“What’s the catch?” That sounded way too easy. I’d expected her to want my soul or my first-born child.
“There’s no catch. Come meet the other witches. You can decide whether you want to stay or leave. I won’t force you into a decision.”
I stared at her, thinking about what she’d said. Her request seemed straightforward, but there had to be a catch. “You promise I only have to go there and meet them. I can leave afterward?”
“I promise.”
Although I didn’t trust her or this deal, I had no choice. I needed her to help Mom.
“Okay,” I replied. “I’ll do it.”
She pulled a needle from her bag and pricked the tip of her index finger. “You need to do the same.”
“I thought you were kidding about a blood oath.” I pricked my index finger, feeling a quick pinch, then held up my hand to show her the tiny drop of blood that had formed.
“Whatever you do, don’t move your finger.” She pressed her index fingertip against mine, muttering a few words under her breath. A burning sensation erupted in my index finger. “Do you swear you’ll come to Dover to meet the High Council and the other witches?”
“Yes, but only if I can choose whether or not I want to stay.”
“Agreed.” Her lips slowly curved up. “We leave tomorrow.”
“No,” I said just before she pulled her finger away. A red ring appeared around my index finger. “What the hell is that?”
“It’s a blood oath reminder. Don’t worry, it’ll disappear once you meet the High Council.”
“You tried to trick me,” I sneered.
“You’re lucky you said no before we broke the link. We’ll talk about your trip to Dover later. Right now, I need to help Nells.” She slid the hunting knife and bowl toward me. “Now it’s your turn. Fill the bowl with your blood.”
I shook my head. Did she really expect me to cut myself? That made no sense. “I don’t understand. You said Kaleb’s bloodline is powerful. Shouldn’t we use his blood?”
“No.” She tilted her head, studying me. “You still haven’t figured out who your birth mother is?”
I swallowed hard, not wanting to hear her admit the truth. She was my biological mother. That’s how she knew I was a witch. A mother would know their daughter anywhere. “You’re saying a witch’s blood is powerful too?”
“Not just any witch’s blood,” she replied. “Your bloodline is strong like Kaleb’s. It stems from the original curse. You’re Marie Dinescu’s daughter.”
Chapter 21
I stared down at Mom lying in the hospital bed, refusing to believe what Calandra had said. She must be lying. Marie Dinescu could not be my biological mother. “I can’t be. She’s the crazy witch who burned down her house. She—”
“She wasn’t crazy,” snapped Calandra. “You should be proud to be a Dinescu. It’s a powerful bloodline and well respected among our kind.”
“You’re lying.” I shook my head as tears welled up in my eyes. “Garrett told me the truth. You’re my biological mother.”
“Garrett said I was your mother?” She smiled. “Trust me. If you were my daughter, I wouldn’t have abandoned you.”
I glanced at the blood oath reminder on my index finger, still refusing to believe what she’d said. The Romanies rarely talked about Marie, so I didn’t know much about her. “No one mentioned Marie having a baby. She lived alone and—”
“You’re right. I was one of her closest friends, and even I didn’t know about you.” Calandra picked up one of the chairs and placed it next to me, alongside Mom’s bed. “Please, sit.”
“But if you didn’t know about me,” I said as I took a seat, “then how can you be sure she’s my biological mother?”
“I have the rare ability to read minds and see into the past.” Calandra opened the vial with purple liquid and poured a few drops into the bowl. “That night at your house, I read Nells’ mind and saw the past. Marie gave you to Nells. They made a deal, but I don’t know the specifics. All I know is Marie didn’t want you to stay in Woodlake, and she trusted Nells to raise you. She told her to keep you safe, and she put a binding spell on your powers until your eighteenth birthday.”
I slumped in the chair, feeling drained. Mom had left her family and everything she knew to keep me safe. It didn’t matter that Marie had given birth to me; Nells would always be the mom who’d raised me and loved me unconditionally. Just like my dad. “Do you know who my father is?”
