The Opal Witch

Chapter Twelve: Hopeful

"This is the best day ever," Kitty whispered.

"Kitty."

She snapped to attention, fear written across her face as she prepared to be verbally assaulted as well. He softened his tone.

"Kitty, you need to stop rising to the bait. Everyone in this entire Circle needs to grow up now, because willful children can not handle the things that are coming." Both girls swallowed hard, but nodded. "Now, where is Ruby?"

"She said she couldn't come today. Her mother wasn't feeling well," Sara Elizabeth grumbled. Grumbling, Declan could handle. He would take it as a win.

"That's fine, but let me make this clear. If you miss a lesson, you will make it up. On my time, not yours. Is that understood?"

Again they nodded. Declan could see being too kind with these girls had been his first mistake. He might be close in age, but this world made them soft. He would do no one any favors by coddling them.

With half his attention turned to the hallway, he instructed the girls to open their books on potions and elixirs. Kitty's copy resembled Lux's. Worn and stained, it was a book that had been well loved by the witches who used it before her. Sara Elizabeth's contrasted with its newness. It was a wonder it was still in print after all these years, and he made a note to reach out to the other Circles to make sure there wasn't a newer book that was favored.

That meant he would have to formally announce his return, and there would be complications he wasn't ready to deal with. Not until he had his Circle in order. Starting with getting his High Priestess a proper channeling stone.

Lux entered the room as he walked the girls through the finer differences between elixirs and potions. Kitty and Sara Elizabeth surprised him with the intensity of their focus, and hope unfurled in his chest.It was small- barely bigger than a pearl, but it was more than he'd possessed moments ago. Perhaps magic would bring this Circle together, offering them common ground for the first time.

"Lux," he prompted when she didn't take a seat and join in the lesson. There were no tears staining her cheeks, and her eyes weren't snapping with anger. Instead, she looked resigned. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, um. I think we're going to have to put off the rest of the lesson for today."

"Now Lux," he began, aware that the other girls were waiting for him to deliver a similar speech to their leader. They'd be waiting a long while. "We can't just blow this off."

"No, I understand it's important," she exhaled, then rushed on, "Mama wants us to go to Jackson to visit another shop like Amulets to see if my channeling stone is there."

His hope grew bigger. Why hadn't he thought of that? If they could find Lux's channeling stone, it would resolve many problems.

"I agree that is more important."

"Mama won't be able to go with us, and Memaw isn't back from her trip yet. She won't let us go unless you come with us."

"That shouldn't be a problem, though I'm not sure I should be the one driving."

"I can drive," Kitty piped up. She nearly squirmed in her chair with excitement, and she never looked away from Lux.

"No," Lux gasped, "The last time you drove in Jackson, we nearly died seven times. Not an exaggeration. I can drive. My car will be a tight fit. Especially for you, Declan, but we can make it work."

Through the window, a dark SUV bounced down the gravel drive. Declan pointed as he asked, "Who is that?"

Lux and Kitty shared a laugh. "A much better ride than Lux's car."