Free covencraft 04 - dry spells by margarita gakis

taking over her body. Taking power over something that wasn’t hers. A staged coup.
    Lily stood up abruptly. “For god’s sake, you didn’t take over. It’s not like there was a bloody revolution with people screaming about cake and guillotines.”
    “I didn’t mean it like that.”
    “Yes, you did. You act like you purposely tossed me out on my ass, but that’s not what happened. You and I both know it. When I left… When I disappeared, I wanted to leave, I wanted out. I wanted to-“
    “Stop!” Jade exclaimed. At the same time, she heard the fire in the other room snap and hiss. Bruce let out a lizard-like bark, peeved that Jade had let her magic slip out of control and spike the fire. Jade took a deep breath and reined her power back in. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
    “I know. There’s a lot you don’t want to talk about.”
    Jade curled in on herself a bit, knowing exactly what Lily meant, but not willing to concede. She felt something flit by Lily’s brain - pieces of a conversation with Paris. The thought of him drew Jade back to the present.
    “Did he leave? How did he seem, you know, with the whole undead-mother thing?” Shocker, to say the least. She thought about the picture she’d once seen in Paris’ office at his house - a portrait of him as a child with his mother, both of them smiling and happy. Finding out she was not-so-dead probably gutted him.
    Lily made a see-saw motion with her hand. “I don’t think he’s dealing with that right now. He’s more concerned about what Sakkara wants rather than the fact that she came back from the dead.”
    “What happened after Paris put me out?” Jade had the memory of being in pain and then of Paris shoving something in her mouth, whispering words and then blissful unconsciousness.
    “Sakkara was still creepy, but she left. She’s going to come back, I’m sure. But for now, we have a reprieve. We put you on the sofa, and then later on when you didn’t wake up, Paris carried you up to bed.”
    God, how embarrassing. Jade’s mouth had probably hung open and she likely drooled, maybe snored. Plus, Jade was no light feather.
    Lily snorted in laughter. “You looked pretty good.” She shrugged. “You know, for being unconscious. And it’s not like we’re fat,” Lily added. “We’re just… tall. And sturdy.”
    “I’ve been running. I’ve been trying to keep it under control.” Jade felt her cheeks get hot.
    “I know you have,” Lily said, waving her hand. “But… cheesecake.” She placed her hands on her belly and jiggled it where the fleshiest bit was. There had been a lot of cheesecake in their lives. They both sighed and had a silent moment for cheesecake.
    “But,” Lily continued, “he didn’t mind. He’s rather gallant. I didn’t even know anyone still fit that word, but he does.”
    Jade’s stomach rolled over at Lily’s tone: fond and familiar. She stuffed the feeling down, hoping Lily hadn’t noticed. She wasn’t jealous. She wanted Lily and Paris to get along. She wanted them to like each other and have things to talk about. She didn’t want to keep Paris all to herself. He didn’t belong to her. He didn’t belong to anyone.
    “I don’t like him,” Lily said suddenly. Jade cringed, knowing that Lily had picked up on her thoughts, but then, she felt put out on Paris’ behalf. Why didn’t Lily like him? Lily must have picked up on that as well because she continued on, “I mean, I like him but I don’t, you know, like him. I’m not about to send him a naughty Snapchat or anything.”
    “Why not?” Jade asked. “I’m not talking about the naughty Snapchat because seriously, that’s a bad idea whenever. Someone could save that picture and then it gets out and ka-boom.” She made a gesture with her hands like fireworks, pushing a little magic behind it to send down a shower of light and colorful sparks. “Your ass is all over the internet. But… how come you don’t like him?”
    Lily