Chapter 18 : Purple is the Color of Magic

*Mae* Mae sat on her bed pushing her heel into her boot. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" April asked, hesitantly. Mae didn't look up as she continued to lace up her boots. When she finished, she sat up and looked intently at her sister. "Yes, I'm sure. This is the next best step to figure this all out and fix what went wrong," Mae answered. She slapped her hands against her thighs with a smile. "Are you ready?" April forced a smile and nodded. Mae stood and reached out her hand. Together, the girls left the room and headed downstairs. Mae hoped her father was already gone; she didn't want to try to explain to him what she was doing. His temper was already sensitive enough. When the girls were safely out of the house and on the trail headed north, Mae breathed a sigh of relief. "If everything Circe said was true, why isn't Henry going with us? Don't you think it'd be important to have him here?" April questioned. Mae sighed at the slight tone of doubt in her sister's voice. "There's no telling what father might do if he found out Henry went with me on some far-fetched mission to find the magic to keep us together. Alpha Frederick needs help defending their lands. Henry stayed to keep the peace and keep Circe from getting into any more trouble." It was a little more difficult than Mae had anticipated keeping the resentment out of her voice when mentioning Circe. Part of her did understand. After all, wasn't she currently going on a long-shot journey to try to be with Henry? But a strong part of Mae was still upset and angry that things had gotten so dangerously out of control because of one girl's selfishness. "Yeah, speaking of that 'far-fetched' mission. When was the last time you talked to Grandma? How do you know she's even still… you know, around?" April questioned. "I suppose I don't know, and I won't till we get there, but I have to try. I'm certain if she's not, there's got to be other elders that know of this magic and might be able to help," Mae replied. Her tone was flat. She couldn't blame her sister for wanting more answers, but Mae had none to give. She only knew what she felt inside and was letting her determination drive her. The girls were quiet for a good while as they walked north through the rocky hills. It had been a long time since either of them had walked this path to the Hill Pack, but Mae found, as she walked the familiar trail, memories of it came rushing back to her. She remembered being a little girl walking this path with her mother. She would dance and pick wildflowers. Instinctively, to calm the pang in her heart that the memory brought on, Mae reached out to hold her sister's hand. A wave of relief and comfort washed over her when April squeezed and held tight. "Do you think she'll be happy to see us?" April whispered. Mae glanced at her, but April's eyes were still forward and her jaw was locked. "I think she will. It wasn't us she was upset with," Mae answered, keeping her voice equally low as her sister's. April's face turned serious and contemplative. Mae wasn't sure if April was processing the information or trying to decide if she was brave enough to keep asking questions. Feeling a little anxious about what they might be walking into, Mae was not in a particularly chatty mood and gave her sister the silence to organize her thoughts. They walked hand in hand on the lonely road north. Mae couldn't help feeling sad that this road looked so unused, untraveled. Their father had not forbidden anyone, even them, to go to the Hill Pack, but after what happened, Mae could never bring herself to do it. "Do you think Grandma is right?" April's small voice carried on the wind like a rising crescendo and broke Mae away from her despairing thoughts. "Right about what?" "That father is the reason mother died?" April explained further. Her question hung like a sour accusation in the air. It hit Mae like a 1000-pin needle in her heart. "I think it's always dangerous and risky to go against the will of the Moon Goddess. I think she doesn't take kindly to those who stray away from her divine path," Mae answered, hoping it would be enough. As she pondered the question further, Mae realized there had always been a tiny piece of her that did blame her father, that resented him for forcing her mother to make the choice against the Moon Goddess. Mae tried to push the feeling from her mind and focus on the task at hand. Mae could see the final stretch up ahead as the sun was reaching its highest point in the sky. She could hear the edges of the small town bustling and carrying on with their lives, completely unaware of the impending war just south of them. Mae squeezed April's hand, and together, they walked forward toward the gates welcoming them to the Hill Pack. "Good afternoon, ladies. How can we help you today?" asked one of the guards in front of the gate. He did carry weapons, but they were stowed away and almost looked more like decoration than protection. He carried a clipboard and reviewed the information on it while waiting for the girls to answer. "Hello, I'm Mae Forest, and this is my sister April Forest. We are here to see June Hill. We are her granddaughters," Mae answered, trying to keep her voice as strong and professional as she could. She instinctively squared her shoulders and prepared to defend herself. But the guard simply scanned his clipboard and smiled when he seemingly found what he was looking for. "Ah, here we are - June Hill. Wonderful, is she expecting you, or is this a surprise visit?" the man asked with no sense of suspicion in his voice. Mae and April exchanged an awkward glance. "Um, I suppose it'll be a surprise. We… haven't seen her in a long time," Mae admitted. "Oh, I'm sure she'll be delighted to see you then. How wonderful of you two to visit. Do you know her resident location, or will you require a guide?" The guard's