“Yeah, it comes with puberty. I’m well past that and not a single sign of magic. Trust me, I would have told you if I had magic. That’s not so easy to hide.” His words bugged me for some reason, and after a second it came to me.
“But you said I can do magic. I’m past puberty. How is that possible?”
“Not sure. I suspect it has something to do with your eyes. Its almost like your power was bound.” His words recalled the sensation of pressure right before I’d disappeared and I explained it to Dane. “Yep, that definitely sounds like someone wanted to keep your power contained, but why?” I shrugged and he gave a slight grimace at his next words. “Witches now aren’t that powerful. Magic isn’t what it used to be according to my grandmother. Every successive generation has lost some of their power and fewer are being born with the ability to wield magic. So to have someone intentionally bind your magic doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
“Maybe it’s because I was adopted?” I ventured. Dane knew I was adopted, but we’d never really talked about it extensively. It wasn’t a big deal to me, and I’d never even told my parents I knew I was adopted. I don’t know if they’d ever intended to tell me, but being a pale redhead in a family where everyone was olive skinned with chocolate brown eyes and black hair had tipped me off at a young age. When I’d told Dane my suspicions we’d went digging for my birth certificate and eventually found the adoption papers. They hadn’t said much and I wasn’t curious about birth parents I didn’t know so I’d let it go. Now, though, maybe my birth parents had more to do with my life than I’d thought.
“That might be the best explanation.” He put the truck in gear and gave me a sideways glance. “If they knew or one of them knew there was a possibility of you having magical abilities, they could have bound your powers as an infant so weird stuff didn’t start happening at puberty.”
“Then why did my power suddenly appear now?”
“Best guess?” He checked for traffic and pulled back on to the highway as I settled back with the last biscuit. “You were in danger. Either it was enough to break whatever binding that contained your magic or that was the trigger to break it.”
“Trigger?” I asked around a mouthful of egg and bread.
“Yeah, spells can have triggers. So a sequence of events happen and the spell breaks or activates depending on the outcome you want.”
“So maybe your magic was bound too.” It was nothing but speculation on my part but as soon as I said the words I knew they were true.
“My family would have noticed or told me if they’d done that.” Dane replied, denying the idea. But I shook my head.
“What if they didn’t know? What if it didn’t have anything to do with them?”
“What are you saying?” He gave me a suspicious stare, but I was on to something. I knew it. “I don’t have magic. Trust me I’d notice if I did.”
“I think you do.” I told him eagerly. He flicked glances my way, but kept his eyes on the road.
“Explain.”
“My burns healed after you touched them. Like almost immediately. I could feel the difference. And this morning, you answered a question I swear I didn’t speak aloud.”
“That’s…” He trailed off and I filled in the word he knew better than to utter.
“Crazy?” He gave me a disgruntled look, but I only raised my eyebrows. “What if your magic is somehow connected to mine?” I held up my hand at his instinctive protest. “Trust me I’m barely able to wrap my head around it myself, but you have to admit its plausible.”
“Yes, its plausible if I thought I had magic. I know you think I healed your burns, but I didn’t try to. Yes, I was upset you were hurt and wanted to take the pain away, but I didn’t do a spell or anything.” He tossed me a glance. “Which you need to do magic. Spells. Words and incantations. Herbs, circles, certain cycles of the moon.”
“None of that got me to you.”
He let out a sigh, unable to argue my logic.
“Okay, if we are considering our magic is somehow bound together and when yours released so did mine, how is it possible? Hmmm? I’ve never heard of such a thing. And we didn’t even know each other until I was eleven and you were ten. Your magic would have had to have been bound long before that.”
“Have you ever heard of someone appearing out of thin air thousands of miles away from where they were?”
“No,” he admitted.
“But I ‘magically’ found you the second my power was released. You. The guy I’ve been in a relationship with since I was ten. A relationship deemed strange and weird by everyone we know because we’re so devoted to one another.” I knew he could feel the weight of my gaze, but he stared steadfastly at the road. “You don’t think maybe this explains a few things?”
