by K. A. Poe
Noah looked triumphant. “I helped.”
“The hell you did!” I shouted and set the phone to redial Serena’s number.
“Hey,” she said, sounding a little snuffly but otherwise calmer.
“I’m so sorry about that,” I said, continuing to glare at Noah as he walked back toward the motel with a satisfied grin on his face and began to whistle some tune I was unfamiliar with. “He just snatched my phone and ran off with it.”
To my surprise, she laughed. “It’s fine.”
“What? No, it isn’t ...”
“Really, Madison, it’s fine.”
“What exactly did Noah say to you ...?” I asked warily.
“He offered to come to Thanksgiving as my replacement date.”
“Oh, God, you have to be joking ... and you said yes?”
Serena seemed taken aback, if not annoyed, by my comment. “Yeah, I did. Do you have a problem with that?”
“No ... it’s just that ... I don’t know. It’s Noah. I don’t trust him ...”
“Why not?” She sounded angry and offended now. “He’s never done anything to you or anyone else!”
“I don’t know,” I muttered uneasily as I made my way down the alley way. “There’s just something about him that I don’t trust. I get this bad feeling ...”
She sighed. “Whatever. He’s coming as my date.”
I sighed in defeat; there would be no talking her out of this. As stubborn as my aunt and everyone else thought I was, Serena was twice that. I wasn’t even sure what it was about Noah that made me so uncomfortable. There was silence between the two of us, which only made the walk through the slippery alley even more nerve-wracking.
“Look, I have to go, I —”
“Serena, I’m sorry,” I interrupted. “I shouldn’t have acted like that. It’s just ... I don’t know ... you’re sure you’re okay?”
“It’s okay. I’ll be okay. I just need some time.”
“Okay …” I said, although I wasn’t sure if she meant that she needed time to heal from the breakup with Zach or time to forgive me about Noah. Possibly both.
“See you tomorrow,” she said and hung up.
The motel was cozy and warm when I re-entered the building and shook the snow from my shoulders. The lobby was still occupied, only Noah was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Lydia, Forrest and Elijah now filled the space. It had been a while since I’d seen Eden around Haven, but I assumed she wouldn’t be around much until she became completely initiated into the Clan. I paid little attention to any of them, scarcely bothering to wave in their direction as I passed by and headed toward my room; I wanted the day to be over with already, although I wasn’t entirely looking forward to the upcoming holiday, either. It was going to be tense and weird. My family was a total mess and I wasn’t sure how my mom and Eila were going to get through the day without tearing at each other’s throats – if she even came – not to mention the strangeness of adding Serena and the other witches to the mix.
Mom was on her bed with Willow nestled on her lap when I reached my room. It was relieving to see her in there. I ran to her bed and without even a second’s hesitation, laid down next to her, and rested my head on her shoulder. A smooth, gentle hand came up and caressed my cheek and Willow looked grumpily at me for taking away the attention she’d been getting.
“Is everything okay?” Mom asked and shifted to where she could put her arms around me.
I told her all about Mathias and how much it was stressing me out not being able to help him. Then I filled her in on the situation with Zach and Noah and how I thought it was weird. She didn’t seem to find it as weird as I did, though.
“Are you going to be there tomorrow?” I asked hesitantly, almost certain I knew what she’d say.
“I don’t think it’s the best idea if I go. I know that Jason thinks it’ll be okay, but I really think it’s smartest if I stay out of it. And besides, I’ve kind of shunned holidays and pretended they don’t exist for a long time now. After being unable to spend them with Salem ...” She paused and I was certain I’d heard her sniffle. “It just doesn’t feel like anything to celebrate to me anymore. That’s all.”
“But I’m here now …” I mumbled. “But I understand.”
“I can’t even remember what holidays are like,” she said lightly. “Being surrounded by the people who love you, creating treasured memories with them ...”
“You know what?” I said, sitting up and grinning, “I have an idea.”
