Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

FRANKIE

The rest of the day went pretty smoothly. Aaron and Jacob had gotten a three-day suspension because it was their third trip to the Principal's office. I didn't feel too guilty about my part. With them not on campus, I didn't feel the need to watch over my shoulder for a threat. I'd sensed about a dozen other witches in the halls between classes, though only a few acknowledged me. I was holding out hope for the others.

My classes had been great too. Apparently I'd missed geometry this morning, and I'd discovered during lunch that Archie and I had that class together as well as second period together in chemistry. So every morning we had the same class, which meant we already had a plan to carpool to school. It made me happy. He wasn't Elizabeth, but he was really cool. Subtly hilarious too. Fifth period, which was right after lunch thanks to block scheduling, was English and I didn't have Archie, but I did have Seamus and Tomás. My last class of the odd days was seventh period art history, and I was obsessed. Jo and Madge were in that class with me. I was bummed I'd missed the whole school year in there but texted my aunt that I wanted to take it again next year. On even class number days, I'd have art class with Jo and Ava after lunch and then history with Archie and Birdie.

All in all, things were looking good. Which naturally made me nervous. I had no reason to feel that way, but I just kept feeling like the other shoe was gonna drop. It was a nagging, horrible feeling. Just ignore it, Frankie.

I threw my backpack in my trunk, then leaned inside to turn it on and get the AC pumping while I waited for Archie. He didn't have a car, so I promised to be his ride to and from school. It was nice to have the company, and we were neighbors, so it was logical. It was somewhat alarming how much comfort I found in having at least one witch friend in my classes, even though I'd just met them. They passed the vibe check, though, and my gut told me they were good peoples. I was trying not to overthink it and ruin perfectly good opportunities to make friends, which was the only reason I hadn't sped off campus already, I wanted to be friends with Archie. So, I was waiting. My teacher let me out a few minutes early so I could run down to the office to get myself a locker. That'd taken about two minutes.

The bell rang so loud I actually jumped. Even my heart skipped a beat. Light flashed out of the corner of my eye, so I looked down and then gasped. Those little blue flames were dancing around my fingers. I cursed and shook my hands, but that only made the flames grow bigger and brighter. The doors to the buildings opened to let students rush out, which meant any second I'd be spotted. I spun around to face my car, then called my aunt and held my phone to my ear with my shoulder. Pick up, pick up, pick up.

"Hey, honey?—"

" How do I make the flames go away? " I whispered in a rush, then glanced around to make sure I was still alone.

My aunt cleared her throat, then I heard a door click. "Do you mean your magic?"

" Yes, " I whisper-shouted. I kept wiggling my fingers, but it was gas to the flame. "It's just getting worse."

"Okay, love, just breathe," she said in that calm voice of hers. "Close your eyes for me, then cross your arms across your chest so your hands are buried beneath your arms."

I did as she asked. The flames tingled against my bare skin. "Right. Now what?"

"Take a deep breath, then another and another. Breathing steady is key here. Then think about the ocean. Picture it in your mind. Really go there."

With my eyes closed and my hands buried in my armpits, I took a big, deep breath and let it out slowly. I pictured my beach back home, the one I used to go to with Elizabeth on the weekends. The sun was high and bright, shining warm onto our skin. The air was crisp and salty, and each deep breath chased away some of the tension.

"Feel the sand between your toes," my aunt said softly, her voice like a lullaby. "Listen to the waves washing onto the shore."

I scrunched my toes, feeling the crunch of the powdery sand as if I was actually there. The waves were slow and low, rolling onto the shore in a gentle caress. I watched the water rush up to my feet and then slide away, dragging shells and sand with it. Little air bubbles popped up in the sand from where crabs buried themselves. The sunlight danced along the surface of the water, making the colors sparkle.

"Now open your eyes and look at your hands."

When I looked, I wasn't even surprised to find my magic had faded. The beach had always been my happy place where I felt the most peace. "Thank you."

"Any time you feel your magic rushing to the surface, just close your eyes and go to the beach." Her voice was low and soft. "It's an extension of ourselves, so if you feel startled, it will too."

