before, I got lost in you.” Roman released me from his embrace, but took my hand and began walking out of the cave, back toward the beach. The rain had stopped, and the wind had died down. Only the seagulls crying above the whispering waves searching for a catch sounded out. “Believe me, if it was just some stupid Augusti rule, I’d be all over you. I don’t care about lame rules. But you don’t realize the effect you have on me. I’m no good to you if I lose my focus.”
I smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. He was right. It did suck that he couldn’t be with me, but at least what he said made sense—for now. And hearing him say I was beautiful— me , Jewel Rose—well that was like all the fairy tales I’ve ever read combined into one, coming true.
But then I remembered Jayden. I tugged his hand back. “Wait. Where are you taking me? I won’t leave without Jayden.” I didn’t want to upset my parents or grandmother by disappearing, but I figured they could at least fend for themselves. They all probably had endowments I didn’t even know about. But Jayden on the other hand, well, I promised him I’d never let anything happen to him again. He was only eight, and he needed me. I needed him.
“Jayden is safer not being around you right now.”
Pain knifed through me. I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping the sharp pain of it would numb the inner pain I felt from the blow of Roman’s words. Of course he was right. That’s what hurt the most. I almost let Jayden drown. What did I think I was going to do now that a bunch of covens were trying to find and kill me? And on top of that, I was turning into something I totally wasn’t prepared for. “You’re right. When do we leave?” I resigned myself.
“First we have to find the dagger.”
I squinted up at him through the sunlight. “What? Wait. What dagger?”
“Your quickening dagger. Your family must have it. On the night of your birthday when you go through your quickening, you’ll need it. The head witch of your coven, called the witch queen, will quicken you with it. You need the dagger to complete the transformation.” He paused before adding, “Of course, after your quickening, you’ll be the queen.”
“What if I don’t want to be?” I asked. I thought for a minute that maybe I could just run away. If I needed the dagger to complete the process, then it must have meant I had a choice. I kicked the ground. “Maybe I don’t want to become the Spectral.” I realized I probably seemed immature, but at that moment, I honestly didn’t care. It’s not like I was signing up to be a Girl Scout leader. Becoming the Spectral and freaking witch queen was totally out there—like Star Trek out there.
Roman groaned. “Then you will become very sick and probably die and you will bring shame on your coven for failing. You can’t fight fate, Jewel. You are what you are.”
“Ugh. Now you’re guilt tripping me?” I shook my head.
“Sorry, but it’s true, True.” He reached over and tickled me as we continued walking.
I couldn’t help but laugh in spite of it all. “That’s Jewel to you, Mr. Matteo. Hey, there was a picture of a girl in an Ancient Witchcraft book I found. She held a golden dagger with a snake wrapped around the handle pointed up to the sky as a lightning bolt struck it. I thought it was kinda cliché. Still…it freaked me out.”
Roman quirked a brow. “Ancient Witchcraft book? You need to let me take a look at that. Actually, it’s probably better you let me have it for now.”
“Sure.” I really didn’t care about the darn book at that point. I just wanted to be safe.
I took my shoes off when we reached the sand, letting it slide between my toes. Soft subtle waves lapped against the shore in the distance. A roar of a small plane flew by overhead trailing an advertising banner. I couldn’t help but think how wasted it was on the vacant beach.
“I don’t think my parents have a dagger. I’ve never
I smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. He was right. It did suck that he couldn’t be with me, but at least what he said made sense—for now. And hearing him say I was beautiful— me , Jewel Rose—well that was like all the fairy tales I’ve ever read combined into one, coming true.
But then I remembered Jayden. I tugged his hand back. “Wait. Where are you taking me? I won’t leave without Jayden.” I didn’t want to upset my parents or grandmother by disappearing, but I figured they could at least fend for themselves. They all probably had endowments I didn’t even know about. But Jayden on the other hand, well, I promised him I’d never let anything happen to him again. He was only eight, and he needed me. I needed him.
“Jayden is safer not being around you right now.”
Pain knifed through me. I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping the sharp pain of it would numb the inner pain I felt from the blow of Roman’s words. Of course he was right. That’s what hurt the most. I almost let Jayden drown. What did I think I was going to do now that a bunch of covens were trying to find and kill me? And on top of that, I was turning into something I totally wasn’t prepared for. “You’re right. When do we leave?” I resigned myself.
“First we have to find the dagger.”
I squinted up at him through the sunlight. “What? Wait. What dagger?”
“Your quickening dagger. Your family must have it. On the night of your birthday when you go through your quickening, you’ll need it. The head witch of your coven, called the witch queen, will quicken you with it. You need the dagger to complete the transformation.” He paused before adding, “Of course, after your quickening, you’ll be the queen.”
“What if I don’t want to be?” I asked. I thought for a minute that maybe I could just run away. If I needed the dagger to complete the process, then it must have meant I had a choice. I kicked the ground. “Maybe I don’t want to become the Spectral.” I realized I probably seemed immature, but at that moment, I honestly didn’t care. It’s not like I was signing up to be a Girl Scout leader. Becoming the Spectral and freaking witch queen was totally out there—like Star Trek out there.
Roman groaned. “Then you will become very sick and probably die and you will bring shame on your coven for failing. You can’t fight fate, Jewel. You are what you are.”
“Ugh. Now you’re guilt tripping me?” I shook my head.
“Sorry, but it’s true, True.” He reached over and tickled me as we continued walking.
I couldn’t help but laugh in spite of it all. “That’s Jewel to you, Mr. Matteo. Hey, there was a picture of a girl in an Ancient Witchcraft book I found. She held a golden dagger with a snake wrapped around the handle pointed up to the sky as a lightning bolt struck it. I thought it was kinda cliché. Still…it freaked me out.”
Roman quirked a brow. “Ancient Witchcraft book? You need to let me take a look at that. Actually, it’s probably better you let me have it for now.”
“Sure.” I really didn’t care about the darn book at that point. I just wanted to be safe.
I took my shoes off when we reached the sand, letting it slide between my toes. Soft subtle waves lapped against the shore in the distance. A roar of a small plane flew by overhead trailing an advertising banner. I couldn’t help but think how wasted it was on the vacant beach.
“I don’t think my parents have a dagger. I’ve never
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