by R. M. Walker
“I think we should be more circumspect at college,” Nate said. “Keep any PDAs to a minimum and people will move onto fresher victims. They always do.”
“We’re not exactly all over her now as it is, Nate,” Matt said. “How can we tone it down any further?”
“No hand holding, no arms around each other, I suppose.” Nate shrugged.
“Which is going to make people think none of us are dating her,” Josh pointed out. “Last thing we want is someone asking her out because they think we’ve backed off.”
“I don’t think that will happen.” Lily snorted. She still hadn’t figured out why she’d caught their eye. She was sure there wouldn’t be hordes of boys waiting to date her.
“Okay, so maybe hand holding will be fine,” Nate said.
“Tell me honestly, is it going to bring you problems if people talk about you because we’re in a polywhatsit relationship?” she asked.
“Polyamorous,” Nate said. “And no, it’s not a problem for us, is it?” He looked at Matt who shrugged.
“No. The whole point of this was we didn’t want people bad mouthing you. I don’t think we’re in danger of being discovered. It’s not like we’re going to stand in the middle of the concourse with you and bring down the stars, is it?”
“Bring down the stars?” She looked at Matt. “What’s that?”
“We bring down the stars.” Jake answered for him. “Obviously not real stars, or the planet would explode, but it’s like walking amongst real stars. It’s really cool. One of the best things we’ve ever done with Jonas.”
“We’re getting off topic,” Nate muttered. “We can bring down the stars with you now we know you’re a witch, but let’s, please, stay on track for five seconds.”
“Tell me about it later, please?” The idea of bringing down the stars with them was exciting.
“We will.” He smiled at her and pushed his glasses up his nose. “It’s good to see you’re more accepting of your magic.”
“I am. I wasn’t. I mean it wasn’t real still. None of it was, it was just words. It meant nothing. When Drew told me I could light the candle and I did? No matches, just me? It became real. I’m excited to know what else I can do; what else this means. I’m a little scared as well.”
“We want to show you. Jonas will want to teach you too,” Josh said. “There’s nothing to be scared of.”
“You can teach me?” She looked at him in surprise.
“Yeah, I don’t see why not. It’s magic. Even though you aren’t fae, it will still be based the same.”
“I’m not sure,” Matt said. “She didn’t call up fire by name, she just willed it into life.”
“We’re off topic again,” Nate said. “If we can’t stay on one topic for longer than ten seconds, nothing will get sorted out. We’re like a bunch of overactive toddlers. Concentrate on the matter at hand.”
“Which is?” Lily frowned, hadn’t they’d already come to a decision?
“We all date you and to hell with what anyone else says?” Josh suggested.
“We just decided that, didn’t we?” she asked, confused.
“We did,” Jake added. “Didn’t we?”
Nate looked exasperated. “Yes, well, I guess so then. I’m not sure either what we decided. All agreed then that we all date Lily, in college and out, yes?”
“Aye!” all four said.
Nate looked at her and sighed heavily. “You forgot to answer. Again.”
“What? How can I say aye to that? I can’t date myself,” she said cheekily.
He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. She heard the others chuckle, and she flashed him a smile.
“Okay, Ignatius. Aye, I agree to date myself in and out of college. Happy?”
“You asked for it!” Nate announced and launched himself at her. He found her sides and tickled mercilessly. She shrieked with laughter, trying to get away from him, but he was relentless in his attack on her. The others joined in, and she was lost in laughter, tears running down her cheeks as she tried to avoid their tickling fingers.
“Mercy! Mercy! Please!” she begged. They eased off her, grinning at where she lay, trying to get her breath back, tears still rolling down her cheeks.
Nate chuckled and pushed his glasses up. “That’s what you get for sass, Lily May.”
“You’re evil; you’re all evil.” She struggled to sit up. Matt put his hand on her back and helped her.
“We’ve got a few hours yet. Who fancies a hike through the woods to the beach?” Matt asked.
“That sounds great!” Lily agreed.
“We’ve got a thicker coat you can use, Lily,” Josh said and bounced off the bed and over to his wardrobe. “It’ll be too big, but it’ll keep you warmer than that jacket.”
“C’mon then. Let’s get some fresh air and forget everything else for a bit. Just the five of us. No magic, no Drew, no Jonas, no parents. Just us, yes?” Nate asked.
