Every eye looked a little shifty.
Every piece of jewelry seemed sinister.
Mina lingered long enough for Poppy and Hitch to reapply the potions to Sarah. For good measure, they applied them to Mina’s parents, the triplets and Erik.
“She’ll be ok?” Mina asked Zizi, referring to Sarah.
Zizi nodded.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes,” Zizi, Hitch, and Poppy said together.
Still Mina lingered until Grandmother caught Mina’s gaze and guilt drove her to give Grandma a jaunty wave and escape before she was found out.
Chapter 15
Penny was watering the flowers that lined the walkway to the small grey stone cottage when they arrived. She was their horticulture teacher, Grace’s sister, and Mina suddenly realized, a witch as well. It was obvious—she just hadn’t had a reason to think beyond herself before to put those pieces together.
Penny dropped the hose as they pulled up. She grinned at them, and the hose wound itself up.
Mina gasped and Max clutched her arm as they watched the hose move itself towards the house. Penny grinned at both of them, and the nonchalance of it was just what Mina needed. For so long, she’d been desperate for someone to see what she could see, and right there next to her, Max’s lips were parted as he took in the hose’s movement. She had needed to know that the loneliness and fear caused by seeing things others didn’t would morph into the promise of something better. And maybe the ability to wind up a hose without using your hands wasn’t really that magnificent.
But it was better than being crazy.
“Grace told me to expect you Mina,” Penny said over her shoulder, leading the way into a small dark foyer. “But you’re a surprise Max.”
“I hope its ok.” Mina said, without caring if Max wasn’t supposed to be there. If there was one thing she hated about this magic thing, it was all the secrets.
Max shifted.
He’s uncomfortable, she thought, and she nudged his hand to assure him.
“I couldn’t get a hold of Grace by her phone, so I sent her some emails…” Mina glanced around the foyer in surprise. She could hardly believe that Grace’s home was this dark; it wasn’t how she remembered it from her last visit. To the left was a closed door, a heavy curtain blocked the hallway in front of them, and to their right was a narrow, dark kitchen.
“It will be fine.” Penny said. “And you’re both welcome. It’s not even unexpected. Often, we find this world in duos and trios. Together as sisters—like Grace and I. Together as friends like you and Max.”
Penny nodded towards the kitchen, saying, “You get comfortable; I’ll get Grace.”
Penny disappeared into the shadows with a flap of a velvet curtain; Mina saw a flash of hallway that seemed to be a tunnel of greenery. She stared for a moment, taking in what she was sure was ivy before she joined Max in moving hesitantly into the kitchen. But then the foyer flickered at the edge of her vision.
She looked back to the little dark entrance and thought she saw a tall curving stair case with a chandelier the size of a mini cooper. It was decked with hundreds of candles; the huge foyer flickered like a dream. She blinked, and it was a cramped little room, once again.
Wind chimes sang near a large, closed window in the kitchen. The room stretched before them. One deep cobalt sink became two. The solitary wind chimes became a flock. The few feet of wood floor multiplied as they walked, and as it did, Max was completely oblivious. He didn’t seem to notice when the tiny cottage kitchen grew a pot rack adorned with copper pots from the ceiling. The small, ancient stove stretched into a wide six burner stove with a grill.
It was as if the room sighed as it settled into a large kitchen filled with light, and Mina’s worries faded. Surely, witches who could make a kitchen that morphed larger to smaller would be able to identify what was happening to Sarah, help her and teach Mina to protect them both.
“Mina…” Grace stood in the doorway, dressed in her version of casual which was crisp jeans, a silk tee, and a pony tail rather than a chignon. She still had pearls at her ears and wore dress shoes on her feet.
“Max,” she continued, “welcome.”
Max smiled, but he was still clearly nervous.
Grace glanced between the two of them, before repeating, “Max, welcome.”
This time, he grinned and with a flash of his dimples.
Grace glanced between the two of them. “Have you told Max about…”
Mina shook her head.
