Chapter 6

Six

The small-town road had turned to a single lane as we veered deeper into the woods in the supposed direction of the cabin. Mountains had grown from simple hills, surrounding us in all directions, keeping us tucked well within their giant grasp. The old man's warning echoed in my mind, leaving me uneasy as Cain drove the six of us further into the thick forest, far away from any sign of human life. Only faint glimpses of the moon could reach us as they lit our path.

Jinx had fallen asleep in Ruby's lap as she stroked her ginger hair, playing with her magic. The rich, maroon embers flickered from her fingertips as they swirled in the air above, forming tiny little moths that fluttered against the roof of the car. Cain was too focused on driving to notice, but Lazarus watched as Ruby's fiery insects twirled above their heads, forming a warm spectacle.

"You should really be careful with your magic," I spoke quietly over my shoulder back to Ruby. Her glowing eyes met mine in the rearview mirror as she raised a brow.

"Not all of us are ashamed of our gifts—"

"I'm not ashamed," I snapped, turning to face her.

"Easy." Cain lightly rubbed my leg, his eyes fixated on the road ahead.

"Just hesitant." Ruby's expression remained hard. "Look at all that's happened to our ancestors for openly doing the same as you," I pointed out to her. "They were hunted down and murdered. Many were burned for simply possessing that same mindset." Ruby pressed her lips together, unable or unwilling to argue her point. "Besides," I flicked my finger as a tall, single pale blue flame burned from my fingertip, "I'm not exactly sure if I would call this ‘power' a gift."

"Ahhh, Ruby's just bitter ‘cause her power isn't as strong as yours," Lazarus teased, trying to break the odd tension.

"I'm not bitter," she hissed, her magic falling from the air like glitter. "Besides, how would you even know the extent of her power—"

"We're here," Cain shot through the car, interrupting our conversation.

Cain drove the car along a winding gravel path, the rough movements waking Jinx. I stared out the window, admiring the endless mountains. The forest grew strong and firm to our right while a feeble wooden railing stretched alongside the road to our left. The headlights slowly revealed the silhouette of a small, two-story wooden cabin in the distance. I leaned forward, squinting, my breath fogging the glass as I peered out into the darkness, watching as we slowly drove closer to the cabin. It was seeded deep within the wooded mountains, isolated from everything and everyone. An uneasiness slowly crept over me as Cain pulled closer and parked the car. The moon was high in the night sky, casting heavy shadows onto the empty cabin, soaking it in cold darkness.

"We're staying here?" The question was whispered from my lips. An older man, who I hadn't noticed before now, stepped down from the porch of the cabin. He held a small lantern in one hand and a shotgun firm in the other, dancing shadows hiding his features. He stood, watched us intensely as Cain killed the engine, the world around us falling into the immense sounds of the active nightlife. The strange man's close presence made me nervous.

"You're not scared of the dark now, are you, Bambi?" Cain grinned. Our eyes met for a moment before I forcefully pulled mine away in submission.

The six of us all exited the car, enamored by our surroundings. Alastair stiffened, his fur touching my leg as he remained close, immediately aware of the stranger. Cain approached the man, shaking his hands as the rest of the group began to unload our luggage. The old man nodded to Cain, speaking no words as he silently stepped past him with his lantern and shotgun. As he walked by, his dark eyes fell to Alastair, who growled a warning. The man grunted as his eyes moved, meeting mine, his expression immediately changing. My fingertips burned a warning as he watched me, noticing the faint glow from my hands.

"Careful." He glanced up, his eyes moving across the clear night sky. "Looks like it might rain." He walked past us, continuing down the gravel road until the light of his lantern faded into nothing.

"Who was that?" I asked, over my shoulder.

"That," Cain approached me, his bags in one hand and mine in the other, "was the owner of this cabin." He dropped my bag at my feet, almost hitting Alastair. "He wanted to make sure we got the key. Now, let's go." He smacked my backside rushing to the front door of the cabin.

Alastair huffed, reflecting my annoyance as I grabbed the heavy bag. The faint sound of water caught my attention as I glanced around the car to the other side of the cabin. I stumbled across the loose gravel and approached the wooden railing which thankfully prevented me from stepping further, the sight of what lay beyond lightly startling me. Just inches away, the ground dropped, immediately forming a deep ledge rooted into what appeared to be a lake surrounded by the forest. Somehow, on the drive up, I missed it.

Alastair and I stood in place, staring at the black body of water below. "I wonder how far the drop is," I questioned out loud, leering over the railing, glancing down.

"I'd say it's at least a thirty, maybe forty-foot drop." His voice startled me, causing me to jump. "Woah." His hand gently touched my shoulder. "Careful, darling."

I turned to face Lazarus, the moon highlighting his features. "What do you think you"re doing, sneaking up on me like that?" A blue glow reflected in his dark irises as they stared down at my hands. I quickly shook my palms, putting out the fire.

"You seem on edge," he stated, leaning against the wooden railing.

"This place just feels…off." I absorbed the scenery around us as the nightlife sang their late-night lullaby. Together, we stared at the calm water below in silence, listening to the gentle rhythm of the lake.

"Give it a chance. Not all scary remote locations are bad." He smiled. "Besides, you've got Alastair." We both glanced at the wolf as he stared back at us, his golden eyes full of life.

"That I do." I smiled, petting his sweet head.

"And who knows? Our cabin here could even have its own resident ghost." I couldn't help but laugh. "Come on," Lazarus leaned down, picking up my bag, "the others are all inside." The smell of smoke quickly filled the air. "Seems Cain finally got that fire going." He looked back at me, smiling. "How much you want to bet Ruby had to help?" I nudged him in the chest as the three of us stepped towards the cabin.