Chapter 14: So Much Alike

I didn't make it to GreatGram's door. Demetrius met me at the bottom of the stairs, his sweet, cherub face smiling but his eyes full of his own kind of hurt. He hugged me without a word before his gentle mind reached for mine, his sorcery shimmering white between us.

There are so many stories, he sent. So many small injuries and big confrontations and drawn out, lingering sores in this family and most of them live in her heart.

I just want her to know I get it now. That was it. To show her I understood.

She can't hear you just yet. He sounded tired but full of love for her, for me. Give her a bit, and be gentle even when you don't think it's possible. Because she of all the Hayle witches deserves your kindness and loyalty. I leaned away as he looked down at me, pale blue gaze full of tears. I know I don't have the right to ask. But I'm asking, Ethie. For both of us.

I nodded, sighed, felt myself slump in defeat. Just when I thought I could clear the air between us. But I knew myself when I was overrun with emotion, how impossible it was to get through to me. I'd give GreatGram the time she needed to work out her stuff. And then we'd have a heart-to-heart to end all heart-to-hearts.

Funny how I was suddenly looking forward to spending time with her. Excited to think of all the things she had to teach me.

Speaking of teaching... bummer, why did it have to be a school day? I knew before I even returned to the kitchen, Demetrius turning to retreat behind the door where his true love waited, Mom wasn't going to cut me any slack. I didn't even bother trying to wheedle my way out of another wasted day spent at Wilding Springs High, because we'd had this talk, hadn't we?

Leave it to her to bring it up anyway while I grabbed the backpack I'd abandoned at the door yesterday at 3:30 like I did most afternoons.

"Have a good day at school," she said while Nanna snorted. Oh, so this was a joke, was it? I rolled my eyes at both of them, shouldering the heavy bag full of books that meant nothing to a witch, honestly.

"I'll try not to learn anything." I scrunched my nose at Sassafras as Mom snorted into her coffee and Nanna laughed out loud.

"What's so funny?" Mom lowered her mug, eyes narrowed at her own mother. "Nothing, sweetheart," Nanna said. "Except the two of you are so much alike you're

opposites."

"That's comforting," I said. And caved in my weakness. "I could stay home and study magic with you instead." So hopeful, and so deluded.

Mom grinned, tight with old arguments. "School, Ethie. Now."

"Just because you think it's a good idea." Why, why did I set off on the old, familiar grumbling path? Why?

"It's not going to hurt you to socialize with your peers," she said while Nanna giggled again.

Mom glared at her. "What?"

"I love you both dearly," she said, rising from her chair, "and I can't tell you how I've wished for you to have a daughter just like you." Nanna barked one final laugh before disappearing in a flare of blue fire.

Mom's face turned bright red while Sassafras's mind whispered in mine, Run, Ethie. I'll deal with your mother.

Advice taken, I scooted out the door just as Mom's temper rattled the windows.

Why did her little fit make me grin so wide and keep me in a good mood all the way to school? Maybe because it was so unfamiliar, to feel this kind of connection, like I was finally on the inside, I just couldn't help myself.

As I passed the line of trees and entered the parking lot, that great feeling faded somewhat, but didn't leave me, even through the shuffle of young witches and the collection of normals who made their way inside the brick building squatting before me. While Wilding Springs had been mostly a normal town-if influenced by the Gate to the Sidhe realm beneath it-for most of its history, our coven seemed to have taken over the population. Again, more stories I'd never really dug into. There had to be a reason three quarters of the population were witches, while I knew for a fact most territories were much less dominated by coven families. Whatever the reason our town was an anomaly, it made it harder and easier for me. Harder because pretty much everyone knew I was a Hayle, and easier because most magic slip ups weren't giant disasters that required the coven to move in the middle of the night before the torches and pitchforks made an appearance.

And it wasn't just witches, either. I caught the occasional glimpse of glamour from a few Sidhe students, the flicker of amber from the handful of half-demons who attended, either their mother or father with an effigy on this plane. You'd think they'd be more inclined to take my side or be friendly, but even they avoided me. Again, probably because Mom carried their long- dead princess in her head and my aunt was Ruler of Demonicon.

I couldn't win.

But that morning I found I didn't have the sharply painful feelings of isolation I usually did. While I wished I could run off to the Stronghold with Gabriel and learn from the drach, I realized I'd had tons of instruction from some truly amazing powers over the years, despite having to import those teachers to me instead of me going to them. Between Sage and Charlotte, Sunny and Uncle Frank, Piers and Demetrius and my very own Poppa and Nanna, I'd had access to the most powerful and influential people on my plane since I could remember.

And Mabel. Sass. Mom and GreatGram. Ameline.

Yeah, pretty lucky if I was willing to admit it. And I finally was.

Thanks, Sass.

Maybe it was the faint smile on my face or the lilt to my step or just the fact I existed that caught Coradine's attention. Who knew, and who cared. One second I was pondering how good my life could be if I would just stop being hard to get along with and the next I was surrounded by my least favorite teen witch and her posse of patheticness.

"You're just lucky you didn't hurt Jagger permanently." She hissed that in my face as I pulled to a halt, startled and off guard. Kicking myself I let her get the upper hand, even for a second. Hardened responses born of years of her attention jerked into action, defensiveness burning little pinpricks of hurt into my chest.

"Like you didn't encourage him to fight me in the first place," I said.

She flipped her long hair at me, one of the curls bouncing against my arm and making me wipe at the spot in disgust. "He wants a rematch."

As if. "Party's over, Coradine," I said, trying to push past her, knowing the morning bell was going to go off any second. I just wanted to get to class, make it through my day and then go home and corner GreatGram for that chat. But Coradine wasn't done.

"He says you cheated." She looked around at all her little friends as my demon power flared. "We all saw it."

I cheated? "He attacked me from behind," I snarled, hating my temper took over at times like this but unable to stop the demon side of me from having her way.

Coradine's lips pulled into a shiny, pink line, her eyes locked on mine with enough vitriol to send a normal running in terror. It just fed my fury. "Rematch, tonight." She winked. "If you're not scared of what your mommy and greatgrammy will say."

The girls laughed, tittered like nasty little rats, their power bumping ineffectually against mine as they prodded me. I ground my teeth, fighting my demon side and my temper, before having an epiphany.

And beamed a smile into Coradine's suddenly startled face. "See you then," I said. "Tell Jagger his ass is toast."

Coradine stuttered, the posse's power fading, burping in startled reaction, before their leader shrugged and flounced off.

I watched them go, heart hammering in my chest, one hand clutching the thick strap of my backpack, digging into the flesh of my palm while I worked out my plan in my head. No, I

hadn't lost my grip on reality. No, I wasn't going to fight the twit again. But I was going to be a leader and put an end to the fights once and for all.

And earn the trust and pride of my family. What could possibly go wrong?

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