Bound

by Christina Garner

  Quinn’s eagerness for her to come home with him melted Eden’s insides. She really was doing fine, and if the voices did come back, being in the middle of nowhere with no other witches in sight—and Quinn by her side—was the safest place she could be.

  “Are you sure your parents won’t mind?”

  “It’s possible I’ve already asked them.”

  The sheepish way he made the admission decided it for Eden. She leaned in with a soft kiss.

  “I’d love to come.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Sarah glanced up from her phone to find Kai looking down at her, an anxious cast to her face. They’d arranged to meet for coffee, but Sarah hadn’t heard her approach.

  She smoothed the twist from her mouth. “Nothing Eden-related.” Kai’s expression relaxed, and she took the seat next to Sarah. “It was a text from my mother.”

  Now Kai’s mouth twisted. She’d heard all about Sarah’s mother: her homophobia, xenophobia, and internalized misogyny all wrapped in a pseudo-religious package.

  “What does she want?” Kai took a sip from the latte Sarah had waiting for her.

  “Oh, just text number twenty about how my new-age liberalism isn’t welcome in her home. She made her voice harsh, a fitting exaggeration. “‘Don’t mention gun control to your uncle. Don’t say anything to upset your grandmother.’”

  Leave one book about witchcraft lying around, and this is what I get.

  She’d gotten her mother to believe it was for a comparative religion class she wasn’t actually taking, but in her mother’s eyes, even reading about something she deemed sinful was a ticket straight to Hell.

  “Remind me again why you’re going home for Thanksgiving?” Kai gazed at her over the rim of her mug.

  “Because it’s my family, and it’s Thanksgiving.”

  “And?”

  “And that’s what people do on holidays. They go home.”

  “I don’t.” Kai shrugged. “Not always. And I like my family.”

  “Your family doesn’t pay your tuition.” Sarah’s mother loved to jerk that string.

  “Is your tuition really on the line if you don’t go home for Thanksgiving? Christmas, maybe, but Thanksgiving?”

  Sarah twisted the corner of her napkin. “She didn’t say I have to come. She just assumed I was going to.”

  “Sounds like you did too.”

  “You don’t think I should go?” Sarah had never considered it, but the thought of not being at that table surrounded by relatives who would deny her basic rights…

  “You’re a grown woman. What do you think you should do?”

  Sarah’s lip twitched. “The ticket is fully refundable…”

  Sarah’s mother did not take the news well. A flurry of indignant texts led to an even more indignant phone call.

  “It’s a lack of respect, is what it is,” she huffed.

  Sarah paced the length of her bedroom.

  “It’s not, Mom. I promise it’s not.”

  “What else would you call it when a daughter refuses to celebrate an important American holiday with her family?”

  “I’m just behind in my classes is all. You know what happened here. The fire…”

  It wasn’t a lie. Sarah was woefully behind in her schoolwork.

  “It’s not right, Sarah. You can study here, surrounded by people who love you, not those left-wing nut jobs you’re around now.”

  Sarah tasted bile but knew she could never go toe-to-toe with her mother in a battle of indignation. She tried a different tack.

  “I’ll spend two of the four days at the airport, Mom. I can’t study while I’m standing in security lines or surrounded by screaming babies. I want to come home. I really do. But you and Dad are spending so much money to give me a good education. I want to respect that and do my best.”

  Sarah’s mother didn’t retort, which meant she’d been caught off guard. Emboldened, Sarah barreled ahead. “I’ll be home at Christmas for three full weeks.” She was going to have to come up with a plausible reason to shorten that timeline. “And I’ll be between semesters, so I can really relax and enjoy my time with you. Isn’t that better than me coming for a couple of stressed out days and falling even farther behind?”

  “You’re really going to study? You’re not just going with a bunch of friends to party somewhere?”

  “I promise you, there will be no partying.”

  Staying at home with Eden and a couple of other sisters could not be considered a bunch even by her mother’s standards.

  It took a few more apologies, but Sarah’s mother finally acquiesced. Once they’d hung up, Sarah plopped onto her bed and lay back, near giddy.

