Easy Bake Coven (15 page)

“Only I don’t think you can use magic to remember. I think remembering is something your heart has to desire.”

“I found the spell,” Cheney said. “It should work.”

“Not for this,” Devin said confidently. “To fulfill love you cannot force it with magic. This form of magic can only come from a willing heart. But you can awaken her other powers.”

“We shouldn’t do this spell inside,” Katrina added. “Selene is ruled by the moon and Venus. We should do it outside underneath the moon. It’s nearly full right now, right? It will increase our power.”

“We’ll triple circle so it will be more stable that way. Are you participating in this?” Jessica asked Cheney.

“Only in a form of power. Human magic is forbidden to elves, so I’ll participate by adding to your power, but I will not take an active part in any of the rituals. Selene’s grandmother is a very strong witch. We’ll need all the power we can get to undo her spell.”

“Well ladies . . . and gentleman, gather your stuff. We have a lot of work to do,” Devin said with a smile, clasping her hands in front of her.

Everyone stood up except for Leslie and me. “Wait,” Leslie spoke for the first time. “You’re all making plans for Selene, but none of you have asked her if this is what she wants. Selene?”

I twirled the ring and looked at Chaney. “No. Not tonight.”

“But—”

“No.” Jessica stepped between us. “She said no.” One by one each of the girls stepped in line in front of me, forming a wall
.

The tension was palpable in the room. I sighed and stood, breaking through their wall. “Thank you. I love you all, but I need to talk to Chaney. Please read over the spell. We’ll have to do it eventually.”

“You don’t
have
to do anything,” Kat said, taking my hand.

I squeezed hers back. “I know. Just give me a moment.”

I led Cheney to the back office and closed the door behind us.

“I thought we agreed,” he said, brushing his hand down my arm.

“No, you commanded me. I can’t leave tonight. I have things I need to take care of.” My eyes flickered back to my ring and my hope of a future that was fading away fast.

Cheney didn’t miss the gesture. “This is about the buffoon?”

My laugh sounded bitter, and perhaps it was. “You’re only asking me to give up all I have ever known in my life. Why should I need time to come to terms with that?”

Cheney slipped his hands into his pockets and leaned against the wall. “How much time?”

“I don’t know. However much it takes. I know you think you’re going to get the woman you love back, but damn it, I have a life here—a life that I love. I can’t just leave.”

“You can have until the full moon. Two days. That way you can cast at full strength and have time to wrap up whatever you need. Once we leave you can’t have any contact back here until it is done. At that time, if you still want to come back and pick up your life where you left it, I will do everything in my power to ensure that you can.”

“And if I say no?”

He sighed. “I will assign Sebastian to come and guard you, and I will return to my duties. You’ll never hear from me again.”

I rubbed my hand over my face. The memories made me want to get to know him more—my heart ached for it, actually—but my mind said maybe it would be for the best if he left for good. I could have a perfectly nice life with Michael. “Two days.” I nodded, turned on my heel, and walked out.

The girls looked up as I entered the studio.

“We’ll do the spell in two days.”

“What are you going to tell Michael?” Leslie asked.

“Good bye,” I whispered. My heart was heavy, but not as sad as it should’ve been. Why did Cheney make me feel so much when I felt so little for a man I’d known and cared about so much longer?

Two days wasn’t enough time. How could I wrap up all the loose ends of my life in
two days
? I convinced Jessica to take over the administrative operation of the studio. I arranged with other instructors to have my classes covered. Leslie agreed to keep Stewie. Cheney said I could bring him, but I didn’t know what I would be doing or how my new life would be. I wanted to make sure someone could be with him. I kept putting off talking to Michael, not wanting to hurt him but seeing no other choice. Finally, on the day of the full moon, I was out of time. Michael agreed to meet me for lunch, but Cheney insisted on coming, too.

“No.” I crossed my arms. “Absolutely not. If I have to break up with him, you can’t be there.”

Cheney sat on my couch watching reality television. He didn’t even bother to look up at me. “You can’t go alone. It isn’t safe. This isn’t up for discussion.”

I threw my hands up in the air and walked away. He was impossible. Cheney didn’t believe in discussing anything. He threw out orders like I would just take them. Break up with your boyfriend, become an elf, blah, blah, blah. I went to my bedroom and flopped down on the bed. My phone chirped with a new text message—Katrina wishing me luck with a frowny face. This royally sucked.

