Chapter 28
Sorcia froze, her breath catching as Hortense’s words echoed in her mind.
Despite the weakness still lingering in her limbs, she straightened, willing herself to appear stronger than she felt.
Beside her, Marcus stood as well, his arm sliding around her waist. The warmth and steadiness of his touch bolstered her resolve, calming the trembling in her hands.
“What kind of deal?” Sorcia demanded, her voice low and sharp. Her fingers twitched with barely contained anger, and faint sparks of electricity flickered at their tips. She didn’t yet have the strength to unleash her full power, but her magic was returning, fueled by her growing fury.
Hortense shifted uncomfortably, her green glow flickering faintly.
“I didn’t know what was hurting my trees,” she began, her voice quiet but strained with emotion.
Her gaze darted to the earth around them.
“I didn’t know some bastard buried something that would poison the forest, killing everything I care about.
” Her voice rose, raw with anger and remorse.
“But you—” she gestured toward Sorcia and Marcus—“you figured it out and fixed it. For that, I owe you.”
“What do you know?” Sorcia pressed, taking a step closer.
Her movements were deliberate, her body coiled with tension.
She didn’t want to scare the elf into fleeing, but her mounting suspicion and frustration demanded answers.
Her fingers sparked louder, small zaps crackling in the air around her hands.
Hortense hesitated, her wide eyes locked on the sizzling sparks at Sorcia’s fingertips.
She took a step back, but Sorcia followed, relentless.
“Look at me, Hortense,” she commanded, her voice firm and cutting through the tension like a blade.
The elf’s neon green eyes flicked up to meet hers.
“My friend has been gone for five days. Five. Days.” Her voice cracked slightly with the weight of her anguish, but she pressed on.
“I don’t know if she’s even still alive.
You were leading us to her before the vampires showed up. Please, could you take us to her?”
Hortense seemed to shrink under Sorcia’s intense gaze, her glow dimming slightly. For a long, agonizing moment, the only sound was the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze.
“Yes. I have her,” the elf finally whispered.
The words hit Sorcia like a physical blow, a mixture of shock and relief rendering her momentarily speechless. A tense silence enveloped the group, broken only by the faint crackling of the magic still sparking at Sorcia’s hands.
The electricity in Sorcia’s fingers surged with renewed intensity, crackling louder. “Show me. Now,” she ordered, taking another step forward.
Hortense hesitated, her hands trembling as she raised them in a gesture of surrender. “Okay,” she said quickly, turning and heading into the shadows again.
Sorcia followed, her eyes scanning the darkness. Every step felt heavy, her heart pounding with anticipation and dread. When Hortense finally stopped at a copse of trees, Sorcia recognized the area. Something had felt off about it earlier, but she’d been too exhausted to investigate.
The elf glanced back at Sorcia, her expression pleading. “Promise you’ll help me?”
“No,” Sorcia snapped, her voice hard. “You kidnapped my friend. I’m not promising anything until I know she’s alive and unharmed. Then we’ll talk.”
Hortense looked conflicted but nodded, acknowledging the fairness of Sorcia’s terms. She reached out and touched one of the trees. The bark shifted and groaned, the sound resonating through the clearing as the trees parted to reveal a figure within.
“Bethany!” Sorcia cried out, her voice breaking with relief.
Bethany stirred, rubbing her eyes against the sudden light filtering through the trees. When her gaze focused on Sorcia, she gasped, her face lighting up. “Sorcia!” she shouted, stumbling to her feet and running out of the circle of trees.
Sorcia caught Bethany in her arms, holding her tightly. The rest of the coven surged forward, their murmurs of joy and anger filling the clearing.
“Wait!” Sorcia called out, raising her hand to still the crowd from harming the elf. Her voice carried a calm authority despite the turmoil in her heart. “Let’s get the details before we act.”
Her witches fell silent, their eyes flicking between Sorcia, Bethany, and Hortense. The elf stood nearby, her expression a mixture of guilt and determination, waiting for the moment to explain herself.
With her arm still around Bethany, Sorcia turned to face Hortense, her tone sharp. “Why were you holding her prisoner?”
Hortense’s expression flickered with defensiveness before her gaze dropped to the disturbed earth beneath her feet. “Because someone said he would pay me to keep her imprisoned.”
“And what were you going to do with the money?” Sorcia pressed.
Hortense gestured broadly to the trees encircling them.
