Yield (18 page)

Before we left for North Carolina the next morning, I managed to get some much needed girl time in with Katelyn.  I let her talk forever about Paul Wicker and how undeniably sweet he is underneath that tough exterior when no one is looking. She expressed her concerns for his ardent necessity to have revenge on Joshlin for his father
’s sake saying it wasn’t good to harbor it so long and that he needed to let it go.  I assured her I didn’t think Wicker had plans to mutilate him or worse.  I’d had my own thoughts of castration way back when for him myself.  Plus, I didn’t think Wicker would murder Ames’ brother simply because he’d be hurting Ames.  She laughed when I said that last part.  She couldn’t see how extinguishing the almighty former King Joshlin would hurt Ames
feelings
.

Hearing her say it aloud made me laugh too, but I still knew Wicker wouldn
’t do that.

When it was my turn to talk, the first thing I asked was about the tattoo marks or birthmarks—whatever.  If anyone in the realm knew, maybe Katelyn would.  I
’d seen Ames in full detail back in his cabin bedroom when we were hiding out from Joshlin just after meeting the goblin realm.  I’d spent as much time staring at his six-pack as the all too familiar tattoo mark but didn't recall till recently to ask.

She had absolutely no idea what I was talking about.  The fact that she
’d never seen him naked was a plus in my eyes.  At least one girl hadn’t. 

I jabbered on about Ames and she made me talk about Caydon.  I told her about Lily, which made me feel better somehow.  When I got on a tangent about how Ames told Randor off in a knockdown drag out fight between the alpha males she went into a mush and gush of how I was glowing like a neon sign just telling it.  I couldn
’t help that I loved him standing up for me.  I liked it of course, but my mind was trying to figure out how she would have any idea what a neon sign really was if she’d never left the realm.  Maybe Wicker’s sharing his work with her.

We caught up on different events happening in the realm that I
’d lost track of.  I asked Katelyn if she thought any of this whole life the goblin court leads to be weird and of course she replied with that’s all she has ever known.  So my weirdness factor was a bit off the meter different than hers, but I decided against ever asking anyone at the realm about weird events and such for it decidedly would not ever receive the answer I would want.

We hugged and vowed to have an all night girl talk about everything man candy loaded with ice cream and dark chocolate.  I really loved spending time with her.

Ames and I made our routine stop at a gas station and grabbed snacks like it was customary now.  Ames stuck beside me with a possessive hand on my hip like someone might try to snatch me or something.  I chose not to say anything avoiding an argument that wouldn’t change him and I didn’t think I wanted that part to change anyway.  It was honoring to know he cared that much about me.  No one else ever had.

“
You still don’t think this is the right answer.”

He shook his head facing the traffic. 

“Well, thank you for coming anyway.”

A long silence followed.  When I thought he wasn
’t going to talk the whole way there he said, “I just don’t want to meet her.”

“Who?  Your grandmother.”

“She abandoned me and my family when my mother married my father.  She basically said we weren’t worthy.  So, I don’t consider her worthy of my time either.”

I took in his statement long enough to analyze how I would see it if the tables were turned.  My grandmother stayed away supposedly for my own safety.  And I believed that mostly.  Did his grandmother maybe do the same and never told him?  I could hope.

“Maybe she had other reasons,” I tried to make him have hope.

“Emma.  I know what you
’re trying to do,” he dropped his gaze from the road in front to my face, “and it is nice of you.  But I know this for fact and it will not change.”

In a split-second I asked, “Have you tried?”

I saw his fingers tense on the wheel. 

“I
’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have said it.”

“No.  You should have.  I did try once.  But I only got as far as her doorstep.  I just wanted to know the truth.”

Well, I think he’s about to get it.

A few hours later, two frappes, and a large order of French fries we were turning into the subdivision of downtown Asheville to Grandma Clark
’s house.

In the driveway, Ames cut the engine.  I waited for his door to open, but it didn
’t. 

“Ready?” I asked.

Instead of answering, he leaned over and put a chaste kiss across my lips then slid his thumb across the side of my cheek. 

He knocked on the door while I rocked on my heels, then grabbed my hand and held it.

“We can’t stay too long if the answers aren’t here.  We’re on a limited time frame.”

The door swung open.  A beautiful lady with silver hair and green eyes the same as Ames greeted us with a smile. 

“Then we better get started then.  Good afternoon.  I knew it wouldn’t be long before you came.”

Ames looked to me then back at her.  “Why would that be?”

“In due time.  Let’s start with a hello first.”             

Past the foyer and into the living area, we stood in a sort of triangle pattern waiting for who would say the next word.

“I am Virginia Clark.  It is nice to finally meet both of you.”

I checked Ames for his reaction.

“Yes, Emma Loggin.  I am very well acquainted with your story and how you play into my grandson’s life.”

“Don
’t call me that," Ames popped off.

Something beeped in the next room.

“Very well.  I will get that.  I hope you both like chocolate.”

Grandma Clark rounded the corner of the kitchen to get the cake she said she had out of the beeping oven while I turned to Ames and whispered from where I stood, “You look just like her, but she kind of creeps me out.”

He choked on nothing and told me to not say it aloud again.

I wondered what my chances are that she heard me.

“If we’re giving ratios, I’d say about negative fifty million when I choose to not listen.”
              Oh my gawd. She heard.

“Don
’t be so shocked.  Many of us are telepathic.  Sad way to live though.”

