by Kate Hall
She nods. “Go ahead.”
“Well,” I say, then bite my lip. What if she gets mad at me? Neither of them has ever gotten angry before, but they might, and that’s what matters. Still, her face is open and friendly, so I continue, “Some people at school think you’re witches. And that you’re a thousand years old.”
To my surprise, she laughs, tossing her head back.
“No, we’re not witches. And we’re not a thousand.”
I nod. Right. I’m just being silly. Still, I have to ask. “How old are you then?”
This is a question Mom has told me never to ask people, especially the couple up the lane, but I don’t care anymore. I have to know.
She scrunches her nose and leans forward, like she’s letting me in on a secret.
“Promise not to tell anybody?”
I nod solemnly. If I were still thirteen, maybe I’d go around blabbing, but I’m going to be eighteen next month. I can handle this.
“We’re turning a hundred sixty next year,” she whispers.
My eyes widen. That can’t be true, can it?
Still, I can’t be certain. There have been strange things going on at this cottage my whole life. Animals that never seem to die, perfect plants, women who can be nowhere in sight one moment and standing right beside you the next.
I shouldn’t believe her, but, for some reason, I do.
“Come on in,” she says. “I had a feeling you’d be stopping by, and I made a cake.”
The promise of cake distracts me just enough that I don’t question her previous words.
Maybe I do live up the road from a couple of immortals, and maybe I don’t. As long as she has cake, though, it doesn’t really matter to me.
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About the Author
KATE HALL is a full time traveler, dog owner, artist, wife, and reader. She believes in wild things like love, magic, and basic human decency. Some of her least favorite things include selfish people, eating fish, and tornados. Sign up for her mailing list and get access to free short stories!
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Available Books:
Smoke and Mist
Ignite the Mountains
Angel Academy
Clandestine Angel
Renegade Angel
The Girl in the Lake
The Girl Who Won’t Drown
The Girls Down Below
Night Academy
Deadly Academy
Final Academy
Southern Charms
Southern Spells
Southern Necromancy
