Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I didn't get a chance to talk to Grams until after dinner, so I tried to just enjoy myself. I noticed my mother seemed more at ease with the others than she had, and it felt like we had cleared the air between us—a clarity I had always needed. We had a lot more to talk about, but it didn't have to be this weekend.

After dinner, Aunt Ciara said she'd do the dishes, and my mother surprised me by offering to help. I motioned for Grams to follow me outside. It was blustery but dry, and the first stars were coming out overhead. Port Townsend was on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and it had an open feel to it, like all ocean edges. If we got on a boat, we could just sail out into the ocean, leaving the land behind.

"So, did you make the calls?" I asked.

"Yes, I did. They're sending out an agent at four p.m . tomorrow. I'll need you to get your mother out of the house again, so I can take them down to the secret room. Meanwhile, Bran and I spoke about how to seal it up without your mother knowing. If we can get her to take a vacation, we can sneak in and fill it with concrete."

"That would work."

"At least she hasn't noticed it before now, and with a little luck, she'll never know it was there. Speaking of your mother, what happened while you two were out? Her energy was decidedly different when you arrived home. And she actually offered to help with the dishes, something I doubt she ever has."

"We talked. We got real. I think things are going to be better between us from now on." I folded my arms and stared back at the house. I had grown up here, come of age here, but it wasn't my home anymore. My home was in Starlight Hollow, and I was eager to return.

Fancypants came flying out to join us. He'd been taking a nap while we explored the basement, but I could tell that he knew something was up. The bond gave him some insight into that. But I didn't want him thinking about it, or even knowing what was there. I did my best to erect a temporary barrier between us, but I knew at some point I had to talk to him and explain so he wouldn't feel like I was trying to cut him out of my life.

"Hey," I said, motioning to my shoulder. He landed on it, rubbing his face against mine. I turned my head and planted a quick kiss on his forehead, wincing as the prickly spines jabbed at me.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. "I felt like something was off all day, and I can't see into your mind."

"When we get home, I'll explain more. Right now, it's best if you don't know. But it has nothing to do with you, or my feelings for you. Please just stay in the dark for now. It's important." I let the feeling of urgency flow through to him, and he just bobbed his head.

"Okay," he said. "I can tell there's a lot to talk about. But I trust you."

"Are you happy you came?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said, weaving his neck around. "I'm not sure I like this town. It has a lot of hidden secrets and ghosts in it. I just feel uncomfortable, and I'm looking forward to going home. When will we be leaving?"

"Probably Saturday morning," I said. "Maybe tomorrow night, if we have enough time to pack. Port Townsend is an odd place, and it always has been. You may also be picking up on my memories from the Butcher. As much as I try to forget, there are some things that you can never shake. And while you can heal from them, it's better to just leave them in the past as best as you can."

"Well, it was a lovely dinner," Grams said. "I do like your aunt Ciara. At least your mother was fairly well behaved. But I'll be glad to get back home to."

We stayed outside a bit longer, letting the breeze play over us until the chill grew too pronounced. As we headed back inside, I glanced out at the street. Yes, Port Townsend was an interesting town, and a beautiful one. But for me, it was past tense, and I needed to leave it that way.

The next day, I asked my mother if she would like to go out with me to an early dinner. So, while Grams waited for the agent from the Witches' Guild to show up, my mother and I dined at a local fish joint. Once again, she surprised me and our conversation went rather well. But I felt an urgency growing inside. We needed to be home and I wanted to leave that night. By the time we got back, Grams gave me the thumbs-up and a smile.

"I think we need to go home," I said. "I'm sorry to cut this off so soon, but I need to get back to the cats. And Bree needs to get back to her dogs."

It was the easiest excuse to come up with. I didn't want to use some nebulous feeling in my pinkie to desert my mother now that things were going fairly well. But she accepted our departure without tears or recriminations. We packed up and headed out around six p.m .

An hour later, we pulled into my driveway. Bran and May joined us as I flipped on all the lights, looking around, trying to figure out what it was that had made me rush home.

Gem and Silver were thrilled to see us, and Gem jumped up on my shoulder, purring. Silver wound between my feet, also purring. I tried to figure out what it was that had driven me home, but there seemed to be nothing wrong.

"I think I'm going to head out," Bree said. "Thank you for a lovely Thanksgiving. And it was more exciting than I expected it to be."

"At least the Crown has the sorcerer now, and the book. I did a quick cleanse on the space before I left, but we still need to seal it up so that your mother doesn't discover it." Grams sighed, sitting in the rocker. "Your father made some tragic decisions. I'm convinced that he killed himself, but I don't think it was his idea."

"I know," I said. "I just wish that he hadn't felt the need to do whatever the hell it was he was doing. I think Catharine wanted more money, and prestige. But you know what? I'm not going to blame her now. She and I talked a lot these past couple days. I never understood how trapped she felt, and I never understood how her insecurities came out when she wasn't allowed to do the things she loved the most."

