Page 24 of Morning's Light

“Yeah, I thought I was crazy too, and look where it got me. Goddammit, Astix, you should know better. After everything we’ve seen—”

“I’m sorry, okay? You know I’m not good at this.”

Karsia interrupted, ending the quarrel. She leaned between the two front seats. “Let me see if I understand what’s going on. You both saw the same man in separate visions. Vane, right?” She looked to Astix for affirmation.

Astix nodded. “When I talked to him, I got the feeling he knew more about what’s going on than he told me. He was alive once, I think. Thousands of years ago.”

“I’d ask how you know that, but I’m not sure I’m ready for the answer.”

“I’ll tell you one thing. I’m done relying on dreams for answers,” Karsia replied. “Your visions give me the creeps. I hope I’m not the next one to see some thousand-year-old sicko inside my head.”

“That’s one thing I can say. At least I never experienced any waking hallucinations.” Astix rubbed along her arms, staring out at the storm. She tapped the brakes and pulled to a stop inside the empty parking lot. The lake was a gray sheet reflecting the sky, the wind whipping the water into a frenzy of tiny waves. She stared out at the empty horizon, heavy-lidded eyes designed to keep secrets. “My demons were flesh and blood.”

“Is there something you can give me? An amulet, a gemstone? To keep her away from me?” Aisanna pleaded with her sister. “I barely sleep anymore. I can’t get my head in the game if I’m not able to sleep. I’m worse than useless.”

The sisters shared a look and Astix knew what Aisanna kept to herself. Nightmares. Nightmares that felt so real they were hard to shake off in the morning.

Karsia shook her head. “We can’t block her out. We need to see what she wants.”

“We’ll find a way without opening our minds to her metaphysical invasion, thanks.” Astix sighed and drew on her power. A slight purple hue surrounded her fingertips as she delved into the depths of the earth’s crust.

Working with Leo, she’d been able to better harness her abilities, her magical affinity for gems and minerals. She didn’t need to rely on theatrics anymore. No more broken windows to prove she had a gift. Undeniably, her power had grown by leaps and bounds.

As they watched, a raw nugget of orange agate materialized within her open palm.

Astix swiveled her fingers in a complex pattern until molecules rose from the stone. She manipulated them into a pseudo-chain and handed the cluster to Aisanna. “Agate is the best for protection against evil spirits. Carry it with you, against your skin. There’s no guarantee it will act like a fix-all, but any little bit should help.” She touched her index finger to the center of the stone, igniting a deep red light within. “It’s ready to do the job for you. I can feel it.”

Aisanna quickly pocketed the gem, already feeling a measure of calm flow over her. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

The stone helped soothe the aches of her muscles, the cramps in her body from sitting in one position too long. Or maybe it was part of her overactive mind.

Aisanna was about to speak when the dashboard shook, vibrations from the ringing telephone sending a shockwave out. “Saved by the phone,” she said without looking down. She touched her fingerprint to the screen and answered the call without checking the caller ID.

“Oh, thank God you picked up!” Elon’s frantic voice assaulted her ears, overly loud.

“Elon, I literally saw you an hour ago. There’s no way you could have gotten into trouble this soon. Please tell me you didn’t burn the shop down.” Aisanna sent an apologetic look to her sisters and held her hand over the speaker. “Work. I have to take it.”

“Be nice to the poor fellow,” Karsia said in a whisper. She blinked, her eyes wide and innocent. “He does love you, and you keep shooting him down.”

“I’m not making any promises.” She lifted her palm from the phone. “What’s the problem?”

“You need to get down here. We are having a crisis!”

Aisanna held a finger up to the puzzled gazes of her sisters at the hysterical tone, Karsia on the brink of interruption. “Elon? Talk to me rationally. What’s going on?”

“Problems. Massive problems. I went in today like you told me, to finish up a few things, and there were... I can’t even tell you. No one else could come in to help me finish the orders. The Peterson wedding needs four extra centerpieces we don’t have. Also a water pipe froze. Get it?”

She started. “Frozen pipes? The Peterson wedding—”

“Yeah, exactly. And the freesia did not come in. I repeat. Did. Not. Come! I need you.”

She practically tasted his anxiety over the phone, her own rising in response. And in a small part of her, those words echoed. I need you. She felt an odd tingling beneath her ribcage.

“What do you mean, the freesia didn’t come in? Are you kidding me? The shipment was supposed to be delivered two days ago.” She was becoming quite familiar with headaches over the last few days. Already one pounded beneath the surface and she rubbed her temples rhythmically. “I need to come in right now.”

“That’s about the gist of things,” Elon replied.

Aisanna hung up before he had the chance to speak further. “I have to go.”

“Are you kidding?” Karsia gestured out the glass. “It’s getting terrible out there. We should go home before we have an accident.”

“Thanks for the confidence boost, Karsia. Really helps me with this decision. My business and my reputation are on the line and I can’t sit here and do nothing. I have a wedding to save.”

“I’ll take you there,” Astix said.

Aisanna nodded and tried not to give in to her mounting frustration as they drove off.

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