He leans over and kisses the top of my head. “It’s you and me, Pops. Wherever this life takes us.”
Yeah, but neither of us could’ve imagined it taking us to a realm of witchcraft and magical powers.
Still, this is where we are.
Together we walk through the cemetery, the air rich with the scent of fall leaves and damp earth. Late afternoon sunlight filters through the towering trees, dappling the path ahead. A gentle wind rustles the branches, promising the coming of colder weather.
It seems peaceful.
It should feel peaceful.
But something fundamental is changing inside me. Sebastian talked about the magical mist in my cells condensing. He said my powers are fighting for freedom.
I don’t know about that, but the world feels different.
The air feels thinner… especially here.
Is it my spirit affinity? I should’ve asked Sebastian more about it. Does that mean the spirit of people or does it mean the spirits of the departed? Am I a ghost whisperer?
A handful of cars dot the winding paths, their owners scattered across the grounds, visiting memories carved in stone. A woman with a red Prius is parked near a grave.
We exchange a knowing smile, one that says:I see your grief. I understand it. I carry it too.
Asher and I weave along the path toward the back of the property, and find fancy statues standing sentinel in front of thirteen ancient mausoleums.
The imposing marble monstrosities mark the back of the property and look down over the rest of the cemetery.
The Emberwood Elite are the thirteen founding families of this small town, and all of them have a family crypt back here.
My maternal family included.
We find the Hallowind mausoleum, and my pulse races. My parents were laid to rest five years ago, but I only found out yesterday. I don’t remember them yet, but even so, I miss them.
I mourn the family I’ll never get to know.
The mausoleum stands at the back of thecemetery property, near a creek that murmurs softly beyond the trees. The crypt is old, ancient even, its black granite stone veined with silver, worn but unyielding.
It doesn’t match the pristine ivory vaults of the more modern mausoleums near the front. No, like the crypts of the other Emberwood Elite families, it stands apart from the rest. They are eerily cool—much like Hallowind House.
I run my fingers over the engraved marble tableaus on the outside wall and find the one for James Forrester—my father.
“Hey, Dad. It’s me, Poppy. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.” Not that my absence had anything to do with me. “I’m also sorry I don’t remember you… or Mom.”
But I will.If Sebastian is right, someone from the coven will come for me, and I’ll make them give me my memories back. I’ll also find out what they did with Violet and Lily.
I don’t know how I can make a coven of witches bend to my will, but I’ll figure it out.
Asher is standing beside me, reading the names of the dead. “It’s kinda sad that the husbands don’t get to go inside, isn’t it?”
“Kinda, but maybe there’s something witchy about the resting place of the Hallowinds. Maybe the ancestors need to remain together with their magic or something.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
I pause at the threshold and sigh at the sun dipping behind the trees. “I won’t be able to visit long, or we’ll be walking back in the pitch dark.”
Asher huffs a laugh. “Take all the time you need, baby girl. Fog or no fog, I’ll make sure we get home safe.”
Yep. Everyone deserves an Asher.
