The Witch Within

by M. Z. Andrews

  “Oh, gross, get a room,” snapped Alba.

  Alba’s voice tore us from our little bubble. Hugh and I parted. He looked down at me with a million unsaid words glistening in his eyes, and I suddenly felt like I could read each and every one of them.

  “Is it alright if I write you letters this summer?” he asked, ignoring Alba.

  And suddenly, I felt this need to be connected to him more than just through an occasional letter. “Or you could text me,” I suggested with a shrug.

  “I’m not much of a texter. You know me. I’ve got sausage-finger syndrome,” he chuckled. “But I’d like to write you.”

  I nodded at him. “You can write me.”

  “Will you write me back?”

  “I’ll try. My handwriting kind of sucks.”

  “I’m sure mine is worse, darlin’.”

  I grinned. “Probably not, but I’d love to keep in touch.”

  “You would?” Hope filled his eyes.

  “I mean, yeah. I wanna know you’re doing alright.”

  Hugh wrapped his arms around my shoulders. With my head pressed against his chest, I heard his heart beating. “I’m gonna miss you this summer.”

  “I’ll miss you too, Hugh.” And somehow I knew I meant it.

  He kissed my forehead and took a step back. “I gotta go,” he whispered. “My truck’s all packed up and ready. I’m gonna drive through the night. I just couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

  “But it’s not forever, right? Promise me I’ll see you again.”

  “If it’s meant to be, you’ll see me again, I promise you that. Bye, Mercy Mae.”

  I waved at him as he walked away. “Bye, Hugh. Drive safe! Text me when you get there, at least. So I know you made it alright.” As he disappeared into the darkness, I suddenly felt alone. I wondered if I’d ever see him again.

  Holly threw an arm around me then. “It’ll be alright, Mercy.”

  I leaned my head on her shoulder. “Why do I have this feeling I’ll never see him again?”

  “You’ll see him again,” she said confidently.

  “You think?”

  She nodded. “I don’t think. I know.” She tapped her finger against her temples. “I’m clairvoyant, remember? Come on. Libby and Cinder are taking off. Their flight leaves first thing in the morning, so they’re going to get a hotel next to the airport tonight.”

  Holly led me to the crowd of people gathered around the Fire and Ice twins. They were hugging and saying goodbye to all their friends. I used my magic to push people aside so I could get through the crowd faster.

  “Libby,” I said, “I’m sure going to miss you and your icy ways.”

  Libby smiled at me. “I’ll miss you too, Mercy. You’ve got a tough year ahead of you. I wish you the best of luck.”

  “Me? My last year of witch college can’t compare with your year. You have to find a job! And become an adult. That sounds way harder.”

  Libby laughed and gave me a hug. Then I turned to her sister.

  “Cin, thanks for everything. You’re an awesome chick.”

  Cinder lifted an eyebrow. “You’re an awesome chick too,” she said in her cute little accent. “Thank you for including my sister and me in everything this week. It was a great way to end our time here.”

  “Yeah, it was,” I said, nodding. I gave her a hug.

  “Now, keep that one in line,” she said, pointing at Alba. “She can be a little mouthy.”

  “Don’t we know it,” I said with a laugh. “Don’t worry. We all keep her in line. Our friendship is all about checks and balances.”

  “Good.”

  “Come on, Cin,” said Libby. “We better get going.”

  “Bye, girls,” said Sweets, giving them a wave as they pushed through the crowd.

  When they were gone, the five of us and Reign found ourselves seated at a picnic table away from the crazy chaos and noise of the party.

  “Can you believe Libby and Cinder are done with school?” said Holly, leaning her chin onto her hand dreamily. “I’m so jealous.”

  With her hands clamped together in front of her, Jax squeezed her shoulders forward. “Eee, not me! I can’t wait to start school in the fall! I am dying to learn to use my magic!”

  Alba shook her head. “Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that you’re gonna be even more annoying next year than you already are?”

  “Alba!” said Sweets. “Don’t say things like that! And it’s Jax’s birthday on top of it. You have to be extra nice on someone’s birthday.”

  Alba grimaced. “Eh. Sorry, Shorty. I was only joking. You’ll be alright.”

