Chapter 42

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

FRANKIE

"Did you kiss him?"

I gasped. "No, I didn't kiss him! I just met him!"

"Didn't stop you with Everest?—"

" ESTHER. "

Mei-Ling cackled.

"Really, bestie? REALLY?"

She shrugged. "I mean, she sounds like she has a point."

"No." I pointed my cracker at her. " I didn't kiss Everest. He kissed me and that was a few days after he showed up in Tampa. And might I remind you, dear bestie, I had not just met him."

"Right, you'd already climbed that mountain?—"

I groaned and shoved my apple slice into her mouth. "Whose side are you on?"

She bit the apple and chewed, looking totally unbothered.

Birdie reached over the plate of crackers to grab the tray of cheese slices. "I think it's a good thing you left out all the saucy details at lunch today."

"Poor Tomás." Jo snickered. " Il ne s'en remettra jamais. "

Madge rolled her eyes. "Pretty sure he was recovering just fine with Whitney last night. He told Seamus all the dirty details, right, Ava?"

Ava froze with her hand hovering over the bowl of watermelon. "I wasn't aware we had secrets. Wait, was I not supposed to say anything?—"

"I'm the one who told him to ask Whitney to the dance." I leaned forward and stole some watermelon from her bowl. "I have never had any romantic feelings for Tomás, so I genuinely hope Whitney does."

"Right, right. No one help her change the subject." Esther narrowed her eyes on me. "Cooper is your soulmate. For real?"

I pulled the front of my shirt down to show off the green heart-shaped crystal on my chest. "I don't know why mine is green, but I know what it is."

"Yeah, what's with the colors?" Mei-Ling gestured to me and then to Madge and Jo. "I've now seen pink, lavender, and red?—"

" RED? "

" Rouge? Qui? "

I frowned. "Do the colors mean something?"

" Oui, bien s?r. Les couleurs signifient tout ."

Madge nodded. "So, the color indicates the emotional state of the relationship. There's always, like, a default color. Then once the glyph completes like ours, it'll change colors to reflect moods."

"Like a mood ring." Birdie grinned and popped open another soda. "It can be quite convenient."

"But there's always a default color." Esther pointed to the girls. "Go on, tell her. You're the soulmates here."

"Tenn and Tegan's is pink?—"

"Pink means profound mutual love." Madge pressed her hand to her chest and sighed. "The only reason I'm not offended is because it's super rare. Light blue means new love, which is the color most glyphs are to start."

"Not ours." Jo ran her fingers over the yellow heart on the back of her right hand. "Yellow means peace and harmony."

Madge smiled at her. "And lavender means true love that comes after light-blue after the couple has gotten to know each other."

Esther pointed to me. "And emerald-green?"

"Nervous." Madge grimaced. "But given the way this has all gone down, I am not that surprised. Give it some time and I'm sure it'll change."

" Le rouge signifie le danger. " Jo shuddered.

"Red means danger?" I frowned. "Whose is red?"

Mei-Ling's face fell. "Hunter Bishop. Most of the time it's green like Frankie's, but sometimes it turns red."

We all fell silent as that information settled in. That was my soulmate's parents and one of them was clinging to life. I didn't know how to handle that, how to feel about that. Obviously I felt horrible for them, but they were still such strangers to me that I felt hopeless. I wanted to feel something for my own soulmate. And knowing that everyone else knew I was nervous about it just made me want to puke.

That was how we'd gotten out here in the first place. I'd called Esther in a bit of a panic after I'd gone to get my talisman with him. She'd called an emergency girls' night picnic. Mei-Ling wasn't allowed to wander off too far since humans weren't supposed to be in Eden, so we'd set up our little picnic at the edge of the courtyard between Edenburg's campus and Coven Headquarters. I could see the front door to the house, which meant they could see me.

"Okay, I'm gonna say something controversial here." Ava leaned forward and the golden glow from the lamp post above us made her brown skin shimmer. "Maybe you should kiss Cooper."

"He is your soulmate." Birdie's cheeks flushed. "Maybe it'll help?"

Mei-Ling narrowed her eyes on me. "Could go either way. I mean, I saw you with Everest. I saw that chemistry?—"

"Yeah, we did too," Esther said with a chuckle. "But just because you have a soulmate doesn't mean you were never allowed to be attracted to someone else."