“She dated a few warlocks from the coven, but I’m not sure who she was seeing before she died,” Calandra replied. “Don’t worry. You’ll get your answers when you meet the High Council. Someone will know who he is.”
“So, my biological father’s a warlock?”
“Yes. Marie only dated warlocks.”
“That means I’m not half-Romani,” I mumbled to myself as I rubbed my temples, wishing this was all just a dream. “I don’t understand. You said she bound my powers until my eighteenth birthday. That was last month. But I still don’t have any powers.”
“You will.” She opened her bag again and looked inside. “When did you start having headaches?”
“About a week after my birthday party,” I replied. “What do the headaches have to do with this?”
“They mean the spell’s wearing off. They occur a few weeks before the spell’s end date. It’s why basic spells and potions won’t work on you right now.” She opened a cabinet and took out some gauze, which she placed on the table. “Nells wouldn’t have known what day you were born, so she must have picked a date.”
“I’m not eighteen yet?” I stared at Mom in disbelief. All these years I’d been celebrating my birthday on the wrong day.
“There must have been other signs. Has anything happened recently that you couldn’t explain? Maybe something you chalked up to good luck.”
“Yes! When I killed Lexi.” My face flushed hot. “My hunting knife fell on the front porch, but it appeared in my hand when I needed it. We were in Marie’s yard, and I thought it was her ghost helping me.”
“That would have been your powers starting to manifest. Look, I know you have a lot of questions, and I promise to tell you what I can, but we need to finish this spell.” She handed me the knife and held out the bowl in both hands. “Don’t cut too deep.”
I winced as I sliced the palm of my hand and made a fist, letting the blood drip into the bowl. Once I’d filled the bowl, I grabbed the gauze and pressed it against my palm.
“You’ll need to wrap your hand.” Calandra walked around to the other side of Mom’s bed. “This spell will heal any damage from the accident, but it won’t remove her cancer.”
“That’s okay. She’s in remission now.” I pulled a bandage from one of the drawers and wrapped my hand as I watched Calandra out of the corner of my eye.
She lifted the side of Mom’s hospital gown and ran her fingers along the sutures on her stomach. Then Calandra dipped her fingers into the bowl and smeared blood over the sutures. Next, she used the blood to draw what looked like an infinity symbol on Mom’s forehead. She repeated this process until the blood mixture was almost gone. Within seconds, the blood had disappeared from Mom’s wound and forehead.
I sat and covered Mom’s hand with mine, noticing how much smaller her hands were. When she used to push me around the grocery store in a shopping cart, people had always mistaken her for my nanny. How had I failed to see how different we were?
“Take this blood I give you.” Calandra placed a few drops of the mixture on Mom’s lips. “Accept it and heal.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.” Calandra walked into the bathroom to rinse her bowl and came out wiping her hands on her skirt. She placed everything back into the bag except for the vial of purple liquid, which she held out to me. “There’s not much left, but if she doesn’t wake up tomorrow, use your blood and repeat what I just did.”
I shook my head, refusing to take it. “I’m not a witch lik
e you. I can’t—”
“Trust me, you can. You’re as capable as any witch I know. You just have to embrace your bloodline.” She placed the vial in my hand.
“Why can’t you stay and do it?”
“I can’t. The wolves have given us until tomorrow to leave.” Calandra put her bag back down on the table and placed another chair on the other side of Mom’s bed. She sat, watching me as I tucked the vial into my pocket.
“Garrett’s leaving too?” I swallowed hard. Garrett hadn’t said anything about leaving town. Was that why he’d insisted on coming to the hospital again tomorrow? He wanted to say goodbye.
“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “Garrett’s good at charming the ladies and making promises, but you can’t trust him. He’s loyal to his mom, and she won’t be happy to hear you’re Marie’s daughter. She and Marie hated each other. You mustn’t tell him she’s your mom and you can’t tell the wolves. They’ll kill you if they find out.”
“That’s not true. Kaleb loves me. He wouldn’t—”
“Don’t be a fool. He’s a wolf.” She took a deep breath, leaning back in the chair. “Nells told me you used a love spell on Kaleb. She said you found Marie’s grimoire at her house and you were just messing around. Is that true?”
