by Kat Bostick
Another drop of Mari’s blood splashed onto the ground, disturbing the white dust that had slowly made its way into the circle. The dust shimmered and swirled, moving upward and forming into shapes and figures until the ethereal faces of foremothers were gazing down at her. Mari recognized her mother to the right of her. And though she’d never seen her in life, Mari recognized the ghostly face of Ina just above her.
“The witch is the woman and the woman is the witch.” Her mother spoke, the dulcet tone brushing away some of Mari’s pain. “A woman is not a witch because of her power but because of her heart. All women are connected to the divine, woven together with mothers above and below as we too can give the gift of life. You are the witch, Mari. Not the magic, not the spells, but you.”
“I am the witch.” Mari croaked.
“You are a witch no longer.” Lyse replied.
“You are a daughter of the Blue Goddess above and the Green Goddess below. You carry the song of The Huntress in your lungs. You are love and you are light. Both will always be stronger than darkness.” Ina spoke to the child of her children’s children.
“I am born in the light of Mother Moon.” Mari pushed on. “I am the blood of the one who brings balance to the world. I descend from he who roams the forest on four feet and two. Daughter of the king of warriors and wolves and of the northern lights that dance colors above snowbanks. Nagamo.” She invoked the name of Mother Moon’s fiercest child, feeling the wolf that lived quietly in her veins.
“Your blood means nothing. You are nothing now. I have become your strength.”
Mari wasn’t sure if it was her voice that continued speaking or the voices of her foremothers as one. “I am the blood of The Witch Who Sang with Wolves. I am the compass that guides them. I am the song that calls them home. I am the light of the moon that gives them strength.”
Lyse pushed Mari up so that her back rested against the chair. She planted a gentle kiss on Mari’s forehead and wiped tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry sister. Your own foolish pride has destroyed you. See what your wolf is made for.”
The members of the coven stepped further away from the circle and the wolves, their heads hung. Whether it was in shame or to hide from the truth of what their luminary was, Mari didn’t know. Lyses’ tone was guttural and commanding as she spoke magic to Jasper in her mother tongue. Whatever she demanded of the red wolf, he would obey.
“No,” Mari said as calmly as she could with her body limp and Jasper prowling toward her with teeth bared. The golden thread between them was strong around her heart. “He will never hurt me.”
And he didn’t, though Mari doubted her own words for one terrifying breath. Jasper’s jaws descended on her, closing around her throat, but his teeth didn’t break the skin. Lyse spoke her magic again, harsher and fueled by anger at the wolf’s resistance to her.
At the same time Mari pulled on the link, thinking not of the wolf but the man within. She pictured Jasper’s face, devilishly handsome with that wicked smile. She thought of the way he ate cookie dough from her fingers and the soothing tone of his silvery voice. She pulled on that link and with it she pulled the man further out of the magic that bound him.
“You won’t hurt me.” She told him, truly believing the words this time.
“How are you doing this?” Lyse sputtered. She quickly collected herself and pointed the dagger at Mari’s chest. “You have no power. What is this spell? Tell me!” The tip of the blade dug into her exposed flesh. “I tried to give you this and you threw it back at me. They are not yours. I am the voice that calls the wolves now.”
The darkness in Lyse was growing stronger, fed by an overabundance of power and rage. Gran warned Mari that darkness was a beast, a demon with a gaping mouth and a boundless appetite. Once he was invited in, the darkness would never leave. He was a force of nature, the edge of the scale when it tipped too far in the wrong direction.
“Your darkness cannot have them. They are mine.” She lifted a shaking hand to gesture at the pack. Then her eyes landed on Jasper, who had released her throat, and she smiled warmly. “And he is mine too. He’s always been mine. You can’t take him from me.”
Lyse laughed bitterly. “It’s true what they say about your line then. It was fouled by the blood of wolves. You’re impure and you seek to soil us further.”
