NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
One of the most culture-rich cities in America, and also one of the hottest. I don't know what convinced my father to move all the way out here all those years ago. The man could've gone anywhere in the world, London, Greece, hell even Salem Massachusetts would've been a better place to live but he decided on starting his legacy in New Orleans — the city where pissy drunk adults come and cause mayhem in the streets during the weekends.
I remember my sister telling me we're here in New Orleans because it used to be a safe haven for the supernatural at the beginning of everything before America was even a thing and colonization was the number one thing white men wanted to do but after The Red Rebellion nearly wiping everyone and everything out most of the supernatural population had dwindled in numbers, most creatures were forced to reside in Halence where it's safer and free of judgment — apparently. Only supernaturals from well-off families or those with resources outside of Halence only ever leave the realm. The Amaranthus coven is the only house of witches to live outside the realm. I remember asking my father once when I was little why we didn't live in Halence with all the other houses and he let out a small laugh and said, "We're Amaranthus, we don't need to hide."
I never really looked at the other supernaturals leaving the human world for Halence as hiding but that's what my father thinks and I never asked him about it again. I wish I could hide, disappear, and untraceable from everyone in the world. I tried to be but for some reason, my annoying family insists that I come home for this stupid anniversary of a coven I detached myself from years ago. I haven't been to the last five so why was this one so important that Father just had to make sure I made an appearance? Wasn't his four other kids and house full of thirty-something followers enough?
No, nothing is ever enough for Erik Amaranthus.
My father's manor is located in the more remote part of New Orleans, where stores and suburban areas have become almost obsolete. Hidden along a dirt road path filled with red clay and potholes that made cars groan aloud whenever they accidentally came in contact with one. There were only about four other houses on this path, and all of them were separated by large amounts of land, each growing vegetables or harvested by farm animals. It wasn't until the cab got to the final house at the end of the path that the driver put the car in park. I haven't been here in almost five years, and even then I barely remember anything, but what I do remember is this house. I looked out the window to see the familiar wrought iron gate.
It was the first thing to greet me as I approached the manor. Large, white, and rather intimidating if I'm being honest with myself. Nothing about the place is homey, and the ancient iron gate in front of me wasn't exactly throwing me a welcome home party either. It was at least eight feet tall and quite old-looking. The tops of the fence posts were adorned with black spikes, threatening anyone who dared try to climb or jump this fence. Years later and it still sends chills down my spine.
There was a faint tap against the window that interrupted my thoughts and startled me. I jumped in my seat before I quickly turned. I looked out the window to see two familiar faces. Zhyi and Issa — the youngest two of the Amaranthus family. Zhyi looked at me with a slight smile tugging his lips while Issa cheesed brightly at me. I couldn't fight the smile that came on my lips as I looked at my two baby siblings who aren't babies anymore. I rolled down the car window but only by an inch teasingly. "Yes?" I replied in a playful tone.
"C'mon Ymir, get out of the car. Don't think because you live in the big city now you're too good for a hug!" Issa sassed, the little girl's voice I remembered her having drastically different and with a lot more attitude.
Zhyi nodded beside her. "Yeah, man get out so I can see if I can finally whoop your ass or not." my baby brother spoke in his newly developed voice, his Adam's apple practically poking through his skin. It's a complete turnaround from what I remember five years ago. He was shorter, his voice was a lot higher and he had a gap-toothed smile but looking at him now it seemed all those things had vanished. "Get out of the car. Ain't nobody gon' bite you."
Unbuckling my seatbelt, I unlocked the car door and made my way out. Immediately once I got out the two kids attacked me in a big hug. Issa wrapped her slim arms around me, her head falling into my chest. Zhyi took my hand with a firm grip and strong eye contact before joining and embracing me in a welcoming hug. He's almost my height now.
"What's it been? About a decade since you last came down here?"
"It's only been a couple of years," I said.
Issa sends me a look, her eyes rolling up at me. "Try five."
