On the day of their first official lesson, Emma rode the bus to July’s house straight from school. While on the bus, she stared wide-eyed at a woman a few rows ahead of her, who was wearing a black bolero hat and carrying a gray rat in both hands. A witch! Emma had heard there were more witches in Albany than Hanover. She wasn’t sure at first, but when she looked closely, she saw that the rat—not the woman—had an aura, an orangeish-yellow one. An immortal! Was this dangerous? Should she tell July or Miss Desavi? She wanted to go over and greet them. Hi, I’m a magic thing, too! But before she could decide whether or not to do so, the woman exited the bus. Emma tried hard to memorize what she looked like.

When the bus came to her stop, Emma was the first one off, and she found July there waiting, looking every bit as fancy as she had last time.

“How was the trip?” July asked.

“Good. I saw a witch!”

“Did you? How do you know?”

“She had a Familiar. I think. It was a rat.” Her tutor led the way down the sidewalk toward her house, and Emma followed, stamping on dried leaves whenever she came across them. “I thought it would be a black cat.”

“Familiars come in lots of shapes and sizes: cats. Rats.”

“Bats?” Emma suggested, and July nodded.

“Sometimes. It usually depends on the witch’s personality. Or the Familiar’s. Did the rat have an aura?”

“Yeah, but the lady didn’t.” She frowned, afraid she might have guessed wrong. “Does that mean she wasn’t a witch?”

“No, it sounds like she was. Witches are still mortal, so they don’t have auras of their own.” They came to a narrow two-story house painted a light blue-gray, and July led her up the walkway. Emma didn’t notice the line of little white rocks by the sidewalk until she stumbled over it, creating a gap.

“Oh. Sorry. What—”

“Careful,” July said sharply, gesturing for her to step back. She obeyed silently and watched her tutor kneel on the ground, visibly rigid, to rearrange the rocks back into a solid barrier. When she was satisfied, she got back to her feet and glanced at Emma, who was now staring down at her own sneakers, no longer as cheerful and talkative as before.

“Sorry,” she mumbled again, frustrated with herself for messing up so early on in the lesson. Frustrated but not surprised.

“It was an accident. No harm done.” When she chanced a look at July, her expression had softened. “This is actually one of my home security systems.”

“The rocks?” Emma asked, confused.

“Yes. It’s salt. There are lots of immortals who can’t or won’t go near it. Some avoid it because it hurts them. Others physically can’t cross a solid line of salt. It’s a natural purifier, so it repels negative energy. Or so I hear.”

As she followed July up the steps and into the house, Emma mused, “Their food must be so bad.”

“What?” July asked, shutting and locking the door behind them.

“The immortals who don’t like salt. If they can’t go near it, then they definitely can’t eat it. So the food they make is probably gross.” Maybe they only ate desserts? She could live with that.

“I hadn’t thought about that,” July admitted. As she knelt to take off her boots, she added, “Could you take your shoes off, please?”

“Okay.” Emma distractedly toed her shoes off while still trying to take in as much of July’s house as possible. It was smaller than her family’s new house, but everything inside seemed a lot fancier somehow. There was a couch faced away from the front door and two armchairs across from it. It was all swirly and antique-y, very detailed and expensive-looking. The house also smelled faintly of peppermint, though not as much as July herself. As she slipped off her second shoe and looked up again, she saw a gray cat with orange eyes standing in the hallway, watching her. But right as Emma noticed it, it wandered up the stairs and out of sight.

“Don’t worry, she’ll come back out once we’ve settled in,” July assured her. She nodded toward the next room, and Emma followed her lead into the kitchen. It was surprisingly modern compared to the rest of what she’d seen. On the right, there was an attached dining room, including an appropriately antique-looking table with matching chairs. On the wall beyond the table, there stood two ornate china cabinets, one full of carefully-arranged porcelain tea sets, the other displaying a collection of small, hand-labeled tins.

