I opened my eyes to have him studying me.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “I needed that.”
“Is that so?” he asked.
“You’ve given me more than you know, Logan.”
“I think I understand more than you realize, Triss, and I get why you’re holding back. I don’t want put you in an awkward position, and I feel like I just did.” His eyes were conflicted with the same feelings I was harboring.
“Are we still on for the attic expedition?” I asked, trying to lighten the heaviness that we were both feeling.
“I think the sooner we get off this ladder, the safer we’ll be,” he said, grinning.
“I agree,” I replied and started up the stairs again, leaving Logan balancing on the lower step. Being that close to him was only confusing things for me.
I crawled into the attic batting away at cobwebs while hoisting myself the last little way through the opening. There was only a small amount of light spraying in through the louvers making it difficult to see much of anything, but I had my wind-up lantern and so did Logan, which would hopefully light things up. I don’t know what either of us really expected to find up here.
I scooted away from the opening so Logan could pop in, and he arrived the same way as I, waving his hands at the cobwebs that seemed to be dangling from every direction.
The dust was thick as I slid my way across the floor and a tickle was already beginning in my nose and throat.
“It seems a lot smaller up here than when we were here last,” I said.
“Tell me about it,” Logan replied, ducking in between the beams.
“Oh, my gosh! Look at those trunks! Remember we always wanted to open them up but couldn’t figure out how?” I asked.
He nodded, coming over to stand near me as I had made him promise downstairs. The attic wasn’t nearly as frightening as it was so many years before, but I didn’t want to take any chances and certainly wouldn’t want to be up here in the dark.
“Think we can open this one up?” I asked, wondering what would need to be locked away for so many years. The trunk was dark green and looked as old as the house, and there were several more like it scattered around the attic.
“I’m going to go get a screwdriver. Do you want to come back down with me?”
“Nah, I think I’m okay for the moment. If it was nighttime, it’d be a different story. Just leave your lantern,” I replied, pointing at the small light source he was holding.
Logan set it down and went over to the attic opening and scooted his body down the stairs. It was hard not to notice how muscular his shoulders were from that angle. I let myself drift back to only moments before when he held me so closely. His embrace felt so healing and so right. In those few minutes, I was able to set aside the pain and worry that seemed to plague my existence.
He was downstairs fishing through the drawers, looking for the tools he needed for my latest idea, and I wondered if it really would be bad to let myself fall for him? He was climbing back up the stairs, and I looked away from the opening so that I could let my mind get back to the task at hand.
“One of these tools ought to work,” he said, holding up about five different tools that all looked pretty similar to me.
I slid back from the trunk, allowing him easy access as he attempted to open it.
“Is that a flathead?” I asked.
“Pretty impressive,” he said. “You know your screwdrivers.”
“Growing up with just my mom and I, one of us had to figure it out, and she made it clear it wasn’t going to be her,” I laughed.
While Logan attempted to open the trunk, my mind flitted from one possibility to the next on items that we might find in these trunks. Would jewelry or photographs be hidden inside these, or possibly spells from another era? I had no idea, but the anticipation was getting stronger.
Logan switched to another size flathead and then abruptly turned around.
“Would you mind if I just unlocked it with this?” He whipped out his wand.
“Are you serious? Of course I wouldn’t mind. Hurry up. This is killing me.” I came behind him and rested my hand on his shoulder, and I noticed a small smile briefly grace his lips.
“With my luck it’ll be full of some relative’s taxes or something.” I chuckled.
Logan pointed the wand at the lock and looked at me signaling to take a step back.
“Reserare Metalli!” he instructed.
The lock popped open, and he turned around grinning from ear to ear.
“Why didn’t you just do that in the first place?” I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. “You get more excited this way,” he teased. “It’s fun to see.”
He helped me open the lid on the trunk, releasing even more dust into the air, and I was stunned at what I saw. It really was like opening a treasure chest.
“Oh, my word!” I squealed, backing up into one of the hundreds of cobwebs that were hanging in the attic, and I didn’t even care.
“What is that?” he asked, staring in the trunk.
“I think it’s a dress,” I whispered in awe.
Black silk fabric was puddled in the bottom of the trunk, with layers and layers surrounding a red bodice. It was absolutely beautiful. The girl in me wanted to pick it up and try it on, but I was afraid I might destroy it.
“It would be beautiful on you, Triss.” He leaned over me, examining the garment closer, his hand on my shoulder.
“I wonder if it would fit,” I whispered, running my fingers along the fabric.
“There’s only one way to find out,” he said.
I carefully picked up the dress, worried that I would somehow ruin this treasure and held it up to examine while Logan held the lanterns close to the material. The shine from the black silk skirt was almost iridescent, and the ruffles fell from one layer to the next. The detail on the bodice was gorgeous, with red threading inlaid throughout, and I suddenly wished my mom was here with me to examine this gem of a find.
“There’s more in the trunk,” Logan said.
