I see the bus we are going to catch coming to us. We get aboard of the bus. It feels like forever while we load everything up. I sigh deeply after we finally get to the point of sitting down.
"You know, that was some serious talent back there." Asphodel sounds like there is genuine praise in that statement.
"Thanks." I say as the warm fuzziness manages to be swallowed down so I don't end up crying. "Means a lot."
"Aww, look Annie, you'll always be talented." Asphodel says to me, almost certainly, to comfort the insecurity I feel deep in me.
"I know. Sometimes it's just hard to keep that on your own." I admit.
We manage to get to the downtown bus terminal in a matter of about an hour. The conversation we had seemed to help me feel more at ease. We take our stuff from the bus into the shelter that would be our way out into the next state. It has the tag for 'New York' on it, after all.
I know deep in my heart that things like this are a lot more discreet than back in the days a witch was public about their talents. Magic to the majority is either highly desired or deeply feared. I only hope Garth is safe. I can only imagine how it is eating at Asphodel.
"So, you must really miss him." I say.
We both approach a dark oak bench under the signage. We sit and lay our stuff at our feet. It's just now I can see Asphodel ready to open up a little about him.
"I am trying my best not to worry. I really am," Asphodel says. "He took a lot of good care of me during the war of the pink moon." She adds.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, see, Garth was my guardian when bringing you to your eater, auntie." She somewhat grins. "We used to be inseparable, even as kids." She adds.
"Oh, You guys were that close?" I ask.
"Yeah, he just got his license back during the war." Asphodel laughs.
The bus can be heard just up the block and so we pick up our stuff. The yellow sign above the driver's windshield is lit to display 'New York' as the destination. We really have lost track of time in this little of chatting. We board our bus and place our stuff in the overhead carry on.
"So, we've got a whole day roughly to burn." I sigh.
"We could have fun with the eaters on the bus." She laughs light hearted.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, me and Garth used to throw coins and stop them in front of people." She smiles so brightly, it's a shame she doesn't smile more often.
"Well, I guess this is gonna be a bit of a long ride. Why not try getting some sleep?" I ask.
"Personal bit of advice. Don't sleep on buses." Asphodel says.
"Why not?"
"A lot of these people we don't even know. Who is to say we aren't a lottery winner and have some creep trying to inject girls on buses?" She explains.
"You worry a lot."
"Comes with surviving a war, Annie." She says in a tone of disapproval.
"Why is that some kind of regular thing?" I ask.
"You really don't watch the news, do ya?" Asphodel answers the question with another.
"You first."
"Often enough. Now you." She points to me.
"No, I don't watch the news. Who even really pays attention to a TV anymore?" I ask.
"Fair point." She laughs.
She seems to be relaxed on the bus. You never would guess she feared travelling this way. However, she makes it apparent based on how she mentioned that you can't sleep on them. I think back to those guys.
"So, who were those guys following us?" I ask.
"Likely members of the Holy Magicians." She replies to me.
"Members to the Holy Magicians? What makes them holy?" I ask a couple of questions faster than Asphodel can reply to me.
"First, the Holy Magicians are the heads of the eaters. They are the ones who hunt witches to eat them for their own magical abilities." She sighs. "They aren't actually holy, they just deem themselves holy because they found a way to make magic theirs too." Asphodel adds.
"So, then they eat us to get magic?" I ask.
"That's why it's hard to do some forms of magic. It gives us away too easily. Witches live very differently than when I was a child." Asphodel says.
I feel a bump on the back of my seat. I sigh. I figure they are asleep and turning over. It's hard not to hit the seat in front of you, even consciously sitting.
"So witches weren't always feared?" I ask.
"Well, we were, but nothing stopped us, until the Holy Magicians. That's who we figure was after starting the war of the pink moon. I think they used us as a ritual back then. I can't say for sure." Asphodel explains.
"You two yak a lot for witches who are supposed to be lying low." A familiar male voice enters my ears.
Immediately, Asphodel spins in her seat to look over the back. I lean around mine at the same time. The bump on my seat wasn't just any person, it was Garth. My jaw drops. If it could, it would be rubbing the floor right about now.
"GARTH!" Asphodel squeals like a schoolgirl.
I didn't even think she could get this excited about something. I Stand up to let her out into the aisle of the bus. She shimmies out and slips into the seat behind her with Garth. I can't blame her. It's kind of sweet, that they have this kind of bond.
"So, wanna tell us where the hell you've been?" I shoot a glare into his eyes.
"Well, I didn't expect to come back to my car gone. Although I caught on to why. I caught a bus to go meet you guys. Didn't think that was actually you guys boarding, though. Also, what happened to the car?" Garth asks.
"I bottomed it out on the highway outside of Nashville here." I say. "It was that or get the car repossessed for driving without an actual license." I add.
"So my car is totalled?" Garth asks.
"We couldn't help it, Garth." Asphodel says.
Garth slumps into his seat as he groans. I am honestly just glad he's okay. It's better than what we thought, him being kidnapped. Maybe Asphodel is still a little stuck in the war.
"At least everyone's alright." I say.
"Right, I thought you got taken by some kind of witch hunters." Asphodel says.
"Me? Nah, never." He grins.
"Not funny Garth." Asphodel says, giving him a sharp jab with her elbow into his gut.
"Asphodel!" I laugh. "You two are impossible." I add.
We all are just relieved to see each other, I think. I can't imagine it being any other way. Having him back feels like it's back to the way things should be. Garth, I think, is in love with Asphodel and I find it obvious to her. Sometimes you just can't push these things, though. I suspect they'll end up married some day.
"So, does anyone want to try to explain what exactly our bloodline curse is?" I ask.
"Well, we are stuck in time for years every time we use magic, and other kinds now age us dramatically. As you seen with moms condition, she is not actually that old. And I am older than I look too." She explains.
"So it messes with our aging?" I ask.
"But it damages us too, because we have to adjust to how we end up. The curse I believe to have been designed by the Holy Magicians." Asphodel says.
"So mom's way younger, and you are really older. Am I not sixteen?" I ask.
"Well, you're just turning the age to have the impact begin." She explains.
"Ah, this. We are taking you to Europe, because one of your family out there will know where to find the person who laid the curse on you all." Garth adds to the conversation.
"It's almost like you guys known for years." I say.
"It's because we have." Asphodel says.
"It's part of why we relocated you as a child." Garth says.
"Mom's orders, I swear." Asphodel says.
"I understand already." I say.
I don't have to say too much. Nor do they. They hid me for the reason they think I would be the best chance at changing everything back. So they and our families, distant and future, can live a normal life.
"So what now?" Garth asks.
"We get to New York and busk for our tickets to Europe. Question is, where exactly?" I ask.
"Well, our family is mostly in Wales, so that is likely our best bet." Asphodel says.
The bus continues along the highway. Someone ahead of us is snoring as we head to New York. I look at the overhead and everything we have is still nestled safely. We know we are in for a long trip. I don't even want to think about our trip back home.