I sighed. "Thanks, Aunt Kimmy."

"Anytime, love. You heading home from school?"

"Yeah, giving my new friend—and our neighbor, Archie—a ride home."

"Look at you making friends already." She chuckled. "Well, your uncle and I can't wait to hear about your first day."

"Hey, my friends are gonna have a little beach party tonight so I can meet everyone. Is it cool if I go?"

"Sounds like it would be rude if you didn't." She giggled again. "Of course it's all right. How about I pick up a pizza on my way home, and we can eat together before you go?"

"Pizza is definitely what I need."

"See you soon."

I hung up and shoved my phone in my pocket as I turned back to face campus. The sidewalks in every direction were crowded with students. Most of them were headed to my right where school busses were waiting. I kept my eyes on the building I knew Archie was in, which was straight ahead. About another minute or so later, the door flew open like someone shoved their whole body into it. A familiar head of dark-red hair came flying out with his hand somehow caught on the handle. I stood up straight like I could somehow stop Archie from being thrown into the railing with the door. He yanked his hand back, but gravity grabbed ahold of him, and he rolled down the flight of stairs, taking a few kids down with him.

"Oh, shit." I stopped short as Archie got up.

He was laughing. This kid had one hell of a sense of humor. He didn't seem injured. He just chuckled and apologized to the students he'd crashed into. He wiped his hands off on his jeans and took a step forward but collided with another student who shoved him to the side. It took his little legs a few feet to catch his balance, and by now he was in the grass between the building and the sidewalk. I nodded in approval. That fifteen-foot-wide space was probably the safest option for him.

Just as I was relaxing back against my car, Archie's toe caught on a tree root raised about an inch off the grass and he stumbled forward like he'd just stepped on ice. I covered my face with my hand and tried not to chuckle. At that moment, he looked up and spotted me. Except he didn't blush or get embarrassed, he just laughed and waved. I waved back. He held one finger up, then slowly and carefully tiptoed his way across the grass, making sure to use big steps over the tree roots.

But he was so busy watching the ground that he missed that he was headed right for the pole on the sidewalk that held up the covering. I opened my mouth to call out to him when he suddenly looked up and stopped short, except the laws of physics propelled him backwards where he slammed into that pole. The ding his head made on the metal was so loud I heard it from where I stood. He stopped and stared at the ground, just shaking his head and chuckling. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath and marched toward me. This time he managed to make it all the way across the lot to me without tripping or falling.

I must've made some kind of face because he just held his hands up and sighed. "You just got a crash course in who I am as a person. Pun intended."

I snort-laughed. "You okay?"

He narrowed his light-hazel eyes and nodded. "Tricky route."

"C'mon, Fred Astaire, let me drive you home." I opened the passenger door for him, then walked around and climbed into the driver's seat. "You'll be safe in here at least."

"I'm afraid to attempt driving at this point." He clicked his seatbelt into the buckle and looked up at me. "I'd hate to be the first person to trip a car."

We both cackled like comic book villains as I backed out of my parking spot and beelined for the school exit. I was just turning right onto the main street when a thick bolt of lightning cracked across the sky followed by immediate thunder. We both jumped a little and then leaned forward to look at the sky through the windshield. Somehow, I hadn't noticed how gray the sky was or how thick the clouds moving in were.

I whistled and shook my head as I rolled to a stop at the red light. "That storm is close. "

He frowned over at me. "What do you mean?"

"Thunder is the sound lightning makes as it streaks across the sky?—"

"Right, I know that."

"So, you can tell how close to the ground the storm is by how fast you hear the thunder."

His jaw dropped. He leaned forward just as another lightning shot across the sky. "Well, that's?—"

Thunder rolled like a freight train.

He pursed his lips. "Yeah, I'd say that's close."

I chuckled as the light turned green. "I love when there's thunder but no rain. It's like nature is fighting with itself."

"She'd be a doll if she could keep that fight inside until we get home." He leaned against the window, looking out with a pensive expression. "I've been beat up enough today."

He meant it as a joke, but we'd just met, so I wasn't comfortable enough with letting it go entirely. "You okay? I mean, those guys could really hurt you."

