“Well, not all of us have a ‘magic needle,’ Avery,” Megan said, frowning at him. “And besides, I know you can get away with working your magic all over the place but mine only seems to be good for big things and I’m not allowed to use it except in my magical classes, as you know.”
“But what if you should accidentally prick your finger on the needle while you were sewing?” Avery asked, raising one blond eyebrow expressively. “And then you just happened to think about how whatever it is you’re sewing should come out absolutely perfect?”
“In that case, Mrs. Hornsby is probably going to guess that I’m doing magic and I’ll get into more trouble than ever,” Megan said flatly. “No, Avery—I can’t cheat. I have to do this right. Besides…” She got a stubborn look on her face. “I shouldn’t have to use magic to pass her stupid class. My whole life I’ve been a straight A student and I did it all with hard work and determination. I shouldn’t have to cheat with magic to pass Home Ec.”
“I wouldn’t say that using magic is “cheating,” exactly,” Avery protested. “After all, is a mathematical genius cheating when he uses his intellect to solve a really complex equation? Is a classical pianist cheating when she uses her musical ability to play a complicated piece of music? Of course not!” he answered his own question. “They’re using their Goddess-given abilities, that’s all. And that’s what magic is—a Goddess-given ability that ought to be used.”
“Well, not in this case,” Megan said firmly and put a hand to her stomach when it suddenly growled. “Oh, sorry—I’m so hungry!”
“The roast should be done now—well, for those of us who don’t like it still mooing,” Avery said, winking at me. “Emma, come help me plate up dinner.”
Everybody ate and I even had a little more myself—although I didn’t find the more well-done beef nearly as appetizing. Still, I was feeling much better after an evening of good food and friendship.
Avery cleaned all the dirty dishes up magically and almost everyone had wandered off to bed when I finally got off the couch myself. The rare beef seemed to have warmed me up almost as much as the fire and I was feeling positively toasty and thinking I could probably drift off in no time when Griffin spoke to me.
The tall Nocturne was, as a rule, fairly quiet during our get-togethers. He hadn’t said much tonight, seeming content to sit by Megan while she ate and just be close to her. But she and Emma and Avery had gone into their bedrooms and I was the last one still out in the common area, due to my reluctance to move now that I was finally warm.
“Kaitlyn…” Griffin’s voice was deep and quiet and serious and when I looked at him, his pale eyes showed a reflection of the fire’s flickering flames.
“Um, yes Griffin?” We hadn’t talked much but I had liked him ever since he’d gotten me excused from Coach Vasquez’s awful PE class every morning.
For a moment Griffin was silent, as though thinking how to frame his words. But just as I was about to ask him again what he wanted, he finally spoke.
“Forgive my asking,” he said, a tentative note in his voice. “But is…Alastair Breedlove a good guardian to you?”
A question about the Breedloves was the last thing I had been expecting. I frowned at Griffin uncertainly.
“Well…yeah. Sure, I guess.” I shrugged. “I mean, he and Mrs. Breedlove give me a place to stay on the weekends and pay for my tuition to the Academy. I really can’t complain.”
“Can’t you?” He frowned at me and his nostrils flared, just like Headmistress Nightworthy’s had earlier when she’d asked me to stay behind and chat with her in her office.
“Well, no,” I said. “I, um, don’t know what else to say. I’m happy with the Breedloves—Allegra is almost like my own little girl.”
“I see.” He nodded thoughtfully and stared into the fire for a long moment. “You know,” he said at last, looking at me again, “If you had anything you were frightened to tell someone—if someone you trusted had hurt you in any way—”
“Griffin, what is this about?” I asked, honestly mystified. “What are you trying to ask me? Or tell me or whatever?”
He sighed and raked a hand through his hair.
“I just want you to know that you are not defenseless. Megan is my heart and the ones she cares for, I will care for and protect also. You and Emma are a bit like…little sisters to me now. So if someone was hurting you in any way, I would defend and protect you both. Do you understand?”
“I think I understand,” I said, though I didn’t—not completely. “You’re just letting me know that if someone bullies me, you’ve got my back.”
He shrugged. “In a way. Though I wasn’t only speaking of bullies at school.”
“Well…thank you, Griffin.” I smiled at him shyly. “You’re a good big brother,” I told him. “And I appreciate you wanting to take care of me. But, well…I’m trying to stand up for myself more lately.”
He looked at me obliquely and stood up from his chair, looming like a dark shadow in the dying firelight.
“I understand. I won’t interfere where I am not wanted or needed. But if you feel you are being hurt or abused, please know that I stand ready to defend you.”
“Thank you,” I said again. I looked up at him and considered giving him a quick hug to thank him for being so kind. I knew Emma might have done it—she was more tactile than I was. But in the end, I was a little too shy, so I
