I'm learning how to cook for a lot of people. We've had nearly a dozen people staying in my house for the last several weeks while I learned how to use the considerable power I unlocked. And sure, they come and go at all times of the day, but that doesn't mean they don't all need feeding. And, as I'm one of the only ones who doesn't have the skill or knowledge to go on patrol, the cooking is falling to me more than anyone else.
Difficult is an understatement. The good news is that I'm taking to my magic like a fish to water. Theresa says my mom was the same way. That makes me feel good about myself, for sure. I’m a natural.
The harder news is all these people are driving each other crazy. We're still undiscovered in my cottage beside the fire station, and though it has plenty of rooms, we're bursting at the seams. It's hard not to get short-tempered with everyone, but they're all here to help me, or worse, because of me. I have no right to be mean to them.
I stir yet another pot of spaghetti—one of the simpler meals everyone can eat. Nobody is allergic to any of the ingredients, and it's relatively cheap to make an enormous pot. After six pots of it in three weeks, though, I'm ready for the fresh groceries Sugar is bringing us.
She frequently shops for the fire department, so if anyone sees her at the local grocer with a buggy full of food, it won't look odd. She’s going to take the food into the firehouse, and then we'll sneak over tonight after dark to get it. Having Sugar on the outside is a boon none of us expected. Her ice dragon status is still a secret to anyone but the inner circle, and she wants us to keep it that way, which suits us just fine.
It's almost night. I can't wait to experiment with the fresh vegetables and other ingredients we asked her to get. Not because I particularly love to cook but because I'm tired of spaghetti, chili, and pizza.
As usual, we eat in shifts around the kitchen table. The table came with the cottage, which is nice, but it only has four chairs. I shovel spaghetti in as fast as I can with James, Hank, and Will so that the others can come eat. It's finally dark out. As soon as we're all finished, Hank and Will are going for the groceries.
"Here ya go." I hand Hank my plate. He just finished rinsing his own off. I cooked, so I don't have to do any dishes. That's part of the reason I've been okay with cooking more. I dislike cooking, but I hate doing dishes.
The back door opens, and we all whirl in surprise to see who is coming in. Everyone who's supposed to be here is already here. "Hey, guys." Sugar hands James a couple of grocery bags. "The rest is in the spare fridge next door like we talked about."
"What are you doing here?" Will asks. He takes a bag from James, and they work on putting stuff away.
Sugar sits at the table and sighs. "I wanted to tell you guys as soon as possible. Things in town are bad. I ran into the only other witch who knows what I am besides you guys. She runs Cackles and Cakes over on Moore Street."
"How does she know what you are? Cackles and Cakes?" I ask. I have no idea how to tell if someone is a shifter or some other type of magical creature. I haven't gotten that far in my training.
Sugar grins. "Cakes for the humans, potions for the witches.”
Everyone chuckles as realization spreads on my face. “Clever.”
“She knew my mom years ago,” Sugar continues. “One day, she stopped me in the grocery store, saying I look so much like a woman she used to know. And dress like her." She laughs and indicates her bright green dress.
Sugar has a hell of a fashion sense, for sure.
"But that's not why I'm here, to talk about my fabulous wardrobe." She smooths her dark hair back in its ponytail. "My friend, Maisey, told me there's a lot going on in town that is being hidden from the humans."
"Like what?" James opens the cabinet under the sink and puts the grocery bags in a larger grocery bag under there. We’ll reuse them. I usually go for reusable bags but forgot to tell the guys to grab mine from my car, and I haven't wanted to go back into the garage since they rescued me from it.
Sugar’s face loses all good humor. "Witches disappearing. Being dragged out of their homes and businesses in the street, in broad daylight. They manage to keep humans from finding out, but people are leaving town out of fear. She herself has lived here her entire life, but she's going to go stay with her distant family out west somewhere."
I already know the answer, but I ask anyway. "Who is doing this?"
