I read a lot about witches and magic in Talon’s books. Some of it was good—that they worship the earth, and bring balance, but some of it was horrible. There were tales of sorcerers who could draw unimaginable power from the earth and kill at will. How can I know what kind of witches Grace and Alisha are?
Hot tears start to slide down my cheeks, and Scarlett puts an arm around my shoulders.
“Tell us about them,” she says in a gentle tone. “Sometimes, it helps to talk about the ones we’ve lost.”
I wipe my nose a little, trying to get a deep breath into my lungs.
“Jess was so sweet,” I begin. “And Talon was strong but gentle. When I was very little, they would invite me back here on the way home from school. My mother had just run away—or died, depending on who you ask—and the other kids didn’t talk to me.”
“That’s awful,” Scarlett says, rubbing my arm. “So, they took care of you?”
“They tried,” I answer, realizing I’m on the edge of a big reveal, and knowing I’m not ready to unload yet, especially to people I barely know. “They were kind to me, and they didn’t deserve to die. That’s all I can really say right now.”
Scarlett gives me another squeeze, and I hear her sigh as if she knows I’m holding back.
“You will have to let it out sometime, you know,” she says gently.
“I cried for days when I found out they were dead. How can there be anything more to let out?”
“There always is,” Grace says. “You’ll grieve for the rest of your life, but a time will come when you can remember them and be grateful you knew them instead of just being sad that they’re gone.”
Even though I understand what she’s saying, I reject her words. The storm of pain in me won’t accept sense or reason in this situation. It’s too unfair.
And their deaths were so incredibly senseless and unnecessary.
“It’s getting late,” Alisha says. “We should go back out to the park and see how the guys are getting on.”
“Yes,” Scarlett says. “I’m interested in meeting other women in the town, especially the elders. Will they be there, Sara?”
“I…” My voice trails off as I realize I haven’t seen any of the elders for days, even at yesterday’s feast. “They should be, but I’m not sure. Leah, our oldest pack member, hasn’t been around lately.”
And someone should really check on that.
“Let’s head out and see if they’ve arrived,” Grace says. “If not, we’ll track them down.”
I follow the girls through the house, still feeling the odd, numb haze I haven’t been able to shake all day. My worry for Leah and the other elders flickers at the edge of my mind, trying to spur me into action, but I feel like every movement is an effort.
When we reach the park, a few people are playing a lively song on their instruments, and others are dancing. The smell of delicious food drifts in the air, accompanied the laughter and happy smiles.
This looks idyllic. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t feel real.
We pause at the edge of the clearing, and I look around, hoping to see the elders. When I don’t see them, my worry deepens.
Where are they? When is the last time anyone saw Leah?
My desire to leave town for good gets tangled in my moral compass, making me feel even more trapped.
How can I just leave if the others are in danger…especially if it really is Father responsible for all this?
Before I can think too hard about it, Father gets up and stands at the top end of the park, waving his hands. People turn and look immediately, smiling at him as if he’s their chosen savior.
If I have to listen to another one of his speeches, I’m actually going to be sick.
As Father talks, expressing his usual grand ideas that I know, very rarely lead to actions, Shawn suddenly leaves his friends and walks over to him.
Great. Am I going to see another bromance moment?
When Shawn verbally knocks Father down, it shocks me to the core. I listen to the exchange, watching Father react as Shawn firmly puts his foot down and crushes his promises.
