Charms & Clouds

by Emilia Spring

  I grinned at her. “I'm non-traditional that way.” Then again, this entire situation wasn't traditional. Who exactly expected ‘oh by the way, you’re a witch, and now you've taken in a witch. Surprise.’

  That certainly hadn’t exactly been in my life plans. Not that it stopped me from taking responsibility for it. I didn’t regret my choice.

  We stood there for a while longer, watching. It wasn’t a windy enough day that I was willing to manipulate the few breezes, not wanting to risk drawing attention. Even if they didn't suspect me, they could suspect Marguerite, because she was the only other one that could manipulate the weather.

  I glanced at my watch and sighed. Then my eyes widened.

  “I'm late,” I muttered. I rubbed my forehead with my hands. For some reason Marguerite had insisted on an afternoon session tonight. Normally they were in the morning.

  “For a lesson with Marguerite?” Gianna looked excited.

  I pointed at her. “You can’t tell her what we were doing.”

  “I promise.” Her eyes didn’t agree.

  I groaned. Marguerite apparently drew more loyalty from my pseudo-child than I did.

  Then again, Marguerite was a lot more terrifying than I was. We headed back to Ruth, and I drove the pair of us back to the Main House. Riley’s police car was parked in the driveway.

  Gianna stayed behind me, which didn't surprise me. Her main memories of Riley were the whole being accused of murder and investigation thing. That had definitely left an impression.

  Still, when we got inside the main door, Gianna grinned. I could already hear Riley’s voice, and her polite, yet exasperated, remarks.

  “If you could just come down to the station and answer a few questions,” Riley said patiently.

  “I'm not going anywhere,” Marguerite said. We made it to the living room just in time to see Marguerite fixing Riley with a beady eye. She looked like a dragon.

  Riley sighed and scrubbed a hand through her hair. “Just a few,” she wheedled. Marguerite caught sight of me over Riley’s shoulder and smiled. It was a strange sort of smile, one that made me want to run away screaming. She didn't smile. That was terrifying.

  “Just who I was expecting,” she said, satisfied.

  Riley turned, an eyebrow raised when she caught sight of me. She caught sight of Gianna too, and something else flashed across her face. I couldn't tell what it was, because it disappeared so fast. Regret, maybe?

  “She says I need to answer more questions,” Marguerite said dismissively. “I told her your education is more important.”

  I struggled to keep a straight face. Of course that was why she wasn't going.

  Riley snorted, but looked professional when Marguerite turned her gaze back on her.

  “There's nothing that can't wait,” Marguerite said, shooting Riley a look. “Maybe you should skedaddle.”

  Riley opened her mouth, a vein throbbing in her forehead. Then she closed it, letting out a long sigh. She apparently knew when she'd been beaten. “Can you at least answer some questions here?”

  Marguerite looked put upon, and then glanced at me. “I have a few minutes,” she said. “Otherwise my student gets impatient.”

  Riley looked like she had swallowed a lemon and looked at me for confirmation. I shrugged. I wasn't going to contradict Marguerite.

  Riley sighed. “Do you sell your discs at all?” she asked.

  “I've gifted some over the years,” Marguerite answered. “One to your father, for example.”

  Riley's face went scarlet, and she glanced at me again. I wondered exactly what I was missing, or what had been said before we got there.

  “So someone else, theoretically, could have had access to your disc?” she asked.

  Marguerite looked at her, exasperated. “I believe that's what I just said.”

  I bit my lower lip, looking at the ground and trying not to smile. Riley was competent, and she was good at her job. Marguerite was a hard nut to crack.

  “Thanks,” Riley said finally, closing her notebook and tucking it into her jacket. “You’ve been helpful.”

  I snorted. She looked at me and I saw Gianna biting back giggles. Riley looked up at the ceiling, as if asking the ceiling for patience, and then headed out, closing the door behind her.

  “Well I'm glad that's over,” Marguerite said, as if it was as simple as dusting Riley off her hands.

  I bit my lower lip to hide a grin.

