Page 26 of Luna Ascending

“Good girl. Go and clean yourself up now and we can sleep. You'll need some rest before we go again in the morning”

Chapter Twenty

Freya's POV

By the time I finally catch up with Liz again, the engagement's been a thing for several weeks, and some of the shine has worn off. I'm pretty reticent to tell her right now, I really don't think I can hack more warnings about the family I'm marrying into. Or questions about how we're getting on. I'll tell her of course, just not right now – we get such little time together, I don't want to spoil it.

Luckily Liz is easily distracted by her own love life. She's busily describing everything as 'magical' when my mouth opens and words fall out I definitely had not planned.

“Speaking of magical Liz” I steer the conversation clumsily “if you had a friend who really, truly believed they were a witch. Would you think she was crazy? I have this friend, and she seems perfectly sane and sensible, except she's adamant that she's a witch...” I trail off seeing Liz peering at me.

“For a start,” Liz cackles “you don't have any other friends, so you're talking about yourself, right?!”

She takes a big swig of coffee and grins mischievously at me. My friend's mirth is contagious and she's too accurate. I burst out laughing, stopping abruptly as my nerves rise. What if Liz thinks I'm nuts? What on earth made me bring this up? Can I just joke the conversation away?

Liz's manicured nails tap the rim of her mug, and her next words throw me such a curve ball that I could pinch myself to try and wake up.

“I know you're a witch” she says, matter of factly; no hesitation, no doubt, like she's just stating a widely known truth."I didn't for a long time, but ... something about you changed recently - it's way more obvious now."

I blink. I open my mouth, then shut it again. Time seems to hang still.

“I... I wanted to tell you Liz” I gabble, apologising “ I just didn't know it myself until a few months ago, then.. I didn't know how..”

Liz gives me an odd half smile, “It's not easy keeping things from your best friend, is it? I should know Freya”

I feel my heart lift. Maybe Liz is a witch too, what else could she mean? I turn briefly to grab the cafetière and promptly drop it screaming when I turn back. Something is wrong in the air around Liz. Something is wrong with Liz.

I pull my feet up, away from her, as her body elongates unnaturally. Her outline looses its definition. It happens so fast I can barely register the alarm coursing through my veins before Liz has gone.

In her place is the largest and most ferocious looking cat I have ever seen. My scream dies away and little huffs of air escape my mouth as I back away across the room. Just as quickly, Liz is back, grinning, and hiding her nakedness under the crisp cotton throw.

“YOU'RE A CAT!” I gasp.

Liz glares “A fucking cougar thank you very much Miss Witch!”

“Yeah, well.. same... big cat” even although I'm still in shock I enjoy the look of sheer annoyance flashing across her face.

Several cups of coffee later, and Liz has done her bast to educate me in the 'other-world' we both apparently inhabit. Somehow, for all the talk of the Coven and witches, Marc and his whole family failed to mention that there are other beings out there who aren't entirely human.

Liz's boyfriend Tavey, Aaron and all his family are wolf-shifters according to Liz. Wolf-shifter - it has a ring to it I like. But there are lots of other animal-shifters out there, along with the witches. Who the hell would have thought that any of this was real?!

I must still be in shock because somehow it feels as if part of me has always known there was more out there. Why would Marc keep this from me? Does he really think I'm so fragile that I couldn't handle knowing? Is he that worried I'll loose control of my powers again?! Why else would he keep it from me?

I can see Liz desperately trying to hide how shocked she is that I've not explored much of my magic since I discovered it. She gives herself away completely however when she tuts on hearing Marc's suggestion I “stick to books on the history of witchcraft and 'baby spells' for everyone's safety”. She's insistent I should explore my potential and her enthusiasm rubs off – I feel excited at the idea.

“Here, look up these old crones! They'll help you out, as long as you don't go calling them old” Liz grabs a bit of paper and scribbles down a few names and addresses, glancing at her watch as she does “Shit! I'm late for a client meeting – blaming you! We've not done this in too long – I lost track of time”

Liz scrabbles her things together, borrows my one and only suit as a replacement for her shredded clothes, and shoots towards the door. Just as she turns to leave, I think she's spotted my engagement ring and try to hide my hand in panic. I really don't need that chat right now – but she just peers around again and mentions I ought to put my own stamp on the sparse male looking apartment before merrily trotting out past a disapproving looking concierge.

I glance around the flat realising I've only just enough time to clear up before Marc gets back. I wash out the mugs by hand and put them away, and quickly mop up the spilled coffee we'd both merrily ignored earlier.

Straightening out the throw Liz had covered herself in I try to get things sorted in my head. I'm pretty sure Marc doesn't approve of Liz, and my instincts tell me he'd be unhappy to know she'd visited.

He's forever telling me to 'leave my old life in the past' – it's understandable I guess, but I find myself sighing internally every time. He wants a new life with me, and I really don't want to disappoint him. The idea of facing his disapproval is highly unnerving. I rub my birthmark in flustered habit as Marc's key rattles in the door, pleased not to have been caught out.

Chapter Twenty-One

Aaron's POV

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