July left her side and went into the kitchen to take a steaming kettle off the stove, so Emma turned her attention in that direction instead. A silver tray on the island held a tea set that was glazed powder blue with silver lining the top and bottom edges. She came closer for a better look but was sure not to touch anything. That was one of the instructions her parents had given her in preparation for this meeting.

“So,” her tutor began, bustling around the kitchen, probably making tea, “how much of my guide did you get through?”

Emma blanched at the thought of the very large, very imposing booklet July had given her on their first meeting, the one that was currently in her backpack and weighing it down significantly. A Seer’s Guide to Immortals, the cover read, and then, July Morgan. She knew she was supposed to be reading it over the past couple of weeks, and she really had tried—but it was just so boring. She normally liked reading about magic stuff, but this was more like a textbook than a story, and she could barely get through a single paragraph without completely zoning out.

“Uh, some,” she mumbled noncommittally, eyes trained on the shining countertop.

“That’s not a very convincing answer,” July pointed out, and Emma shrank even further.

“Sorry. I tried. I’m just not a fast reader.”

“You did mention that before.” After taking a moment to set a timer by the stove, she came back to the island to fold her hands on the counter in front of her. “Maybe I should’ve realized that having you study on your own wouldn’t be the most effective way of teaching you.”

“Sorry,” Emma repeated quietly, afraid July might just give up on her if she couldn’t get her act together and be a better student.

“It’s all right. Everyone has their own methods of learning; what works best for me won’t necessarily be best for you. Since these lessons are for your benefit, I want to tailor them to your needs.”

Oh. It made sense when she explained it like that, but it was still a surprisingly generous thing to hear from a teacher. Maybe it was easier since it was just the two of them. Maybe one-on-one lessons like this were what Emma needed for school too.

“So,” July continued, “do you have any ideas of what would help you? What’s the best way for you to remember things?”

“I dunno. I guess talking about it is better than just listening or reading,” Emma answered tentatively.

“I’ll keep that in mind, then. For now, why don’t we start with the basics?” When the timer started to beep, her tutor turned it off and continued her tea-making process, all of which was fascinating to Emma, who had only ever seen tea made in a microwaved mug. While she was pouring hot water into two of the little blue teacups, then dumping it back out into the sink, July asked, “Did you get to the part of the guide that explains why Seers exist?”

“Yeah.” Only slightly distracted, Emma shrugged out of her backpack and wriggled the guide out to lay it on the counter and turn to the Where Do Seers Come From? section. “It sounds like it happens because we had an immortal somewhere way back in our family. Right?”

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“That’s the simplest way of putting it, yes. You and I both have a relative somewhere in the past who was a magical being of some kind.” Now that everything was set up, July carried the tea service over to the dining room table, gesturing for Emma to follow. “At least that’s what I’ve gathered from my conversations with Valen on the subject.”

“But doesn’t that mean we’re part-immortal?” Emma asked as she seated herself at the table, curling her legs up underneath her.

“No,” her tutor said quickly, frowning. It seemed she spent more time frowning than smiling in general. “Seers are mortal and completely human. That’s the reason we don’t have auras ourselves. The relative in question might have been fifty or a hundred generations back. Not enough to make you anything other than human, just enough to pass on a hint of their magic.”

“Does that mean my parents are magic, too?”

“It means at least one of them has magic ancestry, yes. But it’s dormant in them. You’re the unlucky one who has to deal with its active effects.”

“But…” Emma fidgeted absently, her eyes lingering on July’s hands as she poured each of them a cup of tea. “It’s not my fault or anything, right?”

“No, of course not. What would make you think that?”

“My parents think so. I think. They really don’t like any of this. They’d probably get mad if you told them we have magic blood.” She was still dealing with her own conflict of excitement and nerves about the whole thing, but either way, she found her new circumstances fascinating. Her parents disagreed and preferred not to talk about it.

“Well, it’s true whether they like it or not,” July said plainly, sitting up straight to sip her tea, and Emma suppressed a guilty smile. She couldn’t argue with her parents directly, but she liked the idea that her tutor was willing to. “Maybe they should be hearing this too so they can understand your situation.”

