Chapter 20
20
brAM
“ S ir, there’s been a special delivery for you.” Jes, the front desk clerk, holds out an envelope, stopping me before I hit the stairs up to my office. It’s before nine, but I’m later than usual coming into work. I stayed at Ava’s place late last night, until Stellan came home and glared at me while grilling me about what we were doing.
“What did you eat? And what did you do after that? Why didn’t you leave any food for me?”
I finally left just to get him to shut up. Before his arrival, it was one of the best nights I’ve had in as long as I can remember. Which is sad. All Ava and I did was eat takeout, talk, and watch her TV show. She makes me laugh and somehow feel lighter. That good mood is still lingering as I grab the envelope from Jes. Magic zips through my fingers and the buoyancy from moments before disappears.
“Thank you.” I don’t bother going up to my office because Roman is making his way down the steps toward me.
“I see you got a letter too.”
I hold it up. “What is it?”
Roman gives me a tight nod. “Open it.”
I slide my finger under the envelope to unseal it. Inside is a thick piece of cream parchment folded in half.
“The Luminara coven council requests your presence at the Tenebris coven house immediately.” I read out loud and then look up at my brother. “What’s this about?”
“I got a letter as well, but mine said the time was TBD. The paper started vibrating and had an updated time a minute ago.”
This isn’t the first time I’ve been called into the coven for some reason or another, but it’s been a long time.
Roman pulls his phone out of his suit pocket and frowns as he looks at the screen. “Josephine got a summons too.” His fingers are whipping across the screen as I lead us through the lobby.
My phone moans, and I hurriedly snatch it out of my pocket.
“What was that?” Roman comes to a standstill in the middle of the lobby. A few customers milling around look in our direction. I changed my fucking ringer yesterday, and somehow, it’s back to this fucking moan. It’s loud as hell and really guttural. If I’m being completely honest, it’s kind of hot.
Ava’s name pops up on my screen. “Ava just messaged. She got the same letter. What do you think this is about?” I ask as Roman and I head outside. His car is closer, so I slip into the passenger side.
“Who the fuck knows,” Roman responds as he slams his door shut and starts the car. “You and Ava message each other?”
“Don’t start. We’re working together.”
Roman hums but doesn’t ask any more questions. I keep my attention on the snow-covered trees outside my window instead of looking at him.
The trip to the coven house takes less than ten minutes. It’s the middle of the day and most people are either at work or avoiding the cold. The sidewalks are empty in a way that gives the city an eerily lonesome feel.
The Tenebris Coven house is a miniature version of the white house, complete with columns. It sits almost directly across the river from the Lumen coven house, which is oddly similar in structure. Josephine and Piper are standing on the front steps with Odie. The three of them are huddled together to combat the cold. Stellan pulls up and parks directly behind Roman. Ava gets out of his car just as I exit Roman’s.
“Looks like the whole gang is here. Fun.” Ambrose claps his gloved hands together as he comes walking down the street.
“Anyone know what this is about?” Stellan asks, but before anyone can answer, the front door opens. Lucida and Selene are side by side, looking like opposites. Selene is tall and rail thin. She’s wearing black slacks that hang from her waist and a fitted black turtleneck. Lucida took a page out of the witches’ handbook and has on a long flowing skirt in earthy colors. Her sweater hangs off one shoulder. Bracelets stack up both wrists and a collection of chains tangle around her neck.
“We’ve been waiting.” Selene steps to the side, motioning for us to come in.
“I don’t see how, since we just received the invitation.” I eye the old Lumen coven leader. Her eyes are so dark they look black, like two little beetles staring back at me. I don’t think there’s another color in there. Just a void of darkness. Odie pokes my side and gives a small head shake.
“Well, we’re all here now. Let’s head to the gathering room.” Lucida prods us forward a bit more gently. It’s funny how we used to be taught that the Lumen coven were light witches and their power was based on purity and piousness. Whereas the Tenebris coven are dark witches who deal in shadows and darkness. We were pitted against each other, as though our magic was incompatible and came from some different place. What a load of shit.
Selene certainly is an icy bitch, but I wouldn’t consider her pure and full of light. She’s just as dirty as the rest of the council. Lucida always confounds me, though. She’s either a genuine soul who’s been caught up with the biggest bunch of assholes, or she’s an incredible actress. I’m split on which option is more likely.
The gathering room is a small auditorium with a low stage. The coven brings in folding chairs when needed, but right now, the wood floor is empty. Sitting up on stage is a good portion of the coven council–the newly combined Luminara coven council.
Selene and Lucida climb the two steps to the stage and take their place at the center of a long table already occupied. To the left, sits my father and Peter Lexington, Anastasia’s father. That’s an unexpected and new addition, and not at all concerning. His daughter is a rapist and an arsonist. I think we all know that apples don’t fall far from the tree. Peter has persuasive magic and uses it quite liberally in his business practices. All in all, he’s a good fit for the current council.
There are several empty seats. Odie’s younger brother Andrei is part of the Tenebris coven council, but he rarely makes an appearance at anything coven related. Ambrose’s mother is also a member, but his parents are hardly ever in Mystic Hollows. I doubt they're here now, hence the empty seat.
To the right is Piper’s uncle, Tucker Beaumont, a large man with a barrel chest and a belly that tests the confines of his golf shirt. Next to him sits Ava’s father, Ivan. He’s messing around on his phone, with a distracted look on his face. Philip Masters, a sniveling shit of a witch, is smiling smugly from his chair. Separated by another few feet at the very end is Josephine's mother, Francesca. I thought she was no longer part of the coven council. I narrow my eyes at the woman. Arms crossed, her face looks pinched. Her mouth is pursed so tight she could be sucking on a lemon. With her eyes on her daughter, there’s a calculating glint in them. Roman is stiff beside me, his eyes also locked on the woman.