“It is you who has sullied the gift from the Blue Goddess. Magic such as ours was not created for control. It is an extension of the bonds between wolves. It is the love and security and oneness of pack. We are meant to be the lights that guide the way to peace and the wolves are meant to follow. You are no light, Lyse Sauer. You are only darkness.” It was Ina who spoke, pushing her words through Mari from one realm into the other.
“Foremothers, ancestors, those who came before me, I take you into me. I carry your song in my blood. I carry it in my soul.” Mari whispered.
Before her, a ghostly vision of Ina raised her head and let out a piercing cry. Members of the coven staggered back, covering their ears. Though they couldn’t see Mari’s ancestors, they could hear them, could feel the air brimming with their magic. Lyse suddenly rammed the dagger into Mari’s flesh but before she could finish the act Jasper pushed the luminary aside. The spell that held him was strong, especially with the power of the coven to aid it, but he fought it wildly. The red wolf took two steps forward, then two back, wolf magic warring with witch magic.
“Foremothers, ancestors, those who came before me, I take you into me.” Mari repeated as she stood swiftly, if not clumsily. Lyse jumped back in surprise. “I carry your song in my blood. I carry it in my soul.”
Lyse swung the dagger at her again but Mari ducked it and reached for the chair, thrusting it at the other witch to knock her back. The pulsing magic of ancestors filled Mari’s blood, revitalizing her soul. Tonight they lent her their power once more, gifting their strength one final time. She no longer had power of her own but she could still wield magic and she would use it to end this, even if it meant her end too.
Mari lifted her head and cried out the piercing notes of the Kulning, matching the song that Ina sang to her. It was imbued with more power than anything she had ever experienced. The magic in the air flowed back into her and the intensity of her call increased. This was what Mother Moon intended. This was what she was born to do. Mari was calling the wolves and they answered in a howling battle cry.
In a mere matter of seconds the bonds that held them to Lyse shattered. Then Mari could feel them; the pack, her pack. Inside of her she could sense Jasper, his heart beating steadily beside hers. And distantly, she sensed the others too. Their magic thrummed around her, meeting hers in a beautiful chorus.
The wolves were recovering from the shock of the spell and Mari’s remaining energy was flagging. That was why none of them reacted when Henrick wrenched her arms behind her and Lyse dove forward with her dagger, burying it deep in Mari’s shoulder. In her haste, the luminary missed Mari’s heart but it probably didn’t matter. She’d already lost so much blood and all of the pain that came with the first slice of the dagger returned.
Mari screamed as she once again fell limply to the ground. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her throat was on fire. Fingers fumbled at the hilt of the dagger, hers or someone else’s she couldn’t even tell. Through the screeching in her ears, Mari could faintly hear Lyse chanting again, pushing her magic back onto the wolves.
The luminary had her back turned. Her voice was quavering with fear as the wolves circled but she kept up her incantation. Henrick released Mari and stepped up next to his coven leader, cowering in her shadow.
The blade hurt worse coming out than it did going in but somehow Mari managed to remove it without passing out. With the very last spark of life inside of her, she pushed up onto her feet and threw her body at the other witch. In her imagination, it was much harder to stab someone. There were bones and muscles that guarded the heart and Mari was so weak now. Yet, the dagger, almost alive with its hunger
for power, slipped into Lyses’ back like it was cutting butter.
Mari buried the blade all the way to the hilt, falling back when the surge of power blasted into her. Lyse crumpled, her blood splattering Mari, Henrick, and the earth.
“This magic is mine alone.” Said the voice of the witch that lived within Mari as her power returned in a hurricane of light. She accepted it back into her with grateful relief. All of the magic that Lyse had stolen with the dagger, Gran’s magic, the magic of so many others, formed a dark aura around them. The gold that glowed brightest came to Mari, caressing her, whispering to her, filling her. But she didn’t want what wasn’t hers. “Earth Mother, I thank you for the gift of life and power that you have given me. I repay your gift thrice over and more with the magic of your children. Take it into you and let the world be balanced once more.”
