Protecting Earth and Turbulent Waters

Worried

Leo's fingers intertwined with mine, and he looped them over me, pulling me to his side on the back porch swing. Our hands settled on the dip of my waist as I settled into his chest.

"Did you manage to talk to Coach?" he asked.

"No... I did speak to Tiffany, though," I replied.

"Oh?"

"Hm."

I thought it strange. The way she was speaking made it seem like the new healer had no luck in her predicament. The keyword 'might' kept ringing in my head. She had no faith in the healer's ability, and her wolf only spoke one word to me, which was after provoking.

I relayed my thoughts to Leo. I looked up, seeing his eyes shifting. He was thinking.

Crash.

The sound of glass breaking startled us both. Springing up, I spied the patio door half off its hinges. The glass plane smashed, and a sheepish Alex is holding a now broken door handle. The door had broken in two.

"Alex? Are you hurt?" I asked cautiously, gingerly stepping forward.

Alex was frozen in place. The door handle was shaking with his hand. All he held was an empty frame that once held glass. All he could do was nod slowly.

"What happened?" Leo asked behind me, looking at my brother.

"I – I don't know. I just pulled it... maybe a little too hard...?"

I turned my worried face away from him to Leo. Leo looked calm and, stepping over the threshold, took the empty door frame from Alex with both hands and leaned it onto the wall to check over my brother.

Crimson magic trailed from my hands, flooded the glass on the floor and snaked up the broken door. I whispered, "Restorignum."

The door reversed in time, fixing itself and stitching the glass back together; the plastic groaned as it reattached hinges to the doorway. The red faded to pink. The door was back and whole like nothing had ever happened.

Leo inspected the minor cuts on Alex's hand. Blood rushed and nearly poured from his hand, but the cuts were not severe.

"Soona." Leo's blue magic covered Alex's hand.

Alex was much calmer now. He whispered, "What's wrong with me?"

My shoulders relaxed, "Nothing, Alex. This is probably your body's way of preparing."

"Preparing for what?"

"I assume Enmagica."

"But." His face was confused, "We are fire witches... I should be hot, feverish, setting things on fire... Not breaking things."

I looked to Leo; I, too, thought the same thing.

"I don't know," I admitted, "Don't forget, this is the first time in a long while we've had a late bloomer," I said, stepping closer to him.

Alex shook his head and turned away. My heart panged in my chest, seeing my little brother hurting and ashamed. I blinked back tears as he climbed the stairs. Leo's hand rubbed my back soothingly.

_____

Sooty came out of hiding from under the table. Jumping down, he weaved through my legs.

"Your mum said something about your grandma predicting Alex's late Enmagica..." Leo trailed off, "Maybe she put in other details?" he said, bending down to pick Sooty up.

The fluffy black cat relaxed and purred with the chin scratches, the pendant necklace still around his neck. Leo was right; perhaps Grandma Greenwood noted more than just a small prediction. I sprung up to kiss him on the cheek before going to the cupboard. I knew he was following me.