The car was still moving, and I took a second to glance at the two men in the front seat. If Adam hadn't told them to stop, they likely wouldn't.

Boldly, I grabbed one of Adam's hands with both of mine to get his attention and make contact. He was cold to the touch, and as I hoped, this contact made his gaze shift from the window to me. Ah, there was hurt in his eyes. See, I messed up. "I'm sorry." His hand tightened on mine, and I could feel my words fall out. "A lot has happened. There was a burglary attempt a few days ago. I managed to get the police over, but I became sick after." His hand tightened painfully, but I kept talking as if I hadn't noticed. "Mary has been staying at the house to make sure I get better. I'm fine, but she hasn't let me out of her sight. She took the satellite phone, and I haven't been able to call you. That kid back there," because we were truly away from the forest now, "He's someone Mary's family brought over to help her with the housework, hoping she'd slow down."

"Are you feeling okay now?" Adam's face looked worse than before, but his voice was warm. His hold on me loosened, and I mentally breathed a sigh of relief.

I would not allow miscommunication and misunderstandings to get in the way of our friendship. Luckily, my gambit worked.

I smiled, "I'm strong. Mary just worries a lot. She's going to stay over until Monday before leaving with Wyatt."

"Is he staying over for the sleepover he was talking about?"

I made a face, "Kinda. He will come back over with some of the other orphans at the church to do work later and get some food. If you don't count the study I cleared out, there are two empty rooms. They can stay there. Wyatt sold me on the idea kind of easily."

Adam lifted a brow, and his lips twisted in a barely passable smile, "You seem close."

Did we? I stopped myself from protesting. My initial annoyance with Wyatt could change as we work together. We might build an actual friendship. Or he may continue to annoy me. "He stole the affection of Nips." I was still sour about that. Why did the dog act like he didn't remember all our good times? "I could use the help on the homestead, however. I need to be completely sustainable in five years."

"Five years?"

I paused, realizing I hadn't ever told Adam that. I shared my planning and steps with him, but never the why. I couldn't give away the plot of the novel, but what kind of friend was I if I didn't inform him of some of what was to come? He may be a character in a novel, but this chilly hand felt too real to ignore.

"Everyone should prepare and plan. All it takes is a disease or world-shattering event to endanger people's lives. We should be able to provide for ourselves. I can't rely on anyone but myself, and I have to take care of Grandpa Evans." I alone had to keep the roof over our heads going while preparing for the end. I didn't say that to Adam.

As if he could hear the words I didn't say, Adam looked out the window in thought. "Wendy, you're not alone." His eyes turned to connect with mine, and I enjoyed his warm, liquid orbs. I could feel his support, and my throat tightened with emotion.

I quickly tried to shove the mushy feelings away and grinned back at him. See, this kid really is my best friend. Back at the Library it was mostly just my brother and myself. I never had the chance to meet other witches or connect with children my age. "I'm glad you're my first friend Adam. I'll support you, too."

"Friends." He seemed to ponder the word. "Friends have sleepovers, don't they?"

What. I blinked. Why did he suddenly sound like Wyatt? "Yes." I drew out my agreement nervously.

"Then when should I come over tonight?"

I blinked, all pretense of calm gone as my mouth flapped like a fish.

"You want to join?" Would Mary even allow that? I could feel my face scrunch in thought. "I'm not sure Mary would allow that."

"It's your home," Adam said rather bluntly.

Ohhh, Adam was right, but Mary was the adult sent over to care for me. If she saw something she didn't like, I wouldn't put it past her to just remove me and put Grandpa Evans in a home. I didn't want the old man to lose even more. He was puttering about quite happily before the robbery attempt. He'd likely do better once I got better and the house cleared out.

"How about when they leave?" Adam amended his words after I voiced all of that.

It was more than possible, and it felt absolutely wicked to do. We were kids, and sneaking around and testing boundaries were things kids did. Grandpa Evans wasn't a firm guardian; although Adam had been over before, he had never slept over. I nodded, excited at the idea of a sleepover together. "Okay."

A huge smile broke across his face, and I stared, stunned, as it swiftly disappeared. Why didn't this kid smile more? Without thinking, I reached forward to move his lips back into a smile. "It's a good thing you don't do that often. It's like a weapon. Though you really should, smiling brings happiness." I pulled away and showed a bright, cheeky grin of my own. I could hear a chuckle in his voice as he told his drivers to turn around.

"I'll come over when they leave. Can you get the phone back?" Adam asked me.

