Chapter 161

“She can be charming and nice...until she isn't.”

No matter how many times I told myself not to take Emilia’s warning to heart, her words played on repeat in my head.

The drive to Rowena and Cordelia’s wasn't nearly long enough to sort through everything I'd learned. Not only that, but I was no closer to identifying the sickening sense of foreboding that clung to my soul like a noxious gas than I was to discovering how Lars was connected to all of this.

Ihad no choice but to force what I'd learned about Cassidy to the deepest reaches of my mind. After all, Asher had said she didn’t handle embarrassment well. It didn’t excuse her obvious vendetta against Emilia, but I had bigger fish to fry at the moment. '

One of those fish happened to be standing in the kitchen of the house I'd soon be wielding magic in.

“Dad?” I frowned, pausing within the doorway as I spotted his bulky figure hovering over grandma in the kitchen. “ What are you doing here?”

“He’s about to find himself on his ass if he doesn’t stop hovering over me.” Grandma grumbled, gripping a plastic bowl in her hands.

She shuffled to the left a few feet, toa clear patch of countertop that wasn’t littered in flour, sugar, and other

various baking ingredients. Dad's movements mirrored hers, his hand stroking the length of his newly trimmed beard. Grandma began mixing the contents of the bowl furiously, her arm moving so fast I worried for Dad’s safety as he hovered too close.

“Your grandma is practicing her magic.” Rowena’s voice was aS warm as her laughter as it trickled from upstairs.
She appeared seconds later, sweeping down the steps in a flowing skirt that reached her ankles. When she spotted grandma’s furious baking and the way dad shadowed her like she was handling unstable chemicals, the tender look on her face dropped. 

“Oh... well, I wonder how this will turn out. I suppose only time can tell.”
 She murmured and made a beeline for the kitchen, pausing to turn and call out over her shoulder, “Lola, why don’t you head upstairs and begin with Cordelia while I watch over these two. I'll call you down shortly for our lesson.”

a piece of eggshell in there.” Dad's voice was low, but I'd never mistake

doing this for thirty-five years and I've never needed a babysitter...” I heard

her trunk of ancient looking spell books. The urge to tiptoe closer and sneak a glance over her shoulder was overwhelming, but I managed to keep myself still. From the scowl on Cordelia’s face when

keep still for any longer when she swiped a hand over her face. The silvery strands of her hair were falling out of the bun she had it in, and more than once her fingers grazed the amulets

of the shadows faded from her eyes, replaced with a comforting smile that appeared to be genuine. Without another word regarding her flustered appearance, she slammed the lid of the trunk shut and gestured to

feet followed, growing faster as the sense of surprise in my chest swelled. As the sound stopped, Rowena’s head of auburn hair appeared in the doorway. Her cheeks were rosy and flushed with blood, but she

I anticipated, but not to worry. I'm going to need justa few more minutes though.”

she constructed. “...but yes, I’m sure.  Time is not a luxury you have,

I finished for her, letting a wry smile

I asked Cordelia, shedding the jacket I

umber and scarlet that melted into gentle pastels as stars began to pop into existence.

heard her reply and turned my head in the

the moment we stepped downstairs, making sure to

Cordelia replied, flitting through the book in her hand without meeting my

flash of grandma's face behind the glass. When I saw nothing, I had

do ..’ She hummed, smoothing out the rigid pages until they finally lay flat. “ I'll be standing watch the entire time, so if you need help simply ask, but I would like to see you complete this on your own. It's a relatively basic sigil, so if you do miscalculate the results shouldn't be too severe. You'll

unassuming cardboard box sat in her hands, small in size though I could see numerous candles, oils, and incense within. The scent of sandalwood and dragons blood trickled in through my senses, and

even though a kernel of excitement bounced around

scowl painted my

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