A short woman with graying hair opened the door to the house. She put her hand up to block the sun from her eyes.
“Hi, Grandmom!” Teegan gave her a quick hug. She peered at them over his shoulder. If she was surprised by their arrival, she hid it well.
“What are you doing here?” she asked him. “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”
“Oh, yeah, she sounds thrilled,” Zohav said in a low voice.
“Hush,” Zethan scolded her.
“The Magician’s Keep is closed. Haven’t you heard?” Teegan asked.
“No. Why didn’t you go home, if that’s the case?”
“Uh, Grandmom, can we discuss this inside?”
Her demeanor changed in an instant. “Of course! Where are my manners? Your friends must be thirsty.” She gestured to the stables. “Please feel free to use our facilities. There’s grain and hay, but I’m not sure how fresh it is. It’s been a while since we had equine visitors.”
Teegan trotted over to Caramel, but Heli waved him off. “Go explain things to your grandmother. We’ll take care of the horses.”
Not wishing to intrude, the three of them took their time grooming and settling the horses. When they finished, Heli grabbed her saddle bags and headed to the house with the twins. The door opened before they arrived. Teegan stepped to the side to allow them into a large, comfortable kitchen. A fire burned in the vast hearth. Pots of delicious-smelling edibles bubbled on the coals. Heli’s stomach growled but, unsure of their welcome, they remained by the door, standing awkwardly. The older woman finished stirring one of the pots and wiped her hands on her apron.
“Grandmom, this is Heli, Zethan and his sister, Zohav,” Teegan said.
“You’re welcome to stay here with us until you’re needed.” She gripped the stained fabric of her skirt in a tight fist.
“Thank you, Mrs. Cowan,” Heli said.
“Please, call me Vyncenza. Teegan will show you to your rooms. Supper will be ready soon.”
Teegan led them through a living area and up a set of stairs. The air smelled of anise and cinnamon.
“What did you tell her?” Zethan asked.
“She’d already heard rumors about the Cartel but didn’t know what was really going on.”
“No, I mean about us?”
“Oh, that.” Teegan shrugged. “I told her we were helping Aunt Yelena and Uncle Valek, and they told us to lie low until they needed us.”
Which explained why the woman fretted with her skirt. Yes, Teegan was a powerful magician, but he was only fourteen and her grandchild.
“Does she know that we’re Valek’s...you know,” Zethan said.
He flashed a grin. “Didn’t have to. She’s quick, but she thought you were his children and was worried about Aunt Yelena’s reaction.”
Zohav choked. “Bad enough being his sister—”
“I wish I had a sister,” Heli said to distract her. “Being an only child, I didn’t have anyone else to play with, and I had my parents’ attention all the time. It would have been nice to share that pressure with another sibling.”
“I always wanted an older brother,” Teegan said in a quiet voice. “Especially when we were living on the streets and I had to take care of my sister.”
Heli felt foolish for complaining. Even Zohav remained quiet.
On the second floor, Teegan pointed to a room down the hall. “That’s my mom’s old room. Heli and Zohav can sleep there. Zethan and I can share my Uncle Ahir’s room.” He jerked a thumb at the door behind him.
“Will he mind?” Zethan asked.
“Nope. He grew up with three older sisters.”
Zethan made sympathetic noises. Zohav swatted him on the arm.
Teegan grinned. “Yeah, he says he needs his man time when I visit.”
Having heard enough, Heli hefted her bags and entered Opal’s childhood room. She dumped her stuff on one of the two twin beds. A couple of colorful pictures hung on the walls, but it was the collection of glass animals on the shelves that drew her attention. Some of the statues glowed with an inner fire. Beautiful.
Soon after they unpacked a few things, Vyncenza called them downstairs for supper. Teegan had regaled them with stories about his grandmother’s cooking while they traveled. Heli had considered it a form a torture, but now...now, she practically drooled with anticipation. The heady scents of roasted beef and garlic made her almost dizzy with hunger.
An older man with short gray hair and dark brown eyes was already seated at the long table. He introduced himself as Jaymes, Teegan’s grandfather. Heli noted his resemblance to Opal—tall and thin, while her mother shared the same heart-shaped face as her other daughter, Mara.
The small talk ceased when a young man—probably Ahir—blew into the room. Around her age, he was as tall as his father with the same eye color, but a mop of black hair flowed to his shoulders.
Ahir whooped when he spotted Teegan. “How’s my favorite nephew?” He high-fived the boy, who beamed at him.
“I’m your only nephew.”