by Amity Hope
He scoffed. “So you automatically think the worst of me? You think I’d just hurt innocent people? Is that the real reason you came back? Because you couldn’t strip me of my magic before and you think now you can?!”
“Elyse, surely that’s not what you are saying,” Cecily coaxed.
“What I’m saying is that we all need to be attentive to the greater good. Sometimes we must do what is difficult because we know that it is right.” Elyse smiled apologetically at Tristan. I wanted to blast that smile right off of her face. “I wasn’t able to see it through years ago. But you’re old enough now. You know of your bloodline. Surely you understand the dangers.”
I wanted to question her on the validity of that. After our morning with Caleb I doubted her words. They sounded like propaganda from The Council. Considering her apparent familiarity with Eleanor Lebeau I decided questioning our laws in front of her might not be wise.
“And if I don’t want to?” Tristan quietly asked.
She frowned. “I would be incredibly disappointed in you.”
“I don’t think you’ve earned the right to be disappointed in him!” The words shot out of my mouth before I’d had a chance to think them through. They continued to flow without censorship. “You don’t know him at all. You don’t know how kind, how caring he is. You left him when he was four years old! Now you come in here and try to bully him into doing something he does not want to do? And then you have the nerve to tell him you disapprove of his choices when you don’t know him well enough to even understand what he’s basing those choices on?”
“Pardon me, but who are you?” she coldly asked.
I realized that introductions hadn’t been made.
“This is Samara. She’s been my best friend for as long as I can remember,” Tristan said firmly.
“She’s someone who has Tristan’s best interests at heart,” Cecily said. “I’m afraid to say I’m not so sure that I can say the same for you.”
“I’m his mother.” The words sounded like more of a threat than a proclamation.
“In name only,” Tristan grated out. “These two people right here,” he took hold of my and Cecily’s hands, “are the only family that I have.” He cocked his head to the side to appraise her. “Are you here because you think I’m going to leave with you? Are you here to take me away?”
A look that mirrored revulsion flashed across her face. She quickly pushed it away.
“Would you like to live with me?” She sounded oddly curious.
My heart hop-scotched in my chest. It was not a pleasant feeling. This woman could not take him away. I couldn’t help but be curious as to whether or not he wanted that.
“Not particularly,” Tristan said.
“You cannot even contemplate the notion,” Cecily scoffed. “Not at this point in his life. This is his last year of high school. It would be an awful time to take him away.”
Cecily need not worry.
“I said nothing of taking him away. I just felt it was my duty to check in on him.”
“To see how awful I am,” Tristan flatly replied.
“You’re being a bit melodramatic,” she scolded.
“Am I?” He stood, pulling me along with him. He turned to Cecily, ignoring Elyse completely. “Grandma, may we be excused?”
“I think that would be alright,” she agreed. “I think perhaps your mother and I should have a few words.”
“Yes, I think that would be wise,” Elyse agreed.
He barely gave her a second glance. His hand was wrapped around mine. He was squeezing my fingers painfully tight.
“I’ll check in with you later.” He looked pointedly at Cecily as he said the words.
I let him tow me out of the cottage. We climbed into my waiting Comet. I started the car but didn’t pull out right away.
“Are you okay? Never mind. Stupid question.”
He scoffed and looked at me as if he were at a loss for words. His gaze swung to the cottage and then back to me again. “I can’t even wrap my head around what just happened.”
“I know. That was…” I was at a loss for words as well.
“I don’t really remember my mom, or my childhood. I always figured she’d wiped my memory. But what little I did know of her, what Cecily shared, I always pictured her as this loving, meek woman.” He hesitated and shook his head. “That is not the woman I envisioned. I always thought she did what she did because she loved me. Because she wanted to protect me. I’m not sure that lady even likes me.”
“I’m sure that’s not true. This is probably really overwhelming for her, too. Maybe she’s just nervous?” I offered. I wasn’t sure that I believed that. Yet, I had to say something to try to smooth things over. For his sake.
“Or maybe she just dropped me off with Cecily all those years ago because she didn’t want to deal with me,” he glumly speculated.
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“Yeah? Well at least that makes one of us.”
Chapter 19
“Samara! Tristan!” Mom cried as we walked into The Bella Luna. She buried us both in a giant hug. Magnolia rushed over, not wanting to be left out of the mix.
“It’s so good to see you, Tristan,” Mom said. “We’ve all been so worried.” She released us to give me a stern look. I knew she was furious with me for chasing after Tristan. I also knew that she wouldn’t make him uncomfortable by bringing it up in front of him.
“Magpie! I missed you!” I said in an effort to change the subject.
She grinned at me. “That bad man was caught. It’s safe to come home,” she assured me.
“It is safe,” I somberly agreed.
“Where have you two been?” Mom asked. “I thought you’d be here when we got home.”
“It’s a long story. Let’s go sit down and I’ll fill you in.” I led the way into the kitchen. I pulled some glasses out of the cupboard while Mom took out some tea. Mom poured drinks and before she was able to put the pitcher back in the fridge the doorbell chimed.
“I’ll see who that is,” Mom said.