  “Thanks, Alba,” said Jax with a sheepish grin.

  “Hey, speaking of birthdays,” I said, glancing over at Alba and Holly. “I’m pretty sure we’ve got something special for you.”

  Jax sucked in her breath and lifted her brows. “You do?! I already got the best two presents I could ever ask for! My mother is alive and I have magic!”

  “Yeah, this is on a slightly smaller scale,” I said, pinching my fingers together. I nodded at Alba and Holly.

  The two of them snapped their fingers, and out of nowhere appeared a pink-and-purple unicorn birthday cake. The gold spiral unicorn horn was a candle, and after conjuring the cake, Alba snapped her fingers again and magically lit the horn.

  “Omigosh!” squealed Jax. “A unicorn birthday cake! I can’t handle the cuteness!”

  We laughed.

  Reign started us out by singing the first words of the birthday song, and we all joined in.

  When it was over, Jax closed her eyes to make a wish and then promptly reopened them. “I don’t even know what to wish for now. The only wish I’ve ever made on a birthday candle was to be a witch.” Her eyes grew damp again. “Thank you all for making my eighteenth birthday so special. I’m never going to forget everything you’ve done for me.” She threw her arms around Reign and Holly and squeezed. “Bring it in, girls.”

  “Group hug!” said Sweets, joining in on the hug.

  Feeling sentimental and centered, I joined in too. I looked over at Alba, who sat staring at us uncomfortably. “Oh, come on, Alba. You can make an exception to the no-hugging rule just this once. You have to admit, this is a pretty big day.”

  Alba rolled her head back on her shoulders and groaned. “Ugh! Oh, fine! But I can promise you, I’m not gonna like it!”

  I welcomed her into the huddle. “After all, days like this don’t happen every day. Jax finally became a witch!”

  Jax, Alba, Holly, and I piled out of my little beater car and into Habernackle’s B&B late Thursday afternoon. We’d stuck around just until Brittany Hobbs finally posted the pass/fail lists on the bulletin board outside her office.

  “Finally,” grumbled Alba. “Now I can finally pack up my stuff and go home!”

  “You were worried or something?” asked Holly.

  “No, I wasn’t worried. I knew I was gonna pass. I just didn’t wanna leave until I saw it with my own eyes. There’d be nothing worse than telling Pops I passed, only to get my report card in the mail and find out I didn’t.”

  I plopped down on one of the barstools and let my head drop onto my crossed arms. “I don’t know about you guys, but I think I’m going to sleep hard for the next two days. This has been such a stressful year, and I’m exhausted.”

  Holly nodded. “I agree. I’m even thinking about waiting a day or two before getting my plane tickets home. I could use the break.”

  I looked over at Jax. She was sitting with her palms resting calmly on the countertop. She’d hardly said a word after seeing the final results posted. “Jax. You okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m okay,” she said.

  “What’s the matter with her? She in shock or something?” asked Alba.

  “Must be,” said Holly. She put both hands to her stomach as a loud gurgling noise let out. “Oh my gosh, can we make something to eat? I’m starving.”

  “Yeah, me too,” I agreed, j
ust as my mom, Reign, and Sweets pushed through the swinging kitchen doors.

  “Hi, girls,” said my mom brightly.

  “You’re back! Finally! I never beat you home,” said Sweets, a big smile on her face.

  “Yeah, what’s up?” asked Reign, looking at his watch. “We thought you would’ve been here hours ago.”

  “It took Hobbs forever to post the results. There was no way I was leaving until we got ‘em, though,” said Alba.

  With her hands clasped by her chest expectantly, Sweets looked from face to face. “Well? How’d everyone do?”

  “Pass,” said Alba. “Easy peasy. I wasn’t worried.”

  Holly rolled her eyes. “Sure, you weren’t. I passed too.”

  I nodded and looked at Mom across the bar. “Me too. Thank God. I really didn’t want to have to retake first year.”

  Mom rushed around the counter to hug me. “Oh! Mercy Bear! I’m so proud of you!” She patted Holly’s shoulder. “I’m proud of all of you girls.”

