Veiled Spirits - Page 63

“We’re going to get along great. I would come around and hug you, new sis, but you definitely look like you’d stab me with a rusty spork right now. I’ll let you marinate in my awesomeness before we hang out. Luca. Archer. Mage randoms,” she says with a dip of her head at everyone. Prue then strides back the way she came, leaving me confused about what just happened.

CHAPTER 32

IZZY

Cain covers his face with his hands and groans. When he drops his arms, his eyes reluctantly meet mine. “I am so sorry about Prue, angel.”

“It’s not your fault, quiet boy. Your sister’s lucky I didn’t have any rusty silverware to stab her with, though.” I’m not sure whether I’m joking or not. Good thing Prue ran off or we’d find out. Cain smiles at my disgruntled tone, and I give him a small one back.

“Like you’re one to judge, Izzy. If anyone knows a thing or two about annoying little sisters, it’s you.” Aiden grins at me from the other side of Levi. I resist the urge to chuck my napkin at him. Instead, I roll my eyes at my currently least favorite brother.

With Prue gone, everyone returns to their food. When we’re all done eating, the wolves, Bishop, and my brothers come over to our side of the table. Everyone breaks into groups and talks for a little while.

When it’s time for my family to go, my dad shakes hands with each of my mates. My mom gives them all a motherly hug. Rhys does the bro hug with Bishop, and Aiden fist-bumps each of them.

My dad and brothers each hug me tight before it’s my mom’s turn. While she’s squeezing me, my mom whispers, “I love you, Izzy. We all do. I know I can’t stop you from healing spirits. But please be careful. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, baby.” Mom’s voice breaks, and I hold her a little tighter.

Eventually, she pulls away and gives me a watery smile. Dad wraps his arms around Mom and kisses the top of her head before they go through a portal with my brothers. Aggie gives me a wave before disappearing to wherever she goes when she’s not bugging me.

Now that my family is gone, it’s just my mates and me. All of my mates are staring at me, and none of them says anything. Like the awkward person I am, I shift from foot to foot and avoid eye contact with any of them.

Levi is the one to finally break the silence. “Will you take a walk outside with me, little raven?”

“Yep!” I say way too quickly and a little too loudly. I’m just stoked to have an out from the awkwardness.

Bishop chuckles at me. I narrow my eyes at him. Rather than be intimidated, he widens his grin. Levi grabs my hand and tugs me after him before I have time to flip off Bishop. There’s always later, though.

Levi leads me out of the grand dining room, down a white wood-paneled hallway. At the end of the hallway is an unassuming dark wood door. When Levi pushes through it, we walk out into an absolutely gorgeous backyard. Lush grass surrounds a gray brick paver patio. Trees and shrubs line the patio on the sides. In front of it is a dense forest, full of stunning yellow, red, and orange leafed trees.

We head over to a gray stone wall at the edge of the patio. I chance a look behind me and almost swallow my tongue. Holy fuck. That’s a gargantuan house. Pack houses tend to be large because they need to house the entire pack in an emergency. With the Nightshade Pack having almost a thousand shifters, that’s a lot of wolves to lodge.

I probably should have expected the sprawling U-shaped house to be this big. Even though it’s large, the red brick exterior with white trim, matching shutters, and a gray roof is elegant. The dormers that pop up every five feet or so add interest to the long roof line. Green ivy creeps up the house in several places, breaking up the brick.

When I turn back around, I see Levi sitting on the low wall. He pulls me until I’m between his legs with my back to his front. Levi wraps his arms loosely around me and settles his hands on my stomach. “How are you doing, little raven?”

“I’m fine,” I respond automatically. I never want Bishop or my family to worry about me, so my default setting is insisting that I’m all good.

Am I fine?

I really don’t know at this point. Too much has happened for my exhausted brain to process right now. So, it’s future Izzy’s problem to deal with.

Levi hums, like he doesn’t believe me, but doesn’t push. “How long have you been able to heal ghosts?”

“Since I got my magic.” That was not a fun discovery. Little me was freaked out by the gory ghosts that wandered into my room at all hours of the night. Only healing them ever made them go away, so that’s when I found out I could do that.

Luckily, Aggie found me within six months of me developing my magic. She was able to keep the spirits at bay better than I did.

“How old were you when you got it?”

“Seven.” When Levi doesn’t say anything, I get defensive. “I know I’m weird, okay? I don’t need any comments about it. I’d change it if I could, trust me.”

The only time I’ve ever prayed to any being that would listen is when I found out what would happen to my family if anyone discovered my magic. I’ve spent so long wishing, praying, and hoping for my magic to disappear.

It never works.

“That’s not what I was going to say, little raven,” Levi tells me sternly. He flattens his palms on my stomach and presses me tightly against him as reassurance. I feel something hard nudge my back, but I’m distracted by what Levi says next. “I was just pondering what you are because it’s clear you’re not just a spirit mage. I wondered if your magic could’ve come from my realm.”

“What do you mean, I’m not a spirit mage? I’m a mage and can see ghosts. Ergo, I’m a spirit mage.” It would sure make my life easier if I weren’t, but no other mage type can see ghosts.