I think about this for a minute. If I want to get some answers about my mom, this trick could really come in handy... “Could you make yourself look like someone else entirely? Like, could I go around looking like you if I wanted to?”
“Sure, though I don’t know why you’d want to look like me,” she laughs. “But it takes a lot more energy and control to do that, ‘cause then it’s not just one thing you’re changing, but everything at once. It’s extremely difficult, so only the really powerful witches can pull it off, or witches from the Trickster Class, since they’re skilled at maigcks used for deception,” she laughs. “But we’ll only work on changing eye color and hair tonight. If you can manage either one of those, I’ll be impressed.”
“This is so cool. What do I do?” I ask eagerly.
Arianna jumps off the bed and joins me on the floor, sitting cross legged in front of me.
“First, you need to be able to see auras. You said you’ve done that before?”
“Yeah, but it just kind of happened. I wasn’t doing it intentionally.”
“Can you see mine right now?”
I look at her blankly for second, trying to figure out how I did it the first time. I squint my eyes and scrunch up my nose.
“No, don’t squint, just relax your eyes. Let them become unfocused. Then stare at the center of my forehead and look around my head and shoulders out of the corner of your eyes.”
I do as Arianna instructs, letting my vision blur, and concentrate on her head. I breath in, filling my lungs and focus on keeping my eyes relaxed. After a few breaths, I see a faint glowing around her.
“Yeah, a little. It looks kinda gold...”
“Good! Alright, now close your eyes and center yourself. Caiden taught you how to do that, right?”
I nod and close my eyes.
“I want you to focus on your aura. The energy that’s moving along your spine and radiating out. Can you feel it?”
“Yes,” I answer, amazed at the heat I feel emanating out from my body.
“That’s your aura. Feel the way it extends out past your head and shoulders? That’s the energy we’re going to change. Picture yourself in your mind’s eye. Picture your black hair and your violet eyes. Really focus on it, feel the energy in your aura that’s associated with it. Got it?
“I think so...”
“Good. Now I want you to move that energy. Just nudge it a bit. Try to swirl it around your head. Once you can do that, I want you to imagine your hair blonde. Focus on that image until it’s so real you could touch it. Good... you’re getting a little blurry, that’s great. Now, move your aura, that energy around your head, and shape it into that blonde hair you see. Make that image in your mind a reality.”
I focus, swirling it around my head, imagining blonde, blonde, blonde...
“Oh my god, you did it!”
I open my eyes to see Arianna’s shocked face right in front of mine.
“Go look in the mirror, it’s amazing!”
I get up slowly, trying to keep the mental image from slipping, and walk over to the full length mirror on my wall. I gasp at my reflection in the mirror, blinking several times before I believe what I’m seeing. The woman in the mirror has my body, my face, but the hair is all wrong. It’s fuzzy, making it hard to focus on, and it’s an outrageous shade of platinum blonde. I look like a friggin’ Barbie Doll. I’m so stunned that the image in my mind slips. When it does, the golden hair darkens, sharpening in focus, turning back to its original black.
I can see Arianna’s reflection behind me, her mouth still gaping open. “I can’t believe you did it on your first try! It took me forever to learn to even change my eyes! That’s unbelievable!” Then she grins mischievously. “We can have SO much fun with this!”
“I don’t think I like the look in your eyes–” I freeze mid-sentence at the roar of an engine barreling down my street.
“What’s wrong?” Arianna’s immediately on alert.
“Oh no — What’s he doing here?”
I leap toward my window just in time to see Sebastian’s canary yellow Mustang screech into my driveway, and keep going right onto my front lawn. The windows are rolled down, music blaring, high beams flashing. The doors open and Seb, Josh, and Chris all stumble out.
Arianna growls as she recognizes our late night visitors.
“EM!!!! Hey Em!” Sebastian yells up towards my window, hands cupped around his mouth.
“We know you’re home, you stupid bitch! Is your freak boy here?” Josh stumbles towards my front door and starts ringing the doorbell over and over again.
