by Ashley McLeo
Lily sighed. Just when I think I have that one thing figured out, Evelyn gets even better at ceremens.
“Impatient to see me?”
Lily turned to find Alfred and Celestine beaming back at her. She whacked Alfred on the shoulder and smiled, “You wish.”
“Oh, but I do!” Alfred’s smile widened further.
Evelyn stuck out her hand. “I’m Evelyn. You must be the one Lily told me about. You’re handsomer than she let on.”
“So, Lily has been talking about me, has she?” Alfred’s tone was full of delight.
Lily couldn’t help but grin. “I may have mentioned you a time or two.”
“I’m impressed. My sister is tough to please, Alfred. My advice to you: Don’t let her slip away,” Evelyn leveled her gaze with the daemon’s before a charismatic smile spread across her face. “As for myself, I can’t thank you enough for risking your life to save me. And joining our cause. If there’s ever anything I can do to help, you need only ask. You too, Celestine.”
“Just meeting your gorgeous sister is enough thanks for me.” Alfred’s reply sent a wave of heat into Lily’s cheeks.
“More will join the cause once they hear the news. You three will no longer be alone,” Celestine added.
“I hope so,” Evelyn replied. She shifted her slight weight to rest completely on Sara’s shoulder. “I think Lily may want more time with these two. Can you take my weight, Sara?”
Sara nodded, said a quick goodbye, and the pair hobbled off.
Lily threw herself into Celestine’s arms first, “I can’t thank you enough. Without your help we’d never have gotten Evelyn out of there. And Sara and I …”
“You would have found a way out of that jam,” Alfred whispered at Celestine’s side, and Lily had an inkling he was saying it as much for his own benefit as hers.
“All that matters is you’re here now. I’m glad your sister is on the mend. I'll make sure to send Mary a few of my recipes to fatten her up,” Celestine said, watching Evelyn and Sara approach the next group with concern.
“I know I’d sure like that,” Lily said.
“Then it shall be done. Now if you’ll excuse me, Lily, I must go say goodbye to your mother and aunts,” Celestine bestowed a kiss on each of Lily’s cheeks before disappearing into the crowd.
“Alone at last,” Alfred said.
Lily giggled, “If you count being surrounded by a hundred people as alone.”
“I get a feeling you and your sisters won’t be left alone for a long time, so I’ll take what I can get,” he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.
Lily gasped at the sensation, hot and cold and electrifying all at once. Her body pulled toward Alfred’s on its own accord and before she took another breath their faces were inches from each other.
This is crazy. I hardly know him at all and all these people are around.
Alfred grinned. His high cheekbones rose resembling that of a Grecian marble statue and Lily drew impossibly closer until his breath swept against her cheeks. Lily’s skin tightened.
Do I want to do this? Her chest caught fire and she gasped.
“I’d love to kiss you, really kiss you, Lily,” Alfred inhaled and Lily’s lips parted. “But I can’t. Not here with all these people around.”
It felt like a bucket of ice water had been tossed over her.
“What? But why?” It was like someone else was speaking through her mouth. What happened to her private nature? She had been ready to jump on the guy right then and there.
“I want our first real kiss to be special, private,” he grasped her hand tighter and Lily’s heart thumped against her sternum.
“Oh. I guess that makes sense.”
“But I hope you’ll settle for this,” Alfred said. Leaning in he pressed his lips to hers, softly, sweetly, chastely.
In a second the kiss was over but the fire of his lips on hers remained when he pulled away. Who knew a peck on the lips could be so damn hot?
“Perhaps when I come to visit we can learn more about each other?”
“You really are coming to visit, then?”
“You doubted me? Remember I told you what my father said about not letting anything special go?”
Lily grinned and leaned in for their second sweet kiss.
“Well I gotta say, Lil, you sure pick the hot ones,” Evelyn said an hour later as they slipped into the fifteen-person van Jane had borrowed to shuttle them to the airport. “And I’ll be damned if he’s not a gentleman! I saw that schoolboy kiss!”
Lily averted her eyes and grinned. “That surprised me, too. He came on so strong before and I’ll be honest I . . .”
“Oh. Believe me. We saw you yearning for more. The tension was palpable, even with thirty people between us,” Evelyn finished for her with a wink.
Lily laughed. She still couldn’t fathom how she’d been ready and willing to have a full-blown makeout session in front of so many people. Thank the goddess one of us has restraint.
The Truth
“Daddy’s hangar is number three,” Evelyn said.
The tall, wolf-like build of James and the short, dark one of Sonya grew larger as the van drew closer. Another woman, about the triplets’ age with long brown hair and olive skin, stood with them. Oh Vici, I’m so sorry.
“That’s Vicencia? You forgot to mention she looks like a freaking Italian model,” Lily said, her mouth gaping as she smoothed down her hair.
Evelyn gulped. Can I do this? What if she hates me?
As if her sister could read her mind Lily turned away from the window and clasped Evelyn on the shoulder. “You got this, Evelyn. Vicencia deserves to the truth.”
