“They’re beautiful,” Layla offered.
Aradia gave a nod while resting the gems on her chest. “He didn’t stop there.”
Layla laughed, familiar with the overwhelming feeling of being spoiled by a wizard from the Conn/Kavanagh coven. “What else did he get you?”
“This dress, and a new outfit for work. Plus a couple of books that probably cost a small fortune. Then he cooked me breakfast.”
“Sounds like a good morning.”
Aradia stopped stroking her skirt and stared at the swaying forest. “It was the best morning of my life.”
Layla’s brow furrowed as she scooted closer. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
“I’ve never had it better, but”—Aradia drew a deep breath and made sure no one was eavesdropping—“I didn’t have sex with him.”
“So? What does that have to do with anything?”
“That’s why he’s doing it, right? Why he bought me gifts and planned to pamper me this morning. He hoped I’d have sex with him, and I gave him hope by staying the night.”
Layla scowled and shook her head. “No matter how much a guy spoils you, you’re not obligated to have sex with him. Even if you say yes and strip naked, you still have the right to change your mind.”
“I know, but I don’t expect him to reward me for it by waking me up with gifts and cooking me breakfast. Why does he try so hard when he’s not getting sex in return?”
“Because he’s not doing it for sex.” As the words echoed in Layla’s head, she realized she better clarify. “I mean, that’s not the only reason he does it. I’m sure he wants sex, and he knows he won’t get it if he treats you poorly, so I guess you could say he’s motivated by it, but there’s more to it. He’s probably smitten by your smile and loves putting it there, and I bet he didn’t get you a dress just so he could strip it off. He probably thought it was pretty and noticed it would match your eyes, and he knows you don’t own a lot of clothes. Even if you’re not having sex with him, I’m sure he gets something out of the time you spend together, and I promise his motivations aren’t purely selfish. This is your first Christmas. Banning’s a sweet guy and wants to fill your day with good memories.”
“He’s the sweetest guy,” Aradia agreed, “and he’s never selfish, but last night was our first sleepover. He didn’t pressure me, but I know he hoped to take things further.” She fidgeted with her necklace while bowing her head, and her next sentence was barely audible over the surrounding chatter. “I think part of me hoped that, too.”
“Oh,” Layla breathed. “That changes things.”
“Not really, because he doesn’t know.”
Layla couldn’t fully comprehend the emotional turmoil Aradia was enduring, yet it weighed heavy on her full heart. “Sounds like we need some serious girl talk. Do you have plans tomorrow?”
“No.”
“Then let’s make a date. Find me after dinner tomorrow, and we’ll talk this out. Have you mentioned it to Daleen?”
“No. I can barely admit it to myself.”
“That’s okay,” Layla assured, rubbing her back. “I’m glad you feel like you can talk to me about it.”
“You’re the only one. I don’t know why.”
“It doesn’t matter. Just know I’m here for you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. We’ll talk more tomorrow, but today, we forget our problems and celebrate our family.”
Aradia’s face and aura brightened. “I love our family.”
“They’re the best,” Layla agreed, gazing at the happy people surrounding them.
The kids busied themselves with a snow castle, packing four walls from the piles Brayden magically bulldozed, and while Benzio focused on structural aspects, Alana made sure he added access for the coven pets and room for a garden.
“You have to make it pwetty,” she demanded. “Life should be pwetty.”
“Pretty,” Benzio corrected. “But life’s not always pretty.”
“So you make it that way.” She knelt near the front of their incomplete castle, her purple dress contrasting beautifully against the white wall behind her. Then she dug into the snow until she found grass. Her brow pinched in concentration as she pointed at the ground, and just as Benzio’s attention started to roam, a small yellow flower blossomed through freezing snow.
Alana’s eyes lit up with pride as she glanced at Benzio, who was equally enthralled, but the flower wilted within seconds of blooming.
Benzio’s expression fell with the petals. Then he turned away and added snow to the castle. “See? Pretty things die, and life’s not pretty when things die.”
