Chapter Twenty
Indigo
Shock cushioned the blow for only a fraction of a second, and I was intensely grateful for the time to brace.
I hadn’t been able to do that before Murrain’s curse hit.
I’d been caught, forced to be still as every muscle clamped down in agony.
It wasn’t unlike having live currents running through my body, though the results had been more gruesome than your run-of-the-mill electrocution.
I was fairly certain that even the most gory industrial accident had looked like child’s play after Murrain was through with me.
Bringing Lydia back into the world wasn’t as bad as that day in her shop.
But that by no means meant that it was pleasant.
I’d met root canals I liked more than this spell.
Of course, I understood the principle of the thing.
We wanted to make the return as likely to succeed as possible.
That meant you had to use natural processes to smooth the way.
Unnatural creatures like zombies and vampires were warped versions of the Goddess’ plan.
Birth was a natural cycle, a magic all its own.
Simulating it through alchemy and good old-fashioned witch magic was the easiest path forward.
The pain began at my center and radiated outward as Lydia forced her way through our body, reacquainting herself with the parts that made up her physical form.
I felt her snake like oil through my veins, pound along each bone, and slide between and into each organ.
I felt her like a vibration against my teeth.
Her teeth. Our teeth. There was an instant when I couldn’t distinguish where we ended and began.
When she began to draw away from me, it was like tugging on a superglued limb. I wanted to tug her in close and beg her not to leave me alone again. It felt natural to share this space with her, even if it meant I couldn’t move. I would have made that trade to make sure she was safe.
But that wasn’t the spell’s intention. It was meant to rebirth her, not re-ensoul her body.
She had to go. I had to grit my teeth against a scream when she began to pull into herself.
I was vaguely aware of the stuff in the kiddie pool going mad, foaming and frothing like a disgusting blender was churning through it.
I had trouble making my eyes focus past the steam of tears.
Only when Angelo put his hands on me again could I suck in a deep breath and actually watch.
I could have kissed him for holding the pain at bay.
The shape began to congeal and form a humanoid shape.
I had to raise a hand to shield my eyes when magic began to course through, making the stuff glow amber-red.
It flickered like a flame before dimming into the shine of supple, smooth, and utterly corporeal flesh that began to spread rapidly over the gelatinous shape.
It firmed before our eyes, tightening until the creature looked like a blank doll.
I could have wept when shape and dimension played out over the face.
Deep blue eyes settled firmly in a dewy and youthful face, her blonde hair returned to her without the taint of my witch blood to turn it dark.
It was Lydia in the features and the shape of the face and body and yet…
yet, it also wasn’t Lydia. It was like the plastic surgeoned version of her.
And that was courtesy of the demonic power that had been within me.
The demonic makeover had made her appear exotic and strange, but she was still Lydia. Just way… hotter.
Angelo shoved me firmly into the empty kiddie pool, lunging to catch her before she could collapse face-first on top of us. I might have felt indignant about that on another day. Now, I could only blink streaming eyes up at her and croak, “Lydia?”
She smiled back down at me, positively glowing with good health. “In the flesh, thanks to you.”
I hurled myself at her. I only managed to wrap my arms around her legs, but it was enough.
I let out a soft sob, not caring who heard.
Lydia’s arms went around my neck, squeezing me to her with a soft laugh.
I didn’t even mind when Angelo’s arms ended up around us both, crushing us to a ridiculously sculpted and bare chest. Though I did mind when she began fondling said chest right in front of me.
Some things should be reserved for the after party.
Lydia buried her face in my hair. Tears soaked into my scalp and her voice wasn’t quite steady when she breathed against my skin.
“I missed you too, you big softie,” she crooned, petting my hair. I let her.
After all, it’s not often you actually win one.