Sins Of The Mother.

Chapter Ten- The Kellers.

MIRA

I was an inch taller than her, my hair just a shade darker than mum's honey blonde, she’d always worn jeans and baggy t shirts but today she wore a dress that hugged her top half in denim, belted in the middle with thick leather and flowed from her hips in gauzy fabric covered in dragonflies, she looked amazing, and so much younger without the stress and worry that had always sat in the features of her face, “you look like my sister not my mum.” Mum laughed, tucking my hair behind my ear before laying her hand on my cheek, I closed my eyes, rubbing my face into her hand contentedly.

“Look at these curls, still as crazy as ever!” She exclaimed, running her hand through my hair, “okay, anything you want to ask, go for it.” She yanked me down onto the bed and silence fell over us, now she was in front of me my mind had gone blank and I couldn’t help the grin that took over my face.

"I have so many questions right now, I don't know where to start," I said, "the spell I broke, it was you?" 

"Yeah. I knew you were coming and I hadn't heard your voice in so long. And then the two of you started walking in silence!" She threw her hands up, exasperated, she was so different to how I remembered her, who’d have thought I’d get my sassy side from my mum, my wolf’s amusement shot through me, a non verbal belly laugh, at ease now we were free. "When Laura spoke I was so happy I made a noise that broke through the spell. I have to say, We were very impressed by your reaction. You stayed level headed and the sign language thing, ingenious. The fact that you not only tracked the spell with your magics but that you could see it, never mind break it, was astonishing. We are all very proud of you."

“Do you breathe when you talk, at all?” I laughed, “who's all?” I asked.

“Oh, you’ll see.” She smirked, her eyes flashing from blue to white and back again in a blink, “I want to see your reaction for real.” I bit my lip, trying to pick the next question from the jumble of my mind, "Um... ok, what's with my house? I saw it burn, yet clearly not the case, 

She chuckled lightly, "the very foundations of the house were built by magic, the magic weaves through the house, giving it life." Inwardly I was relieved I wasn't going nuts, the house really was alive. The feelings of warmth and safety made sense now and the last of my apprehension drifted away, the attentive student in me listening intently and soaking up new knowledge. "A tree draws from the earth, the roots grow and gather that energy, flowing through every leaf and branch. Like the tree, this house was created from blood, earth, magic and love for you.” Her eyes flashed to white and back again and she nodded to herself, “the night the foundations were laid, those present, myself included, were laying the groundwork for the spells when someone or something caused us to enter a trance, when we woke the spell had been strengthened by magic much older than ours, over time the house’s roots grew and as such, so did its capabilities and devotion to the Keller Coven, particularly our family. Remember how cold the house used to be, it was reacting to your father.”

It was true, even during the summer we’d always have to put on an extra layer or two, I remembered stripping down to my shorts and skirts as soon as I ran outside to play. “Why didn't it stop him?” I didn’t have to elaborate, both mum and my house knew what I meant, the latter’s atmosphere turning apologetically sad and I had the urge to get up and hug it but restrained myself, not wanting mum to think I was a few sandwiches short of a picnic.

“We had some difficulties, had to bind the house's abilities for a while as best we could, but to interfere would ultimately have harmed us, you, Aden and I. It intervened only when I was on the brink of death, maintaining my lifeforce until I could get help."