“So, am I the only one who’s fucking terrified about this sacrifice thing?” he asked, handing her the bottle. And Sadie could see it then, the cloud of fear in his eyes and the tension in his shoulders.
“No, I think on that point we’re fully united.”
“But you’ll find a loophole, right? Neither one of us is going to die.”
“Gigi isn’t going to die either,” she said, her voice hard, adamant.
Seth said nothing, but doubt was etched in his face like it didn’t want to be there.
The kitchen filled with the soothing sounds of the electric teakettle bubbling, the slide of mason jars across the counter, and the tea tin lid being popped off. She poured cold brew, steeped Earl Grey tea, and added a drop of cinnamon oil to the salted cold foam, watching as it frothed.
“Earl Grey helps ease anxiety,” she said, turning the hot tea cool with a gentle touch before pouring it in on top of the cold brew. “And the salt keeps you from bewitchment.” She added a dollop of foam to each glass.
“Little late for that, I think,” he said with a raised eyebrow.
“Never say never.”
Finished with the coffees, she handed him one of the mason jars, and taking a deep breath, together they went out to Gigi, the creaking screen door echoing in her bones. She looked at Seth and somehow, she knew he’d been waiting for her to ask the question.
“Which one of us is it?” Sadie’s voice was quiet. She stood unconsciously close to Seth, their arms almost touching. Like if she was close enough to him, he would absorb the answer. She wondered if he was right. If she spent too much of her life living in the shadow of truth.
Gigi sighed and took a drag off her cigarette. Took a drink of her coffee and closed her eyes as she savored the taste.
“I wish I knew,” she said. “But what it boils down to is that one of you is safe, and one isn’t. The magic of Julian’s sacrifice went into one of you, and the other I’ve been keeping safe by tethering a ritual of protection through me. The magic, it knows where to go. But it sure as hell doesn’t tell me.”
“It’s probably you,” Seth said, lighting one of Gigi’s cigarettes for himself and closing his eyes as he inhaled. He looked like a modern-day James Dean as he leaned his head back against the porch pillar. “You’re the one that loves this shit. Maybe that’s why. You’ve got all this extra power that’s been repressed for so long. You’re the one just waiting to be set free.”
“I love this ‘shit’ because it’s our family legacy. Because Gigi taught me. Because I’m good at it.”
“Exactly my point.” He shrugged, tapping the ash off. “You’re good at it. I’m not. I’ve always—” he started to say, but stopped himself with a look at Gigi. Sadie knew he was going to say he’d always hated it. She could just never understand why. “I’ve never exactly excelled at it,” he amended.
“It probably is me.” Her voice grew tighter as her hair burst from the rubber band that held it and coiled into curls.
“Sugar,” Gigi warned.
“No, I mean, why not, right? It would explain so much. Why my magic is so damn tetchy all the time.” She gestured at herself, and the tenuous peace they’d formed in the kitchen cracked like crème brulée. “I’m the one that’s been bleeding her dry ever since. Blame me. You always do. Maybe I’m bad at coming to terms with reality but at least I always take responsibility for my actions, my life, instead of blaming someone else.”
Seth looked at her. Controlling his temper as always. Curbing his words, as always. His eyes were cool as they studied her. Almost disappointed. He blew out a perfect ring of smoke before stubbing the cigarette out and announcing,
“I’m going for a walk.”
The moment he was gone Sadie collapsed next to Gigi in frustration.
“I’m sorry I never told you,” Gigi said without looking at her.
It took a moment for Sadie’s brain to track. To understand what her grandmother was apologizing for.
“You saved our lives. There was a price to pay for it, but I’d never, ever begrudge you for it. You know that,” she said in a softly remonstrative tone.
“You’ll forgive me for killing a man and sending your mother away for almost thirty years.” Gigi’s gravelly laugh made Sadie smile. “But you won’t forgive your brother for trying to find his place in the world for a year because he had the audacity not to tell you about it. You’re a Revelare through and through. Now help me to the couch, sugar. And stop borrowing trouble. Everything will work out, I promise.”