I gave an overly confident thumbs up. I could feel my heart pump at the thought of doing something mischievous. Was this why people turned to a life of crime? It was exciting and scary! I didn't need to ask Adam if he needed help navigating the forest. He knew his way pretty well after six months and some change. Before it started getting really cold, we explored all the best parts of the forest.

"Don't wear a suit," I said, finally plucking the courage to tell him.

Adam stared at me blankly, and I laughed at his confusion. "Kids shouldn't dress or act like adults; we're children. Wear something casual." I said matter of factly. Adam looked down at my jeans and nodded.

"Tell me more about that night," Adam said, changing the subject. His serious brown eyes locked with mine, and I winced.

I quickly broke down the whole experience with the intruders. I skimmed over the details that would reveal my powers and praised and thanked Adam again for the phone. It wasn't long before we arrived at the Unruly Forest, and I hugged Adam before running off.

To no surprise at all, Wyatt wasn't far from the entrance. He couldn't make his way back to the house. He lay on the ground sleeping, and I nudged him hard in the legs.

"Come on. We need to get back before Mary wakes up." I said.

He startled me with a jolt, and I gasped as he grabbed and pulled me down.

Wyatt held me under him, and I could see his blue eyes cloudy with sleep. He wasn't quite awake. What kind of kid is startled awake like this? His fingers wrapped around my neck, and the air in my chest was lost within seconds. Desperate, I head-butted him, and he jolted. I could see it in his eyes when he realized it was me, and he rolled off me.

"Sorry, just don't touch me when I'm asleep." The sunny boy from before was gone and replaced with a seriousness that startled me. He got off me, and I gasped for air.

"Noted." I managed to say; my lungs were burning. I could feel a spark of temper rise, but the look in his eyes stopped me. He looked like he was haunted by something. There was terror and fear in his eyes. Some of the books I've been reading for Grandpa Evans came to mind, and I thinned my lips in thought. Maybe while being an orphan, he's gone through some things. Or he became an orphan due to it. I didn't want to prod into his life, however. I just met the kid. I stamped out the inner fire inside me; lashing at him was unnecessary. "Let's get back before Mary wakes up. I can show you how."

I could see the surprise on Wyatt's face. He likely assumed I would question or flare up at him like before. I wanted to, but was it right to? It wasn't any of my business. His personal story was his. If we ever became really good friends, he could divulge. Until then, we all had secrets, and I didn't really want to know his.

I had enough on my plate.

We walked silently, which was slightly uncomfortable until we returned to the house. Mary was still asleep, and I smiled at her gently snoring body. I waved at Grandpa Evans and gave him a peck on his head and a half hug. I glowed happy when I saw his lips curve into a half smile.

Today really is a good day. I got a smile from two of my favorite people today!

I walked upstairs to the library and wasn't surprised when Wyatt joined me on the stairs. I assumed he was headed to the room he had been using, but instead, he followed me.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

I gave him a look when I tried to close the door on him, but he cheerfully slipped in.

"What do you want?" I hissed, closing the door. I didn't want to wake Mary, who needed to rest.

"Why didn't you ask me why I reacted like that?" The warmth disappeared in his eyes, but the smile remained firmly on his lips.

I stared into those eyes of his and wondered if they represented the real him. I didn't have many people for reference, but I had enough, given all the books I'd read. It was clear what trope of character he was. If Wyatt was all smiles and cheer on the surface, the real him was much more profound and dangerous.

I crossed my arms and pursed my lips at him. "It's not my business. Why should I ask when it's clear you have some kind of trauma."

"Trauma." He said the word as if he was digesting it. He spoke it again, playing with the word, and I could see I stroked a cord.

I sighed and moved to the shelf where some psych books were. I scanned the titles before finding one about childhood trauma. "Here," I said as I held it out to him.

He took it and lifted a brow, "You're not going to ask if I can read?"

It was common for parents to teach learning basics here since only kids twelve to fifteen went to public school. It was the only reason I wasn't in school yet. Private schools for more affluent and more bustling areas started much younger. Green's Mountain was a farming town, however. Kids, toddlers, and teens were needed at the farm, and having your kids work for you was much cheaper than hiring someone. So a lot didn't even go. Grandma Carol had been a teacher before she retired, so I grew up learning my letters early. Not everyone had that chance.

The town's orphanage was run by the church, so it was safe to assume that Wyatt had learned to read. So I shrugged at his question, "Are you looking for a fight? If you haven't learned, I can teach you." My tone was conversational as I grabbed a book and plopped on a lush loveseat.

