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“Perhaps both at once,” I add.
“Mostof the time, both at once,” Liseli says. There’s too much sadness in her words and darkness in her gaze—the kind that can only come from firsthand experience, according to my deeper instincts—to warrant a verbal response that’ll have any meaning. “Which is why we pay so much attention to control,” she finally goes on. “And everything that has to stand behind it.”
I dig deep to find my voice again. “Everything like what?”
Kiama folds her hands in her lap and straightens her posture. “We all have the capacity for self-control. It’s part of our bridge from toddler to greater puerility, then again to puberty, young adulthood, and so on. But willpower with anger only acts as a stopper. It isn’t lasting management. And eventually, it explodes in ugly ways.”
“And then tries to level cities,” I supply in a low growl.
“Or worse, if it isn’t stopped in time.”
Again, Liseli’s overtone is painted in dark hues ofbeen there, done that, seen too much. Once more, I give her a fast nod of understanding.
“Perhaps this helps a little with discerning why Hecate had to show up last night and then whisk you two away so quickly?” Kiama adds another careful smile. “Her intention wasn’t to interfere.”
“I don’t think that,” I state, leaning forward. “Honestly, we’re both just here to learn. Well, Kara is. I’m not exactly sure about—”
“What?” Kiama prompts before I can catch myself and zip my trap. “It’s all right to ask questions, Professor Kane. Enlightenment isn’t an exclusive experience, nor does it have an expiration date. We both still inquire, and challenge, things every day.”
“Anddefinitelydid when we first arrived,” Liseli adds.
“Which was when, exactly?” They did say curiosity was okay…
“Nineteen ten for me,” Kiama supplies. “And nineteen thirteen for Liseli.”
I study their faces with interest. “Which makes you officially how old now?”
Liseli grins. “I’ll be celebrating my 147th birthday this year. Kiama’s a year younger than me.”
Her friend matches the smile. “We were both a little over twenty-five in our corporeal state when our powers manifested. Marie was even younger, though Morgana was a few years older. We know that’s hard to believe, but the manifestation does different things to different witches’ aging processes. For both of us, it halted everything.”
I nod. “But Kara’s grandfather kept maturing like a mortal guy.”
“One of the lucky ones,” Liseli comments. “We were able to get away with our younger looks for a few years, but once we got deep into our thirties, artificial pigments were necessary to appear older.”
Kiama scowls. “When we could even find them.”
“Damn,” I mutter. “So, what happened?” I hate asking the question, though I can’t avoid it. What if Kara’s situation is the same? How long will she be able to get away with it if her beauty is that permanent, even in youth-obsessed LA?
“Neither of us kept up the ruse for long,” she relays. “I was thrown out of my town, accused by the elders of brokering deals with evil spirits to entice the younger men away from prospective brides. And Liseli was married to a gambling addict who started offeringheras his ante at the card tables.”
The other woman clutches her hands in her lap. “I avoided the worst possible outcome by mastering sleeping spells. But eventually, Gaspard would’ve caught on.”
Kiama rises to her feet. “But Hecate got us both out. Without her, we would’ve been doomed to fates worse than death—and fully permitted by the ‘civilized society’ of the day. You can’t imagine the fear in which we were existing.”
My brows slam toward each other. “You’re right. Even a not-so-touristy jaunt through hell compares, I’d wager.”
My point is backed up by the fresh shadows that creep across their gazes. Which leads, for the first time ever, to my gratitude about being half human. If mortality led everyone to their nobler sides, Hades would be ruling an empty kingdom. An eternity in those circles suddenly doesn’t seem like enough time for some of the sinners there.
“But don’t discount our input just because we’re the youngsters around here.” Liseli steers toward a lighter mood. “There’s a million things we haven’t done, but just you wait.”
The three of us laugh aloud at the popular musical reference.
“Well played,” I say. “But officially, you’re not the junior stateswomen anymore.”
“Which is why we’re reaching out now,” Liseli says.
“Just as we wish someone had done with us.”
