Chapter 220: No Help From Dad
I descended the stairs to the basement in search of my father. With Mom and Gram gone, and now Uncle Frank, he was the only adult in my life I could really turn to. Yes, I had my doubts. He didn't exactly seem all that enthusiastic when Mom gave it to him earlier. Still, after the humiliation and failure I'd just gone through, I needed someone to lean on.
Most of the lights were out, only the single bulb over the pentagram throwing illumination around the large space. My eyes readjusted to the dimness slowly. I expected to find Dad standing in the middle of said pentagram, working. Instead, he was nowhere to be found. I was sure he stayed downstairs... it wasn't until I heard a soft shuffling sound from the far left corner I spotted a bit of movement in the dark.
"Dad?" My sock barely touched pavement by the time he hurried toward me. His face was drawn into a distracted frown as he stepped inside the circle of light.
"What is it?" I'd become somewhat used to his new attitude. Uncle Frank wasn't the only one who'd changed. Ever since Dad's effigy was shattered by Demitrius Strong, he'd been trapped here on our plane, unable to contact home or return there. And while I understood he had to be frustrated, this was the first time I refused to go easy on him.
"I could really use your help." I took a step toward him, tearing a page out of Mom's book of no nonsense, but stopped when he shook his head, half turning away from me, back the way he'd come.
"I'm busy, Syd."
This is what I had been afraid of. What Mom clearly worried about too, or she wouldn't have made such a big deal of him helping me. He was always busy, doing things I'm sure he shouldn't have been doing for his own health and well-being, things taxing his power and putting our very house at risk. Just this past summer he'd almost sent us into space like a magic-fueled rocket. And while I had a secret desire to travel to the moon someday, I didn't intend for it to happen quite that way.
"Dad." I kept my tone level and calm. Part of me shuddered at how much I sounded like Mom, but hers was really the only influence I had to draw on. Pulling a Gram didn't seem appropriate as much as I'd like to just find a nice, padded room to hide in. "I really need you. This is important."
I might as well have slapped him, the way he reacted. "The whole world doesn't revolve around you!" His voice thundered through the basement, a hint of power behind it. I felt his rage snap out and feed his words. "Or your mother, despite what she might think. There are other 'important' things happening. Maybe you should remember that."
The power receded, his anger with it, settling around both of us in sullen silence. Dad had never, ever yelled at me, not in my entire life. I was so shocked it took a moment for my own anger to respond, though my demon had no part in it. She slunk into a corner of my mind and sulked.
"Thanks anyway, Dad." It came out harsher than I intended, but I didn't care. "Your seventeen-year-old daughter can handle the entire coven herself while your wife and brother-in-law try to find my grandmother and keep her from starting a war which will probably be the end of us all. Just stay down here and tinker with your little projects." I knew I was pushing it, but like with Mom, I just couldn't find the off button for my mouth. "Your whole 'poor me, I'm mortal' thing is definitely more important than the safety of the coven."
I expected him to react with anger. Half-wished he'd fight me just so I could vent some of my frustration and worry. Dad just turned away instead, back to me, retreating into the dark. I waited one more moment, considering some further biting remarks before spinning and running back upstairs, slamming the door behind me.
The wood groaned softly as I leaned against it, breathing heavy more from my barely contained emotions than the jog up the flight. I found my respect meter taking a steep dive and tried to shake it off, but with little success.
Where was my real dad? Maybe he was right about trying so hard to get home. The man downstairs was nothing like the demon who helped raise me. I wanted my father back.
Which meant I was on my own with the whole coven mess. Lovely. As angry as I was with Erica for her betrayal, I knew she only ever had the best interests of the coven at heart. And mine. But I had to make her realize she stood beside me, not in front of me. That was when I understood, like Mom's shawl settling around my shoulders.
I may not have been fully ready for the job, but I was willing to do what it took.
Okay then, Syd. Pull your crap together and be a coven leader. Bit of a stretch for someone who rejected her power her whole life, but I was a quick study.
Worn out from all of the excess emotion floating around inside me, I trudged upstairs to bed. I stumbled over a wet towel at the top of the steps, just outside the bathroom door, about a foot from the clothes hamper. Meira's door was closed, but I could hear music coming from inside. She must have arrived home while I was talking to Dad. Okay, trying to talk to Dad.
