Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
My cheek rested on something cool and hard, like stone.
I flung an arm over my eyes to shade them from a blinding light.
Shouts muddled with my thoughts, and I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the words.
Gentle hands pulled me up and then into an embrace.
Roses swirled around me, then jasmine, and coriander as more arms wrapped my shoulders and torso.
“Sorrel.” The word rolled off multiple tongues as I fought to understand what was going on.
Rose was hugging me. Ori was crying on my shoulder; Freddie had his arms around my waist. Lights of red and blue flashed over us like a rave.
A few feet away, Juke was talking to someone in a dark uniform.
The sun had set, but a glaring spotlight shone where we stood.
Another light to the left outlined more shadowy figures.
Fabra. Police. I was alive. I was back.
Hugging Rose back, I glanced at my arm. The curse words illuminated with a golden light. I was back, and I was cursed again. I extracted myself from everyone’s arms as their questions began. “What happened? Where did you go? Where’s Ranth?”
I wasn’t ready to explain because what I would say wouldn’t make sense.
“Ranth is gone.” The ache echoed in my bones, and I crossed my arms as the loss gnawed.
Ori’s arm slid around me. “I’m so glad you’re back.” She nestled her head on my shoulder. Tears dripped down my cheeks as I enfolded her, skimming over my muddled thoughts. The Garden hadn’t accepted Ranth. Why hadn’t he come back with me?
An officer walked over to us. “Which one of you is Miss Redwood?”
I stepped back from Ori and shielded my eyes to get a better look at the policewoman.
“I am,” I replied, drying my eyes as she approached us.
“I have a few questions if you don’t mind?”
I did mind, and nothing would make sense to the police. Bud had always said to call his lawyer first.
“Am I under arrest?”
“No. I’d just like to know some details about what happened here.”
“If you want to ask me questions, I need a lawyer, and I’d like my stepdad present.”
She tugged out her notebook. “Who is your stepfather?”
“Bud Leaf, like the plant,” I replied, giving Bud’s cell phone number.
That would buy me a few hours before I had to come up with a reason for the tent, the mess in the warehouse if they knew about it, and why Fabra and her goons were here with tranquilizer guns.
Not that, at the moment, any of it could be tied to me.
This was private property, so technically it would be Juke’s dad who would have to cover for us.
He was super cool, and as long as we fixed the damage, I was pretty sure we’d be good to go.
I stroked the tattoo as the officer wrote down information. “I think we have all we need, but if I want to follow up, could I have a local number?”
I gave Charles Worthington’s number.
“Great. Thanks for your help.” She smooshed her lips together like she was annoyed by my non-committal, but she walked toward the police cars. One of the spotlights turned off.
Juke dashed over. “Sorrel, I was so worried.” She threw her arms around me, and I melted into her.
Babbling, I blurted out, “I’m sorry I stressed you. Thank you—for everything. I’m sorry about the warehouse too. But I think things will be better now. I’ll make them better.” Sobs I couldn’t explain tore me apart. I’d lost both Ranth and Mom in moments.
“Nothing matters but you,” Juke replied, hugging me tighter.
The curse on my arm itched, and the voice in my head stopped my heart.
We will make them better.
Ranth.
Somehow, we were still connected. Joy exploded in my chest. The aching emptiness flowed away as tea-like musk and powdered amber settled over me.
I didn’t need to convince myself that I was going to be okay.
I knew it. Ranth was still a part of me, and we would fix this.
We would change everything. I would find him.
Pop.
“Flipping foxgloves. Hang on, we have incoming. Everyone suck jaggery!” I shouted, waving for my friends to stand behind me. Apparently, demon fighting was still my gig.
Fumbling with my belt pouches, I got a maca into my mouth, and I snapped out my wrist pins before I realized I didn’t need either of them.
I spit out the maca and turned to meet the demons.
Ranth, wreathed in green haze, blocked the portal.
My heart exploded into dandelion puffs as I ran at him. I threw my arms around his neck. “How are you here?”
He tossed a handful of glowing green sparks at the portal and then held up a golden shield in front us as four Essifers charged.
His lips crashed into mine, sweet and grassy, like a fresh juice on a scorching day. I couldn’t get enough.
Essifer goo splattered over us, breaking the kiss.
“The garden has rejected me. They will find a replacement. We should probably deal with the demons first,” he rasped as three more Essifers spilled out.
I grinned and raised a hand to ball up energy, with the word first bounding through my head in neon lights. Oh yes, I had plans too.
Energy tugged from my heart to my hand. The rusty-tinged ball in my hand was larger than any I’d ever made, crackling with coppery sparks.
Copper? That wasn’t right.
I released the energy and tried again.
Same coppery ball. Earth energy. An Essifer screamed past me, and I dodged left, smacking into Ranth.
“What’s wrong?” Ranth’s hands steadied me, the connection snapping me back to action. I held out the ball, squaring up next to him, and whipped it at the Essifers.
Mom’s words echoed: Don’t walk with Death, settled a shroud on the pink goo-tinged scene.
“You are marked. You knew the price.” Ranth dissipated the last Essifer with a burst of green leaves.
“I did, but I don’t know what it means now.”
“It will be what you make of it. You’ll figure it out.” His eyes were glassy from what we’d been through, what I’d lost, what was still ahead to figure out... I didn’t need him, but I wanted him to be part of whatever the future held.
“No, we’ll figure it out,” I said, throwing myself into his arms as Juke, Ori, Freddie, and Rose added arms to our hug.
He was right; we were a team. Better together.
Stronger. Safer. Resilient.
Unstoppable.