Shelter Me From Darkness

Chapter 7

Piper

I woke to the sound of keys jingling and the front door opening. Instinctively, my muscles coiled tightly as I strained to listen, trying to determine how much danger I was in. It took me a moment to realise I was safe, and the sound was my mum returning home from work. Tension eased from my shoulders as I rolled onto my back, turning slightly to face the window and gauge what time it was. The gap in the curtains gave me a glimpse of the sky was a mix of dark blues and blacks with a yellow hue as the sun rose.

I'd been too tired last night to do much other than fall into bed the moment I'd stepped into my old bedroom.

Mum would need time to unwind a little before she attempted to catch up on sleep herself, which would give me a chance to catch up with her. I pushed off the bed and stretched, working out the kinks in my neck and shoulders from the odd position I'd slept in, my gaze sweeping across the room.

It hadn't changed in the years I'd been away.

Standing, I grabbed my bag from where I'd dropped it the night before, right next to the black bedside table. Heading to the en-suite, I swerved the chest at the foot of the bed, and flicked on the light. I moved to the sink and glanced at my reflection in the mirror. A night's sleep hadn't exactly cured me from looking exhausted, and there were still dark circles underneath my eyes. I looked a mess, a fragment of who I used to be. Sleep deprived, low energy and slipping between worlds had taken their toll.

I needed a shower before I went downstairs to see my mum. I could only hope it would make me appear a little more human and not like a Death Curse was eating me from the inside out. Without wasting more time, I stripped from my clothes and walked to the shower.

***

Showered and changed into a fresh set of clothes, I followed the scent of coffee from the hall to the kitchen.

The kitchen had always been the heart of the house, and I had lots of memories of spending afternoons baking or brewing potions with my parents. Things had been simpler back then, now I wasn't sure they would ever be again. Light glowed from the under cabinets' lights, which painted the room in a warm glow.

Mum was sitting at the kitchen table in her usual place. She gripped one cup of coffee in her hands, while another cup was on a coaster waiting for me. A smile lit up her entire face as she looked up at me.

"Morning, sweetheart."

I closed the gap between us and wrapped my arms around her as she stood. There was something about the hug which had me melt into her like I'd done as a child. The belief she could make everything better, simply because it was what mothers did.

I swallowed; I knew she wouldn't be able to make the mess I'd gotten myself into disappear, but her hug made everything seem insignificant and less scary.

We hugged for so long I lost track of time until mum patted me on the arm softly.

"Sit down before your drink gets cold. And you can tell me exactly when you arrived."

I couldn't help but laugh as I sat down, picking up the mug of coffee and took my first sip. The heat offered the comfort I needed and eased the dryness of my throat so I could talk.

Not that I intended to tell her everything. I loved my mum and knew she'd always be in my corner, but this was a mess I couldn't burden her with.

"Late last night, you were at the Clinic." I said with a smile. The Hart family had run the town's Clinic since it was founded, offering healing to those that needed it. Most of the witches in my family had been healers in some way, with the odd exception here or there. I was the latest exception, as healing magic was not a skill I had.