Screams filled the circle as the wolves descended on the coven. Mari couldn’t see what was happening. Her vision had gone black and her body, finally spent, lay boneless on the ground beside Lyse. Her fingers found the other witch’s hand, still warm with the life that had only just left it. She silently prayed that whichever god or goddess was responsible for judgement would find some forgiveness for her misguided sister.
Then the blackness that had overtaken her vision began to come for her mind until the only thing left was not one, but a series of glowing golden threads stretched loosely in front of her. Mari reached for them and her fingers met with that familiar warmth as they traced each one. This was belonging. This was the feeling of home. Was that where she was going? Home?
Mari smiled to herself. It was good to have a home to go back to. Maybe Jasper would be there waiting for her.
Chapter 49
Mari
Home. Mari was finally home.
And home felt amazing. It was bathed in warm sunlight, teased at the edges with a rich red the color of jasper. It reminded her of robust flames. The firelight emanated from the man seated beside her. He was home, her heart told her. Home was a person. No, not a person; an angel. No person could be that beautiful.
Mari blinked, only then realizing that she had eyes that could blink. She had hands too. They reached for the red angel on their own volition, hoping to touch that perfect aura of heat and power around him. And to wipe away the tears he was shedding. She hated to see him sad. His hands caught hers before they reached his face and held on like his life depended on it.
“Sweet Mari,” Suddenly the angel was engulfing her. “Precious honeysuckle.”
Wow, was this home or was this heaven?
“Don’t cry.” She whispered in a hoarse voice. “You’re too beautiful to be sad.”
The angel laughed a deep vibrating sound that tickled her from head to toe. It was a familiar noise that provoked an appetite inside of her. Mari was so hungry for his joy that she would do anything to have it. She freed her hands from his to touch his face. His cheeks were rough with days of stubble, his hair an unwashed, untamed mess, and dark shadows rimmed his green eyes.
“Jasper,” She smiled in recognition.
“Yes, sweet Mari.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He drew her to his chest, twining his arms even tighter around her. “Everything is absolutely perfect now.”
Mari nestled her head under Jasper’s chin, happy to be this close to him. He was so warm. He was flawless. He was everything she wanted. Strange glimpses of memories picked at her as she lay there, soaking in his perfection. There were faces of people she knew; Gran’s coven sisters, another witch with dark eyes. There were ancestors too, loving faces all around her. And there was blood, so much blood.
“I got stabbed.” Mari jerked away from Jasper to press her hand to her left shoulder. What must have been one gnarly bruise smarted at the contact. There was a thin scab and a series of stitches in her skin. “Holy crap.”
“I think you’re underreacting.” Jasper brushed her loose hair over her shoulder and away from the wound.
“Oh no.” Memories swarmed her in horrifying graphic detail. “I killed her. I killed Lyse.”
He took her left arm and lifted it for her to see, his words a vicious growl. “She almost killed you.”
From Mari’s wrist to the crook of her elbow was a line of angry red, raised skin, scabbed over but still fresh. It stretched in an unsettling way when she moved her hand.
“She ruined my tattoo.” She cried sadly when she saw the way the silver and black phases of the moon were distorted by the scar. It was the stupidest thing in the world to be upset about but it was the safest thing too. She didn’t have to think about death that way, her own or Lyses’.
Because the truth was, Ina’s judgement was wrong. The luminary was not only made up of darkness but many things. When Mari drove that enchanted dagger into her heart she didn’t simply take her power but also her life energy. Within that energy were all of Lyses’ dreams for the future, all of her past triumphs, all of her hope. And there was pain, too. Trauma, heartbreak, grief. Emotions that Mari was closely acquainted with.
In a way, Lyse had given her a glimpse at what she could become under the wrong influence. Perhaps her family was right to be afraid of Mari’s power. With one spell she was able to break Lyses’ hold on an entire pack of werewolves and bind them to herself instead. Though it drained her to cast, she knew with time and practice she would grow much stronger.