"Let us help you with your bags. It looks like all you brought was a sack in that backseat." Zhyi let out another laugh as he entered the backseat of the cab.
I shook my head no. "You don't need to do that. I can handle it." I tried to tell him, but he shook his and insisted. "No, you're a guest now, and I wanna see if I can steal some of your fancy clothes before you leave."
I exhaled a sigh. I knew it was pointless trying to argue with him so I let him and Issa help with my belongings. I paid the cab fare and tipped him extra because I knew that driving out here wasn't the norm. When we finally made our way through the gate and into the house I put my things down at the foyer and my eyes roamed around. Everything's just like I barely remember, long columns lining the inside, the walls white and trimmed with a design of an almost golden color. I wouldn't be surprised if it was gold. The fireplace is burning as I enter the main room, and three beautiful chandeliers hang from the high ceiling. Portraits lined the walls, some large and some smaller, each with a different face of past sovereigns of the Amaranthus households. I stared at them for a moment, an eerie feeling creeping up my spine as I recalled the thoughts I had when I was younger about these pictures watching me, even my father's self-painted portrait creeped me out a bit.
Being known as one of the most powerful and smartest witches of your time comes with a lot of perks according to my father. His influence and power across the supernatural fractions stretches for miles and he has the accolades to back it up. He's a wealthy man both in the supernatural world and the human one. That's how he manages to keep the lights on in this big ass manor that can house up to thirty-something people, and also how he manages to keep the lights on at my place by sending me my monthly allowance. He's a good man when he wants to be.
"Ejay? Rina? Aye, everyone, Ymir is here!" Zhyi called out once he entered behind me, Issa not too far behind us.
Before I could comprehend what was happening I was met with the many faces of the Amaranthus coven, some familiar and some not. It's not too long before I'm surrounded by so many people I have a hard time placing names to faces. There are people ranging from all ages from 5 to what looks to be 60 in front of me greeting me with warm hugs and praise.
"Ymir, hey." A woman with the most captivating pair of eyes I've ever seen. I was mesmerized by the deep swirls of auburn that colored her pupils. A few auburn strands of hair hung on both sides of her face, the rest wrapped up in a vibrant-colored turban. She hugged me tightly and after a few seconds, the other women beside her spoke. "You're killing him, Adah. Let the baby breathe."
"Sorry, Marée. I just haven't seen him in years. You've gotten so big now." Adah let go of me, before the other lady who looked just like her went in for her hug which was much more softer than Adah.
"You probably don't remember us, do you?" Marée said, a slight grin on her plump lips. She was gorgeous; full lips the colour of cherry blossom.
It took a moment but the women's faces finally registered in my head. Adah and Marée, two of the coven's oldest members, the coven watchers, my father's second in command, and also my favorite pair of twins Supremes. They practically raised me in this house. While father was too busy with the others, I spent my time in the backyard with Adah helping her in the garden or the kitchen with Marée helping prepare dinner for the evening. They were the mothers I never had, the support system I needed. I can never forget them.
"Of course, I remember you guys. It hasn't been that long." I shook my head at them, before embracing them in another hug inhaling the spices and seasonings that coated them.
"We couldn't be mad at you if you did. Hell, it's been what? Over five years since you last came down here." Marée spoke, her Cajun accent filling the room.
Adah clasped her dark hands together, the many rings and bracelets she wore chiming as she did so. "How you been up there in the city? Being safe I hope."
"Always," I assured her and she smiled at me.
Maree's sharp eyes looked past me and I followed to see another familiar face. My older brother Ejay still looked the same, a spitting image of our father from the beige skin to the patchy beard he'd been so desperately trying to grow out since he was sixteen. He greeted me with open arms and I fell into his chest so naturally it felt like I was born there.
"Must be a cold day in hell if you came back home," he jokes aloud running a finger through my hair giving it a soft ruffle. "when Rina said you were coming I thought she was just lying to get everyone worked up but you came."