  “Are you ready for your lessons?” Marguerite looked at me. She then looked at Gianna. “What’s she doing here? Doesn't she have school?”

  I'd opened my mouth at the first statement, closed it at the second. “She’s out for the day.”

  Marguerite looked thoughtful. “You're coming with us,” she said.

  Gianna glanced to me, and I nodded slightly.

  Marguerite waved a hand at her. “You don't need her permission. You can just ask me.”

  I opened my mouth, then closed it. “That's not how guardianship works,” I finally managed.

  Marguerite shot me a look that had me shutting up, too.

  To be fair, there wasn't really a point in overruling her unless she did something super crazy. And generally, even as crazy as she was, she didn't tend to get that bad.

  “We’re going to the meadow,” Marguerite said, satisfied. She picked up her wicked looking cane and headed out the front door.

  “She doesn't even use that,” Gianna whispered to me, following behind me.

  “I think she just likes how it looks,” I whispered back.

  “It's useful to discipline young ones, too,” Marguerite said without missing a beat, and again I remembered that she was the certified weather witch, and much better than I was.

  “Sorry,” I said, properly chastened.

  Marguerite waved to hand my direction. “You're not the first young one to gossip about me.”

  I honestly doubted I would be the last. We made it to the meadow and it took Marguerite a grand total of three seconds to raise a guard around all of us. She looked at me, and then she looked Gianna. “How much do you know about what you can do?” she asked.

  Gianna shrugged. “Not much.”

  “Has she been training you on meditation?” Marguerite fixed me with a critical glance.

  Gianna nodded. “We’ve done it a couple times.”

  “Can you use the magic we discussed previously?” Marguerite’s words were sharp.

  I opened my mouth and then closed it. “No,” I admitted sheepishly. In the time I’d had for meditation, it’d always been quick. I hadn't had the time or energy to do the magic spell. Even if it was called a spell. Whatever it was called.

  Marguerite looked disappointed. Which made me want to chuck myself off a bridge, but instead I stood there and looked properly chastened.

  “That's what we’ll start with today,” Marguerite said. “This way, maybe you can remember to keep up with your lessons.” She turned and fixed me with a beady eye. “Next you are going to say that you didn't have enough time to practice your wind magic.”

  I opened my mouth, and then closed it. “That I actually did.”

  Marguerite narrowed her eyes at me. “Of the two, meditation is more important.”

  Yeah, well, it wasn’t useful when it came to snooping around. Wind was.

  She pointed to the ground. I saw the wind form a space for me to sit. “Sit,” she said imperiously.

  I sat, with Gianna sinking into the grass a few feet away from me. “You're to start the breathing pattern,” Marguerite said. She turned to look at me, and then Gianna. “Do you remember that?”

  Gianna nodded. “In for seven, hold for seven, out for seven.”

  Marguerite’s smile softened a fraction, and then hardened when she looked at me. “You did something right.”

  I bit back a retort, instead shifting a bit in my seat until I felt more comfortable.

  “Start breathing,” Marguerite ordered.

  It was different tha
n normal, because it was the first time I’d meditated in front of Marguerite, with Gianna around. We’d done some of it with the magic seeing spell, but that had been inside our home, with Mabel’s commentary.

  That was something that tugged at my attention. Why could Marguerite see Great Aunt Mabel and Sam and Avery couldn't? Would it have to do with her familiar relationship? Or was there something else?

  “Stop thinking and start meditating.” I felt Marguerite's cane tap my chin.

  “Yes ma'am,” I said promptly

  She rolled her eyes. “Close your eyes,” she ordered.

  “I thought I wasn’t supposed to close them.” Yeah, I was being snarky. Not my smartest decision.

  My only answer was her cane gently rapping me under my chin. Feeling weird and like I was on some hoax show, I looked inside myself, looking for the tall column of magic that apparently lived inside me. I could hear Marguerite counting, could feel Gianna next to me relaxing.