Chris grabs a six pack out of the trunk, leaving the car running, hard rock blasting, and tosses a beer over to Seb, who catches it one handed and pops the top.
“Come on out, Caiden! We just wanna talk!” Josh continues ringing the bell.
I can feel Arianna’s white hot anger behind me.
“We can’t do anything, Arianna. Just let it go.”
“Let it go?” She asks, her eyes flaring, arm flinging out to point. “Let it GO! Look what they’re doing! Are those eggs? Chris is about to egg your house!”
I look back towards the lawn, and sure enough, Chris is juggling several brown cartons, placing them on the hood of the car.
“Oh, damn.” I start unlocking my window, turning my head back to look at Arianna again. “We’re not doing anything to them — I won’t risk hurting them — even though, right now...” I let that sentence trail off before I say something I’ll regret.
I slam my window up once it’s unlatched and pop out the screen, scrambling out onto the low roof.
“There she is!” Sebastian yells cheerfully before letting out a loud belch. “Hey Em! How’s it going? You weren’t trying to sleep or anything, right?” Then he laughs like he just made a hilarious joke.
I keep my spine rigid and lock down my anger the way Caiden taught me.
“What are you doing here, Sebastian?” My voice comes out cool, unconcerned.
“Hey Princess, we just thought we’d stop by and do a little redecorating,” Josh calls up, hurling an egg at the window directly next to me. I can’t stop myself from flinching, which just makes them laugh all the more.
I feel a weird tingling off to my right. Arianna has climbed up next to me and is glowing the slightest bit. I can feel her crackling with energy.
“No, Arianna!” I whisper harshly. “Stop! We are not doing anything, got it?”
She looks mutinous, but the sizzling sensation fades.
“How much have you had to drink, Seb?” I keep up my calm facade, sounding almost bored.
“Not enough! Not nearly enough!” Compared to my icy tone, his is all fire. Blazing, melting the permafrost I worked so hard to encase myself in.
I try to keep my emotions in check, but it’s hard as I study the dark circles under his eyes, the shabby disarray of his normally perfect, golden hair. He’s hurting, as much as he wants to pretend otherwise.
He downs the rest of his beer and throws the empty can onto my front porch.
“Send Caiden out and we’ll be gone before you know it.”
“He isn’t here. You’re wasting your time.” From the corner of my eye, I see Chris throw something white up onto the roof above me, the tail end streaming out behind, fluttering in the breeze.
“Are you seriously TP-ing her house? How old are you? You need to grow the hell up! No wonder Emerson chose Caiden over you!”
“Oh no, Arianna.” I close my eyes and groan. “Why did you say that?” I whisper in horror.
Sebastian let’s out an enraged roar just before something cold and goopy hits me between my eyes.
Chapter 11
I stand there, stunned, as slimy, cold egg oozes slowly down my face.
“That’s it!” Arianna screams.
She raises her arms and the wind whips out viciously, the toilet paper decorating the side of my house blows out wildly, still clinging to the roof, until another strong gust dislodge
s it and sends it straight at Josh’s sneering face. It wraps around him before he can react. Then the skies open up, dumping buckets of ice water on all of us, washing away the sticky egg from my face.
“Arianna, NO!” I try to yell above the howling wind, but she doesn’t listen.
Thunder booms, flashes of lightning streak across the sky in an impressive light show. I hear an ominous crack. A large branch from a nearby tree snaps off and hurtles its way through the air, heading straight for Sebastian.
I don’t think, I just fling my hand out and throw the branch away from them and watch it explodes against the side of my house, splinters as big as my arm flying off in every direction. I turn and tackle Arianna on the slippery roof.
“Stop! Arianna, stop it!” She struggles for a minute, but gradually subsides, coming to her senses.
“Okay, I’m okay. Let me up.” She’s breathing heavily. We’re both soaked through and shivering.
“End the storm, Arianna, before someone gets hurt!”
