Page 35 of Of Poison & Pumpkins (Of Witches & Men #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Elias

T omorrow is Oakmar’s Halloween festival, and I still haven’t bailed Rynn out of jail.

Days have passed without the permission to visit her.

I’ve assembled the troops to collect ninety-seven signatures from residents and only need three more to hand the petition over to the authorities.

The bail money is another story. I’ll have to wish for another miracle to pay that.

Leaves scatter and roll across the cobblestone of Blake Street as the sun begins its decline for the evening.

Ahead, Zanther helps others hang decorations for the festival, complete with pumpkin-everything from his shop.

That’s right. I signed ownership over to my brother hours after Rynn was arrested.

Because she has put everything into perspective.

I’m choosing to stay positive. I search the street for any new faces that haven’t already signed. Obviously Tinsley, Zanther, and I were the first names on the list, protesting as community members that we don’t agree to the charges against Rynn.

I scan to the left. The bookshop staff have already signed. I scan to the right. Same story with the coffee shop employees. Maybe if I plagiarize the last couple they won’t notice, surely there must be a Mr. and Mrs. Smith who live in Oakmar.

“I’ll sign it,” the low voice I never expected to hear again speaks from behind.

Noah. Father. Dad. Sperm donor. One and the same.

Every ounce of my body tells me not to turn around. Not to engage. But I need his signature.

“Sure, okay, thanks.” I meet his eyes.

“Got a pen, son?” He emphasizes the last word.

I had asked him not to call me son. And I meant it. He either forgot or doesn’t give a rat’s butt about my preference. This man may never see my perspective.

“We good now?”

“ Good ? In what way?” My body tenses, and a humorless chuckle escapes me.

“Are we good that you manipulated my body and Rynn’s?

Lied to me? Helped Brooke poison others?

No, we’re not good, Noah. But I will try hard to forgive you.

Want to know why?” I pause, he doesn’t say a word.

“Because I found someone who deserves all of me. And for too long you’ve held me back, like a rope around my ankle, yanking me in one direction when?—”

“Hey, now. That’s not fair. Don’t blame me for your own fears. I didn’t do anything.”

I point the pen at his face. “Precisely. You didn’t do anything. You were never around. Didn’t watch me grow up. Didn’t have any interest in what kind of person I was or what I liked or who made me happy.”

“Oh, come on, it wasn’t all that bad.”

Maybe forgiveness doesn’t involve changing him, but letting go of his influence over my choices. To forgive him for leaving our family all those years ago would be to accept my life, not wishing for a different journey. That’s something I can do, because ultimately, his abandonment led me to Rynn.

I no longer have to wear a mask to please him, or anyone, for that matter. For all those years, I made choices hoping Noah would be proud of my accomplishments, but Rynn is proud of who I am, not what I achieve. Which is why I need her by my side. Forever.

I hold out a pen and the clipboard. Noah gives a deep grunt, skimming the names as if he knows any of them, then signs at the bottom.

“There ya go. But I don’t see your name anywhere.”

“It’s at the top.”

“That says Elias Miller.” His mouth scrunches tight in disgust. “You took Kurt’s last name?”

“Yup, been in the works for a while now. Paperwork just came in. Ya know it’s also Mom’s last name. And Zee’s. He is my brother, after all. We should share a last name.”

“That giant boy is a nuisance to society. The other day he?—”

My fist collides with Noah’s cheek. Ouch. He rears back, heels tripping against the road.

“That’s the thank you I get for signing your damn form? Forget it. Forget about you,” he spits.

“Sounds right.”

Noah turns his back and walks into the sunset. Alone. There’s no telling whether we’ll ever meet again. For now, I have higher priorities to focus on. Only two signatures left.

“Elias Miller doesn’t sound so bad,” Kurt says.

My head snaps up to see my stepdad turning the corner. Kurt starts a slow, dramatic clap with a smile on his face. He wraps me in a hug, and I melt into his arms. Never has an embrace from him been so comforting. I lean into his shoulder and squeeze.

“You can do better than that, son. Break my bones. Release all that toxic energy he gave you.”

I do as he says and clench his back so hard he grunts and groans, then taps out.

“Nice,” Kurt says, pulling away. “I’m surprised you still have that strength in you after taking such a long break from rowing.

“I’ll take you out on the water soon.”

“I’m counting on it.” Kurt watches Zanther hang the festival decorations across the street.

The lanterns flash on as the skies darken.

“Your mom gave me permission to put her name down the last time we called. Need another signature, or are you finished?”

I could kiss him on the lips. “Yes! Please!”

“Oh, and thanks for selling Zee the store. I think that was the right choice. I could tell your heart wasn’t in it. You better not move away, though.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

After he signs Daniela Miller, I practically sprint to the police station and burst through the front doors.

The cops behind the counter both chuckle. “We heard all about you running around town collecting signatures, Elias, but there’s nothing we can do. Rules are rules. You need ten thousand bucks or Ms. Pozinne stays.”

My chipper demeanor is squashed. “But I scrounged up two thousand. Can we do payments for the rest?”

“That’s not how it works, sir.”

A bell dingles behind me, followed by a swoosh of wind as the door flies open.

A man I’ve never seen charges into the station.

Something about him feels familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

With a worried expression, brows knit together, he rushes to the desk and slaps his hands down on the counter.

“Is Rynnlee Pozinne here?”

“Who’s asking?” Officer Hudson rounds the corner.

“I’m Orion Pozinne. Her brother. And I have ten thousand for her bail.”