Chapter 60
Charlotte’s Story
When Elizabeth awoke, she was lying on a small cot surrounded by jars and plants. The familiar smell of lavender and eucalyptus hung in the air. Around her cot, there were shelves laden with crystals, plants, and crates of dried herbs. She recognized where she was—the small home above Risna’s shop.
Elizabeth wore a nightgown, and by some miracle, her pinky finger was back where it belonged. Her finger twitched with phantom pain—a sharp reminder of what she had endured.
Fiza, whom she considered a friend, had almost killed her.
Her gaze slid around the room. At the side of her bed sat Charlotte, smiling weakly.
“Charlotte! What in the Seven Hells!”
Charlotte chuckled. “Great to see you too, Lizzy.”
“I’m glad to see you, believe me. But what happened? How did you—” She gestured helplessly. “The magic, Charlotte. You have magic.”
Charlotte leaned forward and took a deep breath.
“Do you remember when I was a child, how I was fascinated with witches? I even tried to find them. When we were kids, I would make you play make-believe with me, and we would pretend we had magical powers. I was fascinated with them my entire life because—” She hesitated.
“When I turned twenty, my mother told me the truth. I am a witch. My mother and I are the guardians of the amulet, and our family has kept it safe from the demons for generations.” Charlotte paused before continuing, “I had to keep it all a secret, even from you, for your own safety.”
“I don’t understand,” she whispered. “How?”
Charlotte smoothed her skirts and cleared her throat.
“Centuries ago, our family came to Israr from a land in the south, beyond the furthest reaches of Asteria. After the portals were neutralized, there was a meeting in Israr with all the covens in the kingdom. It was there that my ancestor was tasked with keeping one of the amulets safe. My ancestor gathered her riches, and many more were given to her by the covens to help with her task. My ancestor left Israr, and to all eyes and ears, the amulet seemed to vanish without a trace.”
Her mind reeled.
Finally, she said, “They went after me because they saw it in my memories.” She was unable to keep the flat tone out of her voice. “They went after my parents, I assume, because they thought they might find the amulet in our manor.”
Charlotte’s face grew sad. “I am so sorry. I know that doesn’t make it better. I never thought you would get tangled in our world.”
“The whole time I thought you had no idea what the amulet was. You acted like it was a piece of junk!”
Her friend's lips curved upwards. “I couldn’t tell you. My mother and I are the only ones who know.” She paused. “And now you.”
“I almost told Ambriel that you had it, but I was worried you and your family would be falsely accused of witchcraft, or associating with demons.” She huffed a laugh. “I truly had no idea., I thought there was no possible way that House Harrison could have anything to do with magic.”
Charlotte grinned. “Our family has been hiding in plain sight for generations.” She looked down at her lap, then back up at Elizabeth. “No one was ever supposed to find out we have it.”
“Oh, Charlotte.” Elizabeth said, her lip quivering. “I didn’t mean to see it. I was just rifling through your jewellery drawer, and it struck me as a rather odd and ugly piece of jewellery. I didn't even know what it was.”
“I’m sorry.” Charlotte’s eyes grew somber. “I feel like my friendship has damned you. I know that you refused to tell them where you saw it. Or I wouldn’t still be standing here.” Charlotte paused and said gravely, “Thank you for protecting me and my family.”
“It wasn’t bravery or anything.” She shrugged.
“They had already taken my parents and were about to kill me too. I just—I couldn’t let my last act in this world be setting those monsters on a friend.
” She paused and looked away. “I figured that if I was the only one who knew, and the information died with me, it would stay safe.”
Her friend’s eyes glistened. “I’m sorry. This was never a burden for you to bear.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Ambriel, the angel I told you about, seems to think there was a prophecy.” She shrugged. “He seems to think I’ve been marked since birth to get tangled in this mess.”
“Ah, yes, the prophecy.” Charlotte gave her a wry smile.
Elizabeth blinked. “You’ve heard of it?”
