Will of the Witch [Legacy, BK 2 - Completed]

Chapter 4.4

EZRA

 I followed the dirt path, walking out into the trees nearby to where the Reinhardt cemetery was hidden in the trees. I fought the anger that rose in me. How? How had they found John after all this time? It bothered me to no end. We'd gone months without a hint from them, and now, they just swooped in and grabbed him without so much as a warning.

So much for facing his troubles together. I leaned back against a tree and slid to the ground. The sky was growing darker by the moment, the fireflies blinking among the headstones.

Toying with a small stick, I dug into the earth. Was this really the best course of action? Waiting on word from the Hedge witches about John. Waiting on the other remaining Reinhardts to find their way back. Should I have tried to track the lost children down, instead of calling them home?

I was so incredibly lost. Were we really waiting here or had I just stalled with my inability to make a decision?

Glancing at the shadowy stone marker not far from where I sat, I tried to picture Poe as I had seen him in the Stanwood Vault. The haggard, haunted expression he wore. The dusting of grey in his shoulder length dark hair. But the memory warped and all I could see was the bird in my hands, unmoving and lifeless.

Light pierced the growing darkness as a car pulled up the driveway. I stood, reaching out with my Talent. I knew Avery and Hunter were still in the house, so the car-

It was the twins, I realized as I found the two identical flares along the family web in my power.

I released the breath that I'd been holding and brushed the dirt and the pine straw from my shorts. There wasn't any more time for doubts. It was time to do my job, and if I did it right, we'd have another two fighters ready to go after John when the time was right.

There wasn't anything wrong with biding our time for the right moment, for when our odds were better. I took a moment to lay my hand on Poe's headstone. He wanted me to end the war, but I couldn't help feeling like it was all about to take a turn for the worse.

Following the path back by memory, I hoped I wouldn't trip on a tree root, and I was thankful when I finally reached the yard. The car was empty by that point. I turned to head inside when the front door of the house opened and Hunter stepped out on to the porch.

He stopped suddenly as he caught sight of me. "I was just about to go find you. There's-"

"The twins arrived," I said, climbing the steps. "I know."

Hunter looked startled. "Then they're like me? Us?"

"Yes, they're a part of the family." I moved past him, stepping into the entryway.

He followed in behind me. "How'd you know?"

I glanced back at him. "My power calls out to you and the others. It's how you knew that this place was where you needed to be."

"Yeah, that's not creepy at all," Hunter said with a touch of sarcasm in his voice.

Smiling, I continued into the house and turned my attention to where Avery and the two other girls sat in the living room. The twins stood, their movements nearly identical as their features and their clothes. The beads in their long braided hair clicked softly when they moved.

"I'm Tessa," the one closest to me said. "And this is my sister, Anissa."

"Ezra Reinhardt." I held my hand out to them in turn, my skin pale against their dark tone as we shook.

"It took us longer than we thought to get here," Anissa said. "Are there others..." Her voice trailed off as I felt my expression grow grim.

"There is one other." I closed my eyes and reached out with my Talent searching for his flare in the family web. I shook my head. "He's still up north, way up north. In New York, maybe?" Opening my eyes again, I focused on the sisters. "Other than that, there's myself and Hunter."

Anissa glanced at Avery, who smiled. "I'm a Manser, not a Reinhardt, and Ezra's partner."

"And John," Hunter said, giving me a pointed look.

I nodded, worry bubbling up again for my friend. "Yes, and John, but he is also not a Reinhardt."

Tessa smiled, glancing at her sister. "We've been waiting a long time for this."

"Ever since our father told us about our mother and her family," Anissa continued.

"You know then?" I asked, taking a seat on the couch next to Avery. Hunter walked over to stand near the cold fireplace. "About everything?"

After sharing a look with her sister, Tessa said, "We know we're Necromancers, yes. But we don't know how to use our power. We could never figure that out on our own."

"We moved out to L.A. after our mother died, we were one," Anissa said, sitting back on the couch. "Dad had family out there, it was far from the fighting he'd seen with mom. He'd changed our names, but he always told us stories about mom, her powers, what he knew about your traditions. He didn't want us to forget our roots."

"Because he knew we'd end up back here." Tessa glanced at each of us. "He knew we'd be called back to fight."

"Your father is a smart man," I said.

"Was," Tessa corrected me. "He passed away last year."

"Cancer," Anissa whispered, glancing down at her hands.

Silence hung heavily after their words. "I'm sorry," I said, unable to think of anything better to say.

Tessa shook her head. "He's not suffering anymore. That's all that matters."

Avery took my hand. Hunter shifted his weight, causing the floorboards to squeak.

"That makes five of us now," he said, and I could see where his train of thought was heading.

"It's still not enough, and we don't have any information on where he is. We just have to wait." I stood and turned my attention back to Tessa and Anissa. "Come on, Avery can show you around while I get dinner started." 

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I'm back~ It was an amazing trip! I've had a hard time getting back into the groove of working now that I'm back though, so hopefully, this update isn't horrible. 4.5 will be posted next Friday.