I glance over the edge of the roof to reassure myself that everyone is fine. Chris and Josh both dove into the car to avoid the worst of the rain, but Seb is still standing there, yelling up at me over the wind.
“Come on Em, let me in! I just wanna talk!”
I slowly stand up as the rain and wind die down. I’m so relieved that Sebastian’s okay, that he wasn’t hurt by that tree branch, that I answer without thinking.
“Hold on, I’ll be right down.”
As I hurry to climb back through the window, Arianna grabs my arm, stopping me. “You’re not seriously considering letting him in, are you? That’s insane! He just threw an egg at you!”
I shake her off and scramble into my room. “I have to make sure he’s alright.”
I rush down the stairs, leaving a sopping wet trail behind me, and hurry to unlock the door.
“We’re not supposed to open the door, remember!” Arianna yells, running down after me.
“Yeah, and we weren’t supposed to use any flashy magick either, remember?” I freeze with my hand on the last lock and turn to look at her. “If you don’t say anything to Caiden, I won’t.”
She stares at me, considering, before reluctantly shaking her head. “Fine. But if Sebastian tries anything...” She flexes her hands in warning.
“He won’t.”
I open the door wide, taking in Sebastian’s large form, his black t-shirt clinging to every sculpted muscle, his golden hair plastered against his head. I stand in the door, unwilling to let him in, but unable to take my eyes off him. A pang of longing surges through me.
He stares at me for the longest time, his gaze roaming over my face, my soaking wet tank top and jeans, all the way down to my bare feet, and back up.
“Hey,” he begins awkwardly.
“Hi.” I stare at him a moment longer. “Are you okay?”
He continues studying my face like he hasn’t seen me in years. “No.”
“That was some freak storm out there. Was anyone hurt?”
He looks confused for a moment. “No one was hurt from the storm.”
“Oh, okay. Good.”
He takes a step closer to me, still studying my face.
“You here to throw another egg at her?” Arianna growls over my shoulder. Sebastian finches.
“Come one, Seb! Let’s go! Caiden isn’t here!” Josh calls from the car.
Sebastian’s eyes gleam gold, his face hardening.
“Was she telling the truth?” He nods his head toward Arianna. “Are you with him now?”
My chest feels hollowed out. I’m so sick of all the lies. But as I study Sebastian’s beautiful face, I realize that, regardless of Caiden, of the coven, of all of the ridiculous drama recently, it would never have worked out between us.
I think back to all the things he’s done, all the cruel things he’s said. Caiden was right — I never confided in Sebastian about the things going on in my life, because I knew, deep down, that he wouldn’t care. He would have just brushed it off. He wouldn’t have tried to help me figure out what happened to my mom. He would have told me to drop it. To forget about it and let it go. There’s no way he would have driven all the way out to Ashwood Creek with me, the way Caiden did. And I can only imagine what his reaction would be if I told him I was a witch. Would he be scared of me? Disgusted? Or would he think I was crazy?
He most certainly wouldn’t spend all of his free time helping me train and gain control, that’s for sure. Looking back now, I realize there’s never been anything genuine between Sebastian and me. We were just two people killing time together. We had fun, but it’s never been anything real, anything serious.
And I also know that I’m just as much at fault as he is. I’ve been just as selfish. Just as self-absorbed. I shut him out of everything; I never gave him a chance. I shared more of myself with Caiden in the past week then I have with Sebastian in the three years I’ve known him.
I don’t love Sebastian. I never have.
I take one last look at his handsome face, and slide his promise ring off my finger.
“Yes, Sebastian. I’m with Caiden now. You and I would never have worked out. I’m sorry.”
As his face contorts with pain, I hand him his ring back and close the door.
Chapter 12
“This still isn’t working,” I huff in frustration.
Arianna, Ethan, and Lydia are all out in the woods with Caiden and I, trying to help me learn to control my telekinesis, but nothing’s working. We’ve been at it for a couple of hours now, and I haven’t managed to move a thing.
