The Brave Witch

by Chandelle LaVaun

  “We’re in detention,” Royce announced like I’d forgotten.

  “I’m the High Priestess. I’ll do whatever the hell I want,” I snapped back. I threw my leg over the windowsill and glared over my shoulder at them. “Try and stop me. I dare you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Tegan

  I wasn’t even sure if I turned the truck off before I jumped out. Emersyn was hot on my heels as we stormed up to the house. The ground shook with every step I took. Windows rattled as I passed them. Street lights flickered to life, though it was still afternoon. In my peripheral vision, I saw dirt and loose grass particles float into the air, hovering above the ground and waiting for my command.

  Golden lightning coiled around my hands. Most of my body was glowing, radiating from my power which surged out of my control. I threw my hand out, and the front door flew open and slammed against the foyer wall. Picture frames crashed to the ground and shattered.

  “Mom!” Emersyn screamed the second our feet hit the hardwood floor.

  “Dad!”

  “We’re in here, girls.” My father’s voice was soft and quiet.

  He sounded too calm. If your two daughters stormed into the house screaming for you, you shouldn’t sound so relaxed. They know. Cooper or Tennessee must have warned them. Good. It’ll make this easier. I rounded the corner from the hallway into the all-white kitchen and skidded to a halt. Both my father and my mother sat on barstools facing the hallway, waiting for us. Their faces were expectant, perfectly composed. It only fueled the rage inside me stronger.

  “Is it true?” I snapped.

  My father frowned. “Is what true?”

  “Don’t play coy with us,” Emersyn yelled, making Devon jump. “I can tell by the look on your face you were warned about us coming.”

  “Sweetheart…”

  “I’m sorry, me or Tegan?” Emersyn interrupted with more fire in her voice than I’d ever heard. Gray smoke billowed from the cracks of the hardwood floor under her feet.

  Devon sighed and closed her eyes. Mom. She’s my mother. Why can’t I say it?

  “Tegan asked you a question.”

  I smirked and crossed my arms over my chest. Emersyn’s fire was a joy to watch, and I was going to let it burn. The kitchen sink groaned and rattled, then water gushed from the faucet.

  Devon scowled. “Don’t talk to me like that.”

  “Tell me right now that Tegan isn’t my twin. Tell me!” Emersyn screamed.

  I assumed I’d have to be the one to shout at them for answers, and I was enjoying being wrong for a change. I arched my eyebrow at them, waiting in silence.

  “I…I can’t tell you that.”

  I exhaled and the room wobbled. I reached out and braced myself on the wall. It felt like I’d been sucker punched in the gut by the Hulk. “We’re twins? That’s what you’re saying? You’re my biological mother?”

  Devon—my mother—sighed and nodded. Tears dropped onto her cheeks.

  “Please, you have to understand,” our father said in a rush.

  “No, we don’t have to understand a damn thing,” I snapped back. “You both lied to us, for our whole lives. You stole us from each other. And now you expect us to just understand that you separated me from my twin sister for some supposed good reason? Bullshit.”

  “Please, you have to understand that I can’t look at you right now.” Emersyn spun on her heels and hightailed it back out the front door.

  “Tegan,” my father said, stopping me from following her.

  I held my hand up. “I can’t… How could you do this to us?” I whispered.

  My stomach twisted into knots. I just wanted to keel over onto the cold hardwood floor. I shook my head and backed away from them, following after Emersyn. Tears filled my eyes and rained down my cheeks. By the time I made it back outside, Emersyn was in the driver’s seat of our father’s truck, which I had definitely left running.

  “Em, what are you doing?”

  She rolled the window down, tears pouring down her face. “I can’t be here right now with them, so I’m taking a page out of your book. Are you coming with me?”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Tegan

  “Am I being irrational here?”

  What a question. I shook my head and stared up at the cloudless blue sky above me. It’d been a while since Emersyn and I had run away from home. We’d fled to our favorite place in town—the beach. After finding out my stepsister was actually my biological twin sister, I needed my happy place.