smile seemed genuine. Mae swallowed hard, completely unprepared for such an interaction. Everything about this was unfamiliar to her. "I think I can remember the way, thanks," Mae answered. Her tone was rough, confused. The guard didn't seem to notice, he only nodded and stepped aside as his partner opened the gate further to welcome them inside the pack walls. Mae couldn't help but keep glancing back at the guards as they walked further into the small town. But the guards remained still in their places and never glanced back at them. "Well, that was a bit… weird…" "Yeah, so friendly and trusting… is that what it's supposed to be like?" April replied. Mae could only shrug. She remembered having fond memories of this land, but as a child, she didn't pay much attention and those sorts of things didn't seem out of the ordinary. "So which way to Grandma's house?" Mae stared at the street in front of her and dragged her sister along slowly. The path and the sites looked familiar, but she didn't feel completely certain of the way. Mae ignored her sister's question and just kept moving along, hoping something more significant would reveal itself and help to guide her. Almost as if on cue, or a message from the Goddess herself, a trail of butterflies started to the left, triggering a memory in Mae. The butterflies led to the lily flowers and beyond was a small house with a purple door. Much more confidently, Mae pulled her sister along the path toward where she felt more certain she would find their grandmother. Everything appeared just as Mae remembered: the lily flowers, the large garden, and the small cottage with a purple door. 'Purple is a color of magic,' Mae's grandmother used to tell her, 'it tells other magical people how to find me.' Without thinking or giving herself a moment to hesitate, Mae walked up the cobble path and knocked on the heavy wooden door. It echoed like the banging of drums to awaken distant spirits. Mae shuttered a little. The door flung open to reveal a beautiful and wild woman with long streaks of white through her already pale hair. Her eyes were a shimmering green - like Mae's, like her mother's. The resemblance was uncanny and Mae felt her breath catch in her throat. "October…" the woman whispered quietly. The mention of her mother's name was the kick Mae needed to release the breath she'd been holding. "No, Grandma, it's me, Mae, and this is April. We came to see you," Mae replied, stepping aside to give her grandmother a clearer view of them both. The woman's eyes adjusted quickly as she smiled. "Oh, my girls, my beautiful girls. Come in! Come in!" June was quick to hug each of them as they pushed past her into the cozy house. "Why don't you two have a seat on the couch? Would you like some tea or lemonade?" Mae and April made their way through the house toward the couches. There were pictures everywhere. So many pictures of their mother at all stages of life until the day she died. There were many other pictures too of people neither of them recognized. "No, it's okay, Grandma. We actually just have some questions for you," Mae called out after her. "We are in a bit of a pickle," April added, not quite as loud. Instantly, their grandmother appeared in the room carrying a tray with a teapot and a couple of tea cups. Her eyes were tight and fierce as she looked at the girls. "What kind of a wretched mess has your father made now?" June demanded. Mae and April exchanged an uncomfortable glance and Mae swallowed hard. "Well, it's not entirely his fault…" Mae started to answer. "Then start at the beginning and catch me up completely," June replied as she poured the tea She shoved a full glass into the hands of each of the girls without asking if they cared for any again. Mae took a deep breath and started to explain it all from the beginning. She started with how she first fell for Henry and their love for each other. She didn't stop until she had reached the point where Henry had learned the truth about what Circe had done. "That's why we are here. I know you have magic, and I know you might know something about this, and I was hoping you could help me," Mae replied. "You want me to teach you how to use your magic?" June questioned, though it was clearly meant as more of a statement. She took a sip of her tea and was surprisingly calm considering all the pain and problems Mae had just described. "My magic?" Mae questioned, feeling her nerves start to gallop within her. She wasn't sure if it was out of excitement or fear, but either way, her heart started to race and her breath caught short. "Of course, dear, how could you not have known you are magical? I am magical, so was your mother, and so are you. However, given all you've told me, we do have one small issue," her grandmother stated matter-of-factly. "What's that?" "You cannot access or understand the true potential of your powers until you are marked by your fated mate. That is what opens the gate within you." Mae's eyes darted back and forth while she thought this over. Clearly, Henry wouldn't mind mating with her sooner rather than later. He had only held off so long per her request to set things right first. She started to think about what would happen. "What does it feel like? After I mate will I understand and have control? Could I come back then and have you teach me so we can fix this mess?" The questions tumbled out of Mae almost faster than her mind could even process them. "Wait, who are you going to mate with? Nathan or Henry?" April questioned. Mae looked at her a bit confused. How could that even be a question? "I know Circe said she cast a spell and changed things, but even still under the spell, your mate is Nathan. Even without the spell, you were only mostly certain it was Henry." Mae frowned, looking seriously between her sister and grandmother. Both of them seemed to be waiting and anxious for Mae's decision. "It's Henry, it has to be."