They were interrupted by the dinner bell, a soft chime that echoed through the house like a doorbell. Alena broke the kiss reluctantly, and Alec planted a kiss on the top of her head, groaning in frustration. “We should probably head to dinner before Bette starts looking for us. Did you warn Eden?”
“Yes. It was the one thing she seemed to agree with me on — not getting on Bette’s bad side.”
“Smart girl.” Alec smiled. He looked forward to seeing Eden again and perhaps uncovering why he made her uncomfortable. He’d never been interested in any of the other mages that arrived at the house, and he knew there was more to his interest than just her beauty. She was like a book he wanted to read, and he looked forward to knowing everything about her.
Chapter Eight
Eden
A soft chiming filled the house. Eden understood its message, which had something to do with the house or Bette. She frowned in the mirror where she was attempting to pull twigs out of her braid. Her attached bathroom was stocked with basic toiletries. She had washed her socks in the sink and hung them over the shower rod to dry and would do the same with her underwear tonight. Sleeping naked seemed somehow less weird than borrowing Alena’s clothes. Wearing the other woman’s clothes just felt too intimate, although she wouldn’t have hesitated if it was Izzy.
Sighing at the dirt smudged on her jeans and the haunted look in her eyes, she turned away from the mirror. The conversation with Alena itched at her like an irritating bug bite. What if Alena was right and she did have magic? Her whole existence would change. She snorted. It wasn’t like she had a fantastic life. What dud didn’t dream of waking up one day and finding out they were a mage or techie? The simple label made all the difference in their society. Every mundane child had the same fantasies. One day, hers had just stopped. The thought that upset her the most, though, was that someone might have gone to great lengths to hide her magic. For some reason, though, the disappointment fluttered away like a leaf on the wind.
She padded down the hall barefoot, nervous anxiety causing her heart to beat faster than usual. Alena and Alec were already there, sitting at opposite ends of the table. She wanted to ignore both of them, but she couldn’t. They were both powerful forces for different reasons, and Eden was attracted to both of them. It made her wish she had dated over the years to decrease the overreaction of her hormones.
Elliott burst into the room from a different door the same time as Eden, breathing hard and looking sheepish, and Mac followed at a more leisurely pace. The twins and Kathy were already seated; Kathy bounced in her seat and called out a greeting to Eden. The pretty young woman who had been soaked in water earlier sat near Alec.
She hesitated, but the only available spot was next to Alena. She sat, staring at the empty table in confusion. The place settings were immaculate, putting Eden’s one chipped plate and mismatched silverware to shame. But there wasn’t any food. After the final person sat, everyone waited expectantly. Eden followed their lead. A low chime sounded and she felt an overwhelming urge to blink. One second, the table was empty, the next it was filled with steaming dishes of food. The change had taken place in the second her eyes were closed. She was glad she was already sitting down, or she might have fallen over.
The food’s appearance seemed to be a sign. Everyone moved at once. They reached for the dish closest to them, filled their plates, and passed it on. It was such a coordinated dance that Eden immediately felt comforted and amused. She accepted each dish as it passed, setting it down in the empty spot in front of her plate so she could pile mashed potatoes, homemade bread, corn, and chicken on her plate. She noted the chicken was cut into bite-size pieces and felt a spark of appreciation for the kitchen angel, who had to be Bette. One of the younger girls raised a brow at the chicken, and Eden instinctively knew the chicken had been pre-cut because of her. Instead of singling her out, though, Bette had done it for everyone.
“So, Eden, what did you do today?” Kathy asked once the dishes had made their rounds. “Do you like the house? How long are you going to stay?” Alena hid a smile behind her glass and Alec laughed. The chuckle was far more sensual than it should have been; a tingle coursed down Eden’s spine.
“Kathy, don’t pester Eden with your questions,” one of the twins admonished the younger girl. Eden couldn’t tell the two apart, but one was bossier than the other.
