Chapter 36
36
Ambrose left Dora to go back to the apothecary and relieve Margo, soon Dora heard the familiar flapping of wings above her head and felt the cool breeze as Hades croaked, ‘Dora’s home, Dora’s home.’
She looked up at him and smiled. ‘Yes, I’m home and for good this time.’
He nodded his head at her, flew a couple of loops then swooped and landed on her shoulder where he began to preen at the hair above her ear.
She giggled. ‘Stop that, it tickles.’ He did, but instead rubbed his head against the side of hers and she lifted a hand to stroke his soft feathers. ‘I had no idea I even had a pet crow, but I’ve missed you, bird.’
She walked to the front gate. Anyone watching would have stopped and stared at the beautiful young woman with hair as black as the crow on her shoulder and skin as white as snow, with a huge leather book tucked under one arm. They made a formidable pair and Dora realised that this was where she had always belonged as she walked down the path to Sephy’s pink front door. This was her home, and she wasn’t leaving again until everything the English sisters had spent their lives fearing had been stopped for all of eternity.
The front door opened, and she saw her aunts standing there.
‘Lenny, I thought you would still be on your way to London.’
Lenny lifted a finger to her lips. ‘Shush child, I’m back, I’m okay, and boy am I happy to see you too.’
Dora grabbed hold of her aunt and held her close, and it felt good. Then she let go of her and pulled Sephy close. When she released her, she smiled at them.
‘I’m still a bit woozy on the finer details but I remember the first lifetime and what happened and…’ She thrust Lucine’s book at them. ‘I’m ready to learn everything I need to break this curse. Will you show me how?’
Lenny let out a loud whoop and punched the air as Sephy began to cry. ‘You did it, Dora, you found the book. Well done, sweet girl, I knew you could. And yes, dear, of course we will. We’re so happy to hear you say this but remember, no matter how much we can teach, you are a blood witch, and your power is deep inside of you. All you need to do is to connect with the things you love and let it unlock itself.’ She patted her heart.
Dora nodded. ‘I am, or at least I’m trying to, I used the language of flowers to get to the cabin and it was so magical. The bookstore where the book was hidden revealed itself to me. It had vanished – Ambrose had struggled to find it for all of these lifetimes – but a clear path came to me in the woods, and there it was. Tucked behind a cedar tree. It was the most magical, incredible sight to behold. A store of happy endings, of stories and instructions.’
Sephy and Lenny looked at each other in amazement.
‘A vanishing bookstore? Is it still there?’ Sephy asked.
‘I’m not sure. Perhaps it only revealed itself long enough to let me find the book.’
Sephy looked thoughtful, but she and Lenny smiled, relieved. ‘It’s been a long couple of days for you, how do you feel? Any sickness this time?’
She shook her head. ‘I feel great, no nausea, and even if there was, I’d rather not sip that anti-homesickness tea. No offence, Sephy, but it’s time to teach me everything I need to know to put an end to all of this and I don’t think teas are the way to go.’
‘No, unless you throw it at him and scald him, then I guess it isn’t.’ Lenny laughed.
Dora grinned. ‘Who’d have thought it, the English women finally reunited and ready to rock and roll one last time.’
Sephy smiled at her, then turned to Dora. ‘We have some sad news for you, dear. Lucine is failing fast. Would you please go and sit with her for a little while and tell her that you’re ready to end this. It would be nice for her to pass knowing this.’
Dora felt a crushing wave of grief wash over her shoulders so strong that her knees almost buckled.
‘Why can’t we stop her from dying? If we possess magical powers can’t we put a stop to it?’
‘We can’t interfere with the life cycle, dear, it’s not possible unless you practise dark magic, and we don’t do that. It doesn’t work anyway – if you were to use it to bring someone back who has passed on you wouldn’t be bringing the same person back. They come back flawed, like a shell of their past selves, and it’s far too much heartache.’
‘How do you know if you haven’t tried?’
Lenny nodded at Sephy. ‘We tried it once and it was terrible. Your mother was not herself, she was cruel and mean, she thrived off wickedness and it was the worst mistake we ever made. To bring a loving soul back as a sick and twisted half version of themselves is worse than death itself.’
‘But can’t we just break the curse? Live another lifetime so I can spend time with my mother? Break the curse next time?’
