42. Chapter Forty One

Chapter Forty One

Skyla

W hen we get home, all the guys are already sitting around the living room looking absolutely livid. We don’t make it through the front door two steps before they are laying into me.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” Ronan snarls.

“You idiots took her to that side of the town? Really?” Wesley says in contempt.

“I leave for three goddamn hours, and everything goes to shit!” Liam adds.

“She wanted the full history. I took her to the Witch Museum—”

“Stupid.” Ronan interjects.

Asher throws him a look but continues on. “Then she took one look at the Proctor shop and practically ran to it.”

“What?” the three of them collectively snap.

“It’s not a big deal,” I say, earning myself five scathing looks.

“Not a big deal, siren? You don’t understand what those…people are capable of.”

“Maybe I don’t. Do you?” I counter.

Vincent scoffs. “I’ve encountered plenty of them, trust me, they are not your friend.”

“Maybe they aren’t my enemy either.”

Ronan shakes his head. “Baby, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“She was kind to me. I felt no malice or unease, unlike every other person in the Brethren apart from those in this room. Doesn’t that strike you as odd? That maybe you guys are on the wrong side of things? That you’ve been turned against a group of people out of fear, not reason?”

“They’re witches, babygirl,” Liam argues. “They’re bad news. They curse people, hurt people.”

“Says who, Liam?”

He opens his mouth to speak before closing it, shaking his head. I understand that they are all concerned, I mean, they’ve basically been conditioned into believing one set way their entire life. Maybe it’s time they break those mental chains, though, because if we are going off people like Christopher Putnam to give us the whole truth and nothing but the truth…we shouldn’t. That man is more evil than any witch ever could be.

“Little one, we’re just worried. You never know who is watching. If the Elders find out you went into Proctor’s shop, they could jump to conclusions.”

“Let them jump!” I snap before sighing. “I’m tired of the clouded truths, the hidden meanings. This world we have all been forcibly born into is fucked up and broken, and if you don’t agree, then each of you are part of the problem.”

They all stay quiet for several seconds before Vincent nods.

“She’s right. None of us are under the impression that the Brethren are just or saints.”

Soft murmurs of agreement sound through the room as Vincent continues.

“But, that doesn’t mean that you go charging into a witch’s shop in broad daylight. Do you have the answers you went in search of?”

Technically, yes. I suppose I did.

I nod, and so does he.

“Good. Come here,” he says, pulling me into his arms. He holds me close to his chest and I wrap my arms around him.

I can practically hear each of the guys’ thoughts. Feel their unease. Honestly, though, for guys that claim to hate what the Brethren is, what it stands for, they sure seem to blindly follow their rules and word.

The next day, Maggie, Maryia and I are leaving class for the day. They are talking about going to grab an early dinner when I butt in.

“Mind if I tag along? I saw this place yesterday downtown. It looked good.”

They nod as we make our way to the parking lot, where Wesley is already waiting for me. I walk ahead, meeting him at the front of the car. He greets me with a smile, but it falls when he notices I don’t try to get in the car.

“I’m going to get some food with Maggie and Maryia. I’ll have her give me a ride home.”

He doesn’t seem to like that answer. His brows knit together as he turns his head to the side.

“Why can’t I drive you?”

I smile and shake my head.

“Because we can’t be together every minute of the day.”

“Why not?”

I laugh at him, but he’s not laughing.

“Wes, it’s a few hours at best. I’ll be fine.”

He sighs and nods. “You’re right. You deserve to have some time with your friends. Text me when you’re on your way?”

“Sure.” I smile, fighting the instinct to kiss him before I walk back to Maggie and Maryia.

“You good?” Maggie asks.

I nod. “I’m just over the protectiveness.”

“I can imagine with five boyfriends,” Maryia adds with a snicker. “Do you even get to pee alone?”

I shoot a look to Maggie and she shrugs.

“What? She’s my girl. I’m not gonna keep secrets from her.”

“Not even mine?”

Maryia frowns, shaking her head frantically.

“Skyla, I’d never tell anyone. Ever. I know what kind of danger you all could be put in. I swear.”

I shoot one more scathing at Maggie before glancing to Maryia.

“It’s okay. It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just the more people that know, the more likely it is that it could get out.”

She nods. “I understand, but trust me,” she says with her eyes on Maggie. “We all have secrets we don’t want getting out.”

