Courage of the Witch

by Deanna Chase

  “Hanna?” He frowned at her. “What happened?”

  “You passed out, baby. Now come on. I need you to swallow as much of this as possible.” She lifted his head and rested it on her leg, then she held the bottle up to his lips.

  He tried to sit up further, but her hand on his chest kept him mostly immobile.

  “I’ve got you. Just drink now.”

  He wrapped his hand around the bottle and tipped the container. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he dutifully swallowed the liquid.

  She ran her had through his hair and clutched at his arm. “Just relax, Rhys. Help is on the way.”

  He frowned, and this time when he moved, he did push himself up. His color had returned, but his breathing was shallow, and she feared the worst. Had he had a heart attack? If so, how bad was it? “What do you mean help is coming?” he asked her, his voice sounding a little stronger than before.

  “A medical chopper is on the way,” she said, returning his items to his backpack.

  His eyes locked on the champagne, and he grimaced as he rubbed at his chest again. “I honestly thought we’d be celebrating right now.”

  “We’ll celebrate later,” she promised.

  His eyes went to her hand and Hanna was painfully aware that she wasn’t wearing his ring.

  The ring.

  Where was it? She frantically scanned the ground. He’d been holding it when he’d fallen. Her throat got tight as she started to use her hands to search the dirt for the ring.

  “Hanna?”

  “I have to find it, Rhys.” The sound of chopper blades sounded in the distance. She glanced up and felt a rush of relief and gratitude. They’d know how to help him. And suddenly, even though it pained her that they might have lost the ring, it didn’t matter. All she cared about was making sure Rhys was okay. She reached out and grabbed his hand, holding on tight. “They’re almost here.”

  “Okay.” He leaned back against the rock they’d been standing on when he’d proposed and closed his eyes.

  Hanna stood and waved her arms toward the chopper, making sure the pilot saw them. And then the next thing she knew, the helicopter was hovering above them and they lowered a paramedic down to the lookout.

  “He’s right there,” Hanna pointed to Rhys. He was still propped against the rock, but his eyes were open, and he was trying to get to his feet.

  “Hold on there, buddy,” he said to Rhys. “Let me take some vitals first.”

  “I’m okay,” Rhys said. “I think I just passed out. Maybe it was the altitude.”

  “He was clutching at his heart,” Hanna said, her insides still jumpy at the memory of him falling off the rock into the dirt.

  “All right.” The paramedic took his vitals and seemed satisfied as he pulled Rhys to his feet. “The heart isn’t anything to mess with. We need to get you in and looked at. Are you okay with letting us haul you to the chopper?”

  Rhys glanced at Hanna. “Can she come with us?”

  “Hell yes, I’m coming,” she insisted.

  “Sure. We can take you both, but we need you to go up one at a time. Mr. Silver first.”

  Hanna watched as they hauled Rhys up with a harness and a cable. When it was her turn, the paramedic tried to soothe her and make sure she wasn’t going to freak out.

  “I’m fine,” she said firmly. “I recently jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. This is nothing.”

  The paramedic gave her an approving nod. “Okay then.” He gave his crew a thumbs-up, and the cable started to haul her up to the chopper. Just as she was lifted off the ground, she spotted the rose gold piece of jewelry.

  “Oh my god! There it is.” She pointed and said, “My ring. It’s right there to the left of your foot. Please, it’s my engagement ring.”

  The paramedic frowned as he scanned the ground. “I don’t—”

  “Two steps to your left, right by the boulder! It’s right there!” Frustration seized her, and she wanted to strike out at something, anything. How could he not see it? The cable kept pulling her up, and she was certain the ring would be lost forever. But then the paramedic bent down, brushed away a section of the dirt, and closed his fingers over something. She just prayed it was the beautiful rose-gold treasure Rhys had tried to give her. If she got it back, she intended to put it on her finger and never take it off.

  “Welcome aboard,” one of the flight crew said as they maneuvered her into the chopper. Once she was free of the harness and cable, he handed her a headset.

  “Thanks,” she said, already scanning for Rhys as she put the headset on. She spotted him lying on a table against the wall. He was already hooked up to a few machines that she didn’t understand.

