by Wendy Knight
She raised herself to her full height, which was at least two inches shorter than he was. “Is she a witch?”
Quin’s eyebrows shot up and he blinked. “I don’t know—I don’t—No. No, she can’t be a witch. We’re the only ones this far north of the coven.”
“Are you sure?”
Quin thought through it, actually trying now. But he knew nothing about her except that she seemed to be some sort of chemistry prodigy and loved to run and get the crap beat out of her at Krav Maga. “She kind of hates me.”
She nodded. “Right. Sorry. It’s just— if she was, this could— this stuff she gave you, it could change everything. Our recovery time would be so much faster. We would be prepared for war much sooner than we are now. She could be a potions witch, Quin. You know what that means?”
He did know what that meant. Potion witches had all been killed. There was rumored to be a warrior at the coven who could mix spells occasionally, but she was highly unreliable. She’d come from a potions family, the only warrior, but her sisters and mother had been killed by the warlocks years ago, when they’d gone on their purge.
Other than that one rumored witch, though, they were gone. No more potion witches, no more powerful potions. The archives had been dangerously low for years now.
“I’ll see what I can do, Mom. Can’t you check with the coven? Wouldn’t they know if there were any witches out here?”
“I already put in a call. They’re looking into it.”
Quin ran a hand through his hair. Was Destiny a witch? She seemed so normal. She was in his Krav Maga class. What witch took defense classes when she could just attack things with her wand? Granted, he hadn’t met a lot of witches, as the coven had a thing against men showing up at their meetings or the coven, unless one was a doctor or a patient’s family at the coven hospital.
“Hello?” his mom waved her hand in his face.
Quin blinked, shaking his head a little bit. “Sorry. What?”
She smirked. “Never mind.”
“Dinner will be ready in five, Quin. Go clean up. You smell funny.”
Quin would have scowled, but his dad was right. It was hot outside. Boys sweat.
He took a long, hot shower, the pounding water soothing the aching muscles and scrapes from practice while his brain went a thousand miles an hour trying to decide if Destiny was a witch or not, and then when he gave up on that, he tried to figure out how to ask her point blank if she was.
He gave up on that, too.
He trudged back down to dinner and thunked into his chair. His mom and dad exchanged a long suffering parent look that they thought he wouldn’t notice.
“What’s up, Quin?” she asked.
“I can’t figure out how to ask her if she’s a witch. She’ll probably punch me in the throat. She’s in my Krav Maga class.”
His mom frowned while she handed him his hamburger. “That doesn’t make any sense. If she’s a witch, she wouldn’t need defense classes. She’d have a wand.”
Quin nodded as he bit into his hamburger, grateful for the thousandth time that his dad was an excellent cook.
“Unless she’s a potions witch,” his dad said. He was still pouring condiments all over his bun, and Quin’s mom watched him with her nose wrinkled. “She wouldn’t use a wand to fight.”
“If she’s a potion witch, she wouldn’t have a desire to fight. It’s against their nature. That’s why they were slaughtered. I mean, they probably could have fought, if they wanted. They just had no desire.” Quin’s mother mashed up her potatoes with a little too much force.
Quin and his dad watched warily. Last time she’d done this, she’d accidentally started the table of fire. She looked up. “What?”
Quin raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at her plate, where her potatoes had been mushed into oblivion.
“Oh.”
She turned back to Quin. “What do you know about this girl?”
“She’s new. She just transferred schools.”
“Why?”
“She was expelled from her last school. She runs cross country, she’s apparently a straight A student, and she’s a freaking genius at chemistry,” he grumbled.
“But not better than you, right?” His dad took a big bite of hamburger and looked proudly on, his cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk.
“Yes. She’s better than me.”
His mom nodded. “That’s it. She’s a witch. But why don’t I know of her?”
No one had an answer for that.
“Well. We’ll just need to do some investigatory work.” She waved her fork around the room, like that explained her statement perfectly. “Find out why she got expelled, first of all.”
