The Opal Witch

Chapter Eleven: Losing Control

Lux

Canned, sitcom laughter drifted into the kitchen from the den. Mama hadn't made it home yet, and Memaw and Declan had retreated into the living room while she was showering. Lux grinned as she remembered Declan's reaction to television. In so many ways he was like a little kid experiencing the world for the first time, but the emotions he evoked within her were far from childlike.

She slammed an egg carton on the counter. Wincing, she opened the lid and hoped her tantrum had broken none of the eggs. Opening the carton, she found the tan eggs remained unblemished, and she sighed, her relief a little too elevated for something as simple as not cracking an egg. She supposed she was clinging to the little things in her life that were still normal because that was all that was helping her tread water. Not that she was unused to her plans dissolving; in fact, she recognized that was the only thing she could count on in life, but she needed the peace that making plans provided. And now she didn't even know where to begin.

Tossing a pat of butter into the warming pan, she whisked several eggs together before setting it aside to cut up onions and bell peppers. Omelets were her favorite comfort food, and if any night called for comfort, tonight was it. Of all the people in the world to bring into her sincerely effed up new life, Sara Elizabeth had to be the worst candidate. Since the day the girl developed breasts, she'd been a thorn in Lux's side, tormenting her with no provocation.

Resentment churning in her stomach, she poured the egg mixture into the pan. Fingers tapping, she waited for it to firm up enough to toss the veggies and meat in. Declan's masculine chuckle drifted into the kitchen, making the knots in her belly twist tighter and the pain in chest flare.

"Ahhh," she screamed as the half-congealed eggs floated up out of the pan and splatted against the closed window. Scrambling backwards, she fell to her bottom and scooted until she backed into a sturdy pair of legs.

Strong arms slipped beneath her armpits and hauled her to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"F-fine. The eggs."

Memaw bustled into the room, her mouth falling open when she spied the mess sliding down the glass. "Did you throw those at the window?"

"Maybe. But not with my hands."

"Has that ever happened before? Have you ever had a physical manifestation of your powers?" Memaw sounded like a drill sergeant as she spit out her questions.

"No. Only the feelings. The glimpses of things that were going to happen. Am I not supposed to be doing more now that I'm seventeen?"

Memaw pressed a finger to the spot between her eyes and grimaced. "Yes, but without your stone to focus your powers through, all of your results are going to be like this."

"I don't get why the stone is so important."

"It's the bridge between your angelic half and your human half. Without it, your powers are wild and unpredictable. The magic is in your blood, but it's your angel soul that allows you to control it. Without your channeling stone, those two won't ever work together."

"But it is possible to learn without the stone, right? I can learn to control it?"

Declan walked over to the window and scraped off what was left of her omelet. His face was serious as he tossed the contents in the garbage. "Lux, I know you don't know much about this world yet, but this is important. We call you a Trueborn witch to distinguish you from the other type of witch out in the world: The Bloodborn. They're what many might call devil worshippers, but along the way, they've learned how to bleed a Trueborn witch for her magic."

Corrine. The girl's name clanged through Lux's skull like a battering ram, but as quickly as the understanding came, it faded away.

"But what does that have to do with my channeling stone?" Declan and Memaw shared one of those looks that said they were trying to figure out how much to share. "Enough with the secrets, damn it."