I looked up at him. "Speaking of Rina, where is she?" I asked looking around at Zhyi and Issa who still stood behind me with my belongings. The younger ones both shrugged their shoulders. It was not until a deep voice sounded off from above that everyone's head turned upwards. "I'm right here." Looking up at the balustrade that looked down at the first floor I saw my older sister looking down at me.
Oh, how ironic.
Even from up there, I could see her deep oak wood eyes that all the Amaranthus children seem to bear beaming down at me — a hotter fire in them. Her light sandy hair is in her usual twisted locs that cascade down her back. The coven's signature tattoo is marked in the middle of her clavicle. Normally most witches hide their tattoo from the public eye, however, Rina wore hers in the middle of her chest loud and proud, like warriors paint.
All witches who are born into the Amaranthus coven, or join later in life are marked on either their sixteen birthday or upon joining. The mark appears like any tattoo and is representative of the coven itself. The mark is placed upon them by the coven's Sovereign or in our case my father. I got mine a year before I left, a little earlier than most, right in the middle of my back in the center of my shoulder blades along the spline. It was a painful process that I wouldn't do again, and if I could I'd get the thing removed but only the Sovereign is able to remove the mark, and that comes with the price of them binding your tongue from ever sharing the coven's secrets.
My father however did not rip me of the marking when I left. He let me keep it and sent me on my way. Rina hated that and said that since I wanted to leave I should be stripped of everything related to the coven and have my tongue enchanted forever.
"How was your trip?" I didn't realize Rina had made her way downstairs until she was standing in front of me, a brow raised questionably as she waited for a reply. It always bugged me how out of all the Amaranthus children me and her shared the most similar features. My father says that's the reason we always butted heads growing up — too similar on the outside to agree within.
I personally just think she's a bitch.
"It was long," I stretched out my tired limbs exhaling a low yawn. "don't worry I'll be out of your hair before you know it. I know you can't wait for me to head back."
A sly smile stretches on her pink lips, a chuckle erupting shortly after. "Father's upstairs in his study." She doesn't disagree and instead turns her head to the younger siblings. "Take his things to his room, please." The two don't protest with her orders. Issa sends me another cheesy grin at me as she makes her way up the white staircase behind Zhyi.
Rina turns back to me, a ringed hand extending out as she gestures for me to head upstairs. I blinked at the ring on her finger, eyes widening as I turned back to meet her stare. "You're engaged?"
Rina looked down at her hand and then back up at me before shaking her head no. "No, it's a charm Father made for me a few years back. It's for good health."
I rolled my eyes. "Of course it is. For a moment there I thought you got a boy to talk you for once." I tease her causing her nostrils to flare up at me. It's then I'm hit with the familiarity of my sister, the one I'm used to seeing. The one I kinda missed sometimes.
"And here we go . . ." Ejay interjects between the two of us as we all walk up the staircase together.
I sent a few last waves to some of the coven members as I followed behind my older siblings seeing that the younger two had already put away my things waiting for us at the top. A weird feeling erupted inside of my stomach. Not so much as butterflies but something more sharp and tingling like someone's inside with a feather duster trying to make me laugh. It's been so long since I've been home, been around the coven, been in the same room with any of my siblings. I'm glad I'm left and I wouldn't come back but I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't miss this just even a little.
••••
When we got to Father's study on the third floor at the end of the long corridor, Rina was the one to open the door. I follow behind her and I'm immediately hit with the scent of lavender and essential oil. I remember when I was a kid running around his large mahogany desk covered in books and papers with Ejay and Zhyi. I haven't been in here for years, but even then I can tell you where everything is, even the secret nooks and crannies.
Behind the desk was a man deep in thought. Light eyes trained on the papers gripped in his hands, the reading glasses on his light brown face sat on the bridge of his pointed nose like a librarian. I haven't seen him in years but he looked the same as he did when I left. The signature gray patch in front of his kinky untamed hair seemed to stretch along his scalp a bit giving him a bit of a salt-and-pepper look now. It's crazy how despite all of the Amaranthus children having different biological mothers we all seemed to have more parts of our father than the other parent.
