“At what cost?” Deacon asked with a frown. His purple eyes were narrowed on the orbs.
Of course the Devil knows there’s a cost. That almost made me smile.
“A choice.” Chutney took a deep breath. “Choose an orb, or we have to turn around and go home. And please, don’t make me explain what will happen if we refuse an orb.”
Tennessee nodded. He moved forward until he stood right beside Chutney. “What does each orb offer?”
“The blue grants us safe passage to the Garden of Eden and back out of the Old Lands. But once we step back into the world, memories will be stripped from each of us. There will be no warning, and no choosing which to give. They will just be gone.” She shuddered. “The green one severs our binding spell and nothing else.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Tegan
My heart sank. What a choice to make. The blue one would almost guarantee everyone returned home alive and well, but at the cost of memories. I thought back to all the books I’d ever read where memories were taken as tokens… All of the memories were significant ones. It wasn’t like giving up bad ones. Hell, it wasn’t like choosing what you could stand to lose. But the whole reason we did the binding spell was because of how easy it was to get lost.
“Okay.” Tennessee’s voice was calm and steady. He nodded then stepped forward and snatched the green orb out of the air.
I sighed with relief. If there had been a debate, I wasn’t sure how the outcome would’ve looked. I wanted everyone to survive the quest. Of course I did. But there was nothing in the world I’d ever sacrifice my memories for. It wasn’t about the magic or the powers. It was about the people. I’d only just gotten my mother, sister, and older brother. I didn’t want to lose them.
I refused to lose Tennessee.
“DUDE.”
“What the hell, man?”
“Tenn, you didn’t even ask us!”
Tennessee turned back to face us with his head held high, but his eyes were dark. “None of you know what it’s like to live without your memories. I do, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I would rather die than sacrifice my memories of you.”
His eyes met mine, and warmth spread through me faster than a wildfire. I held his stare and nodded. Me too, I said to only him. There was so much more I wanted to say, except there were too many eyes watching us.
Cooper pushed past me. He walked up to Tennessee and squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll just have to take extra good care of each other until we get home.”
The dragon dropped down to its belly.
“Okay, he says to climb on his back and he’ll fly us down.” Chutney bounced forward and stepped onto the dragon’s tail. He raised it up for her to slide into the spot right behind his head, between two massive spikes. “Come on. Load up.”
“Shotgun!” Willow yelled and sprinted forward. She used his tail to get on.
Royce sighed and walked up to the dragon, then glanced over his shoulder. “Hey, Superman and Supergirl, you two get the back.”
Tennessee shook his head and laughed. “Fine.”
Emersyn climbed on behind Royce, with Deacon and Cooper in line behind her. I walked up to the dragon then stepped onto his tail. I rode up then climbed into the small space behind Cooper, in between two spikes. It was a tight squeeze, but at least I’d be secure. I didn’t know what I expected a dragon’s back to feel like, but I was surprised to find it was a lot like riding a horse bareback. The spikes were cool to the touch and smooth like stones. Up close, his scales were soft like raw silk and the purest black I’d ever seen. There wasn’t even a hint of another color in there. If I could’ve bottled it, I would’ve painted my entire house with it.
In my peripheral vision, Tennessee rode the tail up and slid into the space behind me.
“Okay, hold on! We’re taking off now,” Chutney yelled from up front. “He says he flies uber fast, so don’t freak out.”
The dragon flapped its wings, and we rose into the air. It was at that moment I wondered how he was going to take off in such a small space. He flapped his wings over and over until we were at least twenty feet above ground, and then he shot straight up into the sky. I gasped. Willow screamed. The world passed by in a gray blur. In the flash of a second, we were soaring above the pine trees and cruising through the mountains.
Tennessee’s hands landed on my hips and pulled. My back slammed into his chest. I exhaled in surprise, but then his arms wrapped around my waist and all of my concerns disappeared. I smiled and sank into him, letting the heat of his body burn away all of my fears. The smell of freshly fallen rain filled my nose and I sighed.
