“Alright. But Estelle and Whitt know all about you. They can’t wait to meet you.” She has worn a beaming smile all morning, excited to finally introduce me to someone. That it is her parents has her buzzing.
When I told my clan—well, more accurately, when I asked for permission from my clan elders to move to Monstera Bluff—they were not pleased. Their investment in me studying old and rare tomes on Malefic Folk did not take into account that I would find a mate. And a magick wielder at that. I was told to keep this quiet, that it stays only within the immediate family, who happen to be quite supportive of me, unlike my uncle and the elders. They insisted it would not be a good look for the nephew of the clan leader to be tied to a witch.
Now that I have been away from them for just over a year, their dislike of witches and others with magickal ability seems foolhardy. Even in my lifetime, they dug in their heels, taking an already hardline stance to an extreme. My uncle and his father—my grandfather—heavily influenced this thinking. My own father never agreed. Maybe my uncle thought of sending me to the academy as a punishment, probably something my cousin—his presumed next in line—refused to do, when in fact it freed mefrom this backwards point of view. I cannot thank them enough. Part of me wonders whether the elders’ agreement to let me move permanently was also my uncle’s doing, making sure I do not compete with my spoiled cousin.
Choosing to go to Monstera Bluff with Ada effectively cuts me off from them, a tradeoff I am willing to accept. As long as I am with her, I do not care where we are.
We are leaving the academy now that she has wrapped up her apprenticeship, and she is anxious to go home. Mayhap much of that is in anticipation of us living a more normal life together. She already rented us an apartment in the downtown business district. By the bluest glacier, it will be strange to live among so many Whispered Folk. But likely no one will care, as she says. It is a matter of course for them.
“You’ll have to push yourself through. It’ll exert a little pressure on your body, like swimming through deep water. Keep a tight hold on your luggage,” she reminds me as she starts to step through. “See you on the other side!”
I have little beyond clothing and some books I collected over the year. Ada has much more, spending many years here as a student in an advanced program. She spelled our items to near weightlessness so they pass through the portal easier.
The portal swallows her up as she steps through. The sight makes me nauseous. My brain insists she must be in danger, but I try to keep her assurances about the safety of the magick in mind. Holding my bag firmly, I step a heavy foot into it, encountering an unusually oppressive force pulling me in. I propel myself ahead using my strength only to swiftly fling out the other side.
It takes a moment to get my bearings, but I am indeed in a different location. I look back at the portal instinctively, but it only shows the same white cloudiness as on the other side. When I turn my attention to Ada, she exudes giddiness, wavingme over to her and two older witches, who are no doubt her parents. She looks so much like them both. A younger version of her mother with her father’s distinctive hair, the white streaks included.
Her parents’ smiles brighten as I walk over. “Norrell, meet my parents, Estelle and Whitt. Mom, Dad, this is Norrell,” she introduces us. I extend my hand to shake Estelle’s and she lunges at me, wrapping her arms around my middle in a crushing hug instead.
“We’re so happy our Ada has found her mate. We’ve been over the moon about it and couldn’t wait to meet you,” she exclaims into my shoulder. Both Ada and her father chuckle at my wide-eyed expression. When Estelle lets go, Whitt shakes my hand, saying, “Welcome to the family. We can’t wait to get you settled in. You’re going to love Monstera Bluff.”
Ada squeals when she notices that her parents picked us up in her beloved automobile, an old Jeep Wagoneer that she has missed so much while away. While we put our luggage in the back, her parents hand me an amulet to pass through the wards surrounding the town. The scenery while we drive in is unlike anything I have ever seen. The coastal water running along the road has vegetation growing in it. Ada calls them salt marshes. Once we arrive in town, after passing a forest of tall pines, everything is green and lush.
“Your apartment is almost ready for you to move in, but I thought you might want to stay overnight at the house tonight, so we don’t have to rush through dinner,” her mother chirps from the front seat.
Ada turns her gaze to me. “Would you mind sleeping at my parents’ house tonight?" she asks, sounding unsure.
“I want to see the home where you grew up. There is no need to rush our move into the apartment,” I assure her.
“Okay, that’ll be nice,” she breathes, visibly relieved. I take her hand and kiss her palm to soothe her.
We arrive at their property and park near a smaller house painted the same white with bluish gray shutters as the large main house. Ada’s father takes her luggage so she is free to walk me around the exterior of the house. She calls it a two-story Greek Revival. She points out the front porches on both stories and the tall columns running the full height that support the overhanging roof. The blue of the doors and shutters is called French blue, just a color preference her ancestors had, and the lighter shade on the porch ceilings is haint blue, a regional tradition to ward off Malefic. She clarifies the paint on this house is not enchanted as a ward, only so that it does not peel and fade.
A tall, elegant cast iron fountain stands inside the circle drive in front of the house. Water flows pleasantly down its three increasingly larger tiers designed to look like blooming hibiscus flowers, with their large petals draping downward. A large marble circular pool at the bottom collects the water.
“It’s a lot, I know. It’s been here almost as long as the house. Luckily, it’s enchanted to be self-cleaning and self-repairing. We are so glad we never have to do anything but top up its magickal charge from time to time. My dad made it my chore when I was old enough to learn how. He said if I forgot to check it every week, I’d have to clean it myself by hand when it’s full of slimy leaves. I never forgot.” She laughs lightheartedly.
We head inside and all three give me the grand tour of the house. Their love for its history and connection to their Mayweather heritage is clear. After we deposit our luggage in Ada’s bedroom, we head downstairs to talk while her parents prepare dinner.
Estelle chops vegetables while Whitt stirs something over the stove. Ada and I sit at the kitchen table to keep them company while they work after they refused our offer to help. From herplace at the counter, Estelle keeps flashing her sparkling eyes at us and grinning. I cannot recall if I have ever witnessed someone radiating this much happiness.
“We were so glad Ada met someone while studying. She didn’t have much interest in anyone here, but we knew there had to be someone special out there who would be perfect for her. It seems like fate you crossed paths while both of you were so far from home. Ada is very determined when she sets her mind on something. If she had her eye on you, I’m not surprised you’re sitting here in my kitchen,” Estelle titters, poking some good-natured fun at her daughter.
“Mom, you’re coming on a little strong. Let’s not scare him. That’s not even what happened.” She groans, embarrassed, watching for my reaction out of the corner of her eye.
I grin at her, feeling my bottom lip stretch around my tusks. “I knew I would follow her anywhere after the first time we met.”
“Now you’re embarrassing me too!” she squeals, pretending to act indignant.
She giggles wildly, breaking the act, as I scoop her onto my lap and plant a comically loud kiss on her cheek. “I state the truth,” I whisper into her ear.
“It better be,” she replies with a wink. She pecks me on the lips before sliding off my lap and returning to her chair next to mine.
Her parents join us at the table while dinner cooks. They look exactly as a family should. They love each other, and they obviously enjoy each other’s company too. It makes for easy conversation.
“Did Ada tell you she was named after her great-grandmother? We couldn’t have known it at the time, but it really was the perfect name for her. They are so much alike. So smart, so responsible, with the perfect dollop of feistiness. I wish they could have known each other,” Estelle says with a wistfulsmile. She quickly wipes her violet eyes and then uses her fingers to comb her long, dark brown hair away from her face.
“I did not know that. But that does sound exactly like her,” I agree wholeheartedly.
