Page 52

T he representatives for the Witches’ Council arrived near sunset like a crack of thunder, tearing up the dirt drive in a cloud of dust, one sleek black vehicle after another as if they were a motorcade transporting royalty.

I suppose in some sense they were. The witches didn’t have royals, but the Council dictated their laws, handed out justice, and was the guiding standard for all living witches.

I put myself between them and Logan, as if keeping my mate from their view might protect her. I didn’t know what they wanted with her, but better safe than sorry.

Cecily sprinted over to meet them as they careened to a stop.

A woman who looked like her twin leapt out of the first vehicle. “Cecily, what on earth were you thinking? You’re supposed to be available for transport. You know Quinn can’t take all of us at once without you.”

“I’m sorry. It was an emergency. Did you bring the containment?”

“We did. Where is she?”

“Inside with Sharla.”

“And the other one?”

Cecily glanced over to us and I bristled. If she was planning to hand Logan to the Council, they’d have to go through me.

“We don’t have to worry about her,” Cecily insisted. “She gave up her magic to stop Godric.”

The rest of the Council emerged, observing us like they were trying to decide if we were worth the trouble.

A young-looking Asian woman left their ranks, pausing in front of our group with a soft smile. “I am Kim Jisoo, and on behalf of the Council I would like to extend our thanks for eliminating this threat. Please do not leave the premises until our initial investigation has been concluded.”

I nodded stiffly, my packmates offering their silent acknowledgments.

Jisoo introduced the rest of the Council to us, including the one who looked eerily like Cecily, which turned out to be her mother—and also the High Councilwoman—named Violet.

We all ventured back inside the nest, diverting to Velda’s suite while the witches took over Kendrick’s.

We pushed all the beds together so we could rest. Even after showers and food, we were still exhausted.

Without the bond I wasn’t sure we’d have remained upright.

The absence of magic, to me, felt similar to vertigo, as if I couldn’t quite find my balance.

The bond itself writhed and ached between all of us.

Everyone’s fear, grief, and guilt were living things we all shared.

That was the curse of bonding, but it worked in the reverse as well.

As much as we shared each other’s pain, we shared the joy too.

We didn’t have much joy to go around right now, but that wouldn’t last forever.

Logan snuggled into my arms, the first kindling of a positive emotion lighting up the bond.

It nudged some of the weight off my shoulders, rolling through us like falling dominoes.

Finally having her on a soul level seemed like a worthy trade. I didn’t want to think about how close I had been to losing her, to losing all of them. Right now she was warm in my embrace and that was what mattered.

A knock at the door caught our attention, and Seth went to answer it.

Cecily peeked her head in. “Sorry, I know you guys were planning to rest, but Maeve is awake and contained. She’d like to speak to Logan and the panthers.”

“Is that safe?” Logan asked.

“She can’t use her magic while under containment,” Cecily explained. “She can’t hurt you. They’ve also placed Godric into stasis while they figure out a plan since he hasn’t woken up yet.”

She didn’t look particularly happy about that last part but I wasn’t about to dig into it.

We followed her to Kendrick’s suite, where the witches were congregated, the rest of my pack joining us as well, their obvious curiosity bright in the bond.

Rachel sat on the floor, the Council standing around her in a semicircle.

Her hands were bound, and crystal-tipped pins dug into her body, trails of blood marring her smooth skin.

She didn’t shy her gaze away when I caught it.

I wasn’t sure why I expected her to. She’d been softer the last time I’d known her, but now that I really looked at her, she was more stranger than anything else.

Once upon a time I’d loved her, but maybe the Rachel I knew didn’t even exist anymore.

“We’re here. What did you want?”

“The Council insists I confess my crimes regarding you while in your presence.”

Logan held my hand tightly and Seth looped his arm around her waist, likely as much to keep himself upright as to offer her comfort.

Rachel sighed and Anya’s book moved to float in front of her, ready to record her confession. “I, Maeve Fiona O’Clery, did knowingly try to meddle with fate, coerced a bond, and engaged in illegal magics. My gods cautioned me against this path and I chose not to listen.”

I had no idea what she meant about coercing a bond when I had given it to her freely. Or maybe it wasn’t as free as I’d thought.

“For decades I hunted for a way to undo the damage my ancestor caused. I was tired of the O’Clerys being persecuted for crimes Fiona’s descendants didn’t personally commit, and I thought that if I could undo what she’d done, I could finally live however I wanted.

I sought to free Godric MacCadáin from his prison and heal the rift between our bloodlines.

When I was unable to access him, I knowingly plied Anya La Valla with falsehoods to acquire her assistance.

With the help of her library, I discovered the Ashford line, the only living descendants of the son Godric had before his imprisonment.

I used blood magic on Caden Ashford without his knowledge to begin our relationship and did not release him from these magics prior to acquiring his bond.

At the time I thought all it would take to mend the rift was bonding our bloodlines, but obviously I was mistaken. ”

I stood frozen as she explained, searching back through my memories. She had swept into my life, inserting herself naturally—or so I’d thought at the time—into our day to day, showering me with affection and giving me hope for a future I now knew was never meant to exist.

