Page 1 of Untraced Magic
Unknown
“Youmusttakeher.Go now,” his voice rasped against the still of night, an urgency staining my son’s lips.
“Don’t ask me to do this,” I whispered, cradling the bundle into my arms, wincing as it stirred from the unsettling movement. “Please come with us. We could go to the coven, talk to the elders. Ask for their help.”
He shook his head, desperation haunting his features.
“You know I can’t. It’s the only way to keep her safe.” He gestured inside the darkened house our family had called home for generations, his voice lowering to a mere breath. “She’s gone mad. And if what I believe is true, she will come for her too. Take the power that is rightfully hers. I can’t let that happen.Wecan’t let that happen.”
Tears slipped from my stinging eyes, and I swiped them from my cheeks, wondering how long he had held this burden within. Hidden behind thick brown hair that looked as if not cut in months was the answer I knew, deeply embedded in irises that had once shone bright yet were now barely a shade of ash. They sunk deep amidst the shadows framing them, a ghastly tale of their own. It pained me to see him like this.
There had to be another way. Another option. But deep in my heart, I knew he was right.
He pulled me into his embrace, and for an agonizing moment I took comfort in arms I knew I may never feel the warmth of again.
His lips pressed delicately against my forehead. “I love you. Now leave.”
Every part of me screamed for this not to be, a wretched ache tearing at my heart. But I nodded, taking one last look into the eyes of a love so deeply rooted in my soul it stung.
A sob laced with emotion escaped me. “I love you, too.” And by the gods, I always would.
My boots shuffled against gravel as I retreated to the edge of the forest. Raising my fingers to my lips, I kissed the air between us, and the wind whisked it away.
My son blended into the midnight shadows, a silhouette barely visible under the overhanging veranda.
His hand lifted in the air.
A final tear slid down my cheek.
Under a bright crescent moon, the forest wrapped me in darkness.
Then I fled.
Morgan
Athudstartledmeawake as a different world moved past my window, my eyes raising to the towering mountain peaks kissing a somber sky.
I stared at the passing scenery as the bus wound its way down a road encased by a forest so close, daylight found me in dappled moments, until finally grinding to a halt at my destination. Cutters Cove, a fishing village home to 6,521 people.
Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I thanked the driver before stepping outside, a chill in the salted air prickling my skin as relief left me in a long breath. Just what I needed, fresh air and a fresh start, away from the sympathy stares that had followed me since my parents’ death.
If I heard ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ one more time, I would have screamed. So, I left.
My gaze flicked over my immediate surroundings, where antique lanterns evenly lined the narrow street ahead, three perched on each pole. It gave the town a gothic vibe, and I imagined their amber glow would offer the cove an entirely new perspective at night.
Beyond that, aged storefronts led down the road, where paint cracked from them as if creatures shedding their decayed skin.
How hard was it to pick up a damn paintbrush around here?
The familiar grind of coffee beans sounded from a nearby coffee cart, a brunette around my age smiling at me as I approached it.
“Hi.” I fumbled through my bag for my wallet. “Could I grab a latte, please?”
A dimple creased her cheek. “Sure thing. From what I’ve seen, whoever gets off that bus is either in town for a few days or moving here. Which is it?”
I laughed at her observation, leaning against the side of the caravan. “The latter. I’m about to pick up my house keys. Are you from here?” I asked.
She glanced over her shoulder while working her magic on the coffee machine, her eyes a shade of blue-green I hadn’t seen before. “Sure am. Welcome. I’ve been gone a few years but moved back not long ago. I’m usually at Coffee Cove a few blocks down. You should pop in and say hi sometime. I’m Skye.”
