The Ties That Bind Us

The Believers

Kira stood near the entrance to the plane, along with a few of the other guardians. Scott ran off to talk to her, and Stiles went for Malia.

"How was it?" she asked him. "I heard you and Scott went for a day of... fun."

"It was fun, actually," Stiles said, shrugging. "We pranked some people, clogged a toilet or two, we locked a messenger in the main elevator, and Scott found this gypsy woman who read our fortunes."

Malia seemed interested. "Really? What did she say?"

"Mm, she said Scott was on the verge of a new beginning, a 'rebirth of great power and emotion'. That his life will change in a direction that will... ultimately illuminate the world, I think that's what she said. It was beautiful really."

Malia made a face. "I meant about you."

"Oh, right. Well, mine wasn't so cheery."

"What did she say?" Malia insisted, giving him a playful push.

"God, you're aggressive," he laughed, dodging. "Uh, she said that I will destroy that which is undead. Whatever that means." Malia turned serious. "Don't worry. That woman's a total scam."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because she didn't tell us anything! It was, like, one sentence stating the obvious. I'm screwed and Scott will be a great leader. Who doesn't know that?"

Malia smiled. "Would you be a believer if she'd given you a more interesting reading?"

"Maybe if it was good." When she just laughed, he asked, "But you're taking it seriously. Why? You really believe in that kind of stuff?"

"I..." she bit her lip. "I think people like her have access to knowledge other people don't."

"She's not a half-breed, though, so I'm not really sure where she's getting this knowledge. I still think she's a con artist."

"They're called vrăjitoare."

"Vr—what? Is that Turkish?"

"Romanian. It means... well, there's no real translation. 'Witch' is close, but that's not right. Their idea of a witch isn't the same as ours."

Stiles had never expected to have a conversation like this with her. Yes, Malia had given him the Nazar which was very superstitious of her part, but he didn't think it went that far. Maybe it was a Turkish thing? Where was she from again? For half a moment, he thought that if she could believe in something like witches and fortune-tellers, maybe she could handle him seeing ghosts.

"My grandmother's like that," she explained. "That is, she practiced the same kind of arts."

"Your grandmother was a... vr—whatever?"

"It's called something else in Turkish, but yes, same meaning. She used to read cards and give advice, too. It was how she made her living. And it was a good living."

"Was she right? In her predictions?"

"Sometimes. Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you think I'm delusional, but you're too chicken to say anything."

"Delusional isn't the word I had in mind," he teased.

Malia put her hands on her waist. "What about cynical? It's not my fault. I grew up with it, so it doesn't seem that strange to me. And anyway... I'm not sure I buy into it 100 percent."

Stiles watched as Lydia joined the group by the plane, protesting loudly about them not being able to board yet.

"I never thought of you as having a grandmother," Stiles told Malia. "I mean, obviously, you'd have to. But still..." he babbled. "It's just weird for me, thinking about guardians growing up with a... family. Was it weird having a witch grandma? Was she always, like, threatening to cast spells if you were bad?"