‘Half sibling?... Half witch?’

I know Alex was planned… I also know my mum was indeed pregnant from the photos. But half-siblings?

Did my mother have an affair?

I don’t remember a time when I saw them fight or fall out of love. They always kept their arguments hidden away from their children.

Why did she tell us now? Would she have kept it hidden if Alex did have Enmagica?

 

I wandered into the thick trees. I needed to talk to someone but left my phone at home. My first thought was Leo.

“If you need anything. Call me. Even if it’s in fifteen minutes or fifteen years.”

He still knew me better than Seri and loved my brother. He should know, too.

Ignoring the bitterly cold wind, I set off for the old oak, but my steps faltered. I shouldn’t go to him. I wouldn’t be able to leave again. I thought of another way to reach him and heard the running water of the nearby stream.

‘Use the reflection of the water,’ I thought; it would be tricky but possible.

A short stroll allowed me to think of what to say to him…

 

I stared at the water reflection, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes.

I had to concentrate; waving a hand over the surface, a ripple made its way to a circular smoke-filled reflection.

Leo.

 

The grey smoke swirled into a whirlpool, opening up and getting wider. It first appeared black before fading into colour. It was Morgan’s spare bedroom, the one we shared, and his back was turned to the mirror. I couldn’t help the smile growing; I longed to see his face. It was a rough night.

“Leo!” I spoke, looking down into the water.

He didn’t turn or look around, confused. I tried again…, but he couldn’t hear me. Was I doing something wrong?

“Le-” his name died on my lips as hands made their way around his shoulders.

My slight smile faded.

 

I recognised the manicured fingernails that gripped the back of his shirt. I could not see her face or body due to his tall stature.

Maddie.

My chest hurt. The red string pulled taught. I knew they were kissing; it didn’t take a genius to see that.

Tears threatened to accumulate, and I tried to swallow the tough lump in my throat as I watched on. I was hoping, willing, for him to push her away like last time.

Words caught in my throat when I tried to get his attention again.

Instead, legs wrapped around his waist as he picked her up. Each beat of my heart felt like a knife twisting into my flesh.

I fled back away from the scene.

‘Let him go, Lexi. You are not together, remember?’

But that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

My whole body shook as I tried to fight the tears. They stung like shards of glass. It was like an invisible hand squeezing my heart, wrenching it out until it was left with a sick, hollow ache. The pain was too unbearable.

The whirlpool closed on the pair, falling onto the bed.

 

The hollow ache grew. It wasn’t fair.

‘It had not even been 24 hours, and she sunk her claws in… and he has let her,’ I seethed.

An empty, numbing pain filled me, but I did not try to stop the tears.

‘Did I even mean anything to him?’

Resentment grew within me, sparking my temper. I cared for him too much. I never told him, and now I never will.

Caw!

“Fuck off,” I took a shaky breath and shook with fury, why did I even bother?

Here I am, sitting alone, wallowing in my self-pity. Yet he was having the time of his life. My anger mounted, and my hands grew red, flaming with fire.

“You can’t control it.”

Caw! Caw!

The flames grew more violent as rage seared through me, thinking back on the last couple of weeks. Why did I let him convince me to keep going? Why didn’t we listen to Morgan? Why did I bother?

“Everyone leaves eventually.”

Caw caw!

I finally looked up to the murder of crows gathered in the branches. They were getting louder. My vision was severely blurred, and my tears were dehydrating me.

Why? Can I not be left in peace?

“Leave me alone,” I grounded out, “Let me grieve.”

“Let them protect you.”

Caw! Caw!

“Shut up.”

“Beware of the crows.”

“I said shut up!” I exploded, and a trail of fire left my hand as I flung my arm carelessly to the left.

Caw caw!

I kept cursing at them as their squawking became incessant. Masses hopped from branch to branch. I cried out in a rage, and my vision turned red.

It felt… good.

I felt something other than this empty cavern of nothingness. Anything felt better than the crushing pain in my heart.

Caw!

It was targeting practice.

 

It wasn’t long before every tree was scorched and up in flames. The crows tried to jump onto the ground, getting as close to me as possible. But hot, baked, charcoaled earth made that impossible.

My chest heaved with laboured breath as I watched the last one flit away with singed feathers. I collapsed beside the river, with no energy to move. I was once again alone.

‘That should teach them.’

My magic never wavered. I bathed in my flames; my anger and newfound hatred for the universe ebbed somewhat. Even as the branches began to crumble and fall around me and with them, my pain began to resurface.