"The King's thugs. The same ones that I'm pretty sure grabbed you and Will. And killed Stephanie." Sugar shakes her head. "I didn't see them while I was in town, but she told me what they looked like, and I know who they are."
Will describes the guys who had grabbed us several weeks before and deposited us in the cell at the castle.
"Yep." Sugar confirms it. "That's them."
"Who all has been taken?" Hank asks.
"Um, she specifically mentioned the Deans, Myribel, and Jeremiah."
"Oh, no." Hank hangs his head. "Philip Dean taught me how to enchant my first watch. It zings your wrist when you oversleep." He chuckles. "Why would they take him?"
Sugar shrugs, looking tired. "Why would they take anybody? More than likely there were whispers of their allegiance to Callie, her mom, or one of you guys. There's no other explanation that I can think of."
“Thanks for watching our backs,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady.
Sugar nods. “You boys want to help with the groceries?”
All three men head out the door in an instant. And because I have no doubt they don’t need all of them to get the groceries, I’m sure they’re getting as stir-crazy as I am.
“How are things at the firehouse without them?”
Sugar smiles. “Those boys have covered for the firefighters with families too many times to count. No one is complaining a bit about this chance to help them right back.”
“That’s a relief,” I say.
One thing that seems to be going right around here.
Sugar stands from the table, and her smile falls away. “How are you doing?”
Instantly, my heart starts racing. I almost say the familiar words I’ve been spouting to everyone else in the house, then decide to hell with it. “I’m struggling. Learning my magic is amazing, but I feel this clock ticking over my head. Everyone needs me to go up against my uncle, but I’m still just barely figuring out how to use my magic.” I pause and take a shaky breath. “And, as much as she drove me crazy, I miss my cat.”
To my surprise, Sugar rounds the table, her expression concerned. “You haven’t felt your cat since your powers came in?”
I shake my head, surprised to find tears in my eyes. That damned cat made my life so hard, but now when I reach for her… she’s just gone. It feels like opening the gates on my magic washed my cat right out of me, and the thought makes me sick.
“Is she just… gone now?” I ask, brushing a stray tear away.
“I don’t know,” Sugar says. “But I know if my dragon was gone, I’d be a mess.”
“For my entire life, I've hated shifting into my cat. I hated being a freak, being seen as a troublemaker, all of it. But…” It’s hard to speak. “I never hated her.”
Sugar reaches out and squeezes my arm. “Well, don’t give up on her yet. Magic is a funny thing. It can work in strange ways.”
I hope that’s true. Because it feels like someone I loved died.
“Thanks,” I tell her, brushing another tear away and forcing a smile. “Thanks for everything.”
She nods, pulls me into a quick hug, then heads for the door.
I give a small wave and watch as she disappears into the night. It’s strange to think the whole town is depending on me, and I’m hiding in here.
It’s also strange that a part of me can still taste the summer on the wind.
Unable to help myself, I move to the open door and stare out, closing my eyes. My cat might be gone. I can feel that deep in my soul, but the way she changed me isn’t. I can smell rain somewhere in the distance, and the night still calls to me.
If I have nothing left of her after this, at least I have this.
And yet, I can’t just run out into the night like I’d do in my cat form. I’m needed here.
I go about working. Unloading laundry and passing out fresh bedding. I stop by and talk with the people watching a card game unfold. And I close the bedroom door to keep the noise out, for a few people sleeping on the floor of one of my guest rooms, hoping not to wake them from their early slumber.
It’s strange. Everyone is trying so hard to act like all of this is normal, and yet, our home is tense and guarded. The only information we’ve gotten in weeks is what James told us, but his only information is that everyone thinks I have an army and all the people who oppose King Robert are scared.
Sugar is sure she is still safe at least because she’s only thought of as a human firefighter, thankfully. She checks in with us most nights, and every time, the news is dire. Especially every time more people we know are taken.
