by Chrissy Jaye
“And what situation was that?”
“When Kieran and Brooke approached me, I was already trying to get myself emancipated. This was just before I tracked you down two years ago.” I nodded, remembering the few years the state had kept us separate, to help us flourish without a crutch or so they claimed. “You’d been placed in a foster home near a coven of witches.”
I smirked, wondering how that was different than Entwined but I said nothing. They’d all but admitted that we were magical beings. “Why does that warrant you keeping secrets?”
“Because,” Flynn’s voice cut across us. “Witches are selfish bastards who collect our kind to use as batteries.” I could feel him glaring at me again, but I refused to look at him or even acknowledge the shitty tone of voice he used. He and I were going to have issues if he didn’t let me and my brother talk.
“He’s right,” Vian said softly. “By the time we got Emma into that home with you—”
“Wait.” I threw a hand up to cover his mouth. “You placed Emma with me?” I could feel the blood draining from my face. My breathing sped up as my mind raced through what that meant. My hand fell limply into my lap.
“Olive, no,” Vian whispered. “She loved you. It wasn’t—”
“You don’t know that. How could you?” I whispered, feeling a pressure build in my chest.
“Know what?” Flynn asked sharply.
Vian sighed. “She thinks it wasn’t real. Her relationship with Emma.”
I hated him for knowing that. In that moment, for probably the first time ever in my life, I hated him. My lip trembled. “Just finish,” I whispered. “Just spit it out. Please.”
“Right, so Payton was already setting up to recruit you.”
“Payton?” I scoffed. “She never mentioned anything about becoming a witch or Entwined to me.” And she hadn’t. Not even once. And Emma had never mentioned this Entwined bullshit either. I had always known Vian and I were different, it was almost a relief to find out that I had been right all this time, but it was still confusing. They were talking about magic for Christ’s sake, which shouldn’t exist. Then again, Vian shouldn’t have prophetic dreams and I shouldn’t be able to sense danger.
“Because she was gaining your trust. Maybe even used witchcraft to influence you. Emma never found any proof of tampering from her,” Lucien offered.
“Payton would never…” I gritted my teeth, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye and saw he wore a very serious expression. I scanned the rest of them. It hurt, realizing I didn’t know my best friends in the world as much as I thought I had. “So, you’re saying that you planted one of my best friends to live with me, and that another was manipulating me.” By the time I finished saying it, my heart was racing again. I looked around the room finding nothing but looks of sorrow and pity. The room suddenly felt too cramped and crowded. I bolted from my seat and charged out before I did something stupid, like start screaming, or worse, cry.
I paused just outside the door, trying to figure out where to go. No one called after me or tried to follow. I didn’t know if they were giving me space or just waiting until I was out of earshot before talking about me behind my back. A numbness settled into my limbs as I struggled to breathe. I was on the jagged edges of a panic attack.
Where the hell was the way out of this place?
To my right through one doorway was a kitchen with a combined dining room. I could just see the edges of a heavy looking table. In front of me were the stairs that would lead me upstairs to the bedrooms. I didn’t feel like trapping myself up there, so I veered around the stairs and followed a hallway that thankfully led me to a large dark wooden door. I tore it open, relieved to find it let out to the front of the house. I pulled it closed behind me as I stepped onto a wide wrap around porch.
I leaned against a railing, working hard to catch my breath as I worked through all the new information in my head. I could handle being different. That was nothing new for me. I could even forgive Vian for keeping things from me. Holding a grudge against him would be too hard. What I couldn’t deal with was questioning the few friendships I had. They were everything to me. I’d clung to them, used them to beat back the pain. For fuck’s sake, how many times had I cried in the middle of the night while Emma held me? And Payton… she was rough around the edges, crass, utterly beautiful, but fiercely loyal. Always able to make me laugh. It had to be real. It had to.
