Bear My Soul
An Arcane Affairs Novella
By
Sophia Barron
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Copyright © 2016 Sophia Barron
All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Please note that this work is intended only for adults over the age of 18 and all characters represented as 18 or over.
Cover by Sophia Barron
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To the Arcane Affairs Agency team--you all rock..
And as always, for Bill and the Fearsom Five.
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CHAPTER ONE
Michaela Steele sighed and brushed a wayward auburn curl out of her eyes with the back of her hand. It took focus on her part to avoid smearing dirt everywhere on a gorgeous summer day like today. But she managed, barely. She turned her face toward the sun and drank in the light. She felt most at home in her garden, up to her elbows in prime black dirt, weeding, watering and pruning the plants that would grace her table for a winter's worth of meals. This was home for her.
Sometimes the thought crossed her mind that a garden was an odd home for a witch of the family Steele, but no matter. Plants liked her, and she liked them. Preferred them to the cold calculation it took to craft trinkets for spells. Besides, who could turn down organic, local grown veggies like hers? The freshest ingredients made the best potions anyway, parental displeasure be damned.
Not that she hated the greenhouse. Far from it. But there was something vital about working in earth that was part and parcel of the world around it instead of segregated, separated from every hardship. Her greenhouse plants were beautiful but cold, just like the spells and trinkets mom had drilled her endlessly on.
A light breeze rose up and cooled the sweat beading on her forehead. A loon warbled in the distance, calling for his mate. His wordless song was invitation to venture down to the lake. Perhaps later. It was too hot to hike quite that far after a long week on her feet. Despite finding fierce joy in cultivating her garden, the sun was promising to do its best to roast Mike alive. Not that she minded. It dispelled the remembered chill of her parent's endless lessons, endless exhortations to do better, practice harder, be a Steele and leave her precious garden herbs behind. Besides, her plants needed sun just as much as rain. Mike hated being weaker than her plants, but she was parched.
A quick glance at the back steps proved her sun tea was brewed. Perfect. All she needed was ice and lemon and the rocking chair in the shade of her front porch to make the rest of this Saturday afternoon perfect.
In moments, Michaela was settled on her front porch, iced tea in hand. The cool condensation on the outside of the glass was soothing after her work in the garden. It was the best kind of lazy Saturday. Or it had been, but there was a dust trail in the distance. Not many folks came down her dead end gravel road, and when they did, they generally wanted something. Mild curiosity kept her eyes glued to the road. If she was lucky, it was just a regular customer needing her more ‘specialized’ help in their own gardens.
Bright red paint suggested she wasn’t lucky. The car approached way too fast. Loose gravel flew everywhere as the vehicle slid around the corner into her drive and fish-tailed right up to her door step.
Samantha was hunched over the steering wheel, mouth a tense line, eyes wide and frantic. Mike waved at the boys in the back seat, and glanced again at the front. No sign of Mark. Michaela was mostly relieved, and hope bubbled in her chest that maybe finally Sam had seen the light and left that bastard high and dry.
“Say ‘hi’ to Auntie Mikey,” Sam’s voice was high and grating, her words tumbling over each other as she busied herself with helping Jack out of the small Saturn.
Michaela had always hated that nickname, but she smiled at the boy racing up the stairs toward her. He flung himself into her lap with a shouted ‘hi’ and a bright smile. Michaela hugged him tight, and ruffled his black curly hair. What she wouldn’t have given for curls like that as a teen. No need to embarrass the kid by telling him that, though.
“How’s my favorite nephew?” she whispered.
“Okay. Mostly. But I can’t be your favorite; Jack is everyone’s favorite.” Eli’s tone was resigned more than jealous. Michaela couldn’t blame him. It had to be hard being the ‘bigger’ little brother. The helper, the one who wasn’t stymied by steps and narrow doorways.
“Oh, honey. You’re both my favorite. Just for different reasons,” Michaela hugged him tight again, then shooed him over to the porch swing. She tamped down her temper when she spotted Sam pushing Jack in his chair up the ramp.