Hank and Will's families are fully in hiding now. Fran has returned once since she left our house to give us a report to tell us they were safe. Apparently, my grandmother created a massive hiding place deep in some caverns near her property. The way in and out is tricky and difficult to navigate for anyone who doesn’t know the way. And the ancient crystals that grow from the walls and ceiling make the place a powerful spot to keep people hidden.
Inside the cave are hundreds of beds and tons of supplies.
Francine had told me that my grandmother said it was a place made for “the worst-case scenario,” but Fran also suspects my grandmother secretly built it specifically for this moment. For this moment when everything would change in our town.
It’s a little horrifying to hear about how many people have sought out Fran and how many she’s quickly taken into hiding. She estimates that there are about fifty families in the caverns.
But as much as the situation scares me, I’m also relieved to see my grandmother’s partner doing better. After my grandmother’s death, I thought the older woman might never recover, but she’s taken to caring for the people in need so naturally.
I see why my grandmother loved her so much.
Days pass in a blur. Almost all I do is work on my magic, pushing myself to my limits. Thank the heavens and earth, I'm picking it up. Every day, my capabilities grow and mature. I start out lifting things into the air, then people, then people on furniture. I learn to shoot balls of magic. Everyone steps in to teach me the things they excel at, and everyone seems amazed that my magic seems flexible enough to do anything and everything.
And yet, it’s not enough.
The others have also told me stories about King Robert. About what he can do with his magic. He can kill. He can torture. He can change the weather and create dark creatures to do his bidding.
Things that no one in this house can teach me to do. Things I'm not sure I want to be able to do.
They say he has books. Mountains of books with ancient spells, some thought long forgotten. And that his powers are so vast that anything and everything is within his reach.
While I can lift a couch with three people on it. Big whoop.
I need more time. If I had weeks or months, I would be able to take on King Robert. Everyone is sure of it. But I don’t have that much time.
One night, I manage to create a ball of light in the center of the room, just as William, a light witch, showed me how to do. But then, on a whim, I break the light up. I send tiny dots of lights soaring about the room. A dance song I love plays on the radio, and I move the lights to the song. They whirl in the air, and their colors change from gold to every shade of the rainbow.
When the song ends, I let the light fall on everyone in the room, and they all glow like ancient gods for the briefest moment.
And then, everyone starts to clap.
William gives me an awkward half-hug. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
I smile, my heart racing. William is a middle-aged boy who owns a lamp store in town, and I’ve learned he only says what he means. “Thank you.”
There are some groans as the group stands and stretches, and then most of the people head up the stairs, calling their good nights over their shoulders. It’s been a long day of them watching and training me. I’m sure everyone is exhausted.
Theresa stands with her men, and her gaze slides to me. She gives each man a lingering kiss, and then they start up the stairs. She combs her fingers through her dark hair, then settles on the couch, braiding the strands. I thank more people who compliment my latest show of magic as they head for showers and snacks in the kitchen. But all along, my gaze slides back to Theresa. I know she was my mom’s best friend, but she feels more like mine, maybe because she looks nearly the same age as me. Maybe because she acts so young, or perhaps it’s simply that my mom is gone, and that changes things.
And yet, there’s been a tension between us since my powers returned to me. Almost like she doesn't like it.
I think I know why.
When everyone clears out of the room, her gaze darts to me, and I can feel that it’s finally our moment to talk. So, I stay where I am and watch as she stands and makes her way toward me, her movements as graceful as always.
"Darling,” she begins, and I’m surprised that there’s a strain to the word. “Thank you.”
“For what?” I ask, frowning.
“For not telling the boys I encouraged you to make that deal with King Robert. I know they were upset that you were in pain, but in the end, you got your powers back. And the king would've been hurting and oppressing these people anyway. Except now you have your powers and can work toward defeating him."
She's right.
"I know. It was a mistake to trust him, and we were rash, both of us. But in the end, we're better off with me having my powers," I admit. I'm surprised to find I actually mean the words.
She nods. “It’s just. They care for you. They don’t care for me. They might not understand what happened the way you do.”