“It’s ok.” Eden turned to the young girl beside her. “I didn’t do anything except go for a walk in the trees. The house is – uh – interesting. And I have no idea how long I’ll be here.”
“The house is magic,” Kathy said with a bounce. Eden’s brows rose, but she believed the young girl was right. The house did seem magical. Eden didn’t respond, though, sipping her water.
“The food is delicious,” Eden moaned, unable to contain her appreciation. Her steady diet of plain noodles, cereal, processed bread, and protein patties was mere cardboard in her memory. She would gain weight if she stayed, but she couldn’t find it within her to care.
“Bette is magic, too.” Kathy’s statement was punctuated by another bounce. Eden nodded, convinced of the same. The food was terrific, though she noted Bette’s insistence that everyone dine together did not extend to the woman herself.
“So, what’s your affinity?” one of the twins asked after a moment of silence, staring at Eden from across the table.
“Jessie,” Alena hissed.
“Affinity?” she asked, ignoring Alena.
The twin speared a piece of chicken on her fork. “Yeah, you know. Every mage has a specialty that tells how powerful they are. The strongest ones can teleport or do mind control.”
Eden’s eyes widened. She suspected the girl was exaggerating, but no one corrected her. “I don’t know.” She wasn’t willing to mention she didn’t believe she had magic, although the omission felt like a misrepresentation. The twin nodded, not bothered in the slightest.
“My sister and I have telekinesis.” Eden didn’t know precisely what that entailed or where it was on the power spectrum, but the girls seemed proud of it. “Kathy might have some foresight, but her magic is coming in slow,” the twin continued. “Elliott’s affinity is air, no one knows about Mac, and Alena has a lot going on. She’s an excellent magic sensor, and she has a familiar. I think she keeps some of her abilities secret. Oh, and Charity has powers of persuasion.” The twin motioned to the pretty young woman. She seemed to be pouting and hadn’t said a word.
Eden glanced around the table. Mac was playing with her mashed potatoes, moving the food around her plate but not really eating. Elliott looked upset, Charity sulked, and Alena seemed exasperated. Lastly, Eden glanced at Alec. He met her eyes and his full lips curved upward, displaying a dimple in his right cheek. Eden’s stomach quivered again, and her fingers tightened on her fork as she tried to quell her body’s response.
“And Alec’s a techie!” Kathy supplied, far too observant for her age. Alec looked down at his plate, displaying modesty or shyness. Eden found it cute that he looked away when he was embarrassed.
“Not a very good one,” he protested.
Elliott frowned harder. “Being a techie is not a big thing,” he pouted. Though he might be older than Eden, he reminded her of a spoiled teenager. She found herself interested in all the people at the table, their stories, and what had brought them here. It disappointed her when she realized she might not stay long enough to find out. Once they discovered she didn’t have magic, they would kick her out.
“If you don’t know your specialization yet, you will soon,” Jessie continued as if no one else had spoken. “Being around other magic seems to bring out the magic in us. It was why a lot of us didn’t manifest powers until later in life; we were raised around non-magical people.”
Charity dropped her fork, and the clatter made Eden jump. “Can I go now?” Eden wondered who she was asking when Bette popped in from the kitchen. She arrived so quickly, she might have been waiting for someone to address her.
“Not yet, child, you haven’t had dessert yet.”
Charity scowled and crossed her arms over her chest.
“What’s your problem?” Elliott asked her, squinting across the table. The young woman tossed her glossy auburn hair but didn’t answer.
“Alena told her it was too dangerous to go to town to see one of her boyfriends,” Jessie supplied, and Eden assumed she was the gossip of the group. She wasn’t above seeking out the talkative one if Alena started holding out on her. Charity shot the twin a death glare that might have frozen anyone else in their chair.
Alena sighed. “We don’t know what’s going on in town. Someone has been targeting mages, and it’s not safe.” Alena’s voice was exasperated, indicating this had been said many times. Eden focused on her plate. She could be the misguided reason the town wasn’t safe.
