by K. A. Poe
“I am going to assign Castus Abbot to be your trainer,” Artemis said unexpectedly. “You have not been trained to use any of your gifts, and now seems like the perfect time to do so. Being a Telekinetic herself, she may be just what you need to establish whether or not you truly were using Telekinesis.”
“I know I was; I don’t need someone else to tell me. And besides, Mathias was supposed to —”
“Castus Forsythe will not be leaving the force field Castus Whitlock puts around him until further notice. For his own well-being, of course.”
With a sigh, I slumped down on my bed and put my head in my hands. “When will this start?”
“As soon as possible,” he said and started toward my door. “Unless your mother opposes the idea, I suggest no further schooling outside of the witch community for the time being. This is where your priorities should lie.”
Mom went to protest, but shut her mouth. “It is safest this way,” she said in a tired voice. “You could have been killed today ... and if it hadn’t been for that boy ...” She shook her head. “You need to learn to control your gifts, and while I do oppose the thought of you missing out on school, Artemis is right. For now. But don’t think you are done completely … just until you can at least protect yourself.”
I was stunned, yet relieved. Artemis left us alone finally, and I wished I could rush out the door behind him and find Mathias. I wanted to comfort him, to make sure he was okay, to thank him for what he did, and to tell him I was sorry that I’d gone out and risked my life and in turn endangered his. But it was no use. He probably wouldn’t be allowed any visitors.
“Are you still up for dinner tonight?” Mom asked from her bed, where she sat staring at me with the concerned look only a mother could give.
“I ... yeah. Sure. I’ll go.”
“Good,” she said with a forced smile. “I’ll let Jason know.”
How was I supposed to tell her that I was actually dreading the idea? My mom was going out with the man who raised me, when my actual father, and her alleged twin soul, was rotting away in a cell somewhere in Romania. I didn’t know how much longer I could keep the secret, especially if I saw these two together again …
Chapter Seventeen
A bronze candleholder sat in the middle of the table, three flames flickering over the wicks. It seemed out of place in the otherwise ordinary setting. Jason sat across from me, placing his napkin over his lap, and looking at me with concern. It was obvious that Mom had told him everything that was going on at Haven. She sat next to me, her face bright and cheerful despite the circumstances. It was almost as if earlier hadn’t happened. I hated thinking about it, but my adoptive father made her happy, happy enough to forget even temporarily the events from only a few hours ago.
“How’s Uncle Mitch?” I asked, unfolding my napkin and taking out my silverware. We’d already made our orders and were only waiting for the food to be served.
“Good. I’m really happy there with him. It’s like old times.”
I nodded. “And where were you all night, Mom?”
My mom gasped in surprise and almost dropped the full glass of iced water she’d been holding. “I was with Jason and Mitchell. We stayed up late reminiscing and playing some board games.”
“While you were apparently out nearly getting killed,” Jason said under his breath.
“I was fine. I handled it.”
“Mathias handled it,” he corrected with a frown. “Enough of that, though. I’d like a peaceful evening without any further mention of ... anything out of the ordinary.”
“You brought it up, not me. And besides, for me, this is now the ordinary.”
Jason sighed and put his menu down. “You know what I mean, Madison.”
“Whatever,” I muttered as I pulled my cell phone from my pocket, checked for messages, then switched it off completely. “Serena’s out with Zach. He came back from his trip this afternoon. She seems happy at ... where she’s staying.”
“I’m glad,” Mom said. “Has she heard anything about her dad or mom?”
“He’s got a bail or whatever set at an amount that no one I know could ever afford to pay, so Serena feels pretty safe knowing he’s behind bars. I don’t know when the trial is, but it’s pretty obvious he’ll be gone for a long time. It wasn’t like an accident or self-defense or something. And she refuses to talk to her mom still. I don’t really blame her ... for the most part. She cheated on her marriage right there in front of her children.” My mom and Jason gave each other a quick, awkward glance, obviously hoping I hadn’t noticed. “I do think someone should comfort the poor woman after all she’s been through. I mean, even if she shouldn’t have, she obviously liked this other guy. And now he’s gone, her husband is gone, her kids are away and not talking to her. I hope she … I hope she doesn’t do anything stupid.”
“Maybe I could talk to her?” Mom suggested.
“Maybe. Or ... do you think maybe Eila would, Dad … er, Jason?”
Jason looked slightly surprised when I referred to him by a title I hadn’t used in a few weeks, but happy at the same time. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her since we went to pick my things up. She’s been at the bakery, though. That’s a good sign at least.”
“How do you know she’s been there?”
“I stopped in to apply,” Mom admitted sheepishly. “I know it probably sounds bad, but there was a hiring sign up and I didn’t know it was where she worked …”
“Wonder who was fired,” I said thoughtfully.
“Probably Amanda,” Jason said with a chuckle, no doubt recalling the banana crème fiasco. “I can try calling her, if you want.”
“No,” I said, surprising even myself. “I want to do it ... I’ll go and see her.”
“Are you sure, Madison?” Mom asked, sounding uncomfortable with the idea.