"I'm okay. Honest. I've seen worse—" He gasped and pointed to the sidewalk. "OH, can we pull over? Let's pick them up."

"Who are they? Which people?" There was a steady flow of students walking off campus.

"Those two guys up there, the one has a short brown mohawk?" He pointed out the windshield. "The other has curly blond hair?"

"Right. I see them. Who are they?"

"Atley Carrier and Peabo Mason. They're arcana and younger than us, so they're not dicks. Peabo lives at the end of our street, but Atley lives next door to me." He pointed to them again as I slowed down. "Do you mind giving them a ride?"

"Of course not." I pulled over just in front of them. "Go ahead, call ‘em in."

He rolled the window down and stuck his head out—or tried to but the seatbelt yanked him back inside. He yelled out, then giggled. "Ouch."

" That's ouch? You didn't even say ouch when they threw you into the lockers?—"

"Yeah, but I was mentally prepared for that contact." He tugged on the seatbelt. "This was just foul play."

I laughed and honked my horn as the two boys walked by us. "HEY!" I yelled through the open window.

They both jumped and spun toward us with guarded expressions. Now that I saw their faces, I knew they were definitely younger, maybe even middle school age—then again, they were leaving the high school, so they were probably freshmen with baby faces. Their eyes narrowed on us, and their entire body language was preparing for a fight. But then Archie leaned back out the window and they relaxed.

"Want a ride?" Archie pointed to the sky. "Storm's a bit close to walk home, yeah?"

"Yeah?" The kid with the mohawk leaned down to look through the window. "Oh, hi. Who are you?"

Lightning lit up the whole sky despite it being mid-afternoon.

I frowned. "Introductions in the car. Get on in."

They climbed in. I spun in my seat as they buckled up. "That was far too easy to kidnap you."

They laughed.

"This one with the mohawk is Atley." Archie pointed to the kid behind him with blond curls. "This is Peabo. They're freshmen."

They may have been young with younger faces, but there was some age in their eyes I couldn't put my finger on. Not to mention the biceps. They weren't huge, but they were chiseled. These kids were not normal freshman. I cleared my throat. "Hi. I'm Frankie Proctor?—"

"OH," They both said in a rush, their eyes snappinf up to me.

"Oh?" My stomach tightened into knots. "You heard about me?"

Atley cocked his head to the side, eyeing me closely with sharp gray eyes. "You're Tenn's cousin?"

"Tenn?" Then it clicked. "Oh, that Tennessee guy? The Emperor."

"Yeah, him. You're a Proctor, so you must be related?"

I opened my mouth, then shut it. "Isn't his last name Wildes? Or is he a Proctor on his mom's side? Shit, I think I've been told this already."

"His real name is Haven Proctor," Peabo said sheepishly, his face turning pink like he realized maybe he wasn't supposed to say anything. His pretty emerald-green eyes wouldn't linger on me for more than a second. "It's a whole story, pretty sad too. Best not to ask and just accept it."

I nodded. "Fair."

"Peabo and Atley are close with The Coven." Archie turned back in his seat with a proud nod. "They trained with them and helped out when they lived here. Right, guys?"

"Yeah, they're cool." Peabo pushed his dirty blond curls out of his face. "We're like the middle children of this community, so they took us in."

"You lost me." I pulled back onto the street and started driving.

"Well, there's like two dozen teenagers here—not including The Coven, which made it three dozen?" Peabo shrugged. "Then there's four younger kids, like in elementary school still . . . then there's us. Right in the middle."

"And Lesleigh Buckley. She's twelve. We're thirteen."

I frowned over to Archie. "Buckley? Did I meet someone today with the last name Buckley? Sounds familiar?"

Archie chuckled. "Birdie Buckley. They're sisters."

"Yeah, so Lesleigh hangs with her sister and her friends a lot."

"Lesleigh is cool though." Peabo blushed. "She's been hanging with us more lately."

There was a story in that blush, but I just met him, so I wasn't going to call him out on it. "What about the four younger kids?"