  “Sit over here,” the paramedic said, pointing to a bench. “As soon as we get Harvey in, we’re taking off.

  Hanna took her place against the wall and closed her eyes, trying to stave off the sudden emotions that were overwhelming her. She’d mostly held it together while waiting for the chopper, but now that the adrenaline was wearing off, she was in real danger of breaking down.

  Her phone that she’d shoved in her pocket vibrated against her leg. She pulled it out and noted a text from an unknown number. The chopper should be there. Have a safe trip to the hospital and good luck to you and your fiancé. You did great.

  That was it. The tears fell silently down her cheeks. She was so overwhelmed that she didn’t even notice Harvey had taken a seat next to her until he was pressing the rose-gold ring into her hand.

  She let out a little gasp, shoved the ring on her left hand, and then flung her arms around him. “Thank you!”

  He patted her awkwardly, and through her headset she heard him say, “You’re welcome.”

  She let go and turned to face Rhys and found him staring at her. She raised her left hand, pointed to the ring, and mouthed, yes.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Hanna?” Millie Silver ran into the waiting room of the hospital wearing dusty jeans and a dirt-stained T-shirt. Her dark hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, but wisps had come loose and now framed her pinched face.

  “Over here.” Hanna stood and strode over to Rhys’s mom.

  The woman grabbed Hanna and pulled her into a hug. When she pulled back, she grasped Hanna by the arms, holding on tightly as she asked, “How is he?”

  “I’m not sure. Stable, but other than that, they haven’t told me much. They wanted a relative.”

  “Right.” Millie let go of her and took a step back. She scanned Hanna, then her own body, and she grimaced. “I’m so sorry, dear. I was gardening when I got the call. I didn’t think to clean up.”

  Hanna glanced down at herself and almost laughed. She was covered in dirt too, but it had nothing to do with gardening. She’d soiled her outfit while sitting on the ground with Rhys and searching for the ring that was now safely on her finger. “This is from the hike, not you.” She squeezed Mrs. Silver’s hand. “But we do make a fine pair.”

  “We do.” She glanced over at the nurse’s station. “I’m going to go see if I can get an update. I’ll be right back.”

  Hanna stood there just watching her go. The wait before Millie had arrived had been pure torture. Since Hanna wasn’t immediate family, they’d been vague on Rhys’s condition, and it was eating her up inside. She just needed to know if he was going to be okay. Please, gods, let him be okay, she prayed.

  A doctor appeared and led Millie down the hall. When they disappeared from her view, Hanna slowly turned and made her way to the restroom. After using the facility, she stared at her disheveled reflection as she washed her hands. Dirt was smeared across her cheek, and her curls were windblown, no doubt from the helicopter ride. She was a total mess.

  Her phone beeped, and Hanna scanned the message. It was Clay checking in. She tapped back, No news yet.

  His reply was instant. Abby’s on her way.

  She doesn’t have to do that, Hanna replied.

  Too late. Hang in there, Hanna. I’m sure he’
ll be all right. He’s far too crazy about you to give you up just yet.

  Guh. You’re making me cry.

  Sorry. Chin up.

  She shoved the phone back into her pocket, washed her face, and did her best to tame her wild mane. When she studied herself in the mirror a second time, she still thought she looked like a hot mess, but at least there wasn’t dirt on her nose. Sighing, she went back to the waiting room and sat down.

  “Miss Pelsh?” A nurse called. “Is there a Hanna Pelsh here?”

  Hanna popped up out of her chair. “Yes?”

  “Your fiancé is ready to see you now.”

  Rhys’s door opened, and he sat up straighter in the bed, anxious to see Hanna. But instead of his gorgeous fiancé, his mother barreled in.

  “Rhys,” his mother exclaimed as she rushed to his side. “Thank the heavens, the gods, and the angels, too. You scared the bejesus out of me.”

  “It wasn’t much fun for me either,” he said, opening his arms for her impatient hug.

  Millie Silver threw herself into his arms and nearly squeezed a lung right out of him with her fierce hold. “I was so scared.”

