Page 52 of Wicked Witchmas: Elara & Tripp

“Yes.” Florence circled the table, her expression troubled. “I thought I had more time, but listen to me, gel. The Hawthorne line?—”

“No!” Mayor Cobb leaped up and slapped her palm on the table. “They’re not prepared for the knowledge—or the gift.”

“Well, it’s happening either way, isn’t it?” her grandmother snapped. “True power comes from embracing her vulnerabilities and strengths, which is clearly what she just did if her body’s transitioning.”

“Transitioning?” Elara squeaked. “What am I transitioning to?”

“A Titan.”

Payton fumbled the glass she was offering Elara. After righting it, she glared at Florence. “Awhat?”

“Titan,” Brelenia supplied with a sympathetic glance at Tripp. “I’m sorry, darling.”

Frowning darkly, he shook his head. “Don’t be. She needed to know.”

“Wait, what?” Feeling as if the meat of her body was cooking and peeling off the bone, Elara gasped and guzzled the water Payton had given her. With a pant, she gestured for the pitcher. “Tripp? You knew and withheld this information?”

Rainier rumbled.

“Elara, stay calm and listen carefully,” he urged.

“This is as calm as I get,” she snapped. “Somebody better start talking before I spontaneously combust and take that fucking mountain top with me..”

“You are the three-time great-grandaughter of Helios,” Florence explained, waving and refilling Elara’s glass. “Our line is ancient, as old as Brelenia’s, and just as powerful.”

“Who the hell is Helios?” Groaning, Elara emptied her third glass. “And why the hell didn’t I pay attention in school?”

“I’m not sure they taught things like Greek mythology where we ended up,” Payton replied.

“How would you know? You quit your sophomore year.”

“Elara!” Florence scolded, appearing disappointed in her retort.

Yet, along with the burning cells came a snarky attitude Elara couldn’t suppress. As her body flooded with magic, her mind twisted, and her heart hardened. Only a tiny part of her regretted her comeback, but she felt as if her compassion were being snuffed out.

“Why now? Why is this taking over my body, and how do I stop it?” she demanded, downing another glass.

“You don’t,” Brelenia said. “And the influx of emotions, good and bad, are normal. Don’t try to fight the transformation.”

Payton, ever Elara’s staunch supporter, grew enraged. “You knew about this and sent those fucking boots anyway? We’ll all be lucky if the mountain doesn’t take out half of the States in my sister’s condition.”

“That’s why it’s imperative she remain calm,” Tripp said, refilling Elara’s water as soon as she finished it. “And hydrated.”

“Why am I craving this much water? The heat?” she asked.

“Partially. I believe the other reason is your water nymph heritage.”

“What? As inmermaid?”

Elara looked at Tripp in disbelief, and he didn’t blame her one bit. To find out one was descended from the Sun God, Helios, and was technically a mashup of Titan and water nymph would be a lot for anyone to process.

“Yes, as in mermaid, but without the tail.”

“This is a joke, right?” Payton pushed him out of the way and placed a palm against Elara’s flushed forehead. As soon as her sister winced and hissed, she dropped her arm and wrung her hands together. “She’s burning up. Let’s get her to the hospital. This fever can’t be normal.”

Tripp snorted. “Nothing about this situation is normal. But a hospital will do her no good. She’s mid-transformation.”

“Yeah, but what am I transforming into?” Elara asked. “You said no tail, but will I grow into a seven-foot monster with horns and cloven feet? Because it feels like the fires of Hell inside my skin.”

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