Evermoon

Chapter 9

Claire stood wide-eyed as she watched Frankie storm off. The moment the words came out of her mouth she instantly regretted it, there was no way of taking them back now; but Claire knew with time Frankie would forgive her. But the thought of another being able to manipulate Frankie's power was far more troubling. She didn't know it, but Claire did. Frankie was by far the strongest witch they've had in their family since well Edeline, if something or someone had the powers to intervene then they were looking at something much more powerful. Mentioning Arnold's name conjured some old memories too, the ones she tried hard to bury deep, that old man always had a way of bringing out the worst in her. Conflicted by her need to go home and do some research she knew she had to stay and man the Emporium, she had given Frankie this year off and she didn't want to upset her further, today already had its burdens. She began to dust the ornaments behind the till desk, deep in thought, she truly thought they had more time.

The tinkling of chimes sounded behind her as she turned around, she was greeted by three smiling faces.

***

Lucas stood in the middle of the room, rubbing the back of his neck – something he usually did when he was nervous, a tail his friends would remind him of whenever they dabbled with cards, but that was in another life. Frankie was curled up in a ball on the corner of the chaise lounge crying and he didn't know how to react to her. Crying women was something he usually tried to avoid, which didn't go down too well with Edeline... He looked around the room nervously, searching for something else to focus on, but the steady vibrations pulsing within the air, wouldn't allow this little distraction and beckoned him closer.

Walking towards her he gently sat beside her and cleared his throat, she looked up at him and his stomach clenched. He didn't quite know how to explain that feeling, but he quickly dismissed it.

"Frankie, you know she did not mean it like that"

"I know" she sniffled

"It's just, you think she would be a little curious to know that Amanda's Uncle had found evidence of a dark presence awakening, it could be linked to who kidnapped my Parents."

"That was a lot of information to consider, maybe she was shocked."

"Yeah maybe"

"Or maybe, Claire just likes to keep things to herself" he mumbled, turning away from Frankie.

"Huh?"

"Nothing"

He looked at Frankie and the vibrations intensified, a magnetic pull urged him to get closer to her and he wondered whether she felt this same urgency to touch him. He hadn't felt the touch of a human hand in over century, but ever since the vibrations in the energy started to happen, he just knew that it was a only fraction of what it would truly feel like, and he cherished it like a thirsty man finding running water. A memory of Edeline played in his mind and the vibrations dampened, but he could still feel them on the peripheral, he needed to talk to Claire, she knew something and she wasn't telling him.

"Okay, well I need to just let it go, she couldn't have meant it like that your right. Maybe once I find out some more information about the coven activity and this dark presence she will be more open to the idea." Frankie said standing up from her seat, she wiped the remaining traces of tears from her face as she mentally prepared for what was to come.

"I need to go back to the front, I see my friends have arrived."

Lucas replayed the image of the man Frankie described earlier in his head; it felt familiar to him as if he knew exactly whom Frankie saw. Although his memories were clear, if he didn't have a connection with the person he was thinking of, the image was very hazy, but something as distinctive as hollowed eye sockets was trying to invade his memories. Where he had seen it before, he couldn't remember – he wasn't focused on the where too much as his mind was trying quickly, to figure out the why.

As he watched her walk out of the room, he felt the vibrations leaving with her.

***

As she got to the storefront, she noticed Celeste talking to her Grandmother. She quickly did a check to see whether Lucas had followed, and went over to talk to them.

"Oh hello dear," Claire said trying to hide the teacup under the counter. Frankie looked at her Grandmother sternly.

"What were you doing?"

"Oh nothing dear, just catching up with your friends. It's been so long since they visited the Emporium!"

Frankie turned around looking for Callum, and spotted him near the tables with the charmed items. He looked so out of place inside her grandmother's shop, but it put a smile on her face to see her closest friends in her safe space. Frankie went over to Callum, she noticed he picked up a braided bracelet.

"That's a good choice, it will provide protection."

"Well that's good then, I was gonna get it for Priya"

"In that case, give her this instead." Frankie handed him a bronze bangle.

"This one still provides protection but also has healing properties, besides it's a much nicer present." She smiled.

"Thanks, I'm sure she'll like it. You really believe in this stuff don't you?" Callum asked. Frankie stayed quiet for a while, a knowing smile plastered on her face.

"More than you know" she replied. "Follow me."

They walked towards the back room and Frankie relit the candles, the others filed in looking around. Celeste and Rose gave Frankie a hug.

"You look amazing!" Frankie admired Rose and Celeste's outfit. They were both wearing the same vintage-styled dresses, dressed in the fashion of the settlers who founded Blairs Hollow, Rose was pale blue whilst Celeste's was black and judging by the length of Celeste's dress she could tell Rose had fashioned hers before they got there. They both looked beautiful and otherworldly, whilst Frankie was still in the same clothes from school.

"I know." Celeste said smugly.

"Thanks Frankie, but I see you haven't changed since we last saw you." Rose said.

"Yeah Frankie, where's your outfit?"

"Well that's what I kind of wanted to talk to you about."

"Don't tell me you're not coming." Celeste but in.

"You can't not come Frankie, I haven't told you what happened with Ryan after the game."

"Guys I'm still coming! Wait... what happened after the game with Ryan?" Frankie asked curiously, Callum just rolled his eyes.

"Well... they won their football match and everyone was excited and ran onto the football pitch and in the moment we accidentally bumped lips."

"Woah. Way to bury the lead! What do you mean you accidentally bumped lips?!"

"Well, we sorta kinda made out"

Frankie and Celeste started squirming in their seats. "Tell us everything!"

"Wait a minute, what is it you wanted to talk to us about?" Callum said forgotten in the corner.

Frankie didn't know how to start; she had been so caught up with what happened after school, she forgot to practice how she was going to tell her friends. In that moment, Lucas appeared. He sat on the chaise lounge, in the corner and she felt a little more at ease, closing her eyes as she felt the vibrations in the background, filling her with the confidence she needed.

Rose, Callum and Celeste sat waiting, staring at Frankie. She took a deep breath, and started from the beginning. "It's okay Frankie, you can do this" she heard Lucas mutter. She tilted her head towards him and smiled. There was no easy way to say it, so she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"I'm a witch."