I could feel his gaze as I turned pages and eventually felt the cushion dip as he joined me on the loveseat. I scowled at him, "I plan on changing my positions as I read, including stretching my legs on the couch."

Wyatt was smiling, and once again, false warmth deepened his gaze. Seeing it was good, but I still felt wary of the kid. Instead of giving me space, he leaned on me as he read, and I could feel my eye twitch. If I shoved him off and started a tussle, the noise could wake Mary. I felt like he knew this and was pushing me on purpose.

Two could play that game!

I dug my elbows into him as I got myself comfortable on the loveseat and started to read. Time passed, and eventually, Mary came up the stairs to find us. I ran to give her a hug. She had more color in her cheeks. I still felt bad for giving her tea to sleep. I was happy to see her regardless and happy to see her looking healthier.

She was warm as always and smelled like cookies. Mary stroked my head as she inspected me. The familiar question on her lips was, of course, "How are you feeling?"

"Good. You look better, too." I could have crafted my words to be more delicate, but I blurted it out in a rush. "I'm grateful for you looking out for me, Mary, but you have to take care of yourself." There was a softness in my eyes that I tried to will away. Mary was precious to Wendy and to myself. She genuinely cared about me, and that warmth was addictive to feel.

Mary's face bloomed into a smile, and we spent a moment hugging. "Let's bake something yummy for dinner together. "She squeezed my cheeks, and I squealed with joy. Sure, I had food in the space I could pull out, but nothing beats home-cooked goodies made with a loving touch.

It never ceased to surprise me that kitchen adventures with Mary were never quite what I expected them to be. What she meant by 'together' was me just sitting around tasting food for her. I tried to keep my expression neutral, but she could see I was crestfallen.

"Let me take care of you. I'm leaving Monday, but I'll be by often to check on you instead of you coming over. Give me this time to make sure you're okay." Mary said with a warm gaze.

See genuine affection and warmth. I'm not worthy. I smiled brightly once again, fighting any wetness. I love this woman. If only I could take her with me back to the real world...I could, couldn't I? It was possible to summon people. I know my grandma did it when she went on the hunt for lost knowledge. It was how she managed to get to the Library of Alexandria.

Once I left, I could bring her to me...but should I? While I was lost in hopeless thoughts, Mary bustled around in the kitchen, and I opened my mouth each time she brought forth something yummy to taste.

I forgot about Wyatt until he reappeared. He watched me, amused by something, and I scrunched my face at him. "You really do love food." He whispered. His breath touched my face, and I rolled my eyes and pushed him away.

"Go do something," I said. Instead of disappearing, he sat on the couch and talked to Grandpa Evans. There was some kind of countryside home decorator show going on, and Wyatt had a lot to say about it. The traitor Nips lounged in Wyatt's lap, begging for and simultaneously doling out affection.

The weekend passed in a blur, and although part of me was relieved to have complete anatomy of myself, I would miss having Mary over. Even the fungus Wyatt grew on me. He would start coming over with the two other town orphans, and I was eager to meet them. I was getting practically free help around the homestead. I was going to get a lot more done. I had to be careful, however. Several times during the weekend, I almost pulled things out of the space around Mary and Wyatt. I was too comfortable getting out what I needed at home. I can't drop my guard.

Bill came over to help grab Mary's things, and Wyatt helped him carry that and some of the medical equipment used for me. I sat with Nips, watching everyone trek through the forest to load the car. Only one of us was allowed to openly whine and cry during these procedures.

Finally, I walked with Mary and Wyatt to the car when it was done. You could hear Nip's cries through the forest. I glared at Wyatt, blaming him for charming my dog so thoroughly. As if he felt the heat of my stare, he turned and smiled at me cheerfully. Damn. There had been no further hint of darkness in his gaze, but I couldn't help but wonder if it would show itself again and when. He was an enigma, and while I was glad to have him over to help around the homestead, part of me wanted to take back the agreement.

I didn't, though, because I needed to keep training my powers. I could handle Wyatt so that I could better prepare myself. If the asshat brigade hadn't been dumbasses, there's no way I would have won that battle. I needed to become more powerful and capable, so I needed some downtime. I had five years to get everything prepared and ready.

Mary smothered me in hugs, and we parted. She promised to visit every other day this week to check on me further, and I smiled. I would get us back on schedule by visiting her two weeks from now.

I pulled Wyatt aside because a nagging worry was wriggling in my head. "Can the three of you get here?"

"When will you need us?" He answered my question with a question, and I barely refrained from replying with violence. What was it about Wyatt that made me want to shake him? All he had to do was smile to make my top blow off.