“Been a while, sis.” Michaela winced at the sharp tone in her voice. “Would you like some tea and tomato sandwiches?”
Eli’s shouted ‘yes, please’ overrode Jack’s softer reply. Michaela waited until he was on the porch and then leaned in for a hug. Her heart sang when he wrapped his arms tight round her and squeezed. The boy was definitely getting stronger. Somehow.
“Can you put lemon in my tea, please?” Jack’s voice was suspiciously rough. Mike pulled back and looked closer at his round face. His green eyes swam with unshed tears and his curls were a tangled mess. She ached to ask him what was wrong, but the dark glance he sent towards his mom said that topic of discussion was off limits for now.
“Of course, sweetie.” Michaela glanced at Sam, then stared hard at the modified porch swing she’d built specially for her nephews. Sam must have got the message because she wheeled Jack’s chair up onto the platform and locked it into place. “Wanna give me a hand once you get the boys settled?”
Sam’s only response was a grunt, but Michaela didn’t look back. Instead she made a beeline for the kitchen. In no time she had three more glasses of iced tea and a half dozen tomato sandwiches made. Just as she was ready to cart it all out to the porch, Sam slunk through the front door and into the kitchen.
“You remodeled. I like the stone tiles.” Sam’s voice was soft, hesitant. Her whole posture was hunched in on herself. As if she was waiting for the next blow the world was going to hammer her with.
“Same tiles I had last year when you visited.” Michaela softened her words with a soft touch on Sam’s shoulder. “What’s wrong Sammy? You don’t uproot those boys without damn good reason.”
Sam took a shuddering breath, and let it out. She stood a bit straighter, looked Michaela in the eyes. The pain Mike saw in her older sister’s bright green eyes hit her like a punch to the gut. “It’s Mark, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but not like you think. Let me help you and I’ll explain later. If you’ll let us stay the weekend?”
There goes my peace and quiet, Michaela thought. Still, can’t leave those boys without a place to spend the night, and no way they could make the drive home today. It was a good twelve-hour drive or more, so they’d had to have driven straight through all night to get here before noon on a Saturday. “Of course.” Mike handed Sam the platter of sandwiches. “Now, let’s eat. The way Eli shouted for food, those boys must be starving.”
Sam laughed and Michaela followed her sister back out to the porch. The swing was rocking as the boys worked together to make it go. Someday she’d ha
ve to invest in a playground that Jack could use. Or build one from scratch. Be a while before she could save up that kind of money though. “Brunch is done.”
Eli reached one foot to the side and stopped the swing. Before Michaela could cross the length of the porch, he stood in front of her. “I’ll take Jack’s too,” he said.
“It’s the one with the lemon slice.” Michaela winked at Jack. “You don’t know what you’re missing, kiddo,” she teased Eli. His sour face and outstretched tongue made her laugh. God her nephews were perfect. And they’d only gotten better with age.
Michaela watched as Eli glided smoothly across the creaky boards of the porch and passed the lemon-infused tea over to Jack. Sam was right behind him, plates in hand. She set the plates down on the table in the middle of the swing and settled into the chair across from Michaela as he clambered back onto the swing and got it going with a big push.
The fact that Sam hadn’t insisted on coddling the boys gave Michaela hope that her sister was learning to let go. Let them just be boys. What could have been a tense silence was eased by the creak of the swing and fresh tomato and butter sandwiches.
Before long, brunch was a memory and Eli and Jack were out wandering the yard. “Stay out of the garden, please.” Michaela called after them. She felt a grin curl her lips at Eli’s wave, an exact copy of Jacks, before they were racing through the yard and tossing pine cones at each other.
“So, you’ve left Mark then?”
Sam’s jade green eyes welled with tears and she stared hard at the ground and blinked. “No. He… I think he’s lost his mind.” Her shoulders shook, but somehow Sam held the sobs in.