Slowly, the yard in front of me came into focus and my breathing evened out. The feel of aged wood under my fingertips helped to calm me. It was something solid I could ground myself with. I took several deep breaths and let the scent of pine fill my lungs.
Looking around, I noted two SUVs parked on a dirt road that led right up to the house. In the opposite direction was a forest. It brought me completely back to myself as I stared into the trees. There were small flickering lights that I couldn’t make sense of. It reminded me of fireflies I’d seen on television, but we didn’t have any of those in the Pacific Northwest.
Something brushed the back of my legs and I screamed as I whirled around.
Chapter 6
I whirled around and looked down, but there was nothing there. At least not in front of me. Flynn however, sat in a chair a few feet away from me. His large frame was relaxed, legs stretched out in front of him as he stared at me, a small tingle ran up my spine.
“Wha…”
“Guardian,” he said simply.
“What?” I asked again. How the hell had he slipped out here without me noticing? My eyes were still wide as I tried to make sense of everything.
“You have a guardian. A rather large one in fact. I can see his energy. He sensed you were upset and was offering his comfort,” Flynn said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“What are you talking about?” I asked in exasperation.
“Never mind. You’ll learn more about him once you start training. We all have one,” he said dismissively.
Whatever. Why did he bother bringing something up if he wasn’t going to fully explain things? I leaned back against the rail while he continued to stare at me.
“Why do you goad me so much?” And why did I let him?
“I dunno, maybe it’s another natural affinity I have,” he said, shrugging. “But let me ask you this, are you always this selfish?”
My eyes narrowed and my shoulders tensed. A belt flashed through the air between us and I fought not to flinch. My palms grew sweaty while I focused on pushing the flashback away. I was too ramped up emotionally, which always made the flashbacks worse.
“Fuck you,” I gritted out. Self-preservation be damned.
“You said that before, yet we’re still clothed, and your body language says you have no intention of following your crude remark.” He smirked, obviously finding himself far more amusing than he actually was.
“What the fuck is your deal?” I snapped, already tired of his shit.
“Me, nothing. I just don’t like your behavior.”
“My behavior?” My voice went up an octave, completely shocked and annoyed. I stepped forward, holding up a hand. “Let’s count this out shall we. One, I woke up naked in your bed. Without my permission, I might add. Two, you attacked me when I didn’t want to be there. Three, you’ve glared at me since you laid eyes on me. Four, you’re an asshole,” I said ticking each point off on my fingers as I went. The last one was just to make it clear that I didn’t like him. Childish? Yes. Had I somehow managed to already forget that his ‘abilities’ included giving pain? Yep, but I honestly dared anyone else in my position to just magically be okay with his actions.
He snorted. “Listen up, Princess,” he said leaning forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “You arrived here so ill that if it weren’t for me, you’d be dead. That whole permission thing goes out the window when one of my family members is dying, not to mention your brother consented for you. Next, you completely freaked out, you didn’t let anyone explain the situation. Yo
u just assumed that I’d taken advantage of you, and trust me, I wouldn't have. You’re not my type. Also, you’re a bitch. The rest of them probably can’t see that, but I do. Sure, you probably cared about Emma, but you didn’t love her like we did. We lost our sister. Gave her up to protect you. She died for you. Think about that.”
He stood abruptly and stormed off, leaving me stunned and speechless. The front door slammed, making me flinch. I stumbled toward the chair he’d vacated and toppled into it, pressing my face into my hands. Why couldn’t everything just…slow down. No sooner had I collect myself before something else would crash into me to knock me over again.
It hurt because it was true, though.
Not the first part, because fuck no. I had too much baggage and a long history with people thinking they could do whatever they wanted to me. I had no way of knowing that Vian was around, let alone consenting to their brand of healing, so fuck him for not giving me a pass on that.
I didn’t even want to touch the whole ‘not his type’ thing. It wasn’t relevant. I didn’t want or need to be anyone’s type, especially his. No matter how aware of him my body seemed to be in his presence.
