Sam brought the once-clear bong to her lips, lighting the bowl. She leaned back into the couch, putting her feet up, crossing her ankles, and resting her arm and the bong on the back of the couch. She exhaled the smoke through pursed lips. Noticing my eyes lingering on her lips a moment too long, I quickly looked away, curling up in an armchair on the other side of the coffee table. She coughed a few times.
By the time I allowed myself to look back, Aadin was sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the couch, Sam’s hand resting gently on his shoulder. Aadin took a long hit, closing his eyes slowly as he let the smoke out. His face looked serious at first, but then he relaxed, bringing a softness to his features. When he opened his eyes, they met mine—deep auburn brown—and a small smile spread across his face.
“Thanks,” I said as I took the bong he offered me across the table, giving him a small smile back. Sam took off Aadin's hat, placing it on the back of the couch so she could play with his hair. I hadn’t noticed how long it wad until Sam let it loose from the elastic, falling just to his shoulders in soft waves, with the sides shaved. I took my hit, letting the smoke fill the air around me, followed by a slight cough.
I set the bong down on the coffee table before curling back up in the chair. I pulled the blanket over my lap and looked back at them. They were both watching me.
“So, what do we know right now?” Sam asked, taking out her phone to take notes.
“Well, there are three witches in this town,” I started.
“Five, if you include my mom and grandma,” Aadin added. “Someone’s trying to warn you about this hunter.”
“And there’s a hunter who has it out for us,” Sam piped in, typing it all out. “So, not a lot, but more than we had before you got here.”
“So what do you guys know about all this stuff?” I asked, unsure how to describe all these new developments. Aadin took a deep breath, picked up the bong again, and took a large hit.
“Well, my family’s had at lease one witch every generation for as long as we know,” he said, exhaling slowly. “That’s the family grimoire. Normally, it goes to the first daughter who shows power, and she eventually becomes the next head of the family. That’s why Mom struggles with my transition so much—breaking tradition and all. A few generations ago, an aunt fell into dark magic. The power was too alluring for her. After trying to stop her themselves, the hunters got word. To protect the rest of the family, the head of the family at the time helped the hunters. They haven’t bothered us since.”
Sam and I were quiet as Aadin set the bong down. I didn’t know what to say—I was just taking in all the new information.
Aadin’s fingers intertwined with Sam’s before he spoke again. “Magic shows up differently in each person. I can manipulate things around me. Sam here can read and influence emotions… well, can influence them, in theory. We’re still working on that part. Now, the next step is to figure out your magic.”
I tried thinking of the times my magic had exploded and how it had happened to see if there was a common thread. As I thought, I could feel the magic rolling through me, like a wave of power.
“Don’t push it down—it’ll make it harder to control and more volatile,” Sam said gently, moving to sit cross-legged on the couch, watching me.
“I can feel it, but I don’t know what to do,” I said, panic rising. The thought of losing control here, what if someone gets hurt this time? I could feel tears starting to fill my eyes as the magic’s pull grew stronger, drowning out my senses.
Cool hands enclosed mine, and Sam’s red curls tickled my nose as her forehead pressed to mine. “It’s okay, you’re safe. Breathe with me,” she said, her voice calm and steady, an anchor in this world. I began to breathe with her, deeply in and out. The roaring in my ears began to retreat, and my heart slowed down to a gentle murmur. Sam’s thumb gently stroked my cheek as we sat in silence, breathing together. Slowly, I nodded.
“I’m okay now, thank you,” I said, my voice wavering a bit.
“Is the feeling still there? The magic?” Aadin asked, kneeling beside Sam in front of me. I nodded. The rolling waves were gone, but that electric buzzing was still there, like a forcefield around me. “Focus on that feeling and try to bring it to one spot,” Aadin’s voice was calm and soothing, like cool water over a new burn.
I closed my eyes and thought about gathering all the electricity, gently urging the feeling into my hands. It was so strong that I had to open my hand. As my fingers slowly uncurled, a small ball of flames glowed in my hands. The three of us stared at it, and I slowly filled my lungs, pushing more energy into my other hand. Cool water began to pool in that one. As I looked up at Sam and Aadin, the fire and water vanished as if they’d never been there.
“The elements,” Aadin’s voice broke the silence.