Michaela scooted her chair closer to Sam and pulled her sister tight in a one armed hug. “Oh, honey.” She made sure to keep her voice soft, but her mind was racing with unasked questions. Crazy how? Where was Mark? She had to ask the most important one though, despite knowing it was going to play even more hell with Sammy’s emotions. “Are you and the boys in danger?”
Samantha shook harder in Michaela’s grasp, and that was answer enough for now. Mike would be asking more questions after the boys crashed for the night though. They sat and watched the boys. Michaela was fascinated with how careful Eli was with his older brother. Careful physically, but also careful to respect his capabilities. Eli only pushed Jake when the wheels got stuck. The brothers said so much with just a glance or a quick touch.
“Are you sure they should chase it?” Sam’s voice quavered, but her gaze was locked onto the calico cat sauntering through the yard.
“It’s a she. And she wouldn’t hurt a fly, would you Patches?” Michaela cooed at the cat. “Besides, they’re not really chasing her. She’s leading them.” Michaela grinned at the confused look on Samantha’s face.
“Leading them?”
“Yep. Just watch.” Michaela didn’t even try to hide the pride in her voice. Her little cat was awesome, and the whole world should know it. Or her corner of the world anyway.
Before long, tiny meows echoed through the yard. Samantha’s face brightened even more than the boys when she realized. “Babies?”
Michaela nodded. “Four. Tiny, perfect little creatures.” And every single one of them will protect my garden from thieves. Not that she dared mention said thieves to the boys or Sam. They’d be heartbroken to consider the fact that these cats hunted. Well, momma cat did, and she’d teach the babies in short order for sure.
“Mom, mom can we have one?” Jake was louder than Michaela had ever heard him. Happier too. That joy drew Michaela and Sam out of the comfortable shade of the porch. The grass was warm and prickly on Mike’s bare feet.
She shot a questioning glance at Sam as they strolled toward the delighted boys. Jack’s lap was full of fuzzy, wiggly kittens. Eli held the last one snuggled under his chin. Michaela wasn’t the least bit surprised the boy had taken to her favorite kitten. The only calico, almost a carbon copy of her mother, and from the sounds of it, absolutely smitten with the boys. “If you say yes, make sure they choose the calico.” It almost broke Michaela’s heart to insist, but there was an obvious connection between her and Eli. The other three weren’t unhappy in Jack’s lap, but they were far from content.
“I’m not sure we’ll be stable enough to have a pet.” Sam’s bright gaze darkened, and her shoulders slumped. “Might be a long time before things settle out again.”
Michaela’s stomach knotted at the dark sorrow in Sam’s voice. Sam didn’t let it linger long, though. Soon as the boys spotted them approaching, she was all sunshine and light again. Mike didn’t know how she did it. Still, there was no need to upset the boys. Presumably if whatever ‘danger’ they were in was near Sam wouldn’t have sat on the porch just like it was any other family visit.
Regardless, Michaela was going to get answers. After supper and the boy’s bedtime.
CHAPTER TWO
Michaela called Sam and the boys to supper. Eli and Jack made enough noise for half a dozen kids or more, but Mike was glad for the rowdy whoops and hollers instead of tears. She flashed a bright grin and plated the food for everyone with a flourish.
“Fresh salad greens, tomatoes, onions, carrots and homemade dressing with a fillet of bass caught fresh from the lake yesterday. Served over a bed of locally grown wild rice mixed with long grain brown rice. All for your dining pleasure.” Eli’s eyes grew wider with every word Michaela said. She smiled softly and placed a napkin gently in Jacks lap, then Eli’s. “Dig in kiddos, it doesn’t get much better than this.”
“You didn’t have to go to such trouble for us,” Sam protest as she scooted closer to the table. Michaela laughed, and winked when she caught the hungry light in her sister’s gaze.
