Page 44 of Rituals & Rivalry

Leo Seren. He’s the person in the family I’ve spoken to the least—he never answers the door when I show up—and I’m certainly not expecting him to call me now. I haven’t spoken with Aurora in days. I still went over to do my landscaping, but I left even faster than usual, and I never catch Aurora looking at me from the bay window anymore.

I’m not mad at Aurora anymore, but I can’t stop fighting the nagging feeling that this town—one I never really wanted to be part of in the first place—is going to replace me. It’s already happening.

“What do you mean by rain?” I look out the window, my brow furrowing. A little cloudy, but no rain. How can the weather vary that much just a few miles away? I suppose it’s possible—anything’s possible, considering the levels of magic in Starbrook.

Magic.

Damn it.

“Why don’t you come over here and tell us what’s happening?“ He laughs, somewhere between humored and annoyed. “Because I have no clue what’s going on here, buddy.”

Buddy. Pookie. Someone in Aurora’s family may be more frustrating than she is, after all. Color me shocked.

“Okay,” I say slowly. “Yes. I’ll be there.”

I suppose this is how I’ll be spending my lunch break.

* * *

I make it to the other side of Starbrook in record time. The last thing I want to do is trust Antoni alone for an entire afternoon, and he seems concerned—or maybe curious—when I tell him I’m leaving, possibly for the rest of the day.

There’s no telling how long it will take for the house to calm down.

Because this? I’ve never heard of anything like this.

I’ve been caring for the cottage, on and off, since I was nineteen years old. It’s done some strange things since then. Howling into the night. Rattling. Shaking. Illusions. But rain? Actual rain? If that’s really what’s happening, it will be new, and I won’t know how to take care of it.

Maybe this is Aurora’s way of getting my attention. Somehow, I wouldn’t put it past her, even if it meant getting her brother involved. Many astrological witches work with the weather, after all, due to their ties to the sky.

The moment I pull up to the drive, there’s a confirmation that it’s true. Not a ruse. Not a grab for attention. Even through the windows, I can see rain pouring from the ceilings, fat droplets splashing down.

I run inside—the front door is unlocked, which I’ll have to lecture her about later—to find Aurora drenched, with an umbrella over her head. It’s not enough.

“You…“ She shakes her head. “Who—Leo?”

“He said it’s… uh, raining, and I can’t really control the weather.”

Then what am I doing here? I’m sure that’s what she wants to ask, considering how bewildered she looks. Did Leo leave her alone? There weren’t any cars in the driveway, and she’s the only one around, as far as I can see.

“But you can control this house.” There’s something like an accusation behind her tone, a hint of desperation.

I’ve never noticed it before, but Aurora may be trying to put the puzzle pieces together—if the rest of town hasn’t told her already. It’s hard to say why, but I don’t like the idea of that.

Her knowing.

Her running like everyone else, afraid of my magic. I never blame them. I’m afraid of it, too. But the thought of her looking at me with horror is more terrifying than anything my magic can do.

Why do I care?

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Sort of.”

The rain pours harder, and the house rumbles like thunder as I step closer to Aurora, under the shield of her umbrella.

“This is bad luck, you know,” she whispers.

We’re pressed close together. I take the handle from her, holding it a little higher, and let out a soft breath. “I’ve had bad luck for most of my life. It doesn’t bother me. I’ll take the bad luck from you.”

I may not be as superstitious as some witches, but there are a few things that hold true. Bad luck. Hexes, jinxes, curses. That’s not the reason my life is a disaster, though. It’s all me.