I summoned a spread of typical Thanksgiving food — just enough for the two of us. A platter of sliced turkey, a bowl of cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, rolls, and a pumpkin pie. She came over to the table and sat down across from me and looked both unhappy and joyful at the same time.
“You are so similar to your father that it is like looking into the past,” she said sadly, then smiled. “He really would be proud of you.”
We both dug into our food without another word. I had very little appetite but forced myself to keep eating and making the moment feel as pleasant and peaceful as possible for my mom. It was my way of giving her a Thanksgiving holiday with me without the craziness of the next day. I could definitely understand why she didn’t want to spend the day with Jason and Eila, it would have been beyond weird; it probably would have set back any progress those two had made, also. I was just glad that I could selfishly enjoy the time alone with her now without any interruptions.
After we ate and I cleared the mess of empty dishes, I fed Willow and readied myself for bed. As I lay down under the covers, I glanced at where my mom was on her own bed, reading an old-looking copy of Moby Dick, and found that the photograph of her and my dad was back in its original spot. I smiled, and for the first time in a long while, fell into a peaceful sleep.
When I got up the following morning, Mom was still asleep in her bed. I quietly went to the bathroom and got ready, deciding that my first choice of a pale blue long-sleeved velvet dress was a little too much and settled for just a casual black skirt and crimson top and black tights. I put on a layer of light makeup and set my hair in a messy bun before heading out of the room. My first destination was Mathias’s room. The door was locked but I used the Telekinesis trick Alan had pointed out and forced my way in. He was asleep and looked paler than he had before — if that was even possible — and all I could do was stare at him through the translucent shield that protected him from himself. With a frown and the fear of possible tears, I stumbled out of the room and headed to find Serena.
I knocked, but when no one answered, I tried the knob; the door was locked. I assumed she was probably showering and getting ready, but at the same time I had a bad feeling that Noah could be in there with her and I was disgusted by the thought. Shaking that idea from my head, I contemplated opening the door the same way I had Mathias’s, but thought better of it. Next, I checked Artemis’s room, and was disappointed yet not entirely surprised that he was still away. His absence made me remember Hannah’s promise. She had one more night.
I found Lydia coming out of her room and said hi; she only waved, which was more than I expected from her. She likely was only going along with us to vicariously have a family during the holiday, which was perfectly fine by me. She needed it; I could see it just by looking at her. We walked in silence together into the lobby and found Alan with his back facing us as he looked out the windows. He was dressed impeccably of course — a black thermal shirt tucked neatly into his dark jeans and a navy blue wool scarf wound around his throat. He turned toward us and smiled, then seemed to realize we were short two people.
“Where’s Serena and Castus Palmer?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Let’s just go ahead and go. Maybe they’ve already left.”
He nodded and opened the door, holding it for us as we passed through. Snow covered the driveway again in a thin layer, but thankfully nothing new was falling and the air wasn’t ungodly cold. Serena’s car was still parked in the lot and i
t made me even more suspicious that she was in her room with Noah. Alan had offered to drive us there, but we all agreed that with the weather conditions, it would be safest to walk.
When we got to Eila’s house, I reminded Alan and Lydia to not use their magic — that Eila may freak out about it. They said they had assumed she knew that I was a witch and I explained that she did but it wouldn’t stop it from reminding her of what’s going on with how I’d left the house, her teetering marriage, my mom, and everything else that came along with it. They silently agreed and followed me inside.
The house was warm and inviting. Alan discarded his scarf in the front closet and followed me to the kitchen where I was surprised to find Jason and Eila working together at the stove and talking like nothing had ever happened. I could sense the tension between them, though, even from across the room. I introduced Alan and Lydia to my adoptive parents and we began setting the table; I helped stir the mashed potatoes and added in some garlic to give it more flavor. The kitchen was bustling with movement and quiet conversations, some of which I picked up on. Jason was relaying some things to Eila about his job at the hardware store, while she filled him in on some of the on-goings at the bakery. Alan assisted Jason with glazing the ham, which would be done cooking after caramelizing in the oven for thirty more minutes. Lydia kept to herself, mostly observing from the other room — no one minded; I’d explained her condition for the most part before we’d shown up.