Alana straightened and filled her lungs, propping her hands on her hips as she gave Benzio a sharp piece of her mind. “That’s not a vewry nice thing to say.”
“But… it’s real.”
She tilted her chin and pointed to her own chest. “I’m pwetty.”
Benzio stopped working and found her scowl, and Layla braced for their first fight, trying to decide if she should intervene. The cause of their discourse – recognizing beauty in a harsh world, a challenge so deep and difficult even adults struggled to succeed – squeezed Layla’s chest and caught her breath. She hated that the toddlers had faced grief no baby should, but their comprehension and logic as they navigated their scary world was incredible, and Layla wanted to watch it play out.
“Pretty,” Benzio gently corrected. “You’re pretty.”
His agreement pleased Alana, and she lifted her chin higher while wrapping up her argument. “And I’m stiw in the gawden, so it’s stiw pwetty.”
Benzio smiled as he returned to work. “You’re right.”
Layla’s tension eased, and Quin laughed, bringing her gaze around. “Smart,” he approved, nodding toward the toddlers. “It’s unwise to tell a woman she’s wrong.”
“Until she is,” Layla disagreed, rising from her seat to take one of the three babies he was juggling. “Is it feeding time already?”
Quin passed over both boys but kept Lilyana. “Almost, but first, let’s introduce them to the snow.”
They left the deck and walked to an undisturbed section of lawn, and with nearly every coven member gathered around to watch, Quin dropped the spells on Lilyana’s hands and knelt. The first touch made her jolt, and her wide eyes found Quin, who offered a comforting smile while digging into the snow with his free hand. “That’s new, isn’t it?”
Bolstered by his example, she went in for a handful, and in her uncoordinated excitement, she slapped herself in the face with a snowy palm. Everyone laughed at her shocked expression. Then she squealed and grinned at her daddy, earning a chorus of awws.
Though Kaedan and Farrow didn’t bless the onlookers with smiles, their surprise and intrigue was adorable, but their interest in the snow quickly turned to discomfort, so Quin warmed them up and recast his spells.
While Layla visited with her grandmas and nursed on the platform near the fire pit, her grandpas and Quin flew to the eastern border of the property to meet Alec.
He was already there when they arrived, chatting with a few Crusaders, but when he saw Quin, he said a short goodbye to the guards and entered the community.
“Merry Christmas,” Quin greeted.
Alec peered over Quin’s shoulder as he replied. “Merry Christmas. Where’s Aradia?”
“Helping with dinner, but she’s excited to see you.”
Alec’s hands stayed visible as he leaned forward and offered the crown of his head to Quin, who’d gotten pretty good at casting a translucent mind shield.
Once Alec was hexless, he straightened and tucked his hands in the pockets of his cloak. “This doesn’t strike me as the kind of coven who puts their women to work on domestic tasks.”
Quin laughed as he led the way toward the lawn, making the trek on foot since Alec couldn’t fly. “Aradia volunteered, along with Banning and several others.”
“Aradia’s sweet like that.”
&n
bsp; “Bann’s grandma is our food expert, so he and Aradia cook together a lot. She’ll hover if we don’t let her help. She’s anxious to contribute.”
Alec smiled as he snatched a needle off a nearby branch. “She did that when she was young, before she started hiding out in her room. She preferred helping the kitchen staff over dining with the students, like she couldn’t sit still while someone else worked.”
“That’s exactly what it’s like,” Quin agreed. “She has a big heart.”
“Too big.” Alec snapped the needle in half and tossed it aside. Then he glanced between Caitrin and Serafin before finding Quin’s profile. “It’s convenient she stayed behind, because I need to talk to you.”
Quin searched Alec’s aura then met his stare. “About what?”
“Aradia. Me. I’m leaving after the new year.”
“Leaving Oregon?”
“Yes.”
