Destiny of the Witch (The Other Witch #4)

25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Earlier on, Ethan had managed to contact Hannah’s sister, Jennifer, and she had agreed to attend the Coven for the service. She stood next to the coffin, grief raw on her face. She had helped me write the eulogy so I could speak eloquently about Hannah’s formative years and their time together in the Liverpool Coven before Hannah moved closer to their elderly father. He had died a long time ago but, having found her place in a Coven that had come to mean the world to her, Hannah had stayed.

I managed to read those stories from her early life easily because I hadn’t known her then. It was harder when I came to my part. I looked at Jennifer and spoke directly to her.

‘Hannah was a very kind-hearted person. She had a strong work ethic and she never said no to anyone. As such, she always ended up working long days, but she rarely spoke a word of complaint. She was keen to help, to make the world a better place. She was ambitious, rightly so, and I saw her rising to the position of Coven Mother one day, either here or elsewhere. Her rune work was exemplary and her knowledge continued to grow as she studied in what little spare time she had. She was an asset to this Coven, not simply in terms of her skills and enthusiasm but also in her spirit.’

My eyes welled and I looked down at my papers, shuffling them to hide the moment of weakness. I waited until the lump in my throat had subsided before I continued.

‘I selected her to help me guard her Coven sisters, Meredith and Ria, because I knew that she could be trusted. She gave her oath to assist me without hesitation. She was a witch of great heart, kindness and moral mettle. Her loss is a loss to all witchkind, but especially to this Coven and to her sister Jennifer, who has travelled from Liverpool to be with us today. Please close your eyes and join me in a prayer to the Goddess.’

I looked upwards. ‘May the Goddess’s eternal light guide Hannah’s spirit on its journey. May she find peace and serenity in our Mother’s divine embrace. As the stars do above us, may Hannah’s spirit shine brightly in the realms beyond, a guiding light for those who follow in her path.’

My scalp prickled as I said the blessing of the stars and suddenly the pendant felt heavy around my neck. This blessing had once been said over my sisters and now they were guiding me. One day, I would guide the next Crone.

‘Goddess, we thank you for the gift of Hannah’s presence in our lives. May her memory forever be a source of inspiration and light. With heavy hearts, but filled with love, we bid farewell to Hannah Lions. With the Goddess’s grace, so mote it be.’

‘So mote it be,’ the assembled witches responded.

I nodded to Ethan and he started the cremator. The coffin holding Hannah’s body – I had double-checked – rolled into the fire.

My part was nearly done and I was grateful for that. Grief was resting heavily on my soul and my heart ached. We were gathered in the Coven common room and silence reigned once more. People stood in clusters, leaning on each other physically and emotionally .

I nodded at Oscar and he started ‘The Parting Glass’ playing through speakers placed around the room. The Celtic strains poured out, the soft drums echoing around the room and the lament swirled as the Coven’s wizard guards moved through the gathered witches ceremoniously pouring a thimbleful of Farewell Elixir into each person’s glass.

We stood and raised our glasses until everyone had a drink for a dearly departed guest and the last strains of the song faded into silence. ‘Hannah Lions,’ I said.

‘Hannah Lions,’ my Coven murmured back. As one, we drank our potion.

The elixir slid down my throat, warm and smooth. It selected one memory to show us of the person we were thinking of with our hearts and minds, one last memory of Hannah. I had expected it to show me one of the hundreds of times we had worked together but it showed me something else: a memory a couple of weeks old of something that had barely registered at the time.

Sarah had really turned a corner in her attitude, and I hadn’t fully connected the dots. I’d thought her new, hard-working mindset was due to her demotion to acolyte; I’d even given myself a pat on the back for it. But it wasn’t about that at all – it had been Hannah .

Sarah Bellington sat in the Coven common room, head thunking on the table. I grimaced and took a step forward to speak to her, but Hannah was closer.

‘Contrary to popular opinion,’ she teased Sarah lightly, ‘it’s not actually possible to knock some sense into yourself.’

Sarah sat up. ‘I just don’t get it. I swear I’m trying. I really do want to be a healer one day, but potion interactions are SO boring.’

‘You can be anything you put your mind to,’ Hannah replied. ‘You’re a bright girl but too often you cut corners. Witches can’t cut corners, Sarah. Follow every step logically, and then you’ll get the right result.’

Sarah huffed a little. ‘Some days it doesn’t feel worth the effort.’

‘Only you can decide what effort you choose to put into your life. In your last days, will you be proud of yourself or not?’

Sarah rolled her eyes. ‘Will you be?’

‘Yes,’ Hannah said without hesitation. ‘I’ve always given life my all. And,’ she paused dramatically, ‘I am twice winner of the Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling Competition.’

Sarah sat up straight. ‘No way!’

‘Way,’ Hannah confirmed. ‘Even though I broke my arm once, I still won.’

Sarah broke into a huge grin. Hannah met my gaze across the room and gave me a small smile. I gave her a thumbs up and walked away.

As the memory cleared, I joined the circle of telling to share it, to share with her family and friends the positive impact she’d made with her life. A life cut too damned short but never wasted.