“Like what, I wonder…” I was completely enamored with the detail on the dress, and I was sure nothing could compare to this piece.
“We can look later. I don’t want to spoil this moment with you,” his smile lit up my heart. How could I be so lucky to have someone care about me so deeply and yet be so conflicted about allowing the natural emotions that kept trying to make their way into my life?
“Okay, turn around and let me put this thing on,” I told him, pointing my finger at him.
“All right,” he teased, frowning at me as he turned around.
“Nice try, Logan,” I said, happy deep inside that he was intrigued enough to want to see me.
Taking off my camisole, I unlaced the corset and slipped the dress over my head, feeling the silkiness glide over my skin. I couldn’t even imagine what I looked like in this dress.
“Okay, today’s your lucky day,” I said, realizing there was no way I would be able to lace myself back up alone.
“I doubt it could get any better than it already has,” his voice low, sending the chills through me again.
“Well, I need help lacing the dress up. I can’t reach it,” I said, grinning. “It’s okay to turn around now.”
I could sense his smile before he even spun around. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, but that was nothing compared to the flutter that was overtaking my belly. Something about being this close to him with this diminutive task began to get me flustered.
“Think you can manage?” I asked, pulling my hair up from my back.
“Absolutely,” his breath hovering over my back as his fingertips softly began tightening each loop, every once in a while skimming my back as he reached for the next lace to tighten. It was almost more than I could handle. I reached out to one of the wooden pillars for support, but my legs still felt wobbly.
“Am I doing it too tight?” he asked in a concerned voice.
“No, no
. Not at all.” I tried to dismiss the feelings that were washing over me. “Just getting comfortable.”
He started laughing and began interlacing the corset even slower, knowing exactly what my problem appeared to be. I tried everything to distract myself, but he seemed to be on to me because with every diversion came another pause over my skin, or he’d help with a piece of hair that fell down by tucking it back in the bundle I was holding. I didn’t want it to end, but I needed it to. He was killing me inside.
“Almost there,” he mused, giving one last tug, but not before his finger and thumb weaved their way against my flesh while he tied everything up. The softness of his fingers sent a thrilling sensation through me.
“Thank you,” I breathed instead of spoke on accident.
“A little flustered there, Triss?” he asked, teasing.
“You certainly know what you’re doing, don’t you?” I asked, scowling at him, but only briefly because the feeling of history this dress presented made me come back to reality.
I felt like I didn’t belong in this dress, like I was invading someone else’s dreams and hopes, but I didn’t want to take it off. I had never been in something so grand. They didn’t even make things like this any longer. I didn’t know when this dress was from, maybe turn of the last century. I just didn’t know, but it was so magnificent.
“Quit fidgeting. You look absolutely breathtaking. It’s like the dress belongs on you,” Logan’s words were filled with the love I felt on the stairs.
“Really?” I asked spinning in it, feeling the skirt widen.
“I was waiting for that,” he laughed. “Come here, my dear Triss.”
His word choice fit the decadence of the dress, and the excitement was building. He held out his hand, waiting for me to grab it. I hesitated momentarily but couldn’t resist playing along, and I held his hand as he brought me toward his body. He began holding me closely in his arms, dancing to the quietness that this location, this moment had to offer. There was no music for us to drift to, only our souls, which were in synch once more.
“You read my mind,” I whispered.
He held me a little closer as our bodies swayed as one, and I let my mind wander to the possibilities that being held in Logan’s arms had to offer. I rested my head on his chest while we danced, taking in everything this moment presented. It was as if I was worlds away from the problems I was facing, and I wanted to stay here.
“You smell absolutely amazing,” Logan whispered, his lips nuzzling my neck softly and creating a tidal wave of emotions inside me. I was on the verge of collapse if he continued this.
“I was thinking the same of you,” I murmured. “Looks like the lemon verbena soap works well on you.”
I sensed a smile spread across his lips as he tightened his embrace a little more, and I let our pretend world up in the attic swallow us up. I didn’t even know how long we held each other until Logan’s words interrupted my thoughts.
“The lanterns are starting to flicker,” Logan said, letting go of me gently.
He bent down and began winding the lanterns up again, and I forced myself to distance myself a little from the overwhelming feelings that were washing over me. I needed to stay on task, and it was getting harder by the minute.
Giving me one of the lanterns, I held it over the chest, and chills ran through me as I saw what else had been thrown in with the dress.
“Logan, look what’s in here,” I said, pointing in a semi-frozen state, not wanting to disturb anything.
Leaning over he picked up what was laying on top, a black wand with a gold tip.
“Wow, this is beautiful,” he uttered in disbelief.
“It really is,” I replied, bending down to see the book that was at the bottom. “Do you think this is a spell book?”
“It has that look,” he said.
The leather-bound book was so heavy I needed both hands to lift it out of the chest. There were so many pages and pieces of papers sticking out from it that it looked like it was constantly used in its time.
“Triss!” Logan exclaimed, his eyes wide.
