Tegan nodded then cleared her throat. “Let’s dance, y’all. Willow, get her going.”
Willow nodded and rubbed her hands together. Pink and orange flames flickered around her hands and then blue lines shot out over the field. A split second later, the lines were black in the shape of a pentacle with a circle around it. Tegan materialized at the top point. Bentley moved to the right point. Emersyn was already standing at the bottom left point. There was a flash of light and then Haven took the last point. Everyone else spread out around the circle.
Cooper started toward the left point then stopped and turned to me. “Bettina, why don’t you take this one?”
My cheeks flushed. “Okay. Thanks.” I hurried over to take the left point of the pentagram and then smiled at Uncle Tim who stood in the middle.
“Oh, right, I was going to have Jackson take the right.” Bentley chuckled and smacked his forehead. He hopped to stand in the circle between his parents. “Go ahead, Lancaster.”
Jackson’s face was bright red and it made me smile. He didn’t say anything but he hurried over to the point opposite me.
A bitter cool breeze swept through the trees, brushing over my skin and through my hair. The air was crisp and cold. Just like earlier, snow clung to the tree branches and leaves around us. I didn’t know if anyone else was cold but with my ice magic I was perfectly comfortable. Although the Elsa jokes were a lot less fun now that I was raven-haired again.
“Perfect.” Tegan smiled. “Mom?”
Devon nodded. The air around her shimmered and then there were about a dozen of her. Blue mist rose up from the ground around the outside of the circle then shot up into the air, to the tips of the trees far above our heads. Something moved in my peripheral vision, and when I looked, I found the moon sinking lower and growing fuller. Stars that hadn’t been there suddenly twinkled in the midday blue sky.
“I love this part,” Tegan purred. “Lily?”
Lily raised her left hand up and bright yellow light shot out of her palm. A second later, the sun slid behind a huge cluster of clouds. She smiled and flicked her long black hair over her shoulder.
“Yo, Timmay, what’s your favorite flower?”
“Huh, no one’s ever asked me that.” Uncle Tim pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. “I’d have to say…baby’s breath.”
Deacon snorted. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Is that a real flower?” Easton scowled.
“Yeah! They’re the little white ones!” Saffie grinned and nodded. “They look like snowflakes on grass.”
Deacon arched one eyebrow. “Are you sure you weren’t seeing snow on grass?”
Emersyn elbowed him in the ribs and rolled her eyes. “I’m sure the fairy here knows flowers, taco.”
“Taco?” Easton’s eyes widened but then Lily smacked his arm. “Fine, but we’re gonna circle back to that nickname later.”
Deacon narrowed his purple eyes into slits. “But what is a baby’s breath flower?”
“Only Tim can unravel a group of teenagers so easily,” Devon said with a sigh, but she was smirking. “Baby’s breath are those little white flowers used to fill wedding bouquets. Surely you’ve seen one of those?”
“Oh THAT’S what it is,” Kessler said real loud then laughed and shook his head.
Hunter’s jaw dropped. “Wait, the bouquet stuffing has a name? I thought those were like…weeds or something.”
“Dad.” Emersyn groaned. “You did not think the entire country stuck weeds in a wedding bouquet.”
Jackson shook his head. “I’m British and even I knew that. And I’ve never been to a wedding.”
Braison scoffed. “Says the guy with a designated family flower who doesn’t have to pick one.”
Jackson opened his mouth and then shut it. “That’s fair. I’ll allow it.”
“Yo, B.” Easton leaned around Uncle Tim. “What’s your favorite flower?”
Red rose. Always has been. “Um…hmmm…good question…” But I didn’t want to say it because everyone would think I only like it because of Jackson.
“Bettina Hope Proctor Blair, if you lie to them right now…” Tegan closed her eyes and shook her head.
Bentley smirked. “Bettina Hope Proctor Blair. That’s funny.”
Jackson frowned. “And I’d know you were bloody lying so out with it woman.”
I threw my hands up. “FINE. Red rose. Always has been.”
“Ha!” Hunter laughed and then shrugged. “I knew that.”
“I knew that too.” Easton grinned, completely unabashed. “Just wanted to make you say it.”
I formed a snowball in my hand and chucked it right at his face. “What’s your favorite flower, Easton?”
A devilish grin pulled at his lips. He looked to Lily beside him and wagged his eyebrows. “Lilies.”
Lily looked him in the eye…and pretended to vomit.
“That’s cold, baby.” Easton shrugged. “It’s okay, I like it.”
“Obviously my favorite flower is a lily and I refuse to choose one specific type.”
“I like sunflowers,” Chutney said with a cute lopsided smile.
“I like black flowers,” Henley said with a wink.
Royce frowned. “I have the sudden urge to write this all down.”
“I’m gettin’ it.” Bentley held up the locket. “I have no idea my favorite. I’ve never thought of it.”
“Mine’s calendula. Looks like an orange sunflower.”
“Naturally.” Henley grinned. “When that’s dried into herbal form it’s used for fire magic.”
Saffie leaned around Haven to Tegan. “What’s your favorite, Tegan? Something useful to your magic?”
I scoffed. “Tegan refuses to pick favorites in anything.”
Tegan shrugged. “Accurate. I just don’t like to be tied down.”
Haven scowled and everyone lost it. He didn’t even say anything but everyone laughed.
Except for Hunter, who looked disgusted as he shook his head.
“Why does every conversation have to go there?” Cooper groaned. “We were talking about flowers!”
“What’s your fav, Coop?” I asked to try and move the subject back in the other direction and away from all the gross visuals of my brother I did not want.
“I have no idea. But now I feel the need to figure it out.”
“You should,” Saffie said and her voice sounded like windchimes. “Everyone should have a favorite flower, or a few favorites. Just having them around can really brighten your mood.”
Royce gestured to her. “SEE. Finally someone speaks my language. Don’t ever leave me alone with these animals.”
“I used to tell all the boys in school my favorite flower was the angel’s trumpet,” Devon said flatly. When everyone turned to her with confused expressions, she just shrugged. “You won’t believe how many almost died trying to bring them to me.”
Tegan threw her head back and cackled like a Disney movie villain.
Henley covered her mouth with her hand but we all saw her shaking with laughter.