10 Dinner

I adjusted my pine green jumpsuit straps and checked myself in the mirror.

'Looking good, Lexi,' I praised.

"Lexi, is that make-up I see?" Mum marvelled,

Blushing, I mumbled, "I wanted to make an effort."

A knocking at the door caught my mum's attention away from me. The fur feeling came back slightly. I suppressed it as my mum opened the door to reveal five people. Inviting them in, the introductions started.

"Hello again! Welcome to our town. I'm glad to meet the rest of your family," Mum bubbled.

She stepped sideways with an arm extended into the house, inviting them all in with a warm smile.

"Hello! Thank you again for the invite," The woman thanked me and turned to me, "I am Cynthia," she greeted.

I took in her chestnut eyes and ash-blonde hair that rested gently against her shoulders. She had a hand resting on a slight bump in her abdomen; She glowed like an expectant mother.

She gestured to the oldest male, "My husband, Noel."

I could now see where Leo got his looks, spit image of his dad.

"My youngest, Freya."

The young teen, Freya, smiled sheepishly, looking similar to her mother in features, only her hair was longer and mousy brown.

"You have met Leo."

He gave a polite smile to my mum. Mum took a peek at me.

"My eldest, Derick."

Derick, Leo's elder sibling, looked nothing like Cynthia or the Husband. Although I had met him before, the same uneasiness I felt at the bar, came back.

"Since we're using first names," Mum teased, "I am Isobelle. My oldest, Lexi." She gestured to me, "And my youngest… Ah! Alex."

Alex exited the kitchen and was immediately put under the spotlight. He waved nervously and gave my mum a takeout menu.

"I hope you like Indian because we are ordering in!" Mum chirped.

Having our fill of Curry and Samosas, we were getting to know each other a little better in the living room, with a couple of borrowed chairs from the kitchen.

I have developed a soft spot for Freya. She was timid but innocent. She had only just gone through Enmagica, and they had to move quickly from their home after a building in the village burned down. It was clear that Alex has also made a new friend, talking to her enthusiastically.

"Will your husband be joining us?" Noel inquired innocently.

I felt he would ask; he eyed a family photo taken two years ago.

"Ah, no. My husband has passed to The Summerland," Mum smiled sadly.

I could see her holding back a couple of tears. It was a touchy subject for all of us.

"Oh! I am sorry," Noel apologised.

Mum reassured him and moved on to a different topic.

"How far along are you, Cynthia?" Mum asked.

"Oh, only four months," She smiled kindly. "Oh, I wanted to ask you, do you think transitioning into your coven would be safe with a pregnancy?" she asked, concerned.

"Transitioning?" A gruff voice spoke up, Derick, from the corner of the room.

"Yes, we did tell you about it at the weekend. You do not have to participate if you do not wish to," Noel responded. There was a slight glare from Derick when Noel spoke.

"Um, I am not sure! We do have a nurse in the team. If not, we shall have to postpone your transition…" My mum trailed off, probably making a mental note.

"Mum!" Alex's voice boomed in from the kitchen.

Mum looked at me, "Can you see what he wants, please, Lexi?"

I quickly got up to help him, thankful for the interruption.

"What's wrong?"

I quickly found out. Alex stood with the dishwasher door detached from where it was meant to be.

"It just… fell?" he gulped.

I sighed and took the door from him, not realising how heavy it was. Ofph!

I took a deep breath, mustering as much sluggish magic as I could into my hands and declared, "Restorignum."

The door flew from my hands and fixed itself back into place. I felt lightheaded but ignored it to test the door, opening, closing and turning it on.

"There. Fixed it; don't break it again," I insisted to Alex.

We both looked at each other as we heard the door slam close. I slowly went to the living room with Alex in tow. Derick was gone, but the look Leo gave me, it would not be the last we see of him.

That's when I saw the light green symbols on Cynthia's back from the doorway.

"Sorry, Cynthia, is your magic green by any chance?" I asked.

"Green? No, why?"

I touched her shoulder and became dizzy.

"You have a jinx," I informed.

She looked at me in wonder.

"So that's why I have been clumsy; I thought it was just pregnancy…" she laughed, "It has been happening since I got with Noel," she admitted.

"You need to be a bit more careful. Have you had a chance to protect the house?" Mum said to her concerned.

"Ah, not yet." Noel admitted, looking ashamed.

I left the room to the door under the stairs and fetched my book of shadows, opening it to the 'Jinxes' section.

"A sigil should fix it," I said out loud, "May I?" I asked Cynthia, and she gave me a nod.

Taking another deep breath, I mustered my crimson magic again and traced a sigil to break the jinx. The light-headedness worsened, but I didn't stop until I traced a protection sigil.

"There," I muttered with laboured breathing, little black spots filled my vision, causing me to blink more.

"Lexi? Have you overdone it again?" Mum stood beside me, concerned.

I moved my head quickly, the world tilted, and I saw black.

I felt my magic thrash at the cage, begging to be released. I was so tired of everything. I was tired of being scared, being feared, being frustrated. My requests were always rejected, so I stopped asking.

"-Lexi," I heard a voice, Leo?

"Soona." There it was again.

"Lexi, wake up."

I did as I was told, my eyes barely opened to see the blurry, concerned face of Leo. As I blinked more, the blurriness faded. Then, I tuned into a one-sided argument.

"No! For the last time. TAKE IT OFF NIXON." It was my mum on the phone, practically screaming,

"Don't get up yet," Leo crooned, pushing my head down onto the pillow.

"What happened?" I croaked.

"I have no idea. You fainted after getting rid of the jinx, and then your nose started bleeding," he explained.

I felt a tickle of liquid from my nose; Leo wiped it away and restated, "Soona," his magic was an ocean blue, and I felt my nose warm as he attempted to stop the bleeding.

"You've been bleeding for-"

"She is out cold. She has had a nosebleed for ten minutes, and it's not stopping; her episodes are worsening. She can't even light a candle, Nixon," Mum reasoned.

"BULLSHIT, it's for her protection! You will need protection from me if you don't," threatened Mum on the phone.

She looked over to see me awake and looking at her.

"I will see you Thursday, and this lock is coming off, mark my words."

She hung up the phone and, taking deep breaths, knelt beside me and took my temperature.

"The bleeding has stopped," Leo mentioned calmly.

Mum thanked him and reassured him we were fine.

"Please, tell your parents how deeply sorry I am to cut the night short."

It was then that I noticed how empty the room was.

"I will," he said earnestly.

I tried to lean onto my elbows, but the dizziness won.

"I'm just going to stay here forever," I jested, smiling at my silliness.

"Leo? Would you mind taking Lexi to her bedroom? I don't have the muscles to move her?" Mum asked in a pretend huff.

I looked at her suspiciously, "No, Mum, I'll be fine. Just give me a few min – ahh!"

As I was hoisted into the air like a princess, I shrieked.

"Put me down!" I exclaimed, putting my arms around his shoulders.

"Sorry, your mum's orders," he insisted, walking up the stairs.

I looked back at my mum to see her practically swooning, and I shook my head at her. I was going to kill my mum.

"No, really, I'm fine. Just put me down," I spluttered for the zillionth time.

He pulled back the covers, and I was eventually placed on my bed. My cheeks flamed, and I wished the bed would swallow me whole.

"Thank you," I squeaked out, looking away from him.

"You're welcome."

He bowed mockingly and hesitated to leave. I knew he had questions, but I felt too drained to talk; I could feel my eyes drooping as I lay in bed. As I fought to stay awake, he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.