  She could get used to this being a grown woman thing.

  The knock on the other side of the bathroom door meant it could only be Eden.

  She sat up. “Come in.”

  Eden entered, and Sarah was struck by how relaxed she appeared. In contrast, Sarah could now realize how pinched her face had been before she’d tried to expel Bes’tal.

  I may have failed, but at least it’s given her a reprieve.

  “You wanted to talk.” Eden took a seat in the chair at Sarah’s desk. “Now a good time?”

  “Perfect, actually. I just broke the news to my mother that I’m not coming home for the holiday.”

  Eden’s eyebrows climbed up her forehead. “And how did that go over?”

  Sarah shrugged. “No tears, mild recrimination. Better than I’d hoped, actually.”

  “It’s weird, right?” Being able to say no to our parents?”

  “So weird,” Sarah said. “But freeing.”

  “I’ve got holiday news too,” Eden offered. “It seems I’ll be meeting Mr. and Mrs. Matthews.”

  Sarah was taken aback. “Oh?”

  She wanted to be happy for her friend, and under normal circumstances, she would be. But they’d left normal behind a while ago.

  Sarah phrased her concern as gently as she could. “Are you sure that’s smart?”

  Disappointment painted Eden’s face. “You don’t think I should go?”

  Sarah didn’t want to tell her friend what she should and shouldn’t do. “Do you think you should go?”

  Eden’s forehead wrinkled. “I wasn’t planning to, but then Quinn said he was, and if I didn’t go with him, I thought I’d be rattling around this old house with no one but Alex and a couple of sisters who still don’t trust me.”

  No matter how hard Eden tried, there were still sisters who looked at her with open hostility. A few of them had planned a trip to Florida, inviting every last sister except Eden. Even Sarah had been asked if she wanted to go. It burned Sarah’s blood after all Eden had endured to keep them safe.

  “Now you’d have me.”

  Kai had wanted to take Sarah away for the weekend, but Sarah had declined because she thought Eden would need the support. If Eden were going home with Quinn…

  “Does Quinn know…” Sarah asked, “how bad it was before we tried the ritual?”

  For a moment it seemed as though Eden wasn’t sure what to say. Then her shoulders dropped, and she muttered, “No. Not any more than you did.”

  Sarah flashed back to the terrible feeling of Bes’tal and the souls he’d consumed. “You don’t think Quinn has a right to know?”

  Eden’s shrug seemed non-committal. “There’s nothing he can do, and he already worries too much as it is.”

  “I get that.” Sarah didn’t like keeping things from Kai, but sometimes it was for the best, and some secrets weren’t hers to tell.

  “If you don’t want me to go—”

  “It’s not about what I want. None of us wanted any of this. But we have to be smart. When do you want to go back to the black market?”

  An anxious looked crossed Eden’s face. “I’m not sure.”

  “We could go tomorrow,” Sarah said. “But I’m still really weak. We’d never be able to pay.”

  “Tomorrow is definitely out
.” Eden sounded resolute. “I think we should cross the market off our list entirely.”

  “But we need another urn to try again.”

  Eden gave her a meaningful look. “We need to not be kidnapped and sold into magical slavery.”

  Sarah had tried to block that memory, but Eden was right.

  “As luck would have it, I have another idea.” Sarah pulled out her phone and gave it a few taps. “Look.”

  She handed Eden the phone. The super-secret witch app Jules had told them about displayed the sales page for an Urn of Capio.

  Eden frowned as she handed the phone back to Sarah. “I don’t think that’s a good plan.”

  “I know, the online black market is probably rife with knock-offs, but the seller has four and a half stars. He’s only been dinged for prices and shipping times. No one has accused him of selling counterfeit goods.”

  Eden stood. “I still don’t think… The last urn we bought cost way too much.”

  Sarah shuddered at the memory of being drained dry by the catcher.

  “That’s the best part,” she said, perking up. “As good as this app is, it doesn’t have a ‘pay with power’ feature. Turns out the internet black market takes actual money.”