  Everyone looked at Jax.

  “Well?” said Reign. “What about you, Nugget? You pass too?”

  Hearing Reign address her seemed to tear Jax out of her daze. “Oh. No. I didn’t pass.”

  Reign looked stunned. “Get out of here. Even with your new powers you didn’t pass?”

  “Oh, Jax,” breathed my mom, putting her arm around Jax’s shoulders.

  Jax bit her lips together. “I couldn’t make my powers work.”

  Alba patted Jax on the back. “Meh. Don’t get your panties in a knot. Sometimes it takes a little time, that’s all. I’m not surprised you’re having problems, to tell you the truth. It took me years to figure out how to make mine work like I wanted ’em to.”

  Jax looked up at Alba hopefully. “It did?”

  Alba nodded. “Are you kidding me? Absolutely. Using magic is like riding a bike. Once you get it, you get it, but it takes a while to get your bearings straight, and sometimes you gotta use kid wheels to get started. Ya know?”

  “Alba’s right,” agreed Reign. “Mine took a while too. So what if you have to retake your first year?”

  “Yeah, Jaxie. It’ll be okay. At least you’ve got your powers now, and we’re all together. That’s all that matters anyway,” said Sweets. “Right?”

  Jax smiled. “Right.”

  The doorbell behind us chimed. When we turned, I think all of us were shocked to see Merrick Stone stride in.

  “Dad, what are you doing here?”

  “I need to speak with you and your mother for a moment. It’s somewhat urgent.” Merrick looked over at the group of us seated at the bar. “Is there somewhere we can go to speak privately?”

  Mom nodded and gestured towards the kitchen. “Of course. Girls, can you please keep an eye on the dining room? Merrick…right this way.”

  47

  “So, what’s going on?” Reign asked his father as he jumped up to sit on the stainless-steel countertop in the kitchen.

  Linda nodded. “Yes, Merrick. You’re worrying me. Has something happened?”

  Merrick propped himself up against the commercial refrigerator with one hand. “I assume you’ve heard about everything that happened with my sister?”

  Reign lowered his head. Even though he’d had a firsthand account of everything that had happened to SaraLynn, he hadn’t thought it right to share every detail with his mother. If Mercy wanted to, that was her prerogative, but Reign wasn’t one to spread information like that.

  Linda frowned. “I mean, I heard she’d given her powers to Jax. Mercy said you and your sisters have a half-sister you didn’t know about. Stella Blackwood?”

  Merrick sighed. “Yes, I guess so. I had no idea. Samson wasn’t in our lives after my parents separated, so there would’ve been no way for us children to know.”

  Linda sighed and reached a hand out to touch Merrick’s forearm. “I also know that Stella tried to kill SaraLynn. I understand it was the Great Witches Council that brought her back to life. I’m so sorry, Merrick.”

  “Yes. That’s all true. Is it safe to assume you’ve heard the rest?”

  Linda shook her head. “The rest? The part about SaraLynn leaving the Institute?” Linda looked down at her hands. “Yes, I heard that part as well.”

  Reign wasn’t surprised that Mercy had told their mother everything. It was obvious they had a pretty close relationship. He could only hope that he and his father and mother could have that kind of relationship one day. His relationship with Linda was progressing along nicely, but his relationship with Merrick wasn’t as fluid as he would have liked.

  Merrick sighed. “Yes. It’s unfortunate. I know the Institute was SaraLynn’s life. Mine as well.”

  “Surely that’s not true…”

  “It is, Linda. SaraLynn and I have put everything we’ve had into our magic careers. Neither of us have been very good parents. Of course I didn’t know about Reign until recently, but perhaps even if I’d been in his life, I might not have made a very good father anyway.”

  “Merrick, you can’t know that!” breathed Linda. “I’m sure you would’ve made an excellent father. Luckily you still have that opportunity.”

  Merrick looked across the room at Reign. Something in his father’s face told Reign that the news he was about to hear would challenge that statement. “Maybe. Unfortunately, I’ve made a very difficult decision, which will make fatherhood that much more difficult. Linda, Reign, I’ve decided to leave town with my sister.”