"Ymir, my boy," my father's raspy English accent sounded more prim and proper than ever. His voice filled the room as everyone entered behind me. He stood up from behind his desk removing his glasses and placing them on the desk. "I felt you the minute you entered the city. I'm surprised your sister managed to convince you to come down."
I turned around at Rina who was leaning against one of the many bookshelves in the room, her arms folded across one another as she watched Father and I from afar. "Well, you know Rina . . . if you don't do as she says she'll kill you," I tell him and he lets out a small raspy chuckle.
"I know that's right." Issa chimes taking a seat in one of the chairs placed out in front of father's desk, Zhyi joining her on the armrest.
"I take it you'll only be staying till the celebration of the anniversary tomorrow?" He straightens up a stack of papers on his desk, thick brows raising at me awaiting an answer that I'm sure he already knows.
Ejay clears his throat from under the doorframe of the study. "C'mon Dad, you know Ymir doesn't stay put for too long. He's gonna be back in the city at some club before we can even finish the ceremony."
"Oh, I'm well aware. My last credit card bill can for sure attest to that statement," My father peered at me. "your brother sure loves his nightly outing and weekly trips to the stores on Fifth Avenue."
Everyone let out a few chuckles at laughter as I hid the slight embarrassment that crept up on my cheeks. I forget my father's sees over everything, even my finances. Being a sovereign as well-known and influential as my father comes with a lot of perks and privileges, and sometimes I find myself using those assets for myself. I mean it's not like he needs the money anyway, he's a fucking sovereign, and he can spare the change.
"It's all good," My father exhaled a low breath, coming around his desk and stepping to me with that squinted-eye look of his like he's been reading too many books in the dark and his eyes still haven't adjusted. He placed a hand on my shoulder giving it a soft rub. "I'm just happy you came. That's all that matters." his fingers covered in black rings found their way on the side of my face as he stared at me embracing my features. I did the same, our eyes looked on one another, a slight grin tugging at his lips.
"I can see your pool of magic is still as small as ever." He pats my cheeks with the bed of his fingers as he exhales a sigh, the air in the room suddenly shifting from his sudden jab — and there it is folks. Erik Amaranthus, Sovereign of the Amaranthus covens, my father. A true dick.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Ejay's eyes move to the floor, shifting his posture to a more sturdy one. Zhyi started to twiddle with the rings on his finger, and Issa just brushed a strand of her hair behind her small ears. Rina smiled. Father didn't seem to notice the sudden change, but then again this man wouldn't notice a fly in his face if it cursed at him. He simply turns around with a smile on his face, his eyes landing on the others. "You kids hungry? I'm sure Adah and Marée have fixed a lovely meal for your brother's return." he cackled.
"I'm starving actually." Zhyi groans aloud rubbing his belly as he stands to his feet. Issa follows behind and the two make their way out of the office Ejay quietly follows behind. Rina shifts in her feet as her eyes linger between father and I and he notices, his head gesturing towards the door where the others had just left. "Go get yourself something to eat Rina. Me and your brother have some catching up to do." he smiles at her politely and my sister shifts on her feet again before turning around and making her way out of the study leaving me and father alone.
Once the room empties leaving just the two of us alone I exhale a low sigh, my body naturally falling into the leather chair placed out in front of his desk like an instinct. "Here to belittle me more I suppose?" I mock in his accent which only earns a small tight lip grin out of the sovereign. He leaned against his desk in front of me, long arms folding over his chest as he stared down at me.
"I was not belittling you, Ymir," he says it so casually, the words so easily coming off his tongue because he's said it so many times before.
"Oh please," I roll my eyes with a slight chuckle. "I haven't been home for thirty minutes and you're already telling me how weak my magic is."
"You know I didn't mean it that way."
"Well, that's how it comes off."
