Free The Memory Witch by Heather Topham Wood Page A

forced myself into a sitting position and pulled down the tunic. The skin of my legs was already turning a harsh red. A nasty sunburn was certainly in my foreseeable future. I must have been having nightmares under the sun for a significant amount of time. I was grateful Mason came along when he did. It was probable he saved me from a trip to the emergency room and the continuation of another horrendous nightmare.
    “Are you okay?” Mason’s intense gaze watched me thoughtfully.
    My throat was dry, but I managed to croak out, “I think so.”
    “You should get out of the sun and drink as much as possible,” he commanded. I noticed his eyes move over my body. At first, his stare was calculating, probably guessing how badly I was sunburned. I watched as his eyes softened and lingered on my bare legs. When I met his eyes, the familiar aloofness had been restored to his features.
    “I will,” I said softly.
    Mason flustered me and it made me feel guilty. His looks were captivating, but it was more than that. I desperately wanted a friend during my time at the estate. I guessed he felt the same way, but it seemed as though he forced himself to keep his distance from me.
    “Can you get inside okay?”
    I waved him off. “I’ll be fine.” I swallowed hard and looked over his shoulder. “Thank you for waking me up. If you haven’t come along…” I shuddered at the thought.
    Mason shrugged. “It was nothing. I was looking to see if you wanted anything from the store. Aunt Stella sends me to stock up on groceries most Sundays.”
    I sucked on my lower lip and willed him to ask me to go with him. I would have loved to escape from the property for a few hours. Mason said nothing. After an uncomfortable cough, I inquired, “Can you pick me up Cheez Doodles?”
    Mason gave me a disbelieving look. “That’s all you want?” At my nod, he scoffed, “I thought they were something only twelve-year-olds ate. You know how gross that artificial cheese is that sticks to your finger?”
    “Ever dip them in honey? They’re amazing.” I smiled at the disgusted expression on his face. He returned my grin and I momentarily forget about my nightmare or the flush of my skin. I reveled in the normalcy of the minute until the wall came up again.
    “Get inside. My aunt will kill me if something happens to her protégé,” he said sardonically and nodded at me before leaving.
    As I gathered my things, I watched him walk towards his truck. I had so many questions for Mason, but it was hard to decipher his hot and cold moods. I wanted him to tell me about his aunt and how he came to live with her. My initial impression was Mason would seek me out while I was staying here. I was near his age and would be staying there for the next year. But the opposite had happened. He seemed to avoid spending too much time with me. What was it about me that made Mason treat me like an unwanted interloper?

Chapter Ten
     
    Days blended into weeks. I grew disillusioned with my ability to fully understand all that Stella had to teach me within a year. We had spent almost a month working on the ingredients for her spells and I felt like I still had so much to learn. There was an endless array of herbs, minerals, and oils that could be added to a spell. I was thankful that most of the ingredients were tame. Stella explained that a few did call for human hair and a few drops of blood, but I wouldn’t have to cut out any organs of animals or add a human eye to any of her potions.
    The elderly witch was constantly testing me. Consistently, I was sent to the greenhouse to gather up the ingredients she required. I was pleased when the time it took me to finish her list diminished from hours to minutes. She would also ask my advice on what items she should put in her concoctions based on the purpose of the spell. Nine out of ten times I would give her the correct answer.
    I was given more freedom as Stella saw my determination to do well. Instead of sitting on