“Every witch in Asteria has heard of the prophecy. They believe the witch from the prophecy will once and for all save them from the plague of demons.”
Elizabeth gave a long exhale. “Ambriel thinks the prophecy is about—me.” She paused, her brows drawing together.
“He kept talking about how he believes I’m the answer, and I’ll lead him to the second portal.
Unfortunately, when he showed me what it looked like—I recognized it.
” She gave a hollow laugh. “Apparently, he told Fiza and Maud, and the gods only know who else, that I knew where it was.”
Charlotte surveyed her for a moment. “Do you want the prophecy to be about you?”
“No.” Elizabeth sighed, throwing her head back against her pillow. “I don’t want any part of it. I don’t think the gods are giving me a choice, though.”
Charlotte laughed and brought a hand over her mouth.
Elizabeth lifted her head to look at Charlotte incredulously, “How can you possibly laugh?”
“The prophecy isn’t about you, if that makes you feel better.”
“It’s not?!” Elizabeth leaned back against her pillows, her shoulders slumping in relief. Thank the gods.
“It’s about … well … me.”
Elizabeth started. “What—”
Charlotte chuckled. “Our birthdays are close together, yours at the end of August and mine at the beginning, but no, the prophecy is about me. A young witch who lives in the kingdom of flowers, with power in her veins, born in the eighth month of the year. Who will find both artefacts and finally lead the witches and rid us of the scourge of demons.” She paused, smiling wryly.
“I mean, it could mean you, but I’ve been preparing my entire life to rally the witches and help them if the war comes to pass during our lifetime. ”
Elizabeth sighed in relief. “No, I’m absolutely thrilled it’s not me.
” She chuckled. “Gods. I’ve been so worried that everyone will look to me, and I’ll have to shoulder this horrible weight and responsibility.
And I’m not even a witch! They’re not my people.
” She paused, then blanched. “Wait, are you worried?”
Charlotte grinned. “A little. But I’ve had a long time to come to terms with it.”
Elizabeth sank into the mattress.
Thank the gods.
Elizabeth looked at her unmarked fingers, remembering the agony, the helplessness.
“Thank you for healing me,” she said seriously. “And for getting me out of there. I thought I was done for.”
Charlotte’s eyes twinkled. “Anytime.”
She smiled. “Any other secrets I should know about?”
Charlotte laughed. “Just one. You’ve probably guessed it by now, but I was the one who sent you that letter.”
“You can’t have.” Elizabeth raised a brow. “I know your handwriting as well as my own.”
Charlotte took a deep breath. “My mother has an old and trusted servant who we use for any correspondence from the ‘amulet bearer,’ so our writing doesn’t betray us. We are prominent figures in the Rhodean nobility, so it’s been a necessary precaution.
“We write all our own letters, and my mother’s maid only writes formal correspondence to the witches on our behalf. I am sorry if I caused you a fright with the strange writing, but I couldn’t reveal myself, even to you.”
“Thank you. For helping me find someone who can teach me magic.”
Charlotte’s smile turned wicked. “I was absolutely delighted when you told me you had magic too, though I just couldn’t say it at the time.
” She paused. “Every young witch should learn how to control their magic, that’s what my mother told me.
If you keep it bottled up, it can become unpredictable, even dangerous.
So, I thought offering you a proper tutor was the best thing to do. ”
“I just have one question,” Elizabeth asked, leaning back into the pillows. “How on earth did you manage to hide this from everyone? For so long?”
Charlotte smiled weakly and told her all about growing up as a witch in a kingdom that was waging a war in magic.
Elizabeth listened and, in turn, told her all about what had really happened in the Underworld and the truth of what had happened between her and Caspian over the past few months.
Charlotte, to her credit, listened without judgement.
They talked for hours, both relieved to finally have no secrets between each other.
“I wonder if—” Charlotte paused abruptly. Her head jerked towards the window. “There’s a demon here.”