Valentina eyed Granny. “You knew?”
Both of Granny’s brows hiked up her forehead. “Of course I knew. Nothing goes on in this Pack that I don’t know about.” Her eyes flashed white. “My familiars are in the trees and in the water. Everything that does on does so under my authority.”
Tracey growled from the other room. “And Rafe’s!”
I snickered but opted to keep my mouth closed.
Granny waved her hand around. “Yes, that too but with so many witches here, it’s like another coven. Which is a territory that Rafe doesn’t know about at all. These are his lands and I am thankful for the right to live on them but I have just as much power here.”
Carden’s eyes watched something on the floor. He wouldn’t say anything. Granny continued on but this time she spoke to him. “I see you escape into the woods to experiment with your magic. I know that it scares you. You don’t have to hide the scars from me.”
He rolled his sleeves up and there was the damage. He had been cutting himself and healing the wounds. It wasn’t practical but at least he had learned something. At least he had started to figure it out. “I wanted to learn for myself. I didn’t want to have to ask questions or have to go to class.”
Granny rubbed his back with her hand. “Healing magic is a bit different. It operates differently than any other kind. It’s very similar to Soul magic.”
Valentina watched Carden curiously before she turned back to her book. Her voice was loud when she spoke. “Most witches only have one affinity. Earth magic, blood or body magic, Soul magic, elemental magic.”
“What do you have?” I sat down beside her at the table while Carden told Granny something under his breath. Tracey was taking an awfully long time in the bathroom.
Valentina’s grin was full of malice. “All of them.”
Tracey’s eyes were wet with tears when we finally left Granny’s cottage. She had locked herself in the bathroom and it took me leaving for her to come out. She had followed me with her head bowed. Carden had healed the wounds but the aftermath of it wasn’t pretty. Right in the center of her neck were two teardrop shaped, crimson scars. They stood out against her bronzed skin.
I rolled the sleeves up on my sweater. The chill was still strong in the air even though the snow had melted but it didn’t matter. I was going to own my scars just like Tracey had to. She could wear a scarf every day or even a choker but neither of those things were her style. She eyed me curiously.
“What are you doing?”
“I feel a little stuffy is all. I hate wearing sweaters.” It was true but not all of the truth. She could smell it in the air but she didn’t comment on it.
“Thank you for caring about me.”
I threw my arms around her and hugged her tightly. “Thank you for caring about me.”
