“I just…I just…panicked. I don’t know how I did that.”
“You’re stronger than you realize.”
I turned back to face him. I must’ve made a weird face because he grinned.
“You’ve had these powers for what, a week?” He shook his head again. “You’ll get comfortable with them, I promise. But for right now, I need you to not move.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re too much like Tegan, all guns blazing full throttle. I can feel your energy level and it’s low. Rightfully so, for what you just did.” He stood back to his full height. “This war is far from over, and we’re clearly going to need you. So I’m asking you to just sit. Rest. Let your energy replenish. Okay?”
I didn’t want to sit here and do nothing. I wanted to go talk to everyone. Talk to Lonan. I wanted to inspect my damage. There were two dozen human ice sculptures I made, and I wanted to get a closer look.
And I wanted to call Jackson. I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted to tell him it was me, since Tegan hadn’t.
“Bettina?”
I jumped and looked up at Tenn. “Yeah, what? Sorry.”
He smiled. “I said okay? You’re gonna sit here?”
My cheeks warmed. I nodded. “You’re my Coven Leader. I do as you say, boss.”
He laughed and held his hand out. My sword flew into his palm. He flipped it around and gripped the blade, then held the hilt down to me. “Here.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed the hilt and pulled my weapon into my lap as Tenn jogged off to catch up with the rest of our Coven-mates.
“You okay?”
I jumped and spun back around to find Cooper standing there.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” He crouched down beside me. “Tenn told you to not move, didn’t he?”
I laughed and nodded. “Is my pouting that obvious?”
He grinned and ran his hand through his short blond hair. “No, he is. He takes everyone’s health very seriously. He’s like a mother hen. If you get Witch’s Shock from that stunt you pulled tonight, he’ll blame himself.”
I frowned. “That makes no sense.”
He shrugged. “He’s the scariest-looking teddy bear you’ll ever see.”
“You know, I wish I was scarier-looking.”
Cooper threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, I think you’ll grow into that quickly. Shit, Tegan did. When she first got to Tampa, she was just intense, but now? Man, even I am afraid of her sometimes. I’m sure that’ll wear off on you.”
I grinned. “I hope so.”
His green eyes sparkled. He looked down at my chest then back up to meet my eyes. “I’m happy for you two.”
My heart skipped. Warmth rushed through my veins. You two. Meaning Jackson. I cleared my throat and rubbed my fingers over my new glyph. “I’m still… I don’t know… I can’t quite believe it.”
“Well, believe it.” He leaned closer, then whispered, “Bentley looks and seems young, which he is, but he holds ancient knowledge now. Our last Hierophant, Cassandra, was just like him. There’s always, always, a reason for why they do things. It may seem cruel, but there’s a reason. Whoever this girl is he sent Jackson to find must be important somehow.”
I sighed. “I understand. I do. I just…need to see it with my own eyes. Feel it, you know?”
“Yo, Coop!” Tenn shouted from over by Lonan. He waved his arm.
Cooper stood and nodded to him, then looked back to me. “Just don’t call him.”
“What? Why not?”
“The dude is already gonna be flying down the highway, but if he knew it was you?” Cooper shook his head. “We want him to actually arrive here.”
My heart sank. I sat there now alone, while everyone else was inspecting my handiwork or talking to Lonan. Tenn was right. I needed to conserve my energy, but it was hard. Because Cooper was also right. Calling and telling Jackson the truth would make him drive more recklessly. I could wait. I could be patient. Everyone was assuring me Jackson was my soulmate. I trusted them. Tegan might have kept the truth from me, but she would never lie right to my face.
I exhaled and scrubbed my face with my hands. I needed to see his face. I needed to see the proof that our glyphs matched. The hope in my heart was almost too much to bear. I pulled out my phone and set the timer for two hours. Then I watched the seconds tick by with my heart in my throat.
