Page 7 of Heart of a Witch
She cleared her throat. “They’re not all bad.”
“You’re right. For every hundred, there probably is a decent one, but I don’t want to waste my time looking for them.”
“Really? For everyhundred?”
“They’re ignorant, Ember. They don’t care about us. If they found out what you really are, you’d be killed, and the people you think like you would watch with a smile.”
“Yikes, Tori.” She looked down at her feet, shaking her head gently before climbing her gaze back to meet mine. “I pray every night that you’ll learn to trust. You’re so cynical. The world isn’t all bad, you know.”
“You can pray to all the gods and angels you want, but it won’t change what the humans are capable of.”
“I just want you to find happiness. There has to be a sliver of it somewhere for you too.”
“I am happy. I have you, Alex, even Cas sometimes.”
“I mean outside of the family. You need to start a life of your own.”
I could see she meant it, yet the sentiment made me angrier. “Try not to get yourself killed tonight,” I said, ignoring her statement, and moved on to counting a box of dreamcatchers.
“Love you too,” she whispered as she made her way to the door.
The indigo sky rolled with rain clouds, sprinkling droplets onto my black dress. I reached the front door, then stepped inside, greeted by smoke-tinted, musty air. Mother was embroidering flower patterns by the crackling fire, which cast an orange hue around her.
Cas appeared from the kitchen. “How dreadfully boring.” He ran his hand through his brown waves and shot her his widest smile.
She chuckled softly. “I find it calming. You should try it.”
“I’m good.”
“I closed up,” I said, announcing myself, though I was sure they heard me coming in. “I’m taking a bath, then feeding my babies.”
Cas made a face. “Stop calling them babies. They’re vile little things.”
“Why so cruel?” My eyes brightened, a smirk dancing on my lips. “Afraid of them?”
“I’m going out.” He turned to face Mother, ignoring my question. “Ember’s meeting me at the club.”
My eyebrows pulled together. “Oh, I am well aware. You lied about getting her to wait.”
“You wouldn’t have stopped nagging me if I didn’t, so yes, I did.”
“Take care of her, Cas, or I swear, you’ll find those ‘vile little things’ in your bed in the morning.”
He angled his head. His amused smile faded instantly. “Don’t you dare.”
I placed a hand on my hips. “Then make sure she gets home in one piece—both of you, if that’s possible.”
“Enough!” Mother snapped, pausing her embroidery. “What’s going on?”
Cas clicked his tongue. “Nothing. Tori’s just being controlling again.”
I heard footsteps behind me. “Arguing again?”
I whipped my head around. Alex stepped forward, her young face looking much like mine, with barely a hint of our mother or Ember in there. She was all Father, just like me, just like Cas. She had angular features, sharp, dark eyes, thick lips, and warm, golden-brown skin. “You should be in bed. It’s ten.”
She pouted. “Cas is going out.”
“He’s an adult… and an idiot,” I said.