Quin had a lot of questions, but he wasn’t entitled to the answers. When he freed Alec, he forfeited his power over him. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Nothing. I’m telling you because… because…” Alec scowled as his jaw tightened, but then he took a deep breath and relaxed. “I can’t tell her yet. This is her first Christmas since we were babies, and I won’t ruin it. But I’m telling you because I can’t go unless I know she’ll stay. I don’t want her following me. I need to know she has a good reason to stay, and that she’ll have people looking out for her.”
Only birdsong and rustling foliage could be heard as Alec’s news soaked in. Then Serafin cleared his throat and spoke up. “Quin’s not asking, so I will. Where are you going, Alec?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why are you leaving?”
“I don’t have a home here.”
“You don’t have a home out there either. But here you have friends and a sister; you have a place to eat holiday dinners and people willing to help you build a home. Why leave?”
“Because Aradia’s better off without me.”
Quin shook his head. “That’s a sorry excuse.”
“It’s as valid as any. She has a good life now. Every time I come here, it’s like I’m stepping into a surreal utopia. Every time I see her, she’s smiling. She and Banning are getting closer, and everything’s falling into place for her. The only thing that’s out of place is me. I’m a shadow in her otherwise bright world.”
“She doesn’t see it that way,” Quin countered. “You’re just restless and using that as an excuse.”
“So what if I am restless?”
Quin shrugged. “I don’t care if you’re restless, but don’t use your sister to justify self-serving decisions. You’re leaving for you, not her.”
“However you put it, I’m getting out of here for a while.”
“What do you expect to find?” Caitrin asked.
Alec shook his head. “I don’t know. My job at the tree farm is over, so it’s a good time to try something new. I just need to go; find people who haven’t already labeled me a sinner. Oregon’s magicians have been good to me, but they don’t trust me.”
“That’s a better excuse,” Quin noted.
Alec raised an eyebrow. “You don’t think it’s selfish?”
“I think it’s an honest assessment of how you feel, so it should be respected. Aradia wants you to stick around, but she’s more concerned about your quality of life. She’s adjusting well and has what she needs, so you can’t use her as an excuse to stay or go, and the rest of us have no say in the matter. All I can do is hope you’ll keep your mouth shut. There are people out there who wouldn’t hesitate to torture you for information about us.”
“They’ll get nothing out of me.”
“I’ve seen strong people crumble when faced with torture and death, so I suggest you forget you even know us while you travel. As peaceful as our home appears when you visit, it’s a potential war zone that has been strewn with dead bodies in the past. We go to great lengths to keep that from happening again.”
“I’m no stranger to torture, and I’d never betray my sister by betraying you. Just promise me you’ll take care of her when I’m gone.”
“I won’t always be around, but as long as this coven survives, Aradia has a family who’ll take care of her.”
“That’s what I needed to hear. Thank you. Please don’t say anything to her about this. I’ll tell her after the holidays.”
Quin gave a nod. Then the conversation shifted to lighter topics for the rest of their walk.
Chapter Nine
With help from some adults and their magic, the kids had completed a snow castle that stood around eight feet tall, had four sturdy walls, windows, pet access, and a pretty garden instead of a mote. Layla took a tour after nursing and pumping. Then dinner was served on the warm deck.
The meal left them stuffed and lazy, so they moved to the other side of the platform and got comfortable on the benches. Layla sipped hot cocoa while gazing longingly at Quin’s coffee. Then she helped herself to a half-ass fix by taking a bite of mocha fudge.
A few people were opening gifts, which were never presented in an organized or overt manner, because no one expected presents or tallied up how many they got. At random times throughout the day, Layla received clothes from her grandparents and Quin’s parents, a necklace from Selena and Edana, and a charm bracelet from Benzio, who’d enlisted the help of his grandpas to make a bracelet for every witch in the coven.
The triplets and Benzio were showered with gifts, but Quin kept things tidy by sending the presents to the house as soon as they were received. Aradia had to do the same, overwhelmingly grateful for the books, music, clothes, jewelry, art and expurgator supplies. Alec reveled in her good fortune, and when he received gifts from Banning, Brietta, and Layla’s grandpas, the detached cool he constantly maintained melted, leaving him stunned and humbled.
