by Erin Hayes
Thankfully, the dining room was nothing like the inner sanctum. First of all, it was a stalwart room, not changing with the seasons and the whims of the witches the way the sanctum always had. Secondly, no outward signs of magic were evident within those walls, which meant no spinning chairs, no floating candelabras, and no shooting stars dancing across the rooftop.
This was an ordinary dining room, almost as though she was back in Iowa, cooking beef stew and settling in at that kitchen table as the sun went down.
Of course, she wasn’t. The company told her all she needed to know about that.
As she sat at the long wooden dining room table, her presence announced by Jenkins, who looked concerningly tired, she caught sight of her grandfather.
He looked much fresher than he had just ten minutes ago, his hair brushed back with a fresh suit on.
It seemed Julia wasn’t the only one hoarding pomegranate seeds. Well, she had learned from the best.
Beside grandfather sat a short, rounded man. He was bald, save for a light dusting of gray hair at his temples, and sported a matching mustache. He laughed heartily as Julia entered, his protruding gut shaking as he bounced back and forth.
“That’s a hell of a punchline, Fairweather!” he said, slapping Grandfather on the back.
Julia winced. She had never seen anyone treat her grandfather like this, as though they were equals.
Jenkins placed a large bowl of split pea soup—Julia’s favorite—in front of her.
“A little early for dinner, isn’t it?” Julia asked, looking up at the butler.
“It’s not an early dinner,” Grandfather said, not bothering to look over at her. “It’s late lunch. Our guests have been traveling and their internal clocks have seen better days.”
“Of course,” Julia said, her years of dinner parties and formal events kicking in. It was socialite training. Just the sight of a dinner napkin and crystal stemware straightened her back and brought out her best behavior. “Do forgive me. I’ve been a little off myself lately. I’ve been traveling myself as well, and I’m still a bit out of sorts,” she said, nodding at the rotund man. “My name is Julia Fairweather, and it’s absolutely delightful to meet you.”
“Oh, I know all about you, sweetheart,” the large man said in a southern accent the likes of which Julia had only heard one other time in her life. “And I have got to say, you don’t disappoint in the flesh.”
“Um, thank you, I suppose,” Julia answered, shifting uncomfortably as the man eyed her.
“This is Oscar Wheeler,” Grandfather said, motioning toward the man. “He’s the head of the most prestigious coven in Louisiana. He’s going to be our guest for the foreseeable future.”
Foreseeable future?
The words struck Julia more than a little funny. Grandfather didn’t accept guests for the day, let alone for an indeterminate amount of time. He was much too cautious for that. Too cautious and too crotchety. She would never say that, though. The rules of etiquette deemed it too rude. Besides, there was a much more pressing question laying on her mind, a question she could ask in good faith.
“I’m sorry. Did my grandfather say your last name was Wheeler?” Julia asked, looking over at Oscar.
“Fraid so,” a voice said from behind her.
She turned to find Paris—red hair, bright smile, and easy aura—marching toward her. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, and he was dressed in formalwear, making Julia feel even more underdressed than she already did.
“Paris,” Julia said, instinctively standing, even though historically, that would go the other way around. “You’re here.”
“He certainly is,” Oscar said, from the other side of the table. “Y’all have already rubbed elbows. Now if that ain’t the good kind of omen, I don’t know what is.” He slapped grandfather on the back again.
“He saved my life last night,” Julia answered, looking at the ginger man.
“I’m sure you could have handled yourself,” Paris answered. “I just never pass up the chance to help out a pretty lady. Call it the gentleman’s curse.”
“Mah boy’s told us all about what happened last night,” Mr. Wheeler said, an animated cigar away from being a full-fledged cartoon character. “And I, for one, am sure glad you two already know that you get along so well. It takes a load off the old mind.”
Julia’s brow furrowed. Huh?
“Agreed,” Grandfather said, but Julia noted the uneasy tone of voice. “Julia, there’s something we need to tell you. Something that will effect things going forward in a very significant manner.”
Julia’s brow furrowed. “What’s going on?”
Paris settled beside her, closer than she imagined he might.
That didn’t sit well with her.
“You’re aware of the changes that have taken place since you left here, as well as the tenuous nature of the magical landscape.”
“You’re talking about Roman?” Julia asked. “About the dark magic?”
“Well, that’s a small part of it.” Grandfather cleared his throat and stood himself. Julia’s heart sped. “The struggle for power has never been more real here, Julia. The truth is, the Blackwoods are closer to regaining control of our areas than I would ever admit outside of this room. And, with recent developments, it’s come to my attention I need to work harder to shore up our defenses as well as our hold on the future.”
“What are you saying?” Julia asked, feeling as though ants were crawling under her skin.
“You made your intentions clear yesterday, Julia. You are not interested in running this coven and, to that end, I agree with you. You may have been my first choice, but I have no interest in giving my life’s work away to someone who doesn’t want it.”
“Grandfather, that’s—”
“It’s perfectly fine, Julia. I’m not punishing you. I understand. But now it’s time for you to understand. You, too, Paris,” Grandfather said, looking over at him. “There is much to be lost in the future, but there is much to be gained as well. So long as we do it together.”
