King 03 - Restless (20 page)

“Tas! Are you all right?” Alarm filled her voice before she realized that it was Marly with me.

“I’m fine, Mom,” I answered. “I just ran into Marly in here, and we got to… talking. I’m sorry if you were worried.”

My mother’s eyes skittered from my face to Marly’s, questioning. “Okay,” she said softly. “Your dessert is waiting at the table.” She reached out to touch Marly’s arm. “It’s good to see you again.”

Marly’s smiled widened to include both of us. “That’s just what Tas and I were saying.” She wanted to say more, and I heard her vacillating before she finally sighed. “Luke’s going to think I’ve ditched him for a better offer. Nora, come by the nursery some time. I’d love to chat.” She gave me one more quick hug. “Tas, like I said, you’re always welcome at our house. Please don’t be a stranger.”

The door whooshed behind her and my mother turned back to me, questions on her mind and a troubled expression on her face.

“It’s okay, Mom,” I said. And although I was clearly lying, she followed me back to our table in silence.

Tas, my mom told me about seeing you. I wish… well, I was going to say I wish it had been me, but I  think you know that. I’m glad she saw you. She said you looked sad and stressed. I’m sorry. If I can do anything to make it better. . well. You know. I love you, Tas. Call me.

As easily as I had mastered fire and water, I expected that controlling the wind would be a snap. But for some reason, my emotions continued to make working with the air difficult. 

“Tasmyn!” Marica’s annoyance washed over me. “Bank the feelings. Bury them. How many times must I tell you?” She picked several twigs from her hair and dropped them to the ground. My last attempt to stir a light breeze had unleashed a wind storm that had shaken the leaves and branches from the trees that surrounded the clearing.

I forced a breath between gritted teeth. “Don’t you think I’m trying? It’s hard. I think I have it and then…” 

“And then you allow your anger, your pain, your… passion, to rise to the surface and take control. The wind is less straightforward, I’ll grant you that. It does not like to be manipulated, and if you show any weakness, it will take over.”

I pulled my hair up, away from neck. I was drenched in sweat from the effort, and I was tired of Marica’s harping at me. Now that I had managed to quell the impromptu storm, it was too still, too warm. Without bothering to check with Marica, I reached for the wind again, this time determined to keep it light. Just a breeze to cool me off…

I closed my eyes and felt the air move around me. I steeled myself to keep it light, to control it. I heard the faintest of whispers and tried to ignore them.

…remember the pain…Michael…

The wind picked up just slightly, but I ignored it, concentrated harder on tuning out its taunting. I understood now what Marica meant; if I let it stir my feelings, this element would use them against me. 

“Well done,” Marica said, just the faintest note of praise in her tone. “Better, at any rate. But it’s going to take time, Tasmyn, and a good deal of practice.” She glanced around the clearing, and I felt her indecision.

“What are you thinking?” It was a question I rarely had to ask, and it felt odd.

Marica continued to scan the forest around us, almost uneasily. “I think you need practice, Tasmyn,” she repeated. “However, time is of the essence, as they say. And I think we should avoid this spot for the time being. The King witches seem to be more active, and I don’t want to meet them unexpectedly.” She frowned again.

Remembering my conversation with Caroline Brooks, I asked, “Why don’t you ever participate with the King witches, anyway?”

Marica’s lips twitched. “Practicing magiks is not an after school activity, Tasmyn. One does not choose whether or not to ‘participate’.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Why don’t you practice magiks with them, then? Didn’t they ask you?”

This time she was not amused. “The King coven and I do not share the same goals. I want nothing to do with them, nor they with me.” She shook her head again, impatient. “We’re wasting time. I want to introduce you to the last element, Tasmyn, but I don’t want to do it here. We should avoid the clearing for the time being.”

“Why?” I asked, but Marica ignored me and began to make her way back to the path in the woods. I followed her, hurrying to keep up. She remained silent until we reached the parking lot.

“Do you think you can get out of the house tonight? Without arousing your parents’ suspicions?”

I was surprised. Marica had never had a problem asking me to keep secrets from my mother and father, but up until now, she hadn’t suggested that I sneak out or openly deceive them.

“What did you have in mind?” I asked, not a little apprehensive. For just a moment, Nell’s warning face flashed before my eyes.

“Earth element. We should begin the lessons as soon as possible, and it is desirable to do it at night.”

I shrugged. “Okay. I don’t really get that, but if you say so…”

“I do.” She was firm.

“Where? If the clearing is out, do you want me to come to your house?”