I frowned. What the heck was a grimoire and why had Mom lied? I’d already admitted I didn’t have any powers, but Mom must have a good reason for lying to Calandra. “Yes, but I didn’t know what I was doing.”
“Maybe not, but you used a spell on an olden, and it worked. A lot of witches have tried that same spell and failed.” She stared at the wall behind me as if choosing her next words carefully. “Is it true he claimed you?”
“Yes, but…” I hesitated, not sure if I should tell her about my mark disappearing, but maybe she’d know why. “His mark disappeared a week ago. Do you know why?”
“No. Love spells can be tricky. You should never mess around with them unless you’ve had the proper training. Have you completed your bond?”
I lowered my gaze in embarrassment. Why did everyone think it was okay to ask if Kaleb and I had slept together? “No. We’re waiting until we get married.”
“The love spell must be wearing off, which means you need to leave town. You cast a spell on an olden. That will impress the High Council but anger the wolves, and that puts you in danger. I insist you come with us tomorrow. The witches will protect you.”
“I can’t leave town.” I shook my head, not caring what she thought. “Not until I tell Kaleb the truth. I owe him that much.”
“Are you crazy? What do you think he’ll do when he learns you’re a witch?”
“He’ll understand. It’s not like I lied. I didn’t even know Marie was my biological mom,” I insisted. It made sense. Kaleb couldn’t blame me if I hadn’t known at the time.
Her lips twisted. “Are you in love with him?”
“Yes.”
“It will never work. You’re a witch and he’s an olden. And Kaleb’s not just any wolf. He’s the next alpha leader of the Norwood Pack. He won’t accept you. He can’t—”
“That’s not true.” I shook my head, refusing to believe her.
“You couldn’t go to Norwood Isle even if you wanted to.”
“Why not?” My voice cracked.
“Kaleb’s grandfather made a deal with a warlock. He used dark magic to put a barrier spell around Norwood Isle. Witches can’t go anywhere near the island without getting sick. If you step one foot on Norwood ground, you’ll die.”
I swallowed hard. Well, that explained what I’d assumed was a panic attack. “There must be some way to break the spell. Can you—”
“No. Dark magic is dangerous, and Asher would never agree to removing the spell. He’s not particularly fond of the witches.” She pulled out another vial from her bag. “I don’t agree with you telling him, but it’s clear you won’t listen to me. You’re stubborn like Marie. If you do tell him, pour this into his drink. It’ll incapacitate him for a few hours. Plenty of time for you to get away when he gets angry. He also won’t be able to shift.”
“Thanks.” I tucked the vial into my other pocket, hoping I didn’t need it. “Can you do me a favor?”
She narrowed her eyes. “What kind of favor?”
“Can you put a blocking spell on our living room?”
“I’ll take care of it before I leave town, but I don’t like leaving spells open. You’ll have a week of privacy, so tell him soon.” She ran a hand down her skirt, smoothing it. “Do you have any other questions?”
I sighed, letting everything sink in. “What did you mean my bloodline’s like Kaleb’s? That it stems from the original curse?”
“Your ancestors created the shapeshifters. That’s why it’s important you tell no one Marie’s your birth mom. They’ll find out soon enough.”
Great. Not only were my biological parents both witches, but my ancestors had created shapeshifters like Kaleb. Could this situation get any worse?
“You said you and Marie were close friends, and she wasn’t crazy like everyone says. What do you know about her prophecy?” I asked. “The one the Elders are worried about. Do you think that’s why she gave me away?”
Calandra’s face paled and she sat up straighter. “I don’t know why Marie gave you away, but she must’ve had a good reason. You should ask Nells when she wakes up. She might know. Whatever it is, I’m blocked from seeing it.” She paused as if trying to decide what to say next. “Marie’s prophecy speaks of a powerful witch slaying a beast’s heart and building an army. An army so strong, even a pack of oldens couldn’t defeat them. But the prophecy has nothing to do with you. The High Council has already identified the witch, and she’s being trained to fight this beast when the time comes.”
