Autumn Storm (The Witchling #2)(2)

Her head hurt too much.

The driver dropped them off at the front, and the screen door opened. Autumn eased out of the passenger seat and waited for her luggage. A pretty woman with bright blue eyes and a long, loose skirt stepped onto the porch.

“Welcome!” she exclaimed. “Thanks, Jimmy!”

“My pleasure, Amber.”

Autumn studied Amber’s familiar features. Amber trotted down the stairs, her steps tinkling from the bells on her anklets. Her gazed skimmed over all of them, and Autumn was disappointed that the woman didn’t show any sign of recognizing her. Amber took one of Jenna’s suitcases.

“C’mon, girls!” she said with a grunt. “We’ll sit down and talk for a few minutes before I show you to your rooms.”

Autumn waited until Tanya and Jenna had hauled their luggage up the stairs. They disappeared inside the house. Embarrassed by her weakness, Autumn lifted the suitcase onto the first stair, rested it there, then used her cane to help her climb the step. One of her legs was in a brace, though not for much longer. She’d been weaning herself off it.

The breeze flicked her hair in front of her face. She pushed it away and lifted the suitcase to the next stair. The air pushed her hair in front of her eyes again. Exasperated, Autumn leaned over to pull a hat from the pocket at the front of her suitcase. She tugged the knit cap over her hair to keep it in place.

“You look like you could use a hand.”

She glanced up at the amused voice, her eyes lingering on the most beautiful teal eyes she’d ever seen. The teen before her was tall, his dark hair and strong features making his eyes glow. He wore jeans and a long-sleeve t-shirt that displayed a strong body. He flashed a wide smile as she gazed at him.

“I’ll get it,” he said and trotted a few steps down to grab her luggage. He lifted it with ease, turned and walked into the house.

Autumn stared after him. It wasn’t the fact he was hot, or the flirtatious smile that left her feeling as if she’d just met her favorite movie star. It was his strange aura, an odd warmth that brushed her skin and calmed her. She shook her head to clear it and made her way up the stairs.

When she reached the top, he stood with the door held open.

“Welcome to uh, here. Don’t worry, it’ll all make sense soon,” he said.

She raised an eyebrow at him. He motioned her inside. The inside of the main house was welcoming. Autumn lingered in the foyer. The large room to the left held a dining table and the open area to her right was filled with comfortable leather furniture and a ginormous television playing some crime show quietly. At the top of the stairwell was her room and her worn, wooden jewelry box.

Except she didn’t own a jewelry box.

For the first time since arriving to the small town, Autumn became uneasy. She moved to the foot of the stairwell. She remembered this place, but it wasn’t among the places she recalled from before her family died. She was here sometime recently, before her accident. When?

“Actually, I think they went down the hallway,” the teen said, pointing. “Amber does an orientation class for new students.” He waved for her to follow. “C’mon. I’ll show you.”

Autumn went. His strange aura draped over her, easing her distress once more.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Autumn,” she replied.

He grimaced, and a shadow crossed his features. “Not a fan of naming people after seasons.”

“What?” she asked, giving him a quizzical look.

“Sorry. Gives me flashbacks,” he tried to joke. “You know, walking across minefields or whatever …” His eyes went to her cane, and a flush reached his face. “Ah. Sorry.”

“No worries.”

“Beck!” Amber poked her head around a corner. “No!”

“Omigod, like I’m a dog,” the teen said, rolling his eyes.

“You are in the doghouse.”

Autumn giggled, unable to help it. Amber’s tone was too sweet and cheerful for her to scold anyone effectively. She sounded like she was cheerleading, not disciplining the tall teen.

“Fine. I’ll go back to the couch,” Beck said, winking at Autumn. “Welcome, Autumn.”

“Thanks,” she murmured.

His calming aura left her, and tension crept between her shoulders again. Amber motioned her forward.

“Beck likes blonds,” Amber explained. “And we have a new, very strict no fraternization policy. Of course, being male, he doesn’t listen well.”

Beck. He was almost familiar, though not as much as Amber.

Autumn took the seat Amber pointed out. The desks were arranged in a circle, with most of them empty. Jenna and Tanya were reading on iPads. A third iPad was at the desk in front of Autumn.

“We started a new orientation program recently, so I’ll apologize if I don’t follow the syllabus exactly,” Amber said. “The other coordinator here, Matilda, is definitely a bit better about structure.”

The way she said the last word made Autumn hide a smile.

“There’s a folder labeled Orientation on …”

Autumn half-listened as Amber walked them through the contents of the folder. When she fell silent to let them read the first few pages of the first document, Autumn skimmed with interest. The introduction pages described the school as one for students with a special talent: the ability to communicate with one of the five elements and channel its power.