Uncle Mitchell showed up about twenty minutes later, wielding a dish of his homemade sweet potato casserole. He shoved it in the microwave before coming straight over and giving me a big, warm hug.
“You look good,” he said and lowered his arms.
“Thanks,” I replied and introduced my two friends before returning to help in the kitchen.
Eila came over and gave me a hug when she was done cleaning up some of the mess that had been made. “I’m so glad you came. It wouldn’t have been the same without you and your da-Jason,” she said and then looked around the room, seeming to count all of the attendees. “I thought Serena was coming?”
I sighed and shrugged. “So did I ... but I guess not.”
It had been almost two hours since we’d arrived, and I was losing hope that she’d ever show. As though Eila’s question had summoned them, the doorbell rang and my adoptive mom went to answer the door. I could hear Serena laughing about something and I turned away from watching Jason remove the ham from the oven and saw my best friend playfully smack Noah’s chest. Annoyance and anger heated underneath my skin and I clenched my fists at my side.
“Oh,” Eila said, looking at Noah in surprise, “who is this?”
I made my way across the room and to her side. “That’s Noah ... he’s from Haven too.”
Eila’s smile faltered briefly then came back. “Well, welcome, both of you. Come on in, you’re right in time for the best part.”
Noah and Serena came walking in hand-in-hand, both of them grinning happily and I felt a brief twinge of guilt at my annoyance toward them. We all sat down to eat a few minutes later. The tension between Eila and Jason was notable every now and then, making me a little uneasy, but it quickly settled and things went on as though nothing had been said. At one point, Jason asked her where the autumn-themed salt and pepper shakers were, and Eila snapped back saying that had she had help digging through the boxes to set them up in time they would be there. Jason just sat there, taken aback, but surprisingly let it slide.
When I scanned the table and the people surrounding me, I felt a sudden wave of dizziness. My mom should have been in one of the empty seats. So should have Mathias. And my dad. I forced myself to focus on what was going on around me and pulled myself away from my thoughts as much as I could, but it wasn’t easy. Eila asked how things were going at Haven, which surprised me, but she seemed oddly at ease with the topic of magic and how I’d learned that I could use my mind to move objects. She even had me show her by magically passing her the gravy boat for her mashed potatoes. I wondered if it was the medication she had mentioned before that was causing her to be so … different.
Noah and Serena sat at the far end of the table, flirting quietly throughout the entire meal, and often laughed at things that no one else heard. I cringed at them and tried again to pay attention to anything else I could.
Dessert finally came and I was shocked that Eila hadn’t made a cake or pie — instead we just ate Uncle Mitch’s sweet potato casserole. It was delicious, but that was no surprise; it always was. I’d only managed to get a forkful into my mouth, though, when my phone suddenly started buzzing. I set down my silverware and took the phone out of my bag, not recognizing the number, even though it was the same area code. With a shrug, I hit ignore.
“Who was it?” Eila asked curiously, spraying some whipped cream onto her casserole.
“I don’t know ... wrong number I’m guessing.”
I went to take another bite but the phone rang again. The same number displayed on the screen. Once more, I hit ignore, only this time it rang immediately afterward.
With a sigh, I hit accept. “Hello? Who is this? I’m trying to —”
The voice at the other end interrupted me without hesitation. “Madison, I am sorry to bother you. I did not know who else to ask.”
I blinked and glanced at the phone in surprise before putting it back to my ear. “E-Ezra? Is that you?”
“Yes. Again, I do apologize.”
Now I felt a little worried, although I wasn’t sure why. “What is it?”
“Hannah ... your aunt. Have you seen her by chance?”
