"Why is it always such shitty weather when I see you…?" she sighs, taking the towel off.
Oh, damn it. Her hair is more tamed because it’s wet, and this drop going down her neck is driving me crazy too. She's fucking pretty like that. I need to take a deep breath and look away. Once again, there are crazy fireworks in my stomach and Mara is staring at me, making it even worse. It's like my senses are getting corrupted by this.
Thank Moon Goddess, Nina comes back with our drinks, because I need something to tame my thirst. I'm going freaking nuts here. Why is she so persistent about me? She can't feel the bond, she's a witch. I wish she could also experience half of the trouble I'm in... or wait, maybe not. That'd be worse...
"So, are you going to answer my questions today?" she asks, playing with the metallic straw, making it click against the glass.
"I'll answer whatever I can."
"About Sylviana's tree, for example?"
Oh, freakin' fuck. Of all the questions... I want to growl and run the hell away from this place, from her.
"No."
"You're the laziest witch hunter I've ever met," she sighs.
She takes a sip of her hot cocoa, and the whipped cream gives her a cute mustache. Oh, damn, not cute, Liam, stop thinking shit like that. I don't want to, but I can't help but notice she is still frowning a bit, even while staring at her drink.
"What's wrong?"
"I have a headache..."
"...The voices?"
"No, not this time. Just a damn headache..."
She massages her temples and closes her eyes, giving me a little break. How come she's feeling unwell now? She wasn't well last time we saw each other either. I stare outside. Is it the rain, perhaps? Water should be her weakness after all...
"It may be the rain," I explain. "Witches are weak to their opposite element."
"Sylviana was weak to... fire?"
I nod. Syl hated anything related to fire, including candles or cigarettes... The smell of smoke gave her nausea, though she tried not to show it. I guess Mara is just as weak to rain, especially downpours like these...
"What about the other witches?" she asks.
I don't really want to talk about that... I didn't want anyone else to know, actually. Especially not Nora. I thought I could fight them off by myself with what I know. Direct them toward where the barrier is stronger, make them feel like they are not welcome, keep them at bay.
"The barrier is weakening, don't tell me this won't be an issue," she suddenly declares.
I turn to her, surprised. She looks a bit proud.
"Yeah, I can feel it," she adds before I say a thing. "Nora took me to see Sylviana's tree and the barrier. It's getting weaker. I think whatever she was trying to do, she knew there would be another witch to take over someday. Sylviana knew it wouldn't last."
...I don't want to listen to that.
I had a hunch Nora was thinking the same thing too, that Sylviana had planned all of this. She was always two steps ahead of everyone, planning for the future. I kind of never understood why she felt like she had to protect everyone, almost as if she was guilty of something. She was guilty of nothing, but only... She tried to protect us from her sister, from one crazy Water Witch that went wrong.
Yet, to think she knew enough about someone like Mara coming?
"No, she couldn't see the future past her death," I protest.
"Regardless of what she could foresee, she ought to have known there would be a time needed for a tree like that," she says. "It means she also knew it wouldn't last, and there would be another witch no matter what. Maybe she wanted to pick which one."
I glance at her, unsure. What is she implying? I had always wondered about that tree. Somehow, I thought she'd be there forever, that she would continue to protect us even in her death... until Mara came. Then, my doubts appeared, tormenting me with two black eyes, and my heart was thrown into her fire.
Sylviana did talk about how each city had its witch, but... she never mentioned her own replacement. I'm doubting everything now, and I have more questions than I can bear. She knew she would leave me. She knew we would never be together forever, but could she have predicted this? Predicted that Mara would appear?