  “I know, Mom. But I’m here. And Hanna was a rock star. I went down, and the next thing I knew she had a chopper on the way.” He could still see her sweet face as she mouthed yes in the chopper.

  “Speaking of Hanna…” Millie Silver raised one eyebrow and gave her son a piercing stare. “She seems to be wearing quite the piece of jewelry on her left hand. Is there something I should know?”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, mom. I took her all the way up to Witchling Peak so she’d have a memorable day. Although, I have to admit, the medical drama was quite over the top.”

  “And?” She tapped her foot impatiently.

  “I asked her to marry me.” The words felt foreign on his lips, but they made him grin like a fool.

  “I imagine she said yes if she’s wearing your ring.” Millie put her hands on her hips and waited.

  “She did, Mom. But I also passed out and had to be flown to the hospital right in the middle of the proposal, so can we keep it under wraps until I see her again?”

  “Sure, of course.” She clapped her hands together and let out a tiny squeal.

  The door swung open again and the floor nurse walked in. She checked his vitals, turned a knob on one of the machines, and made a note in her chart. “How are you feeling, Mr. Silver?”

  “A thousand times better. When can I fly this coop?”

  The nurse gave him a patient smile. “The doctor wants to keep you for observation for a few more hours. She’ll be in soon to explain.”

  Rhys nodded and was about to ask if they could send Hanna in when Millie grabbed the nurse by the arm, and with no small amount of glee, she said, “Rhys’s fiancée is in the waiting room. Can someone bring her back here? She deserves to be here when the doctor arrives.”

  Fiancée. Rhys rolled the word around in his head and decided it was the best damned word in the entire dictionary. Hanna was his. Even after he’d made an ass of himself right after the proposal. “Mom, I said not to tell anyone yet.”

  She threw her hands up. “Hanna deserves to be here when you talk to your doctor! What part of that did you miss?”

  “I didn’t miss any of it. I just find it amusing you pulled that fiancée card out right after I told you to keep it under wraps.”

  The door swung open, and Hanna poked her head in the room. “Hey.”

  “Hey yourself, gorgeous,” he said, trying to ignore his heart flopping around in his chest. “Get in here.”

  She slipped into the room and then just stood there awkwardly as if she wasn’t sure where she was supposed to go.

  “Come here.” Rhys patted the bed. “I need to tell you something.”

  Her face went white with pure fear, and Rhys muttered a curse. “Sorry, didn’t mean to freak you out. I just wanted to tell you something. Something good.”

  Hanna walked over to the bed, and Rhys tugged her down as he made room for her to sit next to him. “What is it?” she asked.

  He took her left hand in his, eyed the engagement ring, and nearly choked up. But he swallowed thickly and said, “That ring looks really good on your finger. I was wondering what you’d think of a fall wedding?”

  She let out a startled bark of laughter. “That’s what you’re thinking about, sitting here in the hospital bed? When you’re going to get me down the aisle?”

  “Hmmm. I was also thinking we could have the ceremony at your dad’s vineyard. We could serve his wine instead of champagne and maybe the new ciders the brewery will be rolling out.”

  “You talked to my dad?” she asked, searching his eyes as if she wasn’t quite sure what to make of what he was saying.

  “Sure.” He pulled her in closer until her head was resting on his shoulder. “Yesterday. I asked him for his blessing.”

  She tensed slightly as she sucked in a breath of air. “What did he say?”

  “He basically said he’d support whatever you decide and then wished me luck.” Rhys stroked her arm. “He was great. Your mom, on the other hand, she’s not so wild about the idea.”

  Hanna sighed heavily. “I don’t know what’s gotten in to her. I could’ve sworn that, up until recently, she was all for us getting together. I don’t know what changed. Remember when you came in to the café when she was trying to set me up with Chad?”

  “Sure. I saved you from a blind date you didn’t want to go on,” Rhys said.

  “Right. And she seemed so happy about it. I could’ve sworn she was dancing a jig in the back room. But then after our date, she just wigged out. I don’t get it.”

