Chapter 44 Hector #2
“Anywhere but here of course.” I didn’t care about the chains, in fact, I never had.
Soon enough, they would break and my final play on this chess board would be made.
But for that, I had to save the queen to get to the king.
“Tomin has kept you because he needs a witch to win the Witch Trials. Except we both know that you would rather die than let that happen. You haven’t come this far in life, sacrificing so many things to protect Romy, just to throw it away at the last moment.
But you see, I’m a fool dealing with fools.
I must win. I need the power Bahmet offers to secure a world that has been, as you said, poisoned by Tomin.
We need a cure, one of equal demonic nature. ”
“I can see all of that in your eyes, Hector. My question is how.”
“For starters, Emon here is going to reunite you with Romy. Then you are going to help Kai, the young man currently petitioning rather successfully for her heart, with getting them all out of these twisted games.”
Verena was quiet for a moment, no longer shying away from my fanged companion. “You want us to leave the Witch Trials?”
“Absolutely,” I quipped. “I do indeed. And soon. Preferably before Tomin works it out.”
Her eyes narrowed, the colour darkening as she regarded me. “I was right about you.”
“Explain?”
“You being like your mother, that is. Putting yourself in the line of fire before considering the implications for those she is shielding. I admire it. It’s why I’ve done what I have, made the choices before this moment.
All because I took inspiration from her.
And now I see it was inherited, which would make her proud. ”
A lump clogged my throat. I attempted to clear it, but the grief had taken root once again.
“Then you’ll let me ask one more favour,” I said, holding back my treacherous tears.
“That would depend on what it is this favour consists of.”
I rubbed my hands together like a greedy banker staring down a pile of gold. “When we get out of this… and we will, you will sit me down and tell me everything you know of my parents. Not a detail missed.”
“I would give you the moon, Hector. All because you have reunited me with Romy. I hope you know that.”
“Now that challenge is far from over,” I said. “Romy’s going to need—”
“Time,” Verena admitted. “I know. And if she needs that, she can have it. Because for once, time is a concept that I have to offer in return.”
I would be lying to myself to pretend I wasn’t a little jealous that Romy had her mother back from the dead, and mine was firmly six feet under in the ground. But in the same breath, it gave me a lick of comfort that one of us had a happy ending secured.
I’d learned that sometimes a family found is just as powerful as a family lost.
A ragged cough sounded from beyond the cabin. It was rough and harsh, like lungs full of cement. I could only imagine that Tomin was returning, and from the sharp look Verena gave the door, she confirmed it.
“Time to say goodbye,” I said to Verena before turning my attention to Emon.
“Be kind to her. Get her back to the coven. You have my unwavering support when it comes to making sure every single one of them gets out of this hellhole. Do what you need to do to help Kai, because no doubt he will have some trouble along the way.”
Emon nodded, I thought. Did snakes nod? Either way, his agreement thundered down our tether, like a taut string on an instrument plucked, the note beautiful and strong. “Survive, witchling. Who else am I going to taunt when this is all said and done?”
“God, I couldn’t possibly miss out on that, could I?”
Another throaty cough came from outside the cabin, followed by the tinkling of keys.
“Go,” I commanded, breathlessly. “Now.”
Emon sprung at Verena, the shadows gathering around the demon and spreading out like the cloak. It engulfed them both, stealing away my company and leaving me alone.
Before the final wisp of darkness dissipated, the door was kicked open, likely because Tomin had heard me speaking.
It cracked into the wall with a thud. Rain burst into the cabin, splattering the side of my face as Tomin just stood on the precipice, wild eyes looking around for who I had just shouted at.
“Where is she?”
My back straightened against the wall, my sore head leaning harder into the wood. If anything the pain would keep me alert whilst I waited for Bahmet to act.
“Who?” I said, nonchalantly.
Tomin growled, stormed over to me and stood just shy of his boots kicking into my leg. “Don’t play dumb with me, boy. Verena. What have you done?”
“Aw. Boy? That’s nice and extremely flattering. Do you want my ID to check my age? I mean I know I still get ID for energy drinks, but surely my complexion isn’t that good?”
Tomin’s hand lifted suddenly, ready to strike the sarcasm off my mouth. I noticed his fingers were black and blue, but not as bent and ruined as I had hoped. I supposed his little curse was to thank for his unnatural ability to heal.
“Answer. Me.”
“Nah. Now, Tomin, do you really want to hit me?” I asked, refusing to look away. “Because, just a little lesson on dealing with your allies, if you do that it would be incredibly difficult when it comes to working together. After all… I’m all you have left.”
His hand, still lifted above my head, didn’t come cracking down. It didn’t take a genius to see that Tomin had just worked it out.
“You’ve traded places,” he sneered. “How gallant of you.”
“Thanks, pops,” I replied. “Look at us, turning corners and giving each other compliments. Maybe this is going to work out after all. Considering we’re both besties now, are you going to loosen these chains, or are the rumours true?”
His brow creased at that, and I grinned like a cat to cream. It felt really fucking good getting a rise out of a man who was facing his failure.
Before Tomin could utter a word, somewhere far out across the distance, a deep bell tolled. It was incredibly unnatural of course, because I didn’t remember seeing any bells around this stretch of cliff, field and sea. But the noise was clear, the signal obvious.
It was Bahmet warning of the final trial. The same sound that called back to my time during the first Witch Trials.
Tomin heard it, turning his head slightly to follow. His lip curled into a snarl. Perhaps he realised just how out of control he was in that moment. I hoped so.
“I’m going to take great pleasure in killing you, Hector Briar. Just like, if not more so, watching my son take the life of your parents. I think murdering you is going to bring me even more joy.”
My smile faltered into a grimace. “That’s awkward then, isn’t it?”
The darkness outside the cabin swelled. Bahmet’s power was gathering, racing towards us, getting ready to swallow us and take us to the final trial.
Time truly was running out, but for who was yet to be determined.
“Verena knows what is required of her. She will soon aid me, and my need for you is pointless.”
I used my leverage to the wall to stand, getting my face as close to Tomin’s as my chains allowed. “Verena is gone. And I don’t just mean from your clutches. In fact, I have a feeling in my gut that everyone’s gone. Which means it’s just me and you left.”
“Gone where?” Tomin’s hateful eyes widened a fraction, just as the darkness entered the cabin like a guest with an invite written in gold. “What have you done?”
I extend my hand towards him. “You aren’t going to offer me my congratulations?”
“For what!” Spittle hit my face as Tomin lost himself to inconsolable rage.
“For winning the Witch Trials, of course. Considering I’m the last witch left, I think you should be grovelling at my feet already.”
Tomin barely got to open his mouth before the darkness washed over us. Chains fell away. The cabin was stolen from view. It was only me, the familiar dark, and the presence of a man who knew, in that moment, that he had lost.
But the truth was, that all depended on what Tomin was going to do next.