Quin nodded. “I’ll get right on that. Just let me find my magnifying glass.”
Cass rolled her eyes. “Very funny. I’ll see what I can find out behind the scenes. You,” she pointed her fork at Quin’s head, “find out what you can from her.”
“Uh, remember how she kind of hates me, Mom?”
She frowned. “Why? Because she’s better than you at chemistry?”
Quin ducked his head. “No. Because I’m kind of a jerk. I knocked her down and didn’t help her up.”
“Quinlan!” Cass bellowed.
“We raised you better than that.” his dad shook his head in disappointment.
And he was officially the worst boy in history. “I know,” he said quietly.
“Well, apologizing tomorrow will give you the perfect opportunity to find out more about her.” His mom beamed at him. “Now eat your potatoes.”
CHAPTER FIVE
DESTINY’S ALARM HADN’T EVEN GONE OFF yet when she heard pounding on the front door downstairs. She groaned and rolled over, covering her head with her pillow. In the other room, she heard Fate yell, “Go away, you evil heathen!”
It would have been funny if it wasn’t such an unholy hour.
Alina, though, was already up. Sometimes, Destiny wasn’t sure she even slept — just hung out in the shadows at night where no one could see her. Destiny heard her mother bound down the stairs like a teenager, and then she could hear the door, ancient as it was, creak loudly as it swung open.
“Winnie. I didn’t expect you.”
Instantly, Destiny was up, rolling to her feet and grabbing a hoodie to throw on over her tank top. She shoved her hair into a bun as she tromped out of her room and down the stairs, Fate right behind her.
“You sent me a message saying you have a new potion to try. Did you honestly think I wouldn’t be here?” Winnie waltzed through the door and through the entryway, right into their kitchen.
Or she would have, except Fate and Destiny, both of whom were taller than she was, stood in the doorway, blocking her path.
Alina paused, surveying the situation. Destiny and Fate said nothing, just stood silent and unblinking.
“Aren’t you going to let me in?” She tipped her head back, scowling, so she could see them both.
“No. You weren’t invited. And it’s dang early,” Destiny said.
Clearly, she didn’t appreciate this. “You know what I am, don’t you? I kill for a living. I kill battle-trained warlocks. Imagine what I could do to you.” Winnie got as close to their faces as she could, which was still several inches too short.
Destiny glanced at Fate, who nodded. “You could try.”
“Okay, that’s enough. Winnie,” Alina’s voice shook. “I will give you this potion this one time, but then I’m done. You are no longer welcome in my home. Destiny, Fate, let her past so we can get her out of our house.” Alina formed in the shadows just next to them, at Winnie’s elbow. Winnie promptly screeched and jumped away, her hand on her wand.
Destiny started forward toward her right, and Fate moved to the left, neither mindful of the sparks of magic bursting from the wand in Winnie’s hand.
“Stop it!” Alina yelled.
Destiny froze. So did Fate.
Winnie raised her chin, but kept her wand in her
hand.
“Winnie, stay here. I’ll be right back.” Alina started up the steps into the house, dark eyes flashing.
“I don’t have to take this from potion witches,” Winnie snarled. “You’re nothing. You do nothing. Potion witches are a dying breed because they’re worthless. Even Luca knew it.”
Alina sucked in a breath, her face losing all color. “Don’t, Winnie,” she said weakly.
But Winnie knew when she had the upper hand, and she pushed it, like the blade of a knife, into Winnie’s heart. “Oh, didn’t you know we’ve been together since you left? Once your spell wore off, he realized who he’d truly been in love with all along.”
“Shut up, Winnie,” Fate snarled, starting forward again.
Winnie laughed, but there was no humor in it. She sauntered backward, through their adorable rustic chic living room with the bright flowers and turquoise accent pieces, past the piano no one played, past the family pictures and the coat closet that held their regular, sweep-the-floor-with-them brooms, because Alina wouldn’t go back to the coven to get the flying kind.
