The Chase

43 Evie

Generations of women had kept the coven that kept this world safe. Josephine was the only one to break the oath. Since the original grimoire blessed with knowledge was given in exchange for an oath to protect this world.  I knew what had happened right before Valentina was taken by her sire. Josephine had confessed her love, her desire to be with Valentina, about the home and mission they could both devote themselves to. Valentina hadn’t been ready. Not to live openly together like Josephine had wanted. Not back then, it wasn’t safe. Though if Valentina hadn’t run away from her Josie, who knows how things might have been different. 

Those weren’t my secrets to tell. I was dead sober, and would be for the foreseeable future if I was right about being pregnant. I also didn’t want Luca to know all I was capable of right now. My thoughts were safe, no one else’s were. I had to keep a few secrets right now. I looked into his deep, thoughtful hazel eyes. “I want to burn Rocket from this world, and help Josephine and then I just want a life with you.” My voice was running ahead of my thoughts. My mind immediately went into a panic. I was never this open, never revealed my own desires so boldly. If people knew what you wanted they could always use it against you later. I tried to shake the intrusive thoughts. This wasn’t like before, Luca was my mate. 

Things were different, would never be the same again. “I don’t like being in Fae, there’s too much magic around… The stones have feelings, can we go back home?” I felt my eyes go wide. I had called Blue Willow home. Knowing that I wouldn’t feel safe with our children anywhere else, it was my home. 

Suddenly Thistle appeared in the kitchen, I wasn’t even certain from what direction she had come. She had no magic, none. Yet she could stealthy creep up on anyone I was certain. “Ash has asked me to guide you back to the gate, she knows you would like to return home and wanted to facilitate that as efficiently as possible. Her and Master Auris had some student issues they needed to address before heading back.” Dusting the last crumbs from our quick meal away. Luca took my hand and helped me up. He was holding his outside calm, I could feel that he was goofy with joy. 

Because we were going to have a baby.  Which would have been devastating news a week ago. Now I couldn’t be happier. Melody had been able to keep her secrets from everyone while living in Blue Willow. For years now, plus Laurel was able to live a normal life with her family too. Blue Willow could hide me just as well. I hoped the rocks were still quiet on earth. Fae felt busy and loud to me all the time.  Vi'Ja liked it, but I certainly didn't. 

Thistle led us down the hallways efficiently. The main floor with the family kitchen was like a perfect modern show home. I saw theater rooms, living rooms, all the modern furnishings anyone could want. As we went downstairs the walls and floor changed to heavy stones. They all whispered in my head. Telling how long they had stood. How they had come to be here. Who would have ever thought rocks to be so chaty. 

The diminutive man who activated the gate for Luca and I was quieter than the rocks in the floor and walls. Luca held my hand as we passed through the magical gateway, emerging back under the forest moss scent under the willow. Until I once again vomited after traveling. Luca was quick enough to move my hair out of the line of fire. Then was there to hold me steady and offer me comfort as the world stopped spinning.

“No more traveling for a while.” I wheezed out as we started to walk back home. Vi’Ja was looking at me disappointed. He could apparently see almost everything in the universe every time I traveled. A flashing window into so many possibilities he had said. All the more reason to limit access as far as I was concerned. 

He could do almost anything in theory. There was just one limit to what he could do. Me. He needed me, not the other way around. I hadn’t done a great job on my own. With no one truly looking out for me. I had still survived it all. Without a snake who could siphon and use all magic connected to me. He could tell me lots of things, enable almost anything. The choice to act was always mine.