“Maybe.” That seemed unlikely to happen, though, considering unenthused they were on the subject. Not to mention, they didn’t seem to like July a whole lot. Resting her elbows on the table, she blew steam away from her cup and noted, “The book says why we’re like this, but it doesn’t say why immortals are after us. Like, why us especially?”

“That’s because the reasons are hard to state objectively.” July’s frown wasn’t easing in the slightest. “It depends on which of them you ask. I’ve met a few—very few—who were just interested in toying with me. They’re not hostile at first, but they get that way if you don’t cooperate. Unfortunately, most of them are after the same thing.”

“The soul thing?” Emma asked, absently grabbing a sugar cube from a bowl on the tray, then dissolving it in her tea with a tiny spoon. “Are ours special somehow?”

“The magic in our blood makes them more valuable, presumably.” Her tutor shrugged, somewhere between disgust and resignation. “I do think part of it is about the chase and proving they have power over us. Beyond that…it’s my understanding that Seers’ souls taste better than others.”

—

For several seconds, Emma was silent and very still, staring down at her teacup. When she finally spoke, her voice was weak. “Taste?”

“Yes.” July’s tone was firm and even. Although she didn’t relish talking about this and didn’t want to scare Emma, ignoring the subject certainly wouldn’t do any good. “Many of the immortals who want our souls plan to eat them. Demons especially. Seer souls are more satisfying than those of average mortals—or so I’ve been told.”

“By who?”

“By whom. The first time, it was a demon named Belias, one of the first to approach me repeatedly. I met him while I was in college.” She took another sip of Irish breakfast tea, watching as her student dissolved a second cube of sugar into her own cup. Is she actually planning to drink that, or is she just playing with it? “He was also the first one to try to use my interests as bargaining chips.”

“What do you mean?”

“He realized how much I enjoy literature and tried offering me access to things I wouldn’t be able to get for myself: limited edition texts and restricted access libraries, that sort of thing.”

“A library? For your soul?” Emma asked, eyes narrowed, and July smiled back.

“I’m glad you see how ridiculous that is. He gave up when he realized I was more stubborn than he was.”

“If that’s the kind of stuff they offer, why is everybody so worried? I can just say no to that.”

As quickly as it had appeared, July’s smile faded. “It’s easy to think that, but some of them are cleverer than you might expect. They could offer something you’ve always wanted or something you really need at the moment. If they think you have any weakness, they’ll inevitably use it against you.”

“But still, if I know what they’re asking for—like, I’m not dumb,” Emma insisted. “I can tell that’s not a fair trade.”

“And it’s good for you to be aware of that. But sometimes it isn’t enough simply to be aware. It is important, which is the reason for these lessons, but if you’re dealing with an immortal who has magic that can affect your reasoning, your common sense may not work as well as you think.”

She frowned deeply. “I don’t think I get it.”

“Some immortals can do more than talk to you and make offers. Some of them can use magic to affect your thinking and persuade you to agree with them,” July explained as her cat, Sophi, wandered in from the living room to rub against her legs. Considering this was an important topic, she didn’t look away from Emma as she continued, “That’s why Valen is keeping them away from us for now.”

The poor girl’s green eyes had gone wide and nervous, and she was starting to fidget, tangling her fingers into her own thick curls. “But. What am I supposed to do about that? If they can mess with how I think…”

“You can keep your guard up when they’re around, and you’ll build up a resistance over time. That’s all you need: time and experience. And until you have that, Valen and I are both here to look out for you.” Despite July’s efforts, Emma didn’t seem comforted by her assurance. She drew away from the table and curled up tightly in her chair. The severity of the situation and the danger she was in must not have hit her until this moment. Trying to be as gentle as possible, July leaned down in an effort to catch her eye. “What are you thinking?”

When Emma finally managed, with some difficulty, to speak, her voice was pinched with tears. “I’m scared.”

