Chapter 46
Nevan
Something was slapping my cheek, over and over and over again. I blinked my eyes open, sunlight splashing the ceiling above, my head throbbing.
Vine hovered over me, whipping my face with its tail.
“Ow.” I swatted it and sat up. “Stop that.”
My last memories were foggy. I wasn’t sure how I’d ended up on the floor, unconscious.
Maybe I’d been messing with a new potion that went awry, but I didn’t think that was it.
An uneasiness had settled in my bones. Enid was usually by my side these days, and she would have intervened if I’d gotten hurt.
Vine gripped my arm and yanked me to a stand, and I had to lean against the counter. Godwitches, I felt so groggy, my eyes heavy and my body weak. My stomach rolled, and I clutched it.
“I think I might be sick.”
Vine reached out and grabbed a wooden bucket, lifting it as I bent over and emptied the contents of my stomach.
“I’m done,” I rasped, wiping my mouth, the taste of bile still on my tongue.
Vine placed the bucket on the counter while I was still bent over, trying to get my bearings. What in the fuck had happened to me?
I massaged my temples, taking a few deep, steadying breaths. I wasn’t wearing my spectacles, but I cocked my head, studying a blurry mass on the floor.
I blinked a few times and reached down to grab it, then held it up in front of my face. A syringe. A syringe had been lying on the floor, a blue liquid dripping from the needlepoint.
I jolted upward, the memories rushing back, her last words stark in my mind. I’m sorry. “Where is she?” I asked Vine, reaching for my spectacles and putting them back on my nose.
It slithered to the window, then rose and pointed in the distance. I didn’t even need to know where it was pointing.
“She’s sacrificing herself?” I asked. “She’s going to let them have her?”
Vine shook its head.
“How can this not be a sacrifice?” I threw my arm out. “She’s going to get hurt. She only has so much magic left.”
Vine shook its head again and looped its body into a circle. I wasn’t as adept as Enid at translating whatever Vine was trying to communicate.
“A circle?” I asked helplessly.
It shook its head, poking its tail through.
“A hole?”
It nodded.
“Okay a hole. Enid is going to hide in a hole somewhere? She’s going to dig a hole to bury the townspeople in?”
Godwitches, that got dark real quick.
Vine shook its head again, and I shoved a hand through my hair, growing increasingly frustrated.
“He’s saying she’s going through a hole,” a voice said, and I turned to see Fiona standing in the doorway.
“Yes, I think that’s right,” Margaret chirped from a painting. “That was definitely what Vine was trying to say.”
“Through a hole,” I murmured, not even able to summon shock at their appearance in my lab. “Through a hole.”
Fiona shrugged. “She’s probably going to the Otherworld. I read about how you have to crawl through a hole to get there.”
“Oh,” Margaret said. “You’re good at this.”
All the color drained from my face, and I whirled toward Vine. “Is that it? Is she planning to go to the Otherworld?”
Enid had told me all about it the other night. Once she went through a burial mound, she couldn’t come back. I pressed my hands into the counter and dropped my head, taking deep breaths, panic filling me.
“Is he okay?” Fiona asked.
“I don’t think so,” Margaret said.
I lifted my head. “She’s going to leave. Forever. That’s her plan. She thinks if she leaves it’ll solve the problem.”
Fiona’s bottom lip jutted out. “But she can’t do that. What about all of us? Doesn’t she know she’ll never see us again?”
Never see her again. I felt sick. This couldn’t be happening.
Fiona pointed behind me. “I think Vine is trying to show us something.”
I didn’t care anymore. I had no idea how long I’d been passed out, but I knew it was long enough that I’d never catch up to Enid. By this point, she had to be across the bog and to the town limits. I had no hope of catching her.
Margaret squinted. “Isn’t that Enid’s?”
That got my attention, and I slowly turned, finding Vine dangling Enid’s amulet in the air.
“Where did you get this?” I snatched the necklace from it and looped it around my own neck.
Vine lifted it and tugged.
“You took it from her?” My eyes bulged. “Why would you take this? This is the only way she can use her magic and protect herself—” I stopped abruptly, understanding hitting me.
“I think he just had an idea,” Fiona said.
“I think you’re right,” Margaret responded.
The amulet was cold and glassy between my thumb and forefinger. “Vine took it because it was the only way to keep Enid from leaving our world forever. Without her amulet, she can’t get to the Otherworld. If Vine hadn’t taken this, Enid would be lost to me. To us.”
Fiona’s eyes welled with tears. “So she’s not in the Otherworld yet? There’s still hope?”
I shook my head. She couldn’t be.
“Then where is she?” Fiona asked.
A swirl of blue and gold magic lit up the room, and I jumped back.
“What is that?” Margaret asked in awe.
I had no fucking idea. The magic dissipated, leaving a man with blue hair and golden skin standing there.
“Ambrose!” Fiona said.
My eyebrows shot up. This was Ambrose? The Ambrose?
He stepped forward, brows furrowed. “Enid is in trouble.”
My blood turned to ice. “What?”
“I saw it. The humans have her surrounded, and she needs help.”
“Why didn’t you do something?” My hands curled to fists.
Sadness flashed in Ambrose’s eyes. “I can’t. Those people can’t see me, and that means I can’t touch them, can’t inflict pain on them,” he gritted out.
I looked up at the ceiling. This just kept getting worse. “Fuck.”
Fiona whispered, “Aunt Harriet says that’s a bad word.”
“We can’t get to her in time. We’ll try.” I would do everything in my power. “But it’s going to take time to cross the bog and find them.”
“Why don’t we just use one of his portals?” Fiona asked. “It looks fun.”
My head snapped in her direction, and a terrifying smile curved Ambrose’s lips. “She’s smart, that little girl,” he said.
“We can do that?” I asked, a flicker of hope appearing. “We can use your portal?”
“If you can see me, I don’t see why not,” Ambrose said. “But you, a vine, and a little girl aren’t exactly the kind of army you’re going to need.”
“Then I’ll bring more,” I said, nodding at Margaret.
“I’m on it,” Margaret said, and Ambrose jumped in surprise. “Just give me five minutes.” She dashed out of the painting.
“I’ve never seen that before.” Ambrose stroked his clean-shaven jaw. “Will she really be back in five minutes?”
“If there is anyone in this castle who can spread word about Enid, it’s Margaret.”
“And they’ll come?” Ambrose asked, and I could’ve sworn I heard hope in his voice too.
“They’ll come.”