Beneath

Chapter One:

I cradled the dried and shriveled-up rosebud between my palms, picturing how it might have once looked, and felt energy prickle along my skin. I sent it all towards the plant, envisioning it digging down deep, through soil and roots, pulling moisture and nutrients back up, smiling a little to myself in triumph as fresh green leaves poked their way up through my fingertips.

There you go, little girl. I'll be back next week, alright? Until then, here. I uncapped my Hydro Flask, dribbling a little water around its base.

"I killed that on purpose, you know." Grandma stepped up beside me, leaning casually against the trunk of the oak tree as my gaze slid sideways to her for a minute. I stood, brushing bits of grass and dirt off my pants.

"Is it worth it to ask why you did that?"

She picked at a hangnail, eyes to the ground. "I heard a rumor that you can bring dead flowers and plants back to life."

"Oh, Grandma..." I gathered my things together and she followed, hands on her hip.

"Were they right?"

"Does it matter?" Please, drop it.

"I dismissed it immediately, because if they were right, you would've told me by now." She tapped her slippered foot against the grass, waiting, and I turned slowly to face her.

"I help out Josie's Flower Shop once a week, alright? My gifts pay my rent, and I didn't tell you about it because I didn't think it was something you needed to know."

"Since when?"

"You don't need to know every single detail about my life, Grandma! Some things I'd rather keep private."

She shook her head side to side, curlers bouncing. "That's not what I meant, and you know it. How long have you been able to do this?"

I sighed heavily, already starting to regret my decision to come out here in the first place. I just wanted a little alone time, dammit.

"Since my near-death experience."

She pierced me with a look so full of judgment, I could feel it seeping from every pore. "Emma Louise Blackwood, that was eight years ago. I've been for six of those, and you didn't think it was worth it to tell me?" She paused, eyes widening. "So, this happened at the same time that-"

"Yup."

Drowning and coming back to life tethered to the spirit world was freaky enough back when it was the only thing I could do. The earth magic stuff was cool sometimes, but the thought of accidentally being caught, like now, gave me hives.

That's what I got for all but begging the other side not to keep me.

"You don't realize how special this makes you, do you?"

"Awe, c'mon, Grams, don't make me blush," I said, smiling. "You have to say stuff like that because I'm your granddaughter, but I'll bet plenty of people in the world can do what I do."

"Just two," she mumbled to herself and I frowned, mouth popping open in question.

"There you are."

A man materialized to my right, folding his arms over his muscled chest as he gazed down at Grandma with piercing, forest-green eyes. He wasn't like the other souls; he seemed real, more substantial, and was too flawless-looking for his own good with short, ebony hair that glistened, even in the partial gloom.

Completely out of my league.

If I was looking, which I most definitely wasn't. Stop eyeing him like a hunk of meat, Emma!