“I was going to plant saplings for these old trees. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with them.
But they’re my home—my friends. We work together to survive, and they were dying!
” Her voice rose, revealing the depth of her anguish.
“They’re not just shade or scenery to me.
These trees are everything! And I didn’t know what else to do. ”
Bethany pulled away slightly, her gaze hard. “She’s right. Even I could feel their distress,” the younger witch admitted, though her glare didn’t soften. “But that’s no excuse for imprisoning me!”
Hortense sighed, her shoulders slumping under the weight of her guilt. “You’re right. I’m sorry,” she muttered, barely above a whisper.
Sorcia released Bethany, gently pushing her behind her. She stepped closer to Hortense, her voice like steel. “Tell me what you know about Hazelton Birchsmire.”
The elf grimaced, visibly uncomfortable. “Other than the fact that he’s creepy and weird? Always angry, except when he’s ranting about something or someone?”
“Yes,” Marcus interjected, his tone insistent. “Besides the obvious. We already know demons are perpetually furious. What we don’t know is why he wanted Bethany.”
Hortense tilted her head, her neon green eyes narrowing slightly. “He wasn’t after Bethany,” she said, pointing past Sorcia to the witch peering over her shoulder. “He wanted you.” She gestured toward Sorcia. “He said something about your powers being stronger than any other witch’s.”
“Why?” Marcus asked, his voice cutting through the tense air. “Why would he want Sorcia’s powers?”
Hortense hesitated, shifting her weight. “He…never really said. He’s jealous of witches, sure, and he likes causing chaos—that much is obvious. But most of what he ranted about was how powerful you are and how he needed you to complete whatever it is he’s planning.”
Marcus and Sorcia exchanged a sharp glance, worry etched into their features.
Jace stepped forward, his tone direct. “You didn’t hear anything else? Nothing about an army of demons or a larger plan?”
Hortense snorted, the sound tinged with disdain.
“Hazelton isn’t organized enough to build an army.
The man’s personality is a mess. One moment, he’s plotting something vile; the next, he’s throwing a tantrum over some insult nobody else noticed.
” She sighed deeply, her disgust for the demon evident.
“As far as I could tell, his focus was on capturing Sorcia and taking her powers. Beyond that? Who knows? I don’t think even he does. ”
Sorcia’s lips pressed into a thin line as she absorbed the elf’s words. Whatever Hazelton’s endgame was, it remained shrouded in uncertainty—but one thing was clear: she was at the center of it.
Sorcia didn’t meet Marcus’ gaze this time. She didn’t want to reveal any more than necessary to the elf. “So you only worked with Hazelton because your trees were dying?”
“Yes,” Hortense replied, walking over to the nearest tree.
She laid her hands on the rough bark, closing her eyes as if listening to something only she could hear.
“They were hurting, but…” Her voice trailed off as she smiled softly and nodded, as if the tree had spoken back to her.
When she turned to Sorcia again, her expression was lighter, as though an immense weight had been lifted. “They’re better. Thanks to you.”
Hortense walked back to Sorcia, stopping just in front of her. Then, to everyone’s surprise, she knelt, her palms pressed flat against the ground, her fingers digging into the soil. “I accept whatever punishment you decree.”
Sorcia blinked, startled. She stared at the elf for a long moment, then lifted her confused gaze to Marcus. He shrugged slightly, his face unreadable. Turning to Jace, she found him rolling his eyes, absently scratching Anikka’s ears with a wry smirk.
“What do you think?” she asked Viktor.
Before he could answer, Gracie spoke up with a soft chuckle. “We all know you’re not going to hurt her.”
Viktor kissed the top of Gracie’s head, his own expression amused. “Ignore my wife. She’s too soft-hearted.” But his gaze turned sharp as he looked down at the trembling elf. “That said, she has caused harm and deserves to make amends.”
Sorcia sighed heavily, her frustration evident. “Oh, get up!” she grumbled. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Hortense lifted her head, her eyes wide with confusion, but she remained kneeling. “Excuse me?” she whispered.
“Stand up,” Sorcia commanded firmly. “Your punishment is this: you’re going to help us find Hazelton. That’s how you’re going to atone.”
The elf rose slowly, her demeanor cautious, as though unsure if she had truly been spared. “Th-thank you,” she stammered.