She nodded. She knew there were still issues she had to work through. She still needed to process what she’d learnt. There were still questions she had for Drew and her mother. But it would wait for now. She wanted to forget it all for a few minutes.
Nate tugged her to her feet as Jake held out a black parka lined with fleece. Jake helped her into it and tugged the zip up under her chin. It was too big, but it was warm and smelt like them. He pulled the hood up, and gripping her collar, he pressed his nose against hers. “You are so beautiful,” he murmured and kissed her. He turned away and went to pick up the trays with Josh.
“C’mon then,” Matt said. “Let’s have some fun. God knows we need it.”
Heart of Polished Stone
The waves crashed over the pebbles just to retreat again in a never-ending cycle. It was mesmerising—the sound and smell of the ocean, the freshness of the breeze. The stress and confusion seeped out of her as the serenity of the place soothed her. Hugging her knees to her chest, she watched the boys as they poked around the shoreline, picking up stones and throwing them far out to sea. Their happy laughter relaxed her as much as the sound of the surf and the smell of the sea air.
The twins came towards her with a handful of seaweed, wicked smirks on their faces, calling suggestions of stuffing it down her back. Matt and Nate intercepted them with their own seaweed, and it started an all-out war between the four of them. Lily laughed as Nate took Jake down, and they rolled onto their backs, laughing too. Matt and Josh collapsed next to them.
Lily didn’t just enjoy spending time with them, she loved spending time with them. They were wound so tightly in her life now.
So much had happened since arriving in the sleepy little village. Her whole life had changed on the turn of a card. Nothing was the same and would never be again. Thinking about it made her heart constrict. She wished she’d known about Drew being her father, but if it was true what he said about being kept away from her, how hard would that have been? To know that her real father was alive but she couldn’t talk to him? To see him from a distance regularly but not be able to contact him? That could’ve been worse than ignorance.
She drew in a deep breath through her mouth, the tang of the salty air sharp against her tongue and cold in her lungs. She was standing at the start of a path of self-discovery, and she had no idea what was waiting for her at the end. Her magic, her father, her relationship with the boys, her future; she had no idea where any of it was going to take her, but she wouldn’t turn back now.
“Penny for them?” Matt plopped down beside her and slung his arm around her shoulders, planting a cold kiss on her temple.
She leant into him, and he wrapped his other arm around her as well.
“Just thinking about how much has changed since I came here.” She watched the twins coming towards them with enough dried seaweed and sticks to build up a fire. Nate was by the water’s edge, bent over, inspecting something intently.
“You’ve had a curveball thrown at you
, haven’t you?” Matt kissed the top of her head.
The twins dropped the sticks and began to clear an area big enough to build a firepit. Nate straightened up and came back towards them, examining what he had in his hand. As he neared, he gave her a big smile, pushing up his glasses with his free hand. He plonked down on her other side and wrapped his arm around her lower back. His glasses were covered with a fine coating of salt.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“We’ll get this started quickly,” Josh said as they made a high ring of rocks as a windbreak for the fire.
“I’m fine. This coat is warm, and so is Matt.” She chuckled, her covered hands resting on his arm.
“We should have brought marshmallows,” Jake said and snapped his finger in regret.
“Next time,” Matt said. “What did you find down there, Nate?”
“This.” He held out his hand. Sitting on his palm was a black rock shot through with green and white. “Serpentine. Bit far down to find it. It must have washed up.”
“Far down?” She pushed the sleeve of the coat up and took the rock from his hand. It was roughly shaped like a heart.
“It’s a type of rock only found at the Lizard in this country. They polish it up and make ornaments and souvenirs from it,” Josh said and came over to look at it. He looked at Nate. “We could...” He stopped.
“Yes, we could. That’s what I thought. All in agreement?”
“What?” Lily looked between them when they all agreed. “What are we aye-ing now?”
“You’ll see.” Nate held out his hand for the stone, and she gave it back. He got up and set the stone onto a rock in front of them. Matt shifted till he could reach, and Nate put his hand over the rock. Matt placed his palm on top of Nate’s, Jake followed suit, and then Josh rested his palm on top. She frowned, wondering what they were doing. Seconds later they lifted their hands, and Nate picked the rock back up. He sat cross-legged in front of her and held his palm out.