  For a moment, I blocked everything out, focusing on breathing, inhaling and exhaling. The itching under my skin simmered, then slowly dissipated, leaving me relaxed, my magic comfortable inside my skin. Yes! I bit my bottom lip to not smile. Yay, I was finally getting the hang of one of the most basic skills. Whatever. I could celebrate if I wanted to.

  “Open your eyes,” Marguerite said, snapping her fingers to draw my attention.

  I did, feeling loose-limbed and warm. I could see small flares like the sun at the corner of my eyes, which was weird. Was I really seeing magic? Or was I now hallucinating?

  “Not bad,” Marguerite said grudgingly. She turned to look at Gianna. “How are you feeling?”

  Gianna stretched, not moving from where she was sitting. She made being almost thirty feel old. “Not bad,” Gianna said. “I like meditation.”

  “Well, you’re a natural,” Marguerite told her, shooting a pointed look at me.

  I bit back a retort. I had probably pushed my luck far enough for today.

  “Is there anything you would like to practice today?” Marguerite asked.

  I opened my mouth, and then closed it when I realized she was looking at Gianna. Who was the student here, exactly?

  Then again, Gianna was technically under her guardianship too. At least magical guardianship.

  Gianna looked thoughtful, and then shook her head. “I'm good.”

  Marguerite stared at her for a while longer, and then nodded. “Very well,” she said. “Would you like to be in or outside the guard?”

  Gianna looked at me out of the corner of her eyes. “Outside,” she said. “Sam told me about that time that they got rained on.”

  I opened my mouth, and then closed it, scowling. “It was one time!”

  “One time too many,” Gianna shot back.

  I gave her a look and then rose to my feet, grumbling.

  Marguerite rolled her eyes and then started the wind spinning around us, needle-thin. It was fascinating, how she raised the guard but kept the wind from disturbing the grass or anything around us.

  I would have said it was magic, but that was too cheesy, even for me.

  Gianna picked up her phone, scrolling to a game or something, and settled down against a tree, closer to the forest bit of the meadow and further away from us. I could see her watching us, though. The glee on her face gave her away.

  “Focus on me,” Marguerite said, snapping her fingers.

  I turned to face her. It made me nervous to feel the top of the guard open to the world. It always felt like playing Russian Roulette with that. I was getting better, yeah, but I had a long way to go. Would Marguerite be able to close it if something drastic happened?

  “Natalie.” Marguerite used a burst of wind to spin me in a circle, leaving me reeling.

  I let out a squeak, alarmed. Oh God, where was my dignity?

  “If you're not paying attention, then what is the point of this lesson?” Her words were sharp.

  I winced. “Sorry. Got distracted.”

  Marguerite didn’t look impressed with my excuse. “I want you to take this.” She handed me a small bracelet.

  I looked at it, wary. It was simple, silver chain links with fish scale edges, and a light blue disc framed by what looked like silver.

  “Only for the duration of this,” Marguerite added. “You'll have to make your own.”

  I hoped she meant the disc and not the whole bracelet. Although then again, I probably could get Avery to help me.

  “Put it on,” Marguerite said with an impatient nod.

  It went where the last bangle had, the white one I’d worn a while ago to constrain my magic. This one, this one definitely felt different.

  It was almost like one of those stereotypical movies, when there was a fan blowing at my hair to make it wave in the ‘wind’. Just no magical sparkles. Stereotypes and movie expectations aside, it did send my senses on edge. The winds that I could feel circling around us felt sharper, and I felt more in control.

  “Take some deep breaths.” Marguerite was watching me with intense eyes, which were sort of terrifying.

  Feeling silly, I listened. I inhaled, and exhaled, not to the usual count of meditation, but to feel the air coming in and out. I could feel the wind starting to spiral around me, like it was attracted to me, like it wanted to be my friend.

  The cane tapped my chin. “Open your eyes.”

  I hadn’t realized I had closed them. I opened them and was almost blinded by a pale blue light. I tried to step back but couldn’t. I was surrounded by winds, forming a type of protective shield. They encased me from the ground to above my head, spinning in a circle, fast enough that I didn’t think anyone could get to me through them.