  And for the first time since meeting him, that didn’t involve Tennessee. The more I thought about it and him, the more furious I became. How could he not tell me? The string of lies must come undone. Well, it sure did. I wondered what else he hadn’t told me.

  Stop thinking about him. We’re mad at him.

  I sighed and buried my toes in the soft, white powdery sand. Despite the rage brewing in my veins, I hadn’t let myself relax like this in a while. When we’d arrived at the beach, Emersyn and I created a circle of protection, just like our Coven-mates had shown us. Regardless of my utter dislike of all of them in the moment, the shadow monster was still out there. We had to be smart while we hid from the world.

  We hadn’t said much, though. We just lay in the sand, holding on to each other. My mind ran on a never-ending loop. I hadn’t known where to even start discussing it. Eventually the anger would calm down, and the heaviness of the truth would weigh on me.

  My own parents. I wasn’t sure I’d ever forgive them for it. I wasn’t sure it mattered if they had a sufficient reason. Was there such a thing? I didn’t think so.

  “Tegan?” Emersyn said and leaned her head against my shoulder. The salty ocean breeze mixed nicely with her fruity shampoo, almost like a tropical drink in the Caribbean. She sniffled and I knew there were tears falling down her face.

  “You just found out you’ve got a twin sister that was kept secret and apart from you for your entire sixteen years of life. And a father. No, you’re not being irrational.” I wrapped my arm tighter around hers, both for her comfort and mine. “The fact that we’ve been living together for this long without anyone telling us is reason enough to be livid.”

  “Then why don’t you seem that upset?” she whispered.

  I turned my face toward her and pointed at myself. “I am upset. This is my upset face.”

  A wide grin spread across Emersyn’s mouth. She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Is it now?” Her eyes were red and puffy, and her cheeks were stained with her mascara.

  “I hate that we were lied to. I hate that we were cheated of sharing our youth together as twins. I hate that…” I swallowed through a lump in my throat. “I hate that you grew up alone. At least I had Bentley most of the year.”

  “I always dreamt of having a whole family, with both parents and siblings,” Emersyn said quietly. She wiped tears off her flushed cheeks. “When I found out we were moving here, I was ecstatic. I counted down the hours until we left. I was finally getting my dream. Now I find out the family I wanted always existed and was hidden from me? I don’t know if I’m mad or devastated.”

  I rolled onto my side and propped myself up on my elbow. “I hate that I didn’t figure this out sooner, and not just since we arrived here. I mean…the signs were there this whole time. In hindsight, it was so damn obvious.”

  “Everything is obvious in hindsight. You can’t beat yourself up about that.”

  I smiled and nodded. “Exactly.”

  Emersyn frowned. “I’m not following you.” She propped herself up in a mirror image of my pose.

  I cringed on the inside. This is how we were in the womb. This is how we should’ve spent our childhood, building forts and running through sprinklers. I hesitated, trying to find the right words to express what was going on in my head.

  “I guess what I mean is, it’s not like we hate each other and then found out. Ya’ know?” The wind blew my hair into my face. I pushed it back and took a de
ep breath. “From the moment we met at The Gathering, I felt connected to you. I remember feeling oddly protective of you. I couldn’t understand why I was drawn to you.”

  “Me either,” she whispered.

  “Then there’s another thing. We’re not just witches. We’re Cards in The Coven. If we’d figured this out when we first got here, I would’ve been inconsolable and livid…but I don’t know… Now it’s not the weirdest thing to me. And it’s kind of a relief.”

  “Me too.” Emersyn smiled and a pink flush covered her cheeks. “But why didn’t they tell us?”

  “There are a lot of whys here, Em. Why didn’t we know we were witches? Why were our Marks hidden? Why were we separated? Why didn’t I ever see Uncle Kessler even though I’d heard about him? Why aren’t we allowed to date?” I sighed and dropped back to the sand.

  Emersyn scowled and eyed me suspiciously. “We’re not allowed to date?”

  Tennessee’s voice sounded in my head. “Strictly forbidden.”