“I get it,” I say, but something about this conversation makes me uncomfortable.
I hadn’t purposely hidden anything from my men. I just hadn’t seen a reason to pull my mom’s best friend into it. She was just giving me the best advice she could give at the time.
She smiles. “But you have no idea how incredible it is to see you using your magic. It’s like I forgot how… magic magic could be.”
I smile right back. “Thanks. It all feels so unreal to me, but also kind of scary. I’m not just trying to learn my magic; I’m trying to be strong enough to take down a king.”
Her expression falters. “Just focus on progress, not perfection. None of us can be perfect… something I reminded your mom about constantly.”
I’m surprised by how happy it makes me to be compared to my mom. “She sounds like such an amazing person.”
Theresa winks at me. “She was. Just like you.”
I smile.
“Well,” she yawns. “I think I’m off to bed.”
“Good night.”
But while the others are sleeping, I know I can’t. Because the time I imagine ticking away… it actually is. I can’t afford to waste time. Not with everyone depending on me.
Closing my eyes, I push my senses out. The wards on the house are holding, but we reinforce them daily. It's part of my exercises to add my magic to the innermost ward, where it can't be sensed by anyone who might get through the first few layers. Mine would be the last line of defense, and if they get that far in, they'll already know I'm here.
Feeling the slight weaknesses in my mind, I add my magic to the innermost ward. Until it glows a bright yellow. And then, realizing I still have more magic to add, I push a little more towards it. I’m surprised when the glow becomes almost white.
I’m growing more powerful. I shudder as I open my eyes. That’s a good thing. Right?
And yet, my mind can’t stop turning as I go right back to practicing my magic.
One morning, the guys and I sip coffee on my front porch early. We've been rising before the sun to start work. It's exhausting, but there is nothing else to be done. I must train, so we will go for several hours, then have a short nap. Then, repeat, stopping only for meals and short naps to replenish our energy.
As we sip in silence, waking up, two men appear on the sidewalk down the road. They stop in front of every house. One of the men, a tall man with tattoos covering most of his face, puts his hands to his temples and gets a look of concentration. The other man, a short guy with huge arms, places his hand on the tall man’s shoulder. They do this each time they stop in front of a house and then move on to the next one.
This can’t be good.
My heart hammers. Our wards should be strong enough to keep us hidden from whatever the hell these two are doing. Right? We’ve all been pushing our magic into the wards. That has to be enough to keep us safe...
When they reach my home, I have one moment where I don’t even breathe, but then they keep walking as if our house doesn’t even exist. They stop in front of the firehouse. We stay still and silent as they continue down the street, stopping in front of the houses past the firehouse.
When they disappear around the far corner, I release a deep, frightened breath. "What was that?"
"They're probing the houses, looking for witches. If they find one and don't recognize their magical signature, they'll take them for questioning.
"Magical signature?"
James nods. “Every person has a magical signature, like a fingerprint. Each signature is unique to each witch. But there are few witches powerful enough to detect and remember so many different signatures. Those guys, those are some powerful assholes.”
"Most likely they use this as an excuse to go after anyone they've ever wanted to hurt, too," Hank says darkly. "That's the kind of people they are."
"We have to do something," I whisper. "This can't continue. Who knows how many he's killed?"
Or how many he still will.
Will tugs on my arm, and I go to him without a question. He pulls me into his lap and wraps me in his strength. There’s an unspoken reassurance to his touch. A promise that he’ll always keep me safe.
I look up, and our eyes lock.
He leans forward and brushes the lightest kiss against my mouth. “We’re going to stop them.”
“But what if I’m not enough?”
Hank’s hand brushes my thigh, and I look into his perfect brown eyes. “You’re enough.”
“Besides,” James adds, “you have us.”
Some of the tension leaves my belly as Will runs those magical fingers of his over my back, heating his fingertips just enough to draw a moan from my lips. Yes, I do have them. I don’t have to do this alone.
I just have to make sure at the end of this, we still have each other.