Page 93 of Love's a Witch
“Where have you been?” Lyra asked the million-dollar question on everyone’s minds, and I busied myself with getting cups out, wondering if he was going to lie.
“The hills.” His voice was rusty, like he didn’t use it often. “I had,have, a job to do. One that I stayed away from while I raised you girls.”
The kettle popped, and I poured the tea, my mind mulling over what kind of job would call him to the hills. Away from his family. As matriarchal witches, we carried both the MacGregor name and the curse, and I wondered if it had all become too much for him. Carrying the tray to the table, I sat down and wrapped my ice-cold hands around my cup of tea.
“They deserve an explanation.” Broca’s words were sharp.
“You let her take us.” I held my father’s eyes, challenging him.
“I had no choice. You were already gone.” Dad looked around at each of us, his eyes sad. “She took you when I was… away. She didn’t return my calls, and I had no way of tracking you.”
“And you didn’t have a cell phone?” I’d always wondered why I couldn’t call him.
“They never last. At least in what I do.”
“At the very least, be honest with them. These are your daughters, who have grown into some pretty remarkable and resilient young women,” Broca said.
“Ah.” Dad looked us each in the eyes. “This is a family secret, but you should know, as it runs in your blood, though we won’t know if any of your magick manifests in this way. It’s hard to say, but even so, it’s a powerful magick to have access to.”
“What does that mean?” Nova pushed her lower lip out.
“The reason I disappeared on so many trips when you were growing up, why I can’t have cell phones, and why I live in seclusion in the hills, is that I’m a keeper. A keeper of dragons, to be exact. I care for them, protect their home, and see that their royal bloodline will never be extinguished.”
“Dragons,” Lyra breathed, her eyes lighting up.
“Aye.” Dad bobbed his head, taking a sip of his tea.
“I wonder if that’s why you conjured a dragon,” Broca said, and Dad angled his head toward me.
“Is that right?” He looked at me with a considering light in his eyes.
“And it’s why you can have Blue.” Broca nodded to me.
“I heard. An emberwolf. Quite rare to have as a familiar but not unusual for our bloodline. The dragons know their own.”
“But… how? Mum never once mentioned this,” I asked, confusion filling me.
“No, she wouldn’t have. She resented me, my connection to this town, and my absolute refusal to leave with her. For a while I thought we had a fighting chance of staying here, if we both could compromise.”
“Mum doesn’t compromise.” Nova snorted.
“No, she doesn’t at that.”
“So instead of a fighting chance you just… fought?”
“Constantly.” Dad nodded, his finger tapping against the teacup. “It was the best and worst time of my life. And I’m sorry that you three were collateral damage in that.”
“Are you?” I asked, uncertain if I could believe him. “Are you really?”
“Sorry? Aye, I am. I had no choice but to let you go. She knew that too. I can’t leave here. Just like you three can’t stay. It’s an awful curse, and we were the wrong people to meet, to fall in love. A fire that burned too hot, consuming everyone around us.”
“And there was no way to reach us?”
“No. While your mother’s magick was unreliable, it was still strong. She blocked me. But when I heard you were back, I came here to give you this. It doesn’t make up for not being around, but I hope it’s a start.”
Only then did I notice the bag at his side. Unzipping the backpack, he pulled out an accordion-style file folder and slid the top open.
A pile of letters spilled out.
