Chapter 32
The coming days didn’t offer much of a reprieve. Many funerals were scheduled, many vigils were held, many tears were shed, and so much hope was lost.
When I arrived at Guild Master Campbell’s funeral, the overcast clouds gave way, ushering in a heavy rain.
It masked some of the sorrow on familiar faces.
Layla continued grieving, hit hard by the death.
The death of her mentor, her inspiration.
A death she couldn’t prevent despite her best efforts.
She looked weary without her typical confident expression. Her eyes were splotchy. For the first time since I’d met her, Layla didn’t have her hair styled in her cute little pigtails. Instead, she let her long brown hair hang lifelessly, catching in the rain as she sank with her feelings.
I wanted to comfort her, but I had nothing to offer. Death hollowed me out too much, and any advice I had on the subject would likely be detrimental. My only hope was that Layla didn’t cling to this pain for years.
Before I reached Milo, another mind often filled with anger called out.
Kenzo. He’d come here to offer his respects, yet his heart and mind were a thousand miles away.
Anguished thoughts twisting in on themselves ate away at him.
Guilt consumed him. Each breath he took stung. Nothing reassured him, eased the pain.
Caleb had been abducted, and Kenzo was flooded with worry.
He wasn’t the only mind stuck on Caleb’s loss, Tara’s loss. They’d been taken from us, from the city, and held captive by a psychotic witch.
My telepathy spanned the length of the funeral, hit with the anguish from thousands of thoughts.
Everyone from Cerberus had come. Nearly everyone.
One mind far away hadn’t made it out the front door before grief consumed her.
Here, though, so many came to show their respects.
Cerberus members, students, other guild masters, enchanters, civilians, investors, and many others, all of whom considered Campbell a friend and ally.
But far on the other side of the city, my telepathy snaked through the busy streets until I reached Katherine’s home.
She lay on her bed, dressed in black, but unable to pull herself together.
She sobbed, too devastated by her role in things.
The possession ate away at her, haunting her with memories of Moire’s cruel actions.
Guilt flooded her every fleeting thought, convinced she could’ve helped Caleb and Tara if only she’d done better. Been better.
She wasn’t at fault.
I only hoped she saw that soon enough.
Making my way around the edges of the crowd, I carefully pressed through the sea of black.
Milo stood silently, mourning Campbell. His solemn expression made the scars on his face all the more prominent.
Those jagged slash marks haunted me. He was fine, healed, but they were a constant reminder of the battles he’d always find himself entering.
The ten most powerful witches in the Global Guild opposed him, and he jumped into the fray without a moment of hesitation. But the pride he had for that fight was lost on him here and now.
I endured the thoughts of everyone around us because Milo needed the peace to quietly grieve Campbell’s loss.
Latching my telepathy to Milo, sinking into his mind fully, would offer a reprieve I desperately craved in this abyss of anguish.
But I couldn’t burden Milo right now. I needed to stand tall, offer myself as a pillar of support when he needed it.
During the sermon, a small spark of joy steered my magic. It was mixed with a twinge of guilt, but mostly relief. A few rows back, Lena stood between Hayden and Ellie, taking in the kind words and ceremonial verses meant to offer Campbell a final farewell.
Lena had already experienced a tremendous loss when Jamie was taken from her, taken from this world.
There weren’t many left in her life that she cared for.
She’d distanced herself from her family.
She rarely associated with colleagues, Hayden and Ellie being the exception.
And as she took in the service, Lena counted her blessings that she hadn’t lost either of the loves of her life.
While I didn’t care much for the trio as individuals.
They mostly annoyed me, Lena with her sourpuss attitude, Ellie with her constant niceties, and Hayden with her ditzy aloofness.
They were a vexing throuple. Still, I silently sent a wish for the very same thing Lena hoped for.
May Lena, Ellie, and Hayden never experience the pain of losing one another.
I loved Milo and Finn just as deeply as Lena loved her partners. Losing Finn… I would never fully recover from it, but I was happy to finally allow myself to be happy again. May no one have to endure the grueling journey of grief I dragged myself through.
After the funeral wrapped up, lines formed for the crowd to funnel through and offer their final respects to Guild Master Campbell as she was lowered into the ground.
Drop some dirt, a rose, or a pink ribbon—options galore for Campbell.
Whether the ribbon represented the cancer she’d survived or a symbolic nod to her branch, I didn’t ask.
Many in the crowd speculated one or the other.
Milo lingered particularly long at Campbell’s grave, a rose in his shaky hand. Unable to bear the moment, he cast his gaze up to the rain, letting the water splash against his face and mix with the tears he hid.
This would be the only moment Milo allowed himself to mourn, to lose himself in the sadness of death.
Enchanter Evergreen never let loss slow him down, never let grief prevent him from bringing joy to the world.
He’d lock away his many memories of Campbell somewhere deep in his mind, pulling them out when he needed to recall the fondness they shared.
She was a boss he loved annoying. A friend he loved consoling. An ex he loved to tease. Campbell meant the world to Milo. His mind flitted through blurry visions as he took in the rainfall. One by one, Milo tucked those possibilities away, locking them up to never be seen again.
I imagined those possible futures were of Campbell in another life, one where she wasn’t cut down in the heat of battle.
Whatever possible futures Milo saw of a world where Campbell still lived, it brought momentary relief.