I read the spell to reverse the awakening for the millionth time. I needed that safety net in case I didn’t like being a half-elf. I needed to know I could come back. But stupid Cheney kept entering my thoughts. He was like an ember inside of me that was constantly being fanned, and Michael was the person I wished I felt like that about. I didn’t know Cheney, at least not that I could remember, but a part of me craved his touch. I couldn’t break up with Michael with him in the same room. The guilt would be too much to bear. If I couldn’t go alone, however, I had to find someone else to take me. Cheney probably wouldn’t view my friends as protection, but I knew one person he couldn’t object to. I dialed the number and waited.

“Cheney piss you off already? That didn’t take long. I never understood the two of you.” I could hear the smile in Sy’s voice.

“No. I’m supposed to do my awakening tonight, but I need your help with something.”

“Sure, anything. What’s up?”

“I have to break up with my fiancé before I go, and Cheney won’t let me go alone, but I don’t want him there.”

Sy groaned. “I meant anything except get involved in your relationship with the damn prince.”

My stomach dropped. So much for that idea. “Thanks anyway.”

“Wait. I’ll help you. Why are you breaking up with this poor guy?”

“Because I’m awakening my elf half. I have to.”

“No, you’re
half
-elf. You can do what you want. Don’t let Cheney bully you. If you love this guy, stay with him. Anyone, even a human, makes more sense than you and Cheney together.”

“It will put him in danger, and I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. It really isn’t fair to stay with him.”

“What time do you want me there?”

“In about an hour.” I gave him my address and then got ready for lunch, feeling much more at ease.

I came out of the bedroom, dressed and calm. Cheney looked up from the couch. “What time do you need to be there?”

“Oh, I’ll leave as soon as Sy arrives.”

He froze. “Why is Sy coming?”

“I told you, I don’t want you to come with me, and since you wouldn’t discuss it, I found my own alternative protection.”

Cheney’s eye twitched and he stood up, stalking in my direction. “You think he’ll do a better job protecting you than I will?”

I swallowed hard. “That’s not why I called him.”

“Then why?” He leaned in. His whiskers scratched my cheek and his whisper tickled my ear.

“Guilt,” I whispered back.

Cheney pulled back, his eyebrows knitting together. There was a knock on the door and I escaped before he could reply. Sy stood on the other side.

“You ready?” he asked, all ease and smiles.

“I’ll be back soon,” I told Cheney without looking back.

Michael already had a patio table when I arrived. Sy told me he’d be around, then disappeared. I steeled my nerves and walked up to the table. Michael stood and kissed my cheek, then pulled out a chair for me.

“I’ve missed you. How’s your grandma?” he asked, taking my hand.

I slipped out of his grasp and took a drink of water. “Michael, we need to talk.”

Instantly, worry appeared in his eyes. “Okay . . .”

“I have to go out of town for a while. I don’t know how long.” I paused, trying to think of how to phrase the next part.

Michael let out a breath. “I thought you were going to call off the engagement.” He laughed. “Where are you going?”

I pressed my lips together. “I am.” My voice barely met my own ears, but he went still.

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t really explain.”

“There’s someone else, isn’t there?”

I started to deny it, but the memory of kissing Cheney left a scorching trail through my mind. “Someone I knew a very long time ago.”

“And you’re sure you want to be with him?”

I shook my head. “But the fact that I think I might is enough.” I handed Michael the ring. “I am sorry.”

He held the lovely piece of jewelry in his hands, looking at it like it was cursed. With a deep breath he stood up. “I always thought the coldness was a front because you have such a warm heart about so many other things, but you’re not even upset, Selene. I wanted to spend my life with you, and you break up with me as easily as you order a salad.” With that he stalked away.

I took another drink of water and looked at my steady hand. He was right. When it came to love I was cold, shut off. What was wrong with me? I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, Sy was across from me.

“Could’ve gone worse,” he said. “You want to stay for lunch?”

I wasn’t ready to see Cheney yet so I nodded. “When I was . . . you know, my other self . . .” I raised my eyebrows and he nodded slightly, “how did I feel about love?”

“You always had a big heart, Selene, but you never wanted to be tied down. Cheney didn’t understand that.”

“Did I love him?”

Sy leaned back in his chair and thought for a while. “Only you can really know that.”

I nodded. I would find out soon enough. Sy and I ordered lunch and spent the rest of the meal getting reacquainted. By the end, I knew we would be very good friends. He rode home with me, then kissed my forehead and vanished.