"Well . . ." Atley sighed. He reached up and scratched his jaw and that was when I noticed he had tattoos. Some kind of black bands around his wrists. I was driving so I could only get glimpses in the rearview mirror. "All four of them are younger siblings to Coven-members, so they just kind of stick to each other."

"I have heard so much about this Coven, and I've never even met them." I chuckled. "Which ones have little siblings?"

"Sean Burroughs is Chutney's brother. And Ryan Walcot is Willow's brother. They're all cousins too."

Atley nodded. "And Kaelynn Corey, Easton's little sister?—"

"Is Easton the former slut?" I looked to Archie. "Do I have the facts right?"

Archie laughed. "So I've heard."

The boys cackled in the backseat.

Atley leaned forward while we drove. "Don't let Lily hear you call him that."

Over his head, Peabo's face scrunched up in confused concentration. "I don't know. I think she low-key gets some kind of twisted pleasure out of knowing she took the sluttiest guy in school and made him monogamous."

That made me giggle. "I wanna meet this Lily now."

"She's cool." Atley leaned back against his seat.

"Who's the fourth little Coven sibling?" I glanced back through the mirror.

"Aspen," they both whispered and stared at the ground.

I looked to Archie, but he just shook his head, but he was also new to town.

"We don't like Aspen?"

Atley's face fell. "Aspen used to be great. I mean, I'm sure she still is, but . . . her sister Libby was in The Coven . . . and she died in the fall."

"Oh my God." I shuddered. "How old is Aspen?"

"Ten." Atley's eyes were sad as he stared out the window. "It's been really hard on her. Then last month she tried to use a Ouija Board to talk to Libby but somehow managed to summon this shadow-demon thing instead . . ."

Peabo shuddered. "The Coven was furious with her. Which was fair, because that demon hurt a lot of people."

"They were only mad for a few minutes, but I know Aspen feels awful."

Archie scowled. "That's heavy for someone so young."

"I told them she needed some help, but I don't know if they have time to come down and see her or not." Atley shrugged. His voice was so worn and raw for someone so young. "So Lesleigh and the rest of us, we've been trying to get her to hang with us instead of the younger kids."

"Trauma has a way of aging us," I said softly.

We were quiet a moment or two while I drove home. I glanced in the rearview mirror and caught the two boys exchanging nervous glances. Archie looked out the passenger window like he was a puppy with his tongue hanging out. Dude had the lockdown on happiness, and I needed the recipe. But the two guys in the back were stressed. I cleared my throat.

"Is it weird for me to be asking so many questions?" I frowned. "Like rude and invasive?"

Atley shrugged again. "Arcana communities are close-knit and pretty open."

"And honestly, everyone has just been really forthcoming with the tea today." Archie turned to me and wagged his eyebrows. "That ain't your fault."

We all laughed.

I parked in the driveway at my house. "What's that say about me?"

Atley leaned forward again. "Honestly, there's an interesting calmness to your energy. It's almost . . . disarming? But in a good way? That's what I was just thinking about. Like you've got an aura that's peaceful."

"Yeah, like super chill and relaxing." Peabo nodded. "Makes people want to talk to you, tell you stuff. You asked questions and words just came out. I bet you're used to it."

I opened my mouth, then shut it. "How old are you guys? That was one hell of an answer."

"We're thirteen, but we've been hanging with The Coven since we were like eight? So, I guess we've kind of matured a little quicker than most kids our age."

Atley nodded and looked down to the black tattoo bands on his wrists that I was dying to ask about. "Yeah, we've seen some shit."

I snort-laughed. "Same, dude. Same."

"OH shit!" Peabo sat up straight as a grin spread across his face. His green eyes were locked on the sideview mirror for a second, then he half-turned in his seat. "They came! I didn't think they would?—"

"Whoa, really? Who is it?" Archie unbuckled his seatbelt and spun around. " Interesting. "

"What is? Who is it?"

Archie leaned forward to look. "Those are Coven-members, I think?"

"That's Royce Redd and his new boyfriend, Thiago Diaz." Atley threw his door open. "Both Coven-members."