“Maybe.” He finally said, and I wondered at his reluctance to admit that maybe I was right, as crazy as it sounded. It wasn’t as if everything about our current situation wasn’t insane. This seemed to fit right in. “If its true…why didn’t my family notice? The coven?”
Oh, yeah.
I could see how that would be an issue. His family were legit magic wielders, witches with generations of experience and somehow they’d missed their son had a mystical, magic bond with the girl next door?
“You said people have started losing power, right? This guy that tried to get me…he wanted to use my blood to boost his own coven’s magic. So maybe that’s our answer. I mean, he was babbling about a trinity and chosen ones. He could have been off his rocker or maybe he knew something. There has to be some history. I don’t think we’re the first.” I still hadn’t told him about the women I’d seen, their blue eyes that looked so much like mine. I hated to keep it from him, but something kept me silent. The same instinct that had protected me when the intruder came to my room. I didn’t for a second think Dane would use the information to hurt me if he knew, but there was something about the women, their concern that kept me quiet.
“I don’t know the history really. Never seemed important since I couldn’t use magic.” He thumped his hand against the steering wheel, pissed at his lack of knowledge. “But I know someone who does.”
I gave him an inquiring glance as I reached over to wrap my hand around his. He let me take his hand and threaded our fingers together.
“My grandmother. The coven leader.” He nodded determinedly. “If anyone knows, it’ll be her.”
“Then she’s the one we need to talk to.”
I leaned back against the seat, sleepiness seeping in now that my stomach was finally full. Even the sight of the majestic mountains were not enough to keep my eyes from slipping closed as the truck ate the miles toward home.
Chapter Five
Ringing woke me and I sat up, confused as to where I was. The warm palm cradling mine brought me back to the present as I blinked the sleep out of my eyes, and realized the ringing was Dane’s cell phone, and he wasn’t answering.
“You’re not going to get that?” I muttered, shoving hair from my face.
“It’s my mom. Pretty sure I know why she’s calling.”
“What time is it?” I asked, choosing to disregard the fact he was avoiding his mom.
“Little after two.”
“Did you want me to drive awhile?”
He graced me with a frown before turning back to the road. I shrugged, at least I’d offered. It wasn’t like I hadn’t known he’d turn me down. The only time Dane had ever let me drive was when he was teaching me to drive. As soon as he thought I had the basics down and passed my driving test, he went back to driving us everywhere. I didn’t protest. Dane had a habit of fussing anytime he thought I was speeding. It was easier to just let him drive.
He squeezed my hand, a belated attempt to show appreciation for the offer.
“Hungry?” His question made me aware of the empty gnawing sensation in the region of my stomach. I wouldn’t have thought I’d be hungry after the double breakfast I’d had, but it looked like my appetite had r
eturned with a vengeance.
“Yeah. Can we stop?”
“Yep. Need gas too.”
The next exit we found a gas station with a diner in the parking lot.
“I’ll fill up if you want to grab a table inside.” Dane said, the placement of the truck giving him a direct view of the inside of the diner and insuring I would never be out of his sight. I walked over, hands tucked in my pockets to keep them out of the wind. For June, Montana was still cold. I was used to eighty degree days back home, but apparently this place hadn’t gotten the memo that summer had arrived.
A bell clanged as I stepped inside and within seconds I heard a voice from the back say, “Be right there.” The place was empty since it was a little late for lunch and too early for the dinner crowd. I walked to the corner booth and slid in so I could see Dane. A full year without seeing him once and now a couple dozen yards seemed too far away. The need to be near him had always been strong, but now it was borderline ridiculous. Which lent credence to my theory that magic linked us in ways we had no idea of.
My thoughts were interrupted by a robust, “Howdy,” and I realized the voice from the back had made it to our table. A large man stood back from the table wearing a stained apron and a nametag that read, ‘Paul.’ I wasn’t sure if he kept his distance in an effort to not intimidate me, but whatever the reason I appreciated it.