Chapter Three
Bettina
We were inside the main building of the school, not wanting to venture too far from my frozen victims but too cold to stay outside. Well, they were too cold. I was immune to it now. Emersyn had a bonfire going right in the middle of the hallway, and we were all huddled by it.
Devon had sent an army of her projections outside to keep an eye on things.
Everyone kept checking on me, making sure I wasn’t slipping into Witch’s Shock.
“Guys, I swear, I feel fine.” I held my hands up and made ice cover my skin. “See? Still got it. I’m just lying low, as y’all asked. Repeatedly.”
Hunter chuckled and shook his head.
“Will someone please tell me what Lonan said, since Tenn put me in time-out and I couldn’t hear for myself.”
Tenn grinned, completely unfazed by my comment. “Hey, everyone wanted me to be Leader.”
I rolled my eyes, but a smile pulled at my lips. “I didn’t vote you in. I was still in handcuffs.”
“I didn’t vote for me either.”
Easton threw his hand up in the air. “Oh, Tenn, after we kill Joseph, can you put me and Lily in time-out?”
“So you can get her pregnant?” Tenn shook his head. “Nope. Definitely not.”
Lily narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. “I will cut it off if you even think of getting me pregnant.”
Hunter snapped his fingers then pointed to Tenn. “What she said.”
Tegan shuddered and gagged. “Ew. Children. Hard pass.”
Tenn pointed to his soulmate with a pained-looking frown. “What she said.”
“Good. We all agree on that.” Cooper put two thumbs up. “Nobody wants kids.”
“I do. I love children,” Emersyn said with a sweet grin.
Deacon leapt away from her and threw his hands up. “I haven’t touched her.”
Everyone threw their heads back and laughed.
“Who would’ve thought the Devil would be the most behaved of your daughters’ boyfriends?” Devon wagged her eyebrows.
Hunter frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Jackson’s a stand-up guy. I can rely on him.”
I grinned so wide my jaw popped. I always considered Hunter a second father, but it was nice to hear that feeling was mutual. Not that I didn’t love my own parents, but the Bishops had always been family to me.
And then their words clicked. Jackson. Daughters’ boyfriends.
Because Jackson is my soulmate.
My cheeks warmed, and I prayed no one was looking at me.
“So, anyways, about Lonan…” Chutney cleared her throat and scooted closer to the flames. “He said there’s a spot, a single spot, in the Old Lands that demons can sneak through. Albeit not easily or frequently.”
That warm, fuzzy feeling inside me vanished. “What?”
Chutney nodded. “I know. Apparently Joseph found this spot and has been helping demons get through.”
“He also said after Bettina’s ice show Joseph went nuts and went straight for this spot. Lonan is pretty convinced we’ll have demons on our doorstep soon.” Tegan sighed and gripped the crystal necklace hanging around her neck—the one that was actually the Book of Shadows. “I’ll have to do some research on this spot, see what we can do to close it.”
“Same.” Bentley nodded, but his gaze was on his Hierophant’s locket. “There’s some comments in here about it, but I’ll need to sort through them.”
Tenn leaned against the wall behind Tegan. “I told Lonan not to engage. There’s no way he can take on Joseph’s creepers all by himse
lf, and I don’t want to endanger him.”
I exhaled. “I don’t either but…damn. Is there nothing to be done in the meantime?”
Chutney pulled her hair to the side and began braiding it. “He’s gonna have some of the Old Lands animals try to intervene and block it, without being obvious that we sent them. The animals want Joseph gone, too. Lonan is also going to send messages to us through the animals—or to me—so we might have a little warning before an attack.”
My eyes widened. “Right. That would be lovely.”
Henley sat down next to Tegan and plucked the wooden chest off her lap. “Can someone explain this? I mean, we caught Trey digging it out from the ground. What is it?”
“Wait, I thought Trey got that back?” Royce scratched his head. “I saw him snatch it from Bettina.”
Everyone looked to me.
I shrugged. “Tegan made a decoy, so I took that and ran. Trey knew I had it, and he never suspected a thing. So, he has the decoy, and he may or may not realize that yet. But I have no idea what it is.”
