Chapter 49
AVA
The bell above Jade’s door chimes merrily when I step inside.
It’s a stark contrast to my current mood.
I know where Jade is coming from, taking things slow and steady, but it’s maddening.
I want to be able to help Valen, to help my friends.
I’m a witch after all, but since my powers have been bound for so long and I know nothing of my heritage, I’m practically a newborn.
This is so much harder than I thought it would be.
I was foolish when I attempted to cast a protection spell. Foolish and na?ve.
“Hey,” Jade greets, shrugging on her coat.
I narrow my eyes. “Are you going somewhere? Am I late?”
“We’re going somewhere.” She pulls her hair out from where it caught under her coat.
“Where?” I ask curiously.
She zips up the coat and tugs on a beanie. “Think of it as a field trip of sorts.”
“A field trip?” I repeat, narrowing my eyes in suspicion. “Should I be worried?”
“No,” she huffs, grabbing a purse from behind the counter and draping the strap over her shoulder. “It’ll be fun. Liam?” she calls out behind her. “Hold down the fort while I’m gone!”
She hurries over to me with a smile. “Come on, it’s going to be fun. I promise.” Outside, she leads me to a dark SUV parked out front. “It’s far enough from the store that I figured driving was easier than walking,” she explains. “Especially with this cold.”
“I won’t complain about a warm car over this.” I gesture to the snow falling softly around us.
Inside the car, she turns down the radio. “Where exactly is this place?”
“There’s this hotel in the city—Arcane. Have you heard of it? It’s basically a glorified club for supernaturals to get together. Neutral ground, if you will.”
“Yeah, been there briefly,” I reply, remembering getting patched up there after the events in the tunnels. “I didn’t have much time to explore, though.”
“I know I’m a delight and will always be your favorite, but I thought you might enjoy being around other witches.”
Nerves bubble in my stomach. I’ve always been a confident person.
Never shy. I’ve always been chatty and never suffered from social anxiety, but suddenly I feel like I want to open the car door and tuck-and-roll out of here.
I feel like an impostor, a fraud. My lack of ability with my magic except the basics—levitating objects, turning book pages, unlocking and locking doors—has me feeling inadequate.
It doesn’t help me feel any better that all the murders come back to this place.
“Don’t be nervous,” Jade says like she can read my mind. Who knows, maybe she can.
“I’m not nervous,” I say defensively.
“Okay.” She taps her fingers on the steering wheel. “But it would be okay if you were,” she assures.
When we arrive at the hotel, she tosses her keys at the valet and winks. He checks her out in a way that makes me think they might’ve hooked up before.
I look around the swanky lobby with wide eyes.
Everyone around me looks human, but more.
They carry themselves in a way that’s wholly different—with a grace and confidence a mere human couldn’t emulate.
I bet I stick out like a sore thumb. I don’t possess the etherealness these supernaturals have. Too many years being human, I suppose.
“You’re overthinking,” Jade says, once again making me question whether she can read minds.
“How do you know that? You’re not reading my mind, are you?”
We reach the elevators, and she pushes the button to call one. “No,” she laughs. “Your body language is incredibly easy to read.” She crosses her arms over her chest and taps her foot impatiently, pushing the button in rapid succession like a little kid.
When the doors slide open, she takes a startled step back.
My eyes widen at the tall man who takes up the entire elevator—not with his size, but his presence.
If I thought the others milling around the lobby were intimidating, they have nothing on his guy.
Silver-hued eyes flash from me to Jade, where they narrow before his brow furrows.
He stalks past us, and Jade closes her eyes, a look of annoyance on her face.
The doors begin to slide closed, but she sticks her foot out to stop it.
“Come on,” she says, gesturing me forward.
When we’re alone in the elevator, I ask, “Who was that?”
“No one,” she sighs, leaning against the wall.
“I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t care if you believe me or not.” She stretches out the fingers of her left hand, eyeing her dark purple manicure.
When the doors open and Jade leads me down the hall, all thoughts of the mysterious man are forgotten.
There aren’t rooms spaced like a normal hotel.
These are much farther apart. Jade slides a key card out of her pocket and stops in front of a door that doesn’t look any more remarkable than the ones we already passed.
Holding it open wide, she motions me inside first.
It’s a large open space, but within that space there are various designated seating areas. Everything, from the walls to the furniture, is done in shades of deep purple and red. Women and men are dispersed throughout the space, some chatting, some working on laptops, and some doing small magic.
A rock seems to lodge itself in my throat.
This is … these are … they’re like me.
I see why Jade brought me here. I didn’t expect to immediately feel like I belong here, but I do. I might only be doing basic magic that most learn as kids and teens, but one day I will be able to do more. So much of it, according to Jade, is intuitive.
“How do you feel?” Jade asks me.
“Happy,” I reply.
“Good.” She smiles. “Let me introduce you to some people.”
After she escorts me around to about fifteen witches and warlocks, we settle at a table with an older witch named Helena and a witch closer to our age, whose name is Penelope.
“Ava’s magic was bound until very recently. She was adopted and didn’t know she was a witch,” Jade explains.
“Oh, dear,” Helena says, clucking her tongue. “That’s horrible. Having your magic bound can be a painful thing.”
“I never noticed,” I admit. “I guess because I was raised human, I didn’t know better.”
“Well, I’m so happy you’ve found your true heritage. You’re safe and welcome here.” She pats my hand.
There’s something about the way she says it that has my throat closing up.
“Should we play a game?” Jade asks. “Something with magic.”
When Penelope hops up and returns with a box of The Game of Life, I start laughing. “What does this have to do with magic?”
“You’ll see.” Jade winks and gives my elbow a playful nudge. “It’ll be good practice for you.”
The practice turns out to be using my magic to move the game pieces, spin the wheel, and pick up the cards.
It sounds easy enough, but for a novice like me, it’s tiring.
As much fun as I’m having, I can’t help but worry that if this alone weakens me, how can I possibly help Valen and my friends?
How can I break the spell my ancestor cast upon him?
After three long rounds of the game, I’m drained and exhausted but still happy. It was fun to laugh and joke with my own kind.
My own kind—how strange is it that I’m beginning to think of myself as something other than human?
Several other witches came over to watch our game and offered me advice on how to better control my magic and avoid fatigue. While it was a tad overwhelming at times having people spout so much information at me, I know a lot of the advice will be helpful.
After we’ve said goodbye to Helena, Penelope, and a few others, we leave the room and head back to the elevator.
“How do you feel now?” Jade asks.
“Sad,” I answer honestly.
“Sad?” she blurts. “That wasn’t my goal.”
“I just mean … seeing how much of a community you guys are and realizing that I’ve missed out on this my entire life, it made me a little sad.”
She gives me a soft, understanding smile. “You’ve found us now, Ava.”
She gives my wrist a gentle squeeze as we step onto the elevator.
“Do you think I’ll ever be able to do it?” I ask her, my eyes glued to my boots.
“Do what?” Confusion fills the question.
“Break the spell on Valen.”
“I have no doubts,” she says with a confidence I’m sorely lacking. “But first we have to find out exactly what the spell was. I’ve been researching during every spare minute I have.”
“Thank you,” I tell her sincerely, pulling her in for an unexpected hug in the lobby.
“You’re welcome.” She squeezes me back. “Do you want to come back to the store or go home? I can drop you off anywhere.”
“Home,” I answer. I’m too tired to practice more magic, and I’m missing my vampire.
It’s crazy how quickly that word has changed. Where it once meant a place, it now refers to a person.
Valen is my home. My safe place, where I always want to be.