An image came to her mind, one she’d seen from a strange, incorporeal state. Coven members screamed and fled as wolves tore into them. Snarling beasts fought a battle at Mari’s back as she lay dying, her blood soaked hands wrapped around Lyses’. Was that what her father saw? Dream magic wasn’t always literal and no magic was wholly predictable.
“I’m not evil.” Mari whispered to herself. Then she bit her lip, remembering the part where Lyse was dead because of her. Was it not a just death? Had there been any hope for the luminary?
“Why would you be evil?” Jasper gave her a bemused look.
“You’re definitely evil.” Deak’s dry tone drifted in from the hallway.
A loud chuckle from the doorway followed Deak’s grumbling. “Don’t worry, you got payback for the tattoo.” Cash pranced into the room, followed by Charlie. Mari couldn’t see them but she had a sneaking suspicion that the rest of the pack was hovering beyond the door.
“Haven’t you people ever heard of knocking?” She groaned.
“Knocking?” Cash leapt onto the mattress and propped his head up on his elbow. “As in ‘knocking boots?’ Is that what you two were doing? Well, don’t let me interrupt. Please, continue.”
She grabbed the nearest pillow and chucked it at his face. A scowl marred her features as Teal and Cora filed in, followed by Deak and Clem. “Were you just standing out there the whole time I was out?”
“Not the whole time,” Clem claimed, settling on the bed and kissing Mari’s temple in a motherly gesture.
“Clem was.” Teal said at the same time.
The she-wolf glowered at him. “I was not!”
Cash rolled his eyes. “You were asleep in the doorway.”
“Only because Jasper kicked me out.” Clem harrumphed.
“You were hovering.” Jasper said plainly.
“You raised a bunch of stalkers.” Mari complained to Charlie, who was standing over the bed now. Jasper shifted Mari away from the alpha and not subtly, either. Why was he glaring at Charlie?
“Indeed. Where did I go wrong?” Charlie sighed woefully and shook his head. It was then that she realized he had the puffy blue of a healing black eye over his left cheek.
“That’s a hell of a shiner. Did a witch do that?”
He cleared his throat, his guilty expression stirring unease in Mari’s gut. “Actually—”
“Did you tell her?” Teal interrupted, probably on purpose.
She fixed her scrutinizing gaze on Jasper. “Tell me what?”
“That you’re ours now.” Cash stretched lazily. “We’re not l
etting you go, little witch. Not anymore.”
“So I get stabbed to save your hairy butts and now you’re keeping me prisoner? I’ll never understand werewolf logic.” She exaggerated a pout. “Wait, what day is it? How long have I been in bed? Did I die? Am I still dead? Is this real? This could all be some weird afterlife dream. There are werewolves in my bed, after all.”
“You’re very much alive.” Clem patted her thigh reassuringly. “Now, anyway. You were teetering on the edge for a minute there. I don’t think the human body is meant to lose that much blood.”
“It’s not supposed to lose any blood.” Deak added dryly. He crossed his bulky arms and leaned casually against the dresser, glancing around the room as if they were boring him.
“How much blood did I lose?” Mari asked.
“Too much.” Cash answered sullenly.
“How am I alive right now? And shouldn’t I be in the hospital?”
“The trouble with hospitals is that they typically require explanation and we didn’t have one to give.” Clem started to explain.
Cash interrupted to add “not to mention half of us had four legs and we were all covered in blood that didn’t belong to us.”
“Either way, the nearest medical facilities were too far. If not for Jasper, you wouldn’t have made it to the car.” Clem finished.
“You healed me?” Mari turned to Jasper. He’d been inching her closer and closer to him since the pack came into the room, finally heaving her onto his lap to place her out of their reach. “How?”
“A werewolf’s kiss can heal, remember?” He kissed her cheek to demonstrate. “I’m a powerful healer.”
“A werewolf’s—you spit in my stab wound?” She wrinkled her nose and leaned away from him.
Cash howled with more laughter. “I’m glad we’re keeping her. This is going to be fun.”
“That was only to keep what was left in your veins.” Clem was suddenly very interested in her fingernails. “We had to give you a blood transfusion too.”