Hallow's: Witch's Brew

Thirty-Seven

Bakar- Free

There's a back door. Or rather, a front door. Ahsan is kind of an asshole for making me climb up the side of the mountain to get here, but I understand that he probably did it because I need to practice my magic and get stronger for the storm. As difficult as it was for me to keep my magic steady here, the storm back home is a lot heavier to handle. 

Lily is a very busybody. She's been teaching herself how to play the piano. She gets very little sleep and it has to do a lot with her divinity. I've never heard of De Laughreys having magic in their bloodline. I know very little of her mother. 

Divinity is a cosmic ability. None of us really know where it comes from or why it chooses us. We don't know if it's the ability to tell the future, the ability to read auras, or the ability to feel the minds of those around us. What we do know is that it's all of the above and none of it as the same time. 

Before I became the storm, my grandmother taught me her midwife trade knowing how strong my divinity was. She taught me what the auras and their colors meant. How to match them to certain emotions and the power inside of others like us. The only mages that have green auras are those who have divinity like Lily here. At four years old, my aura was a magnificent lime green. 

I've been listening to her play and the way she presses down on the keys tells me she's very frustrated and it has to do with the music itself or perhaps the piano. She said Ashley lost her ability to play the piano. That it's what falling in love with a Blackstone got her. 

I sit next to her and put my hands over hers to stop her. 

"You're upset," I say lowering the cover and placing a mug of camomile tea in front of her. "Usually, playing an instrument helps release that anger or pain, but this isn't your instrument. If you'd like to talk about it, I promise not to say anything," 

Her eyes are brown or rather the vessel she's using because if I stare into her eyes long enough, I can see the ice-cold gray shade of her original eye color. I see where Lucien gets those little flecks of silver in his eyes. His eyes are bluer than the sky itself. 

"Ash was the first person to ever treat me like a human being," she says quietly and takes a sip of the tea I brought for her. She takes a deep breath and smiles. "This is so good,"

"Thank you. It's the last of the camomile grown in my grandmother's garden," 

"I just think it's unfair," she continues. "This was her life's work. She was devoted," tears slide down her cheeks. "She worked so hard and I hate that it ended this way for her," 

"Can I ask how she lost it?" 

"Chance took it," she wipes away the tears. "B.B.'s demon master took it," 

"She bargained it?" 

"Not exactly," she scoffs. "He gave her an ultimatum. Death or this," 

"I've never heard of a demon giving a deal like that. What did she do to piss him off?" 

"B.B. became Merciful Death by killing Ashley," 

"Oh, Chance is her demon king," I understand. "Demons are very easy beings to deal with. One thing they love more than controlling others is challenges. They're suckers for bargains. I'm sure Ashley can come up with a way to trick him into giving her the music back," 

"What?" she grins. "Seriously?" 

"Yes, especially the royal ones. Chance is a child, but his instincts are still demonic. I suggest you find something he wants. Trick or treat. The choice is up to you guys," 

"What if he gets angry if we trick him?" 

"He's a demon. Demons are a lot of things, but they value honor above all else. Their word is all they have being what they are. They value things like free will and consent because they didn't have it before.