JOHN
It was quiet in the car. Hunter seemed deep in thought. I wrestled with what I should say to break the silence, or if I should even break it in the first place. Hunter spared me the trouble.
"Ezra explained it to me," he said. "About the witches and how you had saved his life."
I glanced at him briefly before turning my attention back to the road. "Yeah?"
"I can't say I understand it all or any of it for that matter," Hunter continued. "But what I do understand is that you're a good guy."
I ignored the hot feeling coming from my ears. In the long run, it shouldn't matter what he thought of me, but somehow it did.
"So, where do you want me to drop you off?" I asked, changing the subject. I looked at him, and just caught the hint of a smile as he turned back to face the window.
"The Arboretum on the north side of town; my dad is a botanist there. He helps maintain the greenhouses, but his t
I stepped out into the lobby alone, glancing around as I headed for the exit. The place was busier, the early afternoon crowd filled the atrium with noise.There were Witches everywhere now, all dressed to blend in with the crowd, but I could see them. I felt their power, just as I had Cameron's.The familiar crackle of air magic hum around me. It was my mother, she was looking for me. I knew, from all my wild childhood days, that if I tried to run now the air would solidify, holding me in place.Scanning the crowd the best I could, I caught sight of her stepping out from behind a pillar, her own eyes searching. She hadn't changed. Her hair was still dyed copper to cover the grey strands she'd fought with as long as I could remember. Her pants suit wasn't one that I recognized, but it looked crisp and new. Clothes had always been one of her obsessions.I slowed my pace but kept walking, praying with each step that the Coven would concentrate on me and not
EZRA I tightened the last screw and stepped back. Now for the test. Bending down, I removed the brick I'd placed to hold the back door open as I worked on it. This time, instead of slamming shut like it had all summer, the spring caught and it closed gently. Like it was supposed to do. "That's right," I said, smiling. It was the little victories that kept me going some days. Gathering up the tools, I thought I heard a car on the other side of the house. Avery opened the newly fixed screen door. "Hunter's here, but he's alone. He's got your car." There was a thread of worry in her voice. "What?" That didn't make sense. I set the tools aside and followed Avery through the house. Hunter was coming in through the front door when we entered the foyer. He caught the door, pulling it shut behind him. "Where's John?" I asked. The look on Hunter's face made the bottom fall out of my stomach. "With h
JOHN Two of mother's guards boarded the plane before me. I followed them up the plane's little fold-up stairs and into the main cabin of the small private jet. It was one of three owned by the Coven. I knew that only as the child of two high-ranking officials since my Mom and Dad were always traveling for Coven business. It wasn't laid out like a commercial plane with the rows and rows of seats, but more like what you'd see a billionaire traveling around on in the movies. There was a long couch, a couple of small tables that had sets of four seats with each of them. There was a man on board already, besides the pilot and single stewardess. He was standing in the back, out of the way, but I recognized him just fine. Dr. Knight was a spirit witch and my family's physician. Already, I didn't like where this was going. "Hey, John," he said, as the two guards in front of me found seats. I nodded at him and chose a seat over th
JOHNAs the driver pulled the car up my family's driveway, I was surprised by how much I wanted to be anywhere else but here. Even being back at Nathan's house in California facing another demon seemed like a better idea than what I was about to deal with.What if Nathan told the Coven about me? I don't think he knew my name, but if he were to see me - it'd be game over, wouldn't it?No, he's been masquerading as a witch. I had just as much- No, I had more to blackmail him with. He had much more to lose by being outed than I did. I stared at the home I'd grown up in and realized that it was no longer 'home' to me. There wasn't a place connected to that word anymore.As the car came to a stop, the front door to the colonial style house opened. Frankie rushed down the front steps, her hair flying out behind her like a banner. Once I was free from the car, she slammed into me with a force that pushed the air from my lungs.
EZRAI followed the dirt path, walking out into the trees nearby to where the Reinhardt cemetery was hidden in the trees. I fought the anger that rose in me. How? How had they found John after all this time? It bothered me to no end. We'd gone months without a hint from them, and now, they just swooped in and grabbed him without so much as a warning.So much for facing his troubles together. I leaned back against a tree and slid to the ground. The sky was growing darker by the moment, the fireflies blinking among the headstones.Toying with a small stick, I dug into the earth. Was this really the best course of action? Waiting on word from the Hedge witches about John. Waiting on the other remaining Reinhardts to find their way back. Should I have tried to track the lost children down, instead of calling them home?I was so incredibly lost. Were we really waiting here or had I just stalled with my inability to make a decision?
JOHNI felt trapped in my room, but I didn't feel like facing any of my family downstairs. I didn't know what to say, other than what seemed like the obvious. That I didn't want to be here. That Ezra hadn't kidnapped me. That I hadn't been in danger when they'd 'rescued' me. But that wasn't going to do any sort of good. Not now.Standing at my window, I looked over my plants on the sill, nudging them with my magic, caring for them as I had the plants at Ez's place all summer. From the way Frankie had acted, I was beginning to think my family thought I was traumatized. If they only knew the half of it. It may have made trying to explain things to them a little simpler.There was a soft knock on my door and I looked towards it as it opened. Chelle poked her head in. "Hey, dinner's ready-"I turned back to my plants. "No, thanks. I'm not hungry.""Oh," she said. "Why not come down anyway? We could talk about what you missed
JOHNPacing, back in my room, my hands itched for a cellphone. I needed to get word to the others quickly. A heavy weight grew in my chest with the thought that I might already be too late. No, I couldn't think like that. I wouldn't.I came to a stop at the window and dropped my fingers into the soil of the potted plants on the sill. I took a deep breath and steadied myself on the earth energy they provided. It wasn't much, but it cleared my mind. I needed to focus on getting out of the house, away from my family. Then, I could work on getting word to Ezra.With another deep breath, I pulled my hands from the planters and dusted the dirt off. Settling on the bed, I sat upright with my legs crossed. A quick glance at the clock on the nightstand told me it was still early. Only nine in the evening. The house was quiet, but my family tended to be night-owls. I had a few more hours before I could try anything.Resting
EZRAThe chair protested as I leaned back. I sat at the dining room table with Avery, Hunter, and the twins. Tessa and Anissa were talking to Avery in soft tones at the at the end of the table. I smiled a little as Avery bit back a yawn.It was getting late, but none of us seemed ready to sleep. Hunter especially. I glanced at him over the rough farmhouse table as he continued to fidget with his fork, but he hadn't touched any of his food.Leaning forward again to rest on my elbows on the table, I put my face in my hands. This hurry-up and wait mentality ate at me and my resolve. I needed to be doing something. Anything. But what was left that we hadn't done already?The wind picked up, coming through the opened windows bringing the smell of rain with it. Thunder rumbled in the distance."How did you and John meet? I don't think he told me," Hunter asked, drawing my attention back to him.I laughed. "We were colle