Gods (29 page)

“Is she? How close has she gotten to Einmyria?” Her tone was filled with malice. “I bet they aren’t close. Not when Einmyria holds her responsible for her miserable and rotten life.”

“Mother is not responsible for what happened to her.”

“Oh yes, she is. The poor girl was in and out of homes by age ten. No powers like the other kids. Angry. Always in and out of trouble, so no one wanted to adopt her, until one of my followers found her, took her in, and tried to be a mother to her. Tried in her own way and failed. When they brought her to me, I explained to her that it wasn’t her fault. Her family had failed her. Her mother didn’t care about her, so she never tried to find her because she was busy trying to find her favorite—the more important son, the future leader of the gods. Why bother with a girl without a future? What does Einmyria have to offer your mother? Nothing, but occupy space.”

No wonder Einmyria was so messed up. Crazy Granny had given her someone to blame for her past misery. This was the last time I was visiting this hole. I turned and started for the entrance.

“Are we done talking?” Granny got up from the bed and moved closer. “All I did was tell her the truth.”

I kept walking. The two guards already had torches in their hands and ready to leave. “Have a fun life, Granny.”

“You’ll be back, and you’ll bring her to see me.”

“Never.”

“I’m not talking about Einmyria,” she yelled. “I’m talking about your Witch.”

Never in a million years.

~*~

CELESTIA

Eirik wasn’t there during lunch or in the parking lot when school was out. If Hayden noticed I was preoccupied, she didn’t say anything. Instead, she offered to ride home with me. Daiku and Ranger approached my car before we could take off. Once again, I’d tolerated them at school because it eased Eirik’s mind, but enough was enough.

“I’ll be okay, guys. If you haven’t noticed, they”—I pointed at the crows—“have been around the whole day. After PE, I went to change and there was Merle.” The shower rooms by the gym were being renovated, so we used the portable ones in the trailers on the west side of the school. “She has officially become my stalker.”

Daiku and Ranger grinned. Hayden peered at the crows and looked thoroughly confused.

“Not your stalker,” Daiku said. “Your guardian.”

I almost rolled my eyes, but then I remembered crows meant something to him. Students walked by and smiled. Of course, they couldn’t see the two reapers. I was sure I looked like I was having a one-sided conversation with Hayden. Giselle slowed down near us and rolled down her window.

“Don’t forget to tell Eirik what happened, Celestia,” she said. She didn’t wait for my response before taking off.

“Was that about the Guild woman who was attacked?” Daiku asked.

“Yes, her mother. Do you guys think Immortals are once again coming after us? I mean, they said no one saw the person who attacked her because their security system didn’t pick up anything.”

“Nah, this is an isolated incident. If it happens more than once, then we look for anything connecting the two attacks and a pattern. After the conversation Baldurson had with the Immortals, they’d be stupid to come after anyone he protects and he’s made it clear Witches are under his protection.”

I didn’t want to sound like a worrywart or clingy, but I was getting worried about Eirik. “Is everything okay at the hall?”

“We haven’t gone home since this morning, but we can check once you’re safely at home and report back,” Ranger said.

I wanted to say yes. On the other hand, if something bad had happened last night, Eirik would have told me. He was only a portal away. The fact that he’d disappeared meant he was dealing with it.

“That’s okay. I’m sure Eirik will stop by when he finds time. You guys want to ride with us?” They both shook their heads.

“We need the exercise,” Daiku said and Ranger nodded. They’d ridden with me, so I assume Hayden’s presence was the reason for their reluctance. I took off and could see the crows follow us through the rearview mirror.

“What’s up with the crows?”

“I healed one last night, and he’s become attached to me.”

“You what?”

I explained. When she didn’t speak, I glanced at her. She was staring at me with wide eyes. “Say something.”

“This must be what Mom meant about you bringing her back. You didn’t need a spell to do it. Wow, a life force manipulator. That is rare.”

“So Eirik said.”