Max shifted, and the feeling of tension returned.
She and Grace, however, ignored it.
“I’m worried,” Grace said flatly.
Mina bit the inside of her lip. Grace sounded and looked worried as they discussed Mina’s sister.
Grace’s eyes were as concerned as her voice, and in response, tears burned behind Mina’s eyes. She’d so been hoping, even though she knew it was stupidly unlikely, that it wasn’t that big of a deal. Or that Grace could wave a wand or something, and bang—Sarah would be ok.
Mina tried to remember that it was still a step forward. Sure, whenever she let herself think about it rationally, the fear nearly smothered her.
“But, let me just take a moment to tell you that what the sprites are doing is exactly the right thing, so it’s ok to set aside your worries and focus on this for a while. I’ll be able to help find a permanent solution. Until that happens, well you’ve already taken care of the now with your potions from your sprite potionmaster.”
Mina nodded, thrusting her hair back, and taking a long slow breath. Sarah was ok for now. She was, shoot it.
Grace continued, “I have spent the morning researching what could be happening, and I’ve called on a friend as well. I hope that’s ok.”
“I don’t care who you call,” Mina shoved her hair back again, and with another long sigh, she wound it into a messy knot.
Grace hugged Mina, holding her tight.
“As long as you can make it better,” Mina said into Grace’s neck.
“She can.” Penny entered the room from a side door Mina hadn’t noticed, and the door faded back into the wall as Penny took a seat on the far side of the island.
Max had no reaction to the disappearing door.
Mina smirked, feeling the tension ease across her shoulders. The first relaxing was followed by a flood of relief, and with it, the permission to be excited about what was happening.
Mina felt Max’s curious eyes, but she wouldn’t, couldn’t, tell him that she thought a member of her family was turning Sarah into a monster; Mina didn’t even know why anyone would do such a thing.
Grace set a steaming cup on the counter in front of Mina and Max that Grace seemed to have pulled from nowhere. The four of them settled themselves around the kitchen island on padded stools. Grace and Penny were on the kitchen side; Mina and Max were on the family room side.
Mina’s attention was caught by the cup. At first, she’d assumed it was tea, but it could only be magical. The potion started cotton candy pink, but it swirled becoming liquid silver. Moments later it was black.
“Oh…” Mina wanted to touch the glass, but she held back.
“Well Max,” Grace pushed the potion in front of him, and it turned an angry green. Setting a small shot glass on the counter, she pulled a wine bottle from behind her back, and poured a thick purple sludge. “These potions awaken your ability to see what Mina sees. They call to your magic, if you have any.”
The potion turned stormy gray.
Mina, after several aborted attempts, finally pressed a finger against the side of the clear mug and found it was painfully chilly.
“If you want to join in what we’re doing, if you want to learn magic, you’ll drink this one. When it’s silver again.” Grace pushed forward the color changing potion.
Max looked up at her and then froze as the potion became the red of old dried blood.
“And then you’ll drink this one.” She pushed forw
ard the shot glass with its soft, thick mass of a purple so dark it was almost black.
Max stared at the glob of purple, and then turned back to the one that smoked. Finally, he glanced, questioningly, at Mina.
But it was Penny who answered the unspoken question, “If you don’t want to learn, you’ll leave here. We’ll never talk to you about magic again, and eventually you’ll probably decide we were pranking you. Or you’ll always be convinced magic is real, but you’ll never know anymore about it.”
There was no give in Penny’s voice as she laid out the consequence to not swallowing the contents of those two glasses with their contents that would make anyone balk.
“We can’t teach or discuss magic with someone unless they’re one of us. It’s our most sacred law. You’re only one of us if you can see what we can see, if you’re able to have enough faith in what you see and feel to approach us on your own.”
Max lifted the shot glass, and Grace covered it.
“Smoking one first, Max. When it’s silver.”
