Chapter 10: Totally My Fault

It had to be GreatGram-my head spinning with the need for her to please, please not freak out at me-who arrived first, didn't it? Thankfully, she wasn't alone. Mom was with her, blazing power making her a glowing star, her beautiful face burning with the multiple personalities she carried. Before GreatGram could reach me, Mom's magic sealed off the coven site in the most complete and frightening shielding I'd ever felt as she threw herself at me and pulled me to her. Mom hugged me so hard, her magic pulsing in fear and fury, I realized then they had no idea what just happened. In fact, from Mom's insanely protective reaction, they obviously thought the coven was under attack just like they'd feared for the past eight years.

Well, crap. This was going to turn ugly when they found out it wasn't as end of Creation as all that and was totally my fault.

To be fair, not all. But the truth remained I made bad choices. And when Mom looked down into my eyes, her power ebbing as she took in the scene, realized we were safe and that the young man at my feet wasn't, in fact, trying to kill me, her face fell, her magic retreating, while GreatGram's hit me so hard I staggered.

"I don't want to hear it." Like I was in a position to try to tell the old bat anything. Not while the air beside her flamed in blue fire-she had to be an Enforcer once upon a time, didn't she?- and two startled witches stepped through. Lula and Phon Kennecott took one look at me,

matching pale faces peppered with freckles yellowed by the light of the bonfire. Then at Mom then at Jagger on the ground and hurried forward to do what they did best. I stepped aside, Mom's arms still around me though without the kind of supporting rush of protection they'd had just a moment ago. But she didn't let them drop, did she? Stood next to me, holding me against her, our heights matched, her blue eyes locked on mine without a hint of judgment behind them, lips a grim line, while GreatGram's power, the magic of the coven, tried to reach me again.

And couldn't. Because Mom, my mother, my amazing and no way was I going to cry at this moment she finally decided to stand up for me mother held her off with the immovable might of the Wild Card of Creator.

"Ethie," Mom said, voice soft and calm. "Tell me what happened."

GreatGram spluttered but fell silent while I did my best to ignore her, to focus on Mom and keep my tone even and matching hers.

"He challenged me," I said. "And I fought him."

Mom's lips twitched, not in a good way. But she held that same tone of voice as she spoke again. "You do know it's illegal." She sighed, not a question. "I take it there was a good reason?"

I shrugged, knowing better than to lie to her. Not now that she was finally looking at me, not through me. For the first time in my life, I felt like my mom really saw me, was paying attention. And I wouldn't ruin that focus with falsehood or run away from what I'd done. Because I didn't want to lose her.

"Not really." I raised my chin a little. "He was a jerk who wanted to see if he could take the Hayle heir in a fight. He lost." I didn't look at him. Pushed on so she'd see my lack of regret as clearly as I could show it. "And it's not the first time."

Mom hugged me then, cheek on my hair before she gently let me go. "This is a thing?" She looked around. "The kids do?" She sounded sad, tired. "I didn't know."

I felt GreatGram's anger but kept my gaze firmly on my mother. "They're bored, restless." I clenched my hands at my sides. "I'm not the only one trapped here, Mom. I think they resent me for it. I know I would." I glanced at GreatGram who stared into the bonfire, arms tight over her chest. "Stupid idiots, all of us, really. It was meant to be fun. It was when we started." And it was, too. Even bouncing around five or six of them when they felt the need to bring it was a blast, I refused to lie about it. But. "We know better." I swallowed. "I know better."

Mom smiled at me then, kind and secretive. "Girl child," she said, "if I had a wish for every time I did something I shouldn't have..." She sighed then, turned to GreatGram who glared at both of us like we'd kicked her puppy. "Let me deal with it," she said then. I actually gulped.

Because she wasn't asking. What just happened? How had the balance of power shifted from GreatGram to Mom all of a sudden? And why?

My mother was my mother again, out of the blue, like she'd never abandoned me. And I wasn't sure I could accept it.

GreatGram seemed to, though, grumbling as her power stepped aside. Mom turned to Phon, face sad. "How is he?"

It was Lula who answered, her little nod for me kind and open. She'd always been sweet to me, but I figured she'd be mad, that the whole coven would be. Maybe she was taking her cues from Mom?

"He'll be fine," she said when Jagger groaned, stirring. "Just a knock to his pride, in the end." Was that a wink from Lula? I blinked and refused to believe it.

Mom exhaled then, relief palpable. "I'll take him home personally," she said. "And make sure his parents know what happened." Steel in her voice, anger. At me?

No, Ethie. I knew that voice, growling with the burning fire I held myself as Mom's demon reached out to me. At him. At a stranger coming to our territory and instigating a fight is no friend to the Hayle coven.

And thinking he could win. Shaylee sniffed, the Sidhe princess's disdain making me choke on a giggle.

For once, the vampire in my mother sent, we're all of accord. Syd?

You three mind your own business, Mom sent, but she was smiling at me again. "Go home," she said, without anger, her power wrapping around the slowly waking Jagger as he pressed one hand to his forehead, staggering to his feet while she pulled him upright, and not gently. "I'll be back in a minute." She paused, the veil opening beside her as she spun on GreatGram. "And you, leave it until I get back."

The old coven leader grunted.

"I mean it, Gram," Mom growled. "It's time we cleared the air." She met my eyes again. "All of us." And then, Mom was gone into the veil and I was left with Lula and Phon and my silently steely great-grandmother.

To her credit, she did as Mom asked, though when I tried to go home on my own power, she firmly guided me to use the coven's. Fine then, I'd be a good girl and follow my leader, stepping into the blue flames she provided with the Kennecott twins flanking me like guards.

No. I stopped that line of thinking, the warmth of their presence nothing of the sort. It was time I shook off this silly teenaged girl I'd been wallowing in and stood up as a coven heir and a Hayle witch. If Mom was ready to listen, I had to be the person who she put her trust in. Had to. Because this was my chance to show her I was perfectly capable of not only being coven leader, but of taking care of myself. And that I deserved an opportunity at last to get out there in the world and make my own mistakes for once.

My chance. I wasn't going to let Mom down. Or myself.

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