The Opal Witch

Chapter Nineteen: Brooke Bailey

Lux

Lux's stomach grumbled in protest when the smell of ribs reached her in her hiding place. After her dramatic outburst with Declan, she fled in shame and hid herself amongst the natural trails surrounding the park. Her phone buzzed incessantly in her pocket, but she wasn't ready to face her friends or him. Not when she knew she'd overreacted.

"Good lord girl, what are you doing?" she asked herself, drawing a hand across her brow to wipe away the sweat. The sun had almost dropped below the horizon. A golden glow clung to a few places, but the park was more shadows than light She was happy to stay hidden in them.

She had herself under control when she saw him standing at the bottom of her stairs, watching her with worshipful eyes. Empowered. That's how it made her feel. And in the car, his stolen glances thawed the icy armor she'd wrapped herself in. To where she thought this day might be, if not pleasant, at least endurable.

All of that went to hell as soon as his hand wrapped around her arm, and she felt complete for the first time since he'd walked away from her on the porch. The pain that gripped her at every moment disappeared, and her magic swelled and swirled within her without trying to take over. She wondered if that was how it was supposed to feel-if a channeling stone would give her the same control.

Lux didn't know why she'd told him she wanted out. The truth was, she wanted to be involved more. Declan couldn't understand what it felt like to be an outsider in your own Circle, but without her channeling stone, that's exactly what she was to the other girls. Worse, to some of them, she was a weak link. Audra had hinted on over one occasion that it might be time to search for a spirit witch. Then, she'd happily volunteered to be Head Priestess until Lux could assume the role.

There were pros to giving up her heritage. For starters, she wouldn't go crazy and die a horrible death. She rubbed her breastbone and took a deep breath. And if she wasn't a witch, she could be with Declan. The thought only angered her further. Why should she be making such big decisions because of a boy? But then her hand left her chest and rose to her lips. The feel of his mouth haunted her dreams, causing her to wake in a tangle of sheets, her breathing uneven and sweat chilling on her skin beneath the ceiling fan. There was so much more to them than that.

It was no wonder she wasn't getting any rest. When she wasn't worrying over stopping hell on earth or trying to rid her thoughts of a particular sorcerer, she'd start fretting over the long overdue college applications. She'd talk to her mother about it, but their relationship had been tense since the argument. If Memaw would ever come back into town, Lux would at least have someone to talk to, but every phone conversation with her grandmother had been short and rushed.

"I just wish I could run away from it all."

"Want someone to go with you?"

Lux gasped, trying to make out the girl who'd slipped up on her, but she saw no one at first. Then, the girl shifted, stepping out of the darkness and into a pool of light cast by a streetlamp. Trying to slow her breathing, she studied the girl. Her features were familiar, and her skin shimmered like black diamonds beneath the artificial lighting.

"You scared the crap out of me," Lux finally said, scooting down the bench to make room for the girl.

The girl accepted the seat, but she sat as far away as possible. "Sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you, but this is the best spot in the park to get away from everyone. At least without going into the woods."

"No, it's fine. I'm good with sharing. I'm Lux Godelieve."

The girl nodded. "I know who you are. You're in the same grade my sister Corinne was in."