They waited as the potion turned an oily black. Then, it swirled fading to a brilliant navy blue. And finally, the liquid silver again. Grace pushed the cup forward, and Max lifted it, chugged it, and set it back down resolutely. He followed the first potion with a quick chug of the second. A horrified look covered his face as he swallowed, gagged, and swallowed again.
But, as he did, Grace and Penny grinned—almost bouncing—their excitement evident in the turn of their head, the movement of their hands, the light in their eyes. Penny placed a comforting hand on his back, Grace took hold of his hand.
“Welcome Max.” Grace said for the third time that day, and her delight couldn’t have been more evident.
“You’re going to have a killer headache,” Penny said as she took the mug and shot glass from the counter, taking them to the sink and dragging two chairs to the opposite side of the counter so the four of them could face each other.
“So, Mina are sprites the only thing you see?” It was Penny asking, a quizzical look on her face.
“I see stuff in the stream. Hailey and I used to swim with the water girls. And sometimes bunnies with horns. They’re scary.” She paused, but Penny and Grace were waiting.
“I hear weird cries. Birds that aren’t really birds. There’s a little dude who rides elk in Sacagawea Park…”
“You see a small one?” Penny and Grace exchanged a speaking glance.
“Small ones have a powerful glamour, Mina.” Zizi explained when the sisters didn’t. She spoke from the top of the kitchen shelves, and they all started at the sprite’s voice. None had realized that she’d joined them.
“Yes,” Mina said, drawing the attention of Grace and Penny from Zizi. Mina wasn’t sure how they’d feel about the sprite letting herself into their home, and she wanted no delays on their lesson.
Mina tapped her finger against the counter and said, “I’ve seen a little dude who rides elk; if he’s a small one, I can see them.”
Grace pulled a small book out of her pocket, and it grew to journal size. She took notes as Mina spoke.
“I see pixies. That’s what Hitch told me they’re called.”
Max traced his finger on the counter while she babbled. His other hand pressed two fingers into his throat as if the potion hovered at the top of his esophagus.
“There are flying squirrels. That’s what I call them because they’re the same size as squirrels and live in trees. Their wings are crimson. They eat flowers, berries, bugs, and little fish.” She looked up and then back at Grace and Penny. “I see things everywhere. It’s been....”
They waited.
“It’s been hard.” Her words were soft, almost a whisper, full of emotion.
And it had been hard. To be alone in seeing something that others didn’t see. To believe in something and be alone in it, to be so solitary in what she experienced that it seemed unreal, felt impossible. But the whole time wanting, needing to believe it was real. In the secret parts of her heart and mind, it was always real. But she hadn’t been able to trust herself enough for that belief to be anything other than a cobweb of hope.
“Sounds like a giant suck fest.” Max sidled a little closer to Mina, and she felt the sun shine in her chest.
Mina could smell him; he was apples and warm sunny days; he was the person who believed enough to show up with her here, learning to be a witch without having seen anything in years. For him, the sprites, their adventures had always been imagination.
Yet he’d shown up today.
“And you’re a Seventh child?” Penny moved in her chair; she was rarely still.
Mina nodded.
“Well it makes sense then that you never stopped seeing the supernatural. Normally, when a child of a supernatural line is not trained their abilities become dormant—if they ever awaken at all. But with a Seventh child, there is a re-awakening of the magical. It’s a fallacy to say that the Sevenths are more powerful than others. But they do tend to have odd gifts and unruly magic. The legend of the powerful Seventh child comes because Sevenths have to develop their abilities. Their magic won’t leave them alone, otherwise.”
Grace’s lecture was interrupted as Penny nudged her. “Let’s start with the basics, yeah?”
“Are the basics wands, cauldrons, and frog eyes?” It was Max who asked, but Mina grinned.
Frog’s eyes. Wands. Flying brooms. Whatever. But what they did learn would be a hidden knowledge, a secret between the four of them that would form them into a different kind of family.
“A little like that, cauldrons and such. But mostly, it’s a science and a…” Grace stretched her neck considering her words before her face spread in a look of utter witchiness, “an art.”
