Bedroom Hymns

Chapter 1: State of Grace

Kate Sable met Veronica Frost in the second grade. Kate's only friend in the world was her cousin Jess who was in a different class that year. She was never good at socializing with other children. She was chronically shy and wanted to retreat into herself like a turtle anytime she was called in class.

Veronica did not have the same problem. The other girl was fearless in a way Kate could only dream of ever being. Kate didn't know why but Veronica chose to be her friend as if one glance was enough to determine who was worthy or not of her time. Kate didn't have to understand. She was just happy she made a friend.

What no one ever told Kate was that friendship was a fragile creature that died at the drop of a hat. It was a baby bird with paper skin and glass bones that could not survive in the wild. Jess's enduring loyalty had misguided Kate into thinking she could keep Veronica as a friend for life. It was a sweet, naive delusion.

Ever since their friendship withered and died upon arrival at St. Joan's School for Exceptional Ladies, they had passed by each other like ghosts through the hallways as if they had never known each other at all. It had saddened her for a time to so easily lose someone she'd known since she was a small child. That sadness eventually turned into indifference and Veronica became one of many forgettable faces Kate might forget over time. There was one little thing that tied them together no matter how both of them tried to ignore it.

Theo.

Veronica's older brother was handsome, intelligent, and practically overflowing with the promise of a blindingly radiant future. He never once looked at Kate. He never once mentioned the similar birth mark they had on their left wrists. He didn't care for the pink curve that formed two halves of a circle.

Veronica had been delighted when she saw the mark on Kate, realizing from a young age what it meant. Soul mates were rare even for witches. It was an ancient magic from a time when spells had no names and they prayed for mercy from old gods. The connection was so special that it was said that it could even conquer death.

Kate's family didn't fill her head with fanciful stories about meeting her soul mate and having that perfect love that only existed in movies. Kate had seen how quickly everything could go wrong. Even at the age of eight, Kate was pragmatic. Being a child of divorce, her rose–colored glasses were snatched from her earlier than she would have wanted.

"We'll be sisters. We'll be family," Veronica gushed. "You'll marry Teddy and we'll all be together forever."

"I've never talked to Teddy," she replied. "What if he doesn't like me?"

She had seen Teddy around their school. He was three years older than them and surrounded by people. He was popular and excelled in school. Girls had crushes on him because why wouldn't they?

Boys like Teddy didn't look at girls like Kate even if she was his soul mate.

Veronica looked at Kate like that was the silliest thing she had ever said. "Of course he's going to like you."

"But he doesn't know me."

"You're his soul mate. He's going to love you."

The concept of romantic love was still a foggy one for her to comprehend. She knew she loved her Mom and her grandparents. She knew they loved her. Romantic love was a different beast she did not want to try and tame for a long, long time.

"What if he doesn't?" Kate questioned, wanting to continue pushing the subject. "What if I love him and he doesn't love me?"

Veronica's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to even understand the possibilities. "Then, he'd be a stupid boy and I'll never talk to him again."

Her friend's absurd declaration made Kate smile. She had no interest in Teddy. She just wanted Veronica as her friend.

"Can we still be sisters even if I don't marry Teddy?"

Veronica nodded, eagerly. There was no other future in her world that existed.

"I promise," Veronica declared. She held up her hand and they hooked pinky fingers. "Sisters."

Kate smiled. She felt like she was filled with sunshine.

"Sisters."

***

*13 Years Later*

Kate Sable walked briskly through the campus of Nimue University after a long day of classes. Midterms were rearing its ugly head as autumn came to take away the stifling heat of summer. Kate used to like autumn preferring it over the cruel bite of winter. Time and experience had made her weary of finding beauty in dying things and autumn was a season of slow decay.

Kate tried to walk faster, wanting to get to the dorms with some feeling left in her limbs. She couldn't afford frostbite. She needed her hands to play the viola. And what would she do with her life if she couldn't play music?

She was practically sprinting as she went through the nearly empty campus. She was so focused on her destination that she collided with someone. The impact made her yelp and dropped her viola case which made her panic even more. If her viola broke before the midterms, she wouldn't be able to get it repaired or replaced in time.

She knelt down and opened the case to check if her instrument was still whole and she was relieved to see it unharmed.

"I'm fine, Katie," a familiar voice quipped. "Thank you for asking."