I was intrigued and my interest outweighed my logic. 

“Are you a witch?” I asked her feeling déjà vu.

“I am,” she looked at Ames with potent intent sounding rather upset about it.

“Why is it sad?” I asked to delay a shouting match.  I didn’t know what it could mean yet, but him finding out his girlfriend’s grandmother is a witch and meeting her all in one day could be a little overwhelming.    Finding out his own grandmother is also makes the weirder than weird channel seem halfway to normal.  And to Ames, it meant a lot of hitting breakable things.  Not to mention the fact that the girlfriend, i.e. me, happened to be a witch also.  I had my guesses now on what that made Ames, but I’d never say it.  It all meant something.  My life doesn’t seem to include coincidences.

“Would you want to know what everything is thinking about you?  The good and the bad.  The worst.”

“Doesn’t the good outweigh the bad?”

“Only if it means the one you love the most isn
’t the one thinking the worst.”

She sipped her coffee and watched me intently.  I let my eyes linger on the oil painting behind her head of a young version of her.  She was as beautiful as she is now.  Her and the man in the picture were both very good looking and seemed happy.

“We were.  But his tolerance for having less power than my own got the better of him.  His bitterness led to loneliness for both of us.”

I hate telepathy.

“Why do we sense each other’s emotions?” I asked to keep from saying something I shouldn’t.

“You do?” Mrs. Clark asked.

Ames and I gave each other an open book look.

“Since the day we first met.  Well, spoke for the first time to each other.”

“Interesting.”  The lady’s mind was in obvious thinking mode.  Then she shrugged.  “Could mean anything.  The soulmate effect or even the fact that you’re both half and half of the same, the witch side or even the goblin.  No telling.  Too hard to tell.  I know it’s associated with the king some.”

“What about the fact that you don
’t get hurt when I go off a little on a power panic attack?” I asked only Ames wanting answers from him first.

“Absorption.  It is a trait of our kind.  Few have shared it.  My best friend
’s great uncle carried the trait too.”

I wanted Ames opinion, but he didn
’t give it.  He looked sick to his stomach.

Ames excused himself to the restroom that she pointed out down the hall and for the first time, I was left alone with someone who was a witch other than my own family.  Ames whispered to scream if I needed him and that he
’d be right back.

I actually felt some sort of camaraderie with this woman if not for that fact that we both knew Ames.  In so short a time, she made me feel so different than my stepparents did with the way she looked at Ames and I when giving advice.  It was like she wanted us to be the best we could with what we had, not stifle your peculiarities from others so they think you are “normal” and perfectly human.  Just saying it made me feel like I
’d been bodysnatched and living in someone else’s life.

His body slipped back down beside me and just the touch of his thigh bumping against mine again sent tingles of desire and calm to my inner storm.

“You two really are in a true one accord harmony with one another’s body. Amazing what one kiss can do.   I’ve never seen such a close match.”

And that was another indication that she could prove as weird as I thought she was.  She was a very witchy witch for sure.

“With age, it strengthens.”

I squirmed in my seat willing her thoughts to linger on the ugly vases in the room.  Her eyes moved to the flowery one on the corner stand close to the painting of her and her husband letting me know she heard.

As relentless as her grandson.

“So, if you are a witch,” I swallowed not wanting to wait longer, “What does that make Ames?  A witch. Or warlock.  Whatever the term is.”

“I haven’t been completely honest over the years with your mother.  And it’s warlock.”  She looked more at him than me.  “I am aware of your current predicaments.  Your grandmother has kept me well informed.”

I sat ramrod straight.  “You know my grandmother enough for chit chat and I don
’t?” The one I’d just met myself.  One visit to her and she never once mentioned knowing about this woman so well they secretly gossiped about us on a timely basis.  Families should not keep secrets from each other.  That was a new rule in my life book.

No facial reaction or body language answered my question or gave her away.  She didn
’t seem to have any at all. 

“She has kept me well caught up with the situation.  If we
’d known history would create the two of you and bring you together as soulmates even long before you were born, maybe Emma's grandmother would have had her eyes open for what you are Ames.  And what it might could accomplish.  You both need to know it has nothing to do with Ames being from the Cahn family. Before maybe. That is why she sent you to me.  She knows it’s all a farce.  It depends on what you decide next with how we proceed.”

Mr. Mystery earned his name well from his own ancestors on both sides.

“I hope you’re telling me that Ames being a warlock makes him different than the cursed ones of the past and that he can get us out of this.   At least, I hope.”

But my grandmother insinuated it
was
a factor for she didn't know he was a warlock.  Something doesn't make sense.

“No, my dear.  He cannot.  It has nothing to do with his name and everything to do with his own heredity.  And yours.  The power of what he is mixed with involving coven magic combine
d with yours is too powerful.  All too often, too much magic can cause a ripple in the air and both of you would die if used improperly.”

My face fell.

“It is why your grandmother took the precautions she did to ensure you never met.  Yet some driving force made it happen anyway.  In the end, our kind just don’t want to see our offspring give up something so pure or see it come to an end.  The coven magic is getting scarce and drastic measures are sometimes needed."

I heard her words loud and clear.  It sounded as if the whole curse was a lie to keep Ames and I apart for different reasons.  It had nothing to do with him being the goblin king and everything to do with not wanting our magic near each other.  If it wasn
’t that, I didn’t know what else it could be.  Either way, I’d do anything to keep from letting us endanger each other.  If this was how we could be together, so be it.