Zodiac Aligned

30

Jordan studied the ranch house, a large, rustic wooden structure with a wide porch and two rocking chairs. "This place is familiar. I think my mom brought me here once when I was a kid."

"It looks abandoned," I said. The only sounds I heard were the wind whistling through the shrubs, the occasional bird call, and the tinkle of a half-tangled wind chime on the porch.

Kaden lifted his face toward the sun and breathed in. "It's not."

We climbed over the gate, and as we did, I felt something invisible snap around us, with a flicker of magic brushing against my skin. A ward.

The door of the main house burst open and two older women walked out, wearing jeans and bearing shotguns. I'd never seen them before, but the hairs stood up on the back of my neck at the feel of their magic. Now that we'd breached the wards, I sensed it everywhere.

"Sun Witches," I muttered. "If they attack, I'll teleport us out of here."

"They won't," Jordan said.

His mother, Debra, emerged from the house next, along with a teenage boy I vaguely recognized, though I'd never formally met him. Before anyone could attack us, the boy ran down the porch and raced across the driveway. “Jordan!” he yelled.

"Hey, Griffin." Jordan's face lit up just before the boy slammed into him, and the two threw their arms around each other. Side by side, it was impossible not to recognize that the boys were brothers. They both carried the golden hair of the Leos and the sea-blue eyes of their Cancer father.

Debra's own golden hair whipped in the wind as she grabbed Jordan in a tight hug, closing her eyes as she held him close. "I'm so glad you're okay." Her eyes snapped open and landed on Kaden and me. "Though I’m not sure about the company you keep.”

“Ayla is family,” Jordan said. “And she’s Griffin’s sister too. He has a right to know her.”

Griffin looked over at me, surprised. “I have a sister?”

Debra didn’t look very happy about Jordan revealing that secret. "They don't belong here."

Jordan glanced back at us. "I wouldn't be here without them."

Debra pursed her lips as she gave us another harsh once-over, but then she turned toward one of the women holding shotguns. The older woman nodded, and both Sun Witches lowered their weapons.

"Brea?" Jordan asked, looking at the older woman, as if he wasn't sure it was her.

She reached out an arm and he stepped into her embrace. "Yes, child. It's good to see you. It's been too long."

"I guess you'd better come in." Debra motioned for all of us to follow her. "Griffin, go help Margaret with the horses while I speak with your brother."

Griffin groaned, casting an exasperated look toward his brother, but then he headed off to the stables while the rest of us went inside the main house. Our steps creaked against the old hardwood floor as we were led into a living room with a huge stone fireplace. Comfortable leather sofas and armchairs were arranged around a large wooden coffee table. The woman named Brea came in with us, while the other witch waited just outside, still on guard.

“What are you doing here?” Jordan asked his mother, as we spread out around the space and tried to get comfortable. I was ready to teleport us away immediately if they looked like they might attack us. Even though they were related to Jordan, they were still Sun Witches, after all.

Debra sighed and sat beside her son. “My life was in danger after I stopped the Sun Witches from forcing you and Ayla to mate. After Ayla escaped, I took Griffin and ran here.”

“Why didn't you tell me?” Jordan asked, something tight in his voice. "Or take me with you?"

Debra gazed at him, her eyes sad. She looked much older than her years at that moment. “I tried, but the Sun Witches had their claws in you too deeply. I couldn’t get you free. I hated leaving you behind, but I had to get Griffin out of there before they did the same to him.”

Jordan’s fingers went to the moonstone necklace around his neck. “Ayla helped free me."

"Is that so?" She looked at me then, giving me another appraisal. "Your magic has grown. That much is clear."

"It's good to see you again," I said. Though she'd always been rude to me, she'd also helped me a few times, in her own way. I gestured toward Kaden. "This is Kaden, alpha of the Ophiuchus pack."

“We know who he is,” Brea said. She'd put the shotgun down, but had her arms crossed as she eyed us from the side of the room. I couldn't tell how old she was. Like Evanora and Celeste, who were practically immortal thanks to living in timeless realms, she had eyes that looked ancient. But unlike them, her skin was tanned and leathery from the desert sun, and her hair was gray and wispy, like clouds on a hot summer day.

“This is my aunt, Brea," Debra said, gesturing to the woman. "She defected from the Sun Witches many years ago, along with a few other women, who all live here now."

“I had no idea there were any Sun Witches who didn't follow Evanora," I said, my eyes widening in surprise.

“There are very few of us who are still alive,” Brea said with a bitter tone.

“Why did you defect?” Kaden asked. He'd been quiet up until now, but his eyes missed nothing, and his body was tense, as though he was ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

Brea scowled at him as if she might not answer, but then she looked at Jordan and uncrossed her arms. “I suppose Jordan should know about his family history, grim though it may be." She moved to the window and looked out at the setting sun on the horizon.