I concentrated very hard on the young couple, thinking about fluttering hearts, hands brushing in the popcorn, and an awkward goodbye where two people longed to kiss but no one took the first step. I thought about the tingling anticipation of sitting beside someone really cute in the dark, and I sent my thoughts forward. I could see red sparks flowing down the aisle of the theater and enveloping the first daters. The sparks lingered in the air for a moment before falling like snowflakes onto the girl and the boy in front of me. The air shimmered and the sparks cleared and Aphrodite clapped softly.
“Well done. You might not have a flair for the dramatic, but you certainly know how to wield power.”
“Where do we go now?” I started to rise but she pulled me back down.
“Now”—she smiled—“we stay here. There will be two shows to watch: the one on the screen, and the one you created. See which one teaches you more.”
Just then, the previews began to roll, and I sat back in my seat. Aphrodite had picked a corny romantic comedy for my training, a kind of movie I rarely watched on my own. At first, I was annoyed, but soon I found myself caught up in the missteps of the characters and the lead actress’s convincing tears when she thought that she’d lost her chance at love. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I teared up when the couple on the screen finally got together. I couldn’t help thinking about Justin. Maybe, if we gave it another shot, we could find our own happy ending. My thoughts spiraled off into a fantasy, and the credits were over before Aphrodite elbowed me in the ribs and pointed.
Wiping my face, I noticed that the girl was leaning on the boy’s shoulder, nestled happily at his side. I smiled; maybe Red magic wasn’t just about destruction.
I grinned up at my patron, and she nodded once before vanishing.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“It was actually a lot of fun!” I lounged across Rochelle’s bed that afternoon, watching her paint her fingernails. She was experimenting with designs, but I couldn’t tell if she was trying to paint splotches or spiders. I didn’t say anything, though.
“Sounds like hell to me.” With a deft flick, she finished her nails and held her hands out, eyeing the results.
“I know.” I laughed. “It should have been awful. But the movie was sort of sweet, and it felt really nice to know that I made those kids have a good first date.”
Rochelle screwed the cap back onto the polish. “Oh, goody. You’re all warm and fuzzy. Darlena, get a clue. Aphrodite didn’t teach you anything today. She just had you play Cupid.”
I tossed a pillow at her, which she dodged. “But I didn’t know I could do anything like that. Even if it’s nothing major, at least I’m still learning magic.”
She snorted. “I don’t think getting two horny teenagers to snuggle during a movie counts as anything magical.”
I frowned, feeling the doubt of the previous night creep back into my mind. “What would you have done in my place?”
“First,” she snapped, “I would never have sworn to such a pathetic goddess!”
“Pretend you did.” My voice was tight with anger, but if Rochelle noticed, she gave no sign.
“Well, then, pretending I was as dumb as you, if I were stuck with Aphrodite and love magic, I’d at least do something interesting.”
“Like what?”
She thought for a moment. “I don’t know. Ruin the date somehow and make the girl cause a scene?”
I looked at her, feeling a little guilty. For just a moment, I’d had the same thought in the theater. “Why would anyone want to do that?”
She looked at me with pity. “Anger is more powerful than love. What good is it to make two people have a fairy-tale first date? That’s such a waste of magical energy. You raised all that power, and then you let it fizzle out.”
“But this is the first time I’ve used Red magic and not done harm.” I tried to keep my voice level, but I was upset. “Can’t you at least acknowledge that it’s good to know I can stick to the Rede?”
She turned away from me and began putting on eyeliner. “If I were a Red Witch, I’d never waste my power on stupid little love affairs.”
I was in a sour mood when I left Rochelle’s house, and she didn’t try to get me to stay for dinner. It was still light out, and I dawdled as I walked, taking my time and looking around at the brilliant colors of the trees. Fall had really decided to show herself, and the branches looked like they were dipped in gold and lit on fire. I drew a deep breath and struggled to push thoughts of Rochelle from my mind. I slowed down, lingering so I could enjoy the crisp air. Even if I did prefer Samhain, I found myself looking forward to Mabon more than usual. Although it might be awkward if Red sparks started shooting off my hands—my parents wouldn’t know what to think—I was ready to celebrate the true arrival of fall.
Fall is sneaky in North Carolina, because summer likes to linger. But I can always tell when fall has really arrived. I’m not quite sure how to explain it, but I guess there’s a certain smell in the air that I recognize. I took another deep breath through my nose and frowned.
The crisp scent of fall was still there, but underneath was a smell like burned food. I noticed a thick, gray cloud to my right. Acting on impulse, I turned the corner and cut across a side street. The closer I walked to the smoke, the stronger the smell became, and my heart hammered in my throat as I realized what it was. I prayed I was wrong, but the sight that met my eyes proved that my prayer came a little too late.
The coffee shop on the corner by Trinity was a charred mass of wood and melted glass. Flames still licked around the structure, but they seemed to be teasing the spectators: all the damage was already done. I spotted Cindy clutching her barista apron and sobbing. Firefighters were on the scene, but their hoses seemed worthless. It was eerily like the destruction I’d dreamt about before meeting Kali, and I shuddered, pushing that thought from my mind. Whatever had happened had nothing to do with Red magic. Steam hissed up into the air to join the inky smoke, and I crossed the street to see what had happened.
“Darlena!” I looked up, startled. Justin pushed through the crowd.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded as he got closer.
Instead of answering, he pulled me into a tight hug, crushing my ribs. “I thought you were inside!”
I looked at him, stunned. “Why would you think that?”
“Your text.”
Suddenly, I realized why he was worried. I had texted him after leaving the movie theater to let him know I was going to hang out with Rochelle. He had texted back that he’d meet up with me later. He must have assumed we’d gone to our usual spot. I looked up at what was left of the building and suppressed a shiver.
“We were at her house. I was just walking home when I smelled the smoke.”
He hugged me again. “I’m glad you’re okay.” He shifted his concerned gaze to the scene in front of us. “I wonder what happened?”
“That girl over there, that’s Cindy. She worked here. Maybe she knows something.”
Justin steered me through the crowd and I hesitantly tapped Cindy on the shoulder. Her eyes were puffy from crying, but I thought I saw a flicker of fear when she recognized me. Then she started crying again, and I wasn’t sure.
“Cindy, what happened?”
“What happened?” She screeched loud enough that people around us turned to look. “What happened? Why don’t you tell me, you crazy freak?”
I looked at Justin nervously. “I don’t know. I just saw the smoke and walked over.”