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“Goddess Danu blessed us when our love was strong,

But what seemed right once, now feels very wrong.

What the Goddess bound together, I ask to be undone.

May Danu free us of all vows and efforts to be one.”

I reached into the pocket of my robe and drew out my oldest ritual knife that had served too many years as my daughter’s mail opener. Fiona had brought it to me when I asked her to, even though she was sad about what I’d needed it for. I hoped we’d be able to talk about this woman-to-woman one day, but hoping for that would have to do for now.

My concern today was getting it over and done so I could be at peace and put past mistakes behind me.

A quick thin slice across my palm provided all the blood I needed to finish the undoing of my marriage. With the stone’s power flowing through me now, I could probably have done the whole ritual without the blood, but it was best not to take any chances. I never asked the Goddess for anything without offering something of value in return.

The man I was divorcing certainly couldn’t be trusted with me or my family. Ending his hold on me was a matter of self-preservation. Plus, I wanted this divorce to be official before I went to Ireland to live.

I hadn’t shared my body with anyone in seven years. Celibacy hindered my ancestral magick, but there wasn’t time or an honorable way to prepare my body. There was only one way I could rectify my situation and still be able to face the woman I saw in the mirror every day.

I walked closer to where Jack floated. Knowing my intentions and disagreeing with them, he struggled even harder to break my hold, but he was not getting his way this time. The deed was partially done, and I was eager for it to be finished. The love I once felt had left my heart long ago. All I wanted now was to feel free in body as well.

“Aran, I’m begging you. Please don’t do this to us. I don’t want a divorce from you. I swear on Fiona’s life that I want us to be married. I want things to go back to the way they used to be before our arguments over Conn. If you’d just let me explain myself, I’m sure we could make things right between us again.”

I snorted at his pleas. “It takes two people wanting and valuing the same things to make a genuine relationship. Ya had seven years to explain yerself to me, but ya never bothered to even visit the cottage, probably because ya hoped to hide yer infidelity from me for as long as ya could. Be thankful I don’t consider ya my enemy and send my family to punish ya for yer betrayal. Ya need to accept that our marriage is over, Jack. I’m divorcing ya with no regrets.”

I rubbed the blood into both my palms and slid his pants up far enough for me to grab the bare skin of his ankles above his socks. Touching him again caused no longing in me, but even if it had, feeling the energy of his lovers would have instantly quelled it. His wrinkled face and gray hair merely offered me validation of what my spirit had known would happen the moment he sent me away.

Nothing broke marital trust any quicker than infidelity.

“May our child not be harmed by what we sever.

I accept yer defection—be ya restored forever.

I offer Danu my blood as proof I mean what I say.

Thrice, I state my wish to divorce ya today.”

A softly pulsing pink light suddenly surrounded me and soon it extended to Jack. For the first time in many years, I felt a welcome peace filling up my soul.

Goddess Danu’s presence liberated me, but I knew I needed to finish this to make it official. Performing a magickal divorce was necessary for those like me. My connection to Jack was too tainted to keep, and it would affect me if I didn’t rid myself of every bit of our connection.

I released my physical hold on Jack and backed up just in case he got his youth back and broke my bindings. I doubted he could do it at his current age, but why take any chances?

I raised a bloody palm and lowered him slowly until his feet touched the floor once more.

Jack no longer struggled against my restraints. Instead, he simply looked at me like he couldn’t believe I was actually going through with breaking our bond.

What else did the man think I would do except divorce him?

His infidelity was one thing, and Goddess help me, I might have forgiven him for that, but his disloyalty to my family had broken my heart.

“I divorce you, Jack Derringer.

Today, I call back all the magick I shared with ya when we wed. With Goddess Danu’s permission, let it be returned to me without malice or harmful intent.

As I will, so let it be done.”

I raised the other palm and let the invisible bindings around him loosen. As they faded away, I found I could breathe much easier. And I felt lighter—so much lighter. I couldn’t remember the last time my marriage to Jack made me happy. Maybe the day Fiona was born, but that was twenty years ago. After everything I’d suffered for last seven years, everything critical in my life had narrowed to this single moment of undoing my marriage. Like I’d said to him earlier, I had no regrets.

“I divorce you today, Jack Derringer.