“Sorry about the delay. Not much going on around here at this time and my waitress went to pick her boy up from school.” His chatter eased the last of my concern as he made sure not to block my exit from the booth. “What brings you here?”
“Food?” I offered, not entirely sure how to respond to his innate friendliness. I’d never been particularly good with social interaction, usually leaving the talking to Dane, who always seemed to know how to handle people.
He busted out laughing and nodded. “That’s a good reason to come into a diner.” He placed a menu in front of me as my eyes strayed back to the parking lot. My heart stopped when I didn’t see Dane, but jolted back when he came around the other side of the truck. I let out a sigh as my heartbeat returned to normal. Paul eyed me curiously and I gave him a weak smile. He was around my dad’s age and I guessed he owned the diner. It seemed like the kind of place where the owner would be the cook, cashier, and waiter when needed.
“Do you know what you want?” He asked carefully, watching me fiddle with the menu but not open it. “I can get it started if you don’t need a menu. Pretty standard fare.”
“Um, no. I’m waiting for my boy…” I stopped myself before I finished saying boyfriend. That word wasn’t necessarily true anymore. My heart protested the thought but I’d been with him less than twenty-four hours. We hadn’t discussed the past, and with everything that had happened I wasn’t sure we would. Calling him my boyfriend seemed presumptuous and somewhat inadequate. There were words I could use to describe what Dane meant to me, but boyfriend was too light a term. And people tended to get uncomfortable with soulmate when your age still ended in teen. “I’m waiting for my companion.” I finished awkwardly waving to the parking lot. “He should be here in a minute.”
“Okay, you need another menu?” He asked with a friendly smile. I couldn’t match his ease, but I tried. My smile came out more like a grimace as I shook my head though, because he lost his own smile. Dane choose that moment to come swinging in the door, his eyes immediately searching me out. I must have been a little too relieved to see him, because he strode across the room, a tense expression on his face as he took in Paul.
The big guy next to me eased back another step, noticing Dane’s protectiveness. I hopped up, trying to diffuse the situation I’d accidentally created.
“I was waiting for you before I ordered.” Dane rocked back slightly at my overly loud proclamation, but seemed to realize nothing was amiss. He nodded and sat down next to me in the booth, not bothering with the other side. I was pressed right next to him, his worn leather jacket soft with his familiar scent. He’d wrapped me in that same jacket countless times when I’d left the house without my own coat. He used to joke it belonged to me and he just kept it so I’d have something to wear when I forgot mine.
I opened the menu as Paul said, “I’ll give you two a few minutes.” I sat there and read the description of every single item on the menu as Dane watched. When Paul came back, Dane ordered the chicken fried steak and the double bacon burger. I elbowed him and said, “I haven’t decided.”
He smiled at me, “You’re going to order the double bacon burger.” He glanced back at Paul who was giving us a bemused glance. “In fact give me two double bacon burgers and those come with fries, right?”
“You got it. So you want the two burgers and not the chicken fried steak?’
“No, the chicken fried steak is for me. The burgers are for her.”
“Dane, I can’t eat two burgers!” I protested as he took the menu from me. He gave me a disbelieving stare and replied, “We’ll get you a doggie bag if you don’t, alright?”
A quick glance at the milkshakes on the front and he said, “Two chocolate shakes also.” He flipped the menu over and added, “Two slices of pie, whatever today’s special is.”
“Coming right up.” Paul grinned at our huge order but didn’t seem to have an issue with it.
It wasn’t long before the food was placed in front of us and I quickly devoured the first burger. Dane was only half way through his plate when I started eyeing the second burger. I didn’t want to admit he’d been right, but my stomach grumbled.
“Eat it.” He nudged the plate closer to me. “You need your strength. The amount of magic it took for you to get to me….” He shook his head. “You used a physical type of magic. Your own body’s resources. They need to be replenished. I want you ready if you need to do it again.”
