''I get it,'' he said, ''the sun so loved the moon...''
His voice trailed off. We both knew the story. We knew it all too well. He was looking at me thoughtfully. I, however, turned away.
''What if,'' I began, ''the sun didn't want to die for the m...
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Ben and Tilly both seemed to notice how my mood was slightly off the entire day, but neither of them asked about it. I was grateful for their lack of prying because there was no way in hell I could tell them the truth about the meeting with my father.
I did, however, scold Tilly for the trouble she'd caused with the fair folk.
"A protection spell," I hissed, "on the club? Really?"
She looked sheepish. "I didn't know there were going to be faerie diplomats visiting anytime soon. It's supposed to block against any unfamiliar supernatural activity and they're pretty damn unfamiliar."
I put my head in my hands and Ben seemed amused.
"I can't believe you got to meet a faerie before I did," he shook his head wistfully.
My eyes glared at him then flashed back to Tilly.
"I didn't tell them you cast the spell and luckily they have no idea. So, please take it down or modify it so it only attacks evil people or something."
"Magic doesn't work like that," she began in a know-it-all's voice then quickly changed when she saw my expression, "I'll take it down."
"Thank you," I murmured, settling back into the cafeteria chair. I sat forward when I thought of something new. "Where else have you put those spells?"
She sipped nonchalantly from her juice box, avoiding eye contact.
"Oh you know," she waved her hand, "around."
"Tilly," I narrowed my eyebrows, "Is there one on my house?"
She coughed a little as some apple juice hit her in the back of the throat. Ben patted her on the back in an attempt to help. She looked at me with wide hazel eyes.
"Maybe."
Instead of angry, I found myself amused. There was a spell around Owein's mansion that prevented unknown, possibly malicious, supernatural creatures from entering. At least, not without having their legs and bodies covered in magical burns. Too bad it wasn't up when Owein was living there.
I thanked Tilly genuinely for her attentiveness to my family's protection. I eyed my brother's spot in the cafeteria where he sat with his journalism friends.
He'd stopped sitting with us ever since we came back to the school after Owein died. I expected his distance had to do with his desire to feel normal. I didn't blame him.
The table was quiet for a moment before it was broken.
Ben looked at me. "So the faeries...did they have wings?"
Tilly and I both shot him a look then and he finally shut up.
The entirety of my day was spent with my stomach in knots. I was going to see my father again right after school. I was going to get answers. Whatever darkness resided within me was going to be dealt with. I felt power washing upon my skin like waves, breaking along the surface of my body like the rocks on the shore. Never had I felt anything like it, and the feeling was constant. A constant reminder of the jump I'd taken- the price I'd paid. My own body felt foreign to me