“Ouch,” Maggie scoffs as she unlocks her BMW. “I’ll have you know there are hundreds of women that would love to be with me.”

A jealous flare flashes in Maryia’s eyes as she climbs into the tinted out car. She sits in the front seat and grabs Maggie by the face, pressing her lips together brutally before pulling away.

“Trust me, baby, I know.”

Maggie pulls her in, their tongues tangling together as their hands begin to roam. Meanwhile, I’m in the back seat, feeling both awkward and kind of turned on. I clear my throat, but that doesn’t stop them. When Maggie’s hands trail down to cup Maryia’s breasts I know that it’s about to go too far.

“Okay, you two are cute and adorable and hot and everything, but I’m kinda getting turned on,” I laugh awkwardly.

They break apart and both of their eyes come to me as Maggie smirks.

“You’re my best friend, Sky. You know you can always join my harem,” she teases.

Maryia darts her gaze to Maggie, eyebrow quirked. “What harem?”

“The one I’m gonna build. C’mon, Mads. Wouldn’t you love to see me play with her? Or maybe we all play together?”

Curiosity flashes in Maryia’s eyes as her gaze comes to me and I panic.

“That sounds really hot, and everything but five is my limit, sorry babes.”

We all bust out laughing and all of the tension evaporates just like that. Thank God, because I don’t know how I’d explain it to the guys. Sorry, we were going to dinner, and then the next thing I knew, I was having a three-way with my best friend and her girlfriend. Yeah, that wouldn’t go over well.

Well, maybe with Wesley since he’s already suggested something similar. And Liam is always down for a good time anytime. The other three, though? Not a chance. Besides, I have more than any other girl could dream of. I honestly don’t think I could handle any more complications.

“Alright, where to?” Maggie asks.

“Have you been to Charlie’s Burgers and Brews? It looked good,” I suggest lightly, or at least I attempt to.

Maggie and Maryia share a look for half a second before Maggie nods.

“Sure, Sky. Let’s try it.”

I nod, happy and confused with what I’m doing. I couldn’t sleep last night. I just kept tossing and turning, unsettling dreams morphing into each other between weird pieces of all the Salem history I learned and the encounter at the apothecary shop. The guys all forbade me to ever go back, but I just…need to. It’s hard to explain. Besides, I feel bad she gave me a gift and Asher broke it. I need to pay for it at least. That jar was supposed to bring me peace, if it really worked, can’t imagine what it’ll bring me now that it was intentionally broken.

When we get to Charlie’s, Maggie and Maryia sit on one side of the booth while I sit on the other. We chose a seat in the back, and once our orders are placed, they begin making out. I don’t blame them. They have to keep things so secretive at school, in front of their parents. In front of…everyone. They have to take advantage of any chance they have to just be themselves without fear of persecution of punishment.

Noticing my perfect exit, I make a comment about going to the bathroom, to which Maggie waves me off as she buries her hand into Maryia’s hair. Perfect.

Heading back through the restaurant and out the front door, I suck in a deep breath before letting it out as I turn to Rachel’s shop. When I step through the door, that same warmth wraps me up as Rachel peeks her head out from around a shelf, surprise on her face.

“Skyla.” She smiles. “I’ll admit. I wasn’t anticipating seeing you so soon.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t planning on coming back so quickly,” I say with a weak smile of my own.

“Or ever, by the way your husband was acting.”

I nod my agreement, and we stand there in silence for several seconds before I pull out some cash.

“I’m sorry that he broke the jar, and that you had to clean it up. I wanted to come pay for it,” I say as I offer her a twenty.

She looks down at it and shakes her head.

“I don’t want your money. No apologies needed.”

“Please,” I say. “It’ll make me feel better.”

Smiling, she shakes her head again and I sigh as I pocket the money once more.

“So, there isn’t a chance I’m like, you know cursed? From the jar being smashed, that is?”

She purses her lips and shrugs, like she’s trying to soften the blow.

“You weren’t the one to break it.”

“Does that change anything?” I ask.

Shaking her head softly, my heart sinks. Great. Now on top of everything else, I’m cursed.

“I’m sorry you got to see the ugly side of him yesterday,” I say. “He can be stubborn, and he thinks he knows best, but he’s a really good man. I don’t want to see him with any blame or bad luck or anything.”

She laughs at that. “Love, you did not just say that a Putnam is a good man?” she questions, spitting his name as she does.

