The next couple of weeks were mind-numbingly slow, but the time to leave for Avery's ceremony finally came. I packed lightly. A few changes of clothes, and almost as an afterthought, my cell-phone. I wasn't sure it'd be useful, but it'd never hurt to carry it. Dad and I set out a day or two before Mom and Liam. Mom had wanted to finish setting up the greenhouses for our week long trip away and Liam had offered to stay and help her.
Dad, Poe, and I loaded up into my SUV and drove south as the sun rose up over the mountains. I drove first, taking us out of the Blue Ridge Mountains and into Gastonia where we stopped briefly before Dad took over driving for a bit. I felt anxious and nervous at the same time all because I was basically on my way to see my bride. After this ceremony, Avery and I would be as good as married in the eyes of our Families. I watched the road signs, mentally following the map of Interstate 85 as it headed southwest to where we'd have to switch to I20 in
We made it to the Reinhardt property just as true darkness fell. The moon had just risen above the trees as Dad drove up the long gravel drive to the white plantation style house. It stood lonely in an empty field, the nearest trees thousands of feet away. He parked the car."Here we are, the Reinhardt Plantation."The house looked a little run down, but nothing some work couldn't fix. The large, floor-to-ceiling windows of the first floor were boarded up, along with the door.I climbed out of the car, and headed to the porch. The wooden boards creaked under my weight. Poe flew to my shoulder, giving a quiet caw as Dad approached with a flashlight to help me remove the boards before unlocking the doors.We stepped into the dusty foyer, surveying the grand staircase to the second floor that dominated the entry way. "Do all the families know about this place?" I asked."I'm sure th
I shifted in my seat again, trying to get comfortable as I took the ramp off the interstate into the city the Mansers called home. We'd driven straight through from Georgia; Dad and I took turns at the wheel so we only had to stop to get gas and change driver."We're supposed to be there already, do you think they'd go ahead without us?" I asked, adjusting my grip on the steering wheel."Ezra, it'd be a little hard to do the ceremonies without Avery's betrothed. I'm sure they won't start without us," Dad said dryly."Right." I checked the map again, there was still a ways to go before we reached the Manser's ranch. "Ah, grab my cell phone out of my bag. You can call them.""Ezra-""Please?"He sighed, reaching into the backseat to pull my bag free of the boxes of books we'd piled in the backseat. "This thing?" he asked.I glanced over. He held my phone up. "Yes, Dad. That's a cell phone."He grinned at me and pressed the power
We pulled onto the Manser ranch about noon. It was set in the outskirts of Austin, forty sprawling acres of mostly pasture for the horses they boarded. While the Stanwoods lived off the herbs and exotic plants we grew in the greenhouses and sold through mail-order, the Mansers made their living through horses.I parked next to all the other vehicles littering the grassy area in front of the large house. The front door opened as soon as we pulled into the driveway and Thea raced out to greet us, Mom and Avery not far behind."There you two are!" Mom said. "What took so long? I was out of my mind when Liam and I got here before you!"Dad swept her into a hug. "We just took a little detour. We're fine."She eyed him in a way that made me think he was going to get an earful about it later."Where have you been?" Avery rushed up to me, wrapping her arms around in me in a tight hug. "Everyone's here already! Even Nathan."I frowned. "I didn't thin
After being tortured by my mother and her set of dressing piens for an hour, I escaped into the backyard. Poe's screech caught my attention and I found him sitting on an open stall door of the stable. He took off, gliding away from me toward the grove of trees that sat in the middle of the Manser's land. I followed, looking forward to a chance to release some power and meditate.The hemlock trees encircled a small clearing where a stone Altar was set up. I'd read once in one of old Stanwood books that this was the oldest relic in all of the Necromantic Families, moved only once, when the Mansers fled the Witches from their previous estate. Potted plants and flowers were placed around the wooden pillars that supported the heavy, stone slab.I sat in the grassy clearing facing the Altar, criss-crossing my legs in front of me. Talent crawled along my arms, like thousands of tiny spiders.Taking a deep breath, I shoved my worries about tomorrow's ceremony aside. I c
My alarm went off early the next morning, but it didn't matter. I was already awake. It felt like christmas morning, but on top of being super excited, I was also insanely nervous.Liam wasn't as thrilled with the wake up call, but he stirred, crawling out of his makeshift bed to pull a shirt on and escape out the door. I rolled myself deeper into the blanket, taking a few extra moments to myself in the comfort of warmth. Avery's mother kept the house cold. And even with my powers to keep me warm, I didn't want to leave my bed.A knock on the door frame drew me out of my circling thoughts of what I was about to do."Ezra." Dad's voice was soft, and when I didn't answer, he repeated himself louder."Yeah?""There's coffee and breakfast in the kitchen; it's time to get up and get ready."I groaned and debated snuggling down further into the covers for another few moments, but I threw the blankets off instead and grabbed a handful of clothes.
Avery stepped away from me and followed the other Family Heads into the trees. An anticipation had gathered in the crowd behind me, a collective hush over all the members of the Manser family.Mom came up to stand next to me, gently taking the ribbon from my hands and folding it without undoing the knot."How long-" I started to ask, but talking at the moment felt wrong.She shrugged. "With your father it was only a few minutes, but from what he's told me it can take all day. It seems to depend on the family." Mom kept her voice low, and she glanced at the others standing between us and the house. All the Mansers stood still, staring into the trees like they were in a trance."What's happening?" I'd never seen anything like it.Liam answered, "It's a calling. It reaches out to all those with the Manser blood in their veins. The Heads of the Family do more than just lead us, they tie us together as a whole. Right now, they're helping Avery establish
I stepped through the portal and on to the sand. The ocean's roar was deafening after the quiet evening in the grove. I moved away from the portal and crouched low in the underbrush of ferns and reeds that grew between the dead end road and the surf.Liam stood off a little ways, looking disoriented. I grabbed his hand and pulled him down next to me. The last thing we needed was for someone to spot us before we even had a chance to get started.The portal started closing, shrinking in on itself. At the last minute, Poe came flying through, circling in ever larger arcs."Okay, I didn't think that was actually possible." Avery took a deep breath, still looking wild. "What now?""Now," I said, "we go hunting. Can I see the letter again?"She handed it to me as I dug out my phone and used the light from the screen to read the directions Avery's cousin listed in the letter. I glanced around in the darkness. The moon was already lower in the sky. We'd ha
Liam opened his mouth to argue more, but was cut off by the sound of a door opening on the other side of the warehouse. It echoed through the darkness.Avery and Liam switched off their lights as we rushed back towards the open window. I glanced back once to see another beam swing through the darkness.We reached the window and pushed it open slowly; now wasn't a good time to squeak.Liam held the window open as I helped Avery through, and then climbed out after her. I held the window steady as Liam climbed through, and then lowered it again. We crouched low under the window, our backs against the corrugated metal siding.My breath and pulse were racing, and I tried to steady my nerves. That had been close."We need to leave. Now." Liam's whisper came just inches away from my ear.I shook my head. "We've got to see the other warehouse. Maybe grab one of those plants."The window above us creaked, and I froze."Stupid windows,"