"I'm glad you've reached a comfortable place with her," Grams said.

"I did. She's going to take an art class and I'm going to pay for it. I found out that she's on a limited income, even though she doesn't want to admit it. And don't worry," I said, glancing at the others. "I'm not going to let her mooch off of me. I don't think she would at this point, anyway. I told her we were getting married and she was thrilled. So that's a good thing."

Bree gave us all a hug and headed off for home. I dropped onto the sofa and leaned back, trying to figure out whatever it was that was bothering me. I was relieved that we knew more about what happened to my father, and that we had secured the bottle and sorcerer with the Crown. My mother and I seem to be on the same page for once, another thing to be grateful for.

But I still felt anxious, and I was growing more so with every minute.

"Grams, May? Can you check me to see if I have any attachments? Any hitchhikers I might have picked up in Port Townsend? I feel apprehensive, like something's about to happen and it's not going to be something I like."

Grams and May both took a long psychic look at me, and I could feel them probing my aura. Grams shook her head.

"There is a shadow near you, but it's not attached to you, and it didn't come home with us. It isn't malign, but it feels like a dark cloud on the horizon. What do you think, May?"

May concurred. "I don't know what it is either, but we should cleanse your aura before Bran and I go home." She glanced at Bran. "Or are you staying here tonight?"

He started to shake his head, but then the doorbell rang. I glanced at the others, wondering who would be here this late. Unwilling to answer the door, I stalled until Grams hustled over and opened it, talking in soft tones to whoever was outside. She returned, carrying an envelope. As she handed to me, a spark flew off of it, jolting my fingers. I dropped it on the floor. There was something bad inside. I knew it.

"I don't want to open it," I said. "I don't even want to touch it. My anxiety is directly connected with whatever's in that letter."

Grams slowly leaned down and picked it up, glancing at it.

"Does it say who it's from?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, just your name written across the front. A messenger brought it, so it wasn't mailed." She waited while I stared at her and at the envelope. Feeling nauseated, I finally nodded for her to open it. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes."

Bran sat down beside me, draping his arm around my shoulders. I could tell he felt it too, whatever it was. May brought over a footstool and sat on it, petting Silver as he jumped up on her lap.

"I'm ready," I said.

Grams opened the envelope, neatly loosening the flap. She drew out a single sheet of paper and opened it. I could tell there was some sort of crest on it as the light seeped through from the other side. Grams silently read the letter, and then slowly handed it to me. "You need to read this yourself," she said.

The letter was from Kyle. I recognized his handwriting. It simply read:

Elphyra, this is to inform you that King Faron of the Olympic Wolfpack is engaged to be married to Princess Elizabeth from the Rainier Wolfpack. Faron will be released from the hospital in four days, at which point he will retake the throne, and his wedding will take place the next day. This is an official notification that you are trespassed from any part of the commune, and are forbidden to set foot in our territory.

"They're making him get married," I said. I stared at the letter, trying to suss out whether it was a lie or not. It wasn't—it was the truth. I glanced at Bran, who squeezed my shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Bran whispered.

Shrugging, I leaned my head on his shoulder. I couldn't cry. I was numb, to the point of exhaustion, on this subject. And I was starting to get really tired of Kyle and all his Pack politics. Faron and I could have had a real relationship, but I was quickly coming to realize that even if he remembered, they weren't going to let him tie himself to a witch, let alone a polyamorous relationship. And I knew when to step away.

"Well, it's settled now. I'm grateful that he's being released from the hospital, and that he survived. I just hope that he'll be happy."

"I'm sorry," Grams said. "But it might be for the best."

"Yeah, I imagine it is. It's hard enough to manage one relationship, let alone two," I said. "Fate has her reasons, and I'm not going to question them. I guess Kyle's right, anyway—the Wolf Pack wouldn't have accepted me. And I refuse to make Faron choose between me and his allegiance to his people. I thought a lot about this the past couple of days. I can love him as a friend, probably one I'll never talk to again, but I can let things be. I wish him well. I wish him the very best."

With that, I yawned, exhausted. "I'm going to bed. Bran, why don't you go with your mother tonight to make sure that everything's okay at your house. Tomorrow night, let's start planning the wedding."

"You're sure?"

I nodded. "You've been here for me since the beginning, since I first moved here. We click together, though I didn't think we would. And…you were my friend first. Sometimes the deepest love emerges from friendship."

As they headed toward the door, I headed for my bathroom. I took a long, leisurely bath, almost falling asleep in the tub. I'd expected to cry, or break down, but I felt oddly free, as though strings had been severed that had kept me tied to a heavy weight. I thought about fated mates, and how sometimes you could want something so bad, but in the end, what you needed was right under your nose. Bran had come into my life as a friend, and now, we were getting married. I brushed my hair as I stared out of the window. Then, with Gem on my pillow, and grateful for all the good that had come out of the weekend, I crawled into bed and slept like the dead.