“I think you all know why you’re here.” Selene looks down her long and pointed nose at us.
“Not a clue. We await your enlightenment.” Ambrose smiles brightly, offering up a guileless face.
Selene rests her elbows on the table, tenting her long, thin fingers together. She looks over her hands and inspects each one of us in turn. “A few months ago, some very important possessions were stolen from our coven houses.”
Ambrose gasps. “Oh no. What happened?”
It’s a battle to keep from rolling my eyes. Ava’s head is bowed, her hair covers her face, but the sound of her exhaling through her nose is very close to contained laughter.
“Do you think this is funny?” Ivan slams his hand down on the table and the smile falls off Ambrose’s face. Ava’s shoulders hunch and she carefully tucks her hair behind her ear.
“I don’t know enough to have a feeling one way or another.” Ava’s voice is even, but she doesn’t look at her father. Stellan takes a step closer to his sister.
I’m tempted to shove everyone out of the way to go stand beside her. I shake away the thought. She’s fine. She doesn’t need my help.
“A very important grimoire was taken from both houses. The eight of you were seen at either the Lumen or the Tenebris house that night.” Lucida interjects, her countenance curious.
Lucida and Selene are from old witching families, but they aren’t part of the founding families of Mystic Hollows. Neither one of them has the family curses. Lucida’s magic was the most powerful of the Tenebris coven, that’s why she was the leader. I don’t know if that’s the case with Selene. I get the sense that she’s more of a political appointee. Someone who bows to the whims of the founding families in exchange for power.
Then again, somehow Peter Lexington is now part of our coven council. It’s not like we have formal elections and the witches choose our leaders. They’re selected by magic in a secret ceremony us normal witches aren’t privy to. Once in that position, they are there until death, or they choose to walk away, or a banishment. Seeing Josephine’s mother back on the council shows how unserious the threat of banishment is.
“Whose grimoire?” Roman asks.
“That’s not important.” Selene glares down at him.
Lucida is watching the proceedings, observing. Her eyes search the room for something.
Why do they want the grimoires back anyway? Because they’re afraid the coven will know exactly why the Briar Witch cursed us all? It’s a tragic story, but for the majority of the coven it doesn’t matter. The people affected by her curse are the most powerful families. Besides the six founding families, there are maybe another half dozen others impacted by the curse. The rest of the witches in this town never have to worry about darkness taking over their soul, or being forgotten, or feeling pain from a simple hand on your arm. The grimoire might make a nice bedtime story for them, but I highly doubt they care. So why does the council?
“You took the books.” My father sneers.
“Prove it.” The words are out of my mouth before I consider if it’s worth the fight.
My father stands so fast, his chair topples back. “You ungrateful little shit. You think you’re better than this coven.” His shadows snap out, reaching for me like grasping fingers.
Lucida waves a hand and the shadows morph into flower petals that float to the ground. “They are relics of our town’s history. They are important to the coven, and we would like to see them returned. If you happen to know who might have them, spread the word. There will be no repercussions for bringing them back.”
Outrage erupts from the others. Lucida holds up her hand, her power stirring up the wind. Lucida has death magic, which, ironically, can both give and take life, but nothing is without consequence to her magic. The petals on the ground curl up and decompose, turning to dust as I watch.
“There have been many wrongs in our covens’ past. We have the opportunity to begin anew. To set aside old differences and reinvigorate our magic. The Luminara coven is our chance to do better. We have a fresh slate and that is extended to all the witches in our coven.” Lucida stands and turns away from the table while the others grumble unhappily. Selene glares so hard at her back that she could be aiming a hex at Lucida.
Ambrose bows and starts ushering the rest of us out the door. I step beside Ava and she raises her brows high, but doesn’t say anything. We’re nearly out the front door when Lucida calls out my name.
“Bram, if you have a moment, please.” She shuts the door of the auditorium behind her. My friends all freeze at the front door, their eyes darting between me and Lucida.
“Go on. I’ll just be a minute.”
“How are the plans coming for the party?” Lucida asks, looking genuinely interested. “I really want our covens to come together. This is important.”
“Ava and I have been working diligently.”
Lucida’s eyes drift over to the room where the rest of the council is likely arguing with each other. The door slams open and Ivan storms out of the coven house without even glancing in our direction. Lucida waits for the door to close behind him before she responds.
“I really believe this is a chance for a new start. We can do things differently than they've been done in the past.”
I search her face for a hint at what this is about.
“I know this sounds pompous, but I think your mother would be very proud of you.”
“You knew my mother?” Surprise has the question coming out more severe than I intend.
“She was a good friend.” Lucida’s eyes are bright as a sad smile fleetingly crosses her face.
“I didn’t know that.”
Lucida lays her hand on my arm. “I’ll have to tell you some stories sometime.” She flinches, and there’s a brief hint of pain that flashes across her face. Except when she looks up at me again, there’s a serene look already in its place. Maybe I imagined it.
She glances back at the auditorium, where the muffled sound of arguing can’t be contained. “Perhaps not today, though. Keep up the good work with the planning. I know this event will be transformative for our coven.” With that, she turns and walks away, her skirt floating behind her. I almost ask her to stay and tell me the stories now, but something tugs deep in my chest and panic fills me.
I’m out the door without another thought.