“Together…how?” Julia asked, her pulse racing.
“I might accept your indifference toward the leadership of this coven, but I cannot accept you turning your back on this family. At a different time, maybe. But we cannot afford it anymore. We’re calling in our chips, Oscar and I,” Grandfather started. “The world is changing, and the only way to survive it is together. The Wheelers are here because our covens are to be joined, Julia. Joined by marriage. Turn,” he said, motioning to Paris. “Turn, Julia, and face your betrothed.”
Chapter Six
Roman swigged his coffee with the intensity and flare of someone who had read Catcher in the Rye one too many times. It had been a week since that night, since he had to forcibly remove Julia Fairweather from his life and pretend it didn’t hurt like hell.
It did, though. It stung like an open wound. It threatened to encompass him to the point of definition, and all he could do was pretend that wasn’t the case and hope that stuck.
Holden Caulfield would have definitely understood that.
“There’s nothing worse than that, you know,” Adam said, snapping his fingers in front of his older brother’s face.
Roman balked, pulling backward and revisiting the situation at hand.
“What are you blathering about?” Roman asked, taking another drink of coffee. It was black and cold, the opposite of the milky sweet concoctions Julia used to funnel like water back when they were together. Maybe that was why he liked it so much. It didn’t remind him of her.
Except that it did. Everything reminded him of her. Everything was measured against her. The way she made his coffee; coffee the opposite of the way she made it. It was like every damn thing in the world—every piece of furniture, every scone in the window of a coffee shop, every girl who walked by flaunting herself at him—was a road that led right to her.
Julia Fairweather was everywhere, so much so that Roman couldn’t keep his
mind off her long enough to have a conversation. And he didn’t know how to stop it.
“Have you been listening to anything I’ve been saying?” Adam asked him, eyebrows arched. “Don’t even pretend. I know you haven’t.”
“Was it important?” Roman asked, not putting too much stock in his little brother’s disappointed face. He’d get over it.
“Not really,” Adam admitted, tilting his head and taking a bite of his cheese Danish—another thing that reminded Roman of Julia.
Damnit, that woman was everywhere.
“Father thinks there’s an alliance to be made with the Romani.”
“Gypsies?” Roman asked, almost snorting. “That’s new. Last I checked, Father didn’t see fit to let their surnames pass over his tongue, let alone keep their company.”
“Perhaps that’s because they’re filthy abusers of magic who can’t be trusted,” Adam answered, picking up a napkin and dabbing the sides of his mouth with it.
“Who isn’t?” Roman scoffed. “But you’re just proving my point. I doubt they’ve changed hundreds of years of tradition overnight. They are who they are. If father thinks he’s better than them—”
“He is better than them, Roman. There’s no thinking to it. And, as the heir apparent to the most powerful coven in Savannah, you should know that.” Adam shook his head. “But there’s no denying that things have taken a turn in the last few days. With those swamp rat witches from the Louisiana coven showing up and making their own alliance with the Fairweathers, I guess Father thinks it important to expand our reach as well.”
“What are you talking about?” Roman asked, sliding the iced coffee away from him and swallowing hard. “What Louisiana coven?”
“You really have been out of it, haven’t you?” Adam asked, a sly smile creeping up at the ends of his lips. He glared at his older brother for a long time, long enough that Roman began to feel more than a little uneasy. “You don’t know, do you?” Slowly, the smile dissipated. “My God. You actually don’t.”
“Don’t know what?” Roman answered, narrowing his dark eyes. “Spit it out, Adam.”
“I don’t want to say,” Adam said, sitting back in his chair and averting his eyes.
“Adam, tell me,” Roman said through gritted teeth. They had played this little game since they were kids, with Adam afraid to tell his brother anything that might irk his temper.
“No, I don’t think I will,” he said, standing. His hands went to his pockets nervously.
“Adam, do you remember what I did to you the night you stole my Camaro and wrapped it around a telephone pole because you were busy getting a blow job from Kelly Moman?”
The color drained from his face, but he nodded in a way that let Roman know that his little brother remembered every painful instant of that night. “Good. Sit your ass down and tell me what’s going on, or I swear I will make that seem like a vacation.”
“Fine.” He sighed, reseating himself. “But just remember. I’m only the messenger. And even the Greeks don’t harm messengers. It’s tacky. Its just—it’s just not done.”
“Stop quoting 300 and tell me,” Roman commanded.
“The alliance between the Fairweathers and the Wheeler coven—that’s the swamp rat Louisiana group I was talking about earlier—it’s going to be insured.”
“Insured?” Roman asked, tapping his fingers against the table. “How do you insure an alliance?”
“The same way alliances have been insured since the beginning of time. You mix the families. You arrange a marriage.”
Roman’s throat tightened. The air became a thick and almost inconsumable thing.
“Who?” he stammered, trying to keep himself steady.
“Oh, brother,” Adam said sympathetically. “You know who.”
He did. The moment Adam said arranged marriage, the pit in Roman’s stomach had nearly opened up so wide it could swallow him whole. But he had to cling to hope that he was wrong.
