I gave her a small smile and took a deep breath. I guess I wasn’t doing a very good job at hiding my feelings.
Despite trying to stay in the moment, my mind kept wandering back to Robert and that kiss. My stomach tightened at the memory of his body pressed against mine. Each time it did, I had to fight for control of my emotions. Something was developing between us but I wasn’t sure what that might be.
We stopped for fast food on our way to Yosemite and Becky cornered me while the rest of our group visited the restroom.
“Is everything okay with you?” Becky asked.
“Fine, why?” I replied, trying to blow off her concern.
“I’m your best friend, I know when you’re lying so spit it out already.”
I debated for a moment over what I could safely tell her. Nothing Magical of course. I could tell her about Robert but I had to be careful what I did and didn’t say.
I sighed and said, “I’m just trying to sort some things out. He keeps giving me mixed signals.”
“Are we talking about Robert?” Becky asked and smiled.
“It’s just, there’s so much more to him, to all of this, that I’m not sure about starting a relationship.” I trailed off, frustrated. “It’s just complicated I guess.” I did my best to be vague about the situation. I didn’t want to drag Becky into the Magical world.
“It shouldn’t be. Look, Violet, I’ve seen you guys together and there’s something really right about the two of you.”
“I don’t know, maybe,” I admitted, thinking about the kiss. I could feel myself blush and a small smile started forming on my lips.
“There’s something you’re not telling me.” Becky studied my face with a wry grin.
“Something may have happened just before you picked me up tonight.” I pinched my lips together, hesitating. Part of me wanted to keep it secret and safe from the rest of the world.
“I knew it! Tell me everything,” she said, excitement oozing out of her.
“You guys ready to get back on the road?” Christy asked as she, Rachel and Annabel exited the bathroom, ending any further conversation between Becky and I. Christy and Rachel didn’t even know Robert was in my life and if we opened that can of worms now we’d never get out of here.
“Yep, let’s go,” I replied, standing up from the table and giving Becky a meaningful look.
She nodded in acknowledgment but I knew I’d have to answer to her later. Becky was relentless when she was after something and right now she was like a hawk circling her prey.
The further we got from Pismo the more I felt like me again, the old me. I slowly started falling back into a rhythm with the girls as the night went on. That being said, I still wasn’t one hundred percent in the moment. My thoughts kept finding their way back to Robert and in the back of my mind I was acutely aware that my attacker was still out there. But being with the girls was like breathing fresh air. For the first time in a long while I felt myself start to relax. By the time we pulled up to the cabin in Yosemite I was joking and laughing right along with them.
I made a beeline to one of the bedrooms when we arrived, in desperate need to freshen up. Moonlight spilled across the floor and filled the room with an otherworldly glow. I placed my bag on the bed, tore off my sweater, grabbed my toiletries bag and headed to the adjoining bathroom. I closed the door and went to flip the light on when someone grabbed me by the wrist and threw their other hand over my mouth.
My body tensed and I bit into the hand over my mouth. My heart slammed against my ribcage. This is it, he’s going to kill me, I thought.
“Violet, it’s me, it’s Robert,” Robert said, trying to shake off my bite. He slowly released my hand and took a step away from me.
I swung my bag at him, clipping the side of his head, and shoved him into the wood paneled wall.
“What was that for?” he asked and flinched. I could barely make out his shape in the dark, but his voice held a humorous edge to it. I contemplated swinging at him again but thought better of it.
“You scared the shit out of me!” I said, grinding my teeth to keep from yelling. My heart still pounded and my body was tensed for a fight.
“Keep your voice down. We don’t need an audience.” Robert flipped on the light and locked the door.
The bathroom was small and made of the same dark wood as the rest of the cabin. It had a small porcelain sink that matched the toilet and shower-tub. A shelf above the toilet held folded red towels and little mountain trinkets placed around the room added a rustic ambiance.
I turned the water on and let it run, then spun around to face Robert while it warmed up.
“What are you doing in here?” I whispered.
“I just wanted to check in with you,” he said in a hushed voice and leaned against the door.
“But how did you get in here?” I tested the water with the tips of my fingers, still freezing. I wiped the icy water off of my hand with a towel hanging to the right of the sink.
“Do I really need to answer that?” He pushed himself off the door and placed his hand over the faucet. “That should do,” he said as steam rose from the sink.
I ran my fingers under the water again and this time found the temperature perfectly warm.
“Right, Magic,” I said under my breath. I pulled my hair into a messy bun and splashed some water on my face. “So did you get all your loose ends tied up?”
“Most of them, but there’s something I need your permission to do.”
“And what might that be?” I asked, grabbing my face wash and rubbing it into my skin.
Robert hesitated and said, “I need to cast a spell on you.” I could feel him holding his breath as he waited for my response.
“What kind of spell?” I grimaced but continued thoroughly rubbing the face wash into my skin. It was a waste of time being surprised by anything anymore.
“It’s a connection spell. It allows me to feel your emotions. That way I’ll know if you’re in trouble. I can’t keep close enough to you with the girls around.”
“Isn’t that why Annabel’s here?”
“Yes, but if something happens I won’t know about it until it’s too late.”
“I see, and what exactly will you be able to feel?” I asked, bending over the sink to rinse the soap off.
“Everything. Every emotion that passes through you, I’ll feel inside me,” he explained, handing me a towel as I turned the faucet off.
“Why haven’t you asked me to let you do this before?” I asked, the towel muffling my voice.
“It's a complete invasion of your privacy, plus putting a spell on someone isn’t something one just does whenever the mood strikes.” He pulled the towel away from my face to look me in the eye.
“Would I be able to feel you too?” I was curious at the thought of finally getting under his tough exterior.
Robert smiled. “No, I would make the spell only go one way. You don’t need the added distraction.”
“But it can go both ways?” I raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing him.
“Yes.”
“And you’ll undo it when we’re back home?” As I studied the lines of his face his mouth twitched to the side and I could tell he was uncomfortable asking me to do this.
“Of course,” he said.
“Alright, go ahead.” I threw the towel in the sink and took a deep breath.
“You’re sure?"
“Yes,” I lied, but nodded. I was getting used to the idea that Magic was a real part of my life, but it still unnerved me.
Robert stepped toward me and took my hands in his. He gave me a small smile and closed his eyes. “Tíegan mín sáwol eac hie sáwol,” he chanted. His hands began to glow as he continued, the bright light made its way up our arms and over our bodies. “Alǽtan mec áfindan eall breóstwylm fléding geond hie.” He looked up at me and we were both wrapped in the soft silvery light. It was the most beautiful and amazing thing I’d ever seen. Tendrils of light crawled over my skin like ivy. As each coil danced up my arms, another vine would branch off until my shoulders were completely covered in the silvery light. Looking down, the ivy light curled down my chest and settled over my heart. Every emotion I was feeling bubbled to the surface: awe, excitement, fear. It was overwhelming and my eyes began to fill with tears from the raw sensation. Just as quickly as they had come, the vines began to recede back over my chest, down my arms and up Roberts arms until all of the light moved from me to him. He dropped his hands and inhaled deeply as the last tendril vanished over his chest.