Transfixed (Witches of Jackson Square Book 1)

by A Lonergan

  “I guess that is the risk I was willing to take.” He tried his hardest not to smile, but it only made his eyebrow quirk up in amusement.

  “How charming.” I crossed my arms over my chest, watching as his eyes tracked the progress of my t-shirt riding up on my stomach. His tongue flicked out and wet his bottom lip, sensually.

  My lips parted slightly, and I couldn’t help, but wonder what it would be like to kiss him. I blinked hard at my treacherous thoughts. I barely knew the man!

  Get it together.

  “I came by to see if you wanted to tour the kingdom.” Cal’s fingers fidgeted in front of him, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of his nerves or it is an old habit.

  “Really?” I asked, surprised.

  “Yes, and as much as I praise what you have on, you will get more stares and attention then I want.” He bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes like I was going to change right then and there.

  “That’s possessive much, don’t you think?” I raised my eyebrows at him.

  He sputtered. “No, that is not why I said that. You can wear whatever it is you desire, I just figured that you might want to fly under the radar!” He sounded panicked, and I almost felt sorry for him.

  I considered his words, realizing that he hadn’t meant any harm. “Okay, go on then, I will be out in a few moments.”

  I pulled a red velvet number from the closet and laid on the chair next to the tub before I shucked my clothes and slid the impressive number up and over my body. It fit snugly against my skin, almost like it had been crafted just for me. I had growing suspicions that magic had a lot to do with it. Under all the gowns were slippers, they looked like something out of a fairy tale. I snickered and donned my converse. I felt guilty walking over the carpet in them, but I would figure something out to clean the beautiful flooring, if necessary.

  When I pulled the double doors open, Cal was leaning against the door with a knife out, tossing it in the air. He looked up and grinned at me shyly before sheathing the weapon under his tunic against his side. His tunic was a dark gray today and was a little shorter than the one he had worn the day before, but where the one previously had been sleeveless, he had long sleeves today. His leggings matched, but they didn’t seem to be as tight. He looked nicer, more formal. I imagined it had to do with our trip outside the castle walls. He was a prince, after all.

  He put his palm on the small of my back and led me out of the confinements of the cinderblock walls.

  “What is it like where you are from in the Earth Realm?” Cal looked down at me with twinkling, curious eyes.

  “Dirty and humid.” I tried to keep it light, but there was an underlying amount of disdain for the place I had come from. I had always been a southern girl, but the heat and mash of seasons all in one, made me feel a particular type of way.

  “Sounds… Nice.” His voice had a hint of amusement to it, but not much. Ugh, how could a person reply to that?

  “Its full of life, and love and culture. But at the same time a lot of violence and poverty.” I shrugged my shoulders trying to give him a better look into New Orleans. Though it hadn’t been my home for long, I considered it my house more than I did the foster system.

  “There isn’t much of that here,” he said as we passed some food carts. My stomach growled as the smells surrounded me. “There is a lot of magic, and that makes up for what people don’t have. If they can’t work, the magic can do some of it for them. If they are lazy, their magic will only do so much. Magic here is a great thing, but it has its limitations.”

  I could see that, but then again I wasn’t sure how magic worked and had almost next to no training. I nodded my head, unsure of what else I could say. I felt ignorant and didn’t want to admit it.

  “Magic isn’t a big part of the Earth Realm, is it?” We took a slight turn and ended up in a garden. The flowers growing well over my head.

  I shook my head, not sure what to say. “I’m not really sure.”

  “I would imagine it’s hidden from the humans, right?” He asked.

  “Yes, definitely, I just don’t know much about the witches on earth.” He scrunched his face up as I spoke.

  “How wouldn’t you know?” He stopped and pulled me closer to him.

  “I just found out I am a witch.” I shrugged one of my shoulders up, taking a step away from him, looking at the roses dipping above our faces.

  “How is that possible? Didn’t you have magic as a child?” Cal frowned at me.

  “No, I didn’t have a magi.” I touched mine tenderly.

  “What is a magi?” He chuckled.

  “Um, don’t all witches have magis?”

  He shook his head, then chuckled. It was a deep timber and had butterflies igniting in my stomach. “No, I have never heard of such a thing. Maybe my sister does, she is more interested in the human world than I ever was. But I have found a new interest in it.” He winked at me.

  I touched the soft petals on the rose above me and watched in wonder as it bloomed before my eyes. It’s beautiful scent floated around my face and felt like a soft mist. I was sure it was the pollen falling out of it, and when I wiped my face, my hand came back with a powdery film on it.

  “This was my mother’s garden, I come here a lot when I need to think.” He pushed through some overgrown weeds and brought me to a concrete bench. I hadn’t expected us to be alone this whole time. I had thought we would be actually touring the kingdom.

  He must have noticed my facial expression and chucked again. “Don’t worry, we are just passing through. I wanted to bring you to my secret exit. There is no reason in us causing a hoopla in the village square.”

  He did have a point. Cal patted the seat beside him, and I brushed my dress underneath myself before sitting. My converse poked out from beneath the skirts of my dress, and Cal’s eyebrows traveled up his forehead in surprise.