His lips brushed against my ear. “I couldn’t risk losing you.”
Goose bumps spread across my body. My pulse skyrocketed. I licked my lips and looked up at our friends, but they were all white-knuckle gripping the dragon’s spikes so they weren’t paying any attention to us.
I smiled and grabbed his forearms, then squeezed. “Me either,” I whispered back.
He sighed then dropped his face to the crook of my neck and kissed my throat. I slid my hands into his and held on. The view beneath us was gorgeous and breathtaking. I meant to watch…but Tennessee had never held me like this before, like we were an actual couple. I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy the heat of his skin and the strength in his arms.
“Hold on! We’re landing!”
I groaned and squeezed Tennessee hard enough to leave a bruise. It was too soon, too fast. I needed more of this moment, of the peace it provided.
“Tegan, look,” Tennessee whispered in my ear.
At his urging, I opened my eyes. It may have been summer in the real world, but in the Old Lands, the mountainside was a sea of deep reds and oranges. The sky was a vibrant blue despite the heavy fog. The lower we dropped in between two mountains, the thicker the fog got.
“Wait, why is it daylight?” I asked.
Tennessee chuckled and it vibrated against my back. “I have no idea. I guess the Old Lands like sunshine better?”
Weird. I braced myself for my ears to pop, but it never came. As soon as the dragon landed, cold air brushed over my back. I frowned and looked around. Tennessee stood on the ground. He raised his left hand in the air, and his dagger flew out of his boot and into his open palm. He nodded then tucked it back in his shoe. He lifted his right hand and smiled up at us. I threw my leg over the dragon’s spine and slid down his scales until my boots hit the dirt with a thud. There was a soft whooshing sound, and then Tennessee’s sword was in his hand.
He shrugged. “Wasn’t sure if that would still work down here.”
I rolled my eyes and smiled. You and your tricks.
I distracted myself from the heat in his eyes by surveying the world around us. It was beautiful. The trees towered over us in all their colorful glory. I was half tempted to pluck a few red leaves to bring home, but I figured that was a horrible idea in the Old Lands so I stuck my hands in my jacket pockets to resist the urge. The grass below my feet was thick and soft, the perfect lawn for cloud gazing.
“Chutney, ask your dragon friend where we go from here,” Cooper said without turning around to look at either of them.
“Dragon friend?” Chutney shook her head and crossed her arms. “He has a name.”
I frowned and looked up at our new friend. “How rude of us for not asking. I’m sorry. What is your name?”
Chutney giggled, which seemed a weird response to my question.
The dragon curled its wings in and rolled his shoulders. A shadow swirled around him like a tornado. When it vanished, a man stood in the dragon’s place. Well, not a man. He looked to be about our age. He wore nothing but low-slung black jeans and some kind of charm on a necklace. He had short jet-black hair and sapphire blue eyes. Actually, he looked kind of like Royce with the most epic deep tan ever.
The guy smirked and waved. “Hello, I’m Lonan.”
“Oh my God, you’re a human!” Emersyn’s jaw dropped.
“Well, no more than you, Empress,” Lonan said with a wink.
Royce mumbled a string of gibberish mixed with curse words.
“You know who we are?” I asked.
“Yes and no, High Priestess.” He walked forward until he was in front of us. Then he turned back around. “May I just say, Empress, that was badass. I’ve seen all kinds of tricks from witches, but never has someone spit my fire back at me.”
Emersyn blushed bright red. “Thanks?”
Lonan laughed and shook his head. “To answer your question, Emperor, your magic will work exactly the same here. Only the human technology and such does not.”
“Wait, wait.” Cooper waved his hands. “How do you know who we are but we didn’t know shifters even existed?”
Lonan frowned and stared off into the distance. “Perhaps if you survive this quest, we can discuss all of this, as friends would. For now, just know I am far from the only shifter in the world, though I am one of a few who know of your existence.”
Tennessee nodded. “When we survive this, we’ll talk. Thanks for your help in the meantime.”