Everyone turned to Tegan.
She shook her head. “Neither do I.”
“Nope. Nah. I don’t like that answer,” Deacon grumbled and shook his head. “If you have a secret scheme you don’t want to tell us, just tell us that at least.”
“Agreed,” everyone said.
Tegan grimaced. “From now on, I will do my best to let you know when I’m planning something…but this isn’t one of those moments. I have no idea what this is. The box is empty. There’s not a single ounce of magic in it, so it’s not like it was transformed into this.”
I sighed. “Is it a clue?”
Tegan shrugged. “I don’t know yet. But Trey thought this was something. Something important enough to start that fight tonight.”
Devon jumped upright and frowned. “Excuse me.” Then she sprinted out the front door.
Kessler and Hunter took off after her.
“Why don’t you all take a good look at this box, see if you see a clue I’m missing.” Tegan stood and stretched her arms. “I’m gonna go portal Jackson back now.”
I gasped. My heart fluttered, and butterflies danced in my stomach.
The front door flew open, and Devon raced back inside. Her eyes were wide. “One of Bettina’s ice people just thawed out. He says he comes in peace.”
Chapter Four
Bettina
We all rushed out the door and followed Devon across the lawn to where Hunter and Kessler stood. My stomach turned. I couldn’t imagine what this guy must’ve felt with these two massive men looming over him with their swords drawn and the tips of the blades an inch from his throat.
The guy’s eyes widened as we approached, and then his body flickered to shadow. He grunted and shook his head, and then he was corporeal again. His gaze swept over us and then landed on Tennessee. He narrowed his eyes and looked down, then his head snapped up.
He nodded once. “Emperor, are you Coven Leader?”
Tenn stopped in front of him and crossed his arms over his chest. “I am. Who are you, and why should we believe that you come in peace?”
“My name is Ellis Heath.”
“Heath?” Constance frowned. “Why do I know that name?”
Ellis gave a small smile. “You may remember my parents, John and Rebecca Heath.”
The adults all gasped.
Tennessee narrowed his eyes. “That makes you the nephew of—”
“Julian Calloway, the former Emperor.” Ellis nodded. “Yes, sir.”
I moved to stand right behind Tenn and glanced over his shoulder. The guy in question had broad shoulders and long hair that was only slightly wilder than Tennessee’s. He had bushier eyebrows and a scruffy, hipster-looking short beard. I frowned. He looked familiar. I’d definitely seen his face before.
Then it hit me. I gasped. “You’re one of the people we hit with that potion the other night.”
The guy smiled and nodded. “I am. Trey told Joseph what you were trying to do. I am sorry it did not work.”
Light flashed in front of Tenn, and then Michael’s six-foot-long sword was in his grip. He cocked his head to the side. “Did Trey also tell you what this is?”
He eyed the glowing heavenly blade. “The Archangel Michael’s sword, sir.”
“Why do you keep calling me sir?”
Ellis’s cheeks flushed, and then he faded back into shadow. He cursed and shook his body, and then he was corporeal again. “You are my Coven Leader, are you not? My parents told me to respect you and mind my manners when I met you.”
Tenn glared and his power radiated out of him enough to blow Ellis’s hair back. “Interesting choice of words from a man who’s killed innocent people.” His voice was barely more than a growl.
Ellis’s amber eyes widened. He swallowed and his muscles tensed. He glanced down at the two swords grazing his throat, then back to Tenn. “I swear, I have not taken the life of any living creature.”
Tenn sighed and slammed the tip of Michael’s sword into the dirt, and the ground rumbled. “Again, why should we believe that you come in peace? And I don’t suggest deflecting.”
“I don’t mean to deflect.”
Tegan, who was on the other side of Tenn, reached up and gripped her soulmate’s shoulder. She narrowed her eyes on Ellis and cocked her head to the side. Ellis, I’m sensing a hesitation to speak your truth. Is this correct? she said into our minds.