“Certainly not. My yard is small, and my neighbors can be too inquisitive.” She met my eyes challengingly. “No, for this lesson, we will meet at the Massler mansion.”

I’m pretty sure my mouth dropped open. Not much Marica said or did surprised me anymore, but the idea of going to Nell’s family home did the trick.

“Are you crazy?” I hissed. “We can’t go there.”

Marica smiled slightly. “We can and we will. Nell’s father is away at the moment, and the mystical energy on that property is nearly equal to that of Lake Rosu. It is the perfect place and the perfect time.”

“And just how am I supposed to get there? I don’t really even know where the Masslers live.” I had a vague idea that it wasn’t too far from Rafe’s house.

“Work out some way to get out of your house. Meet me at the gates in front of the Massler home. Wear dark clothing.” She paused, looking at me speculatively. “You can look up the address. I’ll see you there at eleven tonight.”

“How long will I be gone?” I really didn’t want to have to sneak out of the house, and a plan was forming in my mind.

“You will be home by…” Marica cast her eyes upward, considering. “One o’clock in the morning. Will that suffice?”

“I think so. I can tell my parents that Rafe and I are going to a late movie. I think they’ll give me a break on my curfew for one night.” 

She grimaced. “Must we involve the Brooks boy again?”

I threw up my hands. “If you want me to get out of the house, yes.”

“Fine.” Marica turned and strode toward her car. “Tonight at eleven. Don’t be late.”

Hey, Tas. Another day, another call. I guess you might think I’m pathetic. Maybe I am. Cathryn says—that doesn’t matter. I’m not giving up, not today, not tomorrow. I love you, Tas. Call me.

I was really trying to abide by the spirit of my parents’ rules, even if I wasn’t following them all, strictly speaking. So I felt virtuous as I sat in the parking lot by Lake Rosu to call Rafe instead of talking to him while I drove home.

He answered on the second ring. 

“Hey.” His voice was husky and intimate, and an odd thrill went up my spine, followed by the inevitable guilt.

“Hi. What are you doing?”

“Just finished my homework for the weekend.” He made a noise between a yawn and a moan, and I realized he was stretching.

“I’m jealous,” I told him, and I meant it. Rafe was actually incredibly intelligent, although he didn’t broadcast it. He breezed through most of his classes and always finished his homework before I did when we were working together.

“Are you home and calling to check in?” he asked me.

“No and yes,” I replied. “I’m checking in, but I’m not home yet. I’m sitting in the parking lot at Lake Rosu.”

“What? Why?” Concern etched his words. “Is the car broken down? Do you need me to get you?”

“No, I’m good,” I assured him. “Just wanted to talk to you before I got home. What are you doing tonight?”

“I thought I might take my girlfriend out… that is, if she’s done playing with the witch.”

I decided not to rise to that bait. “I’d like to go out with you, but I was hoping you’d help me with something else, too. I need to tell you about it, and I need you not to interrupt until I’m completely done. Okay?”

“Okay…” Rafe sounded both cautious and skeptical.

I went through my conversation with Marica, and Rafe stayed silent. “And so I thought we could go to the movies tonight, but I could just tell my parents we were going to a later show. I know they’d relax my curfew. It’s not a school night. And then you could just drop me at the Masslers’ house at eleven.”

I stopped and waited for his reply. For several beats, he didn’t speak. And when he did, there was both anger and incredulity.

“Are you crazy? Let’s get this straight. You want me to lie to your parents, drive you to a house so you can break and enter and do some kind of magic there with the witch? In the middle of the night? Are you listening to yourself?”

I gritted my teeth. “I’m not breaking into the house, just the backyard. I think, anyway. Look, Rafe, I hear you. I understand your concerns. But I’m going to do this whether you help me or not. I thought you might feel better if you dropped me off. I’m being honest with you. I could’ve just gone.”

“No, you need me to make your plan work,” Rafe retorted. He heaved a sigh. “Okay, look. Here’s my deal, take it or leave it. I’ll pick you up, take you to the movies. I’m not going to lie to your parents, but I won’t tell them you are, either. And at eleven I’ll take you to Masslers’ house. But then I’m waiting until you’re done, and I’m taking you home.  I’m not leaving you there alone with the witch. Like I said, take it or leave it.”

I considered his ultimatum. “Marica won’t like it,” I mused. “She’ll be mad.” 

“Ask me if I care.”

“All right,” I said. “We’ll do it your way. Truthfully, I’ll feel better knowing you’re nearby. I’m not sure exactly what she has in mind.”

Rafe snorted. “No comment. I’ll pick you up at eight.”