the cottage and the edge of the cliffs and close to the permanent Christmas tree, we have a campfire area set up. Logs act as benches and encircle a fire pit.
I watch Dad hold out his hand and expel a small flame into the fire pit. He’s a natural at using it.
Well, he has had five years of practice, I remind myself.
As has everyone else, apparently.
I’m still enthralled by their use of magic. Seeing them all use it so openly and freely, I could watch it all day long.
We were supposed to have fish for dinner.
That didn’t quite go according to plan. So instead, Amara made a ton of sandwiches.
We’ve all gathered at the fire’s side. The children have wrapped themselves in blankets and are sitting with Amara, who has started reading them a story.
I take a short walk to the cliff’s edge and steal a moment of solitude to look at the sea below. In the distance, a bob of seals breaks the water’s surface. Birds do their final dives, and the sun is starting to sink into the horizon.
I glance back at my family. Amara reaches out her hand and calls a blanket into her outstretched fingers before using her magic to remove a spider Finley has caught and is about to show Callie in the hopes of a scream.
Smiling, I wrap my blanket tighter around my shoulders and return my gaze to the sea.
‘It’s one hell of a view,’ Dad says as he stands at my side.
‘It sure is,’ I reply with a sigh, my mind on a million other things than the view.
The sun reflects in his eyes before they land on me.
‘You feeling okay, Buttons?’ he asks. ‘How’s your head?’
‘It will be fine after some rest. My head is the least of my worries. Callie should never see me like that,’ I shake my head in self-disgust. ‘She waited five years for me. She was told stories about her mother. A great witch. A brave witch. One of strength and heart.’ I look at him. ‘It’s all a bunch of bullshit though. I mean, look at what she’s got. A mother who barely sleeps. One who wakes up screaming and almost drowns her. Who comes home covered in blood.’
‘She has a mother who loves her more than anything. A mother she loves just as much. A mother who is all those things and so much more. Not that Callie would even care about your powers or deeds. She loves you because you are her mum. A damn good mum, might I add.’
‘I could have killed her today,’ I admit painfully.
‘No. You couldn’t, and you wouldn’t. You got everyone out of the way and risked your own safety doing so. It wasn’t your fault what happened at the lake today. You’ve been through hell, Buttons. People don’t just get over the darkness you’ve suffered.’
‘You guys seem to be getting on with life okay.’
‘Because we’ve had five years of living here and settling into a well-earned peace. You had to survive another five years of misery after everything you went through. Five years on the run without your family and your magic.’
‘I just wish I could be like you guys. Like Gabriel.’
‘You know, Gabriel was a real mess when we arrived. And I mean, a real fucking mess. The man locked himself away in his room every single night and sobbed. We would hear him sometimes, utterly raging at the world. Hurling threats and insults at the air, hating that you were lost to him. Lost to Callie. Sometimes, he would disappear for days. When we found him, he’d be passed out from booze at some location that meant something to you both. The Bloodstone locations. The land where The Orchard was to be built. In London, where The British Museum stood. I’ve never seen such a broken man.’
‘Really?’ I ask, feeling a lump form in my throat at the idea of him so lost.
‘Callie would cry and she would cry. There was just no comforting her.’ He shows me a sad smile. ‘But every time we tracked him down, he would get on his feet, take a deep breath and be there. When she was in his arms, she never cried. And when he was with her, he could live a little easier. They needed each other to survive, so they clung to each other. They saved each other. And now they will do the same for you, and you for them.’ He peers back at Callie as she waves at us.
‘I’m so scared of her getting hurt. The idea of anything bad happening to her is enough to drive me insane.’
‘No one would be foolish enough to come after her. Not with you and the rest of us here. Even the idiot today ran when he realised who you were.’
‘It’s not that,’ I whisper. ‘It’s not other people hurting her I’m scared of. I know that no child is more protected than her. It’s me. What if I go dark again?’
‘You’re not going anywhere and even if you did, which you won’t, I would never let any harm come to her.’
‘I was her age when Mum tried to drown me in Uncle Harry’s bathtub,’ I remind him. ‘I was her age when I became his prisoner. When I was first locked in that attic, it wasn’t long after that when the beatings started. The hunger. The humiliation. Ryan-’
‘Don’t. Don’t speak that filthy name to me. Never mention that house again.’ His lip trembles as he violently shakes his head. ‘Please. Don’t.’
‘My point is… you said the same thing, I’m sure. You looked at me when I was that small, that innocent, and vowed no harm would ever befall me. And I’m certain that you meant it when you said it. But it did. I suffered, Dad. Things happened beyond your control, and I really suffered. What if she suffers too? If I go dark again, there’s no one strong enough to stop a Broken Arcane.’
‘Yes there is. There’s you. You defeated her once, and if you must, you will defeat her again. And even Broken, your Broken side protected her. To the detriment of the entire world, might I add, but she did. Callie also has Gabriel as her father, and he would never let any harm come to either of you. And she has Amara, Collins, The Quinns, Bias… wherever he is these days. And she has me. I wish you had as much faith in yourself as we all have in you. You defeated your Broken self, along with the rest of the humans. You. You literally saved the world, Buttons.’ He rests his hand firmly on my shoulder. ‘Now it’s time for you to be brave enough to live in it.’
With another glance at the others by the fire, I nod.
‘You’re right,’ I tell him. ‘You’re absofuckinglutely right.’
‘Come on,’ he says, taking my hand. ‘Let’s eat.’
Gabriel and Collins are yet to return. Callie and Finley struggle to stay awake with their full bellies and the warmth of the fire, and I can’t engage in any conversation at all. I’m far too distracted. As Amara tries to talk to me in a hushed whisper about what happened with the unicorn, I hardly hear her. I’m too busy asking my own questions over and over in my head.
‘I think it’s time we put these two to bed,’ Dad declares, getting to his feet and looking at the two children falling asleep side by side. ‘What do you think?’
I nod, and he reaches out, taking Callie in one arm and Finley in his other. They both slump into him as he stands.
‘Can you stay at mine tonight,’ I ask both Amara and Dad. ‘The kids can sleep in Callie’s room and you can each take one of the guest rooms. If that’s alright with you guys?’
‘Better than all right,’ Amara nods.
But Dad looks on suspiciously.
‘Why?’ he asks.
‘I just need to do something. Can you watch Callie? Please?’ I interrupt as he goes to argue. ‘I’ll be back in an hour or so. I won’t get any rest until I do this.’
‘Do what?’ Amara urges, getting to her feet.
‘I just want to check something. It won’t be dangerous. I promise.’
‘Gabriel will be back soon. Wait for him.’
‘I can manage. I’ll be right back.’ I look at Callie sleeping soundly in his arms. ‘Watch my daughter for me, Dad. Keep her safe.’
With a swirl of dirt and wind, I fade from their sight.
