Morana knows she's different from other people in more ways than one. Firstly, she's sixty-seven years old but stopped ageing in her twenties. Weird things have also happened around her right after she's wished for it. But most importantly, no matte...
Pulling away from her felt painful. I wanted nothing more than to kiss her, consume her, and have her consume me.
An alarm I had put on my phone was what saved me from making a mistake. It surprised both of us enough to make us jump away from one another a bit, and with that, the spell between us was broken.
I turned to switch off the alarm and then checked on the pie I had in the oven. It looked done, so I took it out and then checked the temperature of the soup. What I had put into her bowl had gone cold, but the rest was still at an eatable temperature.
This time, she sat down as I filled a fresh bowl with soup for her.
The conversation as we ate wasn't as natural as usual to start with. Her apprehension was still evident. I did my best to ignore it, but it also really bothered me. Mainly because she still hadn't said a word about what it was she had found out at the Library.
I couldn't understand why she didn't. Hadn't I proved time and time again that she could trust me? Was she still uncertain about that? Or was there something else? Did she perhaps not think I could handle the truth?
"I've been wondering," she said as we ate the dessert, an apple pie. "What were you checking up on your own at the Library?"
My frustration with her peaked. But I also didn't want her to know that. Or rather, I didn't want to end up in another argument with her. Not when I had just managed to make her stop hiding in her room.
I had no plan on telling her the truth though, simply out of pure childish stubbornness. And it wasn't like I had learned anything of value. She would have no use of the knowledge that the mate bond could be considered a life.
"I just wanted to check up some spells I thought could be handy to teach you," I answered with a shrug and shoved my mouth full of pie.
"Did you find it?" she asked next, and I just nodded.
After the dinner she said she wanted to take a walk alone. I didn't want to let her go, afraid she wouldn't come back. But I knew perfectly well it wouldn't be healthy to stop her. Besides, she even herself made a point of saying that she would bring her phone and that I should leave the cleaning up from dinner for her to do when she got back.
I knew as soon as she left, though, that the kitchen would likely be sparkling clean by the time she returned. I couldn't just sit still and wait for her. Doing that would drive me mad with worry and have my imagination run wild.
I had, however, barely started cleaning when I heard a popping noise behind me.
"Hello, brother."
I spun around and in the entrance to the kitchen, Marianela stood. She wore a wicked smile that had my heart echoing.
"What do you want?" I asked her in a much more aggressive tone than I would ever dare to use against Astria or Senalda, but I also wasn't afraid of Marianela in the same way.
"Is that really how you'll greet your baby sister?" she asked, but didn't wait for an answer as she turned around and walked over to the couch, taking a seat there.
I followed reluctantly, knowing she would not leave until she had succeeded in whatever had brought her here. I had a suspicion of what that was, or rather, who it was related to, and I did not like it at all.
"How is Morana?" she asked when I had sat down in one of the armchairs, confirming my suspicion.
"Fine," I answered brusquely.
"It's a shame how it all ended when she was over at dinner," Marianela went on, getting closer to the actual topic of conversation. "Mother thinks so too."
I didn't say anything, but just waited for her to continue. I had no desire to play along in her fake-friendly conversation.
"Mother really wants to get another chance to welcome Morana into the coven," she continued.
"Morana has no interest in the coven," I answered firmly, hoping to cut the conversation short.
"I'm not surprised. We are, after all, abusing her dearest friend every chance we get," she went on, and her choice of words surprised me. I knew that Mom, Astria, and Senalda never would admit that what they were doing to me was abuse. But there Marianela sat and admitted to it without blinking an eye. That in itself made me even more worried about where the conversation was going.
"So what makes Mother believe she'll get a second chance with Morana?" I asked.
"On the second of December, we'll have a little celebration as preparation for Yule," she told me. "Both you and Morana are welcome to attend as guests. Of course, your attendance is mandatory, while Morana can choose freely if she wants to come or not."
I glared at her and felt certain it had been her idea. I doubted any of the others had a good enough understanding of relationships to have thought of that simple solution. Or they maybe had, but they would never consider that another witch could have that type of emotional connection to their useless brother.
"What do you have planned for her?" I asked and watched as her face became a triumphant smile.
"You ought to know me, brother, and my desire. The others are too self-absorbed to know, but you are different. You actually pay attention to other people. I have no plan for Morana. In fact, I simply quite like her. What Mother, Senalda, and Astria want with her, though, well, that you would have to ask them about."
She stood up, seemingly content with that she had accomplished her mission.
"If that's how you feel, then why do this?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.
She gave me an almost pitiful look and then a sneer. "And here I thought you were intelligent. I'm looking forward to seeing you and Morana on the second of December."
There was another popping sound, and she was gone.
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