I don’t have much left to give. The Mechente Reine’s victory over Leo has only made her stronger. The vision of her twisted face grows closer to me. Her outstretched hand can almost touch me. Bone-like fingers lace around my throat, and my light goes out.
My breath is gone, and the last thing I see is the fine point of a sliver blade piercing through the Mechente Reine’s black heart.
Chapter 23
THE TRUE LIGHT
Sweet, beautiful words rush over me in an almost melodic way, like a pitcher of cold water has been poured over me on a hot summer day. It feels like that horrendous ice tea I drank on my first day in Sanctuary. These words…their power…they quench a thirst inside of me, and it’s only after several minutes that I see the blinding light. My moon pendant is suspended in the air away from my chest, and it’s attached to something gold.
It’s Reid. He’s here with me. Those are his words, his light, filling me with life again. I suck in a breath so deep that strength comes back to my limbs.
Familiar hands touch my face, and the vision of my Sun finally comes into focus. “Wilhelmina? Can you hear me?”
“Yes.”
He unlatches our necklaces and sits me up. Spots flash everywhere, but then I see it. Julien standing in front of me, holding the blade with the red ruby in the handle like a knight would his sword. I search for Leo and find him lying on his side in the corner.
I try to get up, but Reid keeps me still. “Leo is fine. I had to knock him out so Julien could get the blade. He’ll come around in a few minutes.”
Julien takes a small step toward me. “Are you okay?”
I nod, but I run my hands down my chest, making sure I really do have a beating heart. “I think so.”
Tears leak down his face. “I thought I was too late. I thought she had stolen you from us.”
I hold my arms out to him, and he drops his blade and comes to me. I hug him with one arm, and reach for Reid with the other. “I didn’t think you were coming up here.”
Julien smiles ruefully at me. “Do you honestly think we were going to let you do this alone? With Leo Galloway as your only reinforcement?”
“I guess not. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Julien finally lets me go long enough to lean back and wipe his eyes. “Element of surprise. If she was focused on you and Leo, we had a chance to catch her off guard. It was Reid’s idea. He promised me he had a plan if I would just let you go.”
“Thank goodness for that.” I try to move, but everything hurts. Every inch of my body aches as if it’s turned into one giant bruise. “What happened after you stabbed her?”
Julien goes over and picks up the blade and brings it to me. “She turned back human, or at least, it seemed like it for a moment. Her face was human again, but then she vanished.”
“For good this time,” Reid adds. “No black shadows. Can’t you feel the difference in here now without her?”
I can. The heaviness in my chest is gone, and the air isn’t thick and hard to breathe. I try to get up, but Reid has to help me. “Here, let me carry you,” he says, picking me up.
“You can’t possibly carry me down this mountain.”
“There are more reinforcements outside, and from the look of Leo over there, we’ll need them to get him down the mountain as well.”
Julien puts the blade back into Leo’s holster, then heaves him up onto his shoulder. “Let’s get out of here before we all freeze to death.”
Climbing out of the cave seems to take longer than it did coming in, but the sight of my family waiting outside makes it worth it. Reid sets me on my feet so Abby and Sadie can scoop me up into a hug. Abby practically chokes me. “I was so scared, and then this bright light just beamed out of the cave. I knew it had to be you or Reid.”
“We’re all fine,” I say, but my legs go limp beneath me, and Reid has to pick me back up.
“Let’s get you home to rest. We can discuss details later.”
***
The following morning, Sanctuary experiences the brightest dawn it’s ever seen. At least, I imagine it has to be. I stand on the dock, watching as the sun slowly spreads its light down into even the deepest valleys. I soak it in. It’s warm against my skin. I sit on the edge of the dock and lean back to stare up at the sky.
I glance over, imagining Ezekiel lying there beside me, chubby cheeks and shaggy hair, grinning like he knows a secret. I wish he could be here to see it…a Sanctuary free of the Haunted. A part of me can’t help but think about the Mechente Reine, or rather, the young girl she used to be.
What was her real name? What was she like before Franz E’tour and his feathered hat came along and stripped her of everything decent and human? I know she had a choice. She chose to allow her hatred and anger to consume her and over time transform her into something so evil even death couldn’t contain her.
That single choice, though.
How close have we all been to tipping the scales the wrong way?
I think of Erika and how badly I wanted to seek vengeance for Julien that night in the Grand Hall. I could have stumbled down the same path so easily.
“What on earth are you doing?”
I look back to see an upside-down Leo standing behind me. There’s a giant knot on his forehead, which causes me to grin. Reid really got him good, though I doubt it was with a flashlight. I motion him over. “Have a seat, Leo Galloway.”
Leo sits down carefully, and I suspect he’s probably sore too. He lies down beside me, and we stare up at a perfect blue sky. It doesn’t take him long to gently elbow me. “Is there a point to this?”
“It’s peaceful.”
“And?”
I turn to him and smile. “And it reminds me of someone I miss very much. A friend I lost too soon.”