I bit my lip and nodded. "Besides, I shouldn't want a vampire anyway. I've seen Twilight."

We all laughed. But then Mei-Ling's face fell.

My heart sank as I realized what I'd said. "Mei-Ling?—"

"It's okay, Frankie. Really. Malik . . ." she cleared her throat and shook her head. "I'd only known him a few months. I'm grateful for the time we had together. It . . . saved me. After everything. Sometimes people come into our lives but they aren't meant to be there permanently."

"Amen to that," Esther said softly.

Ava sat up straight. "Oh, shit, there he is."

Everest? I glanced over my shoulder and my stomach sank. It wasn't Everest. Of course it wasn't. He was a vampire lord. He wouldn't be in Eden. But my reaction to seeing my own soulmate and being disappointed it wasn't the guy I was crushing on was a blow to the heart.

"What's he doing?" Birdie whispered.

He'd stomped out the front door to the left and marched straight into the forest, right where Sweyn had been standing when she'd lured me out of bed.

Mei-Ling sighed but it sounded like a swoon. "He's super-hot."

The girls giggled. I waited to be jealous, but it didn't happen.

"He's not hot?"

Esther shrugged. "We've all known Cooper for twelve years. I've never used the word hot to describe him?—"

" Why not? "

"Because he's like everyone's older brother." Birdie grimaced. "He's a great guy and obviously conventionally handsome—anyone with eyes would tell you he's good looking. But . . ."

"He gives big brother vibes." Esther nodded in agreement. "You have a big brother, Mei-Ling. You get that, right?"

"I do." I smiled. "I tried to have a crush on Tai so many times growing up, but no. He is my brother."

She chuckled. "Ruined all of our plans."

"Yeah. Though earlier Bettina was complaining that her best friend is dating her brother and then torments her by talking about their sexy times." I frowned at my bestie. "I don't think either of us would handle that well."

She snickered. "Fair."

"Now, Everest on the other hand? No brother vibes." Ava fanned herself and whistled. "Like damn."

"That is not helping, Ava." I groaned and tugged on my hair. "I need some kind of spell or potion or something to remove these feelings for Everest so that I have a fair chance of falling for my own soulmate."

Esther pursed her lips. "Generally speaking, spells and potions for love are frowned upon but your Coven gift is potion making, so maybe you can make one."

I sighed. "Maybe I'll talk to Tegan. I don't know if she can empathize, but I'd trust her knowledge of magic."

A rush of tense, sharp energy rushed through the trees a split second before Savannah came stomping out of the woods barefoot with jars of dirt. Her blue and white hair was tied up in messy space buns, and there was dirt smeared on her face. Her blue eyes were red and a little bloodshot. Pink symbols flashed above her head for potions I needed to make her, and it reminded me of the Sims game.

Cooper emerged from the forest hot on her heels. "Kiwi."

Savannah gasped and whirled around on him. Black magic was swirling around her hands as she used one of the jars to point at his face. "You don't get to say that to me anymore."

What is happening here?

"Savannah, please ? —"

"No, ma'am. No, " she drawled in that thick accent of hers that gave the word no at least two syllables. "Not yet. No. Lea'me'lone."

Cooper stopped in his tracks and just watched her stomp up the steps and inside the house. He sighed and rubbed his chest, then frowned and looked around until he spotted me. I should've felt embarrassed that he'd just caught me watching him, but I didn't. So instead I just gave him a small smile and waved.

The girls must've waved behind me because his smile widened and he waved back while shaking his head in amusement. Then he started toward us.

I turned back to the girls. "Be cool. Don't say anything about it. He said we could just be friends for now, so be cool or there will be ramifications."

They nodded just as Cooper walked up to us. "Hello, ladies."

"Hey, Coop!"

"Hi, Cooper!"

" Salut! "

"Wanna join us?" I patted the grass beside me.

He sat on the red brick wall that I was leaning against, which was only about a foot and a half tall. "Nice night for a picnic."

"Want some?" Esther held up the plate of cheese slices.

He shook his head. "I don't have much of an appetite right now, but thank you."

"Is everything okay?" I nodded toward the house, knowing he'd know what I was asking. "Are you okay?"

He sighed and I felt the pain in his aura. Pink symbols floated above his head. "She's going through a lot. I'm , , , I'm trying to help, but I think I am making it worse."

