Divination (Spells and Sins)

Chapter 5

Chapter

Five

"Fear the silence before the storm, for it carries the heaviest truths."

Elysia

L unara gasped as she slowly sank onto the couch cushion beside me.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, placing a hand on her thigh and smoothing it over her cotton pants in comforting strokes.

“She never told me the name of the artifact,” Morgana said. “That’s what’s wrong.”

“How—” Lunara held a hand to her chest. “It could have been any number of faerie artifacts I was speaking of.”

Morgana stepped around the coffee table and then perched on the edge of it, right in front of Lunara. “Because I can feel its power growing.”

“So you know where it is?” Lunara asked.

Morgana shook her head. “No. I’ve only heard rumors about it.”

Thalia cleared her throat. “The Starfire Orb is just a myth. You’re probably just feeling the power of the veil as we get closer to Samhain.”

“I don’t think that’s it.” Morgana rose and made her way back around the coffee table to address us all. “Just because you brush off what the rest of us think doesn’t mean it’s going to go away if it’s true.”

“I still think it’s all hogwash.” Thalia crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat.

“It is,” a voice calls down from the top of the stairs. “All of this is ridiculous. Hallow Ridge Grove is a safe town. There’s nothing that goes bump in the night and there isn’t some magical orb that’s going to save us either.”

“How long have you been hiding up there, Nova?” Rowan asked.

“Long enough.” Nova said as she appeared to float down the stairs despite the sound of boots hitting each step, all while pulling her long black hair into a high ponytail with little effort. “I don’t know why you all believe in all those hokey legends.”

Rowan glared at Nova as she entered the living room. “Most legends exist with a little bit of truth mixed in.”

“Some things are just that—fairy tales.” Nova straightened her leather jacket and smiled at Thalia. “You understand.”

“Yup.” Thalia popped the P on her word.

More footsteps echoed in the stairwell just off the living room. A woman with shoulder length black hair and dark, piercing eyes, gray and foreboding—just like her serious expression—descended, decked out in a button up shirt and slacks. She was followed by a girl that was her opposite with platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

The darker one paused on the last step. “The Starfire Orb isn’t just a myth.”

“Yes, it is,” Thalia interjected.

“Regardless of your thoughts on the Starfire Orb or the threats I can feel present in our town, I want you all to stay vigilant.” Morgana pierced each of us with her stare, one by one, and made sure we all knew how serious she was.

I raised my hand to get her attention. “If you can feel the artifact, but you don’t know where it’s located, do you have any idea where we could start our search?”

“Even though this town knows nothing of the witches that live in it, there may be a grain of truth somewhere in the local library if you have a keen eye.” Morgana dismissed the others with a wave of her hand. “I wish I could be of more help.”

I looked to the one person who might know more. “Aeron? Isla? Do you have any information that would help?”

Aeron tucked a strand of black hair behind one ear, revealing gauged ears. “I’ve only heard whispers of it from the townsfolk. They may not know we exist, but they still believe in magic.”

“Then how do you know it’s real?” I asked.

Isla skipped down the last couple steps and halted right beside Morgana. “I’ve seen visions of it. It’s hidden in a dark, bare place, but nothing that I can discern looks familiar.”

She was the other seer in our coven, but her powers weren’t as developed as mine. I’d been working with her to try to boost them up, but it wasn’t looking good.

Lunara stood up and looked at Morgana and Aeron. “If either of you think of any other resources or have any other visions that could lead us to the orb, please reach out to Elysia.”

“I will,” both Aeron and Isla chimed in unison.

Rising from the couch, I smoothed out my skirt. “Welp, looks like we’re going to need to dust off my library card.”

Morgana gestured to the stairs. “You all can stay here where it’s safe. The library closed over two hours ago.”

“That’s my cue.” Thalia’s words were laced with derision as she hopped up from the couch. “Seeing as I live just up the street and Morgana only has so many guest rooms, I’m going to hit the road.”

“Me, too,” Nova said.

“You can’t be serious.” Morgana approached Thalia and Nova, her intentions etched on her brow. “With all of the strange occurrences lately, you two shouldn’t be out at night.” As she tried to guide the pair toward the kitchen, she urged, “Stay here. I’ll get the air mattress from the basement.”

“Oh no. I’m not sleeping on that thing again.” Nova twisted out of Morgana’s reach and backed up to the front door. “I couldn’t walk straight for a week after.”

