He whispers my name, breathing with me and slowing with me until the fire dies down to nothing more than ash.
Then we sleep, each knowing that tomorrow, the other will be here when we wake.
forty-two
Two days later, Galen, Wolfe, and I meet with my parents. We wait until the sun has set before leaving the manor, sticking to the trails that wind through the forest so we aren’t seen. My mother has much to discuss with the council, but those conversations won’t start until she knows where the old witches stand. She never shares anything until she has a thorough answer for every possible question. And she makes sure she knows everything that happens on her island so she’s never surprised.
She does not like being surprised.
We meet in the back room of the perfumery, long after the shops have closed for the day. Main Street is empty, and yet I can’t help craning my neck as we pass the Eldons’ tea shop, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ivy. But the shop is dark.
My parents are already there when we get to the perfumery. My father is grinding down herbs with his mortar and pestle as if it’s a normal day at the shop. His hands still when I walk into the room, and a small smile pulls at his lips and brightens his eyes.
“Hi, Dad,” I say, walking over and hugging him tight. It’s only been two days, but I miss the way his cooking fills the house with the clanging of pots and mouthwatering smells. I miss the way he hums to himself and how he always has a cup of tea ready when I need one. The vial he gave me hangs from my neck and digs into my sternum when I tighten the hug.
My mother is watching us when I pull away, and I don’t know what to expect from her. When I saw her on the water, she was completely focused on Landon and his parents. Now that she has had time to sit with the events of my Covenant, I’m not sure how things have changed. I don’t know if she will treat me like a threat or an enemy or the person who ruined the plans she so painstakingly laid.
But when my eyes meet hers, she pulls back her shoulders and lifts her chin, then takes a long, deep breath. She’s trying not to cry. “Hi, sweetie,” she says.
“Hi, Mom.” And before I can think better of it, I cross the room and give her a tight hug, the kind that will mess up her hair and rumple her blouse. She doesn’t pull away, though. She sinks into it and clutches me tight, a mother hugging her only child.
When she pulls away, she smooths her hair and clears her throat. “I believe this belongs to you,” she says, handing me the silver necklace that Wolfe gave me the night I first visited the manor. I had completely forgotten about it, and I run my fingers over the smooth black stone. It must have taken so much for her to give this back to me when it goes against everything she has worked for, and I don’t trust myself to speak. I look at her, and she blurs in my vision.
“Thank you,” I manage to get out.
“You’re welcome.” She brushes my cheek with the back of her hand, then looks at Wolfe. “There are many things we don’t agree on, but you’re part of our family now. I hope you’ll learn to think of us as such.”
“Thank you,” he says. “That shouldn’t be too difficult—I’ve had plenty of practice disagreeing with my dad.”
My mother’s mouth quirks at his words, and she looks at Galen as she answers. “I don’t doubt it.”
“Some habits refuse to die,” Galen says.
“Speaking of disagreeing,” my mother says, motioning to the chairs they’ve set out, “we have a lot to discuss.”
We sit down, a clear delineation between our chairs and hers. We might be family, but right now we’re also opposing forces who must try to find some common ground.
I watch as my mother slips into her role as coven leader, narrowing her eyes and straightening her spine. “Here is your meeting, Galen. Say what you need to say.”
“Actually, Tana’s going to take this one, if that’s okay with you.”
She slowly turns her gaze to me, one eyebrow arching in surprise. She nods. “Of course. The floor is yours, Tana.”
I shift in my seat and fold my hands together to keep from fidgeting. My dad’s grinding stops, and the room fills with weighted silence. I take a deep breath and think back to that moment in the water, watching Wolfe and his magic, when the idea took root inside me.
“The mainlanders believe their ship was sunk by the storm, which will buy you a little time,” I say. “But as soon as something else happens with the currents, they will realize what happened and blame you for the near loss of Landon and his family. Any trust they had in you will fade, and it could take years to rebuild the relationship—if they decide they’re open to it in the first place.”