we go you’ll feel like you’ve taken a step back in time. At first, you probably won’t know the difference because it will be too dark to see anything. The only light will be coming from the moon and stars. But once we get to Rayden’s house, you’ll notice that we don’t have all the technology that humans love so much. There’s no Wi-Fi, no phones, computers, or TV’s. Not even electricity.”

  I stared at Devin trying to imagine a world without those things. “Why do you suppose that is?

  “I told you earlier that witches are connected to the natural world. It’s where our power comes from. For whatever reason science and magic don’t mix together well, and despite the convenience that comes with human technology, there’s a price to pay for it,” Devin said. “Besides, who needs electricity when you can use magic to light and heat your home? It’s so much more fun, and there’s no electricity company demanding payment at the end of the month.”

  “Hmmm. I suppose you have a point.”

  “Witches worry that embracing human technology will bring about the end of magic, and magic is what we are. It’s part of our souls.”

  “So if the Wilds is so different, how did you learn about the way things are here?”

  Devin smiled devilishly. “You’re probably going to laugh when I tell you.”

  “I promise I won’t.”

  “I watched a lot of TV.”

  I giggled even though I promised I wouldn’t. I couldn’t help it. It was still so hard for me to wrap my mind around how impossible everything Devin told me was. I sat up and turned so that I could stare down at him. It was dark out, but I could still see the smile that made Devin’s eyes dance. I crawled on top of him straddling his body with my legs before leaning forward to press my body against his. I pulled him into a kiss. “Was it all your TV watching that taught you to be such a good kisser?”

  He shook his head before reaching for me and pressing his lips on mine again. “No. You’re the one that taught me that.”

  “Me?” I didn’t want to confess my lack of experience.

  “You bring things out in me I never realized were possible.”

  “Like what?”

  Devin paused before answering. “Let’s just put it this way. I feel like the luckiest man in the universe.” He stared into my eyes. “I don’t deserve you.”

  He was wrong. I was the one who didn’t deserve him. He had a family, and he’d had a life before he met me. He would probably have left Crescent City long ago if it weren’t for me. Apart from the twinge of regret I felt, I was totally and completely and blissfully happy that he was with me. “Don’t say that again,” I whispered into his ear.

  Despite the warmth that radiated from Devin’s body, a chill crept through. I shivered.

  “You’re cold. Let me take you inside.” Even though I wasn’t ready to give up our blanket of stars, I knew Devin would insist, so I got up and let him lead me to the door.

  Chapter 16

  Devin waited in the living room while I showered and changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants. Just as I was about to head back downstairs, he walked into my room with two steaming cups of tea.

  “To warm you up,” he said, handing me a cup.

  “Thanks.” I took a sip, then another, as I realized he was right. The tea did chase the cold away.

  Devin sat down in the armchair in the corner of my room and held out his hand. “Sit with me.” I let him pull me onto his lap. “I love it when it’s like this. Dark and quiet. Well, quiet for you, not so much for me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I can hear the wind every time it blows, the sounds the night animals make . . . and your heart when it beats.”

  “Really? Exactly how well do you hear?”

  “Very.”

  “How can you stand it?”

  “At first I couldn’t,” he replied. “I remember when I was a kid, feeling like I could hear everything and smell everything. My other senses d
idn’t bother me as much, but I still felt like I would lose my mind, I was on sensory overload all the time.”

  “So how did you learn to get it all under control?”

  “My parents knew someone who was able to help me. He taught me how to control my gift. Now I’m able to tune in to what I want and tune out anything extra. At least that’s how it works most of the time.”

  I was too in awe to say anything, so I just sat there on Devin’s lap with his arm wrapped around me. After a few moments, he spoke.

  “I didn’t frighten you, did I?”

  “No, of course not.”

  “Good, because I’m about to explain something else to you. Something about our journey to your cousin’s house.”

  “Are we still leaving tomorrow night?”

  “Since I see no way of talking you out of it, then yes,” Devin replied. “Remember that I told you we’re leaving at night so that no one will see us?”

  I nodded.

  “Not every being in the Wilds sleeps at night. If we encounter one of the night creatures, you’ll have to stay close and follow my directions to the letter.”

  “What kind of creatures?” I asked hesitantly.

  “Mostly wolves and coyotes, at least that’s what they’ll appear to be, but more often than not they are shapeshifters in their animal forms. Like the animal they choose to become, many shapeshifters prefer being out at night.”

  “Are they dangerous?”

  “Witches and shapeshifters do not have an easy relationship with one another. None are to be trusted or tempted. It’s said that, more often than not, they are more animal than human. But they won’t make an attempt to hurt you if you’re with me. I’m only warning you about them so that you won’t be afraid if we come across one.”

  “What about fairies?” I asked, after taking another sip of my tea. “Will we be running into any of them?”

  Devin smiled. “I seriously doubt it. They have their own lands, and rarely venture into ours.”

  “But shapeshifters and witches live together?”

  “Yes. It’s said that shapeshifters are witches, too. Where our power comes from our connection to nature, theirs comes from a connection to the animal world.”