The large man beside me cleared his throat. “I should probably thank you for helping me. You sort of um, jolted me awake,” he said quietly, his voice a low grumble. I looked up at him then. He winced, and I noticed Rowen glaring at him.
What is going on?
“It would be easier if we did this all in the proper order,” Rowen said before closing the door behind her and walking to the small kitchen in the corner.
“What do you mean? What order?” I winced again as my hip burned. I looked down, pulling up my shirt slightly. My eyes widened, and my mouth went dry. My knees did indeed go weak, and I dropped to the couch as I watched the waves crashing against my hip and the small fish swimming in and out of the crests, flipping their tails as if waving at me. Rome was at my side in an instant. I wanted to reach out to him but shoved that thought away. He let his hand drop as if he’d been thinking the same.
I licked my lips and looked at my aunt, my eyes wide. “I think I need to see a doctor. I’ve officially lost it. Just like Rupert’s parents said.”
“We’re going to explain everything, Sage. I promise.” Aunt Penelope looked at Rome. “Did she hit her head?”
Rome shook his. “No, I caught her in time. However, I think between whatever happened with her ink and then seeing Trace in bear form, it was all a little overwhelming. She passed out, so I brought her here.”
“You should’ve brought her to my place,” Rowen said. “I have things to show her that will make the transition easier. And I have better tea. You might as well have Lipton here.”
I looked up as Rowen came striding back in, her hair billowing behind her. She was gorgeous, self-assured, and looked as if she could break someone with her fists.
“Should Laurel be here?” Penelope asked, and I looked between them, wondering when they were going to speak to me rather than at me or over me.
Rowen’s gaze tightened. “Laurel can be wherever she wants to be. Though I don’t think here is it.”
“Once again, you’re wrong on that, aren’t you?” a redhead with plump lips and a slight scar above her right eye said as she walked into the room. “You must be the new little witch.”
Rowen cursed under her breath. “We’re not there yet.”
Having enough, I stood up, ignoring the pain. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but we’re leaving. Aunt Penelope? Is this a cult or something? No, I don’t want to know.”
“You haven’t even begun if she thinks this is a cult. Or maybe you did,” the woman named Laurel said as she leaned against the doorway.
A big man with shaggy brown hair, one who looked exactly like the man behind me, stood behind her, narrowing his gaze.
“Hell, Trace, you don’t need to be here for this,” Rome rumbled, and I looked between all of them.
My brain started to put things together, and the complete picture looked like something right out of a movie that usually gave me nightmares. Witches? Bears? Magic? Tattoos that moved? If I were awake and not losing my mind, then I’d surely fallen into something I wanted no part of. “Trace. The man you said was in bear form. Who looks exactly like you…” I sucked in a breath, steadied myself. “I don’t know what’s going on. I’m sure you’re all lovely people, but it seems I’ve made a mistake. If this isn’t a dream, and if I can’t click my heels and find myself at home, I’m going to head out now. Aunt Penelope, I’d like you to go with me. I need to figure this out. I don’t know what I’m doing here, but coming to Ravenwood was clearly a mistake.”
Rowen sighed, snapped her fingers, and the door slammed shut behind Trace and Laurel.
My eyes widened. She’d snapped her fingers and the door had shut. There were no pullies, no gust of wind. It’d just happened.
I pinched myself, the pain sharp.
Nope. I was awake.
I was either losing my sanity or my idea of what was real and far too surreal to make sense.
Rowen shook her head. “Everyone, stop. We’re going to do this quickly, Sage. This isn’t the way it was supposed to be. I didn’t realize the effects of you coming to town would change everything so abruptly. I didn’t expect the storm. Nor did I anticipate feeling as if we’re all finally seeing things clearly. A spell gone to dust.”
“I’m shocked. You not expecting something? Don’t you always know the future?” Laurel asked, and I honestly didn’t want to know the history between these two. The way they looked at each other with such…emotion. And yet, there was also something else there—so much misery. And since I knew all about grief, I wasn’t about to ask.
“We should be at my shop, or even the bookshop for this. Not in your home,” Rowen said as she looked at Rome. “I apologize.”
I turned my gaze to the big man, unable to stop looking into his dark brown eyes. They seemed to pull at me, and I knew it must be the head injury. The one I didn’t remember getting. Though I had told myself that I was ready to start looking at men again, and I’d found other men attractive since Rupert, this was not the time.
“You should listen to Rowen.” Aunt Penelope reached out and cupped my cheek. “I promise it’ll all make sense. While this isn’t what we expected, it’s Ravenwood. Nothing is as expected.”
Rowen moved into my line of sight and met my gaze. Her eyes were a stunning gray, a color I had never seen before. I couldn’t help but focus on them, wondering about her.
“You already know my name is Rowen. I’m the last of the Ravenwoods.”
I tried to keep up. Since I didn’t think they would let me leave anytime soon, I might as well follow along. I wanted answers, even if they didn’t make sense. “Ravenwood. As in the name of the town?”
Laurel sighed. “If we’re starting back that far, I’m going to need a drink, and tea isn’t going to cut it.”
“I’ve got it,” Trace said as he walked into the kitchen.
Rowen handed me a coffee mug filled with tea, and I looked down at it. “We didn’t drug you. Take a sip.” Rowen paused. “I promise, nothing in that cup is anything special.”
The large, bearded, very sexy man next to me snorted. “I would say I’m hurt, but you’re right. That is the discount tea.”
“You wound me, Rome,” Rowen said, her eyes bright. It was the first hint of a sense of humor I had seen since she walked in here. The way Rome smiled, though? It lit up his entire face, and I nearly melted on the spot. The man should come with a warning.
What was wrong with me?
“As Laurel so eloquently put it, we are going all the way back,” Rowen began. “Now, take a sip. The warmth will help you.”
My Aunt Penelope gave me a soft smile and gestured for me to drink. I figured…why not? If this was the end, how I would be inducted into a cult and probably killed, why not drink the tea? I had to trust my aunt.
The brew was black, a little strong, but tasted decent enough. She’d also added copious honey, and that was delicious.
“It tastes great. Thank you.” I looked at Rome. “Thank you.”
“My tea is shit, but the honey is good.”
A snort from the kitchen sounded. Rome’s brother? “The honey’s always good in our homes.”