* * *
“You knew what I was.” They’d eaten and were sitting quietly.
“I did.” Grace met Mina’s eyes and owned her answer.
“And you never said anything?” Did she want to be angry? Was she upset? Mina almost couldn’t tell, but she was certain there was a reason. Something.
“I couldn’t. You had to come to us.”
“But she walked right up to the law and dipped her toe over it.” Penny opened the fridge, and pulled out a pitcher of juice.
“With the books,” Mina said.
“Those books are novels, written to earn money in the wider world.” Grace’s face was a mockery of innocence. Wide eyes, slow blinks, mischief at the corner of her mouth.
“And you found every one.” Penny set the pitcher down and got several glasses. “Paid through the nose for them to lend them to our little friend.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The angelic look on Grace’s face intensified as did its artificialness. “Mina and I have a long history of sharing books. She specifically asked for books for her distance class. Books with fairytale creatures like Tinkerbell.”
“For a class you talked her into taking. The history of sharing books, one you cultivated. It was always your plan to bring her to us through books.”
Grace grinned before saying, “It seems to me Penelope Jones that you have a conspiracy theory complex.”
“Or I know my sister too well.”
“I liked the Gigi books. Five stars. Totally my style. Been reading that kind of thing forever.” Mina’s face took on the cherubic expression of Grace’s.
“And that is what I want to hear.” Penny said as she poured the glasses for everyone.
“So, now what?” Max leaned forward.
“You mean now that we’ve established that no one led Mina to the Hidden World, and that her discovery is based entirely on her unruly gifts.” Penny emphasized each word of her statement.
“Yes, now that we’ve figured that out.” Max said. “Now what? What do we do first?”
“Well, since my sister and I have been on sabbatical from private lessons, waiting for Mina, we’ll take up our old hobby of teaching. We’ll identify your magical lines, help you find and manipulat
e your abilities, and then we’ll start teaching you spells and about areas of study, and you’ll decide what you want to do with all this knowledge. Or if you want to do anything. Many an early student of the craft chooses later to study medicine. Or open a little shop. They pick up their magic occasionally like a musical instrument they half-learned as a child. It’s entirely common among the Hidden.”
“The Hidden?” Max cleared his throat; the potion, it seemed, was still crawling up his throat.
“The Hidden are people like us. Who have the knowledge we have. We’re no different from the wider world, for no one who has come to us to learn has been unable to. But our abilities vary slightly, so we call ourselves witches who can naturally access the elemental powers and the fae who can naturally access the life powers. Though witches can learn the fae abilities and vise versa.”
“What about sprites?” Max asked the question, but Mina had been wondering. Poppy’s grandmother acted an awful lot like Grace with her potions and what not.
“Among us are the sprites and the Small Ones who have the same abilities. They just look a little different. Where are your other friends?”
“Poppy and Hitch went to restock the potions Florenza has been making for us. We decided to put them on all of my siblings, rather than just Sarah.”
“Shall we start then?” Grace asked, but Penny drew their attention, holding out her hand.
“We are witches.” Penny said with her palm up. She quivered her fingers the slightest bit. And then a wind blew across the room. It whipped Mina’s hair out of her bun, sending her bi-colored curls into Max’s face. A fire ball formed in Penny’s hand, rising in a puff of smoke which hovered over her hand. With a small crack of thunder, rain fell onto Penny’s palm. And from the small puddle there, a pile of dirt formed.
“The fae can make plants grow. They can talk to plants and animals. But like we said, witches can learn what the fae do and likewise,” and a plant sprouted from Penny’s hand.
It was Grace who continued while Mina and Max hung on their teachers’ words. “Most people don’t have enough time to go to college for fun. Likewise, it’s necessary to choose wisely with magic. You’ve just seen Penny play with the basic elements. As you can see, she has also learned to use Plant Magic. That took a long time, so if you pursue magic long term, you’ll need to find your passion.”
These Lying Eyes Page 14