  “Leave town?!” said Reign, jumping off the counter. “You can’t be serious!”

  “I’m very sorry, son. I know we were only starting to get to know one another, but I admit that it’s a selfish reason I have for wanting to go.”

  “Selfish?” asked Linda.

  He nodded. “I don’t think you understand how difficult it’s been for me to know you’re here, but also know that you’re with someone else. I thought I could handle it, but knowing that you’re so close and yet we can’t be together… well, it’s become my own private hell on earth.”

  Linda’s brows knitted together. “Oh, Merrick…”

  “And I know I can’t move on with my life until I get far enough away that I can’t feel your energy every waking moment. Because I can feel it now. You know? Even as far away as our houses are, I can feel it.” He looked over at Reign then. “And I know that’s not fair to you, son. I want nothing more than for us to form a bond, but I can’t do it this close to your mother. There’s too much history there, and too much regret.”

  Reign sighed. He understood history and regret as much as anyone. But he had a hard time understanding how his father could voluntarily leave after finally finding his son. “I wish you’d reconsider.”

  “I’m sorry,” whispered Merrick. “The movers have already packed our things. SaraLynn, BethAnn, and I are all leaving together.”

  “Where will you go?” asked Linda.

  “We’re not sure yet. Hopefully the spirits will guide us to our destined direction.”

  “I’m sorry things didn’t work out between us, Merrick.”

  “I know. I’m sorry, too, Linda. Believe me. It haunts me to this day.”

  Linda walked around the counter and gave Merrick a hug.

  Reign watched his mother and father hug one last time and wondered if he’d ever see his parents unified like that again. The feeling raked across his heart.

  Merrick walked over to Reign who couldn’t seem to get his legs to work. “Goodbye, son. I hope once I get settled, you’ll come visit me.”

  Reign began to speak but found a hoarseness there that hadn’t been there only moments ago. He cleared his throat. “I’m sure I will.”

  “Good.” Merrick clapped Reign on the back and then stood back. He gave a little wave, leaving an awkward silence between the three of them.

  Finally, Linda stepped forward. “Can I walk you out, Merrick?”

  “Of course.”

  Linda shot Reign a tight smile as she l
ed Merrick out of the kitchen, but Reign couldn’t quite manage a smile. While he was old enough to know that his parents would never be together, he’d enjoyed having them both in the same town as he was. That way, he could get to know them both over time and let their relationships unfold naturally. Now he’d have to schedule awkward trips to see his father and aunts. Things would be stiff and uncomfortable, and he wouldn’t be able to just head home for a break when those times happened.

  As he sank to the kitchen’s tile floor, his jaw clenched tighter. A piece of the anger that he’d had all through his childhood seemed to rear its ugly head again. It had been a while.

  He heard the swinging doors make their familiar swooshing sound, and his head snapped sideways to see Holly bursting through them with a rush of bright-lighted energy. She walked around the counter and looked down at Reign just in time to catch the set jawline and seething red glow of anger covering his face.

  “Reign,” she said with surprise. “I’m sorry if I interrupted something. I thought you guys were done in here. I was just going to get something to eat. I’m starving.”

  “It’s fine,” he growled through gritted teeth.

  Holly walked over to him, her head cocked sideways. “Is everything alright?”

  “Yeah.”

  She frowned. “Everything doesn’t look alright. What’s wrong?”

  He was quiet for a moment. He hadn’t let the anger he’d grown up with rise to the surface very often since he’d come to Aspen Falls. He’d put too much effort into connecting with his family and building his business to let that happen. Anytime he’d felt that anger bubble up, he was quick to squash it back down again. He tried once again to push that anger down. “I’m fine,” he said, this time a little more calmly.

  “What happened with your dad?”

  Reign looked up at Holly. She wore a crinkly white blouse that laced up the front. Her bright blue eyes looked down at him intently, and the fluorescent light of the kitchen illuminated her blond hair, giving her an almost angelic glow. And in that moment, the vixen of his sister’s friend group looked sweet and innocent. He knew she wanted to look sexy, but all he could see was a sweet and innocent angel sent to him at exactly the right moment. The moment he needed someone.