Page 94
Story: These Fleeting Shadows
He left without another word. Alone in the witch’s home, I turned to Bryony. I hardly had to reach for her before she had her arms around me. I rested my brow against her shoulder, breathing her in.Real, I thought.This much, at least, is real.
My memories, unlocked, lay like the cold blade of a knife in my palm. “I planned this, Bryony,” I told her.
It had been difficult. My mind was not, by nature, orderly. “I knew that if I came up with a complicated plan, Iris and Calebwould spot it and stop me,” I explained as Bryony stared. “So I put the pieces in place and made myself forget. So that I would act on instinct and buried memories. So that I would seem helpless.”
“What did you do?” Bryony asked, searching my eyes.
“What day is it?” I asked instead of answering.
“It’s been one year since you came to Harrow,” Bryony said gently. “When the sun rises, it will be one year exactly. But we can get you away from here.”
“No,” I said. I swallowed. “You were right, Bryony. I can’t cut myself free of the dark soul. I can’t leave part of myself behind. I have to face this.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Bryony said.
“You’re the Harrow Witch. Don’t tell me you’re afraid,” I said lightly.
“Of course I’m afraid,” she said, angry and sorrowful. “I could lose you, Rabbit. I could lose the stars, and then where would I be?”
“You’ll be with me,” I said. I took her hands and looked into her eyes. “Even if I shatter into a thousand broken skies, I will be yours. But I have a chance to be whole. I have a chance to be free. If I go back. Trust me, Bryony. Trust that I know what I’m doing. I have all along, even if I didn’t remember. Come with me.”
“Always,” she whispered. “Always.”
In the distance, the sun broke over the horizon.
35
I WENT ALONEto the steps of Harrowstone Hall and walked right in through the front door. This was my house, after all. I didn’t need to knock.
Caleb was in the foyer, lacing up his boots with a rifle slung over his back. About to come looking for me, no doubt.
The surprise on Caleb’s face was almost comical. “Helen,” he said warily.
“Caleb,” I replied.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, clearly suspicious.
“Turning myself in,” I said. I stepped forward, wrists out as if for handcuffs. “There’s no point running. Do what you’re going to do. I’m done.”
Caleb crossed the distance between us in two long strides and lunged at me. I flinched back. He caught my face in his hand, cupping my chin with his fingers digging into my jaw, forcing me to look at him. “Get that smirk off your face. Rachel almost died because—”
“Because you tried to shoot me,” I said icily. I shoved him back. “I didn’t fire that bullet, you did. And I didn’t kill Jessamine—that was you, too.”
Fury blazed in Caleb’s eyes. He swung his fist, punching me quick and hard in the gut. I doubled over, retching and gasping. He grabbed me by the back of the neck and hauled me up the stairs to Iris’s study. He shoved me inside, and Iris turned from the window, brows shooting up in surprise.
“Look what came back,” Caleb said.
I straightened up, panting a bit. “Good morning, Grandmother,” I said.
Her lips pursed. “That simplifies things.”
“I’d like to get this over with. Before anything else can go wrong,” Caleb said. His hand was painfully tight around the back of my neck. I gritted my teeth.
“You don’t have to drag me around. I won’t run again,” I said. His grip didn’t relent.
“Then let us gather everyone and begin. There have been entirely too many of these occasions in my tenure here, Caleb. I do not wish to see another in my lifetime. At least we don’t have to do it in the dead of night this time, now that everyone knows.”
“It’s just as sordid in daylight, Mother,” Caleb said, but he steered me back out of the room. I twisted free of him and rubbed my neck, glaring.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94 (Reading here)
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104