Something about the still warm, squishy dampness of the towel cracked my anger open again. I bent to it just as Meira's door opened and she walked out. The makeup on her face, straight hair and human disguise only made things worse because I had no idea what she'd cleaned from herself to have used the towel in the first place.
"Please put your stuff in the hamper after you're done." It came out quite calmly, to my credit. My little sister didn't deserve to catch my temper for something like this.
Instead of grinning like she usually did or shrugging, another favorite, Meira's eyes suddenly flashed glowing amber, face twisting into a mask of her own rage.
"Don't tell me what to do!" She spun then and retreated back into her room at a full stomp, the door vibrating in its frame as she closed it as hard as she could. Considering she put some demon magic behind it, I was surprised there was still a door at all.
I had been considering talking to her about Mom leaving, to make sure she was okay. The link she shared with the family was as strong as the rest, so I knew she had the details. It kind of surprised me Meira hadn't come to me right away. After all, Mom was our mother, not just mine, and I was sure Meira would be worried.
My feelings of sisterly charity disappeared with the slamming of her door.
Teeth grinding, fist clenched around the now cold towel, I very firmly deposited it in the hamper before going to my room.
Sassafras lay curled up next to my pillow, Galleytrot silent on the mat at the end of the bed. I huffed my way under the covers, whole body stiff from held-in anger.
Neither of my furry friends said a word. Smart boys, those two.
***
I'm running down the flowered path, the Gate just ahead of me. My feet almost fly, fairy form light and swift. The moon shines brightly overhead, illuminating everything in its cold glow. It seems so full it's near bursting from the confines of its near-perfect circle.
I reach the Gate as it hums its welcome, pulling me toward it with an irresistible call even as my heart sinks in my chest, panic and foreboding rising inside me, calling to me to act, to do something, anything.
This cannot be.
***
Shaylee woke me, her voice almost audible, screaming a warning. But when I shook off the weight of the nightmare and tried to focus on her, all I was able to understand was the feeling of her. The fear.
Something was coming. The Dumonts? Unlikely. This felt like Sidhe magic, so familiar. I reached out in panic toward the place in the back yard where I'd laid the Wild Hunt to their eternal sleep, terrified suddenly they were rising again.
Nope, snoozing blissfully, dreaming happy dreams. I sagged back into my pillow, squinting into the sunlight pouring down on me, feeling the rush of adrenaline finally easing.
Okay then. If not the Wild, than what? Shaylee's tone of anxiety remained, but past that I was lost. She kept showing me the Gate, in flashed images. Not helpful. Shaylee finally gave up in a huff of nerves and refused any further attempt I made to connect with her.
Fine. Be like that. I had school to worry about anyway.
I was up and dressing when I froze, one leg in my jeans, the other raised to slide in. What was I thinking? School? It seemed so pointless all of a sudden. I sat down on the end of the bed, only then realizing Galleytrot was gone. So was Sassy. So no one to talk it over with.
Naturally.
Two choices loomed. Stay home and be defacto coven leader, or go to school and try to act like nothing was happening. The first was kind of tempting, especially if it meant avoiding my new favorite person, Ms. Spaft. And if something were to happen, being home was the best place for me.
More than anything I wanted to talk to Mom. But when I reached out to her, tentative and cautious, I met only another wall. Shielding, wonderful. She was taking this whole 'you can do it, Syd' thing way too seriously.
I glanced at my computer, remembering Quaid all of a sudden. But instead of rushing over to see if he'd messaged me, I turned my back on him. Not literally. I just couldn't go there, to the worry and fear for him, not right now. He could text if he needed me.
By the time I reached the kitchen, I'd chosen school over moping, which was basically what I'd end up doing if I stayed home. Well, moping alternating with panic. At least school would offer a distraction.
Being the responsible leader, I reached out to Erica.
I'm in class today, but don't hesitate to contact me. I'll keep a thread open just in case.
Have a good day. Her mental tone had a sharp edge and she cut me off abruptly. Still pissed? Whatever.