“He came to TC, and he and Mom disappeared in the séance room and closed the door. They must have been discussing you.”

As usual, he was watching my back without being asked. No wonder I was crazy about him. “Whenever I bring a person back, I leave my life force in them and that creates some kind of a bond. That’s why Merle is stalking, uh, guarding me now.” I peered in the mirror, but couldn’t see the birds. “Makes me feel evil like you-know-who, except I have crows instead of orphans.”

“Eww, no. You’d never be like Angrboda.”

“You don’t know that. What if I raised the dead? I’ll be queen of crows and Draugar.”

“Who is this glass-half-empty girl?” Hayden asked, waving her hand to indicate me. “You never let anything stop you from doing the right thing. Not the fear that you were the harbinger of death or whatever crazy predictions Marguerite hurled at you. But since your recovery, you only see the negative possibilities instead of the good you can do. Look at my mother. She’s alive because of you, but you won’t appreciate the gift you gave her until you stop seeing your new ability as a negative thing. You can give people life, Celestia. Do you know how huge that is?” She became quiet as we drove by the Moutons’ mansion. “Do you think an Immortal hurt her?”

“What other explanation is there? I don’t see Grimnirs or Valkyries doing it.” I entered our compound and pulled up outside the house. The crows arrived and flocked on the mature trees bordering our compound. Watching them, I tried to see things through Hayden’s eyes.

Maybe she was right. Maybe I needed to stop thinking of what could go wrong and focus on what was going right. I’d been given a gift and should embrace it, not find reasons to reject it. Instead of walking to the house, I pulled out the oatmeal cookie I’d kept from lunch, moved halfway down the steps leading to the dock, and lifted my arm.

“Merle,” I called out, looking at the crows. I couldn’t tell which one was my crow. “Come here, girl.”

A flutter of wings came from behind me. She had perched on our porch rail. She landed on my arm. I fed her, smiling when she pecked the crumbled cookie pieces from my hand.

“Now that’s the Witch I know,” Hayden said.

“Shut up.” I glanced over my shoulder at her. Daiku and Ranger were by my car. They seemed to be having an argument; then they disappeared. “Thanks.”

“Just doing my job.”

“Which is what?”

“Being your friend. I better head home before Mom sends a search party.”

“She was always a worrywart,” I mumbled. Hayden gave me a sheepish smile. “I know you think I’ve been reluctant to talk to her because I hadn’t accepted my powers. That wasn’t it. It’s about trust. She deliberately befriended us because she was working for Eirik’s grandmother. It makes trusting her again hard.”

Hayden nodded. “I understand that. I think she understands that, too. She’ll be there when you are ready to talk to her.”

“Did she ask you to get closer to me?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. I hated that this made me doubt our friendship.

“No. She told me to keep an eye on you because you were important. I was to keep my distance, but I hated the way Giselle and her friends were treating you, so I got closer.”

I grinned. “That’s why we kept bumping into each other.”

“Yep. That was all me. Then we met at the fair.”

I’d insisted she join us. I was hanging out with Zack and his friends at the time. “I think I talked your ears off that night. I was so nervous.”

“Hmm, I thought you just loved the sound of your voice.”

“Oh. You didn’t go there. Merle get her.”

Hayden laughed and ran to the car.

“Later.” She disappeared inside.

More crows came down and landed on the grass. I placed Merle on the ground and went to the house to get more food. First, I went to my bedroom to drop off my backpack. There were two familiar apples on my bed, but no note. Eirik must have dropped them off hours ago because his energy was faint.

I grabbed one and then went to the kitchen to get bread for the birds. Back outside, I sat on the grass and fed the crows. Some were so bold they pecked the crumbs from my hand. Or maybe Merle made sure they behaved since she was right beside me.

I was almost out of bread when the sound of an engine interrupted the stillness, and I glanced over my shoulder. Aunt Genevieve’s car rolled in and stopped behind mine.

