Page 105 of Lost

“Oh, sorry, Grandma. Rephaim’s mother was Cherokee, but he doesn’t speak any of our language.”

“Well, then, hello, Rephaim,” she corrected.

“Hello, Grandma Redbird. As Stevie Rae said, it is really good to see you.”

Grandma was looking around over my shoulder. “Is Kevin with you? I didn’t hear a car pull up, but I had the feeling I used to get when you’d visit me.” She smiled gently at me and touched my cheek. “That is why I believed you were a spirit when first I saw you.”

“I didn’t mean to scare you, Grandma.”

“Oh, you could never do that, Zoeybird. Your spirit is as welcome here as you are. But is your brother not with you tonight?”

“Kev’s not with us, and we didn’t drive here. But I’m real glad he’s already talked to you. Do you know where he is?”

“Not exactly, but I know someone who does. Come on in, Zoeybird.” She motioned for me to come inside, which I did. But, of course, Stevie Rae couldn’t follow me, and Rephaim waited on the porch with her.

“Uh, Grandma, you have to invite Stevie Rae into your home.”

“Cross my heart and swear that I’d never hurt you,” Stevie Rae said.

“Of course you wouldn’t, my dear. Please, come in. You are welcome in my home.”

“Thank you! Grandma—hey, you don’t mind that I call you that, do ya? All Z’s friends in our world call you Grandma,” Stevie Rae said.

“I don’t mind at all. Actually, I rather like it.”

“Good! So, Grandma, you wouldn’t have any chocolate-chip lavender cookies, would ya?”

“I absolutely do. The three of you make yourselves at home by the fire and I’ll get you some. This is such a blessed, wonderful night!”

Grandma hurried into her kitchen while we made ourselves comfortable in her living room. I gawked around. It was crazy how familiar yet how different everything was. Grandma had the same bookshelves, but different books were on them. Art filled her walls, just like back in my world, but there were subtle differences in the pieces she displayed. And the couch and comfy chairs were in the same place, but totally different colors and styles than the ones I was used to. It was strange, but perfect, like another onion layer exposed of the woman who had been grandma, mother, and best friend to me for most of my childhood.

“Here you go.” She put a plate of fragrant cookies and three glasses of sweet tea on the coffee table before us—and we dug in. “So, Zoeybird, did you reverse the spell again and reopen the divide between worlds? Is that how you got here?”

“No,” I said through a mouthful of delicious cookie. “This time I got help from a tree sprite.”

“An Old Magick tree sprite? She didn’t give her name, did she?”

“Yep, she did, Grandma,” Stevie Rae said. “Her name is Oak, and we think she knows you.”

“She does indeed.” Grandma looked grim. “Your brother and I met her a couple of days ago. The sprites seem to have taken a liking to us.”

“So, you were with him when he used Old Magick?” I asked.

“Yes, twice.”

I blew out a long breath. “That’s the biggest reason I’m here. Kevin has to stop using Old Magick. It’s super dangerous.”

“Anastasia warned him that there must always be payment made for the use of Old Magick,” Grandma said.

“That’s true, but it’s also true that Old Magick can change whoever wields it.”

“Change them? How so?” she asked.

“It’s not good, Grandma. And I’m no expert. There’s still a lot about Old Magick I just don’t understand, but I had to wield it to defeat Neferet in our world, and it almost turned me into someone you wouldn’t have recognized.”

“Z got angry,” Stevie Rae said softly. “And she stopped depending on her friends.”

“And you’re worried that will happen to our Kevin?” Grandma said.