  “These aren't foolproof,” Marguerite said, sticking her hand through the wind to poke me in the ribs. “But only a weather witch, or a very strong water witch, can get through.”

  “Water witch?” I asked.

  Marguerite snapped her fingers and the guard disappeared. It felt strange, no longer having the pressure against my skin. I could feel the disc warm up against my wrist. “It depends on the humidity level of the climate or wind being manipulated.”

  That made sense. I stood there for a second, not really sure what to say.

  “Look at the disc.” Marguerite’s cane tapped my wrist.

  I looked at it, bringing it up closer to my face so I could see the top more clearly. There was a shield carved on top, light silver in the pale blue surface.

  “It's a guarding spell?” My heart skipped a beat. I was going to learn how to do this someday? What other things could you put on the discs?

  “Very good.” There was a hint of approval in her voice. “As you learn, you'll be able to shape certain discs to certain purposes.” She flicked through the bangles on her wrists, apparently looking for one in particular.

  I was really going to have to get an organizing system if I had to wear that many.

  She found the one she wanted, taking it off her wrist and putting it in her hand. Then she smirked and rose into the air.

  I heard Gianna shriek. My mouth fell open. It wasn't far, three or four feet up.

  Once my brain came back online, I looked closer. There were flickers of light at her feet, and when I focused harder I could see the wind compressed into discs, like a skateboard without wheels. Something she could stand on, something that could move.

  “Whoa,” I said breathlessly.

  Marguerite snapped her fingers, and she was gently let down. “Party trick,” she said with a shrug. She took that bangle and snapped it back on her wrist. “Not that you’ll be able to do that for quite some time.” She quirked an eyebrow. “Especially not in front of humans.”

  Yeah, she had probably talked to Riley. Oops. “What about a small one?”

  “Journeyman status, and I’ll teach you.” Marguerite glanced at Gianna, who was watching us her over her phone.

  I opened my mouth to ask about the apprenticeship exam, then closed it. Why bring punishment on
myself that I didn’t need? I was still new to this. I didn’t want to get in over my head.

  “What else are we doing today?” I stared at the bangles on her wrists, trying to see if I could tell what any of them did.

  “More wind manipulation,” Marguerite said. She shot the wind a glare and the guard disappeared. Well that was cool.

  I let out a faint sigh. The wind, the wind. Always the wind. Gianna came closer now that the guard was down, getting close enough that she could tug on my arm. I turned back to look at her. “Are you going to be able to do that?”

  Maybe I was going to end up one of those ‘cool Moms’ that everyone was terrified of at PTA meetings. Did witches have a PTA? “Eventually.”

  Gianna looked pleased. Oh God, did schools have a ‘bring your parent to school’ day? Would I have to do magic?

  “Is there something I can do?” Gianna asked, looking at Marguerite.

  Marguerite looked pleased. “Can you see what your summoning range is?”

  Gianna nodded immediately, plopping down to the ground where she stood. “I’ll let you know.”

  I looked at her, my mouth hanging open. Why didn’t she listen to me quite that fast? No sass for Marguerite, not at all. Although that actually made sense. Marguerite was scarier than I was.

  “Natalie,” Marguerite said with a snap of her fingers. “Pay attention.” Apparently we weren’t going to wait for Gianna to finish. Or was she wanting me to look at Gianna?

  The answer came a few seconds later when Gianna opened her eyes. “There’s a deer ghost in the woods, about two hundred feet away.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “Couple human ghosts. There used to be a cemetery past the forest, near the base of the mountains.”

  “Do you think you could find more if you kept looking?” Marguerite kept her face pleasantly blank.

  Gianna shrugged. “Maybe?” She rubbed her hands on her knees. “Dunno if I could talk to them, but I know they’re there.” She hid a yawn behind her hand.

  “Good progress,” Marguerite said, approval clear. She turned to me. “Ensure that she works on that before our next lesson.”

  “Yes ma’am.” I didn’t salute, but it was a near thing.

  “Now.” Marguerite’s eyes turned wicked. “We’re going to start by turning wind into solid objects.”