But the rest of it? It ate at me. I had loved Emma in my own way. It may not have been the way I blindly loved my brother, but it was as much as someone as broken as I was could offer. And it hurt to know that. To be reminded that I wasn’t capable of more than a great fondness for others. It didn’t change that I would have protected her like my own family. I’d tried, I remembered trying to get to her. Vian hadn’t let me. That made a difference didn’t it?
My thoughts spiraled again as tears dripped down my nose to stain the wooden deck. My chest ached, my skin felt tight, and I was so tired. I wished my mom were still around. She had died when Vian and I were only eight. I didn’t remember much of her, but I remembered that when I was upset, she had always known what to do or say to make things easier or feel better.
“Hey.”
I jerked upright and met Liam’s warm gaze. He’d appeared silently, crouched in front of me while I was lost in my own head. He smiled sadly, but there was a warmth still in his eyes. “Flynn, huh?”
I swiped at the tears on my face. “Yeah.”
“He’s… complicated,” he offered. “Don’t let it get to you. Everyone is dealing with--”
I waved him away. “I get it. I really do.” I took a shuddering breath and sat back. “Did you need something?” I asked.
“Dinner’s ready. Lucien will pitch a fit if you don’t eat.”
“Right...” I said. I wasn’t hungry, but I had no idea when I’d last eaten. Looking back out on the yard I noticed I’d sat here for much longer than I’d realized. When I’d first come outside, it was turning twilight. Now it was fully dark. Long shadows caused by the moon stretched across the porch.
Liam stood and offered me his hand. I looked between it and his brown eyes before standing on my own. It was sweet that he offered, but that’s how people fooled you. They acted kind at first. And then they ripped it all away from you. At least he didn’t look offended when I didn’t accept it.
I followed him inside, through the kitchen which I had to admit was sort of stunning. I slowed for a minute to take it all in. Dual ovens, a large silver refrigerator, white cabinets, with cherry wood butcher block counters.
Just how much money did these people have? And where were their parents? I hadn’t seen a proper adult yet. A pit of dread built inside me as I neared the open doorway, my head bent to watch my bare feet as they shuffled against the ash wood flooring.
I shouldn’t have worried though. I caught up just as Liam entered the dining room. The table I glimpsed earlier was large and could easily seat a dozen people, though there were only eight chairs around it presently. All the seats were covered in leather, matching the dark wood of the table. There were more dishes here than I think I had ever seen for just one meal, and that included Thanksgiving. All the serving platters and bowls seemed to be piping hot and ready to eat, but no one had touched anything yet.
“Finally,” Flynn muttered as Liam pulled out a chair next to my brother for me to sit in. I slid into it quickly, glancing around.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you were waiting,” I mumbled as I dropped my gaze to my lap.
“It’s fine,” Vian said, leaning into me. I looked over at him. His eyes were searching. No doubt he could tell I’d been crying again. With my pale skin and the bright lighting from a chandelier that hung over the table, everyone could probably see the redness around my eyes. “You okay?” he whispered.
“Yeah,” I whispered back, even if I wanted to talk about this, I was done having private conversations in front of these people.
Everyone started digging in. Brooke smiled at me from her seat across the way as she pushed a platter of meatloaf in my direction.
“We usually eat dinner together,” she explained. “Well most meals, but dinners are about as formal as we get around here. Help yourself to whatever you want.”
I took a small portion of meatloaf and scanned the table. There were several dishes of mashed potatoes, rolls, asparagus smothered in some sort of creamy sauce, and a bowl of yellow-orange fruit that might have been mango, but it had a weird star shape to it.
“Who cooks?” I asked.
“Normally Flynn or I do,” Lucien answered. “However tonight we both pitched in.”
I side-eyed Flynn down the table but quickly looked away. I had taken a small portion of everything. The meatloaf was good. Someone had put cheese in the center, and the whole bite melted in my mouth. I quickly got more, which caused some of them to chuckle, but I didn’t care.
