“I couldn’t agree more. Why don’t you wait with her in the living room, and I’ll call as soon as the food is ready.”
Dylan helped Aspen out of the chair and walked with her to the living room. Again, the room was tidy but threadbare, and she was embarrassed as he stared at the peeling wallpaper and old furniture.
“I’m just going to dump my bag in my room. I’ll be back in a second.” She spoke softly as she gripped the handrail.
Dylan put his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll take it up for you, you still look tired.”
“It’s not the best room you’ve ever seen. It needs work.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not here to judge,” he said with a smile.
Sighing, she handed him the bag and climbed the staircase. It was rickety and old, and she glanced over her shoulder to make sure he was behind her. Her bedroom was as small as a closet, and she could see the look of horror on his face as she led him into the tiny, dark room. Huge trees outside blocked the light from the window, and the air smelled musty and stale.
“Where is the light switch?” he asked.
“No, don’t switch on the light, my stepfather doesn’t like it. I’m just dropping off my bag. Give it to me, please.”
Holding out the backpack, Dylan rubbed the fingers of his free hand together and produced a ball of electricity that glowed on his palm. The blue light illuminated the tiny room.
“Wow, that looks pretty,” she exclaimed.
He placed the light on her chest of drawers, and it glowed in a perfectly shaped circle.
Aspen caught a look of pity in his eyes as he turned to watch her, and she straightened her shoulders. She was the king’s niece. She didn’t need anyone’s sympathy.
As though he could read her thoughts, he smiled softly and stepped closer to her. “You can do it too. Just concentrate on the ends of your fingers and mold the power into a ball.”
Aspen stretched out her arms and flexed her fingers. Instantly, a ball of blue engulfed her hands. It ran up her arms and covered her body in a pulsating strobe of light.
“Oops, I think I overdid it.” She smiled for the first time.
“Pull it back, remember the tap. You can cut off the flow by closing the valve.”
Her eyes scrunched up and she wrinkled her nose in concentration. The blue light dribbled back down her body and stopped at her fingertips. Once she’d stopped the current, she spun around, smiling.
“Mold it like putty, turn it into a ball,” he instructed.
She pretended to play with a mound of dough and within seconds, a perfect ball of luminous blue hovered on her hand.
“Good girl!” he exclaimed.
Aspen’s chest jutted out in pride. With her hand outstretched, she aimed a beam of light toward her bed.
“It’s a shame you didn’t teach me this earlier,” she mumbled.
“Huh?”
“Nothing.” She smiled wanly. “Let’s go back.”
Dylan touched the ball of light on the dresser and it was absorbed back into his body. He followed her downstairs and they entered the kitchen just as Norma placed a plate of sandwiches on the table. Two glasses of iced tea sat next to the plate.
The pair sat down and ate the food silently. As they finished the last of the sandwiches, high heels clacked on the pavement outside, which meant that Miriam was home.
She entered the kitchen and stared at Dylan. With an exaggerated eye roll, she dumped her bag on the floor and Norma rushed to pick it up.
“What’s he doing here?”
Dylan reached into his pocket, grabbed a small card, and pressed it into Aspen’s hand. With a tilt of his head, he leaned over to whisper in her ear, “Call me if you need me.”
Standing up, he faced Miriam squarely. “Nice to see you too.” Then he nodded at Aspen’s mom as she took Miriam’s lunchbox out of her bag and placed it in the sink. “Thank you for the sandwiches. I’ll talk to you all soon.”
Miriam glared at him as he walked past her and out through the door.
Watching his tall, lean frame leave the house, Aspen had to fight the anger from whipping through her body again. Her stepsister had forced Dylan to go after he’d been so kind to her. She conjured up a small, marble-sized ball of energy and rolled it steadily between her fingers under the table while her mother began to make food. It was warm and tingled in her palm.
Miriam was clearly impressed that she’d made him leave and gave her stepsister a self-satisfied look before flouncing out of the kitchen.
Aspen fumed as she helped her mother wash the dishes.
Chapter 14
Witches and Lions
“Hey, Princess.” Ginny flashed a smile as Aspen appeared next to her and Sandy.