Their meal had settled by the time the Cormac/Adair and Owen/Sullivan covens arrived, and while everyone greeted and hugged, a snowball fight broke out.
Who fired first was a mystery to most, but the shot hit Weylin in the back of the head, and for a tiny moment, the lawn was silent as everyone froze. Tension held lungs hostage as comprehension replaced shock. Then a wave of shouts rose from the crowd as chaos ensued.
The triplets were on the deck in the care of their grandparents, so Quin scooped Benzio into his right arm and grabbed Layla’s hand. “Cast a shield.”
She’d never been in a magical snowball fight and wasn’t aware of the severity of the situation. “What?”
Benzio’s eyes widened, and Layla followed his gaze to a barrage of snowballs soaring through the air. And they weren’t average snowballs packed by average people. Magic was in play, producing and launching ammo with extraordinary speed and accuracy from dozens of directions.
Layla tossed out a shield, and a few snowballs hit, busting into slush. She laughed and looked at Quin. “That escalated quickly. Now what?”
“Now we get out of the crossfire. On the count of three, drop your shield and run.”
“Run where?”
Quin glanced around then pointed at an empty section of lawn. “Ready?”
“Yeah, but forget running. I’m flying.”
“So are the snowballs.”
He was right. Most people had teamed up, claimed a base, and launched attacks against every other team.
Layla gave Quin a wink then rushed the countdown. “One, two, three, go.”
She dropped her shield before he was ready, and he took a snowball to the backside as she flew away. She laughed while glancing back, but she didn’t have time to gloat. The other teams had noticed vulnerable targets darting across the battlefield.
Layla narrowed her eyes and flicked her fingers, altering the direction of the incoming snowballs, and Benzio giggled while Quin dodged and blocked.
They were almost to their rendezvous point, which remained bare and open. Others had built barracks or taken refuge on porches and
roofs, so Layla focused on the snow in front of her while sweeping a hand through the air. Hundreds of vines shot from the earth, forming a vivid green circle in the stark white expanse. Then the plants twisted and weaved into a cylindrical tower.
Quin laughed while carrying Benzio to the peak of the earthy base, and as they dropped inside, the vines merged together to form a domed roof. “My clever angel,” Quin commended, following Layla to the ground. “Now we can plan our assault.”
She grinned and scooped up a handful of snow. “They’ll never see it coming.”
While Benzio kept watch through peepholes in the greenery, Layla and Quin hatched a plan, deciding it was fair to utilize their magic since their team had fewer members than the rest. Concealing themselves and Benzio, they abandoned their earthy dome. Then they began executing sneak attacks on one team at a time. Only Benzio’s giggles gave them away as they floated from base to base, finding the weak spots and raining icy fun on their opponents. News of their tactics eventually spread, and teams scrambled to strengthen their defenses as Brietta shouted across the lawn.
“Not fair, Layla! That’s cheating!”
Benzio couldn’t stifle his snickers, and Layla wouldn’t dare discourage his fun. They were in the forest behind one of the houses, hidden from the others, and despite the effort they were putting into the game, they didn’t expect to come out of it unscathed.
Layla squeezed Quin’s hand and mind searched him. ‘Brietta just gave away her position.’
And it proved to be her downfall.
Layla and Quin followed her voice, and instead of launching an attack on her snow fort, they melted it, leaving her team vulnerable to everyone. Shouts rang out as snowballs flew and Brietta scrambled for safety, but she couldn’t outrun the wave of snow Layla summoned. Kegan was by Brietta’s side when the freezing crest crashed down, nearly burying them both, and everyone emerged from hiding to laugh at their stunned faces.
“Ha, ha,” Brietta joined in, her cheeks pink and pinched. “Where’s Layla? I know she did this.”
Quin and Benzio appeared at the tree line, both of them laughing as they walked forward, but Layla stayed invisible as she snuck up behind Brietta and whispered in her ear. “Boo.”
The Servant Page 14