“Say it,” Roman commanded.
“Don’t make me,” Adam asked.
“Do it,” Roman said. He needed to hear it out loud. That was the only way it would be real.
Adam’s lips pressed together in a thin line. “Julia Fairweather is to marry Paris Wheeler.”
He hadn’t taken any of his frustration out on Adam. After all, even Greeks didn’t harm the messenger. But it did have to go somewhere, and the way he figured it, the gas pedal was as good an option as any.
“What the fuck kind of name is Paris?” Roman muttered to himself, blowing past stop signs in a fury. Heat rose higher in his cheeks with each passing moment.
Paris Wheeler? The name itself sounded like a joke. What was he, some spoiled socialite with a reality show and drinking problem? Surely Julia was too smart for something like this. Even if her goddamn grandfather wanted to parcel her out like a cow at the auction, she would know better than to go along with it.
After all, she was leaving. She told Roman as much. She was heading back to Iowa, to that pig farm where her maternal grandmother lived, far away from the back and forth of witchy politics and the things it robbed you of. That’s what mattered to her. God knows it mattered to her more than he had all those months ago.
She wouldn’t stay. No. If she wouldn’t stay for him, she certainly wouldn’t stay for them. Roman knew that much.
Didn’t he?
How much did he know about anything? He thought he had put this behind him, that Julia was nothing more than a footnote in the greater story of him—an appendage someone would mention when they spoke of his ascent to the throne of power atop Savannah’s witch world.
But she wasn’t. Though he would never admit it in her presence, she was a part of him. He could sooner cut off his own hand, gouge out his own eyes, than be rid of her.
And a part of him liked it that way.
He blasted through his fifth stop sign, the best of Metallica blaring on the radio, when he felt it.
By the time Roman realized his back right tire had given way to something on the road, it was way too late to stop.
A loud popping was accompanied by a wave of movement. Almost as though it was being controlled by a third party, the car Roman was driving—the very car that Adam had wrapped around that telephone pole all those years ago—tumbled violently.
Going head over wheels, Roman was flung around the cab, smashing against the roof hard. Blood filled his mouth as the flipping continued. White spots dotted his vision and then overtook it completely. As the car finally slowed to a stop, the cab filled with the fumes of smoke, gas, and burnt rubber.
His body, limp and sore as he lay there, was every bit as wrecked as his car.
Breathing hard and fast, he turned himself over. Glass crunched under his elbows as he pulled himself from the shell of his car.
His chest felt heavy, as though liquid was filling it. He coughed hard, trying to clear himself of what obstruction was in the way. But it was no use. He still felt heavy, still felt broken.
When he finally pulled himself from the car, a rush of cool air from outside rushed over him.
He didn’t have the heart to look at his car. It was undoubtedly destroyed, ripped apart much worse than Adam could have even done. He could use magic to fix it, but what a waste of energy that would be.
So he turned around again, lying flat on his back and looking up at the sky. It was darker than he remembered it being when he left his brother. Though perhaps, that was just his eyes darkening.
He had kept that damn car for too long now anyway. It had too many memories attached to it, too many moments that made him think of her.
Maybe a new one was just what he needed, assuming he survived this after all.
To that end, he reached into his pocket. His arm bristled with pain as he dug around in there. If he remembered correctly, there was a lotus blossom tucked in there somewhere. It wasn’t a miracle drug but, with the right incantation, it would serve as a hell of a healing potion.
He pul
led it out of his pocket and, using all the energy he had to look down, he sighed heavily. The bulb was broken. The damn thing was useless.
“Don’t take it too hard,” a voice from above sounded. “You’re going to need a lot more than that if you’re looking to pull through this.”
Startled, Roman looked up. Standing over him was a girl with long red hair that hung down in waves. Her green eyes seemed to glow as they peered down onto him and her lips curled up at the ends.
She was gorgeous, but still, he could see it all over her. It was in the curved nature of her face, in the unique nature of her features, in the three inked circles that dotted her neck.
“Romani,” Roman said weakly, putting it together.
“Sure am,” the woman said, looking down at him. “And you ought to thank your lucky stars for that. Well, that and the fact that the Crawley wants words with you. Otherwise, you’d be a puddle on the floor.” She looked him up and down. “A pretty puddle, but a puddle all the same.”
Roman opened his mouth to speak, but a wave of fatigue washed over him. The darkness and pain pulled at him swiftly and, looking into those glowing green eyes and the quickly darkening sky past them, he fell off into sleep.
Roman woke slowly, and then all at once. Pain ripped through his body even before his eyes fluttered open, reminding him of the accident that had just rocked him.
When his eyes finally did open, they settled on an old wooden ceiling lit by ambient fire light.
Roman opened his mouth, preparing to speak. But he could only cough as the dryness in his throat stung him.
“Go slow,” a voice said from above him.
He didn’t need to see her to tell who she was. It only made sense as the flame haired Romani girl came into his line of sight, wearing a thin white dress and the same three circles across her neck.
“Where am I?” Roman asked, swallowing as he tried to coat his throat with moisture.
“The Village,” the woman answered sharply. “The same place you’ve been for the last three days.”