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Walker snored to my left.
Oh well, I thought, she needs to hear the truth from someone.
“Your powers awakened,” I answered. “Cadence, you’re a witch.”
Her jaw dropped. “Like you?”
I nodded.
Please don’t start crying. I casually stepped closer to Walker and nudged him with my foot. He choked on his snore and sat up.
“What?” he asked. “Who’s here?”
He opened his eyes and noticed Cadence staring wide-eyed at both of us. Her lips were pursed in concentration, and her brow was furrowed. She fiddled absentmindedly with her sleeve.
“So,” Cadence said. A smile slowly appeared on her face. “I have powers?”
Walker and I nodded. She pondered this for all of three seconds.
“That is so badass!” she exclaimed.
I couldn’t hold back my laughter.
“Cady!” Walker chided. “Language.”
She rolled her eyes. “I have sick powers, and you’re worried about my potty mouth? Let’s put things into perspective.”
Walker was dumbfounded, which only made me laugh harder.
Poor guy, I thought. He really isn’t equipped to handle this.
“I don’t care who you are or what you are,” he said. “You’re still eleven, and I’m still in charge.”
I turned so Cadence wouldn’t be able to hear me.
“You sure about that, sidekick?” I asked. Walker cursed under his breath.
With that, I slipped on some shoes and walked into the kitchen to make breakfast. I grabbed some yogurt out of the fridge then found some granola on the countertop. Behind it was a stray jar of herbs.
“That’s odd,” I said.
Mom was the most organized creature I’d ever met. She never would’ve left this here by mistake.
I opened the jar, and sweetness flooded the air. I picked up one of the browning flowers that filled the jar. From the looks of the thin, fluffy petals, they were dahlias. I recalled the hours of boring botanical theology I’d been subjected to.
Betrayal—dahlias represent betrayal.
I sifted through the jar and found a small, folded piece of paper nestled inside. My heart pounded in my ears, so loudly it nearly drowned out Walker and Cadence’s conversation in the living room. It felt like they were a whole world away.
I held my breath and opened the folded paper.
To my darling Freya, it began.
It was written in an ancient language Mom had forced me to practice for years. Even Josephine didn’t know it and had argued it was unnecessary, but Mom wanted us to be able to communicate with only each other. It was why I’d finally given into her wishes. I’d cherished our secret conversations, even if they’d never held any importance until now.
I took a deep breath and read on.
I’m sorry this letter has found you. I never wanted to leave you, but do not despair. There is no time, and there is no need. As I lived, I die without regrets.