  “How do you know— Oh, right. What was that you said to Tennessee before we fled?”

  I groaned and heat scorched my cheeks. I covered my face with my hands. “God, don’t remind me.”

  “No, I believe your words were, ‘you weren’t allowed to stick your tongue down my throat either, but that didn’t stop you.’” Emersyn grinned. “Are you going to spill it, or do I have to beat it out of you?

  I cursed.

  “I knew there was something between you two. I’ve felt the tension. Details, woman. I want details.” Emersyn giggled and poked me in the shoulder. When I didn’t respond, she jumped up into a seated position and crossed her legs under her. “I’m your twin. You no longer have secrets of any kind.”

  “Oh, is that how this works?” I rolled my eyes, but a chuckle escaped my lips. “He was at The Gathering.”

  Emersyn gasped. “WHAT?”

  I nodded. “After we split ways, I kinda collided with him. He caught me, and then we just…stared at each other. Before I could find words to say, the spirits attacked. Fear took over, and I forgot about him until…” My mind flashed the memory, like I was back there in that moment with the fire and lightning.

  “Until what?”

  “That spirit grabbed me. Something bright white killed it. That’s how I got away. When I looked up, I saw him standing like fifty feet away.”

  “I thought it dropped you.”

  “Can you still think that?” I smirked. “Then, when Bettina drove off, I saw him again, but it was too late to get his name or talk to him.”

  “This sounds like a romance novel. Keep going.” Emersyn pulled her knees up to her chest and smiled.

  “Do you remember that night we broke into Hidden Kingdom?”

  She scoffed. “Like I could forget.”

  “After you took off running, he showed up and killed those demons and fairies. When I saw his face… It’s so cheesy and cliché, but I couldn’t move. I just stared at him.” I tucked my hair behind my ears. Heat filled my cheeks just remembering that night. “Neither of us said a single word… He just…kissed me.”

  Emersyn’s jaw dropped. “He kissed you? Without saying anything at all?”

  I covered my face with my palms and nodded. “It was amazing.”

  “How hopelessly romantic.”

  I shook my head and groaned. “I sound like some silly lovesick bimbo from a movie.”

  “No, silly lovesick bimbos in movies are captain of the cheerleading squad and get their first kiss from the varsity quarterback under the bleachers after winning the state championship.”

  I peeled my hands off my face and eyed her. “Don’t tell me…”

  Emersyn shrugged and laughed. “I wish I could deny it.”

  “Captain of the cheerleading squad, huh?”

  Emersyn rolled her eyes. “Not anymore. I didn’t want to be that girl— Excuse me, we were discussing Tennessee.”

  I sighed and stared up at the blue sky, trying to listen to the waves, but they were blocked by our circle. “I think I’m in love with him, which is ridiculous since we just met.”

  “Why do you look so miserable, then? He’s a good guy. Let it happen.”

  “Because we’re not allowed. He told me the High Priestess, Emperor, and Empress are forbidden from dating until we’re middle-aged.” Saying it out loud was like a knife to the heart.

  “Wait, hold up. Forbidden until middle-aged?”

  “Yeah. And apparently if we break this rule, The Coven can strip us of our Marks and our magic.”

  “Jebus.”

  I opened my mouth to respond, but an ice-cold breeze slammed into my face. What the hell? Our circle of protection should’ve blocked everything. I frowned and looked up at the sky. Stars twinkled like flashlights, even though it was broad daylight. They moved around until they took the form of a pentagram.

  I gasped. “Drop the circle.”

  Emersyn jumped and tipped her head back. “Why…?”

  “It’s a sign, from the Goddess.” I scrambled to my feet, then pulled her up. “Our cell phones don’t work inside the circle. Something must be happening.”

  Emersyn nodded and held both palms in the air, facing me. I pressed mine to hers and nodded. Without hesitating, I summoned my magic and pushed it into our joined palms. Bright, neon orange filled the space between our hands and shot out like rockets into the circle wall. The air around us shimmered in shades of blue and purple. The sky darkened from light blue to black like someone had flipped a switch. The sun was gone, and in its place was a golden crescent moon.