“No . Was I supposed to?”
“Well, no, I don’t believe so. It is just that after you visited the other day, she left and has not returned since.”
My hand shook nervously and I became suddenly aware that everyone was staring at me.
“She is a very independent and strong woman, as you well know, but ...” There was a pause. “She has left before, for days, even weeks at a time ... but she always at least leaves me a note to let me know, or a call.”
I swallowed hard. “I haven’t seen her.”
“If you do, please either contact me or have her do so. Thank you, Madison. Again, I apologize for the interruption.”
He hung up and I had the sudden realization that Hannah must have gone to the Nefastus’s lair on her own immediately after talking to me. If that was the case and she still wasn’t back ... then she could be dead for all I knew. And it was my fault.
I stood up without even realizing it, my phone gripped tightly in my hand. Eyes were staring at me in confusion and surprise and I slowly sat back down, my heart threatening to jump out of my chest.
“Madison?” Eila said worriedly.
“Huh? What?” I asked, barely even comprehending that I was actually speaking; my mind was elsewhere.
“Who was on the phone?” Jason asked. “Is everything okay?”
I shook my head and stood back up, my feet wobbling beneath me. “I ... I have to go.”
“What? You’re not going anywhere, Madison,” Jason stated. “This is Thanksgiving dinner ... whatever it is, it can wait.”
I looked over at Jason and caught a glimpse of Alan in the chair beside him. He looked at me with uncertainty. I suspected he thought the phone call was about Mathias.
“No, it’s not that,” I said in a hushed tone toward him. He looked conflicted but seemed to understand what I meant. Then I pointed across the table at Noah, who had stopped playing with Serena’s hair finally, “You. You’re coming with me.”
“What?” Serena said. “No, he’s not.”
I didn’t take my eyes off of him as I walked around the table and grabbed him by the arm and forced him up from his seat. He shrugged loose from my grip and stared at me, perplexed and annoyed. “Whoa, whoa. If anyone is deciding what I am and am not doing, it’s going to be me. Now, what’s going on?”
I looked anxiously through the room at everyone that was still staring at
me. “Just come outside with me for a minute. Please.”
Seeming to hear the desperation in my voice, he sighed. “Fine.”
“I-I’m sorry, everyone just … keep eating.”
Jason went to protest again but Eila stopped him, and they both watched as we left the room.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Snow had started falling in a dazzling twirl of white under the dim beams of the sun peaking its way through the clouded sky. I stepped down from the front porch where once had sat two neatly carved jack-o-lanterns from a time that seemed forever ago. Noah followed behind me and reached out and grabbed me by the elbow, stopping me from walking any further. He turned me around to face him.
“Okay, so what’s the big —”
I looked at him, tugged my arm away, and peered up at the windows that gave a full view of the dining room — no one was eating anymore. Uncle Mitchell seemed to be trying to get everyone’s attention, and Serena was glaring out the window in our direction. Jason looked uneasy and like he was going to launch himself from his seat and run outside at any second. Frowning, I glanced away and rested my eyes on Noah.
“Look, I know that you know a lot more about the Nefastus than you want to admit. It’s obvious.”
He shrugged like it didn’t matter. “Yeah, so?”
“You’re going to tell me everything that you know, and how and why you know it. Now.”
Noah almost looked like he was going to laugh at my half-hearted attempt at a threat, then he appeared hesitant. “Why do you even want to know? If it’s about Mathias, then just forget it. I’ve already told you to let it go and let Artemis do his thing.”
“That’s not what this is about. I went to talk to my aunt a few days ago and told her everything that you said to me about where their lair is, and about the Shimmerer. She told me she’d figure something out and go there ... and that was my uncle on the phone saying that she’s missing.”
Noah shook his head and ran his hands over his head, which was starting to show more than just stubbles of hair. “Your aunt may seem like this invincible vampire-witch hybrid thing, but she is no match for Constantine and some of the other Nefastus.”
