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His eyes stay on mine for a moment too long before he says his next words. “The history of The Coven is fucked up. It was basically said a long time ago, that they were to never breed or have sex with someone who doesn’t practice or is born into witchcraft—” He rolls his eyes. “Veronica fucked up when she got with my dad, so she ‘sparked’ a curse on The Daughters of Noctum. Or some shit like that. For the record, I don’t believe any of this shit. I think it’s all in their head, but Veronica? Veronica is obsessed with this life. She lives and breathes the belief system. Lives by the code, as she would say.” He sighs, and I almost choke on my breath. “So this curse basically makes their coven barren until it’s broken. No one knows how the curse was going to break, but Veronica seems to think you played a part in it.”
“How? I mean, we obviously use the term witches lightly, right? Magic doesn’t exist.”
Brantley’s chest vibrates. “There are new-age witches who practice a sort of witchcraft that they call magik, but legends have said that the ones who are chosen, which mean who basically have gifts, acquire some of the originally styled magic. It’s what makes you special, Saint.”
I don’t know if I would call them gifts. Mine is feeling more like a curse.
“I don’t know why Veronica is so set on the fact that it is now broken, but she’s saying it has to do with you since it happened while you were present during The Hunt.”
“So one of them is pregnant? How can she know straight away?”
Brantley shrugs. “Veronica has always known weird shit. Even when I was a kid, she would tell me stories of sorts about my past and Lucan’s. She just swore me to never tell him that she was still alive. She was afraid he would want her back, and as much as she loved Lucan, she said she couldn’t be in his life and live as a witch. She wanted to make right what she fucked up.” His thumb is beneath my chin, gaining my attention. “You have to understand that the relationship I have with Veronica is not like a typical mother-son relationship.”
“I gathered as much,” I say, pushing off his chest and allowing him to slide out from me. He protests slightly. “I just got the feeling she wasn’t telling me something, and that she didn’t want me to leave.” I pick up my clothes and shuffle them on, keeping Brantley’s hoodie before tossing him his clothes.
“Oh, she didn’t want you going anywhere.” He changes quickly, leaving his jeans unbuttoned. “But since right now everything in the Kings’ world is smooth while Bishop gets into the swing of everything, you needed to be back where you belong, and witch or no witch—” He’s directly in front of me now, his fingers buried in my hair. “You belong with me. With all of us.”
I could fight the smile that’s demanding to be seen on my mouth, but I want him to know how happy that makes me. “I know.”
We make our way back to the main house. It’s quieter now, with everyone gone except Abel. I started in this world alone and spent all of my time with myself and my dogs, so being told I now have three half-siblings, it’s a lot to swallow all at once. I’ve spent so much time with Bishop, and even with Tillie, but none with Abel.
“Hi.”
He looks me over, his face a lot similar to Bishop’s, only not as sharp. “Hey.” His eyes move up and down my body.
“I’m very familiar with this conversation now since I have had to do it two times over.” He pauses with empty bottles in one hand and trash bags in the other.
“Yeah, I figured you’d talk when you’re ready, and besides, Brantley keeps the locks on you tight.”
Brantley walks past him and pats his head like one would a cute puppy before disappearing upstairs.
I gather up a couple of empty Grey Goose bottles. “Who drank this much?”
“Bailey. She packs them away pretty fast.” Abel dumps everything into the trash.
“Where is she?” I ask, shaking my head to stifle a laugh. I can’t imagine tiny little Bailey drinking that much alcohol.
“I put her to bed.” Abel turns to face me. “It’s fucked-up how Hector literally had his dick in everything, and Scarlet still stays with him.”
I nod as we make our way into the main house. I don’t know where Brantley disappeared to, but being back here, being home, already has my soul at ease. For once, I feel like things are finally fine-tuning.
“I guess that’s between her and him.” I stop at the bottom of the stairs, desperate for a shower since I know my hair contains particles from the cemetery. “I’ll see you in the morning?”