Ellis stood up straight. He nodded once. “I am having a hard time keeping myself…together.”
Tegan pursed her lips. Is this because you do not want to be heard by ears we cannot see?
Ellis sighed. “If you give me a moment to regroup my energy.”
Tenn growled. “Bring him inside by the fire.”
Hunter and Kessler lowered their swords enough to let Ellis stand. The guy might have had big shoulders, but he was shorter and thinner than I expected. He looked like he’d skipped a few too many meals. Like a Great Dane puppy that hadn’t grown into his limbs yet.
We stepped aside and let them escort Ellis across the lawn and through the front doors with an army of Devon surrounding them.
“How you want to handle this, boss?” Royce asked.
“Just be ready,” Tenn said then followed after them.
My Coven-mates shrugged then hurried after, leaving me alone in the field. I glanced left and right, but my other frozen victims were still solid ice. It was eerie out here, knowing these ice figures were actual living people inside. I didn’t like to think they were suffering. I was going to have to ask Tenn to let me try and thaw them out.
Bettina, for the love of Rivendell, Tegan said into my mind.
There was a flash of light, and then I was on the front stoop beside her.
She shook her head. “Don’t make me put a leash on you, woman.”
“Sorry.” I grimaced then followed her through the doors.
Inside, they had Ellis sitting on the hardwood floor against the far wall. My entire Coven stood in front of him like a firing squad. The amount of magic coursing through this small area was enough to make the hair on my arms stand tall.
Emersyn’s bonfire roared as I walked around it.
Tegan wiggled her fingers, and rainbow magic spilled from her hands then disappeared into the air. She strolled up to stand beside Tenn. “There’s a cloaking spell up. You are free to speak.”
“Start talking, Ellis,” Tenn grumbled.
Ellis nodded and took a deep breath. “Like I said, I have not hurt anyone. I am as innocent as I can be in this situation. I don’t want to be on Joseph’s team, but he is the only thing that keeps us alive and I am selfish enough to want to live.”
“What does that mean exactly?” Tenn leaned against Michael’s sword. “And how old are you?”
“I’m sixteen years old.” Ellis sighed. “I was only four when this all happened, the day Ruth and Micah did their spell that turned us into…into…monsters. I don’t really remember mu
ch from that day, just images of sorts. But my parents, who are still as alive as I am, have told me all about it. My mother and Ruth were good friends, since Ruth used to date my uncle growing up. My mother was also good friends with Timothy, Ruth’s older brother.”
My heart sank.
Ellis lowered his eyes. “I am sorry about what happened to Timothy. I was there, but I did not expect Joseph to attack like that. He’d never done anything like it before.”
“What were you doing at the Gathering site that day?” Kessler said softly but with sharp eyes. “Your mother was so protective of you.”
“Apparently my mother was working that day, so I was with my father…and my father had taken me with him, not understanding what they were trying to do. I’m told that Timothy called my mother and asked her to try and stop Ruth, as she was closer than he was.” Ellis shuddered and his body flickered to shadow, then back again. “I do remember the look on my mother’s face when she saw my father and me there. She tried to stop Ruth, but it was too late.”
Constance put her hand to her chest. “We went to your funeral, you know.”
Ellis frowned. “So you really didn’t know we were alive still?”
Everyone shook their heads.
Ellis blinked and his eyes seemed to stare into the distance. “I wish Joseph knew that.”
Tenn eyed him carefully. “We did not know you all lived, and we still don’t know how you’re still living.”
“I don’t quite understand the how of it myself, but we have to steal energy and magic from other living creatures in order to become corporeal. In order to live. But we don’t have to kill anyone to do that, or at least, that’s what some of us say.”
“Some of us?”
Ellis grimaced. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Not all of us want to be at war with you. My parents and myself, along with some others… We’ve tried to break free from him, but we can’t. We don’t have the strength. But we are not on his side. We simply cannot physically leave his side.”
Tenn sighed. “I don’t know how you expect us to believe this story.”
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