  “Out of all the beautiful slippers in your closet, you chose some raggedy tennis shoes.” He scoffed like a prince would.

  I mocked being offended. “I had to wear these.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Oh, why is that?” He leaned back slightly so he could take me all in.

  “I can’t run away from you in heels.” I couldn’t help the giggles that flew from my mouth at his shocked expression.

  “You are one of a kind, Freya.” He didn’t laugh, but I could see the amusement in his eyes and in the twitch of his lips.

  “So I have been told.”

  “I like that about you.” He shook his head. “You seem very rebellious and headstrong.”

  “That’s not the first time I have heard that either.” I couldn’t help, but keep laughing. The prince didn’t know what to do with women like me. He was probably used to zombie-fied princesses that obeyed every command. I was no such lady. The giggling stopped, and I couldn’t help the frown that spread across my face.

  “What is it?” He stood up from the bench and picked a small rose, that hadn’t grown to be as big as it’s neighboring plants.

  “I don’t seem to fit in anywhere I go,” I said a matter of fact.

  “Why do you say that?” He gave me the little flower, and I tucked it into my hair, wanting to keep it forever.

  “I was an orphan, and I didn’t belong in any of the homes I was thrown into, I didn’t belong in The Master’s Coven, and I don’t belong here. Is there anywhere I will ever belong?” I didn’t know why I was putting my feelings out in the open, but there were so many thoughts rushing through my mind that I couldn’t seem to keep them to myself.

  “That must have been a tough childhood, I guess that makes sense since Sariah has been here since I was a baby and I don’t know what happened to her husband, though he was supposed to be banished with her. He never came through with her.” His words weren’t quite registering in my mind, and I wondered if I had heard him correctly. I was about to ask when I noticed the grim look on his handsome face.

  “No more serious talk, I’m sure that we will
have more than enough time to do that later. Don’t you have a kingdom to show me?” I pouted then smiled at him.

  He flashed me his teeth in a breathtaking grin and pulled something from behind his back. “Yes, but we have to change. You will never experience this realm the way you are meant to if we are bombarded by fans the entire time.”

  He handed the bundle of fabric to me before materializing more bundles and shoes. He showed me behind a large bush of what looked to be cattails and ushered for me to change quickly. I let the red dress slip from my body before I pulled on the plain, robins egg blue dress. It had a few decorative buttons down the front and large pockets. It also hid my comfortable shoes, it was perfect. I draped the beautiful red velvet dress over my arm and came out from behind the cattails swishing in the wind. Cal was leaning against a dark violet tree with his dagger out again. I didn’t know what he was working on, but he quickly sheathed it when he saw me.

  His blond hair was covered with a leather brimmed hat, and he wore a thin white button down with leather pants. There were many daggers and what looked to be a whip strapped to his thighs. In these clothes, I could see his toned body better, and my entire being became fully aware of just how close I was to him. He was simply gorgeous. There was no other way to describe him. His face lit up when his eyes traveled my body, but I wasn’t sure why. The material of the dress didn’t precisely accentuate my curves or anything. I looked like any ole plain Jane. I twirled around for extra finesse. His lips curved up in an amused smile before he took my hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow.

  “How gentlemanly.” I looked up at him from beneath my lashes and grinned.

  “I try, if my mother were still alive and knew that I wasn’t one, she would have had my head!I’m sure she’s relieved on the other side, knowing that her son finally stopped being a cad.” Cal winked at me.

  I didn’t say anything as he brought us through a small passageway in the bushes. There was a tiny door, and I raised my eyebrows at Cal in question. There was no way we were going to fit.

  “Don’t look at me like that, you act as if you haven’t ever used magic before.” Cal held up his hand, and something floated right above it. It twisted and turned in his palm, growing in size. It was an iridescent blue mist that I could almost see through. He tossed it at me and upon instinct, I went to catch it. But instead of landing in my hands, it exploded upon impact and sparkles rained down on me as I began to shrink, eventually becoming the size of Wyna. Cal was next, and his transformation was much faster. He pulled the key out of his pocket and went up to the little door. Well, now it was huge compared to us.

  He unlocked the door quickly and pushed it open like he had done it countless times. He put his finger over his lips, while he yanked me through the opening. I had almost forgotten about my magi when it started to vibrate against my wrist. I felt uncertainty in the pit of my stomach and resisted his pull, yanking him back into the shadows with me.

  He gave me a puzzled look, and I shook my head at him, just as a horse-drawn carriage zoomed by us. The large wheels rolling over the spot that Cal had just been standing on. His eyes got big, and he looked out, both ways before pulling me from the doorway. He frowned at me but didn’t say anything. I kept my mouth closed, scared of why he had wanted me to be quiet in the first place.

  We ran across the dirt road quickly before he pulled me against the trunk of a massive tree and let his magic soar my way once more. I was breathing hard by the time I was my average height, or at least I hoped I was. I patted down my body, making sure everything was the same, or what I thought to be the same. I smiled sheepishly at Cal when he gave me a funny look.

  “How did you know that cart was coming?” Cal became serious quickly.

  “I don’t know, my magi warned me I guess.” I held up my wrist to show him the beautiful jewelry there.

