The Five

4. Chains

Joe departed soon after lunch, leaving the girls to clean up their dishes and put them away. He told them he would be gone for most of the afternoon and to stay out of trouble. Addey hugged him before he left and told him to be careful. He hadn't been gone two minutes before she whirled around wearing a look of mischief like she was a completely different person.

"Uh oh," Freya said with a grin. "You're up to no good."

"I just want to show you my room," she said with an innocent shrug. "Then I'm going to let you get a shower and clean up. I want to take you outside and show you around, too."

"Are we allowed to go outside?"

"Sure," Addey said. "There's a lot we can do actually. It makes it seem like less of a safe house and more of a real one."

"A safe house, huh?" Freya had read about them in novels, but she'd never been in one before. "Does it have a name?"

"Cindermere is its name. It's surrounded by layers of barriers. Only a really strong witch or wizard could break them. Joe assures me we're as safe here as we would be within the walls of Ignis."

"Whoa. I feel better now."

"I figured you might." Addey took Freya's hand. "Let's go upstairs and get you ready, so we can get this little adventure started."

Freya didn't dare protest.

They took the stairs two at a time. Addey took Freya straight to her room. It was right across the hall from hers, which would prove to be convenient if they wanted to hang out during the night or something. They wouldn't have to bother anyone else. Addey's room looked the same as hers, decorations and all. She had the same view from her window, too. Nothing but trees could be seen.

"Joe's room is just four doors down from ours. He wants to put The Five all together once he finds them," Addey explained as they came out. "He only put you across from me so I could keep an eye on you."

They walked to Freya's room, and Addey opened the door. She pointed to a door on the other side of the bed, one Freya hadn't noticed before. She told her it was her bathroom. The only community one was the one on the ground floor.

"This is kind of neat," Freya commented. "It's not bad here."

"Joe found this place and fixed it up. He used to come out here a lot after mom and dad were killed. It was his way of coping. Then he started Knight Watch."

Freya plopped down on the edge of her bed. "What's Knight Watch?"

"He is. He and his girlfriend. I didn't even know he had one until she showed up here the other night. They bring witches and wizards in who are on the run, and they protect them until whatever threat they're running from ceases to exist. It's like a witness protection program. He got the approvals from Ignis, and Knight Watch was born."

"And this has been up and running since your parents died?"

Addey nodded. "I'm proud of him. He does all he can. Plus, Ignis tends to request his services all of the time, so he's able to support us. I wanted to get a job at McWanda's to help, but he wouldn't let me. He was always so adamant that I focus on my magic and my healing so I would be ready should the time come I would need it."

"Like now."

"Yeah."

A somber feeling came over Freya. Takuma had been trying to teach her spells, both defensive and offensive, but mostly defensive. Was it possible some part of him knew her destiny even before she did?