“Oh.” He turns to stare up at the sky. He studies it intently for a few minutes, and his shoulders start to relax. “It is rather peaceful.”
I reach over and pat his hand, but he catches it. “Can we talk about what happened up there?”
“It’s over, Leo.”
His eyes fall shut again as he lets out a deep breath. “I failed you, Willa.”
“We’ve all failed someone, but I promise you, Leo, you didn’t fail me.”
He sits up and turns to cross his legs beside me. “I’m sorry. Will you at least accept an apology?”
I laugh and shake my head. “Relax, Leo. There is no Wicked Queen in Sanctuary and no need for apologies. It’s time to celebrate, mourn, and heal. We’re finally free.” I sit up and shake him a little bit. “Don’t you have anything you’ve always wanted to do? Some crazy dream you’ve always wanted to fulfill?”
He thinks for a moment. “I have always wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail.”
I can’t contain the grin. “You? Hike a two thousand-mile trail?”
His tongue goes in his cheek. “It’s out of my comfort zone,” he says, defensively, “but that’s what is so appealing about it. I feel like I’ve been cooped up in that castle my entire life. I want to go out and be with nature for a while.”
I take both his hands in mine. “Then do it. It sounds amazing. You should totally go follow your dream.”
He leans in closer to me. “Are you going to tell him to do the same?”
His gaze goes over my shoulder. I have to squint to find Julien’s figure sitting on the steps of my back porch. He’s waiting patiently for his turn to talk to me. At least, he’s making a very solid attempt at it. His elbows are on his knees, and he’s fiddling with the front of his hair that sticks out from underneath a backward hat.
Leo nudges my knee. “Go talk to him.”
“I probably should.” Though a part of me is already breaking.
We are both slow to our feet, and when Leo gives me one final hug, it’s gentle. “Don’t think you’re going to get rid of me, okay? I’m still coming back to visit.”
I hug him tight. “Here’s hoping your next visit is dreadfully boring.”
The boy who refused to tell me his name.
I run the rest of the way to him, even though it hurts, and throw my arms around his neck. “When?”
How long do I have? It’s the only thing I need to know.
“Soon,” he says, holding me tight. “But not today.”
I lean back far enough to see his face. “What are you going to do?”
He shrugs. “I have no idea. I never actually thought I would ever have a life outside of this town and my curse. I guess it’s going to take a while to figure it out.”
“But you will come back.”
He brushes my cheek with his thumb, but then he lets his hand drop away. “Of course. In time. When it starts to feel like it’s the right thing to do.”
“I hate to think about you out there by yourself.”
He grins, a dimple forming in his cheek. “I won’t be alone. Talbot is going to come with me.”
“Talbot?”
“Yeah, he said Grady left for New Orleans, and he can’t stand the thought of being stuck in that house all alone. I’m going to teach him how to ride a bike, and we’re going to set out on the road together.”
“Two wild and crazy bachelors, huh?”
Julien smiles. “I’m not sure how much wild and crazy Talbot Bessette has in him, but we’re going to find out.”
A little bit of happiness sparks inside of me. “I hope you have fun.”
“I will.” He takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “It will be good for me, I think.”
The door creaks open behind us, and we both turn. Reid waves us inside. “Hey, you two, breakfast is ready.”
Julien glances at me, and then to Reid. “Did you cook it?”
Reid crosses his arms over his chest. “No, but I’m offended by that look of terror on your face.”
“Sadie and Louie were cooking when I snuck out earlier,” I whisper, remembering the adorable sight of them standing at the stove next to each other. She was telling him the story about Zeke interrupting her performance at the festival. She had the biggest smile on her face, and so did Louie.
“Sadie’s cooking, I can handle,” Julien says, clapping his hands. “Let’s go.”
Julien slips through the door by Reid, but I wait a moment. Actually, I take a few very long moments and string them together. I want to savor the feeling.
It’s the beginning. Today marks the start to the life I stayed up so many nights wishing to come true. “I’m not sure why you’re smiling like that,” Reid says, coming out to meet me. “But I’m thrilled to see it.”
I hug him close, soaking him in. He’s used my shampoo again, I can tell. There’s a subtle hint of lavender around him. “Julien seems…content.”
“I’ve noticed.” He rubs the small of my back with his hand as we both peek inside the door. Julien is already at the table next to Talbot, their heads together like they’re planning something. Talbot can’t seem to stop smiling. That’s a first.
“I hope it’s good for both of them.”
Reid kisses my temple. “If it’s not, he knows he can always come home.”
Reid waves for Leo to come up to the house, and we go in to find a seat at the table. It’s insanely crowded. We’ve had to bring in chairs from the porch to accommodate everyone, and we all sit elbow to elbow. Sadie and Louie start bringing dish after dish of food to the table, and everyone passes it around—family style.
This is my family.
The Innocent. The Haunted. All gathered around a table in Frog Hollow, sharing smiles and visions of a future full of possibilities and adventure. It’s exactly how it was be meant to be.