Magnolia scampered after her. I was happy to see that her curiosity overrode the fear that had plagued her the past few weeks.
“I wonder how things are going with Cecily and Elyse,” Tristan murmured.
I had been wondering that myself.
“My guess is that Cecily has been using this time to put Elyse in her place,” I said.
“Leo!” Magnolia’s excited cry carried from the other room. It only increased in pitch when she excitedly shouted, “You brought lemon drops!”
“Alex must be here,” I surmised. Leo was his little brother. He was one of Magnolia’s best friends. I had passed along to Finola that Mom and Magnolia would be home. She must’ve passed along the information to Alex.
The two kids could be heard trampling up the stairs. Mom must’ve sent them up to play so that we would have a chance to talk.
A few moments later Mom strode back into the kitchen. Alex was directly behind her.
He strode in with a purpose. He went directly to Tristan and dropped down in the chair next to him. His concerned gaze scoured Tristan’s face. Tristan sat back in his chair, leaning away from him. He wasn’t used to such scrutiny.
“What?” he demanded.
“How are you doing?” Alex asked.
I bit back a smile.
“I’m fine,” Tristan said.
“You should be getting at least ten hours of sleep a night. Your calorie count for the next week or so should be doubled,” Alex ordered.
“I can remedy at least one of those issues,” Mom said. She went to the freezer and pulled out a box of her famous frosted pumpkin cookies. She magically heated them with her hand before placing them at the center of the table. She quickly returned to the freezer and pulled out a lasagna. “For tonight,” she said.
“Eat some of these,” Alex demanded.
Tristan didn’t have to be asked twice. Three cookies later, Alex lo
oked appeased. He moved on to his next issue.
“I know you haven’t been resting,” he scolded.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Tristan grumbled.
Alex immediately frowned. “What’s happened now? Is it Lebeau?”
“No,” Tristan said. “It’s my mother.”
“Your mother?” Mom asked. She dropped down in the chair next to me.
Tristan nodded miserably as he began to fill Alex and Mom in on the latest development.
“What does she want with you?” Mom asked. Her tone was full of concern.
“She wants me to strip my magic.”
“Mom,” I carefully began, “did you know about the Striga? The Striga here, in Granite Falls?”
Her eyes quickly flicked to Tristan, then back to me.
“Not just Tristan. All of them,” I said.
“All of them?” Her tone was incredulous.
I began to fill her in on all that we’d learned the last few weeks. Alex occasionally interjected information when I was lacking. Tristan listened in glum silence. Mom’s face paled but to her credit she locked any negative comments inside.
Tristan had crossed his arms over his chest and slumped down in his chair. His gaze remained dropped to the table. Despite her agitation over our tale, she continuously cast concerned glances Tristan’s way.
“Did you know this, Mom?” I asked once we’d finished.
“That the number of Striga were so vast?” She shook her head. “I had no idea. You learned this from Riley and Caleb?”
I nodded.
With Tristan in the room she didn’t seem to know what to say. I was sure she didn’t want to offend him. Yet I could see the shock and anxiety over the news that we’d just shared.
“I don’t even know what to say,” she quietly admitted. “I’m quite taken aback by all of this.”
She was saved from having to say anything. Cecily knocked gently on the back door before letting herself into the kitchen.
She smiled at the room. It was full of stress, so unlike her usual smile.
“Renee, I’m happy you’re back,” she admitted.
“Hello, Cecily. Have a seat,” Mom offered.
Cecily did as requested.
“Tristan?” He lifted his gaze to his grandmother. “I am so sorry about earlier. I returned home from my sister’s and Elyse was waiting in the driveway. She told me that she’d heard about what had happened. She demanded to see you. I wish I could’ve warned you.”
“It’s okay,” Tristan said. “It’s not your fault.”
“I had no idea she would be so…” She faded off, searching for the right term. I wanted to offer up “heartless.” She chose, “abrasive.”
“She was that,” I said under my breath.
“Has she left?” Tristan wondered.
Cecily shook her head. “She insisted on staying.”
I reached for Tristan’s hand. “You can stay here. Can’t he, Mom?”
“Of course. Alex said you need to recuperate. We’ll put you in the Linden Suite.” Mom’s tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. “You can stay as long as you need.”
“Thank you, Renee,” Cecily said. “I can’t imagine that Elyse will stay much longer. In the meantime, my cottage is not big enough for both her and Tristan.”
I had a hunch she wasn’t simply talking about physical size, but emotional space.
“You don’t think she’ll stick around?” Tristan frowned as he spoke.
“I don’t believe so,” Cecily said.
“You don’t think she’ll make me go with her, do you?” Even though Elyse had not looked very enthused with the idea, Tristan needed Cecily’s assurance.
“You’ll be eighteen in a few short months. I don’t think there’s any point in her trying to take you away now.”
He nodded in his relief.
Cecily sighed.