"It is not your job to save everyone, Coop," Esther shook her finger in the air. "Or even to protect them."

He smirked. "I don't know. This Mark on my arm says I must protect them?—"

"From demons and monsters." Ava threw a stalk of celery at his face. "Not daily emotions."

" ATTENTION, COVENLINGS, GET YOUR ASSES IN HERE NOW, " Tegan's voice yelled in my mind so loud I jumped.

The girls frowned and looked at me weird.

Cooper just chuckled. "That's Tegan."

I rubbed my temples. "Does she do that a lot?"

"Yes." He smirked. "She can be quite demanding."

"She's calling all of us home?" I eyed the house. "Why?"

Cooper stood and stretched his legs. "Yeah, and . . . I'm afraid of the why as well. But that tone in her voice means something has happened and our Coven Leaders are calling an emergency meeting." He held his hand out to me.

I put my hand in his and let him pull me up to my feet. There were no sparks, no electricity, no desperate desire to kiss him. It took everything in me not to compare him to Everest on every aspect. I cleared my throat and turned to the girls. "Sorry, I have to bounce?—"

"Nah, we're used to Coven business." Esther waved me off. "Just text us later."

I started to walk away, then paused. "Can Mei-Ling stay out here with them?"

"Um, yeah, that's probably fine." Cooper pointed to Esther. "Bring her back to the house when y'all are done here?"

Esther gave him a salute.

"Mei-Ling, that okay with you?"

"Are you kidding? I need to get away from Tai for a second, wherever he is."

"Oh, Tai is playing video games with Warner and Lancelot." Cooper smiled. "Tegan may ask you to return sooner, but until then just hang with them."

"I got bestie." Esther gave us a thumbs-up. "You guys better go before Tegan comes looking."

I waved and turned toward the house. For a few seconds we walked in silence, but then I had to ask what was on my mind before I lost my chance. "Cooper?"

"Yeah?"

"Um . . . am I making things worse . . . for Savannah?"

He let out a gutted sigh. "It's not your fault."

Ouch. Poor Savannah. I knew that moment had been more than just friends talking. There was too much pain in their eyes.

" It's not your fault either, Coop ." I whispered.

He nodded and smiled down at me. " Neither is Everest your fault. "

"We're one hell of a match."

He snort-laughed. "C'mon, let's see what our chaos demon wants."

We hurried up the steps and through the front door to find the entire Coven already in the living room. My gaze shot straight to Savannah who was sitting curled up in the chair by the window with both of her black cats in her lap while she stared at the flames in the fireplace. I did not miss the fact that Hunter sat on the stone ledge in front of the fireplace. Bentley, Emersyn, and Deacon sat in a row down the line from him. Easton and Lily were in the chair next to Savannah. On the other side of the fireplace, Tennessee was sprawled in the big recliner with his long legs stretched out and Tegan curled in his lap. They were both looking in the Book of Shadows silently, probably talking to each other telepathically.

On the couch to their left, Bettina, Jackson, Royce, and Thiago sat silently with tense expressions like they knew they weren't going to like whatever was about to happen. Across from them on the other sofa were Willow and Chutney sat on either side of Constance with two little blonde girls sound asleep in their laps. A man with tortoiseshell glasses and tired eyes was perched on the back of the sofa behind Constance, running his hand through her hair.

Kessler and Timothy sat at the dining table sharing a bag of chips while their ladies, Mona and Katherine, were reading some other big book. There was another woman I didn't know with black hair and blue eyes standing and looking over their shoulders at the book. She kept reaching over and pointing to something on the page. I liked her vibe, dressed in all-black with a ton of silver jewelry, she looked like she ran a witch shop. A guy with long silver hair walked out of the kitchen with a big glass bowl of what looked like marshmallows, which made me have questions.

Weirdo and Waldo were sprawled on their backs on the fluffy white rug in the middle of the room with all of the house's dogs between them in one giant cuddle puddle. I grinned and shook my head. Bubba, Houdini, and Bobokins seemed to have forgotten I existed since we arrived. They apparently had taken to Olli's mission to cheer Albert up constantly. Squishy's fire tail still made me nervous, but none of the other dogs seemed to care.