“Yeah. She needs to know that I’m okay, and I do miss her ...”
Our waiter showed up right then, and I was thankful that I didn’t have to hear any more about my decision right away; things were getting far too awkward and uncomfortable for all of us. A plate of grilled cheese and fries was placed in front of my mom, a cheeseburger for Jason, and a huge Caesar salad for me. Mom and Jason looked at each other and laughed at some unspoken, inside joke that I tried to ignore.
I sprinkled a handful of croutons over the bed of lettuce and gathered a forkful and bit into it. It was fresh and crunchy, but not entirely satisfying. There were so many options on the menu that I’d been overwhelmed and just settled for something light and easy. Not to mention I didn’t have much of an appetite thanks to the events of earlier and the fact that I was sitting with my mom and adoptive dad who seemed to be becoming more than just old friends.
“Are you okay, Madison? You look a little … off,” Mom said, dipping a fry into her ketchup.
“I’m fine,” I mumbled and poked absentmindedly at my plate of lettuce. “Just thinking about ... today.”
She frowned and nodded. “I know it’s been rough. Artemis will find whatever it is that Mathias needs to get better. And his friend … Tobias, was it? He’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything to hurt himself again.”
“I didn’t know ... I didn’t think that magic could be harmful to its user. Do you think I could hurt myself with mine?”
Mom shook her head. “No. I think there’s something unique about Mathias and all other Shimmerers. Well, actually …” She paused to finish swallowing another fry. “Magic takes a lot of energy. I mean, I was never a witch but … back when I could change into the raven …” She paused again, looking over at Jason for a moment before continuing. “Well … it really drained me. You have to be careful. If you over-exert yourself and pass out in the middle of a fight or something then … well, that’s the end.”
I gulped at her words; they hit way too close to home. Before Mathias had appeared and saved me, I had basically disabled myself with using too much magic. Hopefully, with training, I would be abl
e to do it longer. “How are you affording to pay for this, anyway?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
Jason looked hurt, then glanced over at my mom. She cleared her throat and then exhaled sharply. “There is something Jason and I need to tell you.”
That was never a good way to start a sentence. ‘We need to talk’ was the one thing that always sent my heart into a flurry of pounding beats, regardless how it was worded. It always meant the same thing, and it was rarely ever positive.
“What’s going on?”
“Jason ... got a job last week.”
My eyes narrowed at her. “You told me you were looking for jobs with him just the other night!” I shouted, then sat back in my chair and tried to ignore the stares from everyone around us. “What aren’t you guys telling me?”
“I haven’t been seeing Jason the way you think I have,” she started, then paused when Jason gave her a look. “Not exactly, anyway. When I’m missing at night, I know what you’re thinking ... but it’s not true. Jason and Mitch, they’ve been helping me try to ...”
“To what?”
“To ... to see if I can still become the raven.”
I set down my fork, losing my appetite in all of this. “Why would you even want to do that ...?”
Mom sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I have to face the truth sometime, Madison. If what Hannah says is true, about Liam ... then I need to be prepared for the worst, whether I want to believe it or not. I’d rather go in prepared than convince myself that he’s a perfect gentleman and Hannah’s been lying to me this whole time just to get back at me.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me that, rather than letting me believe … what I thought?”
“I wanted to tell you, you have to believe me. But then Serena came and it didn’t feel like the right time. Then things just got worse from then on ... now felt the safest place and time.”
I looked at Jason. “Is this all true?”
He nodded. “Yes. I got a job at a hardware store. It’s part time to begin with, and just a clerk position, but it feels nice knowing that I’ll be bringing in money again.”
“That’s good ... does that mean you two aren’t ...?”
Jason glanced down at his plate, then up at me. “We’ve gone out a couple of times ... but that doesn’t mean I’m trying to replace Salem.”
“How can you replace someone that is supposed to be dead, anyway?” I said angrily and stood up. “Thanks for the attempt at a nice time out, but it’s not going to work.”
“Madison, sit back down,” Mom said firmly.
“No. I’m done. I’ve had enough stress in the last few days to last me a lifetime. Congrats on the new job, Jason.”
I turned and walked out of the restaurant, instantly feeling regret, but too angry to return.
Maybe it was what I’d discussed with Jason and Mom, or just pure instinct, but my destination after the restaurant surprised even me. The home I had grown up in stood before me, looking the same as when I had last visited aside from the missing Halloween decorations. Jason had said Eila was back at work, but it was late enough that, unless the bakery was swamped, she should be home. Swallowing back my anxiety, I stepped up to the door and reached my fist up to knock. It was strange thinking how any other time before a few weeks ago, I would have simply unlocked the door with my very own key and welcomed myself in without a second thought, but this place was no longer my home.
“M-Madison?” Eila said in surprise, pulling the door open enough that I could see the familiar kitchen. “What are you doing here?”
“I didn’t know where else to go ...”
Her eyes narrowed in concern. “What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know,” I said, hoping the tears I felt stirring behind my eyes would stay suppressed. “Can I come in?”
“Of course ...” She stepped back and let me inside.
