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“Hey, Jade!” her bright voice came from my screen. “I feel like I haven’t heard from you in days. How’s Salem? Wait, don’t tell me. Let me FaceTime the others.”
Within moments, Ember and Audra’s tired faces came into view.
“Isla, stop shaking before you make me sick.” Ember sipped on a cup of tea from Grandmother’s fancy china, smoking tinctures and withered roses surrounding her. “Where are you today? Makes me long for more pina coladas and sultry sunsets with Killian.”
“Mykonos,” Isla sang from her perch on a blue and white-striped beach chair, fronds of a palm tree sweeping into view as her phone bounced with her movements.
Audra groaned. “Sign me up for the next Coven trip.” She cast a withering glance at the grey sky above her that only made her fiery auburn hair burn brighter. “It’s been raining non-stop in Wales. This is the first time in weeks I’ve been able to come outside for fresh air.”
“Don’t complain, bitch.” Ember gave her a pointed look. “You asked for this! And you still haven’t sent me a box of pastries like you promised.”
“I already told you; they don’t ship well, and visitors are strictly forbidden unless approved by the headmistress,” she argued hotly.
My brows furrowed with confusion. “Ember, what happened to your trip to Hell to visit Taliah?”
“We came back to the city for some urgent Council business, since Alexei is out of town, along with Hunt.” Ember pouted playfully. “Of course, Grandmother forced me into more High Priestess training. She isrelentless. It’s not like she’s going to keel over next week! I have decades to master these skills.”
A wince flashed over my face before I could hide it.
“Jade, what’s wrong?” Isla’s knowing eyes tracked my nervous tick with a raised brow. “You haven’t told us anything about the Salem Coven or your spirit magick training.”
I took a deep breath and tried to smile, the reality of my future back home sending a startling jolt through my blood. “As far as magick goes, it’s been going well,” I said honestly, a proud smile curling my lips despite my worries. “The Salem Coven has been incredibly welcoming to me. With the Winter Solstice festival tonight, it’s been busy, but exciting too.”
“Huh,” Audra managed through her surprise. “I haven’t seen you this animated about something inforever.”
Ember’s brows waggled. “And what about Alexei? Does the vampire’s arrival in Salem have to do with your ridiculous grin?”
If looks could kill, I would have singed her to her chair.
“We’ve seen each other around here and there.” I shrugged, fighting a surge of embarrassment at my lustful thoughts.
I watched as the three of them shared a knowing look through the screen.
Before they could delve further into my secrets, uproarious laughter burst from the other young witches decked out in their swimwear and snorkel gear behind Isla.
“Well, I’ve got to go.” She grinned. “We have a sailing excursion planned, but I wanted to check in with y’all. This may be the longest we’ve gone without talking since Jade went to college.”
Her words settled over us like a storm, swift in its devastation.
“I know, but soon we’ll be back together once Audra finishes the semester.” With a swallow, I forced a bright tone I didn’t feel. “Be safe. Keep an eye out for stranger danger, and for the love of the Goddess, don’t let the others peer pressure you into anything you don’t want to do.”
“Yes, mother.” Isla rolled her eyes before she blew us a kiss and waved goodbye.
The endearment stabbed into me, but the others didn’t seem to notice.
A fierce yawn slashed across Audra’s face. “I’ve gotta go, too. Dinner hours are strict, and I’m starved after hours in the library with only coffee as sustenance. I want all the vampire details later though, okay?”
I couldn’t fight my blush as she hung up, leaving Ember and me alone.
“Be honest.” Her lips pursed with suspicion. “Is everything okay over there? You seem different. I'm not sure what it is, but this past year you’ve changed working with Alexei. Not necessarily in a bad way—both empowered, but also sadder. If that makes any sense.”
Her strangely perceptive assessment percolated through me.
Working with the talismans and Alexei had empowered me to step away from my duty with the Coven and focus on myself, but that hadn’t made me sad. It was the knowledge that our arrangement was impermanent.
“I’m okay,” I promised with a strength I didn’t feel. “Just worried, as per usual.”
“Worried about what?” Ember pushed, throwing her arms up in confusion. “You can talk to me, you know? These past few years, you’ve done so much for us. Forme. I wouldn’t be here, happy and healthy, without you. You can let us in too.”