Zar plodded into the room, sitting on his haunches by Alena and staring at the woman. Alena’s eyes widened as she stared back. Her eyes darted to Eden and then to Alec. “Bette?” The woman emerged from the kitchen again like magic. A frown creased her face.
“Now?” Bette huffed, though she didn’t seem that upset about whatever was going on. Eden wasn’t the only one watching the interaction with confusion. Bette waved a hand, and the serving dishes disappeared as magically as they had arrived. Their plates were gone, too, which made Eden kind of upset. She had been enjoying the food.
Bette pinned Eden with a look that had her squirming in her chair although she didn’t know why. “You have a visitor that didn’t want to wait until after dinner. If he messes on my table, I’m going to be very upset.”
Eden looked around, but everyone seemed as shocked and surprised as she did. Alena was the only one who appeared to know something. Eden’s thoughts spun. A visitor? Her? Had her enemies found her?
Bette waved her hand again, and the back door swung open on silent hinges. Those seated with their back to the door twisted to peer into the darkness. Suddenly, Charity screeched and ducked, diving beneath the table. Eden couldn’t see anything, but a tingling started in her chest. Zar perked up, wagging his tail happily.
An owl - beautiful, enormous, and silent, soared through the doorway as if his three-foot wingspan wasn’t too wide for the narrow portal. Eden was too transfixed by the beautiful creature to notice anything else, but she heard varying murmurs and squeaks around the table. Huge wings flapped high above the table, ruffling hair and clothes. Eden couldn’t move. She froze in her chair, her heart beating so loudly she swore it was audible to everyone in the room. The creature folded its wings gracefully and landed on the table, right in front of her.
The beast was as white as the snow that rarely fell in Canton, his eyes a bright yellow ringed in black. His tufted feet stepped carefully as he stared at Eden, meeting her eyes with a burning intelligence more fierce and captivating than that of many humans. He was nearly two feet tall, and he stepped deliberately toward Eden. Though she was surprised, she wasn’t frightened. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, just as she knew it was a male and technically a giant, snowy owl. Its beauty and size captivated her. Kathy agreed. The younger girl bounced in her seat, clapping her hands in delight. The others stared in wide-eyed shock from around the table, although Bette still stood in the doorway with a disapproving look on her face. Charity remained under the table, peeking over the edge in fright.
The owl hopped forward, a graceful movement for such a large creature. It stopped mere inches from Eden’s face. It should have been frightening, but his eyes froze her in place. He cocked his head, blinked, and then his beak flew straight for her throat so rapidly no one could follow. When he lifted his head again, a long chain hung from his beak, the moonstone amulet swinging like a pendulum. His powerful beak had bit cleanly through the metal link.
Eden only possessed a couple seconds to process this entire scene before she sat back with a groan, clutching her head. Pain split her skull and her ribcage, centered in both places and connected by a string of fire that blazed down her spine. Darkness narrowed her vision, and she cried out, barely aware of the shriek pulled from her lungs. Her body listed sideways. She felt soft hands catch her before the pain consumed her entirely.
Chapter Nine
Alena
The shriek that burst from Eden’s lungs was pure pain and agony. Alena reacted quickly to prevent the young woman from cracking her skull on the floor. She’d had no idea removing the amulet would cause such disastrous consequences. She sent a pleading look toward Alec. Her position was precarious, and she was having difficulty holding Eden up. Alec stood swiftly and lifted the younger woman effortlessly into his arms. The owl watched them impassively and spat the amulet onto the table like it was a diseased worm.
“No one touches that,” Alena warned needlessly. The mages eyed it warily.
“What the fuck was that?” Charity screeched. The owl shook its feathers and sent the young woman a glare as if her voice seriously affronted its senses.
“This is her familiar,” Alena answered absently, watching the unconscious woman nestled in her partner’s arms. “It broke the spell that was trapping her magic inside her.”
“Ooooh,” Kathy breathed, her eyes as wide as saucers.
“Is she going to be ok?” Alec glanced at Bette. The Brownie was a healer as well as a fantastic cook. Bette shrugged.
