Casters [Extraordinary Series 1: Ongoing]

5.03 ✡ Kept In the Dark

4:17 PM
Grace's POV

    Annalise and I were sitting in the dining room, talking about the children. She never met the girls nor had communicated with them, but knew of their existence. She married into our family, my brother's wife. Lily, the girls' mother, was Raven and I's youngest sister. She married Henry, whose family lived back in Lafayette. My sister and her husband decided to stay there and continue their lives independently from the family. Hence after the fire accident, I raised the girls as my own, living over there without anyone to trust.
    Now, it feels good to be home.
    "How are the girls growing up?" She asked with a smile as she offered me a cup of her favorite tea. I sighed as I shook my head, letting out a chuckle.
    "I couldn't say, but what I could say was Vivienne was a handful." I took a sip of the tea, thinking how she was as stubborn as her mother when Lily was Vivienne's age. "But I wouldn't want it any other way."
    Anna chuckled a bit, as if she also had her own conclusions. "I could tell. The little one seems to be the lively one," she smiled. "Vivienne took after Lily."
    "But what is Genevieve's nature?" She asked. "With her unique personality, I could tell she is going to be an exceptional caster."
    Ah, yes. We were a family of Casters. Blending in the world of the ordinary were people with extraordinary gifts given by the Celestials. They are known as us,
    Casters.
    And as we wield this magic, we use them in the purpose of watching over the creations of the gods and the goddesses growing on Earth – taking care of both the extraordinary and the ordinary.
    "She's an Evergreen," I whispered as low as I possibly could, taking another sip of my tea. Annalise jumped, her excitement and jolly personality betrayed the elegance of her house robes.
    "Genevieve is an Evergreen?" Annalise grinned. "Now that is rare, indeed."
    I nodded in agreement. The Alarie family is descended from the Light-bearers, or light elemental casters. Hence, it was rare for the family to be claimed by the earth and air elements. Being an Evergreen – an earth elemental – in a family of Light-bearers was not impossible, but definitely rare. It was fascinating to have an Evergreen in the family.
    "But what about Vivienne?"
    I grasped my cane, thinking of how I could possibly help her understand. This was the question I dreaded the most because I could never answer it. I felt myself shift uncomfortably in my seat, unsure of how I could explain the situation to her. But before I was able to do so, a voice whispered among us.
    Aunt Annalise! Vivienne does not know about her powers...
    I heard Genevieve communicate through the channel. The channel is what we call the inner voices we used to communicate, unheard by the common folk or even casters who have forgotten their true nature. It was Genevieve's way of announcing their presence. And because of this, Annalise's grin slowly faded.
    The girls entered the room as Annalise shot me a confused look. What do you mean? she said. I shot Annalise a glare, signaling for her to stop.
    Thanks for the head's up, dear. I replied through the channel without removing my eyes in the direction of my sister-in-law.
    "Is there something we should know?" Vivienne asked us as our serious expression gave us away.
    Annalise turned to smile with pursed lips, "Nothing of importance." She placed her cup on the table and turned to the girls. "You know, you both look like your parents.”
    I grimaced for a split second before plastering a smile on my face. The remark was, not unwelcomed, but unnecessary. Comments like this might trigger Vivienne's true nature, and that is something I was avoiding. Her nature was not something we wanted to face, especially since we were still unsure of what it was. All I knew was that she was stronger than any of us... and we might put everyone at risk if we eventually push her to the edge. But my sister-in-law, who was only three years younger than I was, seemed to have a hard time comprehending the word 'stop'.
    “We miss them dearly." Annalise continued to say. She then walks over to the girls and cups Vivienne's face. "And you, Vivienne... you have your mother's eyes." I felt my shoulder tensed and brows involuntarily furrowed.
    Annalise, I said through the channel with a hard face and a fake smile.
    Stop.
    I need to see for myself. I heard her say. But from the looks of Vivienne's reaction, she seemed to be confused and uncomfortable with the discussion.
    I do not blame her. The memory charm I casted made her forget who she truly was – her powers or anything that involved the use of magic, which included memories of her and her parents... and the incident.
    "Grace..." Annalise whispered, looking at Vivienne, "Does she genuinely not remember?"
    I shook my head and waved it off. "Anna, Vivienne was just a child when it happened. We do not need to keep reminding her about it."
    I said enough, Annalise.
    Annalise cleared her throat and smiled. “I’m sorry, dear." She whispered. The sorry was mostly for me, of course. She knew she pissed me off. "Anyway, the bedroom keys are in the drawer of the side table in the living room.” She said, changing the subject.
    As soon as they left, I glared at Annalise and she held up her hands in surrender.
    "Do not do that again," I hissed in anger, "we are still trying to figure out her nature." I headed towards the kitchen, my iron cane stomping on the floor as I expressed my disbelief. I looked at her over my shoulder and said, "What if she discovers it herself and does not understand a thing about it? We are at risk here."
    We damn are, especially if she was playing a part in the prophecy.
    I heard Annalise cast a spell under her breath. She was a Weaver, an air elemental caster. "Ventus mutationis... I hope the girls enjoy the view up there."