Page 132 of The Unbound Witch

57

RAVEN

One step and then another and another, rushing through the Moss Coven until something in the world made sense beyond the toxic whispers in my mind. I’d dug into the well of power within me so recklessly, my soul had paid the price. I’d dug into the well of power within me so recklessly, my soul had paid the price. I had stared down at the Grimoire before Torryn had taken it, only to be reminded of the task that still lay before me. Beyond stopping the Harrowing, which at this point seemed irrelevant considering the massive loss of lives, my journey was far greater. It would require far more power than I’d used on that battlefield. It would require all of it. Every last flicker of magic, and even then, it might not be enough.

“Didn’t we kill her with the swamp witches?” Atlas asked, huddled beside me as we hid behind a stone hut, staring at the backside of Willow Moonhollow.

“No,” I answered, all sense of conviction gone from my voice. “We let her go.”

Kirsi swept forward. “And yet here she is, deep in the mountains of the Moss Coven, sucking up to Endora. What an asshole.”

“She’s always coveted power,” Bastian said, his voice pulling me in a way I didn’t know I needed.

I reached for his hand, running a single finger down one of his as our eyes locked. He’d been so worried about me. I’d been worried about myself. Overcome with fear and fury. But we needed one more push before I had to secretly break away from the group and try to fix everything that was broken. The true final task that Bastian’s mother had seen in her vision. The reason she’d gifted me a portion of her power.

If I got too close to Bastian right now, though, he’d know. In that way that he always did. And then he’d try to stop me, just as the books had warned. But as the place the goddess touched my cheek burned, as the whispering incoherent voices grew louder in my mind, as the power gifted to me thrummed beneath my skin, I knew I wouldn’t be able to back down.

“How about a plan this time?” Nym whispered, carefully directing her words toward me.

Kir vanished before saying, “We had a plan last time, some of us just decided to go rogue and rain hell down.”

She’d said it with a lightness I knew would have pulled me out of my stupor before. But not now. Not with the guilt of those lives sitting on my soul.

“I’m going to follow Willow. See where she’s headed.” Kir’s voice faded away as she spoke.

“Damnit,” Atty said, “Why did I have to be a big ass wolf? A mouse would be so convenient right now.”

“A mouse wouldn’t have worked for that ugly face,” Nym whispered, nudging him with a soft smile.

“True.”

“Shh,” Bastian hissed.

I followed his gaze to a group of men walking toward us. Without thinking, lightning moved to my fingertips, melting into fire.

Though it burned him, Bastian grabbed my other hand, pulling me away as he whispered, “Listen.”

“All of them?” A voice carried to where we were hidden.

“But one,” the man farthest to the right said. “She said they didn’t stand a chance against them.”

Another shook his head slowly. “One witch with all that power, it must be a trick of the Dark King.”

“It’s not a trick,” a woman stepping out of the cottage warned. “She’s coming this way and you’re a fool if you stick around to see it. They say she is death incarnate, that unmarked one. Slept with the devil himself and stole his power.”

Bastian’s hand tightened on my own, but I didn’t care. I hoped they feared me and ran. Better than stand in my way.Several moments of ominous silence passed.

“They're all terrified,” Kirsi said into my ear. “You could probably walk right across that village and they’d hide.”

“Not doing that,” Atlas answered.

Bastian led us back into the trees. “Anything else, Kir?”

“Most are leaving. Willow was sent down by Endora to convince them there’s nothing to fear. She’s preaching about a ‘reckoning against the shifters’ and how Endora is supposed to lead everyone to a summit of power. Endora’s claiming she has all the books.”

“So, she’s lying. Not at all surprising,” Nym said, hand on a hip. “What should we do?”

“Well, there’s something else.” Kir cast a glance at Bastian. “Eden is alive and she’s being held in a circle somewhere close by. Endora’s in her home up that steep hill, but the witches are saying she’s supposed to come down to talk to them. I guess that one Forest witch came through screaming about a death demon.”