  “It will be a while before I can come up with that kind of—”

  Sarah tapped buy and pressed her thumb to the phone, completing the transaction. “There, it’s done.” She flashed a satisfied smile. “Mom sent me money for some books I needed.” She shrugged. “I’ll look for them used. Happy early Christmas.”

  But Eden didn’t return her smile. Instead, she began pacing.

  “The last time, the urn almost killed you.”

  “That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think? I was just a little hot.” Even as Sarah said it, she felt an echo of the fire that had blazed through her veins. Eden cocked her head to the side, and Sarah remembered Eden had felt how bad it had really been. “Okay, it was painful, but I can handle it. If we don’t use the urn, what have we got?”

  “I don’t know, Sarah, but I’ll figure something out.” Eden took a seat next to Sarah on the bed. “I’m not trying to be mean, but what would be different about this time, anyway?”

  “Well, for starters, let’s hope the urn doesn’t get broken.” Eden blanched, and Sarah instantly regretted her words. “I’m sorry. I know that wasn’t your fault. But if I’d had more time, I could have finished, and—”

  Eden looked skeptical, and Sarah conceded.

  “Okay, you’re right again. I can’t do it alone.” She swallowed. An idea occurred to her that was almost too wild to say out loud. If they had any other option… But they didn’t, and Eden was always the first to do what needed to be done. She steeled herself for Eden’s reaction.

  “We need Alex’s help.”

  Chapter 29

  “Alex?” Eden jumped up from Sarah’s bed and wheeled around to face her. “Alex?”

  She was so apoplectic she couldn’t form words of protest beyond repeating her name.

  “I know. It seems crazy.” Sarah made a placating gesture.

  “It doesn’t sound crazy. It is crazy.”

  “Hear me out.” Sarah patted the seat next to her, and begrudgingly Eden sat, arms folded across her chest. “There’s no denying that as a person, Alex sucks. But as a witch, she’s second only to you.”

  “The ‘sucks as a person’ part kinda trumps the other in this case, don’t you think? There’s no way she keeps this from the Council.”

  “I’m not so sure. The only thing Alex likes more than she hates you is being High Priestess. If the Council found out about this, no way she stays H.P.”

  “But she’s not going to stay H.P. It’s temporary.”

  “I’m not sure about that either. I mean seriously, where is the Council? Half a dozen girls die, and they show up for a couple of days? They aren’t exactly hands-on, and we’ve heard nothing about Alex’s replacement.”

  Eden considered. Could Sarah be right? Davida had said a storm was coming—maybe they were focused on that. Was something coming that was worse than what Coventry House had already been through?

  Sarah used Eden’s silence to continue. “And I know you’re going to ask why we don’t consider Paige, but she’s just not strong enough. If we’re going to get rid of Bes’tal once and for all, we need the biggest guns we’ve got.”

  Eden hadn’t been about to offer Paige, and not because she was less skilled than Alex. She’d made a decision. Before she could give it voice, there was a single, loud rap on Sarah’s door, and Alex poked her head in.

  “Oh, look. You’re both in here. What a shock.” Alex rolled her eyes. “I decided to move up Sunday’s ritual. We start in thirty minutes.”

  “What?” Eden spoke at the same time Sarah did.

  “That’s not fair.”

  Alex returned a cruel smile. “And yet…” She slipped out, but then popped back to say, “Almost forgot. I’ve also decided this won’t just be a practice ritual.” Now her smile nearly split her face. “It’s a test for the four of you learning glamours. If you don’t pass…”

  “If we don’t pass…what?” Sarah stepped forward. “There’s no way the Council gave a temporary High Priestess the authority to expel a sister.”

  Anger smoldered in Alex’s eyes. “Pass the test, or you’ll find out just what I have the authority to do.”

  She closed the door. Eden began pacing. “Shit, shit, shit.”

  “It’s okay, Eden.” Sarah tugged on her arm. “She’s bluffing.”

  “What if she’s not?” Eden couldn’t keep the fear from her voice. She could not be kicked out of Coventry House. Not now.