  Rhys pressed his lips to the top of her head and remembered something her dad said. “Your father thinks this all has something to do with Charlotte. He said she’s been having a hard time lately and it’s not really about you and me.”

  “I saw her at the cemetery the other day,” Millie said from across the room.

  Both Rhys and Hanna jerked their heads in her direction.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to eavesdrop.” Millie wrinkled her nose. “I think you guys might’ve forgotten that I’m here.”

  “I didn’t forget, Mom,” Rhys said. “It’s fine.”

  “What was my mom doing at the cemetery?” Hanna asked, sitting up straighter. “She never goes there. It’s too hard.”

  “Purging, I think.” Millie sighed. “Rhys knows I go a couple of times a month. I like to keep Keith’s grave tidy,” she said, referring to her late husband. “This was the first time I’ve ever seen her there. She was pretty upset. Crying like one does when they are heavily grieving. I wasn’t sure if I should leave her alone or not, but I couldn’t let her suffer in pain like that, so I just went over and held her. I whispered a few of my own truths about the pain of loss, and after a while, she calmed down.”

  Hanna’s hand flew to her open mouth, and tears shone in her dark eyes. “My poor mom. I’ve never seen her like that before. Not even right after we lost Charlotte. She cried of course, but she never broke down like that.”

  “Maybe it was time,” Millie said. “I don’t have the details, and I wouldn’t talk about them even if I did because that’s not my story to tell, but I suggest you both give her the benefit of the doubt. We all know she loves Rhys. Whatever her reasons, I’m sure there is pain driving her actions right now.”

  “I wish I’d been there,” Hanna said.

  Rhys hugged her closer and realized he didn’t feel even an ounce of resentment toward Mary Pelsh. They’d all been through a lot, and he figured that eventually she’d come around. She’d loved him once before; she could get there again. “Maybe you should find some time to talk to her. Try to get her to open up about Charlotte.”

  “Maybe.”

  The door flung open, and the woman in question rushed in. “Rhys! Oh, my goodness. Are you okay, honey?”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “I’m all right, Mrs. Pelsh. I promi
se,” Rhys said, while Hanna stared at her mother. What was she doing there? Hanna had called her parents once they’d made it to the hospital, just so they knew she was okay before the rumors started swirling, but she hadn’t expected either of them to come to the hospital. She was perfectly fine.

  Mary ran over to the opposite side of the bed from Hanna and flung her arms around Rhys. “I’m so sorry. I thought I’d jinxed you with all of my morbid what-if talk.” She glanced up and met Millie’s eyes. “I was so scared for you, Mil. How are you holding up?”

  “I’m fine,” Millie Silver said kindly. “We’re just waiting for the doctor to give us an update.”

  Was she there for Millie? They had been friends for a very long time.

  Mary wiped away a tear and nodded. Then she turned to Rhys and took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry, honey. I was so mean yesterday. You didn’t deserve that.”

  Hanna’s heart nearly pounded right out of her chest. What had she said to him the day before? If it was anything like what her mother had said to her about Rhys, she was going to be livid. But Mary was apologizing at least.

  “Thank you for saying that,” he said, his voice a little rough as if he had a lump in his throat. Hanna squeezed his hand, silently sending him support as he added, “We’ve all said things we don’t mean. It’s all right. We can just forget it.”

  Mary glanced at Hanna. “Are you all right, honey?”

  “I am,” Hanna said softly. She studied her mother, wondering if she should tell her of their pending engagement. If Mary went off again about Rhys’s potential medical problems, Hanna would lose it on her. But she had shown up here and apologized to him. Not to mention the fact that Rhys said he’d already told her parents he was going to ask her to marry him. Her mother wasn’t stupid or clueless. She had to know Hanna would say yes. He was the only man she’d ever loved. After a moment, Hanna bit her bottom lip and held her left hand out. “Rhys asked me to marry him.”

  Mary’s eyes welled again, but she sucked in a halting breath and said, “He’s a lucky man to be getting my baby.” Her smiled trembled with emotion as she peered at Hanna’s hand. “That ring is gorgeous.” She leaned in, looked closer, and frowned. “But I think it might need to be cleaned.”