Malachi Peak stayed relatively quiet in the coming weeks. School started, the season began to turn, and nobody seemed went missing. Nothing out of the ordinary appeared to be happening, if you discount all the supernatural community conducting their business. The Pentacle used this quiet period to train, or more specifically prepare Ivy.
Part of her wondered if her mother knew what she was or if Gale Vale really had no clue the power her daughter held. Ivy's childhood consisted of jumping from state to state every couple of years. At first, Ivy loved the adventure, making a game out of. When she entered high school and eventually college, she craved stability. That's what she had found in Malachi Peak, Cassie and Hunter, especially him after Cassie went missing.
Ivy tried not to grow frustrated as she failed in the exercises. Most of the time she came away with little burns from Ella or chapped lips and windblown hair from Aura. Marina took charge of teaching Ivy spells and other things that came with being a witch, including sensing other creatures. Despite having a somewhat physical element, Ivy really enjoyed the spell casting as it dealt with herbs and other plants. For the actual combat training, that was a different story.
"Ella, I literally can't do this anymore." Ivy collapsed onto the grass and threw her hands over her face. Sweat dripped off her, as Aura had put her through a grueling workout that included running and dodging fireballs from Ella. Whatever little pudge she had gained was slowly melting off, or transforming into muscle.
"Up." Ella's voice held no remorse as she extended a hand toward her friend. "You can't slack off. You've missed almost 20-something years of your life being a witch. Gotta make up for lost time."
Ivy took it unwillingly and groaned. Rolling her eyes, Ella squeezed a little hard and made her hand hotter until Ivy yanked it away.
"You bi.tch. That hurt." She glared daggers at the eldest member of the Pentacle and held her hand to her chest, exaggerating the pain. "I will get you back for that."
Aura sent a gust of wind their way, practically knocking the two of them over. Ivy and Ella turned their heads slowly and menacingly. A mischievous glint reflected in their eyes, and Aura's own widened. They approached her slowly, and with a raise of her hand, Ivy boxed Aura in and vines descended down. Ella went to form a fireball, but Ivy stopped her.
"You do that, and you hurt my babies." She pointed at the vines that headed toward Aura's feet. "Earth isn't like the rest of the elements, except water as Marina can feel what the rest of us feel. Somehow I'm on a different level of plants."
"What do you—" Aura's question was cut short by the vines flipping her upside down. "Ivy! Put me down!"
Ivy giggled before bursting into full on belly laughter when Ella, who had been giggling as well, joined the other witch in the air. Ella immediately went serious and crossed her arms over her chest. The atmosphere warmed around the three of them as Ella's annoyance level went up.
"If you don't put me down, I will burn these vines," she narrowed her eyes, "whether they're your babies or not."
Panic flashed across Ivy's features as she didn't want the plants to suffer due to her actions. The vines unraveled just enough that Ella and Aura didn't fall on their necks and hurt themselves. However, they still fell and landed on their butts with a thump.
"You and those vines..." Ella muttered as she dusted herself off. She extended herself on her back and interlaced her fingers behind her head.
"Now, as I was asking, what do you mean you're on a different level with them?" Aura sat back on her elbows and stared up at Ivy.
"I don't know how to explain it exactly." Ivy joined them on the grass, sitting cross-legged with her hands in her lap. "Even when I tried to shut the magic out, I felt them. I can't talk to them and have an actual conversation, but I can tell when they've been hurt. It's stronger with plants I've called upon, so like my vines or singular things. If I were to touch that oak tree over there, I could likely tell you its history."
"So that's why you're so protective of your shop, especially when I'm around," Ella mused from her spot on her belly. She adjusted her head so that it was now in the middle of them. "If anything were to happen to your shop..."
"I'd be devastated, figuratively and literally," Ivy finished for her. "If you did burn those vines, it's as if you burned a piece of me. Granted, I wouldn't actually be burning, but I would get that uncomfortable pain."
"That's actually very interesting." Aura tilted her head and smiled. "I wonder if Cassie knew."
"I don't think she did." Ivy shook her head, the curls bouncing around. "We had made some progress, but we didn't get into that. She was teaching me how to call upon the plants and essentially communicate. I don't think she realized there was a sense of empathy that came with the connection."
"Either way, we're keeping that tidbit under wraps." Ella pointed emphatically at her. "We'll tell Marina, but no one else. That even means Hunter."
"Elllllaaa," Ivy whined, crossing her arms across her chest and pouting.
"I'm serious, Ivy. It's for your protection." Ella moved to sit up now. "The less people that know about it, the less you have to worry about it being used against you. I don't know about you, Aura, but that connection sounds pretty strong. And while I love you Ivy, I don't know if you could handle being tortured. They wouldn't even have to touch you. They could just attack what you've created."
"Ella, if someone attacked the store right now, I likely wouldn't feel a thing." Ivy ran a hand through her dampened curls. "And even then, y'all have done a good job of toughening me up. I'd be okay. I do come home with burns."
While she was saying this, she also wasn't so sure about it. If someone did attack the store, would she feel it? She had poured her physical life force and powers into creating it. Could she feel it even if she was across town? Ivy hoped so if only to know when to protect it.
"Only every once and awhile!" Ella shot back. "And that's when you're too slow, so you definitely deserve a little reminder to speed up."
The three witches broke out into laughter and eased into a comfortable silence. Aura trained her eyes on something in the distance while Ella bounced a fireball between her hands. All the while, Ivy played with the grass between her fingers. The natural noise of the world around them made enough commotion. Cars screeched in the distance, and a wind rustled the tips of the color-changing trees. Eventually a cell phone cut through it all. Aura shot up and took the call.
"It's probably a breaking story." Ella leaned forward trying to hear what Aura was saying.
Sighing, Aura hung up and stalked back toward them. She didn't need to say anything for them to know the caller gave her bad news. She opened her mouth to speak when Ella's cell phone went off. Her eyebrows knitted together, wondering if this was a coincidence or not.
"And that's my cue." Aura motioned her head toward Ella, who snapped her phone back to her hip. "Is that call what I think it's about?"
Ella nodded solemnly.
"Wait, what is going on?" Ivy looked between the two women.
"PD turned up another body," Ella deadpanned. "While it looks like a human, my sources, and my team, already know it was a werewolf."
"How?" Aura piped in, journalism brain already kicking into the action. She couldn't use the werewolf part, but it didn't stop her from asking the questions.
"He was found naked and covered in dirt, deep in the forest." Ella shook her head. "This is the first body that's turned up in awhile. I don't even know if it's connected to the rest of the disappearances."
"We should go, though," Ella added after a brief pause. "Aura can drop you off at your place. I have to get straight to the station."
So much for a quiet, calm Malachi Peak.
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A/N
Hope everyone is well and staying safe out there. These are some trying times. Here's to finding our escape through books, TV shows, movies and other mediums.
Finally, here's a chapter from me. Didn't realize it had already been a week! This week has flown by but at the same time dragged on. Watching the news is scary and I find myself needing to stop at points. (And I love the news)
Again, I'm still thinking of changing the name of the book. Stay tuned! Hoping to get a new cover for it too.
Much love, folks!