The tiniest of smiles crept on his face before he composed himself with a stoic expression.
Milo dropped a rose and whispered a final farewell to Guild Master Amelia Campbell.
I kept my distance from Milo, offering him solitude.
It was so rare for him to have a moment to himself.
After all, Enchanter Evergreen had a huge fandom, one that would surely grow now that he’d cemented himself as a prodigy of the perfected root magics.
Still, everyone in attendance offered him space, most lost in their own grief.
Lena pulled herself away from her partners, catching my attention. She joined a somber Kenzo and shared a word with him. I didn’t eavesdrop, finding Kenzo’s guilt particularly difficult to handle right now. But whatever was shared offered a brief respite to the pain carved in Kenzo’s heart.
Milo really did know what he was doing when suggesting that pairing. Lena needed an intern who would remind her of Jamie, even in the smallest of ways. And Kenzo needed a mentor who didn’t find him the least bit intimidating but still wanted the best outcome for his future.
As Milo and I made our way out of the cemetery, Cassidy Gardner swaggered through the crowd.
She took swift steps full of purpose, walking with only the faintest hint of a limp from the thigh injury she’d endured.
Security circled her, their thoughts vigilant on those nearby, even though there was no threat to be found.
Perhaps the attack she suffered at Cerberus had her more on guard.
“Can we talk, Milo?” Cassidy squeezed the handle of her umbrella tightly, offering the slightest tilt to shield Milo from the downpour, and just enough so the slosh would splash harder against me. “Privately.”
I glowered but bit my tongue. Milo had already lost someone dear to him. I didn’t want to pick at his friendship with Cassidy. Even if I despised her every breath.
“I’m just going to share whatever you say with him later,” Milo said with a forced grin. Thoughts of turning on his charm were instinctual, even as he grieved. “Hell, it’s Dorian. He’ll probably eavesdrop with that pesky telepathy you despise.”
“It’s not the telepathy I despise.” Cassidy fixed her gaze on me, making it clear we shared mutual disdain for one another.
“What can I do for you, Cass?”
“It’s about what I can do for you,” she replied. “As I understand it, that diamond fucker has been detained. Locked in a deeper hole than just about anyone can get to.”
Bardot, the witch who killed Campbell. He wasn’t the only Celestial Coven witch detained after the attack.
Bardot, Finch, and even Cobalt—who remained immobilized after I shattered his mind months back—were all taken into custody.
Lazarus’ bound body within an impenetrable enchantment was collected as well, along with the remnants of Grim’s shattered bones.
I explained he was an empty vessel, but the authorities didn’t care.
Whoever they were superseded Global Guild control and determined the Celestial Coven to be an active terrorist threat, thus removing them in some covert and classified action. I wasn’t even certain if Wadsworth himself knew where those fallen members of the Celestial Coven had been taken.
“If you’re worried about him getting out, I assure—”
“Perish the thought.” Cassidy pursed her lips. “From what I understand, where he landed is worse than death. A fitting fate.”
I glimpsed the edges of Cassidy’s mind, attempting to pry a location from her thoughts. Static cloaked the images, some type of enchantment shield. Not her doing. Living in Chicago, I knew the touch of Cassidy Gardner’s illegal enchantments. They floated around everywhere for the right price.
No, it was as if the intel itself came with a hexed ward to protect the knowledge.
That was high-level magic casting if I’d ever experienced it.
There was no amount of sleuthing that could pry that information from someone.
It all came from clearance and influence.
Who knew Cassidy had government connections that ran so high? Higher than Milo.
“I just wanted you to know my resources are at your disposal,” Cassidy said, stepping in closer to Milo. “Every single one of them. No, need to plead or get sentimental.”
“That’s quite gracious.”
“I know.” Cassidy tilted her head, tightening her eyes on Milo. “I’ll help you find and eliminate what remains of this Celestial Coven and their trashy True Witch.”
“Why the assistance?” I asked.
“They killed a friend of mine.” Cassidy flicked her attention back to Campbell’s gravesite. “They also seem determined to destroy my city.”
“And we couldn’t have that now, could we?” I scoffed.
“Certainly not,” she replied, turning her attention back to Milo.
“Thank you, Cassidy.” Milo gave her a half-hug, holding the embrace longer than she was comfortable with.
Still, her thoughts contended to accept the hug, understanding Milo was a softie.
“I have resources your Global Guild doesn’t,” Cassidy continued, finally freeing herself from Milo. “They wouldn’t wanna get their hands dirty.”
“And you do?” I asked.
“I get the best manicures in town,” Cassidy said with a smile. “I don’t mind breaking a nail from time to time.”
“I will consider your offer,” Milo said.
“You do that, darling.” With that, Cassidy turned on her heel, escorted by an entourage of security.
As Cassidy left, the crowd thinned, and I followed Milo back to the parking lot.
Milo leaned against my shoulder, pressing his head against mine. “Thank you.”
I didn’t reply, merely slowed my pace so Milo could rest against me.
“It means a lot you were here,” he whispered. “That you’re always here.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I turned, facing toward him as we approached the car. “I promise you.”
“I love you.” Milo leaned in, kissing me gently.
“I love you, too.” I kissed him back, pouring my heart into his mind, letting the rhythmic beat fill our thoughts as our lips smacked.