I frown at that and nod. “He’s nothing like his father, trust me.”

Her lips purse at that as she stares at me, like she doesn’t believe me. Reaching to the side of me, she grabs some kind of bundled thing and hands it to me.

“Go home and light the end. Burn this all around your home, yourself, two times around your husband. Goddess knows he needs it.”

“What is it?” I say as I look at it.

“White sage. It cleanses and attracts positive energy. Something tells me you could use all the positive energy you could get.”

I laugh at that, taking the sage from her as I nod.

“What, are you a mind reader as well as a witch or is it stamped across my forehead?”

She gives me an amused smile.

“Not a mind reader, love, but your aura is…messy.”

I frown. “I think that’s an insult.”

She laughs. “No, it’s not your fault, per se. It just tells me there is a lot going on in your life.”

“You have no idea,” I mutter under my breath.

Rachel shrugs her shoulders. “I’m an excellent listener.”

That’s apparent. I’ve felt a sense of ease and comfortability from her from the moment I met her. She’s so warm and inviting. If the things going on in my life wouldn’t endanger me or the people I love, I’d definitely open up to her. But, I know better. So, instead, I politely shake my head. There is something that’s been burning in my mind, though I’m certain I know the answer already.

“Are you, by chance, related to Elizabeth and John Proctor?”

She doesn’t seem surprised, but she does nod.

“I am a descendant of them, yes.”

“Wow. So, your family has lived here for—”

“Well over three hundred years, yes.”

She hesitates for a moment before she points to the back.

“I actually have some of Elizabeth’s belongings. Would you like to see them?”

I nod, and she walks me back there, pulling out an antique looking jewelry box. When she opens it, a ring, a couple of stones, some buttons, and a few pieces of paper are inside.

“May I?” I ask as I gesture towards the box.

She nods as I reach for the paper, my eyes rounding as I read the words on it. My eyes flick up to the date before coming to her. She gives me a knowing nod and a disappointed frown. I can’t read the words on the pages fast enough, finishing the final sentence before setting the papers down.

What the fuck did I just read? What the fuck did…

“While you’re here,” she says, shaking me out of my thoughts, maybe intentionally so.

She gestures for me to follow her, leading me over to the wall filled with rocks and crystals. Her fingers delicately trace over the shelving before she stops on a gold and grey rock.

“Pyrite Stone,” she says. “It draws energy from the earth and transfers it to you, helping build a protection layer of energy around you. It helps block out negative energies, but also physical and emotional harm.”

“It’s pretty,” I say as I examine the quarter sized stone.

“Carry it on you at all times, okay?” she says.

I nod, and she hands it to me.

“No,” I say. “I’m paying you this time.”

“Skyla. You don’t—”

“I’m not taking no for an answer,” I say with a shake of my head.

She smiles at me and nods but walks me to the register. Rachel goes to grab a necklace that has a little metal fastener in it. She twists it around the Pyrite Stone, holding it into place before handing it to me. It’s a long chain. So long that you’d never see the stone in even the deepest V-neck. That’s probably the point.

“Thank you,” I say as I slip the sage bundle into my purse.

“Thank you,” Rachel says as I turn to leave the store.

I’m almost to the door when she calls out.

“Could you come back tomorrow?”

I pause, looking over my shoulder.

“I have something coming in tomorrow. I think it would be perfect for you.”

Intrigued, I nod my head, though I’m not sure how I’ll slip away two days in a row.

“Sure, I’ll be here around the same time.”

“Perfect. See you then,” she says with a nod and a smile.

I smile and wave as I step out the door and back into the restaurant. Maggie and Maryia appear to have finally come up for air and are eating their food while mine sits in front of my seat. I slide into the booth and Maggie looks at me.

“Where did you go?”

“Bathroom,” I say.

“Mads just went to the bathroom, and she said you weren’t in there.”

My eyes widen slightly as I nod. “Yeah, all of the stalls were taken when I went in there, so I used the one next door,” I say.

Maryia lifts an eyebrow. “There was only one stall.”

I close my eyes and let out a breath when Maggie speaks.

“Hey, you don’t want to tell us why you wanted to come to the old part of town and disappear for twenty minutes, that’s your business. Just tell us to stuff it.” She shrugs as she takes a big bite into her burger.

I give her a grateful smile and nod as I pick up my food and begin eating.