Marcus stepped forward, his presence commanding. “I’ll take care of the restructuring,” he said. With a wave of his hand, the ground began to shift and smooth, filling the holes left by the toxic waste removal. The soil seemed to sift itself, spreading evenly over the area.
“How many trees do you need planted?” Marcus asked, his tone practical.
Hortense placed a hand over her heart, visibly moved. “Hazelton promised me the money to buy over a thousand saplings.”
Marcus glanced at Sorcia, seeking her approval. She nodded, her expression resolute. Turning to the gathered witches, Marcus addressed them, his voice carrying authority.
“Will each of you help Hortense by planting a dozen or so saplings? Wherever you see an open area, plant one or two trees, spaced far enough apart to give them room to grow.”
The witches murmured their agreement, their heads nodding as they began to organize themselves. The air buzzed with quiet determination as they prepared to heal the damaged forest.
Hortense blinked rapidly, her glowing green eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I didn’t think…I didn’t think anyone would help.”
Sorcia placed a hand on her shoulder, her tone soft but firm. “This forest is as much a part of the world as we are. We protect what’s worth saving, Hortense. Remember that.”
All of the witches eagerly nodded their agreement. A few murmured about wanting a harsher punishment for Hortense, but with Marcus’ firm command and the urgent need to move forward, they flew off in pairs to fulfill his request.
Sorcia walked over to Marcus. She didn’t touch him, though she wanted to. She’d been thinking about what he’d said earlier today. Or yesterday? She wasn’t sure what time it was now. Still, she needed to resolve one problem at a time.
“Thank you,” Hortense whispered, her voice trembling. Her chin quivered as she struggled to contain the overwhelming emotions surging within her. “Thank you so much.”
Sorcia shook her head, her tone unyielding. “You’re not getting off that easily. We still need to find Hazelton. He’s a menace that needs to be stopped. If we don’t find him quickly, he’ll find someone else to partner with, and my coven will remain at risk.”
Hortense bowed slightly, her neon eyes filled with determination. “You saved my forest. I’ll do anything to help you.”
“Good,” Sorcia replied sharply. “Then tell us where you last saw the demon.”
Marcus stepped closer, his steady presence grounding Sorcia amidst the swirling emotions threatening to overwhelm her.
She felt the subtle heat radiating from him, his strength a reassuring anchor.
Her breath hitched for a moment, and without looking, she knew his eyes were on her.
It wasn’t just concern—it was something deeper, something unspoken yet unmistakable.
Sorcia kept her gaze fixed on Hortense, her focus unyielding as she searched for any hint of deceit.
But she couldn’t ignore the heightened awareness of Marcus beside her.
His energy wrapped around her like a protective shield, steadying her resolve.
She didn’t need to look at him to know he was ready, not just to act but to stand with her against whatever came next.
“I can do that,” Hortense said quickly. Her eyes darted to Jace, then to Viktor, who was standing stoically nearby. She blushed furiously before cringing under Viktor’s intense, intimidating stare. “Will he follow us?” she asked nervously.
“Yep,” Sorcia replied without hesitation.
The elf nodded, visibly unhappy about Viktor’s involvement. Sorcia knew Hortense had no idea that Viktor and his clan didn’t feed on elves. Vampires preferred humans, though why that was, Sorcia had never asked. Still, she wasn’t about to soothe the elf’s fears after what she’d done to Bethany.
“Let’s go, then,” Sorcia commanded, her voice brooking no argument. “Hortense, you’re coming with me. I’m not letting you out of my sight until we find this bastard who’s trying to torture my witches.”
“I got her,” Marcus interjected. Without warning, he stepped behind Hortense, lifted her effortlessly under her arms, and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
“What are you—put me down!” Hortense shrieked, flailing her legs and pounding her fists against Marcus’ back. But her protests turned to screams of terror as Marcus launched into the air, soaring high above the forest canopy and heading straight for Baltimore.
Sorcia couldn’t help but laugh, covering her mouth to stifle the sound. She turned to the Jace and Viktor, her expression serious once more. “Thank you,” she said sincerely. “Your help is truly appreciated.”
“Go!” Viktor ordered firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Marcus shouldn’t be separated from you.”
Sorcia grinned, her tension easing slightly at his protectiveness. She floated into the air, waving once at the shifter and vampire below. Then, with a burst of speed, she shot forward, flying fast to catch up with Marcus and the still-screaming Hortense.