“You’re welcome. We’re on the same team after all.” Lonan began walking backwards. “Now come. The Garden of Eden awaits you.”
He led us into the thin space between two stone cliffs. No one spoke. To my surprise, the dark pathway was only ten feet long. The tunnel opened up into another clearing, this one surrounded only by stone slates that were part of the mountain. The light in the clearing was darker, like the soft reddish glow of the setting sun. A soft fog lingered in the air.
I stepped forward, and something cracked under my boots. I frowned and looked down, then gasped. The ground was littered with dead leaves…and human bones. I spun in circles, but everywhere I looked, I found more and more bones.
I cleared my throat. “Um, guys…do you see what I see?”
“Where are we?” Emersyn asked in a soft voice.
“This is the entrance to the Garden of Eden.” Lonan gestured ahead of us. “It’s right through there.”
I followed his point, and my jaw dropped. A waterfall about ten feet wide fell straight out of the sky. There was no pool at the bottom, though. There wasn’t even water. It just disappeared into the ground. I moved forward until it was right in front of me, but even with squinting my eyes, I couldn’t see beyond it.
“These bones are witches,” Tennessee said from close behind me.
I glanced back and looked to where he pointed with his sword. “How do you know?”
“The weapons have our runes carved into them.”
“Not everyone is worthy of entering.” Lonan sighed. “You aren’t the first group of witches to try, but you are the first to choose the correct orb.”
Royce gasped. “Wait, we chose correctly?”
Lonan narrowed his eyes. “Well, he chose correctly. You see, there is no arguing here. Only the worthy may enter. But if the worthy are bound within a binding spell and still choose to go in…well, the rest of those they’re bound to die. Instantly. What you’re seeing here are the witches who chose to sacrifice themselves so that their worthy counterparts could enter.”
Everyone turned wide eyes to Tennessee.
He scratched the back of his neck. A soft blush covered his cheeks. “I did not know that.”
Cooper shook his head. His green eyes stared at a skull right in front of his feet. “Yet you always lead us the right way.”
“All right, well, it’s time I leave.” Lonan stepped back and stretched his arms. “Good luck. If you manage to make it to the ledge…look for me. I’ll fly you back to Eden. If not, well then, I’ll see you on the other side someday.”
Without another word, he squatted down then jumped straight into the air. Black wings shot out of his back. In a dark flash, he was back in his dragon form and flying away from us. We all watched in silence until Lonan was out of sight…then reality set back in.
“We made it to the Garden of Eden,” I whispered. I turned to face the waterfall with a knot in my stomach. “Now how do we find out who’s worthy of entering?”
“I tell you,” an unfamiliar male voice said from out of nowhere.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Tegan
I gasped and jumped back. A man shimmered into existence right in front of me, or at least I assumed it was a man. He was taller than Uncle Kessler’s six foot five. His eyes were white and surrounded by gold irises. He had some kind of metallic material wrapped around his hips. But none of that was what captured my attention. He was completely covered in a vine-like tattoo. Over his bald head and down all of his limbs. My eyes widened. While I watched, the vines changed colors and moved like they were alive. Directly over his heart on his chest was a huge crystal-looking mark that sparkled like it was three dimensional.
I’ve seen that before.
Unable to stop myself, I glanced up at Tennessee. His eyes were already on mine.
“Who…who are you?” Emersyn asked in a soft voice.
I peeled my eyes off my soulmate and returned my attention to the unknown man. He cocked his head to the side and arched one eyebrow. Wings as white as snow shot out from his back. They had to be six feet long. They looked soft. I had the ridiculous urge to touch them.
“You are an Angel.” Tennessee’s voice was reverent and gentle.
“I am Gabriel.” He smiled, and it seemed genuinely kind. “The messenger.”
I bowed my head. It seemed the appropriate way to greet an Angel. “It is an honor to meet you, Gabriel. I am Tegan Bishop.”
“Thank you, although I know who you all are.”
