My mind reeled, not because I thought her words felt impossible, but because they felt terrifyingly probable. I’d been ready to retort that I had no connection to spirit at all, had never had so much as a brush with activity; but then I realized, with a start, that that wasn’t true. Hadn’t I heard a voice calling only the other night? Hadn’t I seen my dead grandmother from my bedroom window?
“Okay,” I said under my breath. “Okay, okay, okay.” The word just kept coming, and I wasn’t even sure what I meant. That I was okay? I didn’t feel okay. That everything would be okay? I didn’t really believe that either. Rhi could hear my distress.
“Breathe, Wren, honey,” she murmured.
My body took her advice automatically, sucking in huge lungfuls of air, and blowing them out slowly until the room stopped spinning. I looked up at Rhi, ready to tell her that I’d seen Asteria’s ghost, but I couldn’t bring myself to make her look any more anxious than she already was. Instead, I asked, “So, now what?”
“Now, we need to decide how to test your spirit affinity. I think I should talk to Xiomara. She’s the most powerful spirit witch in Sedgwick Cove.”
This statement surprised me enough to pull me up out of my panic. “I thought Xiomara was a kitchen witch, like you?”
Rhi smiled. “She is. But her affinity for the kitchen is different than mine. She can explain it better than I can. What would you think about going to see her, maybe tomorrow, if she’s available?”
“Sure,” I said, and the thought actually calmed me a little. Xiomara had a very commanding presence. I’d found it intimidating at first, but now the idea of talking to her made me feel better. Xiomara was always so sure of herself, so confident in her answers and her abilities. She would know what to do. I looked at Rhi again, and found I could return her smile. “That’s a good idea. Will you ask her?”
“Of course,” Rhi said. “She’ll be busy this early, no doubt, prepping to open the cafe for the day; but, I’ll stop by later on my way to Shadowkeep.”
“And what should I do?” I asked.
“I found this book for you,” Rhi said. “It’s all about affinities, and I think it might help if you read it.”
I was so relieved that she wasn’t dragging me into the backyard to start calling the elements that I snatched the book up gratefully. “Sounds good,” I said. “Knowledge is power, right?”
“That’s right,” she said, with a little nod of approval at my attitude. “And Wren, honey…” She reached over and took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “We’re going to figure this out. We’re going to do better than protect you—we’re going to help you protect yourself. Okay?”
Her face was so fiercely protective that it put a lump in my throat that I had to swallow against before I could answer. “Thanks, Rhi.”
“And when I say ‘we,’ I mean all of us,” she said. “Persi, your mom, all of us. Persi can be a bit… well, prickly, but she does care about you. And your mother loves you more than her own self. None of us are going to leave you undefended. Maybe theDarkness has a faulty memory, or maybe it simply didn’t learn the lesson of its run-ins with our ancestors, but the Darkness is messing with the wrong coven.”
The mention of my mom triggered a memory from the previous night. “Rhi, what kind of witch is my mom?”
Rhi’s expression faltered a little. “A confused one, disconnected from her magic,” she said finally.
“That’s not what I meant,” I said, but Rhi put up a hand.
“I know. But I think you should ask her about it. I don’t want to overstep any more than I already have,” she said. “I couldn’t let her drag her feet when it came to your education, but as far as dealing with her own baggage… well, she needs to do that in her own time.”
There was a sinking feeling of disappointment in my chest, but I didn’t argue.
“Now, how about some breakfast to go with that tea?” Rhi asked.
“Sounds great.”
Rhi got up and started zipping around the kitchen, back in her element. I started leafing through the book she’d given me as I sipped my tea, and was glad to find that it had been written with beginners in mind. My phone buzzed against my leg, and I saw that I had two texts waiting for me. The first was from Eva, reminding me about the meeting at the playhouse that night. I’d nearly forgotten about it, but responded that I would be there. The second was from Nova.
I need to talk to you.
I frowned. It was the first I’d heard from Nova since that night on the beach. I was simultaneously relieved to get a message, and anxious about the content.
Sure, what’s up?I replied.
Not over text. We need to meet up. Tonight?
I’ll be at the playhouse for the pageant rehearsal. Can you meet me there?
Shit, is that tonight? Yeah, maybe. I’ll let you know.
I waited a few more minutes, but my phone stayed quiet. I guess I’d have to wait until tonight to find out what Nova Claire had to tell me.