Kate closed her eyes for a moment, knowing trouble was coming. Trouble was Veronica Frost's middle name after all. She hoped this was just a coincidence. She closed the viola case and got to her feet.

Veronica brushed off dirt from her pitch black coat and met her gaze with those unnervingly blue eyes of hers. Kate had envied those eyes growing up. They were blue as the Mediterranean Sea and intimidating when they were focused on her. It was a Frost family trait passed down from generation to generation.

Kate gave the other girl a polite smile, trying to regain equilibrium. "Hello, Veronica. Sorry about that. I was distracted."

Veronica c****d a dark eyebrow at her. "I can see that."

There was no point sticking around and tempting the universe for trouble. Kate had learned the lesson too many times for her comfort.

"Well, it was nice seeing you," Kate told her, turning away to freedom. "Excuse me. I have to go now."

Veronica caught her arm before she could get far. The grip was firm and unrelenting. She couldn't shake off Veronica without risking dropping her viola again. Veronica's grip was almost painful.

Veronica's tone was too affable in comparison to her iron grip. "Hold on. We're not done, Katie."

Kate knew it. This was no coincidence. Kate had not had a real conversation with Veronica for nearly two years and this run-in was because her former best friend wanted something. Using her childhood nickname was all part of Veronica's tactic.

"I haven't seen you in so long," Veronica continued. "How have you been?"

This was Veronica's version of friendly. Raised in a family that was a political dynasty in the magical world, she evaded giving any concrete answers on why she was talking to Kate out of the blue. She had always been very good at deflection. She could fill the silence with questions about classes and hobbies and everything in–between.

"I'm fine," Kate replied, civil but uninterested. "And how are you?"

Kate tried to be patient, knowing even after all this time that Veronica had always been a waiting game. If she were to let them fall into the habit of reminiscing about old stories from their shared past, they would be standing in the cold for hours. There was no erasing six years of friendship that easily.

"I've been better."

It was a surprisingly honest answer.

Veronica liked to keep her emotions closer to her chest. It was another family trait. There were onions with fewer layers than a Frost. Kate had foolishly thought it was a worthwhile endeavor to unravel them rather than exhausting.

Kate was exhausted dealing with the Frost family and she never wanted to talk to one for as long as she lived. She could ask more questions about Veronica's life and let Veronica open up to her like a familiar old paperback but she was not in the mood.

The quicker she could escape this conversation, the better it would be for her. The last time she got entangled with this family and all their messes had led to the worst time in her life.

It had topped even having a dead Mom and that had been at the top of her list of crappy things for the longest time.

Kate shook off Veronica's grip on her arm and managed to keep her hold on the viola case.

"Listen, Veronica, I'm cold and I have things to do so let's cut to the chase," she said, tersely."I know you're up to something. What do you want?"

Veronica batted her blue eyes like an innocent lamb. "Who says I want anything, Katie?"

"Don't call me that," Kate replied with more bite in her tone this time. "You always want something."

"Or maybe I just missed my best friend."

Kate scoffed. "Meredith is your best friend."

"She is. And you're my best friend, too."

She couldn't stifle the disbelieving laugh that escaped her. This was too much pandering even for Veronica.

"We haven't been friends since we were fourteen."

Veronica frowned, knowing there was no denying the fact. Not talking to someone for four years was not typical in a friendship between teenagers. Their days of planning out their lives at Nimue University where they would be roommates and experiencing college life together was a lifetime ago. Their friendship had died long before either of them had set foot in Salem, Massachusetts.

Kate could picture Veronica's mind trying to spin this conversation towards her own agenda. She always thought Veronica would've made a better successor to her father's political career than her brother.

Theo hadn't had the same Machiavellian edge the Frosts were known to have. She had adored him for it.

Thoughts of Theo made an old ache in Kate's chest twinge. The scar tissue around her heart hadn't calcified over time even with all her efforts.

"Veronica," Kate said. "I know you too well to fall for your tricks."

The other girl let out an annoyed sigh. It was the closest thing to waving a white flag for Veronica.

"I need a favor," she explained. "It's an important one."

"What is the favor for?"

There was a pause. It felt like they were both holding their breaths. Kate was expecting the ulterior motive. Veronica never really changed. It was almost comforting.

"I'm going to bring my brother back," Veronica declared like a gunshot. "And I need your help."