"If the three of you come over with Mary, that will be an easy way to get here, but what about after? Harvesting should be about three weeks from now, maybe sooner. You guys can stay over however long it takes." If things worked out, maybe longer, they would have to get the church's approval. "Would that get approved?"

"No problem." Something glinted in his eyes, and as much as I wanted to press, I could hear Bill shuffling as he waited on us.

"We have each other's number, so I'll call. Once Mary sees that I'm fine, we'll be able to have a more concrete schedule. I don't normally just stick around home, so we'll revisit this then."

Wyatt nodded and gave my hair a ruffling before getting into the car. I waved as I watched them exit, a strange feeling in my chest. I got the satellite phone back, but could I call Adam now? I didn't want to be left alone.

My head hung as I turned around and started the trek back home. "Wendy." That sounded like Adam? How strange, I turned around and was shocked to see it was. His car was so silent I didn't hear the giant beast creeping up on me. He was still in the car, but the window had been rolled down. My mouth hung open before spreading into a huge grin. I ran up to the car and leaned over.

"I was just thinking about you," I said, marveling at how quickly he showed up.

His lip quirked, and I continued to talk happily, wanting to see more amusement in his gaze. Like a torrent, I could not stop talking as I bombarded him with questions and words. "I have the phone back so I can call you and was wondering if I should. However, I don't know your schedule, and you seem busy. Are you in school? I assume you are, given how smart you are." And rich, but that wasn't polite to say, was it? "How did you get here so timely? Mary and Wyatt just left with Bill." I opened my mouth to catch my breath, but Adam tapped my face with a big brown envelope before I could say more. It was the size of a book, so I knew it was good stuff. Still, my eyes crossed as I tried to look at the words scrawled on it while it rested on my face.

"I'm glad you got the phone back. My schedule is busy since I am my father and uncle's heir. I don't go to school. Instead, I have private teachers and tutors; I know they just left. I saw them drive by." Adam said, answering my questions more effectively than I had asked them.

I grabbed the envelope and opened it as I listened to him talk. Private teachers? Is that how he gets his education? I think I underestimated how rich Adam is. Of course, if he was a double heir, it might need to be more balanced.

"Come in as you read." I stepped away from the door, and Adam opened it. I briefly looked at the two men seated at the front before settling beside Adam. A dark pane of glass came up to give us privacy, and the intrigue thickened! I opened the big envelope with glee.

"What is this?" I looked at the pile of paper in my hands. The rest of my questions died in my brain before they could be formed. Holy shit, this was the criminal record of the asshat brigade. I floundered as I quickly scanned and read through them all. I lacked literary powers, but I was still a fast reader.

It was what one expected from small-town petty thieves. Their crimes started from a young age and escalated as they grew older. They had a slap on the wrists each time, and because they had family that would bail them out and maybe oil up the system, they were freed each time except this time. My eyes grew wider as I read further and saw they were being sent away. Far away. Holy shit. My mind jumped to the conclusion that Adam made this happen. I mean, he just handed me the court paperwork on this mess. But he couldn't be that powerful, right? He was a kid. Just a rich kid.

I don't know what my expression looked like when I looked up to meet Adam's gaze. He looked unbothered and calm as always. It was as if he didn't just hand me something neither of us should touch or see. I nervously licked my lips, unsure how to feel, "There was a fifth man." I watched Adam's eyes and noted that they darkened with something? It was protective, for sure, and for entirely new reasons, I was glad he was my friend. "I think he was their leader, given how they communicated."

"You were out there with them?" He asked with zero emotion. I looked up to see his eyes; I shouldn't say yes.

I almost admitted right then that I had powers. Almost. Adam's tone and gaze seemed to invoke answers to come out of me, and I bit my lip to stop myself. "They claimed the forest was haunted and that they were being attacked. That was me. I did it to slow them down. I think it spooked their leader, and I know it scared them."

Adam's dark eyes were hypnotic as they connected with mine, and I could not pull away or keep silent. "Did you catch his name?"

I gestured to the mug shots and gave them a brief look as if I didn't already know. Ian, Lisa, and more. The only name and face I didn't see was Gavin. "His name was Gavin." I gave a brief description without prompting, as though I felt compelled to give it up. Adam's aura was too much! He was a mini-boss who was going to rock the business world. Well, he would have if it wasn't all going to shit in a few years.

"How were you able to do it? From the reports, it was like the forest was attacking them."

I broke away from Adam's powerful gaze, knowing I couldn't tell him. And yet, before I could stop myself, I whispered, "I'm a witch."