Page 33 of Hallows End
“Here. I made hot cider with apples that I found at the farmer’s market,” Breena says, passing me a mug of steaming cider before handing one to Lorelei. It smells of cinnamon and apples and makes me smile.
“I love fall.” I sip the brew and sigh in happiness. Then, the ivy I sent home with Breena catches my eye. It’s sitting on her mantel, along with some half-burned candles, dried flowers, spell bowls, and photos of us as young girls. I walk to it, whisper, and watch as it comes back to life. “Really, all you have to do is water this thing, Breena. It’s thirsty.”
“I think I overwater it in fear that I’m not watering it enough,” she admits. “I’m good at a great many things, but keeping plants alive has never been one of them. Anyway, what did the ancestors tell you, Lorelei?”
Our cousin sips from her mug thoughtfully, and then tears begin to fill her eyes. Both Breena and I rush to her in a panic.
“Oh, geez, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Breena says, rubbing circles on Lorelei’s back.
“Were the ancestors mean to you?” I ask, and when Lorelei lets out a watery chuckle, I breathe a little sigh of relief.
“No.” She brushes away the tears. “It’s just…Iknowthat leaving was the right decision at the time. I just couldn’t stay in Salem after everything that went down with Xander.”
“That’s perfectly reasonable,” I agree and brush at her pretty auburn hair.
“But every time—and I do meaneverytime—I meditated and spoke to my guides, they said the same thing.Go home. They told me to face what was happening here rather than running from it.” She looks into her cider. “I don’t like feeling like a coward.”
“Honey, you arenota coward,” Breena insists and kisses Lorelei’s cheek. “Not in this or any other lifetime. Self-preservation is important, and that’s what you needed to do. We’re just grateful you’re here now.”
“As long as you’ve healed,” I qualify. “Because if you only came back because of the dreams but don’t feel strong enough to be here, that’s not okay.”
“I know. And that’s not what this is.” Lorelei takes a tissue from Breena and blows her nose. “I’m much stronger now than when I left. And Iwantto be home. I enjoyed my work and my time on the west coast, but this is where I’m meant to be.”
“Youaremuch stronger,” I agree. “And you held your own the other day at the coven meeting with Xander.”
“That man makes me so fucking mad sometimes.” Lorelei shakes her head. “Yet, at the same time, I want to climb him like a tree. It takes everything in me not to touch him. It’s really annoying.”
“Xander’s always been alluring,” Breena admits. “He’s a charismatic, magical, potent man. I mean, it’s like he got all the hot genes in the world.”
“You’re not helping,” Lorelei says, her voice dry. The three of us crack up. “But you’re also not wrong. Yes, he’s beautiful. There’s no other way to describe him. And the sex is just out of this world, but it’s more than that. It’s the connection I’ve felt to him since we were children. I’ve known, for myentirelife, that I would be mated with Xander. But now that’s not to be, and it’s been really difficult to deal with.”
“Maybe itwillstill happen—”
“It won’t,” she says, interrupting my thoughts. “It’s never going to happen. So, I’ll work with him when I have to. Aside from that, I’ll stay the hell out of his way. I have my cottage, a book to write, and a centuries-old curse to lift—which is going into said book, by the way. I don’t need Xander.”
“Okay, so, let’s get to work,” Breena suggests, changing the subject with a bright smile. She’s always been the peacekeeper, the easygoing one—the one who wants everyone to be happy at all costs.
Even if that means jeopardizing her own happiness.
“Lucy, did you bring the herbs?”
“I did,” I reply and set my bag on the table. We’re making special Samhain incense out of various herbs and spices that will be perfect for burning during our ritual. “I brought some extra sage, orange peel, and star anise for you guys, in case you need it in any of your workings.”
“Thanks,” Lorelei says and takes the small bags gratefully. “And I brought some stuff to make some extra protection spell jars. My guides and intuition tell me we’ll need all the protection we can get over the next month.”
“Awesome. I have plenty of black wax to seal them all with.” Breena grins. “This will be fun. Oh, and before I forget, I have gifts for the two of you, too.”
She hurries out of her living room in excitement.
“She’s always so gifty,” I say, and Lorelei smiles in agreement as Breena returns, holding orange gift bags with black tissue paper. “It’s so festive.”
Breena just grins and watches as we open our gifts, and then all I can do is stare at the white cloth in my hands.
“Breena,” Lorelei breathes, sharing my awe. “This isgorgeous.”
“They’re ancestor altar cloths,” Breena explains as I run my fingertips over the embroidered names of our family members, lovingly sewn into the fabric. My name is in the middle, and then the names branch out around mine. People I love and admire. People I miss so much. “With it being Samhain and the veil being so thin, it’s always good to focus our altars on our ancestors, but you can really use these any time of the year. Or not at all, if you don’t like them.”
“How could anyonenotlike this?” I ask and then cross to pull her in for a hug. “It’s absolutely beautiful. Please, tell me that you made one for yourself, as well.”