  “Why is it nighttime, Tegan?”

  My eyes widened. “How long were we in there?”

  No sooner had I spoken the words than a loud siren erupted from our pile of shoes. I jumped.

  “Oh no, that’s my ringtone or my mom, I mean, our mom.” Emersyn dove to the ground and pulled out her cell phone. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Tegan, it’s almost midnight.”

  “WHAT?”

  “Oh my God.” Her eyes bounced around the screen. “I have like a million missed calls and texts and—” She gasped and held her phone out for me to see.

  I leaned forward and read the text from our mother. Get home NOW. Bentley is missing.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Tegan

  I threw the front door open and sprinted down the hall with my heart in my throat. How could I have been so foolish? I knew things were dangerous, but I let my emotions get in the way of my judgement. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I spotted my parents and Uncle Kessler in the living room and skidded to a stop right in front of them.

  “Did you find him?” I said in between gasps.

  “Girls, thank the Goddess you’re all right. No, we haven’t found him yet.” My mother’s gaze scanned us up and down, and then her shoulders slumped. Her voice was softer and weaker than I’d ever heard. Her light green eyes that matched mine were red like she’d been crying.

  “When’s the last time you saw him? How long ago?”

  She shook her head, and tears poured down her face. “I don’t know. I was so worried about you two… He’d gone into his room to play video games.” She leaned into my father.

  “I checked him several times. He’d fallen asleep about two hours ago,” Dad said with a tight voice. He rang his hands together and bounced his legs.

  I swallowed down the panic threatening to overpower me and focused on a task. I was good at clues and quests—I could do this. I pushed past them and headed to his room. “I’m going to look for clues.”

  “I’m going to help her,” Emersyn said.

  I stormed into his room, only pausing to let Emersyn in before I slammed the door shut with every ounce of my strength. Okay. Anything could be a clue. If you were Bentley…

  “Do you think he went looking for us?”

  I looked up to my twin and nodded. “His favorite sneakers are gone, and so is his flashlight.” My stomach twisted into knots, and my mouth watered like I was g
oing to be sick.

  “Tegan, I’m scared.” Emersyn pulled at her platinum hair and paced one side of the room. “He’s a little boy. He doesn’t really know what’s out there. Hierophant or not, he’s not trained at all.”

  I walked over to the window and popped my head out. The drop to the grass was only a few feet. If I knew my brother like I thought I did, then he stole a move right out of my playbook. I pulled my head back in and met her panicked gaze. “So we don’t rest until we find him. End of story.”

  Emersyn nodded. “Right. Let’s just leave a note for Mom and Dad—that’s going to take some getting used to—I don’t want them to think we’re missing too.”

  The bedroom door opened with the barest hint of a creak. Our mother slipped inside and shut the door silently behind her. She walked to the center of the room and stopped with her arms behind her back. She didn’t make eye contact with either of us; she just closed her eyes and sighed. “I know you both probably hate me right now, and your father, and I long for the day when I can explain why this happened to our family… But right now, I need you to find Bentley.”

  Emersyn and I exchanged nervous glances but said nothing.

  “Your father would not approve of what I’m about to do. However, I am a warrior. I am the Chariot. I am triumph and conqueror. I am your mother, two of the fiercest Cards our Coven has seen in quite some time. It is not in our nature to sit around and wait when there is something to be done.”

  “Mom, what are you saying?” Emersyn’s voice was shaky.

  She took a deep, labored breath. “Do what you must. Just find him.” She opened her eyes then took a step forward. Without another word, she placed two white-hilted daggers on the edge of Bentley’s bed then disappeared out of the room.

  I only hesitated a fraction of a second before I stepped forward and grabbed one of my mother’s daggers. We’d only been training with weapons a few days a week, and these were dull, wooden blades. Our mother obviously wanted us to take them. I flipped the dagger around in my hand a few times, then shoved it into the waistband of my jean shorts, tucked snuggly against my skin.