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“This will be hard on your mom, more so than you, Lira, because she has no powers at all,” Charli said, appearing by my side.
“Yeah, I know. I really hope she stays for a while and Dad comes and joins her.”
“I’ve been wondering why I didn’t get any powers,” Millie said. “Do you know why?”
“It’s possible that because Lira is the oldest, the gift only went to her,” Charli said. “I think it could be a test to see if our family is worthy of getting the gift back again.”
“Worthy? Who’s testing us?” I asked. “Does this have to do with you secluding yourself?”
Charli blanched, or as much as a ghost could, and made to disappear, but I said our password: “Sassafrat!” We had agreed that once the word was said, neither one of us could run away. We had to stay and go through the meditation or the history lesson, but in this case, answer my question.
Charli groaned and appeared in full ghost form again. “You’re not going to let me go until I tell you why, aren’t you?”
I nodded, and Millie and Bruno stood close by, waiting to hear her response too.
Charli sighed and floated down to sit on the stairs. “It’s very simple when it comes down to it. Our covens used to meet just like they did recently with Miti. We convened for a reason. A darkness was coming, and we needed everyone to work together to get rid of it. I got scared and ran away. I secluded myself in this mansion, not allowing any other witches to come and replenish their power in our grove or seek shelter in our house. Because of this, the head of all witches placed a curse on me.
“I didn’t believe it was true until I realized I couldn’t leave the house, and I watched as my daughter, and then her daughter, and then my great-granddaughter slowly lost our powers. It was devastating. You have no idea how happy I am to see that you carry our family’s gift again, Lira. I would do anything to help you reach your potential.”
I felt Bruno give me a squeeze, and I felt so loved right then. Mom was here. Dad would probably follow. And here I was with my twin sister and my great-great-grandmother, who had waited through all these generations for me. The old Lira was gone, and the new Lira was here to stay. And this Lira would do whatever it took to protect my family from whatever threatened them.
It was when I laid my head down for the night that I felt it. It came as a pull from my chest just before a voice floated through my head. You have the power. Take it; don’t share it. We can do great things, the two of us. Just you and me.
I lay there with my eyes wide open, Bruno sleeping by my side. The white flower was talking to me, and I could feel its desire for control. Bubbie’s words that I must keep hold of hope rang through my mind. But it was with a sense of dread that I finally drifted off to sleep.
Finn
I was sulking in the back of the cage when a shimmer appeared on the other side of the bars.
“Finn. My dear Finn.”
The most beautiful woman I’d ever seen was standing there. “Who are you?”
“I’m Esmi, my dear. I’m here to get you out.”
“Get me out? How?”
“With a wave of my hand, of course.” She laughed, and it sounded just like little bells chiming in the summer breeze. “You proved yourself to Pac, and he sang your praises. So, I’ll make the same deal with you that I made with him.” She walked a little closer, and I gasped as she walked straight through the bars. “You’ve never seen anyone do that before, have you? Not even Miti?”
I shook my head, too shocked to say anything.
She smiled, and it was the most breathtaking vision. “I took Pac in when his family died,” she continued. “In exchange, I was allowed to call on his help whenever I wanted to.”
She seemed to wait for me to respond, but all I could do was stare at her, dumbfounded in the face of her beauty.
“In exchange for releasing you from this cage, I need your help in this war. But I’ll also throw in a little treat.” She pulled out a small vial from her pocket. “I’ve made a love potion for you. You can win Suzy if you still want to.”
I gasped and reached out to grab the vial.
She laughed and pulled back her hand. “Not so fast. You must agree first.” Her voice had a hint of malice laced into it now, but I didn’t care. She had a love potion.
“Yes, I agree.”
She still held it away from me. “You will only work for me? And do every bidding I ask of you? Is that a deal?”
I nodded. As soon as my head dipped down, the world around me blurred, and next thing I knew, I was sitting in a high-back wooden chair in what looked like a castle dining room.
“Welcome to my home,” Esmi said, waving to our surroundings.
