Comet

“Witches of light?”

“I have powers?”

Tanya sighs. “Yes and yes.”

Jason looks towards Cassidy, she sits with her feet tucked under her on the couch, her hands resting inside the pouch of her hoodie, fingers playing with the lint collected at the bottom.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” He turns towards their mother and then turns back to Cassidy. “Did you already know?”

“I only found out this morning.” Cassidy says. Even though she just woke from a nap she already feels tired again. She wishes she didn’t have to go through this.

“A heads up would’ve been nice,” Jason says back in a biting tone.

“Oh? And what was I supposed to say, huh? ‘Hey, Jay did you know our family has lighting in our fingers and can cast spells.’ You would’ve dropped me off at the nearest hospital and not look back.”

Jason closes his mouth, jaw clenched. He wrings his hands, muddling something in that overthinking brain of his. Adam just seems excited and looks at his own hands, turning them over and aiming them at random objects in the house. Nothing happens.

“I know it’s a lot to take in all at once,” Shawn says. He rubs at the bridge of his nose. “To be honest I thought your mother was insane when she first told me. We’d been dating for 3 years. I was about to pop the big question and then she told me with light starting shooting out her hands to prove it.” He smiles. “It took me another four months to re-propose, so I understand the need to take time to let it all sink in. Hell, now I have to cope with all my children being cosmic beings. But, don’t think I love you any less for it.” Shawn stands from where he sits and goes to kiss each of his children on the forehead.

Adam gives an annoyed “Dad” in protest.

“I have some work to do, so I’ll leave you here with Mama, take it easy on her.” He directs his statement, with raised eyebrows, towards Jason and Cassidy.

Shawn walks off to his office, and leaves the four of them in stilted silence.

Jason inhales like he wants to say something but closes his mouth once more.

“Can you teach us how to do the light-spinny thing,” Adam asks, still looking at his hands. “I wanna show my new friends at school!”

“Adam,” Tanya says. “I can teach you but you can absolutely show no one your gifts. They are sacred and only to be used in emergencies.” Her face is the most serious it's been in a while. Cassidy had only seen her face like that a handful of times. “Now that you all know about your light, you must understand the dangers that come with it.”

Tanya looks to Cassidy, “There are people out there—other Andromeda—that want you to be a part of their coven. Never, and I mean never join a coven. You will never be the same after that. Just stick together and it’s all you’ll ever need.” She leans forward in her seat, clasping a hand of each of her children. “No matter how upset you all get at each other, no matter what promise of strength or more magic someone may offer you, you stick together.”

Cassidy looks at her mother, she softens at the desperate look on Tanya’s face. This was real. All of this was real and important and suddenly Cassidy can’t remember why she was so angry at her mother before.

“Now,” Tanya says, perking up. “Let’s talk about your powers.”

Adam gasps in excitement and Cassidy can’t lie to herself and say she’s not even a little curious to know what she’s capable of. Even Jason leans in closer, listening with intent.

“Each Andromeda has their own special magic that coexists with their light. You’re all so unique, so I have no idea what it is you can do, but your Aunt Grace has telekinetic abilities and I was blessed with the power of empathy, that’s how I was able to sense you were scared last night,” Tanya says. “It’s difficult to hone for me, but I think you three will be extremely powerful.”

“I think I can see the future,” Cassidy says suddenly.

“What?” Tanya asks, her eyebrows disappear into her hairline. “You’re clairvoyant?”

“I think so,” Cassidy says shyly. “I don’t know.” She shakes her head, unsure if she can accept the clairvoyant title. It seems too important. “I draw… things. I drew the vampire or lamia or whatever before I saw him. Just his eyes though.”

“Wow,” Tanya says. “That’s such a powerful and old magic, I thought it died out before my mother’s generation.” She gawks at her own daughter, a sparkle in her eyes. She looks towards Jason with more excitement than she’s had all night. “What about you, have you noticed anything?”

Jason takes a moment to think before he shakes his head. “I honestly can’t say I have, I’m still trying to wrap my head around this.”

Tanya nods, her smile more reserved now. “I understand, I have become a bit overzealous. Here let me show you how to use your light.”

The four of them spend hours in the living room practicing summoning their light. It doesn’t take Cassidy to learn as she has already done it, she channels her intense emotions. She can sense the glowing in her eyes now and can feel the light moving inside of her body. Her brothers struggle, especially Jason. His eyes flicker and spark for a second before he loses his concentration.

It takes them so long they end up ordering pizza in the meantime. Cassidy sits back on the couch with a slice of cheese pizza and watches her mom and brothers practice. Their mom has a layer of sweat covering her forehead.

“Mom, I think you should rest,” Cassidy says through a mouthful of cheese and bread. “You look exhausted.”

Tanya shakes her head. She reaches a hand out to Cassidy. “We can recharge each other.” Cassidy wipes her greasy hands on her sweats and holds on to her mother’s hand. “Use your light.”

Cassidy focuses. The light bubbles up inside her, she can feel it start in the center of her being and rise in her chest, then to her arms and down to her finger tips, the second she feels her light reach her mother they both gasp. Cassidy feels like a glass of water being poured out and refilled. In her hand, in her body, she can feel a foreign yet familiar energy pass through her veins. It all happens so fast, like a comet flying through space, blink and you’ll miss it.

Tanya lets go of Cassidy’s hand, she looks rejuvenated and it seems like some of her wrinkles have even smoothed.

“What was that?” Cassidy asks, panting.

“You just performed your first energy transfer. Congratulations.” Tanya says. “Your light recharged mine and I was able to transfer it back. You can only do that with other Andromeda that share the same blood as you, okay.” She emphasizes that part with a look towards all three of them. “Okay, let’s go for another hour and then it’s time for bed, Adam.”

Cassidy sticks around and watches as Jason succeeds at conjuring his light, Adam still struggles, but he gets sent off to bed soon enough.

It’s late, Cassidy has school in the morning and yet she can’t seem to fall asleep. She wonders if it’s because she napped earlier. She lays in her bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking of everything that happened these past two days.

There’s a knock at her bedroom door.

“CeeCee, you awake?” It was Jason.

“Yeah, Jay what’s up.” Cassidy hears the slap of Jason’s bare feet hitting the hardwood floor as he walks across her bedroom. She scoots over, making room for him in her bed. Jason picks up the cover and slides in next to her.

They’re silent for a few minutes, just laying in each other’s presence.

“What do you think about all of this?” Cassidy asks first.

“CeeCee…” Jason says, voice cracking slightly. “I’m still waiting for someone to wake me from a coma or something because I just can’t believe any of this is real.” The raw honesty in his voice makes Cassidy turn to hug him close to her small frame. She pinches him.

“Ow.’ Then he says, “thanks.”

Cassidy just smiles to herself and hugs her brother closer.

“So, are you going to tell me about the blood?” Her smile drops and she sighs. She tells Jason everything that happened to her yesterday, including the drawings in the park and drinking Nicholas’ blood. It’s silent for a few minutes as Jason sits in the dark to digest what he’s been told.

“You drank his blood?”

“He offered.”

“What even are our lives?” Jason turns to face his sister. “If I see him at school tomorrow, I’ll kick his ass.” Cassidy giggles. “I’m serious! No one threatens my baby sister and gets away with it.”

“Don’t bother.” Cassidy squeezes her brother. “Even though he threatened to kill me, I’m pretty sure he was just being cautious. He treated me like a threat.”

Jason just hums, wrapping his arms around Cassidy.

“Just let me know if you ever get in trouble again, okay?”

Cassidy nods against his chest and sinks into his arms. He smells like home.