“Hi, sweetheart,” she called out, getting out of the car. “I hope you’re not feeding those crows. Once you start, they’ll keep coming back.” She reached in the back seat of her SUV and lifted two casserole trays. “Take one.”

Yes! I didn’t have to cook for the rest of the week. I took the top one and cracked open the lid. “Ooh, lasagna. It’s still warm.”

“And this is frozen Bruschetta chicken casserole. I meant to bring it last Saturday, but I was called in the last minute to replace one of the nurses.” She balanced her tray, opened the door, and turned to hold it for me. “Shoo. This is why you shouldn’t play with crows. Look at this bold one.”

Merle had followed me. “That’s my pet.”

She chuckled. “No one keeps a wild bird for a pet, sweetie. Shoo, you vile bird.” She closed the door on poor Merle. “Get an owl if you need a pet.”

“An owl?”

“Witches keep owls, don’t they?”

I laughed. Despite being raised by Grams and being Marguerite’s younger sister, what she knew about Witches came from books and movies. I followed her to the kitchen. While she stored the Bruschetta casserole in the freezer, I placed the lasagna in the oven and set the temperature to two hundred to keep it warm. I turned to find her watching me.

She opened her arms, and we hugged. “I’m so happy to see you looking well. Every time I leave you I fear I’ll find you in one of your trance comas.” She leaned back and cupped my face. “The last one was the worst. I had no idea where you were and both Zack and your father insisted you were being taken care of. But no one could tell me where and by whom. I assume you were at that boy’s home?”

“Yes, Aunt Genevieve, and that boy’s name is Eirik Baldurson.”

“Hmm. Your father says he’s of royal blood and heir to some dynasty. But is it a good family?”

“The best.”

She chuckled. “I’ll take your word for it.” She hugged me again, pressing my face to her chest. Like Marguerite, she was taller than me. I didn’t know where my short genes came from. Dad was pretty tall, too.

“Can we talk, Aunt Genevieve? I was going to stop by this weekend, but since you are here…”

“Sure, hun. I have time.” She indicated a stool and grabbed one.

“Tell me about mmm, uh, my mother.” The smile disappeared from her face. “I want to know everything, Aunt Genevieve. How was she when you guys were young? Was she closer to you and Grams? When did she change?”

“Oh, honey.” Aunt Genevieve sighed. “I’ll need a drink.” She went to the cupboard where Dad kept alcohol and poured a shot of something and threw it down the back of her throat. I didn’t think I’d ever seen her drink. She poured another finger.

“Let’s get comfortable.” Instead of stools, we took the ladder back chairs around the kitchen table. She ran a finger along the edge of her glass as she talked. “Marguerite was gifted from when she was young, but very undisciplined. She’d try risky spells and potions. Mom, your grandmother, tried to help her slow down, so they knocked heads a lot. The more Mom tried to explain how discipline is important when it comes to magic, the more Marguerite rebelled. She’d say Mom was jealous of her gifts and was trying to hold her back. Then she started running with a bad crowd.”

“What do you mean by ‘bad crowd’?”

“Witches who did things to non-magical people. They weren’t lasting things, just humiliating.” A spasm of pain crossed her face. “It got so bad I couldn’t bring my friends to the house or go with her anywhere socially. Mom told her to ease off on me, but she took it the wrong way. She saw it as Mom playing favorites. She resented me for that. The older Marguerite got the more she acted out. Then she met your father and we hoped she’d change.” Aunt Genevieve drained her drink and gripped my hands. “She was in love and happy. We even became close, something I’d despaired would never happen. When she was pregnant with you, we saw a side of her we’d never seen before. She pushed aside her magic and focused on being a mother–to-be and wife. She loved you, Celestia. She shopped and redecorated your home. The day you were born was probably the happiest day of her life. She was attentive, and read to you, showed you off to her friends. You were her little angel.”

My throat closed, imagining how my life would have turned out had Marguerite stayed that way. “What changed things?”