first one cheek, then the other, and then turned and ran away over my lawn, to the woods on the other side of the empty lot next door. I stood there and watched, my mouth hanging open and the echo of his chaste kisses still tingling my cheeks, until he disappeared from view.
I chuckled to myself as I jogged across the cool grass. I had snuck out to secretly meet a boy my family disapproved of, and now I was running across my lawn at night to slip back into my room. Just like I was back in high school again. Except I hadn’t ever done this in high school, and I didn’t need to do it now. But I didn’t want to tell them I was falling for the creature that has breached my mom’s wards and stole my noni’s keepsake, so I padded in silently, and closed the door behind myself without a sound. I would tell them another time.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I woke to an empty house. After a short search I found Noni down by the water, leaning on her cane not too far from where Salil and I had sat together last night. Her shoulders were hunched and her head tilted down, like she was tired. “Hey, Noni! You all right?”
She waved her free hand at me dismissively without looking up. When I reached her I was relieved to see her smile.
She sighed, her eyes sparkling up at me. “Ugh, I’m old, Vincenzo.”
I laughed and took her elbow. “You’re not that old. Where’s Mom?”
“Eh, probably with Ren and Dana. She spends a lot of days with them…working.” The emphasis she put on ‘working’ made it clear she doubted they got any work done. Ren owned a magic shop called “The Wiccan Wave” across the street from the town beach, and did a brisk business selling charms and candles and essential oils to tourists. My mom had probably crafted half his inventory.
“Did you eat breakfast, Noni?” She felt so light and frail. I loosened my grip on her arm.
“I had coffee and toast, I’m fine.” She let me guide her back across the yard, and we sat in rocking chairs on the shady patio. “What did the Fae have to say for himself?”
Shit . No wonder she was at the beach. “He wouldn’t tell me anything new. Said I should practice with more visions.”
“Ha! He’s right. Good.” She nodded and closed her eyes, leaning back into the chair.
I shook my head in confusion. Was she okay with me seeing Salil? Was she just going to let it go so easily? “Well, since you agree, I’m going down to the beach to practice.”
“About time you took your powers seriously. Good boy.” She didn’t open her eyes, but reached out and patted my hand. I left before she could chastise me further.
On the beach, I completed my protective circle and sat inside it, focusing on the things Salil had told me. I worked on seeing small, known, events: the next bonfire, our family dinner on Sunday, my coven friends Maxwell and Jasper. All the scenes came easily enough, with no symbolism. I moved on to broader topics, more unknown: when would I see Salil again? How would Liliana react to my knowing a Fae? What was my mother actually doing with Ren and Dana? Those visions were vague. Some proved easy to interpret, like Dana’s laughter making the wild colors of Ren’s shop bounce and shift: they were working, sort of, but having a lot of fun doing it. Others, like the teasing glimpse of Salil’s bare feet on the sand, left me confused. Was it incomplete, or was I just not skilled enough to understand the meaning?
Several hours later, I lay down, still inside the large pentacle I’d drawn on the beach, and rested. I caught a glimpse of pale hair above the rocks to my left, and closed my eyes. He wouldn’t surprise me this time. “I know you’re there.”
“You’ve been working hard.”
“Someone told me I should practice.”
“I’m proud of you.”
I propped myself up on my elbows and watched him climb down from the rocks to sit near me on the sand. He wore light linen pants and a thin, faded blue t-shirt, his
I chuckled to myself as I jogged across the cool grass. I had snuck out to secretly meet a boy my family disapproved of, and now I was running across my lawn at night to slip back into my room. Just like I was back in high school again. Except I hadn’t ever done this in high school, and I didn’t need to do it now. But I didn’t want to tell them I was falling for the creature that has breached my mom’s wards and stole my noni’s keepsake, so I padded in silently, and closed the door behind myself without a sound. I would tell them another time.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I woke to an empty house. After a short search I found Noni down by the water, leaning on her cane not too far from where Salil and I had sat together last night. Her shoulders were hunched and her head tilted down, like she was tired. “Hey, Noni! You all right?”
She waved her free hand at me dismissively without looking up. When I reached her I was relieved to see her smile.
She sighed, her eyes sparkling up at me. “Ugh, I’m old, Vincenzo.”
I laughed and took her elbow. “You’re not that old. Where’s Mom?”
“Eh, probably with Ren and Dana. She spends a lot of days with them…working.” The emphasis she put on ‘working’ made it clear she doubted they got any work done. Ren owned a magic shop called “The Wiccan Wave” across the street from the town beach, and did a brisk business selling charms and candles and essential oils to tourists. My mom had probably crafted half his inventory.
“Did you eat breakfast, Noni?” She felt so light and frail. I loosened my grip on her arm.
“I had coffee and toast, I’m fine.” She let me guide her back across the yard, and we sat in rocking chairs on the shady patio. “What did the Fae have to say for himself?”
Shit . No wonder she was at the beach. “He wouldn’t tell me anything new. Said I should practice with more visions.”
“Ha! He’s right. Good.” She nodded and closed her eyes, leaning back into the chair.
I shook my head in confusion. Was she okay with me seeing Salil? Was she just going to let it go so easily? “Well, since you agree, I’m going down to the beach to practice.”
“About time you took your powers seriously. Good boy.” She didn’t open her eyes, but reached out and patted my hand. I left before she could chastise me further.
On the beach, I completed my protective circle and sat inside it, focusing on the things Salil had told me. I worked on seeing small, known, events: the next bonfire, our family dinner on Sunday, my coven friends Maxwell and Jasper. All the scenes came easily enough, with no symbolism. I moved on to broader topics, more unknown: when would I see Salil again? How would Liliana react to my knowing a Fae? What was my mother actually doing with Ren and Dana? Those visions were vague. Some proved easy to interpret, like Dana’s laughter making the wild colors of Ren’s shop bounce and shift: they were working, sort of, but having a lot of fun doing it. Others, like the teasing glimpse of Salil’s bare feet on the sand, left me confused. Was it incomplete, or was I just not skilled enough to understand the meaning?
Several hours later, I lay down, still inside the large pentacle I’d drawn on the beach, and rested. I caught a glimpse of pale hair above the rocks to my left, and closed my eyes. He wouldn’t surprise me this time. “I know you’re there.”
“You’ve been working hard.”
“Someone told me I should practice.”
“I’m proud of you.”
I propped myself up on my elbows and watched him climb down from the rocks to sit near me on the sand. He wore light linen pants and a thin, faded blue t-shirt, his
Similar Books