My father exhales a low breath of air, shoulders motioning up and down with the sudden movement. We sit in silence for a few seconds, the grandfather clock in the corner of the office sounding off each second that passes as we just stare at one another, but then my father's relaxed expression shifts into a playful one as his lips crack into a small smile at me. "Still as cold as ever, Ymir. Five years on your own and it seems your exterior has only gotten harder . . ."
I shift in my seat at his words.
"I admire that about you greatly, always have," he started again. "out of all my children you're the only one I don't have to worry about."
I fought an eye roll that was threatening to come over me. "And why is that? Because I don't have any magic so I'm not really a priority."
"Quite the opposite actually," my father pushes himself off his desk and heads back around to his seat, fingers roaming over the messy piles of papers on them. "you're strong in a way that your brothers and sisters are not. You've always been like that since you were little — clear with your emotions and intentions, a bit stubborn but in a good way. Why do you think I let you leave the coven at such a young age? Because I knew you could handle yourself. You're tough. An Amaranthus to the core."
It's not too often I hear praise from my father and as much as it kills me to say this I cherish the words deeply, but I don't say it aloud and instead motion my eyes around the room focusing on the Wall Map that decorated the other end of the office. It covers both Earth and Halence so it's huge and takes up almost the entire wall. It's decorated with red pushpins of all the countries and cities in both worlds my father has traveled to during his time as sovereign. I took note of the pieces of paper and other detailing which look like notes my father had pierced on the board now in a language that wasn't English and didn't look to be the typical Latin witches use either. To anyone else, this would be an eyesore, just a plain sight of confusion but my father could understand all this with no problem and teach it with ease.
"What's that?" I changed the topic of the conversation as I motioned toward the unknown language on the map causing my father to turn around towards the map.
"Oh," he said with a half-witted chuckle. "I've been doing some research on some things in Halence. Nothing you need to worry about." he unpins one of the pieces of paper with the notes on it and stares at it for a moment before placing it down on his desk. "I have to meet with some of the people of The Order in a few in Halence. You're free to join me if you'd like." There was a teasing grin on my father's face as he spoke.
"I'd rather be burned at the stake," My eyes roll off my father and to the ground, for a moment before I looked back up at him. "remember what happened last time I went to Halence."
"Ah yes. You're Scrying." My father made a face, lips exhaling a low sigh. "How could I ever forget?"
There comes a time in every supernatural's life when they are offered the opportunity to go to the Tree Of Fortune in Halence to get an insight into what their future holds. It's a large tree nearly the size of the Empire State Building in the middle of Halence, it's supposedly the first thing to ever grow in the realm when it was first created. Usually seeing the tree is supposed to be a time of celebration for some, something most supernatural that isn't from noble bloodlines sell their soul for — literally. However, for me, it was a nightmare. My father took us all at the same time. I was twelve going through that phase where I hated everything and Rina had just turned eighteen, Ejay was fifteen, and the younger two were still considered babies to most people.
I don't remember most of that day because I try to block it out as much as possible but what I do remember is that Rina walked out of the tree being told she'd one day become a powerful sovereign like our father while I ran out of mine crying, the dark wood of the tree dripping blood from its cracks as the many voices of the tree yelled at me to never come back to Halence — I haven't been back since.
"Do not dwell on the past, Ymir," my father voices as he makes his way back around his desk, shoulders moving up and down in a soft shrug. "that is all said and done now and there's nothing we can do about it but move on." He returned his attention to the paperwork on his desk, the many papers and textbooks giving me a headache from simply looking at them and I took that as my cue to get up from my seat about to head out.
"I'm gonna go join the others," I tell him as I make my way toward his office door. "are you coming?" I turned back to him and asked.
He held up a proper hand. "Oh no. I have far too much on my desk that I need to take care of. I'll get with you kids when I can." he says as he adjusts a pair of specs on his face, eyes darting towards the endless sea of paperwork before him. I don't say anything and instead just walk out the door leaving my father to his work like always.
Yep, there's no place like home.
••••
EXCUSE ANY MISTAKE OR ERRORS
Yes, Rick Fox is the strongest witch in the realms and has a British accent