Page 28 of Goldie's Grumpy Grizzly
Stops dead while my blood turns to ice.
“How do you know about that?”
“I saw it.” She chokes on a sob and draws in a shaky breath.
My fingers cease swiping the tears from her rosy, dirt-smudged cheek. A sickening suspicion settles in my belly as my hackles rise.
Can’t be. No fucking way.
“Didn’t you show me that?”
“No.” I surge to my feet and fight to keep a hold of my rioting emotions.
The dizzying feeling that whatever we’ve built is about to unravel claws at me and fear lodges in my chest.
“I showed you my summers here. Times I spent with my family. The good times. Precious memories I’ve carried in my heart for years.”
She wipes her nose on her sleeve, confusion creasing her brow. “I know, I saw you race your brothers and play in that pool. I watched your parents make s’mores with you over an open fire.”
“Yeah.”
Then she reaches for me, but I evade her touch.
She’s gonna get ya.
“There’s only one way you could’ve seen all that, Rae.”
“How?”
“This is sacred ground. Not just for me, but for witches.” I look at her meaningfully, heart aching. “For you.”
“What?” Rae gapes, shock making her emerald eyes round and her pretty little lying mouth a perfect o-shape. The picture of pure innocence. Young, beautiful, and full of deceit. “What are you talking about?”
“I didn’t show you what happened to my father.” My jaw tenses, my muscles bunch. Anger rises, swift and hot, while my chest rumbles and my bear pushes to burst out. “I would never share that memory with anyone. And the only explanation for why you’d be shown a memory like that is because you were there.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Maybe I saw it because our bond links us.”
“It’s not. You’d only see what I chose to share with you. This was a memory unlocking for you. A gift the magic of this forest offered up because you came here with lots of questions, didn’t you? About your parentage, your history, your dreams?”
“I… I did feel as if something had gripped me. Forced me to watch that awful moment. It was so vivid.” Frowning, Rae’s fingers seek the comfort of the talisman she habitually wears, and I notice for the first time she’s not wearing it.
My mouth runs dry.
“Where’s your necklace?”
“The clasp broke yesterday when we were in the shower. I haven’t had a chance to replace it, so the pendant is back at the cabin. Safe.”
“I should’ve known. I’m an idiot.” I shake my head as the pieces of the puzzle fall neatly into place. “Those gems aren’t ordinary protection stones.”
“I don’t understand.” Rae’s brows furrow, and by the Goddess, is she good. She ought to be given a shiny industry award like her adopted parents have for the performance she’s giving me right now.
“It’s the summer solstice today.” My eyes drift shut. “The most magical night of the year. You’re no mere human, Goldie. And those stones you carry aren’t keepsakes from some crystal gift shop.”
“What do you mean?”
“They’re enchanted. They kept you safe and protected, because they kept your true nature hidden.” The words fly from my mouth, heavy with disgust and accusation. “You’re the child that woman was carrying—the one the sorceress wanted to bring forth.”
“What?”
