Page 12 of Winterfall Destiny

Three days.

Andrei's dead.

Or the one we know is. What's left of him up there could die, or he could survive and threaten us all.

I delve into my jacket pocket and pull out the small black tourmaline I took from Lex's place. He doesn't possess any Blackwood family artefacts or magical items, but he's lived in that cottage for years, and everything around the guy absorbed his energy. Psychometry tells me that. Psychometry told me which item I could take with the most energy and that Lex wouldn't miss.

Much the same as when I held the Blackwood pendant, curling my hand around the stone sends a buzz through me. Not elation but confidence that I'm less vulnerable if I tune into the magic that once protected me against bullies—and death.

Life's now a million miles from bullies, but death follows me again.

Someone approaches, soft footsteps crunching in gravel, and Maeve appears. At least she's showed emotion recently, even though she represses most. Maeve’s dressed in black sweatpants and a baggy blue sweater, hair unbrushed and eyes smudged with dark circles. I've sat here since leaving the breakfast nobody else attended, presuming Maeve was asleep or with Tobias.

"Have you stayed awake all night?" I ask Maeve.

She approaches and sits heavily on the bench, pausing to kiss me briefly, smiling but eyes dull. "I'm not sleeping well."

"I could find something to help with that?" I suggest.

Maeve shakes her head. "If Andrei wakes up, I don't want to be drugged by magic or Lix."

Sighing, I pull fingers through her tangled hair. "Did you sit in his room all night again?"

"Not all night. Tobias and Ash took over." She strokes my cheek as I bite hard on my lip and look away. "Jamie. It's okay. We understand if you want to avoid being alone with Andrei."

"I don't think he'll spring to life and hurt me," I mumble. "I'm just..." What? A coward? In denial? I drag a hand through my hair. "Not coping. I'll help out later?"

"It's fine," she insists and kisses me again. "But I worry about you."

"I'm alright."

Her eyes go to my hand. "What's that?"

I'd forgotten I still held the stone, and I curl my fingers around until it's hidden in my palm. "Nothing."

"Way to sound like a naughty kid caught with something he stole," she says and chuckles. "Show me."

Ever since we returned from Lex's, and the Blackwood side of our lives came to the fore, I've wanted to speak to Maeve about the thoughts I've hidden. I'd intended to earlier, but when we arrived back to the Andrei shitshow everything else got pushed away.

No secrets. The words keep echoing, the promise we all made to each other in the early days. Yeah, well, Andrei went one step further than no secrets... But Maeve. She must suspect something's different, even beneath the grief she's avoiding.

I open my fingers again and she frowns, taking hold of the black stone. "Where's this from?"

"Lex's place."

"Huh?" Maeve turns the stone around in her hand. "Bit of a weird thing for him to give you." She trails off. "Jamie. Does Lex know you have this?"

"No." I rub my cheek, then take Maeve's hands. As the one holding the tourmaline touches mine, the magic jolts between us.

"Jamie!" She drops her grip and stares at my hands. "Why are you taking objects infused with Blackwood magic?"

Troubled eyes meet mine and I shift closer. "How's Andrei?"

"Don't try to distract me. I'm confused why you're taking Blackwood objects. Are you trying psychometry in case there're answers inside? Memories of the runes or spells?"

"No."

"Then, what?" Her mouth parts a little. "Are you trying to connect with the magic? Jamie! What happened to you insisting I don't?"

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