Winnie laughed the whole way, but never did she turn her back on them.
So she wasn’t completely stupid.
The smell of her was nearly overwhelming. The rot in her soul, the toll of being a warrior, seemed to flare up when she was in her most vile of moods. Destiny had only seen her maybe ten times in her life, but she’d already figured this out.
As soon as Winnie stepped foot out the front door, Fate flicked her hand angrily, and the door slammed shut. Another flick and the lock turned, keeping her out.
“You know, there aren’t many witches I’ve ever heard of who have power in their hands without a spell or a magic wand.” Alina had faded into the shadows, where her daughters couldn’t see her pain, but they could hear it in her voice. “That’s very interesting.”
Destiny patted Fate on the shoulder as she passed her and went to the kitchen to gather the vials, ten of them. Winnie could take them to the coven’s potion witches and they could make more if the potion did its job. There was no need for any of them to ever see her again.
Before her mother could pick up the little bottles, Destiny snatched them away and went to the door, flicking open the lock. She glared hard at Winnie when her aunt turned, holding out her hands. “This is it, Winnie. Don’t come back here, don’t try to contact her, don’t even think her name. Stay away from my mother.”
She expected Winnie to laugh, which she did, but nervously. And when she held out her hands for the vials, they were shaking. “That won’t be a problem. I don’t think of her at all unless she’s got something I need.”
Destiny clenched her teeth, wondering if she’d learned enough in her Krav Maga class to take on a warrior witch.
Fate stopped next to her. “That’s perfect, because we only think of you when we need something to hate. Get off our property.” She pulled Destiny back and slammed the door.
“Mom?” Destiny searched the shadows, but Alina was nowhere to be seen. “She’s gone. It’s safe now.”
Alina sighed from somewhere to the left, but stayed hidden. “If I had ever been as strong as you, maybe none of this would ever have happened.”
Fate crossed her arms over her chest and sent a furious glare at the front door, and Winnie beyond it, who was just barely driving away, wheels spinning and throwing up dirt and rocks. “You have to be strong to raise strong.”
****
QUIN HAD A PLAN. He mapped out everything he was going to say to Destiny. His mom had coached him, and he knew exactly how to ask her if she was a witch without actually asking her if she was a witch. He waited in chemistry, drumming his pencil on his desk and wondering why on earth his palms were sweating.
Apologize.
Compliment her on how well she was fitting in at her new school.
Ask her what happened at her old school.
Mention how well her potion had worked on his mom. If she looked startled at the word potion instead of salve or ointment or something a regular person would say, then she was probably not a witch. If she didn’t notice, then yeah, he had his proof. A witch would be so used to potions that she probably wouldn’t notice.
It was a brilliant plan, and he was positive it would work. If she’d just show up.
But she didn’t. She didn’t show up to chemistry. He kept an eye on her locker all day, too, but she didn’t show up there, either. By lunch, he was annoyed and moody.
“What’s wrong with you?” Aaron watched him push his lunch around on his tray. Quin understood now why his mom liked to mash her food so vehemently. It was great therapy.
“I needed to talk to Destiny. It was important,” he muttered.
“About Homecoming?” Zeke asked. He and Aaron exchanged knowing glances.
“No,” Quin snarled, standing up. He’d probably pay for it at football practice, but he wasn’t hungry. “It’s not about Homecoming. We hate each other. I’m not going to ask her to a stupid dance.”
Zeke and Aaron both stared up at him. He wasn’t usually so short with them. Ever.
He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Sorry. Lots of issues at home. I’ll see you guys later.”
“Yeah, see ya.”
That’s it. This girl was officially making him crazy. He was yelling at his friends, planning in advance how to talk to her, obsessing all night long about what she might say back.
His phone buzzed in his back pocket and he dug it out. “Hey Mom.” She probably wanted to know what he’d found out about Destiny. “The girl I told you about isn’t—”
“I don’t have much time, Quin. Two things. One, I found out why those girls were expelled from their last school.”