“You do?”
He didn’t smile any more than he was, but his eyes twinkled a little brighter. “The creator sees and knows all. Let us not delay your quest. You are at the entrance to the Garden of Eden. Please, speak your intentions.”
I glanced around at my friends, but they all looked to me, even Tennessee. Well, I am the High Priestess. I licked my lips and took a deep breath. “We are seeking our lost Book of Shadows. Inside it are the answers we require to finally close the gaps in our dimension. We were given a prophecy by the Goddess that says ‘Where only Eden and the chalice knows,’ which we have reason to believe means the holy chalice.”
Gabriel nodded. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Your Book of Shadows was not lost.”
A chorus of gasps and mumblings sounded behind me, but I ignored them.
“I’m afraid I do not understand.”
“It was not lost. It was taken by Heaven because your species no longer deserved it.” He narrowed his eyes and looked to each of us, as though challenging us to disagree. “Your ancestors became too dangerous with what they did in Salem, and to that innocent tribe not far from here. So we took it. Since then, many have tried, but none have been worthy of reclaiming it. Now it is your turn to try.”
I bit down on my lip to stop myself from asking too many questions. The last thing I wanted to do was offend an Angel of Heaven. Except we needed to know how to reclaim it.
“How you reclaim it, young High Priestess, has already been told to you in your prophecy.” He waved his hand in the air, and the words of our prophecy appeared in glowing gold letters. “This does not lead you to the Book’s location, but the path to prove that you deserve it. Succeed on this quest, and I shall return the Book to you.”
“That sounds fair and reasonable.” I took a deep breath, then pointed to the waterfall. “We have to start with the chalice which is inside the Garden, correct?”
He nodded.
“Okay, so let’s go find it.” Willow took a step forward, with Chutney right on her heels.
“Stop.” Gabriel stepped in front of them. “An Angel of the land must grant you entrance with a token.”
“But we don’t have any tokens,” Willow said in a small voice. “Do we?”
Cooper shook his head. “How can we get tokens?”
Gabriel shook his head. “You cannot. You are not
worthy.”
My heart sank. Had we gone all this way just to be rejected at the door? I couldn’t fathom the idea that the Goddess wouldn’t have seen that we weren’t worthy. There had to be something we missed. I gnawed on my bottom lip.
“Excuse me, Gabriel.” Emersyn raised her hand. “If we leave here today and come back with a token, will we be permitted then?”
“Technically, yes. But as your High Priestess was just thinking, your Goddess wouldn’t have sent you here if none of you were worthy.” He turned to look me straight in the eye. “You and your Emperor may continue on to the chalice.”
My Emperor? What does that mean? Does he know? Wait, he said what I was just thinking? Can he hear my thoughts? But then his words registered.
“Wait, we can go in?” I looked up to Tennessee to see if I’d heard that correctly.
Tennessee’s jaw was slack. He stared at the Angel a moment then shook his head. “I’m sorry, Gabriel. I mean no disrespect, but why are Tegan and I worthy but not the others?”
The Angel shrugged, a small smirk on his face. “Ask my brother Leyka.”
My eyes widened. “Leyka?” What? How? I don’t understand.
Gabriel walked up to the two of us and waved his hand. Both mine and Tennessee’s left hands rose up. Gabriel waved his fingers over the backs of our hands. Our skin shimmered with golden dust then darkened until it was black. I gasped and pulled my hand back to get a closer look. There on my skin was a lotus flower outlined in black. What?
“Your tokens.” Gabriel stepped back to stand beside the waterfall. “You must enter now. Your friends and your belongings will have to wait here for your return.”
“Thank you.” Tennessee turned and walked over to Cooper. He handed his sword to my brother, then plucked his dagger from his boot and gave that over too. Next he reached into his pockets and turned over his cell phone. He froze, then pulled George out of his pocket. He turned to Emersyn. “Empress, please hold on to this.”
Her golden eyes were wide as she nodded. “Of course.”
The Rebel Witch Page 15
