I cloaked myself in impenetrable armor since the moment I walked out of the police station those twenty years ago.After I’d lost my parents, I vowed never to let anyone that close to me again.It wasn’t worth the pain, because invariably they’d all leave me one way or another.I kept my exchanges with people superficial and scarce.
And yet from the moment I saw these two women before me, I knew something big had happened.Hell, I knew everything had changed completely.
“Sometimes, Temps.”I smiled, my vision shimmering as my eyes burned.“But not always.I…I get your reticence to perform the ritual.I won’t give up what we have here either.I won’t.I don’t think I could.I never planned for this, but you two have become the most important people in my life.I won’t lose you.”
I could feel the wetness on my face, but I just didn’t give a shit anymore.I’d believed all my tears were used up the night of my parents’ funeral, but I’d found new ones, and I couldn’t hold them back.
Lizzie’s brows rose as this look of something akin to awe washed over her beautiful face.She looked to Temperance, and they both turned back to me, crawling across the floor until they surrounded me, one of them straddling either leg as I collapsed back against the edge of the coffee table.I couldn’t hold it all in, the span of emotions and thoughts that powered through me—furious and dedicated as a freight train.
So, I just broke down.
What was truly the shock of the season was that there were actually people there to support me through it.Yes, I’d had a handful of people in the past who would be there on the hard days, but something no one talks about is that as you age, friendships and relationships just change.Some will stand the test of time, some won’t.I knew I cut myself off from people, but I’d be lying if I said some people had really fought to be around me.
Becoming an island was damn easy, actually.
Time stretched for a while, an amorphous thing that passed by without fanfare or spectacle.So, after the worst of it was over, I looked up into two gorgeous sets of eyes and found the strength to nod.
“There’s nothing that makes the grief go away,” Temperance said, cupping my cheek as she perched on my right knee.“It’s always there, but it can be more manageable when you’re not alone.And you’renotalone, Caleb.”
“And we will never understand how horrible it was to see what you did.We won’t.But we’ve both lost a parent, too.That’s a hole that becomes a part of the fabric.You’ll always notice it.But Temps is right.We’re here.Yes, there’s the mind-blowing sex we had the other day, but hell, I actually like hanging with you.And when you talk about alchemy?Ugh, you and Temps like up like fucking Bunsen burners.”
Laughter erupted from my chest, cleansing fire that burned away some of the lingering darkness.
“I like being around you both, too.And I’d prefer it if I didn’t have to add you to the list of people I’ve lost.So…”
“Soul weaving.”Temps nodded, gripping my hand.“Alright.How do we do it?”
“Well,” I shuffled slightly, jostling the girls as I pressed away from the coffee table that dug into my spine, “we’ll need to visit the library for the appropriate tome and then proceed to the cemetery behind campus.Holy ground is required for the ritual according to the text I’ve already read.And since books are allowed to leave the library—and there’s an enchantment in place—we’ll have to be crafty.”
“Good, more breaking and entering.And now with theft.”Lizzie nudged Temps with her elbow as her stepsister complained.
“Eh, I think I have an idea for this one.”
Lizzie’s eyes twinkled with mischief, and I made a face, narrowing my eyes at her as I pointed just an inch or so from her nose.
“Why do I get the feeling that if it weren’t for our relationship, you’d be my problem student?”
Keaning forward, Lizzie kissed my finger before pushing off me, making my thigh muscle stretch in a sharp tweak.
“Because you’re very smart.Now, shut up and follow me.”
“You’reabsolutelyinsane!Thatwas your idea!”Temperance screamed out over her shoulder as the three of us ran away from the library, clinging to our stolen book in a repetitive, high-stakes version of hot potato.
“Hey,” Lizzie called out, catching the book as I tossed it gently to her, disorienting the animated lock and chain that was coming after it, “it’s not very nice of you to throw around the word ‘insane,’ you know.I would have thought you knew better.”
“Lizzie!”Temperance sprinted for the gate of the cemetery, all of us praying to Hekate that the fucking holy ground would dispel the charm—at least while we were on it.“I’m going to murder you!”
The heavy, slightly rusty chained knocked me in the head as it tried to swing around toward Lizzie, and I glared in her direction.
“Seconded!”
She rushed forward, her laugh trailing behind her as she leaped for the open gate Temperance had propped open.As her body flew past the threshold, the chain stopped midair, circling before a moment before zooming past me, nearly smashing into my face, I might add, and heading back toward the library.Lizzie looked up from the damp, leaf-strewn ground with a smirk.
“Ha, told you it’d work.”
Without the hot pursuit, I slowed down, catching my breath as I walked up to the cemetery gate and stepped in.Temperance shut it behind me, turning toward Lizzie as she folded her arms.I leered down at our naughty little morrighan, mirroring Temperance’s arm cross.
“You’re going to pay for that, brat.”