She stood, grabbing her bag’s leather straps. “I’m sorry to rush away, but I didn’t know you’d have the wolves drag me here. I have things I need to take care of before I leave town. We’ll talk more when you come to Dover.”
“Wait, there’s one more thing.” I covered Mom’s hand with mine. “What will happen to her?”
“If the Elders find out about Nells’ deal with Marie, they’ll banish her. They’ll force her to leave and she’ll never be allowed back.” Calandra looked down at Mom. “I know how much she means to you, and I’m willing to help. I have a friend in town. She’ll convince the Elders your mom was under a spell. She’ll tell them Nells knew nothing about you being a witch and that I’m your biological mother. But you can’t stay here. Your powers will surface, and you need to learn how to control them. Your only choice is to join the coven. We’ll teach you everything you need to know.”
“That’s why you made me perform the blood oath. You want me to stay with the coven.”
“Yes, but I won’t force you to join. That’s up to you.” She walked to the door. “Don’t send the wolves after me again. You have what you need. I won’t come willingly next time.”
“I won’t. Do you need a wolf to escort you? I can—”
“No. I’m better off on my own.” She opened the door and glanced back over her shoulder. “The spell on this room will fade the day after I leave town. Don’t forget.”
“I won’t,” I replied as Calandra left the room.
Mom’s machines beeped as I stared at the red ring around my index finger. A reminder of who I really was and how soon things would change.
Chapter 22
The next morning, I woke in Mom’s hospital room to find myself pressed against Kaleb’s chest. We lay on a recliner that folded out, and he had one arm wrapped around my waist. Garrett slept in a chair by the door, his head tilted back and his arms folded across his chest. I slowly lifted my head and rubbed my eyes, making sure this wasn’t all a bad dream.
“Hey.” Kaleb’s arm tightened around me.
“Hey.” My lips parted as I looked at him. “How did this recliner get in here?”
“I moved it from the staff lounge. You looked uncomfortable in the cha
ir.” He frowned, his gaze drifting to Garrett. “He showed up this morning and wouldn’t leave.”
“You let him stay?”
Kaleb cleared his throat. “I thought you’d want to see him.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled, glancing over at Mom when she stirred in her bed. The color had returned to her cheeks, and her breathing sounded normal.
“The doctor checked on her an hour ago,” Kaleb said. “They can’t believe how well she’s recovered from surgery. She’s going to be fine.”
“Really?” I turned and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Thank you. If it weren’t for you getting Calandra, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”
“I’d do anything for you.” He ran a hand down my back. “Does this mean you forgive me?”
“Yes, but we need to talk. Can you come to my house tonight?”
“Today’s the fourth of July. How about we watch the fireworks and then go to your house?” Kaleb asked.
“Okay.” I’d forgotten about the fourth of July celebrations. Customers at the café had been talking about it last week, but I hadn’t paid much attention.
“Don’t you two look all cozy?” Garrett stretched out his legs and unfolded his arms.
“Hey, Garrett,” I said as Kaleb eased the recliner back into a sitting position. I shifted, resting my legs over Kaleb’s.
“Can we talk? In private.” Garrett’s gaze dropped to Kaleb’s hand on my hip.
I glanced at Kaleb, who didn’t look thrilled at the thought of leaving me alone with Garrett. “Maybe we should—”
“Sienna,” Mom called out.
I jumped up and rushed to her side. I wanted to hug her but was afraid I’d hurt her, so I touched her hand instead. “Mom.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve…” Her eyes widened as she looked from Kaleb to Garrett.
“It’s good to see you awake. We were worried.” Kaleb pushed a chair over to me. “We’ll be in the hallway. You two need a chance to talk.”
“Thank you, Kaleb,” Mom said as I sat in the chair. “You’re such a sweetheart. Always taking care of us.”
Romani Witch (Shifter Blood: Romani Curse Book 2) Page 15