I was truly alone.

I broke.

 

I heard a mutter as I cried out, sounding like a banshee. I hit the earth over and over. The pain in my knuckles masked the ache in my chest.

Clouds, dim and dark, finally released the rain they held. The fire sizzled as it died down. As the rain fell, my dry eyes stung from sore, aching eyes; a cold sting would be welcomed. I tipped my head back, hoping to feel the tiny droplets splash over my skin. Yet they never landed. I was still alight.

I heard footsteps cautiously move closer. They entered the inferno circle. Watching, he stepped forward, his dark purple magic springing from his hands and twisting upwards.

Lathen brought the rain to put out the fire.

Despite the soreness in my eyes and cheeks, my tears did not cease. I watched him kneel in front of me, and taking my red-flamed hand, he gently squished out the fire with his conjured water. I felt the sizzle dance across my hand, and I yielded.

The fire died down as my cries became sniffles. The rain drizzled on, dousing me. It was a welcomed cold shower.

 

Lathen grasped my cheeks, making me look at him. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and eyes soft with empathy.

“Lexi?”

I sniffed and became ashamed of my outburst.

“What are you doing out here? Where is Leo?”

I whimpered before replying, “We broke up. He stayed in Scotland.”

“Oh, Lex,” he pitied.

I hated being pitied, but he gently hugged me and rubbed my back. His comforting actions made me shed new tears. The last time he hugged me like this was when my dad died and even before then, when my grandma passed away.

 

 

Lathen looked around at the damp, charred remains of the nearby trees before regarding me and gently wiping my tears from my stained cheeks.

“Is that why you’ve made a bonfire?”

I huffed a small laugh at his wording. “Sort of…” I meekly admitted.

He urged me, “Talk to me.”

Where to start? I was trying to kill crows? I had a breakdown? My mother had an affair? At least I didn’t need to cry anymore.

I looked around slowly, “Not my best moment… It seems Leo has moved on already.”

Lathen’s eyes narrowed, “What do you mean?”

“I tried to reach out… to talk to him about something… and I saw… well-”

“You said he is still in Scotland?” he interrupted; his face gave nothing away.

I nodded.

“Where?” His face turned dark and angry.

“Lathen-”

“I just want to talk to him.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Last time you said that you ended up being suspended…”

Lathen grunted, “Just tell me…”

I bit my lip, unsure.

‘He wouldn’t be able to find the place. It’s shrouded, remember?’

Lathen sighed, looking away and changed the subject, “What did you want to talk to him about? Can I help?”

I let out a gentle sigh before I started, “I found out Alex is half witch…”

 

A buzz stopped my story. Lathen’s phone rang out, prompting him to pull it out and take the incoming call.

“It’s Devan…” Lathen murmured, looking apologetic; he answered, “Hello?”

I could hear Devan's slightly panicked voice through the speaker. He spoke too quickly for me to comprehend.

“Woah, woah, calm down, bro. I’m with Lexi…” Lathen calmed.

“She’s… well…” he ran a hand through his hair, “Not okay.” He inspected my face as he said those words.

“I think you and the girls need to be here.”

I sighed lightly. I always felt terrible dragging my friends into my problems.

 

Lathen swiftly hung up and informed me, “Alex is at Devan’s place. He is upset.”

“Upset is an understatement,” I remarked, “He was devastated when he left, shouting and crying.”

“So… he is your half-brother?”

“It’s not just that… Mum and Dad have been living a lie. Lying to both of us… it makes me wonder if Mum would have ever told us the truth if he did go through Enmagica. Would it be another family secret kept hidden?”

I sighed before continuing, “Then the question: Who is Alex’s father? Would Alex want to know?”

After a moment, Lathen responded, “It seems the cracks have started forming. You have always been big on family, and you’re worried your brother will leave or be angry at you. You’re wondering what other secrets are hidden.”

“… but” he continued, “right now, you have no idea what to do next, and everything seems to be falling apart. I know your brother loves you and needs his family right now, just like you.”

As he finished the last sentence, footsteps broke the quiet ambience, and a trio appeared from the scorched tree line.

“Lexi!” Seri cheered, tackling me into a hug on the floor.

Quinn slowly looked around, “What the hell happened here?”

“Long story,” Lathen quickly replied with a smile.

“Well, we have time,” Devan sat near me on the ashy ground and gently rubbed my shoulder, “So, what’s new?”

‘Where to start?’