“Who said it was trouble? Or that I did it just for you. Caught those fish yesterday, remember? Fishing’s a great way to relax after a long day at the greenhouse.” Michaela settled into her chair and started to eat. She kept her eyes on her plate and enjoyed every single bite. The easy access to fresh food, local food had been a big draw to her when she’d been figuring out just where she wanted to open shop. Truth was, she did this for herself. Not like her family ran to small women, and eating healthy would offset the bad hand her big-boned parents had passed down. Not that she minded her curves. Not normally anyway.
But Sam was her polar opposite. A stranger watching them would never guess they were related, much less sisters. Lucky woman took after pops in the looks department and the magic department. The very thought of magic had Michaela cringing inward. Part of her wanted to know if the boys had shown any talent yet, but she and Sam had grown up in an ‘eat first, then talk’ family. So she let the silence linger, only broken by the clatter of silverware and the momentary ‘mmm’s’ of a meal well appreciated.
When every plate was clear, Michaela started to clean up. “Probably should get those boys to bed, Sam. All that fresh air wears a body right out.” She made sure to keep herself busy as the trio headed toward her guest rooms. She’d made some changes since the last time the boys had visited. Eli and Jack’s delighted ‘oohs’ and ‘ahh’s’ and a couple shouted ‘thank you, auntie’s overrode Sam’s soft coaxing as she tucked them in. Before too long, the light in the cabin dimmed just a bit as Sam clicked the boy’s light off and shut the door.
“All set, then?” Michaela asked. She always asked, because Jack’s condition worried her. Sam never had explained, not beyond that initial ‘my boy will never walk’.
“Snug as bugs in a rug.” Sam grinned back as she eased up to the counter, picked up a dish towel, and started drying. “Thank you for the bunk beds. And the toys. The boys won’t ever want to leave.”
“Who else am I supposed to spoil, then?” Michaela grinned and passed over the final few cleaned dishes. Then she pulled the drain to the sink, dried her hands and grabbed a couple wine glasses. “Now, I think an explanation is in order.” Michaela grabbed her favorite wine, Eiswein imported from Rein-Main, and poured two generous glasses. “Explanations always
go better with wine. Come on, let’s go watch the sun set.”
Sam sighed, dried her hands and accepted the proffered glass with lowered brows and a frown. “If you insist.”
“I do. Consider it payment for showing up unannounced. Love you guys, but I prefer to be much more prepared when you’re here.”
“As you wish.”
The sisters walked side by side to the rocking chairs on the porch. For a long while, the only sounds were the distant song of the loons and the soft creak of wood as they sat and rocked. “So, Mark left you?”
Sam sighed, drained the wine left in her glass in a single gulp and slammed the glass down on the carved-log end table. “Not precisely. Mark left to find help. But I think he’s only going to find trouble.”
Tears filled Sam’s eyes, but she kept her gaze fixed on the horizon. The setting sun turned her tears gold, but Sam refused to let them fall. Confusion roared through Michaela’s mind, but she kept her voice and her magic steady. “Trouble how? What kind of help?”
“Mark’s a wolf-shifter. He thinks he can fix Jack. Make him a shifter now, instead of waiting until he grows up.” This time the tears did fall, but Sam’s gaze was still locked on the setting sun.
“Wolf-shifter huh? I’d sort of pegged him as something sneakier than a wolf shifter.” Michaela shrugged at the wide-eyed, questioning gaze Sam sent her way. “It’s obvious if you know what to look for, sis. Pretty sure he’s looking for the shifter version of a ‘city of gold’, Sammy.” Michaela took a gulp of pine-scented air, held it a moment, and then released slowly. That was enough to hold control of her temper. Barely. “Does he know you’re a witch? Why didn’t he just ask you for help?”
“He knows. He has begged me for a spell to fix Jack. Every single day since we got the diagnosis—” Sam put her face in her hands. “And I can’t Mike, you and I know what he’s asking is impossible. Against all the laws of nature, magic, everything. But Mark’s … Mark.”
Bear My Soul: (Arcane Affairs Agency) Page 1