“She’s just had several years of suppressed magic flood her system. It will depend on how well her body can cope and adjust.” The owl chirped in agreement but didn’t appear concerned. Zar relayed to Alena that the owl thought the girl was strong enough to handle it; she just needed time.
“Is there anything we can do for her?” Alena asked Bette.
“Go lay her down in the sitting room. I’ll prepare a cold washcloth for her head. I imagine she’ll have a splitting headache when she wakes.”
The sitting room was a good idea. It would prevent the whole group from gathering around her. Alena glanced at the others. “You can all go back to whatever you want to do.” No one moved, still staring at the owl and Eden in turn. Even Mac, usually emotionless, seemed shocked. The minute they left the room, it would explode in speculative chatter.
Alec carried Eden to the sitting room. Though the owl seemed convinced that Eden was all right, Alena worried about the woman’s stillness and the pallor of her skin. She started to follow, but the owl chirped.
“You should take him with you, he’ll want to be around her,” Bette suggested. Alena’s eyes narrowed. How was she supposed to carry a bird? Bette held up her arm, elbow crooked at a right angle. Alena copied the movement, standing close to the table. The owl hopped up with a flap of its enormous wings, settling onto Alena’s arm. Alena winced. Though he tried not to dig his talons into her arm, he still had to grip. She was glad she was wearing a thick sweater. Her arm drooped, though, and she nearly stumbled. The animal had to weigh ten pounds, at least. Her shoulder ached by the end of the hall, and she was relieved when the owl hopped off and perched on the back of the loveseat, its talons digging into the furniture. Alena gave thanks for Zar, a familiar who could move on his own and didn’t rip the upholstery just by sitting on it. Then again, Zar couldn’t fly.
Alec stood over the settee, frowning at the unmoving woman. Her head was propped on the bolster and her feet hung off the edge, but it was better than the loveseat which was too short for her long body. Wispy tendrils escaped her thick braid and framed her heart-shaped face. Her complexion was usually golden sienna, but now it was pale and slightly gray. Her body was entirely still except for the rise and fall of her chest and an occasional twitch. Alena couldn’t imagine the stress her brain and magic had to be undergoing.
Magic to mages was like breathing, something involuntary that could be controlled, but always present. It was external and internal to a person in a way that defied explanation. It also had the tendency to react like a sentient being; Eden’s recovery depended on how well her magic responded to her. Separated from her magic for so long, she im
agined Eden might feel like a mermaid suddenly turning human and coughing up a lungful of ocean water. Just as breathing would feel alien and natural after having exchanged the water for air, Eden’s body would have to adapt to the sensation of the magic.
Bette bustled into the room with a wet washcloth and a wad of cloth in the other hand. She laid the washcloth gently over the woman’s forehead and addressed Alec. “I think you should look at this.” Her words were loaded with meaning. Alec opened the cloth to reveal the necklace nestled in its folds. “I didn’t touch it, but it’s full of spells,” Bette continued, observing Alec.
Alena peeked over Bette’s shoulder as Alec turned it over in his hands, seemingly not affected by holding it. It repelled Alena. She had no more desire to touch it than she would a live snake - and she hated snakes. She knew it would induce nausea if she stepped any closer to it and wondered if that was one of the spells Bette had sensed.
Alec’s indrawn breath was sharp. “It’s tech.”
“What?” Alena’s voice was nearly as shrill as Charity’s.
Alec’s usually calm blue eyes were surprised and excited. “It’s tech.” He turned the amulet over and indicated the back casing. Alena squinted, pushing down the bile that rolled in her stomach the closer she came. She didn’t see what Alec saw, but that wasn’t surprising. Tech had always eluded her. She could manage a basic cell phone and drive a car, but that was her limit. Alec handled all her computer work for her job. “Look.” Alec pointed to a small green square. It was so tiny, it was practically invisible. “It’s a tiny computer chip.” Awe and suspicion vied for supremacy in his tone.
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