So good. The fact that it was homemade made it better somehow. I wasn’t a huge eater, something almost everyone I knew hated. They couldn’t ever understand that I just didn’t get hungry. When I did, I ate but even then, it was hardly ever much. It wasn’t my fault that I filled up quickly. This food though? I could see how people could eat just to eat if it tasted like this.
“It’s good,” I said around a bite of potatoes, realizing a few of the others were watching me. I flicked my gaze down the table at Asshole, hoping he hadn’t made much of it.
“Thanks,” Lucien said, beaming in my direction.
I’d expected dinner to be awkward. Thankfully, it wasn’t. Everyone was engaged in conversations while they ate. I sat back listening as they made plans for the next day. Apparently, I needed to be presented for some testing with their council. The thought of meeting more people made me nervous, but from the sounds of it, it was required and Vian had promised he would be there with me. With that settled, I decided I’d deal with feeling nervous tomorrow when I had to and not a minute before.
I started to flag about half an hour into the meal, but I wasn’t sure where I should go lay down. Brooke had offered her room, but I didn’t feel comfortable taking it. I’d just slept for over four days straight, yet my eyelids were beginning to droop, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I would remain upright.
“Are we not engaging enough for you down there, Princess?” Flynn sneered, jerking me out of my stupor.
I sat up straighter, my blood already coming to a boil as it flooded my face. Why couldn’t he just leave me alone?
“For fuck’s sake,” Liam spat. “She’s exhausted. Let her be.”
“So are the rest of us. We’ve all been waiting hand and foot on her for the last four days. She can stand another hour,” Flynn snapped. “Just because she’s pretty and not related to you doesn’t mean she gets special treatment.”
“Why do her looks factor into things?” Ben asked quietly. “Everyone can tell she’s more depleted than the rest of us. She used more of her own energy to heal than you did to help her.”
Flynn raised an eyebrow at Ben. His face contorted for a second as something familiar flashed across his features before settling into a scowl. “Wow,” he said quietly.
“What?” Ben asked. “It’s a valid question.” He sk
irted a look in my direction with a flash of empathy.
“He’s trying to imply that none of you can think without your dicks,” Brooke mumbled to her brother.
Lucien pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers. “What are you playing at, Flynn?”
“You know exact—” Flynn started.
Dishes clattered on the table as Vian stood abruptly, causing me to flinch slightly, every line in his body was tense as he put a hand on my shoulder and stared at Flynn. “I told you already to give her a break. Three times now, I’ve said it. She’s been through a lot. A hell of a lot more than you ever have.” I stiffened under his hand and started shaking my head back and forth, silently begging him to stop. It wasn’t their business. My brother’s green gaze caught mine, but he plowed on and I held my breath. My hands clutched at the table in front of me. “She just found out I had to lie to her for years. Her best friend died, one of the few people in her life that she trusted. And the other was a liar too. And some of that lying is your fault. All our faults. So whatever fucking problem you have, you better fix it and leave her alone.”
I was relieved for a moment before I sat back in my chair stunned and a tiny bit sad. The boy I’d grown up with had been shy, reserved. It had been up to me to defend both of us. It made me sad to see how much he’d changed without me. It wasn’t a bad change, but it was one that showed me how far apart we’d grown.
It was clear now. He had transformed into this confident man that I knew, but at the same time didn’t. I wanted to be proud of him, and I was, but the gnawing and broken part of me hated that he didn’t seem to need me anymore.
The table was silent. Not a single person spoke or touched their food. Everyone watched as Vian and Flynn stared at one another. I waited to see what Flynn would do. Part of me wanted him to say something to my brother, but another part of me hated that I was obviously causing a rift in the family dynamic.
He didn’t. After a few seconds, Flynn sat back, ran his fingers through his hair, then grinned at me, like he’d won something important. Except I had no clue what it was.