“What if she doesn’t believe me? I can’t even do magic to convince her right now, I’m still so drained. Or worse, what if she believes me and hates me? We’ve been best friends since we were kids and I hid something so huge from her.”
She expected Lily to agree with her, tell her that Vicencia had every right to hate her and that she probably would. Instead, Lily smiled.
“I know it’s hard. Shoot, it was hard for me to go home as a witch, really show up as my new self, and my whole family already knew. But you can’t keep this from people you love and you can’t use the excuse that we’re a secret anymore because we’re not. And as for Vicencia not believing you, well I doubt that. I’m sure it will answer a lot of unexplained quirks about you.” Lily winked and Evelyn couldn’t help but grin. “Plus, let’s be honest: You may not be able to do any of the flashy fireball stuff Sara pulled with your parents, but you can still read Vicencia’s mind. That would convince anyone.”
Evelyn nodded, her shoulders tightening into knots as Lily and Sara helped her out of the van and into a wheelchair. The rest of the group started loading bags onto the plane but her sisters stayed with her as they promised they would. “Wheel me over, will you? I want you to meet Vici.”
Lily pushed her over to the Locksleys while Sara walked at Evelyn’s side. They were less than five feet from the group when Evelyn saw the tears in Sonja’s and Vicencia’s eyes and the hard set of James’ mouth as he scanned her frail body.
“Hi Mom and Dad. Hey Vici. These are my sisters, Lily and Sara,” Evelyn blurted out before they had even come to a stop.
Lily and Sara stepped forward. Hugs and greetings flew all around. Sonja was particularly emotional, unable to let go of Sara’s hands as she thanked her again and again for helping them. Unlike Evelyn upon first meeting, Vicencia was warm, embracing both Lily and Sara and thanking them for bringing Evelyn back safe and sound.
“It was nothing,” Lily bit her lip and Evelyn could tell she was opting to say less rather than accidentally spilling all Evelyn’s secrets. Vici always had a way with getting people to open up around her.
“Bringing my best friend back is hardly nothing. I mean look at her! What that monster must have done to have her in this state. He better pray he never crosses my path,” Vicencia said, her full red lips set in a t
ight line.
Lily bit her lip and nodded. “I hope you never cross paths either.”
Me either, Evelyn thought. If Roman ensnared me I hate to think what he could do to a normal woman.
“We should help load the plane,” Sara said lightly as she extracted her hand from between Sonja’s and eased toward the rest of the McKay clan. “Thank you so much for letting us to use your jet.” She nodded at the Locksleys, who waved their hands at what they considered a nominal contribution.
Evelyn felt the slight pressure of Lily’s thin fingers squeezing her shoulder, the faint brush of Sara’s dainty ones on her arm, and then they were gone. Leaving her to do what she should have done weeks ago.
Vicencia threw herself at Evelyn, who winced under her best friend’s weight. “He seemed so nice. I still can’t believe he abducted you! It blows my mind that this happened!”
Evelyn’s shoulder was growing wet, signifying that Vici had broken down into tears. Past Vicencia’s sleek brown hair, James’ and Sonja’s eyes bore into Evelyn waiting to hear the words Sara had already told them spill from their daughter’s lips. Evelyn knew she’d hurt them by not telling them, by keeping the biggest change in her life from them. It’s time that they hear it from me.
“About that,” Evelyn said, easing out of Vicencia’s hug so she could face all three of them. “I have a few more things to confess that you may find hard to believe.”
Lily watched out the window as Vicencia’s knees buckled under her and James caught her. The second major blow. The first had been less dramatic: an uncomfortable laugh, a step back from Evelyn, and a questioning look at James and Sonja. But then again, claiming she was a witch wasn’t as astounding as seeing Evelyn’s powers in action. Lily was sure Evelyn had just demonstrated her mind-reading powers to Vicencia, proving without a doubt she was what she claimed to be. That would bring anyone to their knees. Vicencia’s taking it rather well. Definitely better than Evelyn did when she found out she was a witch. Lily observed the rest of Evelyn’s confession, curiosity winning out over the nagging voyeuristic feeling she had as eyes widened, mouths gaped, tears fell, cheeks were wiped, fingers shook, and hugs exchanged.
An entire gauntlet of emotion in under ten minutes. Evelyn works fast.
James grasped the handles of Evelyn’s wheelchair and a final flurry of hugs ensued before he pushed her toward the plane. Lily stood to help get Evelyn settled, but by the time she walked to the front of the plane, James was already up the steps with his daughter in his arms.
“Oh. Um. We set up a spot up for her over there.” Lily gestured to a pile of blankets as James maneuvered his tall frame through the door and down the wide hallway.
“This good, Evelyn?” Lily asked, motioning to a makeshift bed.
“Perfect,” Evelyn said.
Evelyn’s lips were blue, and her skin looked clammy. As James set her down Lily heard a weary sigh escape her sister’s lips.
