The door to the dining room opened slowly and our server reappeared carrying two teas and several plates, definitely more items than we had ordered.
‘Compliments of the chef,’ he said, rattling them onto the table. I couldn’t help but notice my grandmother’s flicker ofirritation when he set the jalapeño poppers in front of me. ‘Would you like to order your entrees?’
‘We will both have my usual.’
Catherine did not alter her impassive expression, but when he made eye contact, he started sweating bullets. As soon as he crossed the threshold, his shoulders straightened and he strolled off down the hallway with a swagger in his step, any trace of apprehension having evaporated.
‘If we eat all this there won’t be room for any entrees,’ she muttered as if she was mad at the food. I could not relate. I was ravenous, they couldn’t bring us enough free jalapeño poppers as far as I was concerned. ‘Now, where should we begin this evening?’
‘The visions,’ I replied quickly, before stuffing a pepper in my mouth. ‘If they’re going to keep happening, I need to understand them.’
Catherine looked displeased.
‘Etiquette lesson number one. Ladies don’t speak with their mouths full.’
I held a hand over my mouth until I’d chewed and swallowed. She nodded approvingly and motioned for me to speak.
‘Sorry,’ I said, clearing my throat with a sip of water. ‘I’d like to know more about the visions. How far back will they go? Can I only see into my own past?’
‘I believe so,’ Catherine answered. ‘At least for the time being. That could change as your magic grows.’
‘And the visions of the future. Am I seeing events that are set in stone or is there still a chance we can change things?’
‘Why? Have you seen something you believe needs to change?’
The cemetery. The wolf. My grandmother, bloody and screaming. Rather than answer right away, I stabbed several pieces of fried green tomato with my fork and dumped them on my plate.
‘Emily, do try to save some room, you’re not starving to death.’ She pulled the plate of tomatoes out of my reach before placing one single slice on her plate. ‘I wish I could be of more help with your visions but I have never experienced one for myself. It’s a very rare gift.’
‘Doesn’t feel like a gift,’ I said, my whole body deflating. ‘If it was, I would return it.’
Catherine’s gaze softened then she placed another slice of tomato on my plate.
‘Discovering your magic should be a wonderful thing. I’m sorry this is so hard on you. We should be celebrating, not panicking. With all your magic expressing itself at once, it might be difficult to fully understand your gifts until after the Becoming.’
I took several nervous gulps of water and emptied the glass.
‘Which is the other thing I wanted to talk about,’ I replied. ‘You said it’s a ceremony that takes place on my birthday, like a coming of age thing?’
‘That’s correct. Very straightforward, very simple,’ Catherine said, moving food around on her plate without ever taking a bite. ‘We’ll go through the details closer to the day, but there is something else I would like to talk over with you this evening. Something we haven’t discussed yet.’
‘Today’s the day for it,’ I said quietly, reluctantly switching my empty water glass for the sweet tea. So help me, it didn’t even taste that sweet anymore. I was already getting used to it.
Catherine selected a small piece of cornbread and slathered it with butter before taking the tiniest possible nibble.
‘How do you feel about the word prophecy?’
‘That depends,’ I replied warily. ‘Who is the prophecy about?’
‘We’ve never been entirely sure.’
She paused our conversation as our server returned with a large glass of red wine.
‘Your Château Lafite. Please enjoy.’
He was gone before she could say thank you.
‘I don’t remember you ordering wine,’ I said as she swirled it around in the glass.