Meira was long gone, Dad too. There was no sign of Sassy or Galleytrot so I ate a cold and lonely breakfast. If the boo-hoo moments got any worse, I'd have to shoot myself.
I was just walking out the door when I felt a mind touch mine. The surge of earth magic accompanying it felt like a far off place of elemental power I barely understood.
Something's not right. Galleytrot's voice growled its thunder, even more layered and expressive mentally than physically. I can feel power stirring, Syd.
I paused on the threshold, half in, half outside, thoughts immediately going to the dreams and Shaylee. Where are you?
Seeking. All of a sudden his tone changed. It's probably nothing. Let me look around. We'll talk tonight. He left me as quickly as Erica had, though without the animosity.
I really, really hated it when people did that. A nice goodbye or a mental hug wouldn't hurt them, now would it? I could have pursued it, but Galleytrot knew what he was doing and the way my luck ran with magic, if I poked my nose in I'd probably just make things harder.
Still, I was a very tense mess by the time I walked into school. Alison wasn't in our usual nook and I groaned inwardly. Hopefully she was sick. Not that I wished her to be ill, but if she wasn't there because she was still pissed at me, I'd have a whole lot of bestie clean up to do.
My backpack seemed heavier than usual as I trudged toward my locker, eyes on the floor. Please, just let this day go okay. I was so focused on my inner misery, I almost ran right into Beth.
"Hey, Syd." Her smile instantly made me feel a little better. She seemed a bit nervous, looking over her shoulder. I realized her boyfriend wasn't with her and wondered what was up.
"Hey, Beth." She deserved my full attention. Besides, I was looking for distractions, right? "Where's..." Crap. Forgot his name again.
"Tim." She dimpled at me. "He's what I wanted to talk to you about. Sort of." Beth laughed a little, a soft, anxious sound. "I just... I wanted to apologize for kind of dumping you guys." Red spots bloomed in her cheeks and down her neck.
Ah. The lovely signs of guilt. "Are you kidding?" Joking seemed to be the best way to approach this. "Hardly noticed."
The blush faded, relief and gratitude showing all over her face. Her smile widened further as she grasped my hand. "He's really awesome," she gushed. "We should do something sometime. So you can get to know him."
I think we both knew that would never happen. She was leaving the weirdoes for a normal life, and I was happy for her. But it was easiest to just play along.
"Sure, Beth," I said. "That would be great."
She let me go and made a scrunchy face. "Just not at Johnny's okay?"
I laughed, a real one. "Sick of it yet?"
Beth giggled. "I can't get the stink of grease out of my hair. I'll never eat another French fry for as long as I live."
"The money must be nice." I was lucky. The Hayle coven was, well, loaded. Old and full of very smart witches, we'd managed to accumulate more than enough to keep every one of our members in perfect comfort for centuries. So the whole job thing was new to me.
Like I'd have time.
Beth hesitated before shrugging. "It's for school." She looked away before meeting my gaze again, her flush returning. "Have to make money for college."
That was new. "I thought your parents had a fund for you?" That was what she told me last year.
Again the pause. "Well, yeah. They used to." She sighed and wrung her hands together absently, as if unaware she was doing it. "Dad lost his job." It came out in a whisper. "Nine months ago. So money's kind of tight, you know?"
Poor Beth. I had no idea. "Your mom's still working at the hospital?" Janice Saunders was an ER nurse if I remembered correctly.
Beth's shiny brown bob swung as she nodded. "It's just a lot for her to pay for herself. My little brothers needed braces, me with college coming up and Dad's salary gone..." She hugged herself abruptly and forced a smile. "Anyway, it's fine. I'll save up and maybe get a student loan or something."
"Scholarships?" I really wasn't helping.
"I'm applying." The smile slipped. "I just wanted you to know I'm not ditching you guys or anything." Her laughter had a brittle quality reminding me of Alison. Suddenly I was thrilled to not be normal. The magicless seemed to have so little hope when things went wrong.
I watched Beth go with a wave after a murmur of assurance I understood and saw her beeline right for Tim.
Remembered. Score.
As she walked off, the kernel of an idea formed.
We had lots of money, right? And Beth needed some.
I made a mental note to talk to Mom as I moved on, my first shiny moment of the day pulling my lips into a secret smile.
***