“When she came to me all those years ago she was so young. She seemed so terrified. The story she told me seemed legitimate. Her mother had been my best friend but she’d recently passed on. Elyse claimed she had no one else to turn to. She couldn’t go to her close friends or her family because she was sure that they would be under Hans’s scrutiny,” Cecily explained. “I felt I owed it to her mother to help her. If my daughter were in dire need of help, I’d want someone to do the same for her. Besides,” she said as she turned to Tristan, “you were such a sweet child. Such a precocious little thing. It was impossible for Harold and me to say no.”
She sighed and was quiet for a few moments. We all waited in silence, sure that she had more to say.
“It’s hard to reconcile that young, scared girl with the woman who is in my house,” she admitted. “I don’t know if she conned me before, or if the last thirteen years have changed her this much.”
“Time can definitely change people,” Mom said. “Perhaps the life she’s led has hardened her.”
“Still, I can’t help but wonder about her motives. Then and now,” Cecily said. “I have the distinct feeling that I’ve been conned.” She looked at Tristan, grabbed his hand and smiled warmly. “Not that I mind. You have been such a blessing. Such a joy.”
“Why is she on a first name basis with Councilwoman Lebeau?” I asked.
“I’d like to know that as well,” Cecily admitted. “I did ask her. She rather skillfully avoided my question.”
“Why is she sticking around?” Tristan asked. “Does this have to do with my magic? Can she force me to have it stripped?”
It was odd to hear him speak so protectively of his magic. Not that long ago, it had seemed like such a burden to him.
“If you were a few years younger, I may be concerned,” Cecily said. “Stripping someone of their magic is serious business. A petition must be filed. The case must go before The Council.”
I glanced at Mom. This was news to me. Her hands were resting on the table in front of her. They were tightly clasped. I now knew she did not go through the proper channels when she had Magnolia’s power stripped. I understood why. To do so would’ve drawn too much attention to her power, and that was exactly what Mom had been trying to avoid.
If she would’ve gone through “proper channels” Levi likely would’ve gotten to my sister first.
“You’re so close to your eighteenth birthday,” Cecily continued. “I think you could fight it, drag it out if need be. I made sure that she was aware that I would help you fight such a petition every step of the way. I also made it clear to her that while she may be your mother I was the one that raised you. I would gladly testify on your behalf, if it came to that.”
“As would I,” Mom firmly stated.
“None of that even matters,” Alex interjected. “My father would never allow it. Not at this point. After what Tristan just went through, stripping his magic is not an option. His spirit has already been too greatly tampered with. Stripping his magic now would, without a doubt, be detrimental to his mental state. My father won’t allow that,” he repeated.
Some of Tristan’s tension faded away. “Right, wouldn’t want to jeopardize my mental state any more than it already has been.” He smirked as he fought to find some levity in the situation.
“As for why she’s sticking around, I hope it’s because she wants to get to spend some time with you. I hope she wants to get to know you,” Cecily said.
“I will not be holding my breath,” Tristan said.
“I think Tristan has had enough stress for one day,” Alex interjected.
He pulled a vial out of his jacket pocket. It was full of a murky, bluish-gray liquid. He held it out to Tristan. “Drink this,” he commanded.
Tristan took it from him, eyeing it suspiciously. “What is it?”
“It’s a potion that Dad concocted. He’s given it to Bree and Jude. It’ll help you rest. It will also help to ensure that the spell doesn’t unravel. We didn’t go to all that trouble getting you back just so that you could slip away again.” His tone was firm.
His words scared me a bit.
Tristan had been pushing himself too much since we’d gotten back. It hadn’t necessarily been by choice, but things had been stressful all the same.
“Drink the potion,” I encouraged.
He wiggled out the cork and downed the drink.
“My dad has a bit of pull with Lebeau,” Alex said. “Not a lot, but enough to ask for a favor. He’s done some work with her, mostly communicating with spirits around crime scenes. He requested that she back off and give you some space. He told her that your recovery could depend upon it. He knows that she would not appreciate it if word got out that a young resident of Granite Falls suffered at her hands.”
“Even if that ‘resident’ is a Striga?” Tristan’s tone was wry.
“That’s the beauty of the tangled web they’ve woven,” Alex said with a grin. “They can’t let it be known that Striga are in our midst. Not without setting free a can of worms they’ve tried so hard to keep contained. Now,” Alex ordered, “for the last time. Get some rest.”
~*~*~
My hands were full so I gently tapped on the Linden Suite’s door with my foot. I didn’t wait for a response. I used a bit of my magic to turn the doorknob. I used another small blast of magic to turn on the lamp next to the bed.
“Room service,” I softly called.
Tristan propped himself up on his elbow. He smiled at me as I crossed the room.
“Did I wake you up?” I asked.
“No. I’ve just been lying here, thinking,” he admitted.
“That doesn’t sound very relaxing to me,” I scolded. I placed the tray on the table next to his bed.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“Alex said that you should rest. You told me that as soon as you got a chance you were going to take me on a date. A real date. Dinner and a movie. I decided I didn’t want to wait any longer,” I teased. “So I brought dinner and a movie to you.”
“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind.” His smile said that he wasn’t complaining.
“I know. We’ll do the real thing later. I simply wanted to have some time alone with you now.”