“What?” I asked, perplexed by his reaction.
“Look what was underneath the book.” He grabbed the spell book away from me so I could see what he was talking about. I felt all the blood run out of my face as I saw the same type of pendant laying in the chest that was used to target me at the Witch Avenue Receiving Ceremony.
“I don’t understand. No one has been here to stick this in the chest,” I said, shaking my head. I grabbed the arrowhead pendant out of the chest and motioned for Logan to follow me out of the attic. I had enough of the surprises that the attic had in store for me. We needed to figure this out. Logan closed the lid on the chest and followed me closely down the stairs as I was careful not to let the dress touch anything that it could possibly snag on.
Holding the pendant, I walked over to the kitchen table and plopped it down on the butcher block. Logan placed the book next to it, along with the wand. Still feeling like a stranger in this dress, I wanted to take it off immediately. I started to feel claustrophobic and needed out of it as fast as possible.
“This looks really old,” he said, touching the pendant. “I’d be more inclined to think that no one placed this in the chest, but rather someone replicated this one for the ceremony.”
“But who knows about this?” I asked, feeling suffocated by the tons of material weighing me down from this dress.
“I’ll be right back. I’ve got to get this thing off of me,” I muttered as the discomfort level began rising too quickly for me to handle.
“Triss, here,” his voice gentle, “you’re going to need my help.”
Sensing my unease, he added, “I won’t try anything. I promise.”
He was a man of his word as his fingers quickly unlaced the corset, with not even the slightest touch of his fingers against my skin.
“Thanks,” I said, holding up the dress in the front and running to my bedroom. The dress fell to the floor and I stepped out of it, wondering why such an odd feeling was creeping up on me by being in this dress. Or was it that pendant? I had no idea, but Logan and I had a lot to figure out. I grabbed some jean shorts that I had rolled up and a tank. They would have to do. I desperately needed to get some laundry done at the Laundromat in town. One of the many perks of being out in the boonies, no washing machine.
Feeling more like myself, I went into the kitchen to see Logan devouring the spell book.
“Find anything good?” I asked.
“More than I would have thought,” he said. “Check this out.”
He pointed at an image that looked all too familiar.
“Is that black magic?” My mouth went dry as I spoke the words.
“Looks like it to me,” he nodded slowly. “That’s not the only page like it. Moreover, there’s a ton of white magic in here too. It’s weird to have both types in the same spell book. Maybe they did things differently back in the day?”
“Beats me, but that’s not comforting to see the same type of image that came after me at the shop sketched in a family heirloom,” I said pointing at the next page.
“Why isn’t this spell book back in the library at the coven? I thought all of these had to be placed in the library?” I wondered.
“Once the books go in, they can’t come out, and whoever put this in the attic wanted the family to be able to access it at any time,” he replied.
“Interesting considering everything,” I said.
“Isn’t it though,” he asked, continuing to look through the spell book.
“There are no coincidences in life,” I uttered. “Guess that saying is true.”
“Usually is,” he said absent-mindedly. “Triss, you’ve got to see this. Your family crest is an arrowhead.
Chapter 25
We were sitting in the field behind our cottage under the cedar tree, leaning against the broad trunk as we flipped through the spell book. The breeze was picking up, and I scoote
d closer into Logan, hoping for some warmth to spread from his body. It smelled like rain was on its way, and I secretly wanted an excuse to stay inside with Logan. It was nice being in close quarters with him.
Logan flipped the page, exposing a drawing with a geographical map behind, and a sketch on top of that that looked like a dream world and reality merging somehow.
“There’s a spell for that?” my voice hushed. “Why didn’t you tell me that we could do this?”
“It’s a form of black magic,” he replied, his eyes guarded.
“But it could locate my mom,” I protested, ignoring the guilt washing over me as I taunted Logan with his past. “Why’s that black magic?”
“If she doesn’t want to be found, you are performing very dark rituals on a person who is unwilling. That’s one of the cardinal sins in our tradition. You know that, Triss.” He refused to look at me, his body stiffened.
“I don’t even know what our tradition is anymore,” I almost choked on the words that were spilling from me.
“So you’d be comfortable doing something like this even if it means visiting black magic?” He was solemn, his eyes missing the brilliance they usually held.
I looked at him unable to speak.
“I’ll perform the ritual. I don’t want you to be any part of it,” he muttered.
My heart shattered as he spoke the words.
“No. I won’t let it be done then. Forget it,” I whispered, shutting the spell book on him. “You’ve done so much for me already, and I don’t want you to go to that side again.”
“You think I want you to experience the darkness?” he asked, his voice cold and distant.
“How could one spell be that bad?” I asked.
“This is a very advanced spell, and I don’t mean advanced like you have to be talented to pull it off, I mean the repercussions from it are far reaching. If done incorrectly, it could actually alter the future of the person it was directed toward. I just,” he paused, “I don’t know how else to put it other than to say it’s extremely dangerous for everyone involved.”
Lonely Souls Page 21