Butterflies danced in my stomach. I was about to actually see Coven-members with my own eyes. I jumped out and looked across the street to where two dark-haired guys stood, and my breath caught in my throat. Even from across the street I could tell these two guys were very attractive. The one on the left had wavy brown hair that fell to his shoulders and a sexy five o'clock shadow scruff on his jaw, and I could see his eyes were a light blue, which meant that up close they were probably to die for. In the Florida sun, his skin was a gorgeous bronze color. The other one wore suspenders and pristine platform white sneakers, so I was already obsessed. His hair was jet-black and cut short on the sides with the strands on top left long so they could be swept back. It was very modern Elvis Prestley, and something told me this guy would take that as a compliment. His skin was a pretty porcelain color, a stark contrast to his boyfriend's for sure. He was also a little leaner. The cotton sleeves of his T-shirt didn't quite strain the same way they did on Thiago. But he was a couple inches taller—without the platform sneakers. He looked smooth as hell, especially with the black sunglasses.

They looked fantastic. But they felt powerful. With every step I took toward them, that tingle in the air that signified witches felt like it'd been supercharged. I finally understood the moth to the flame reference for civilians following Coven-members. That magic was like a fireplace on a winter night that I wanted to cuddle up in front of, which made no sense.

"ROYCE!" Atley shouted from behind me and jumped up and down.

The Elvis-looking one on the right looked up and grinned. "MY DUDES! Come here!"

Okay, so Royce is Elvis. That means the other one is Thiago.

Atley and Peabo sprinted across the street, beelining straight for Royce who gave them each a hug and a million-dollar smile. They definitely were close with The Coven if that was how they were greeted. That had to be really cool for them. The boys turned to Thiago and got high fives and a wild grin that dimpled his cheeks. What a pair those two make.

Archie cursed behind me. I turned to look and found his backpack half-empty with the rest on the street. He hurried to collect everything, shoving stuff back in his bag. "Go ahead. I'll be right there."

He'd had a rough day, so I let him have a moment to collect himself . . . and his stuff. I turned and hurried across the street, anxious and excited to meet Coven-members, even if it was only two of them. The shakiness in my voice when I introduced myself was not a flattering moment, but they didn't seem to notice.

"Frankie. Great name." Royce looked down at me, sliding his black sunglasses down to reveal a devastating pair of sapphire-blue eyes—that were looking at me sharply. "A Proctor, eh? I'll have to let Tenn and Bettina know they've got a cousin—or . . . shit I don't know how you're related."

" Francelina is such a pretty name, but I will call you Frankie if you prefer." Thiago winked to me. Then he turned to Royce. "You're better off asking Myrtle and Saffie. Or Kenneth."

"You're right." Royce snapped his fingers, and I saw the wheels turning in his head. But then he shook himself and gave me a smile. "Well, I'll let them know they'll have to come down and meet you."

My face flushed with heat, so I knew I was blushing. "Thank you."

"Tell me, what's your favorite flower?"

"Umm . . . cherry blossoms?"

Royce's eyes sparkled. He held his hand out to the side and wiggled his fingers and green mist swirled between them like a snake. He pursed his lips, then flicked his hand toward my house. "How about that?"

I frowned and glanced over my shoulder, then did a double take. A large, willowy cherry blossom tree sat in the middle of my front yard. My breath left me in a rush. "What in the?—"

"It's his Coven magic. They all have elemental power," Atley whispered helpfully in my ear. "Royce's is plants and flowers and shit."

Royce pursed his lips. "Shit is part of nature."

Thiago rolled his eyes. "Great, now he's going to be throwing literal shit at demons."

Royce gasped. " I am now! "

We all laughed.

Thiago shook his head, then frowned and pointed across the street. "Your friend okay?"

We all looked to my driveway just as Archie slammed my car door and started to walk forward, but the strap to his bag was caught inside the door, so he was yanked backwards. His feet slid out from under him, sending him flat on his ass on the cement with his arm still caught in the strap. He staggered back to his feet, pulled his arm loose, then gripped the strap and pulled as hard as he could. But his hand slipped and that fist shot up and punched himself in the face.