“Call us when you get there, Evie,” James said, standing to his full height and blushing when he noticed a dozen extra eyes on him. He bent down closer to his daughter so that only Evelyn and Lily, who had taken the seat next to Evelyn, could hear. “Thank you for telling us and Vicencia. I only wish you would have mentioned it when you first returned, but it doesn’t matter. We love you for who you are, no matter who that is.” He kissed Evelyn on the cheek.
James rose and addressed the rest of the witches. “Thanks for looking after her. Let me know when we can help with anything. And I mean anything.”
“Thank you,” Brigit said with a small smile. “We appreciate all you’ve done for us so very much.”
James nodded and walked down the aisle, his eyes on his daughter until he exited the plane.
Lily tracked James through the cabin window as he rejoined Sonja and Vicencia, who were huddled together against the winter cold, before retreating to the hanger and their normal lives.
“How’d Vicencia take the news?” Lily asked, turning back to Evelyn. Thick track marks of tears and mascara ran from her closed eyes and Lily wished she had some makeup remover handy for her sister.
Evelyn sighed and Lily thought she sounded like the most exhausted person in the world. “Pretty well. I only told her the basics, what Sara told Mom and Dad. None of them realize everything we’re up against or what happened with the pneumas, but I’ll tell them soon. Once we get home and I’ve rested more. It was too much to spill all at once. But I’ve started and there’s no backing out now. Vici was a little mad at first. I deserve that.”
“She’ll warm up,” Lily said, sure it was the truth. “The more she learns, the easier it will be for her to accept it. Just like us. Give her time.”
The plane pulled back with a jerk. They were halfway down the runway when Evelyn spoke again, her voice soft.
“I hope you’re right. I think . . . I want to sleep now.” She rolled onto her side, away from Lily.
Lily pulled the blanket up over her sister’s shoulders, reassuring her she was still there for whenever Evelyn needed her as the jet rose into the sky to take them home.
* * *
The End
Turn the page for a sneak peak of Rising of Three, Book Three of the Starseed Trilogy!
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Excerpt from Rising of Three
Spaceship Cleaner Needed
Sara padded softly along the creaky wood floor in an effort not to wake those still sleeping. Stopping before the stone fireplace, she fingered the stocking that bore her name before extending her fingers to the wood lying in the hearth.
“Flampilia,” she whispered.
A bright orange ball of fire rolled from her fingertips, caught on the wood, and roared to life. Heat rose to caress her face and Sara sighed as she pulled her fuzzy robe closer. Soon enough she’d have to disrobe, but she’d enjoy the chilly winter morning while she could, bundled up, a fire roaring at her back, with a cup of hot tea in her hands.
A toppling stack on the dining table caught Sara’s eye as she rounded the corner of the hearth that separated the living room from the kitchen-diner. Mary seriously came through, she thought fingering the plastic sheath encompassing The Guardian as her eyes roved over the dozens of other publications.
She spun on her heel, not yet ready to dig into current events, and set about making a cup of cinnamon spice tea.
Two hours later the table was covered in papers from all around the world and Sara’s hands were sticky with ink.
This isn’t looking good. She chose a journal of questionable quality to skim next. An article on the second page jumped out at her and she stifled a laugh at the title.
Aliens Brand Woman for Spaceship Cleaner in Her Sleep
Sara’s copper eyes ran down the words, widening as she took in the subtext of the article shaming a woman brave enough to tell her story, no matter how ludicrous it may sound.
* * *
Mrs. Leslie Leeteral from Hackney has claimed to have received an early Chri
stmas present—one she isn’t at all sure she wants, though like all tattoos we acquire once we’ve had a few too many drinks, this one is sure to stick.
The London native claims to have had a couple gins to celebrate her husband’s Christmas bonus and gone to bed early the night of the nineteenth of December. She had big plans to finish her Christmas shopping the next day and take herself out for a solo lunch and pint while her husband watched their three children. It isn’t often you get alone time as a mum so this part of her story, at least, we understand.
Unfortunately for Mrs. Leeteral, her night of rest did not go as planned.
She awoke with a start in the wee hours to find a ghostly figure leaning over her.
“He was massive, he was. And bright yellow, like the sun. I thought it was the sun at first. Still asleep, you know. But then I saw how close he was and figured I’d be dead if the sun came in me room. Well, he saw he’d woken me and he came—he flew—closer, which had me in a right state, as you can imagine. Me husband was working the night shift and I was all alone, defenseless with the kids in the next rooms! I scrambled up as fast as I could and grabbed the lamp to fend him off. Bit stupid, really, how do you fight a ghost with a lamp? Like I said I didn’t have me head on straight. He was inches from me when I realized I couldn’t see through him and I thought to meself, this can’t be a ghost. When did anyone ever talk about a colored ghost? They’re always white, ain’t they? He had to be an alien.”
*At this point in the interview Mrs. Leeteral looks up at the sky and shivers.*
“The alien came right up and looked at me. He had huge black eyes and a round, black mouth. At least I think that’s what they were. He stared at me for what must have been ten minutes and then . . . He touched me.”