“I can’t, in good conscience, let you leave.” Morgana approached the front door, trying to worm her way between Nova and the front door.

“You don’t have the authority to make me stay.” Nova’s defiance sent a cold chill through the room and I wrapped my arms around myself to ward off the sudden change in temperature.

“As High Priestess, I have more than enough power to demand you not leave this house.” With Morgana’s words, the room fell deathly quiet.

Nova’s jaw set as lines formed at the corners of her eyes. After she reached for the doorknob behind her, she said, “There isn’t enough room in this house for all seven of us and I, for one, would much rather enjoy the comfort of my own bed in my own home.” As she turned the doorknob, she added, “No mythical shadow creature will dare stop me.” Disdain dripped from her words as she mentioned the shadow creature. Before she swung the door open, she turned to Thalia and asked, “You coming?”

“You know I’m not about to sleep on that old musty couch and I’m damn sure not enduring that air mattress.”

“Right?” Nova laughed as if the seriousness of the matter was completely lost on her.

Morgana scrubbed both hands down her face and sighed. “I swear to the goddess, you two are the reason I have gray hair.”

“You’re welcome,” Nova chimed in. “It makes you look wiser.”

“Just leave.” Morgana shooed them both out the door. “Before I change my mind and lock you in the basement.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Nova grabbed Thalia’s arm and dragged her outside, letting the door slam behind her.

Aeron’s forehead creased as she stared after the women “They obviously haven’t watched enough horror movies.”

“That’s what I was just telling Lunara earlier,” I said, giving a shudder. “But they do both live close.” I rolled my eyes at their audacity as I scoffed. “In opposite directions, but still.” I couldn’t fight the snicker that escaped as I mentally wished them both good riddance.

Lunara hugged her midsection. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“Worrying won’t solve anything.” I took Lunara’s hand and led her toward the stairs. “We call dibs on the queen bed.”

Rowan groaned. “That’s not fair! The other two rooms only have full size beds.”

“Too late!” I raced up the stairs with Lunara in tow, unaware of the trap I’d just set for myself. I padded down the hall to the last room on the right and ducked inside with a giggle, shutting it behind me when Lunara was inside.

Lunara looked around the bedroom decorated in various shades of green and blue. The queen size bed sat beneath the only window in the room, a blue checkered quilt covering it. “We’re sharing a bed?”

My heart skipped a beat. Why hadn’t I thought this far ahead? I swallowed down my trepidation and nodded. “Yup.”

“What’s wrong?” Lunara closed the little bit of distance between us. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Patting me on the back, she leaned to my ear and whispered, “I don’t bite…much.”

“Dear goddess, help me,” I whispered to myself.

“What was that?” Lunara asked as she pulled back the quilt and fluffed her pillow.

I kicked my shoes off by the door and wandered over to the bed. “Nothing.” After I peeled back my side of the quilt, I adjusted my own pillow.

Was I really going to share a bed with a complete stranger? And a fairy, to boot? Forget that I’d kissed here merely an hour ago, this was uncharted territory. I barely knew this woman–er fae.

I barely knew myself at this point.

What was going on inside this head of mine?

Lunara slipped off her sandals and set them next to my sneakers by the door, then she grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head before shimmying out of her pants. She stood in just her underwear and bra, her beautiful, pale, translucent skin on full display. Nothing was left to the imagination at this point as her nipples pebbled beneath the sheer fabric.

My eyes widened. “What are you doing?”

I remembered how her body felt pressed against mine. She may be tall and lean, but she was also soft and supple. My eyes roamed over each angle and curve from the swell of her breasts to the slight slant of her hips.

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m getting ready for bed.” She folded her clothes and set them on top of the dresser nearby. “I usually sleep naked, but figured I’d keep my undergarments on for you.”

“Oh,” was all I could manage to say.

Should I do the same? I usually slept in an oversized t-shirt, but sleeping with my skirt on wasn’t practical. My top, however, would work just fine as a night shirt.

“Are you just going to stand there?” She tapped the vacant spot next to her. “Come to bed, Elysia.”

Once my skirt was discarded on the floor I clambered onto the bed. Suddenly, this queen bed seemed quite small.

While there was a serious and unexpected attraction to Lunara, we’d only met a few hours ago. Regardless of the kiss we shared, we needed to take things slow. We couldn’t cloud our judgment when there were so many other important matters to attend to first.

Eventually, we’d have to decide what a relationship between us looked like. But we could make plans for the future later.

If we survived.