“I’m sorry. Believe me, I know it’s a terrifying position to be in. But you’re not dealing with it alone. Here.” Hoping to take this conversation in a more proactive direction, July got up to retrieve the guide Emma had left on the counter, then came back to sit next to her at the table. “Let’s talk about how to recognize them so you can tell what you’re dealing with. If you know what to expect, you’ll know how to combat it.” Another few seconds of silence.

“Okay.” Emma nodded, peering over her folded knees while July flipped through to the Introduction to Immortals chapter.

“You already know immortals have auras. You’ll start to recognize other details about them as you refine your Sight, but you can learn a lot just from the color and strength of their auras. Do you remember what your teacher’s looked like?” she asked, and Emma nodded again. “Compare it to Valen’s. Was it anywhere near as bold or defined?”

“No. It was dim at first, but I think that was just because I couldn’t see it very well. It got a little clearer after a couple of weeks, but it definitely wasn’t like hers.”

“Most of them won’t be. She’s pretty high up, as far as they go,” July explained. “It might be difficult to think of her as a god once you know her as a person, but I’ve heard it said enough times to discount the idea.”

Emma blinked. She frowned. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. “I only know about one god,” she mumbled finally, seeming almost embarrassed by the admission.

“Well, that’s what I’m here for. I’ll teach you about all the others in due time, I’m sure.”

“But I thought…” She paused, brows furrowed, somewhere between confusion and frustration. “I thought there only was one.”

July finally realized the issue here and took a slow, deep breath as she decided how to address it. “Well. I’m not sure that’s true.” Sophi sauntered over under the table to climb halfway into July’s lap and swat at her for attention, so July helped her up. “I haven’t met many others personally, but I think it’s safe to say that there’s no one religion that precludes all others.”

“Precludes?” Emma repeated, still frowning.

“Rules them out. I mean that one being true doesn’t make the others false. It very likely is true that there are no other gods exactly like the one you’re familiar with, but that doesn’t mean others of a different sort don’t exist.” Judging by the look on Emma’s face, she wasn’t doing a very good job of explaining.

“But.” She let out an irritated huff, chewing the inside of her cheek as she considered. “How do you know?”

“The thing is: I don’t,” July confessed. “But when it comes to immortals and magic, it’s dangerous to rule out any possibility. I’ve seen and heard some things that line up with Christianity’s stories—but I’ve also seen and heard things that support other versions. For example, I’ve met Cupid, who was a Greek god, and I’ve met plenty of jinn, who are part of Islamic theology. One being true doesn’t make the other a lie.”

“What’s ‘theology’?” her student asked, distracted.

“In this case, it refers to the theories of a particular religion,” July explained, pleased with the idea that she could include vocabulary lessons in among all the rest of what she had to teach. “All I’m saying is that it’s best to keep an open mind. Since this is about your safety, you need to know about everything that’s out there.”

“Hmm.” Emma finally reached for her teacup and took a sip, setting her feet back down on the floor. She blanched slightly and added a third sugar cube, considering in silence while she stirred it in. Then she took another sip and glanced at July bashfully. “I feel like I’m never gonna catch up to everything you know.”

“You will. We have plenty of time. How about this,” July started, sitting back in her chair and running a hand down Sophi’s back, “you can tell me what kind of immortals you’d like to talk about, and I’ll teach you everything I know about that subject. Then we’ll move on to the next interest you have, and so on, until you know as much as I do.”

“Okay,” her student agreed with a bright smile. “Um, how about Miss Desavi—er, Valen? Since we were talking about her?”

“That’s a good place to start,” July agreed, beckoning her closer to look at the information she’d compiled about her current ‘employer.’

This new plan seemed like a good one, especially if it made Emma more enthusiastic and less afraid. Maybe they could even request particular ‘guests’ from Valen in the future to correspond with their lessons. It was shocking how much she was starting to look forward to the time she would spend working with Emma. But really, it was a relief to finally have someone she could safely share her experiences with.