Arianna looks at me thoughtfully but doesn’t say anything. After the incident yesterday with Sebastian, Arianna and I stayed up late into the night, eating Rocky Road ice cream and talking. I told her all about my relationship with Sebastian, how we first met, everything that’s happened between us since I found out that I’m a witch, and how I finally came to the conclusion that it just wasn’t going to work out between us.
She was sympathetic, but I could tell she was relieved that Sebastian and I are over. She’s made no attempt to hide how much she dislikes him. Then we got up early this morning to meet everyone at Caiden’s for training.
Caiden’s been quiet since we showed up. Not distant, the way he’s been acting since Friday, just thoughtful, stealing glances at me when he thinks I’m not looking. I feel a slight pressure behind my eyes and turn to look at him now. He’s studying me, a faraway look in his eyes. Then he blinks a couple of times, and they come into focus. He doesn’t look away this time.
“Emerson, can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Uh, sure.” I raise my eyebrows questioningly as he leads me further into the trees, away from everyone else. “What’s up?”
“That’s what I want to ask you.” His penetrating stare is unnerving, like he sees something I can’t.
“What do you mean? I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. You’re having trouble concentrating, and you’ve been in a strange mood all day. Like you’re sad, and anxious, and relieved, and... I don’t know. It’s all jumbled up. Hard to explain. Did something happen?”
My stomach flutters nervously. Crap. He’s been reading my emotions and knows something’s up, but Arianna and I both agreed it would be better not to say anything.
At best, Caiden and Ethan would be furious at Arianna for the storm she created. At worst, they would go after Sebastian and his friends for what they did. Either way, no good would come from telling them. I glance quickly at Arianna, off to my right. She’s biting her lip, her eyes pleading with me not to say anything.
I quickly look back at Caiden before he notices. “Yeah, I guess I am in a weird mood today. I, um, I talked to Sebastian last night...”
His pupils dilate and I can actually feel his shock roll over me. “And what did he have to say?” He stiffens, moving away from me slightly, his eyes frosting over.
“It’s more what I said to him...” My heart starts beating
a little harder, my stomach fluttering like crazy. “I told him it was over. That I was with you, and it never would have worked out with him and me anyway...”
I look up to see his eyes thaw the tiniest bit. I don’t mean to say anything else, but I find myself explaining anyway.
“It doesn’t even have to do with finding out I’m a witch and everything. Even if all of this never happened, it still wouldn’t have worked out with him.”
Caiden is staring at me fixedly. I think he’s holding his breath, but I can’t be sure. I take a deep breath of my own and force myself to continue. “I never loved him. We just... We weren’t right for each other, you know?”
Caiden looks thunderstruck. “Em...”
He reaches out and gently traces my jaw line with his thumb, moving it up slowly, just grazing my lower lip. My mouth opens in surprise. My breathing gets heavier. I step closer to him, willing him to say something. To do something. He leans in, closer, his lips almost brushing mine.
Then he clears his throat and drops his hand, moving back slightly. He continues staring at me for a few more moments, but finally nods his head.
“So, you two are finished then? Really finished?” His voice is low, gravelly.
“Yes. Me and Sebastian are definitely over.”
“Good.” He clears his throat again. “That’s good.” He turns away and strides back toward Arianna, Ethan and Lydia, who are all staring at us, varying degrees of surprise on their faces.
I follow him more slowly, trying to wrap my head around what just happened. Is he happy that things are finally over between Seb and me? Relieved? I don’t know what to think.
In the past, Caiden’s made it perfectly clear that he has no interest in me romantically. But the way he looked at me just now... It felt like he wanted to kiss me. And he wasn’t pretending, the way he had at the festival yesterday. There’s no one here to pretend for.
I’ve never been unsure about myself before when it came to the opposite sex. I’ve always known when a guy was into me, but with Caiden... I just can’t tell.
Deceitful Circle (Silent Circle Book 2) Page 8
