31. Raven
Goodbye’s were never an easy thing but I suspected for Autumn they were likely harder than what most would experience.
She’d never really had people she’d had to say goodbye to before because she’d never really had people that she cared for before now.
Our girl had a really big heart but she’d had no one but a little old lady to give it to. And that little old lady had barely reciprocated Autumn’s feelings and was dead now.
This whole caring about people and showing it was new for her.
Autumn very clearly wasn’t taking Ariel and Rain’s departure very well.
She had spent the whole morning watchful and very quiet. I didn’t like it because it reminded me of her first days when she’d gotten here.
I thought we’d gotten her past that and she was starting to settle in here because she considered this to be her new home. I didn’t like seeing her this way.
I spent the whole morning watching her and it took me that long to realize what was wrong with her.
My heart broke for her and for the girl she’d had to be growing up.
Both Rain and Ariel in their short time spent here had clearly started to mean something to her.
I supposed there could be worse people to have her befriend, though likely not crazier ones.
The guys had been hovering over her all morning, not giving her a chance to be alone for a second. I understood their need to protect her and see to her every little need but she needed the space to breathe and process all of her emotions in whatever way that worked best for her.
That meant the hovering had to stop so she could relax. Or we might not ever be able to get rid of Ariel and Rain. I was more than ready for them to be on their merry way home.
I sat down next to Autumn and picked her hand up, bringing it to my lips for a kiss. “Have you been out to the greenhouse today?” I asked her. “You should probably check on your plants, see that they’re still doing okay.”
She looked at me in puzzlement. “I don’t need to check on them every day, Raven. They’re not in any danger of dying any time soon. I’ve poured so much of my magic into them that I’m not sure they’ll ever be capable of dying actually.”
Well, shit. That was interesting news and certainly spoke to just how much power was behind her magic. We were all lucky that she chose to use it for the greater good because she was really quite capable of being a serious menace with that level of magic at her beck and call.
I leaned into her and murmured in her ear so that only she could hear me. “Baby, I can tell you need some space and a little break. I”m trying to give you an excuse to go do that. I can make sure everyone leaves you alone for a little while if you go out there. Come back inside when you’re ready to say your goodbyes. They’ll understand. Everyone will.”
She pulled back and smiled at me gratefully with tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Raven. I won’t be out there for too long.”
I brushed my thumb across the apple of her cheek. “You’re welcome, baby. It’s my job to look out for you and it’ll always come first. You’ll always come first.”
She kissed me on the cheek before getting up and leaving the room without a word.
“Where is she going?” Mason demanded to know and I closed my eyes in frustration.
It wasn’t just me who was obsessed with her anymore. Every single member of my coven had fallen for our girl and we were all equally obsessed with her now.
I was thankful for it but found it very frustrating at the same time.
“She needs a minute,” I told not just Mason but the room as a whole. “She’s overwhelmed with her emotions right now. Leave her be. She’ll be back when she’s ready.”
They all looked pissed but thankfully didn’t argue with me.
“We should stay a couple more days,” Ariel said. “Just to make sure she’s okay.”
Rain sighed and for once I actually felt for the man. I couldn’t imagine having to deal with that girl and all of her constant bullshit all of the time.
I knew she meant well but, god damn, she didn’t need to be in everyone’s business all the damn time. She needed to learn that she couldn’t solve everyone’s problems for them all of the time.
“Ariel,” Rain said in a voice full of patience. “We’re going home today. You’ve already told Quinton you’d be returning home today. If you don’t get on that fucking plane when I do he’s going to get on one and show up here. We are not doing that to these people. He would likely scare the shit out of Autumn and then she’d never want to talk to either of us again and who would be able to blame her. We are not staying here any longer.”
“But, dad, what if she’s not ready? It’s my job to look after her.”
“It”s not your job to look after her. She has her own coven now. It’s their job to look after her now and we both know we’ll be leaving her in very good hands and with capable people. We both trust them or there’s no fucking way that we would have sent both Isobel and Baxter here to stay with them for safe keeping.”
Ariel looked at her dad and there was a heaviness there that didn’t belong on someone so young but spoke volumes about what she’d been through so far in her young life.
“It’s my job to look after all of them,” she snapped back at him.
Good Christ.
Did she really feel that way? That was a heavy burden and in no way her responsibility to carry.
Rain’s face softened and he cupped his daughters jaw. “It’ll never just be your job alone. It’s something we all agreed we’d do together. And I know you feel responsible for everyone since what happened with the Council but that wasn’t your burden to take on. The entire witch community is not your responsibility.”
“The Council is gone because of me,” she whispered in a small voice.
“Well, it’s a good thing you’re putting a better one together,” I said, cutting into their conversation. As much as I wanted them to leave I didn’t like the thought of Ariel taking all of that on herself. “And Autumn already agreed to be on your Council. You’re doing good things and soon enough you’ll have plenty of other good people that you know you can trust helping you look out for everyone. So it’s not just all on you.”
“If you can trust her enough to ask her to take a spot on your Council then I think you should be able to trust her enough to make the right decisions for herself,” Liam said to Ariel.
“She’s smart,” Gunner put in. “She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go for it. And what she wants is to be here with us. She’s officially joined our coven.”
“She’s exactly where she needs to be,” Scout told her. “And she needs to get used to her new normal. I love how dedicated you are to looking out for her and I thank you for it. But you don’t live here and she can’t rely on you to be here with her every day. You are only going to be a phone call away and she has to get used to that.”
“This is not a bad thing, Ariel,” Mason said in a gentle, kind voice. “It’s good. She’s heading in the right direction and we don’t want her thinking you being here all the time is normal. She doesn’t know what’s normal and what’s not and we don’t want to confuse her. Her normal was living in the woods amongst those horrible people. We want to show her a different and better life than that. But we also don’t want to hurt her in any way. I’d like to avoid that at all costs. So she needs to settle in without you hovering because she can’t rely on that. If that makes sense?”
“It makes perfect sense,” Rain murmured as he watched all of us carefully.
“And, Ariel, I already promised her we can catch a plane at least once a month to come and visit you, if that’s something she wants.” I promised her. “But this is hard for her. She’s never had to say goodbye to people she cares about before. I need you to not make this any harder for her. Please.”
“Baby girl,” Rain said in a quiet voice. “Just look at them. Tell me you’re seeing what I’m seeing right now and then you tell me you’re still worried about leaving her here with them. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’ve got this. It’s time for us to get out of their hair and head home.”
Ariel nodded reluctantly. “Alright,” she agreed on a sigh. “We can go home now.”
I sighed in relief.
Thank fuck.