No one paid us any attention, which was a relief. Cooper winked down at me, then walked over to sit next to his uncle at the table. I wasn't sure where to go but I took a step forward and Bubba's head snapped in my direction. A white-tipped tail flicked back and forth from within the pile which made all of the others lift their heads to look at me. They almost looked like a hydra, just one giant dog with all different heads. I chuckled and plopped down on the carpet between Lennox and Warner's heads. They nodded in my direction but said nothing.

After a few seconds, the door on the stair wall opened and Bentley hurried out into the room. He glanced around, then nodded. "Good, we're all here."

Deacon whistled so loud I cringed and covered my ears.

Tenn nodded. "Thanks, D. All right we're all here now, so let's focus. Tegan, you called this meeting. Why don't you start us off?"

She looked around the room with pale-green eyes the same exact color of my soulmate's. Except her eyes held a sharpness unlike anyone else's. "Right, so Bentley has something to show us?—"

The whole room groaned and cursed.

Royce scrubbed his face with his hands. "Tegan, my heart can't handle it. Just give it to us straight."

"I haven't seen it yet?—"

"That's a bloody lie, you little shit."

She rolled her eyes. "You know, a little white lie wasn't gonna hurt them."

Jackson shook his head and laughed.

Bentley cleared his throat. "Brace yourselves?—"

Everyone groaned again. I was lost.

Then Bentley pulled the long sleeve of his shirt up to his elbow and my eyes widened. Written in an elegant black scroll beneath the black V had to be nearly two dozen lines of words on his skin. They had not been there when I left the house for the picnic.

I raised my hand. "Excuse me, what the shit is that? Why's everyone freaking out?"

"When the Goddess sends us a prophecy or a quest, it appears on my skin like this." He held his arm out to show me. " This one is a quest."

Savannah cursed. "Ma'am, can you just skip to the part where you read it out loud for us?"

"That's a long one. The last time we had one that long, some of us wound up in 1692." Royce eyed Bentley's arm like it was going to attack. "I have a very bad feeling about this."

Deacon pointed to him. "That's my line."

Tennessee cursed. "Just read it, Bentley. Give it to us once as a whole, then you and chaos demon can dissect it."

"It's too long. My ears won't listen that long," Warner grumbled.

Tegan wiggled her fingers. "For what I seek is deep and dire, I see my words etched in fire."

All at once the lines written in black on Bentley's arm hovered in the air as little orange embers that sparkled and flickered.

"Shadows hunger, thirsted calls, Beyond our land in ancient halls. Through the lines in thy wall, Is where the darkness made their fall. To find the answers that you seek, Make thy move like a sneak. But scattered are the tools demanded, So one by one they'll be commanded," Bentley read the words out loud. " For if she hears thy sliding close, His secrets will fly among the crows. Recover his book that tells the tale, To part two worlds on forever's scale. Thy first stop comes with ease, That price was paid in family trees. By hand of magic, strength in deed, Honor's Court can play with speed. Buried deep, lost to the rubble, A Tower's stone calls to trouble."

Tennessee let out the most vulgar string of obscenities I'd ever heard.

I snort-laughed.

Deacon cringed. "I do not like that."

"So y'all just usually figure out what these mean?" I pointed to the words floating in the air in little embers. "This isn't gibberish to you?"

Everyone looked to Tegan.

"Feels like mutiny, but okay." She grinned, then jumped to her feet and walked over to stand in front of the spell words. "Does anyone want to weigh in here?"

"Do you not know?" Thiago's eyes were wide.

"It feels too obvious and easy?—"

" WHOA, " everyone yelled.

"No, that's fair." Bettina snapped her fingers. "The first two lines are about the Unseelie, followed by two lines of them sneaking through the holes in our walls?—"

"Not just anywhere." Cooper pointed to the words. "It says through the lines , I bet that means on the fey lines. When Tegan fought those Unseelie in Salem, they were on the fey lines."

Everyone nodded.

"So there are holes in the dimensional wall along the fey lines, which is why it's not the same as the Gap. Whatever tools we need to use to close those up have been spread out, probably stolen with time. And she wants us to search for them quietly so we don't alert our enemies, which tells me our enemies will want this same object." Tegan began pacing and tugging on her bottom lip. "The rest is . . ."

"Are we going to Seelie?" Tenn looked to his soulmate. "This sounds like Seelie."

Tegan let out a deep breath and nodded. "It means Seelie."