  “Then all four of us might go.” Sarah folded her arms. “We all struggle with that spell. Do you really think the Council will let her expel four first-years? Do you think Alex would even dare try? It would only prove to them what a spectacular failure she is.”

  Eden scrubbed a hand through her hair, wanting to believe.

  “Okay, you’re right. I just have to calm down.” She took a deep breath. “We don’t have much time. If you loosen the binding now, I’ll have a few minutes to practice before—”

  Eden cut off at the expression on Sarah’s face.

  “Eden…” Sarah seemed reluctant to say the words. “I’m…not going to loosen the binding.”

  “What? Why?”

  “It’s not worth the risk.”

  “What risk? The last time you loosened it, I was fine.”

  I was glorious.

  Eden could still taste the echo of freedom.

  “Actually…you were a little weird.” The words seemed to pain Sarah to say.

  “What do you mean, ’weird’?”

  Now Sarah paced. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea, okay? If Alex really could kick you out, then yes, but if she had that authority, she’d have said it outright.”

  Eden felt ashamed and small. “I thought you trusted me.”

  “I do.” Sarah stopped pacing and gripped Eden’s shoulders. “You are the strongest person I know, and I trust you with my life. But please don’t ask me to do this. It kills me to say no. I just think it’s better if we leave things as they are until the new urn comes and we can get rid of Bes’tal for good.”

  Eden swallowed. She didn’t want to torture her friend and could see her mind was made up. “You’re right. Alex can have her fun at my expense.”

  “I’m sorry.” Regret was obvious in Sarah’s eyes.

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “I know, but I still wish things were different.”

  “They will be. I promise.” Eden walked toward the door to the bathroom that adjoined their rooms. She hoped her smile was reassuring. “Soon.”

  Twenty minutes later, Eden stood nervously in the basement ritual room. She rubbed a hand down the sleeve of her red robe, its velvety softness a comfort until she thought of the last time she’d worn it.

  Her face must have told the tale be
cause Sarah laid a hand on her arm. “I know.”

  They locked eyes, and it was all Eden could do not to burst into tears.

  Sarah gave her a squeeze. “You can do this.”

  “So, um, you two look like you’re having a moment, but I was sent to ask how you’re feeling.” Skyler waved a hand in the direction of a cluster of sisters who made a point not to look in their direction. She spoke too fast and shuffled from foot to foot. “Are you like, balanced, or whatever?”

  Eden nodded. “I’m fine.” She said it as much to ease Skyler’s fears as her own. The voices had been quiet, but she hadn’t been surrounded by this much power since the failed ritual. If anything was going to make them resurface…

  Skyler appeared less than convinced but rejoined Ariana and the rest of her friends. Eden busied herself at the altar to avoid their stares.

  Alex swept into the room, her robe sliding across the stone floor. She first approached the wall where Sarah and Eden had cleaned a few days earlier and gave it a once over.

  “You two can go over this again after the holiday,” she said, then eyed Sarah up and down. “Maybe if you didn’t have such skinny bird arms, you’d be able to put some muscle behind it and get out more of the stains.”

  Sarah tilted her head and knitted her brows. “Birds have arms?” She swung her gaze to Eden. “Can we fact-check that with Quinn later? I feel certain I’d have heard that at least once in the past eighteen years.”

  “Nice mouth.” Alex glared at her. “What a lovely show of respect for your High Priestess. I guess some things never change.”

  “Like birds not having arms.” Sarah bared her teeth.

  Alex snapped her fingers and pointed. “Get in the circle.”

  It smarted, but Sarah and Eden did as she commanded.

  “See?” Sarah muttered under her breath. “No way she gives up this kind of power no matter what dirt she has on us.”

  Alex struck a bell, and the remaining sisters joined the circle. Courtney wasn’t there. Neither were a few others. Eden couldn’t help but think Alex had done this on purpose—waited until some of the sisters had left for the holiday to announce the test. Carolyn always made attendance at tests mandatory because the more witches, the more energy, and the easier it was to pass. But Carolyn had wanted her girls to succeed. Alex desired the opposite, at least in Eden’s case.