The house was tidier than I’d ever seen it. The floor gleamed as though it had just been washed; there weren’t any pots or pans in the sink; everything was spotless. There were a few new pieces of furniture in the living room — a microfiber couch in place of the old shabby sofa we’d had for years, the denim armchair was replaced with one that matched the couch, and any picture that had Jason in it had been taken down from the wall.
“You’ve ... changed some things,” I said, trying to sound neutral.
“Sometimes change is a good thing,” she said with an unexpected smile. “Go ahead and sit down.”
I went over to the couch and sat, finding that the new couch was undoubtedly more comfortable than the old piece of furniture it had replaced. She sat in the armchair with one leg pulled up over the other and studied me closely.
“You look upset,” she said, stating the obvious.
I shrugged. “Things have been a little rough lately.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.” She shifted around uncomfortably. “Do you want to talk about it?”
It was bizarre how only a few days ago she had been a completely different person. She had lost the glow in her eyes that always reminded me of her passion for baking and creating, she had barely spoken to me, and she had been so out of it, it was like talking to a wall. Now here she was, talking to me as if nothing ever changed ... and yet it did. So many things had changed.
“That’s kind of why I came here. I didn’t know where else to go.”
“You are always welcome here, Madison. I know that we’ve been through a lot and that you may no longer think of me as your mother, but I do love you and you’re the most important person in the world to me. No matter what you do or think, you will always be my little girl.”
“I love you too ... and you’re still a mother to me, just not ... ugh. I don’t even know how to explain it.”
She smiled and shook her head, her honey-colored hair shaking along with it. “I know what you mean.”
“Good ... because I am pretty sure it’s impossible to put it into words. But, anyway ... before I start … how’ve you been?”
Eila leaned back in the chair and looked toward the ceiling thoughtfully. “There have been ups and downs; mostly downs. But I’m making it through. Therapy is helping a bit, or should I say the medication? Either way, I’m getting what I need. I realized that what I was doing to you and Alexis was wrong, and that keeping Jason from what he really wanted wasn’t any better. We had been a happy couple once. I believe you were what kept us together, though.”
I flinched. “Don’t say that.”
“I don’t mean it in a bad way. You were the glue that mended our differences and brought us back together after so many times of nearly falling apart. I had thought that maybe after time his feelings for your mom would dwindle and he’d be happy with me, even if he was only settling ... but there are some things that time simply can’t change, love being one of them. Every few years, something would come up to remind him and he’d throw it all back in my face. We kept it hidden from you well enough, of course.” She sighed. “You are lucky to have him in your life, and I was lucky to have him in mine while it lasted. I’ve decided that it’s time to move on from that, something I probably should have done years before.”
“But you were afraid of how it would affect me,” I stated, knowing that it was all thanks to me that the last sixteen or so years of my adoptive parents’ lives weren’t what they’d hoped for.
“Sort of, yes. But, at the same time, I was happy with some of the benefits of being with Jason. His love for you outshone any of his faults, and he devoted everything he had to ensuring your happiness and safety. It rekindled my feelings for him over time, regardless of what he felt for me in return. Our relationship was more of a marriage between friends raising someone else’s child than a marriage built on love and passion ... and I finally realize that. I’m starting to come to terms with it.”
She was rambling now, but I didn’t bother stopping her. It was rare that she talked so much, even before the mental breakdo
wn. She’d bottled up so much and it was time that she got it all off her chest.
“Enough about that, though,” she said, waving her hand dismissively, “tell me why you came here.”
In as steady of a voice as I could manage, I told her all about Serena’s dad and mom, about Cameron’s broken hand — all things she gasped and looked horrified about, having known each of the people involved. I told her how I’d somehow convinced Artemis, without actually convincing him, to let my best friend live at the motel with me and the rest of the Clan. The next part was the hardest. I told her about Mathias. She didn’t really know him, but I made it evident that he was important to me. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat when I brought up the attack from the Nefastus witch, and how Mathias could have gotten himself killed, but she didn’t stop me in order to reply, just let me talk until my mouth was parched and I asked for a drink.
She rose from her seat and grabbed a glass from one of the cabinets. The fridge was emptier than it had ever been, probably because she had fewer mouths to feed, but something inside it caught my attention. On the top shelf was what looked like a can of cat food, and I knew I hadn’t left anything behind from Willow.
“Did you get a cat?” I asked when she came over with my glass full to the brim with iced tea.
She smiled and sat back down. “My doctor said a companion, like a pet, would help. He said that a cat or dog would help me overcome what happened. Living here all alone was a huge part of what was keeping me from recovering ... so I got Oliver.”
To say I was shocked was a complete understatement. I could remember how Eila reacted to the idea of me keeping Willow after Uncle Mitchell brought her over; she wasn’t pleased to say the least. She never liked cats because they shed, they scratched things up, and they have litter boxes, which to her were just germ-infested boxes; I didn’t disagree entirely about the last part. I had to beg for her to let me keep Willow, and it wasn’t until I promised to give up a portion of my allowance to pay for all of her needs that she finally gave in and agreed. That and I said she wouldn’t have to worry about the litter box.
