Free Stained by Jessica McBrayer Page A

expect it. “My father took me away when he found out our mother was a witch,” he said pleasantly, looking at her sideways. Smiling, always smiling.
    “I’m sorry,” she told him. “Our mother passed away during childbirth.”
    “I know. I’m sorry too. I would have liked to have known her.” She should have let him come in but she hesitated, stepping out onto the porch instead. Raven cawed an alert in the background.
    “Why haven’t I heard about you?” Thorn asked.
    “Our mamó didn’t want me to meet you. She shielded you from me. I take it she has passed as well?” he said, looking askance, smiling, still smiling, as if that fact pleased him. Thorn didn’t appreciate that. Mamó’s death was still very raw. His reaction to her sweet, kind grandmother added to her uneasiness. She took another step back, putting more distance between them.
    “I can feel the magick in you. What does your father think of it now?”
    “Nothing,” his voice registered no change in inflection. “He’s dead.” He turned his back and leaned against the porch railing watching a rain-laden cloud move over the green hills.
    “Muirin wouldn’t teach me when I approached her,” his voice took on a hard edge, even as it became softer. “I went to others to learn the Craft. I had no choice.”
    This alarmed Thorn. Mamó was truly generous. Why had she refused to teach Caleb? What had she seen in Caleb for her to protect Thorn from him for so long?
    “What do you want from me, Caleb?”
    “I want us to be sister and brother.” He turned and looked her in the eye for the first time. “I want us to practice together. With the magick in the two of us we would be unstoppable.” His speech became more rapid and his eyes glinted.
    “I don’t think I’m interested in practicing with anyone,” she said slowly. “I’m a solitary practitioner. I planned on a peaceful life here in Kilkeel. Of course, I would want to get to know you more, brother.” Thorn hurried to add the last part. She’d felt his magick rise with his temper.
    Caleb shook his head. Smiled a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Little sister, if you won’t join me, then I will have to consider you my enemy.” He put his finger out and charmed a gray wagtail onto it. “I’ll give you one last chance,” he said, as he smoothed the tiny bird’s feathers. “Join me or I will have to destroy you, like I did my father.” He smiled at her, as his magick surrounded the bird and crushed it. Raven cawed loudly.
    Thorns eyes went wide and she slammed the door in his face. She was young and inexperienced, not confident she could match his power.
    “Wards protect me!” Thorn called. She felt the shift as her grandmother’s ancient spells were called up, reinforced by her own. They surrounded the house in a bubble of protection.
    She heard Caleb try the door. He screamed in pain as the wards reverberated through him. He yelled her name in anger. Then taunted her. Thorn packed her bags. She boxed up her grimoires and other occult books and had them ready to send to Uncle so he could forward them when she settled somewhere her brother couldn’t find her. She wrote her uncle a letter explaining everything. After she got away, she would call their neighbor and have her mail everything for her.
    Caleb finally left, after promising he would spend his life hunting her. She believed him. She left in the darkness with two suitcases and Raven at her side. Two days later, she and Raven landed in Japan. It took Caleb three years to find her there.
    She ran again. Each time he found her, she set off again. To Indonesia, England and the States. She vowed never to get close to anyone for fear Caleb would harm them trying to get to her. She continued to learn and practice her magickal skills and her tattoo art, depending on the culture she was in. Thorn learned enough to shield herself. But he kept finding her. She thought she had finally done it this time. There could be no