  He picked my hand up in his and observed it carefully. “We are so much alike, yet so different. I wish I could visit your earth realm.”

  “Maybe one day we will both go back.”

  My words stunned Cal. “You mean you were actually serious?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Why not? There is nothing back there for me. Yes, I made a few friends, but fate brought me here for whatever reason.”

  He pulled me away from the shade of the tree, and I realized that we were in a field in the back of the castle. Standing not even 6 feet away from me was a massive mare. Her coat was a shining black wonder and the horn protruding from her forehead was just as magnificent. Cal gave me a toothy grin and made his way toward her. I stayed planted right where I was. The last thing I needed was to frighten a unicorn and get impaled. She sniffed Cal’s fingers before eyeing me suspiciously.

  “This is Eclipse. She’s gentle, a little weary, but very gentle. I bring her to visit the children, so she’s perfect for your first time.” He ran his hand down the length of her mane, and his eyes softened. At that moment I wished I was an artist with the contrast between them. His light hair and her dark shiny coat. My fingers itched for my long forgotten iPhone back at the castle that was probably dead. Cal picked up his hat and readjusted it, flashing me a grin while he did so.

  When I finally made my way toward them, I didn’t touch the proud horse, too afraid for my life, but after a little coaxing, the mare had her snout in my hair and was trying to knock me over. The animal had a sense of humor, that was for sure. Cal pulled a brush out of thin air and started to work it down the glorious animal’s body. After a few moments of that, he put the brush back where it came from. Then he had a carrot for her. She greedily ate it up.

  “How do you do that? Are you creating things with your magic?” Pointing to where the carrot had disappeared to.

  He frowned at me and became thoughtful. “No, it doesn’t work like that. Some witches have magic like that, but not mine.” He wrinkled his eyebrows. “You haven’t had many lessons on being a witch, have you?”

  I wanted to tell him yes, that I was more experienced, that I wasn’t some ignorant woman that had landed herself in a foreign land, but all I could do was shrug and look to the soft bluegrass.

  “There is nothing to be ashamed about. It’s not your fault that you know nothing about being a witch.” He held his hand out to me, and I took it hesitantly, unsure with the growing feelings I was having for him so soon. He was just so kind. “There will be plenty of time for you to go to classes, and learn about your own magic. But right now, I want to get to know you. I’m not worried about your knowledge of magic.”

  I couldn’t help the smile that pulled at my lips, and I took his hand in mine. It was warm and rough like he spent many hours working with his hands.

  “What do you do for fun?” I wanted to ask why his hands were so rough, but I kept it light instead.

  “I like archery, and I spent a lot of my time training with the battalion.”

  “Why would a prince do that?” I raised my eyebrows in question as we made our way away from Ellipse and the field, I could see rising smoke in the distance and imagined we were getting close to the village surrounding the castle.

  “Why wouldn’t a prince? A good leader doesn’t expect his followers to do all the work for him. A good leader is out there doing most of the work with them. I have to set an example for my men, no one is too good to fight for their country.” His answer had me, and I hadn’t realized I had been silent for quite some time until we came upon the first little home. Two children were playing out front, yelling and screaming. A woman watched from the window as she hung their laundry to dry.

  “Why doesn’t she use magic to dry her clothes?” I asked.

  “Remember how I said some people have different types of magic?” Then I remembered what he had said about wanting time with me and not being an educator. I felt my face start to flame. Embarrassment flooded my entire being.

  I nodded.

  “She might not have an affinity with the elements.” It made sense, and I decided to keep my questions to my
self for the rest of the evening.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Sterling

  I watched as the feminine looking Cal guided Freya to her rooms, she closed the door behind her with a soft click and sunk to the floor, happily. She looked intoxicated. I felt sick to my stomach. I had had a growing fixation with her and treated it all wrong, now here I was trying to play catch up in another realm.

  I was stupid.

  Ayre threw the doors to the study open and took one look at what I was doing and made the curtain fly back over the mirror with the flick of her wrist. “You shouldn’t be here again.”

  I rolled my eyes at her.

  “What would she do if she knew? First, you sneak into her room to get clothes and gaze upon her and now this?” She threw her hands in the air. “You are starting to resemble a lunatic.”

  “When I was gazing upon her, it was merely curiosity.” I turned away from her.

  “What is it now?” She stomped in front of me.

  “I’m trying to figure out how to get her back!” I shouted.

  “Why is that your job?” She yelled back at me.

  “Because I drove her away,” I said, softer.

  She took a step closer to me. “That better be all it is, because from this point of view, you look like a peeping tom and it doesn’t suit you, brother.”

  She slammed the door behind her, and I crumpled into my worn chair. I buried my face in my hands and knew that I wasn’t getting anything done here, by staring at Freya through a magic glass. I didn’t know how I was going to make it happen, but dammit, I wasn’t going to stop until she was home.

  My mother was the next one to confront me about my extracurricular activities. I knew better than to ignore my mother. The stormy look in her eye gave away too much.

  “You have to let her stay there if that’s where she wants to be.” My mother blocked my path in the hallway.

  “How would you know that’s what she wants to do?” I scowled down at her.