Dora’s aunts looked at one another with sadness.
‘We think this is our only chance. I know you haven’t spent time with her now, but you’ve spent many lifetimes with her. This is about you finally living past thirty-five – with Ambrose. Getting a chance at having your own family. That’s what Lucine wants.’
Dora nodded, wishing she could do or say something. Instead, she turned and ran up the stairs to Lucine’s bedroom. Opening the door, the first thing she smelled was the medicinal, clinical smell of illness. Lucine was even frailer than she had been the day before, her head had shrunk into the pillows and she looked so tiny. Her eyes fluttered as Dora drew closer to the bed, sitting carefully next to her, they finally opened.
She looked at her and whispered, ‘Dora.’
Dora couldn’t stop the tears this time, they fell down her cheeks and she gently took hold of Lucine’s hand. ‘Mum.’
Lucine lifted her left hand and stroked Dora’s cheek. ‘You came back.’
‘I found your book and I’m home now. I’m never leaving again, I promise you.’
Lucine smiled at her. ‘I’m so happy, I knew you would. Do you remember everything?’
She nodded. ‘I do.’
‘Good, then you know that Corwin is not to be trusted and how dangerous he is.’
‘Yes, I do. I’m going to stop him this time, I promise I will.’
‘I want you to be careful. He’s as mean as a hungry moose but you’re able to take care of yourself and him. I’m sorry I can’t be here to help you; this lifetime is almost up, and it makes me so sad that we didn’t get to be together longer.’
Dora was trying not to cry but it was hard to get air into her lungs because her breath kept hitching.
‘I don’t want you to go, you can’t leave me when I’ve only just found you.’
Lucine smiled at her. ‘I will always be with you, my sweet child.’ She tapped her chest, just like Sephy had, then tapped Dora’s heart. ‘Whenever you need me, I’ll be in your heart. You will always carry a piece of me around with you, just as I always carry a piece of you within me.’
A dark shadow appeared at the window and Dora watched as Hades hopped inside and flew to the bedside table next to Lucine.
She turned her eyes to stare at him. ‘Is it time to go, my old friend?’
Hades buried his head into Lucine’s neck, and she gave him a gentle smile then closed her eyes, her grip on Dora’s hand loosening as she took her last breaths. Time stood still. Dora watched as a glowing white light rose from Lucine’s frail body, so bright she had to shield her eyes. Hades flew to the window, the light following him, and he took off into the sky, soaring so high that all Dora could make out was a small black dot followed by a glowing ball of brilliant white light. She heard a loud sob and realised that Sephy and Lenny were standing in the doorway.
‘What was that?’
‘Hades is guiding Lucine’s soul to the light where she belongs. He is such a wonderful watcher, he will take care of her now just like he always does.’
Dora looked at her mum’s frail body lying on the bed, she did look like a shell of the woman from yesterday.
Lenny stepped in and sat next to Dora, wrapping her arms around her.
‘It’s been a tough few days, eh kid? But Lucine is in a kinder, better place, where there is no pain, and she can be free to enjoy herself until it’s time to come back. Hades will make sure she’s safe, while we take care of this mortal body.’
Dora sobbed; she didn’t know what else to do, there was nothing to say. Sephy came in and bent down to kiss her sister’s head. ‘It never gets any easier, does it? We live our lives and watch her die, only to come back and do it all over again.’
She took a deep breath. ‘I need to phone the funeral home, Richard is waiting on our call and he will take good care of Lucine. He’s a good man, a kind man, despite his rather morbid job, but someone has to take care of the dead and he’s the finest there is at it.’
Sephy left Dora and Lenny, Dora still had hold of Lucine’s hand. Lenny touched Dora’s shoulder.
‘Take your time. I’m sorry you didn’t get to be together for very long. We thought we were doing the right thing, but we weren’t as usual. We screwed up spectacularly and now we’re in the same mess as always.’
Dora looked at her aunt. ‘You tried to save me from my destiny, and I get that, all of you did what you thought was the right thing to do. I don’t hate you for it, I love you. I’m just sad that our time together was so limited. I can tell you one thing though, when I get to go head to head with that bastard, he’s going to pay for all of this, for all of our lost lifetimes. For betraying the English women the way that he did. If it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to send him to hell or wherever he deserves to be.’