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“Sassy as ever.” She wiggles her eyebrows and takes my hand. “My boss grabbed my ass,” she snorts, pulling me to the edge of the water. “I wanted to spell him so bad.”
“You didn’t?” I drop beside her, curling my toes in the sand.
“You would have been proud.” She taps her shoulder against mine. “I just punched him.” She grins.
“Shit, Aria. What did he do?”
“He fired me.”
“You didn’t like working there anyway.”
“True, but I did like making money.”
“Did you find something else?”
“I decided to do something fun.” She scoops the sand and moves it from one hand to the other. “Coffee. I love coffee. I thought about starting my own shop, but it would take a lot of money. Instead, I got a job at the cutest little place. Everyone is happy when I serve them.”
“Of course they are,” I drawl.
“I know, I know. You prefer tea.” She sticks her tongue out. “So gross.”
I shake my head. “Are you happy?”
“I’m always happy,” she says, and brushes her hands together. “What’s wrong?” She lifts her head, focusing on me.
“Not wrong…” I exhale slowly. “Do you want the good or the bad?”
“Start with the bad.” She narrows her eyes.
“They found Granny.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. Mateo brought the news, and she doesn’t want me to call.”
“Of course not.” She rolls her eyes. “Does Mateo think it’s serious?”
“He’s not sure. Granny said we shouldn’t worry.”
“She never thinks we should,” she snorts, bending her knees and hugging them to her chest. “You came to warn me, since she doesn’t want you to call me. Being the best big sister possible, you want to shield me from our selfish, unloving parents.” She rests her head on her knees, looking at me. “I’m a big girl now. You don’t have to protect me.”
“I'll always want to protect you.” I brush her brown hair away from her cheek. “Yes, I don’t think they have the power to hurt us, physically at least.” I drop my hand and look at the water. “Mentally, we feel pain because of their need to use us. You’re right, we have grown with more power than they ever had. I guess I want to keep our lives simple without having to deal with them.”
“Sister, we'll never be normal. Our lives will never be simple. I don’t want to see them either. I like living without the fear of their presence. I’m tired of hiding.” She sighs. “I want to come to your house, and not spell every step I take to get there. We shouldn’t have to.”
“Your gift—” I turn to her.
“My gift is under control. You have to trust me to know the severity of it if I use it.” She drops her legs, faces me, and crosses them. “Do you trust me?”
“Of course I do.” I take her hands. “I don’t trust them. We don’t know if they have increased their power or found a way to get to you.”
“You worry too much.” She squeezes my fingers. “If they try anything, I’ll freeze them. All of us together will never allow them to take advantage of us.”
“You’re right.” I lift a shoulder. “I just don’t want to see the pain in your eyes again.”
“I appreciate everything you have done for me.” She smiles gently. “It’s time to let me take care of myself. We can’t let them control our lives anymore.” She lifts our joined hands, propping her chin on them. “So, can I come stay at your house?”
“What about your new job?”