He stopped his storming of the school halls. “Oh yeah?”
“For unapproved distribution of a liquid substance unknown by school faculty to the male population of the school.” She paused for several seconds, and when he didn’t say anything, she continued, amusement evident in her voice. “They hit the boys at their old school with a love potion.”
He nearly walked into a wall. Kids around him all watched him like he’d lost his mind. He ducked into an empty classroom and away from their prying eyes. “A love potion? Seriously?”
“Seems like it. Thing two…”
“Don’t, Mom. Don’t say it.”
“I have to go, honey. Ancient says there are warlocks in the vicinity. I’m going to keep an eye on them.” Her voice wasn’t any more frantic than usual, but an uncomfortable foreboding settled in the pit of his stomach.
“Are you going to be okay? Will anyone else be able to make it to help you? You can’t fight them alone!”
He could hear the gentle smile in her voice. “I’ll be fine, Quin. The rest will be here in time. This is why we moved out here, to patrol the outlying areas. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”
No. No, it wasn’t okay. He hated this stupid war and he hated the terror that coiled in his stomach. But what could he say? He couldn’t ask her to stay. She wouldn’t be able to, and he knew that. It would hurt them both if he tried that, so he just forced down the knot in his throat. “Okay. Be careful.”
“I always am. Love you.”
“Love you, Mom.”
If Destiny were a witch, would she suddenly disappear to join the fight? Was that why she wasn’t here at school today?
If she was a witch, it would change everything. They’d be on the same side. Finally, there would be someone to share his secret, someone who understood what it felt like to be locked in this stupid ancient war with no way to help fight it. Since potion witches were extinct, there was a good chance her mother was a warrior, too, and she would understand how painful it was to watch them leave for battle.
He wouldn’t be so alone surrounded by so many people.
It was just like Destiny to not show up when he needed her to.
He really, really didn’t like her.
****
“I DON’T TH
INK WE can leave her like this,” Fate whispered, eyeing their mother. Destiny nodded. Alina was shaken up, and barely visible in the shadows. It was one of Destiny’s greatest fears — that she would go into the darkness and not come back out. That fear or pain would drive her to the shadows, and she would stay there.
“I’m staying home.” Fate dropped her backpack on the ground.
“No. You’re not.” Alina gave them both a pointed look, her eyes just visible from the alcove they stood across from.
Destiny pulled a face, head tipped to the side. “Eh, I don’t know,” she said slowly. “We are way behind on our yardwork and it’s October. Snow will be coming soon.”
Alina scanned the yard and the many, many trees. Most of them were bare, and leaves covered the entire front yard. Bushes needed to be trimmed down before winter, too, and the outside garden needed help before it was covered in ice.
“Yardwork?” Fate asked under her breath. “That was the best you could come up with?”
“It worked, didn’t it?” Destiny shot back.
Alina smiled and handed them both a rake. Destiny had a sneaking suspicion Alina was on to their little plan — and she was playing them.
It didn’t matter, though. She started weeding and harvesting the herbs, and Destiny and Fate were left with the broad expanse of leaf-covered lawn. They started out on opposite ends, raking into their own little piles, but as it always seemed to, their paths circled closer and closer together until they were working side by side.
“Wait, I see a spider. Hang on.” Fate handed Destiny the rake and knelt in the grass, trying to get the spider to climb up onto the leaf she had outstretched. “Come here, little guy. We don’t want to hurt you.”
The spider seemed to regard her for several long seconds and then obediently climbed up on the leaf and waited for its ride to safety. Destiny watched with interest. “He’s not very little.”
“I don’t think he’s a guy, either.” Fate carried the leaf over to the tree and let the spider off. “Make good choices!” she called as it scurried away.
“Do you think spiders have exciting lives?” Fate asked as she took her rake from Destiny and they resumed raking. The pile of leaves was nearly waist-high now, and the lawn was only half done.