Page 69 of Spell Ya Later

Grandma looks at me. Her face is an impartial, unfeeling mask as she justlooksat me. Seconds turn to a full minute and I’m squirming where I sit.

“Our family is at risk,” she finally says. “I would not allow you to go up against Draven on your own. It is obvious he will continue trying to pick us off one by one if nothing is done about him.”

I resist the urge to do a victory fist pump. While I may be trying to catch up, Grandma has had all the time in the world to refine her powers. I know she and I can do this together.

“But—”

Oh, shit.

“We will need your sister and your mother. You and I can’t do this on our own.”

I was afraid she’d say that. Way to harsh my mood, Grandma.

“Do you still talk to either of them?” Part of me wants her to still be talking to Laura at least, but the other part knows it would hurt if it’s just me that’s been iced out. Laura was my life for so long, and being left on ‘read’ is hurtful.

A sad smile breaks on her face. “Laura texts me from time to time. Your mother less so, but she’s responsive.”

“That’s more than I have. If you want them to help us, I think it’s up to you.” My hands ball into fists. “Neither of them seem to care what I have to say.”

“There is so much hurt here, on both sides. I can try to be the bridge as I have always done, but even I am limited. Someone will need to take the first step and be vulnerable and allow the others back in.” Her hand lands on mine in what I assume is meant to be reassuring.

It’s not. It’s just infuriating.

“Why is it always me? Why am I always the one to take the first step and do something? What about Mom? What about Laura? I almost died and neither one of them has bothered to check on me and see if I’m okay. We’ve been threatened by the warlock that killed our father and neither one of them is trying to come up with a plan. You are the only one willing to help me and I can tell it’s reluctantly.” I ignore the flash of pain my words cause her and press on. “Why is everyone in this family so content to sit back and do nothing while we’re being hunted? If I died, would you all clam up and pretend nothing happened, just like Dad? It’s disgusting how his memory has been treated. His death was in vain, and at this rate mine will be, too.”

My chest heaves.

Her mouth gapes open like a fish, but no words come out. Only silence.

That’s just like this family. Everything is silence.

If it’s up to me, then it’s up to me. I’ll figure out how to defeat Draven on my own, I’ll figure out how to avenge Dad on my own, and I’ll figure out how to keep all of us alive in the meantime.

On. My. Own.

“I’m done with this.” I stand, wiping invisible dust off my pants. “I’ll see you later, Grandma. Hopefully I haven’t been murdered by then.”

Chapter 25

For Noah

Loneliness is a crushing thing. A boulder that sits heavily on your chest as a constant reminder that no one cares about you.

The only thing cracking at that boulder is Noah. Noah and his caring touches, his soothing laughter, his electric current. The way he truly cares about me and my well-being. Even if he has literally no idea what I am and what’s hunting me.

It’s awful that I haven’t told him. It’s just another weight on my chest, but every time he looks at me with those big, trusting brown-black eyes with his bushy eyebrows furrowed in concern, I just can’t do it.

“What’s going on, baby? You’ve barely touched your cheesecake,” he says, brushing a hair off my forehead and tucking it behind my ear.

We’re snuggled up on the hand-me-down couch at his apartment. It’s my second time here and I’m still getting used to it. It’s very...man? I don’t know. He lives with Benji and Jason, and it’s obvious. Where a dining table should sit there’s a giant pool table, and the kitchen is covered in takeout boxes and red cups. The place is clean—which I suspect is purely Noah’sdoing—but has that bachelor feel that has me searching for hand sanitizer.

I shake my head. “I’m just distracted. Family drama.”

“You don’t talk much about your family. A little about Laura and a little about your Grandma, but nothing else. You know I’m here for you, right?”

Twist the knife a little deeper there, Noah. I think there’s still some depths you haven’t reached.

“I don’t even know how to explain it all.” I sigh, burying my face into the soft skin of his neck. “I just like escaping with you to a place where I can forget all about it for a while.”