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Thirty-Nine

DRAVEN

I paced back and forth in our little apartment above the bar. It was early in the morning, the tavern not yet open. Georgie had already left for school, and an uneasy feeling had overtaken me.

I’d sent for my grandmother two days ago. She hadn’t known where I’d taken Georgie, but if she’d bothered to look, it wouldn’t have been hard to find us, to know we’d go where my parents had settled.

But Grandmother had always been proud. Stubborn. She wouldn’t stoop to search for us, to try and bring her granddaughter home.

She’d never cared much for me, not when I was male and unable to enter the Witch Trials, just like my father was unable to. It was always Georgie she’d set her sights on, wanting her granddaughter to follow in her footsteps.

My parents had been against it, adamant that that was not what would be best for Georgie, so after they’d died, I took Georgie and came here. But maybe my parents weren’t right. Maybe what Georgie needed was to be challenged, something my grandmother would certainly do. She’d keep Georgie on her toes. She’d keep her in line in a way I wasn’t able to.

I’d told Georgie her grandmother was coming, but I hadn’t yet told her that I was thinking about sending her back to the capital with Grandmother. I did have stipulations, of course. One being that Helena wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near Georgie. Grandmother was desperate enough to get her heir back that she’d comply.

Helena was a snake who’d nearly ruined Georgie’s confidence, and I wouldn’t let her do that again. I’d seen Helena in town, probably searching for new recruits to “manage.” But I’d kept away from her, and in turn, she’d kept her distance from me.

My jaw locked. Elspeth hadn’t met me at the manor last night. I was craving her touch, her advice. I needed her right now. I needed her to tell me what to do about Georgie. She’d be objective, and she’d tell me the truth. It was something I appreciated so much about her. She never minced her words. She didn’t hold back, but she also wasn’t unkind. She was just honest.

Fuck it. The market wasn’t up and running yet. She’d still be at her cottage. I knew she wanted to keep us a secret, but I’d go there and if her family saw me, I’d say I wanted to ask her a question about something.

Grandmother would be here soon, and I had to figure out a way to untangle my thoughts.

Mind made up, I grabbed my coat and exited my apartment to go find Elspeth.

The cottage was a flurry of activity when I arrived. The first thing I noticed was the Moonflower’s apothecary cart. It was fixed, standing there and opened up.

I’d never actually seen it. Elspeth had told me about it. The front panels were spread wide, giving view of the inside with its shelves and potion bottles, all lined up neatly. A counter jutted out from the side. It was charming. A fantastic idea.

These Moonflowers were certainly quite the businesswomen. Not that I was surprised. They were survivors. Especially Elspeth.

The second thing I noticed was that they were carrying clothes, pots, blankets—it looked like they were... packing .

None of the women seemed to notice my presence... except Elspeth, who had stopped as she emerged from the house, standing there and staring at me.

All the warmth was gone from her eyes, her lips flattened into a thin line. She set her jaw and marched toward me.

“Can I talk to you?” I asked, grabbing her elbow and pulling her aside. “What’s going on?” I gestured to the cottage. “Did you all find another place to live? Is the cottage unsuitable?”

“We’re leaving,” she said.

I scratched my head. “Did you find an apartment in town? What about your garden?” Elspeth didn’t strike me as someone who’d want to live in a small, cramped apartment with her three sisters and mother.

“No.” She shook her head. “You’re not understanding. We’re leaving Thistlegrove. Today. Immediately.”

I stepped back, feeling like she’d just punched me in the gut. “What are you talking about?” She’d never mentioned leaving. In fact, more and more, she’d been talking about the future, making me think that maybe she was finally letting down those walls she’d built up.

“It’s simple,” she said, voice terse. “Our cart is fixed. It’s time to leave.” She turned to go, but I grabbed her arm.

“It’s not simple. What about your soup business? What about Elm?”

What about me?

At the mention of Elm, Adelaide let out a sob behind us. She brought her hand to her mouth, turned, and ran into the cottage, shoulders shaking.

“Did Adelaide tell Elm about this?”

There was no way Elm would let Adelaide leave. He was head over heels in love with that woman. I’d never seen Elm like this. I might’ve had my reservations in the beginning, but now I could see that Elm and Adelaide were meant for each other. If she left, it would destroy him.

I swallowed. If Elspeth left, it would destroy me.

There had to be a reason for this, something Elspeth wasn’t telling me. “What’s really going on? Why are you leaving?”

Elspeth rolled her eyes. “Because this isn’t our home, Draven. It was always just a stopping point.”

“And me?” I asked. “What was I? ”

Elspeth looked away. “Like I said, this was temporary until our cart got fixed. We’re just following the plan.”

“That’s bullshit. Plans change. People change.” I’d changed. Because of her. “You’re the one who told me that.”

She stared me in the eyes, hers so full of fury. Of fear. “No they don’t, Draven. People are all the same. In the end, they don’t do what’s best for others. They do what’s best for themselves. That’s what we’re doing right now. This traveling apothecary shop is our life. It’s our business. It’s our entire livelihood. So I’m doing what’s best for my family, and I’m leaving. I’m moving on, Draven.” She swallowed. “I suggest you do the same.”

She turned and marched back toward the cart, throwing in the armful of clothes she’d had. I stood there for a minute staring, then turned and walked back through the forest.

Her words rattled me. I didn’t know where to go from here, what to do. Elspeth was leaving. In the distance, I caught sight of a familiar head of black hair.

Fucking hellfire. This was the last thing I needed right now. I stormed forward, ducking under branches and slipping between trees until I caught up to my younger sister.

“Georgie,” I said. “What in the fuck are you doing out here?”

Georgie whirled, eyes wide. “Don’t be mad.”

I shoved a hand through my hair. “You’re supposed to be in school right now.” Edgar appeared, wings flapping, and I narrowed my gaze at him. “And you’re supposed to be watching her. What good are you if you can’t even do the one job I’m asking of you?”

Edgar’s eyes widened. Georgie stepped in front of him. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe that no matter how much I try, I can’t get you to listen. I can’t get you to behave. I can’t get you to make good choices.” The mischievous smile disappeared from her face, and guilt clutched me tight, but I was too agitated, too far gone, to stop myself. “You can’t live with me anymore,” I said.

Elspeth was always honest. And she’d told me herself what she really thought: people couldn’t change. That meant I couldn’t change. I wasn’t even enough for Elspeth to consider staying in Thistlegrove. How could I be enough for my sister? She needed structure. Discipline. She needed more than I could give.

Georgie stepped back. “What are you talking about?”

I swallowed, holding back the tears gathering in the corners of my eyes. “You’re going back to the capital with Grandmother.”

Georgie’s hand covered her mouth. “No. You don’t mean that.”

“You can’t do that.” Edgar flitted in front of my face.

I kept a mask over my face, even though it felt like my heart was breaking. “It’s what’s best for you, Georgie. She’ll help you become the witch you were always meant to be.”

“I’m already that witch! I don’t need Grandmother to help me.”

She was too young. She didn’t understand. But hopefully she could forgive me one day. Hopefully she could understand why I had to do this.

She surged forward, handing me a crumpled piece of parchment, then she turned and ran.

“Do whatever you need out here,” I called after her. “Then get back to the apartment and start packing. Grandmother won’t want to stay long.”

I uncrumpled the paper, staring at it, reading through the ancient language of Ethorial.

Fucking hellfire.

Georgie had done it. She’d fixed my mug spell. This was it. She’d actually found the solution.

She truly was brilliant. She’d thrive under Grandmother’s tutelage.

I slowly turned and walked back toward town, knowing I’d never forget today. It was the day I was losing everything that mattered to me.