“For you, from all of us.”
She drew her breath in. Where before it had been a rough rock with a sharp surface, now it was polished to a high sheen that brought the green and white out beautifully. The shape was more pronounced, making it a perfectly polished heart. Her fingers shook as she reached out and took it from him.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you. I love it.” She bit her lip as she looked down at it. A simple rock and it meant more to her than all the jewellery she’d ever owned, or would ever own. She held it tightly in her hand and looked at them. “Thank you.”
Josh and Jake winked at her in perfect timing. Nate smirked, pushing his glasses up yet again. Matt squeezed her tightly, and she sighed happily. The twins went back to building the fire as Lily studied the rock in her hand.
“How about it?” Jake asked as he sat back from their work. “Want to light it, Lily?”
She looked at the seaweed and sticks. The flames needed to light them would be substantially more than that of a candle flame. Could she do it?
“I don’t know if I can,” she admitted.
“Try. There’s no harm. If it doesn’t happen, it won’t matter. You’re safe with us, whatever happens.” Matt tightened his arms around her.
She concentrated on the sticks and imagined the flames licking over them, cracking and spitting into the air. She imagined the heat and the golden glow until everything dropped from her mind but the image of the flames.
“Well done, Lily May.” Nate touched her shin with his fingers, and she blinked as if she’d been asleep. The pit was filled with bright burning flames, and the twins were grinning at her.
“I did that?” She looked at Nate in surprise.
“Without a doubt,” he said, pride clear in his voice.
She looked back at the roaring fire in the pit, and a sliver of fear joined the awe. She’d controlled fire. Not just a tiny flickering flame, but a large campfire. With magic that until several weeks ago she didn’t even know was real, let alone that she had it.
She shivered, despite the warmth of the coat around her. Josh moved in to sit on her other side. He wrapped an arm around her lower back until she was huddled between them.
“It’s a little bit scary,” she admitted, holding the stone tightly in her hand.
“You aren’t alone, Lily Pad,” Josh said and kissed the top of her head. “You won’t face any of this alone.”
“No matter what you decide to do,” Nate said. “Even when you talk to Drew again. I’m not saying we won’t be vocal about our distrust, because we will. But we’ll back you, whatever you decide to do about him.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re one of us, Lily Pad,” Jake said. “A circle of five.” He smiled at her and moved closer to his twin. He picked up a stick and poked at the fire, sending sparks into the air. “I really want some marshmallows,” he whined.
“Next time, Jacob. We’ll bring blankets down as well; it’s getting a lot colder.” Josh put his other arm around Jake’s shoulders pulling him in tighter.
Lily listened as they started to discuss what else they’d bring. She let herself relax into them with her head on Josh’s shoulder and her fingers closed around the stone in her hand. Her other hand rested on Matt’s arm around her waist as he cuddled into her, hunched against the cold wind.
The sun was setting on the horizon. It cast a golden pathway across the sea. They’d soon need to head back home, but for now, she could relax and let their easy conversation wash over her. Tomorrow she would face it all again. Tomorrow she would go with them to see Jonas. Tomorrow she would pick through everything she’d learnt and put it all together—like the pieces of a puzzle—and face what it would mean for the rest of her life. But not today.
Today she was content to be with them.
Tomorrow she would deal with the undeniable fact that she was a witch.
~*~*~*~*~*
Acknowledgments
Thank you for reading this is book.
If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review on Goodreads and on the site where you purchased it.
Thank you for supporting independent authors.
Lily’s story will continue in the next book: Retribution.
I would like to thank Jennifer Leigh Jones and Rebecca Stewart for their hard work, unfailing support, and immense patience for putting up with me. I would still be floundering in a sea of confusion without them.
There are a lot of people I also want to thank, and a lot of you know who you are. I couldn’t have done this without all of you and countless others.
Much love.
About the Author
RM Walker lives in the wilds of South West England, with her husband, two children and a cat who thinks it’s a panther. They think he might be right.
RM Walker has spent her entire life dreaming up tales of fairies, witchcraft, magic, and romance when she should have been concentrating on other things. Having a head full of fantasy, she decided to turn her dreams into stories for others to read and she hopes that you will enjoy them as much as she loves spinning them.
You can find RM Walker online and she promises not to bite. She can’t say the same for her cat though.
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