“As he started to escape my control, I turned my attention to the younger Ashford, opting for multiple love spells to encourage his already existing affection for me. I considered that bonding both living members of the bloodline might be more successful than one, but before I could initiate the second bond, Caden fully escaped the control of my magic, and Seth did as well. The bond between the brothers was too strong for me to fully manipulate. I disappeared instead, forcing a spell that made him believe the bond was broken. After that I assumed a new identity until I was reconnected to the Ashfords during this whole fuss with Godric.”

Fury burned hot and bright through the bond, my pack indignant over the harm Rachel had caused us.

“Maeve O’Clery,” said Violet, “the Council has deemed you too dangerous to remain in possession of your magic. For your crimes against the Ashford line, in addition to the crimes already confessed to us, as well as others I’m sure we will uncover in time, your magic will be bound for the remainder of your life.

You will also be taken into Council custody, where we will determine effective routes of reconciliation. ”

“I have a suggestion,” said Anya. “If you’re aiming for reconciliation, I would like my request to be considered since I was unknowingly party to Maeve’s crimes. I’m sure the Ashfords won’t have an issue with it.”

Rachel sighed again, staring up at the ceiling. “I feel like I know what you’re going to suggest, because my gods are being rather loud.”

“Go on,” Jisoo said, encouraging Anya.

“Maeve could surrender her magic to Logan, like Logan did for Godric. If she’s going to be bound anyway, she’d have no use for her magic.”

My mate stiffened next to me. “What?”

“What part are you confused about?” Rachel asked, a hint of condescension in her tone.

“Um, all of it? I only had magic for a few weeks, and didn’t really have any teachers.”

“Hold on,” Violet interjected. “The O’Clerys are not supposed to have magic at all. Logan is not entitled to Maeve’s magic regardless of the situation.”

“ Mom ,” said Cecily in sharp admonishment.

“You can’t be serious. Logan and her mates gave up everything, risked their lives to heal Godric and bring an end to the threat the Council has been worried about for centuries.

Surely if we bound Fiona for creating Godric, we could allow Logan to have magic for healing him?

I believe she deserves that much and I would like to formally petition the Council to consider it if an agreement is not reached before removal of Maeve from the property. ”

“We’ll validate the petition as well,” said Sharla, Kyoko nodding at her side.

“They would have died protecting witches and shifters alike if we had not arrived when we did to intervene,” said Kyoko. “Godric stripped their magic, and nearly their lives as well. I believe the O’Clery line has earned its redemption through Logan.”

Violet sighed and snapped her fingers, a bubble enveloping her and the other Council members for several agonizing moments before they appeared once more. “The petition is accepted by the Council, on the condition that Logan has a trained witch approved by us to supervise her education.”

“I volunteer,” announced Cecily. “I’ll train her, and you know you can trust me.”

Violet pursed her lips. “You work for the Council. You’re supposed to stay with me.”

“This is still work for the Council, Mom, and it’s important. Please.”

Violet shared a look with the other Council members before reluctantly nodding. “Very well. But first, Maeve, do you consent to the surrender of your magic into the safekeeping of your kin?”

Rachel’s face pinched. “As much as I might despise it, there’s no reason to not accept it except spite and my gods have made their opinions on the matter clear enough. Though if I’m giving up my magic, I’m going to request we nix the custody.”

“No.” Jisoo shook her head. “Custody remains. Your punishment was twofold from the start. You can surrender your magic to Logan with her consent and begin your reconciliation with her and Anya, or your magic will be bound. In either case, you will be in the custody of the Council.”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Fine, then I’m keeping my magic, I don’t care if it gets bound if I’m fucked either way.”

“You’d really be that spiteful?” I asked. “After all the damage you did to me and Seth, everything you put us through, you’d rather be that fucking selfish?”

“I don’t want to be in custody forever. That’s what I’ve been trying to avoid,” Rachel snapped.

“And I didn’t want to be bonded to someone who didn’t love me and was just using me for her own agenda, but here we fucking are.”

Logan squeezed my hand. “We can’t force her to give up her magic. It would be no different than what Fiona did with Godric. It has to be voluntary.”

I wanted to shake Rachel like a snow globe, but I doubted that would do any good. “I’m requesting it for my reconciliation. Assuming Logan wants it.”

My sweet mate blinked up at me, brown eyes wide. “I know the good that magic can do, and I would be happy to have it, but I lived so much of my life without it that I think I could get used to not having it again.”

Cecily kneeled in front of Rachel. “Girl, you are the biggest disappointment I’ve faced in centuries.

I thought we were friends. They’re giving you an opportunity.

You know you earned your punishment, that you did fucked up things with both eyes open.

Don’t let spite control you. If you actually take steps to make things better, then maybe you’ll get some brownie points and the custody won’t be a forever thing, but being cunty isn’t going to get you anywhere. ”

Rachel sighed, finally dropped her gaze to the floor. “Fine. I’ll do it.”