" Oh, shit, " Royce whispered with a giggle.

Finally, Archie just gave up and abandoned his backpack to dangle from my car door.

Thiago nodded. "That's the look of defeat."

"He's had a rough day." I grimaced.

Archie looked up to us and waved, then sprinted down my driveway and across the street. As he got to us, he stepped up onto the sidewalk, but his leg didn't go high enough. His toes caught on the edge of the curb, and he flew face forward with all that momentum from his sprinting and face-planted right on the sidewalk. Hard.

Royce snort-laughed so hard he spit on himself. He laughed so hard he had to bend over at the knees. His face turned red and his eyes teared. Thiago was covering his mouth to hide his chuckle, but Royce's giggles sent all of us into giggle-land. Thiago bent over and held his hand out to help him up, but when Archie took his hand, Thiago pulled and Archie slammed into Thiago's chest. The two of them staggered back a step.

Royce wheezed and started to bounce. "I can't—I can't—gonna pee! I'm sorry—" He turned and high-tailed it inside the house behind him.

Archie laughed and smoothed the front of his shirt down. "If he pisses himself, do I owe him a new pair of pants?"

Thiago ran his hand through his long hair. "Sorry, he's been through a lot lately. I haven't seen him laugh like that . . . ever, actually."

Archie brushed his shoulders off. "See? I'm good for something."

Thiago laughed. "Are you okay?"

"I've had worse."

I patted him on the back. "You might have to stop saying that or I'm going to get concerned."

Archie grinned.

Atley shook his head but turned his gaze back to Thiago. "So, what brings you guys here?"

Thiago pointed to the house behind him. "Royce wanted to check on a girl named Aspen? He said—Oh, you called?"

Atley's whole face lit up. "Yeah, I did. I wasn't expecting such a fast arrival."

"I'm new to The Coven, but apparently they feel pretty bad for how things went down for Aspen, so your call hit hard, I think? Anyway, Royce . . . he thought I might be able to . . . commiserate with her in a way that helps her heal."

I had no idea what that meant, but given that Aspen was struggling with grief from the death of her sister, I had a pretty bad feeling I could guess. And for that reason, I did not inquire more.

"Can I come in and talk . . . before you go see her?"

Thiago squeezed Atley's shoulder, then stepped aside and gestured to the house. "Please do. I'd like to know what I can before I go to her. It's a delicate thing."

Atley turned to me and Archie. "Sorry, guys, you probably shouldn't join us for this?—"

"Of course not. I hope you all can help find some peace for Aspen." I smiled to the powerful man in front of me, then held my hand out. "It was nice to meet?—"

" Left hand, " Peabo hissed. "Coven introduces with their left hands only."

"Oh shit. Sorry?" I switched hands, then looked up to him. "It was nice to meet you, Thiago. Tell Royce I said the same?"

He shook my hand, and I noticed on the inside of his left forearm was a tattoo of the Roman numerals XII. That meant something. An image flashed in my mind of the same thing on another arm but the numerals XVI— my vision flashed with color like I'd stepped inside a kaleidoscope. I frowned and shook my head to clear my vision.

"It was lovely to meet you too, Miss Frankie." Thiago gestured for Atley and Peabo to head inside the house. "Hope we aren't forced to meet again under such dire circumstances, but alas, such is the nature of The Coven."

"That's ominous as fuck, Thiago."

"I know." He giggled. "Archie, take care of yourself. I'd invite you in?—"

"Nah, nah. What she said." He waved him off. "Besides, I clearly need a nap or something."

Lightning streaked across the sky, and this time rain dropped onto us in buckets. Thiago cursed and only some of it was in Spanish, the rest almost sounded Portuguese. Archie and I waved to Thiago one last time, then spun on our toes and sprinted back to my car. A quick click of my button and his backpack was loose for him to grab.

"Remember, Esther is gonna ride with us to the beach tonight!" Archie yelled out as he headed for his house. "I'll text you!"

"Okay! See you in a bit!" I hurried through my front door and sank to my knees a split second before all three of my dogs tackled me. "Boys, boys, boys, have I had a wild day . . ."