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“Yes.” I remember the shock I felt. “She somehow reversed it, but five hours had passed.
We lost hours of our lives. Aria thought it was fascinating.
We were terrified.
Chapter Six
Archer
She said it lightly, yet the painful memories show in the shadow filling her eyes. Aria’s gift could lead to chaos and consequences that the world couldn’t come back from. I can sense Savy’s love for her sister, but I hesitate to trust someone who can cause massive amounts of damage.
“I’m sure the time difference was noted,” I say.
“Yeah,” she sighs. “It was light outside when we entered the store. In a blink, it was dark. Granny was shocked, but we knew it had to be Aria. We left in a hurry. In the panic, no one noticed us. Luckily, she only stopped the time for the people in the building. We got home, and Mateo hadn’t been affected. Aria was curious and wanted to explore her spell as if it were a toy. Dream-walking scared me, but she wanted to learn how to do it again.”
“Dangerous,” I mumble, uneasy.
“She was young and naive,” she says quickly.
“When did she realize the ramifications of her power?”
“Granny showed her the news the next day. It was a big mystery for years. Mateo changed the security cameras so our presence there was erased. They investigated for weeks, but couldn’t make sense of it. In the end, they determined that a gas leak had caused the memory loss. Of course, no one who was there believed it, yet it was easier to think there was a human reason.” She bows her head. “Mateo and Granny decided to bind her power. He spelled an illusion, and she believed her power was minimal. They thought it was safer until she grew up and could understand how dangerous she could be.”
“Did she?”
She lifts her head. “Two years after the incident, Granny told her what they had done. She had been working with her to control it until then, as if she still could use the gift. Aria wasn’t shocked and knew she needed to learn restraint.”
“When did she leave home?”
“She was sixteen. Mateo had powerful friends, and they agreed to take her in. They had skills that we didn’t. Aria went with them, knowing she needed to shield the world from her power. I missed her,” she says softly.
“You still do,” I guess.
“It’s not as bad. We talk all the time and find opportunities to see each other.”
“Like in a dream.”
“I know it’s odd, but we’ve never been normal. I love being a witch. We have to hide our true nature every day.”
“Does Aria love being a witch, too?”
“I—” She crinkles her nose. “I know she didn’t. Her childhood was disturbed, but she knows how to control her magic now.”
“What about you?” I drag my finger down her nose. “You had many challenges with your spells.” I drop my arm and resist touching her again.
“I did, but I’ve never hated it.”
“Why?”
Her expression softens. “I’d be sad without knowing the world is magic. I feel special, having gifts, and seeing the wonder in my life. Humans wouldn’t understand. I'd be destroyed if I didn’t have my magic inside me. Yes, it was torture for years, learning every aspect and controlling my spells. I believe you aren’t given a gift that you can’t handle. It just took some years to adapt and learn.”
“I admire you,” I admit softly. “Sometimes, I wish I weren’t a warlock.”
“Why?”
“I was tired of the nightmares,” I say roughly, and clear my throat. “How do you need to prepare to dream-walk?” I’m hesitant to reveal my past, but I know I'll have to. Even though she has been open and honest, I don’t want to burden her with everything before she goes to sleep.
She studies my face. “It’s just like any other night.” Moving her bracelets, she touches the tattoos on her forearms. “These will keep me safe. I can force my sleep. I have a routine. I reinforce my protection spells.”