“I have no idea how I did it.” I exclaimed, swallowing the bite I’d just taken.
“Doesn’t matter. Instinctively, you can protect yourself. But you need to be strong.” He pointed at my plate. “This is necessary fuel for you.”
I slurped down the last of my milkshake as I finished off the second burger and he pushed the rest of his milkshake toward me. I took it as I dove into the slice of peach pie he’d brought out while we were eating. The door jangled then and another guy came in, this one even bigger than Paul and my eyes widened. He looked like a pro wrestler he was so big. Dane glanced over and dismissed him as not a threat. Not to say Dane could take him in a fight. He might. He was well versed in several forms of martial arts, but Dane’s strength lied in being able to assess a person’s threat level. It kept him out of fights more often than not. As he’d told me once, when you knew who was looking for a fight it was easier to avoid them.
The guy went to the back like he’d been here a million times before and I went back to my pie, unconcerned if Dane was okay with him. After I finished off my pie, I eyed the uneaten portion of Dane’s. He shook his head and curled his arm protectively around the last few bites he had left. I pouted, but didn’t try for it. I finished off the rest of his milkshake though. He took two more bites and then sighed, pushing his plate toward me. I pounced on the last few bites, smiling at him. He gave me a reluctant grin in return and shook his head as he pushed his cap up and ran his fingers through his hair.
Paul came out with the other guy a minute later and took in the sight of our empty plates.
“I’m impressed.” He said, gathering our plates. “Lionel, I think I finally found someone who eats more than you.”
“Him?” The guy named Lionel said, taking in Dane. A shake of his head though had him glancing at me in surprise. “Her?” I was almost offended by his disbelief, but honestly if someone had told me the day before I’d be eating like a linebacker I wouldn’t have believed them either. I gave him a sideways smile as he gave me an admiring nod.
“So what brings you to this part of the world?” Paul asked in an attempt to be friendly.
“I was working as a guide for the
summer.” Dane answered and threw a quick glance at me. “Plans changed unexpectedly and now we’re headed back home.”
“Okay,” Paul nodded, glancing between us. “If you need anything let me know. Work or a place to stay.”
Dane’s eyes narrowed suspiciously at the offer and the other guy, Lionel, laughed.
“I don’t think they’re runaways, Paul.” He said, clapping him on the back before turning to us. “We see it a lot. Young kids, or not so young, they show up hungry, dirty, tired. Runaways or just people down on their luck. Neither of us likes to see them get taken advantage of, so we try to help when we can.” He exchanged a glance with Paul and gestured to our plates. “You seemed like you might fit the MO, but that’s not the case is it?”
Dane relaxed at this explanation, but I was a little upset.
“Do I look homeless?” I busted out and Dane gave me a long look.
“A little.” My face drooped and he flicked my chin. “What can I say, I think you look cute in my clothes but to the rest of the world you might look like a bag lady.” I punched his arm as the other guys laughed at his assessment.
“So where’s home?” Lionel asked, straddling a chair he pulled over from another table. Neither of them attempted to box us in, keeping their distance as they made conversation with us. It seemed they were well versed in skittish behavior.
“Tennessee.” Dane answered easily enough. I stayed out of the conversation, not wanting to talk about my home or lack of one. “We’re headed back to see my family.” He put his arm behind me, his hand brushing the edge of my shoulder.
“Been together long?”
“Eight years.” Their eyebrows raised in surprise and I giggled at the sight of them raised in unison. “We’re the definition of childhood sweethearts.” Dane added wryly. They both nodded at the understatement.
“So, going home to see the family. Sounds nice. Hope nothing bad happened to interrupt your summer.” Dane frowned and I leaned into him, remembering why we were here.
“Death in the family. We’re going home to pay our respects. Plan for the future.” His arm slipped down and cupped my shoulder more firmly. “And it’s time we were off. Long drive ahead.”
The Trinity Sisters Page 36