Chapter 24
GOODBYE
It took eight weeks for the feeling to hit me. Today is the first true spring day. The morning breeze no longer holds a bitter bite, and the birds busy themselves in my front yard, gathering twigs for their nest. Hints of green sprout in every direction, and even Romeo is overcome by the festive ambiance of the day. He chases a couple squirrels around the house before finding a sunny spot on the steps and curling up for an early nap.
Today will be the day Julien Cote leaves Sanctuary.
I know it.
The swing creaks beneath me as I give myself a push. I’ve already dressed for the day, because I want to be ready when he shows up. I watch the end of the road, waiting to see him and Talbot—who only recently got the hang of his new motorcycle—come cruising up the drive. Reid brings me a cup of coffee, and I stop the swing long enough to scoot over to welcome him in.
He shoots me a small grin. “You look like you have plans this Saturday morning.”
I take a sip of the coffee. It’s delicious. Reid may still be working on his cooking skills, but he has perfected the art of coffee brewing. “He’s leaving today,” I say, leaning into him.
Reid puts his arm around me, and we lean back in the swing together. “Did he tell you that?”
“No, but it’s the perfect day. The weather is warm enough, Talbot finally knows how to drive his bike, and it’s been eight weeks.”
It’s been eight wonderful weeks. The best of my life, probably. We had family snowball fights and stay-up-until-dawn game nights. We closed down Rooster’s every Saturday night, and finally taught Julien how to hold his liquor—at least, well enough to walk himself out of the bar. We laughed while Abby taught Lyric how to dance, and cried a little at the sight of Sadie’s friendship with Louie blossoming into something a little bit deeper.
It was a gift. Julien’s gift to me. It was exactly what I always wanted, and he gave it to me even though I know it pained him inside. I watch the road, and though it takes an hour, the gleam of a shiny black bike finally flashes around the trees.
I knew it.
The engine hums loudly in the valley, echoing off the tight cluster of mountains. Julien is alone, and when he stops, he doesn’t get off his bike. He pulls off his helmet, and just like that night at the festival, he holds it out to me.
Reid takes the empty coffee cup from my hands. “Go on,” he says, nudging me out of the swing. “You promised him.”
“Are you sure?”
Reid smiles. “Julien and I have an agreement.”
“Another agreement? Because the first one worked out so well for you guys?”
“I will meet you later,” he says, kissing my temple. Then he gives me another nudge. “Now, go.”
I walk down the steps to him, not in a hurry. This is it. It’s my last few minutes with him for who knows how long. Maybe he won’t ever come back. I take the helmet from him and hold it.
“Are you ready for this?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“No.” I put on the helmet and strap it into place.
It causes him to smile. “It won’t be forever.”
“I’m holding you to that, Cote.”
Julien revs the engine, and I work to tighten the strap. “Where are we going?”
“The Dragon’s Den.”
“What?”
Julien smirks at me. “It’s a tunnel. Hurry—I plan on taking the long way there, and we’re on a schedule.”
I grab hold of his waist to keep from falling off the back of the bike. It was purely intentional on his part, taking off like that down my driveway. I let it slide because there’s no point yelling at him above the roar of the engine. We weave easily around the tight curves in the mountain leading out of Frog Hollow. We go through town, past the chapel where we met for our first date. It was also the place where we went on our second date. The stained-glass window is still broken out from our fall out of it. It looks horrible, but a part of me hopes they never fix it. It’s part of our story now.
The fall from that window changed everything. It took the pieces of our lives and mixed them up so they could all be put back together in the right order.
We go up the mountain to Raven Ridge, but we don’t stop. Instead, we take the scenic route back down, passing an overhang that highlights the lush valley beneath. Little specks of green show amid the trees. First signs of life after a harsh winter.
Once we leave the familiar road, I hold Julien a little tighter. The trees grow dense around us and block out the sun. The last of a winter breeze bites at my face, and I hide it behind Julien’s shoulder. When we hit a straight stretch of road, Julien punches the gas, and we zoom through the trees.
Thirty minutes later, Julien finally slows down and brings the bike to stop on the side of the road. In front of us is the opening to a tunnel leading into the mountain. Julien gets off the bike, but leaves it running. I slide off after him and take off my helmet. There are tears in his eyes when I hand it to him. “Thank you for keeping your promise.”
I rub my hands together because they’re freezing now that we’re in the shadow of the tall trees. “What is this place?”
“This is where we say goodbye. That tunnel leads out of Sanctuary and down to the North Carolina coast. Talbot is waiting for me at the state line with all our stuff.”
I take another look around. “How am I getting home?”
“Reid is waiting for you down that path. Take it all the way to the bottom until you find the lake.”
I want to ask him to stay. It’s on the tip of my tongue. These last eight weeks were so good. Surely, he couldn’t have been faking all of it. I can’t ask that of him, though. We all have to heal from this in our own way.
Julien hugs me, his breath at my ear. “You aren’t losing me, Wilhelmina. You’re just setting me free.”
I press my face closer into his shoulder, willing myself not to cry.
Shadow Bend (Witches of Sanctuary Book 3) Page 19