Chapter 12
It took a long time for them to get back to the coven.
Jessamine knew she was mostly the reason for that.
Her body couldn’t keep up with him, and when it could, she was still wincing with pain.
Although her god companion was more than happy to go at her pace, she was holding them up far more than she wanted to admit.
Still, she kept moving.
The old woman would likely have let them stay as long as they wanted.
Although it was strange she hadn’t said a word since the moment they’d arrived.
Jessamine didn’t want to think about that.
Their hostess seemed comfortable allowing strangers to take what they needed.
But when they left, Jessamine stopped in to thank her and found a home abandoned and marred by time.
No one actually lived here, and in the light of day, she wondered how long it had been since the spirit who had guided them had passed.
So they made their way across Orenda, back toward where they had left the coven. The small seaside shack was her favorite sight. Her entire body sagged when she finally saw it, and the exhaustion set in even worse.
A two-room building was enough to make tears fill her eyes and set her vision into a blur.
“We’re almost there,” Elric murmured, looping an arm around her waist to help her speed up. “We’ve made it, Jessamine.”
Her heart in her throat, she staggered toward her family. The door to the shack burst open when they were about twenty paces away, as though the coven knew she was here. As though they could feel that she desperately needed them.
The first person to leave the doorway was Sybil. Her dark form darted across the sands, and then she had her skirts in her fisted hands, lifting them so she could run faster. Her worried expression made her forehead crease and the deep grooves around her mouth appear far more visible.
“There you are,” Sybil gasped as she finally lunged for Jessamine and yanked her into her arms. They both fell onto their knees in the sands, clinging to each other.
Jessamine’s chest tightened painfully. “I’m so sorry,” she gasped against Sybil’s neck. “I didn’t think it would happen like that. I didn’t believe he would have so many abilities. I didn’t mean for it to end this way.”
“Don’t you worry about any of it. None of us could have known what would happen, sweet thing. This was a mistake that rests on all our shoulders.” Sybil drew back, her hands framing Jessamine’s face as she took in the state of her. “What did he do to you?”
Another pair of feet came rushing toward them. Elissa dropped to her knees beside them, reaching out for Jessamine’s hand and inspecting the damaged fingers. “We need to get you inside. It’s too cold out here, and you’re barely wearing anything. Look at the state of you.”
A soft shawl was draped around her shoulders almost immediately. It was warm and smelled like soap and salt water.
“Agnes,” Jessamine said, and then looked up at the strong woman with a soft smile.
“You look horrible,” Agnes replied, crouching beside the three of them. “Like you got in a fight and lost.”
“I think we all did.”
“What a pity. You always were a scrappy little thing, though.” Agnes reached out and grabbed her chin, tilting her head side to side so she could look over her black eye and all the other scrapes that covered her face.
“Nothing we can’t put back together. You’ll be looking like yourself in no time. ”
And for some reason, that made Jessamine burst into tears.
The three women around her seemed shocked.
She wasn’t sure any of them had seen her cry like this before.
Ugly and raw, it rocked through her entire body, sending her onto her hands and knees before them as she tried to yank back in the sounds of pure anguish.
But they wouldn’t come back in. Jessamine wanted to scream with the rage and disgust and sadness that seemed to overtake her.
But all she could make was a horrible, choked sound that echoed throughout her entire being.
Her ribs ached. Her stomach clenched and seized with the feeling of it.
Then she felt the arms of the other witches come around her shoulders. All three of them in a circle around her, holding her in their arms and bearing all her emotions. They sat there in the sands with her, sharing in her pain as tears ran down their own cheeks.
When she finally quieted, Sybil cupped her face in her hands and tilted her face up to look at her. “Where does this pain come from?”
“I failed you,” Jessamine rasped. “I failed you all.”
“You did not fail us. A coven works together. We are all equally to blame for what happened.”
“But I am your gravesinger. I promised you revenge and retribution and all I did was bring you into danger and then force us all to watch the end of the world.” Jessamine shook her head, still feeling that electric ache in her chest. “This is all my fault.”
