Beyond Your Witchiest Dreams (A Broomsticks & Books Cozy Mystery Book 9) by Sara Bourgeois

Author:Sara Bourgeois [Bourgeois, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

A soft creaking noise drew Daphne’s attention. She debated going back to sleep, but her mind was still racing after speaking with Alaric. Yawning broadly as she descended the staircase, her fingers lightly brushed against the curved wooden banister. The early morning light shining through the windows was just enough to let her discover Lucas sitting on the floor of the living room, his back resting against the couch, surrounded by a sea of old photo albums.

“Lucas?” Daphne questioned, her voice a mere whisper in the stillness of the early morning. She approached him cautiously, curious about what had drawn him to her childhood mementos.

“Hey, Daph,” he replied, looking up with a warm smile that reached his eyes. “I couldn’t sleep and found these.” He gestured toward the open album in his lap. “I think I have the same picture, or close to it, back where I’m from.”

Lucas regarded her with a bittersweet expression, and Daphne remembered that it must be as strange for him to be in a new dimension as it had been for her. She was as much like the Daphne from his dimension as he was like Lucas. It must hurt for him to look at her, too, and see a sister that was so close to his own.

Daphne peered over his shoulder, examining the faded photograph depicting their younger selves at a local fair, faces painted with colorful designs. A pang of nostalgia hit her, momentarily overwhelming her senses. “It was a really good day,” she murmured, allowing herself to be briefly transported to that simpler time.

The air between them grew heavy, filled with unspoken thoughts and questions. Lucas’s fingers traced the edges of the photo before flipping to the next page. He exhaled deeply, his chest rising and falling with each labored breath.

“Listen, Daphne, there’s something I need to tell you.” His voice was laced with a mixture of sorrow and determination. “I never had the chance to explain why I left town. Left my own dimension and came here.”

Daphne knelt down beside him. She had longed for answers, and now they were within reach. “Tell me, Lucas. I want to understand.”

“All right,” he began, closing the album and setting it aside. “It started with Allen Fitzsimmons. He became obsessed with our family, especially after discovering our connection to Dolly. He threatened us, demanded information about her potions and the portal.”

“Did he know about Dolly’s true form?” Daphne asked, thinking of the wise witch who now resided in a cat’s body.

Lucas shook his head. “Not exactly, but he knew enough to be dangerous.”

“Is that why you left? To protect us? And the ‘us’ back in the other dimension?” Daphne’s voice trembled as she imagined Lucas taking on the burden of their family’s secret alone.

“Partly,” he admitted, his gaze locked with hers. “But I also hoped that by leaving, I could find a way to stop Allen before he caused any more harm.” His hands clenched into fists, revealing the lingering frustration deep within him.

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