Agnes’s broad hand touched her back, as sure and as capable as any woman could be. “It is not anyone’s fault but the man who caused all this. We will still give him the pain he is due for all that he has done, Jessamine. A coven is stronger than any man ever gives it credit for.”
She didn’t believe it. That was the problem.
Deep in her gut, Jessamine was supposed to believe that they could do this.
She was supposed to be assured that no matter what, they would still win.
He couldn’t hold them down for too long, not when they were all together and so bloated from all of their sacrifices.
That was how she had gone into this fight. Certain that nothing could stop them.
But now? Now she knew what he was capable of. She knew that they had run out of time, and that the God King himself had magic unlike anything she’d seen in her life.
Wincing, she shook her head. “I don’t know what we can do.”
Agnes’s expression hardened. “We will do what we always have. Fight. Fight until our last breath.”
It was all they could do. Jessamine didn’t want to go down without a fight. She’d never been one to roll over and take whatever someone gave her.
She looked back over her shoulder to see Elric standing there like a dark wraith, his shadow smudged across the white sands.
“We have our own god,” she murmured, catching his gaze as his eyes widened. “And I will not let another take his place.”
“That’s the spirit,” Agnes said, and then they all stood as one. “Now, let’s get you inside and cleaned up. You’ll need a bath, I suspect.”
“A bath would be much appreciated.”
The older woman started off, barking orders at the rest of the younger coven members who were gathered near the door. Jessamine hadn’t noticed they were all standing there, staring at her while they wrung their hands. Clearly, her absence had been noticed by more than just her closest friends.
Sybil grabbed her hand and started muttering an old spell, one of healing and hope. It made her bones ache and reset themselves. Bit by bit, every digit in her hand snapped back into place.
A few of the witches darted off, while the others rushed into the house. It sounded like Agnes was shouting for them to get clean clothes ready. There was something else about sponges and soap, but surely the witches hadn’t already gotten all that. They hadn’t been in Orenda for that long.
Elissa let out a little giggle before pressing her hand to her mouth with wide eyes. “Oh, hardly the time for that.”
“It’s fine. What are you giggling about?” Jessamine reached for Elric without thought, and his arm slid around her waist. He took her weight without a single issue. For that, she was deeply grateful.
“Just… they’re all so scared of Agnes. You’d think she was some warrior walking into battle every time they have to deal with her.
They run when she shouts at them like that.
” Elissa shook her head. “Hardly appropriate thoughts for the time, though. I’ll get you clothing that’s better than what they’ll pick out.
Knowing them all, they’re going to want to dress you like a princess, and I have a feeling you’d rather have something comfortable to wear right now. ”
“That would be lovely.” Jessamine exhaled. “I really don’t want to wear a corset. I think I have a broken rib.”
“A corset might help brace that.”
“No, Elissa. Just something loose and comfortable.”
“As you wish.” Elissa winked at her and slipped into the house, right into the heart of all the chaos.
That left only the three of them, as it was at the beginning. Elric, Jessamine, and Sybil. Two witches who had brought back their god when all others believed that it simply wasn’t possible.
Jessamine bit her lip, looking between the two of them before a cackle slipped out.
She knew she must look insane. All bruised and beaten by a god who had taken over their entire world, laughing like her mind had finally snapped.
The two of them even looked at each other before indulging in her laughter.
Finally, Elric was the one to interrupt her wild giggles.
“Jessamine, are you all right?”
“I never thought we’d end up here,” she finally coughed out. “The first day I was with the two of you, in that broken-down old coven house, never in my right mind did I think we would end up here.”
Sybil’s mouth twisted into a half smile. “You didn’t believe we would be taking down a god? I always did.”
“Did you really? Was it this one?” Jessamine squeezed Elric’s waist, drawing him a little closer. “Obviously, I knew we’d spend the rest of our lives arguing with him, but I didn’t think we’d kill him.”
A slow grin spread across Sybil’s lips. “Oh, I always assumed we’d have to kill him. If not to return all our sacrifices, then at the very least for that sarcastic tongue. I’m still surprised we haven’t removed it yet.”
“Hey,” Elric snapped at the two of them. “Joke about my tongue all you want, but the sacrifice jokes aren’t funny.”