by Sarah Bailey
“Hello, Grace speaking.”
“Daughter, it is so good to hear your voice.”
“O… Ophelia?”
Alistair’s arm around her tightened.
“I do wish you’d at least call me, Mother, but now is not the time for such discussions. You will meet me tonight. Bring along your curse breaker, I wish to meet my future son in law.”
The line went dead. The blood drained from her face.
“What is it? What did she say?” he asked, turning her to face him.
“She wants to meet me… tonight.”
“Did she say where?”
“No.”
Ophelia wanted her to bring Alistair. Grace didn’t want her mother to know it was him. She didn’t want to tell Alistair about her mother’s curse either. Where did Ophelia get off calling him her future son in law? They weren’t anywhere near ready to have that sort of conversation. She’d only just admitted she loved him. Marriage! She couldn’t even begin to comprehend that step.
“We need to discuss it with the twins.”
She shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind, plastering a smile on her face.
“Well, you might want to put something on first.”
“Oh, well, I’m sure they’d like to see you naked, but they’re not getting a glimpse of those goods.”
He winked. She shoved him.
“I think they’d faint if I walked in there naked. It’s already embarrassing enough. They must’ve heard us.”
He retrieved their fallen clothes.
“Will won’t say anything, but you can never be too sure about Rory.”
“How do you tell them apart?”
She pulled on her underwear and shoved her t-shirt over her head.
“Will has a freckle by his right eye, that and he’s the more serious one out of them. Rory always has a mischievous glint in his eyes.”
She’d have to examine the two of them carefully. She saw blue smoke out of the corner of her eye. Things began flying out of the fridge, assembling themselves on the work surface. Knives began chopping various items.
She looked at Alistair. He wasn’t even looking at the utensils doing their work. He was grinning at her.
“Show off,” she muttered.
“You just wish you could control yours better.”
“Showing off and being mean, gods, why do I even come over here to suffer such abuse?”
“You’ll be here all the time soon enough.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t recall telling you I’d move in.”
“No, but you will.”
She rolled her eyes, picking up her coat. She reached up, smoothing his hair down again.
“Mmm, you should finish that.” She pointed at the food still being prepared. “I’ll go tell the twins about Ophelia.”
“Are you sure you want to face them alone?”
“What can they do? Tease me? I’m used to it from you.”
She reached up, pulling him down for an explosive kiss. He groaned, cupping her backside, pressing her against him.
“You’ve got me hard again,” he mumbled, his mouth close to her ear.
He peppered kisses down the column of her throat.
“What about lunch?”
“Fuck lunch.”
She eased away from him.
“Too bad, I’m hungry.”
She left him standing there, disappointment and frustration written all over his face.
“Grace!”
“Patience is a virtue, love.”
Chapter Nineteen
The four of them stood in a secluded area of Hyde Park. Grace nodded at the three men before she stepped forward into the glow of the lights. Her hands shook, but she clenched them into fists. She would not allow Ophelia to rattle her.
“I see you brought along friends.”
She turned, spying her mother stepping out of the shadows. Her auburn hair was tied back, green eyes almost glowing under the lights.
“I’m here and I brought what you asked me to.”
Ophelia smiled, her teeth gleaming. Grace knew the boys could hear every word. She hadn’t told Alistair anything about Ophelia’s request. She could only hope he wouldn’t be hurt by her omission. She hadn’t even tried to persuade him not to come. It would’ve been useless.
“Where is he then?”
“I want to know why you asked me here first.”
“If you come with me, I will show you what real power looks like.”
“I don’t care about power. I just want a normal life without the fear of you turning up every moment.”
Ophelia took a step towards her. She tried not to flinch.
“I was wrong to leave you. I was wrong to curse you. I realise that now. All this could’ve been avoided, but you and I are not so different.”
“I’m nothing like you.”
“You fell in love with a normal man, did you not?”
She hadn’t. Alistair was a full-blooded witch, but Ophelia didn’t know that. She didn’t know anything. She had to hold her nerve.
“Why do you even care? Who I’m with has nothing to do with why you are here.”
“I care about your happiness. Don’t you see that?”
“No. Tell me why you wanted to me to come here.”
“Tell me who it is.”
“What does it matter?”
“It matters to me.”
She closed her eyes, taking a breath.
“Go to hell.”
“So I can join your father?”
She flinched. Ophelia turned towards the treeline.
“Hiding isn’t going to get you anywhere. Show yourselves.”
Grace turned, watching the three men step out of the shadows. Her heart contracted.
“Bree sent her nephew and his sidekicks, did she?”
Grace bit her lip. Rory put a hand on Alistair’s arm, stopping him in his tracks. His expression was grim.
“Tell me, Ophelia, why are you so interested in your daughter’s personal life?” Will asked.
“She didn’t tell you, did she?”
Ophelia looked back at the sky, bursting into a cackle. Grace’s mouth set in a hard line.
“Tell us what?” Rory asked.
“Oh, who would’ve thought my daughter would be such a coward.”
“Don’t,” Grace said. “Don’t do this, Ophelia.”
Ophelia put her hand out.
“Hush, daughter. This is for your own good.” She turned to the men again. “I assume you know she was cursed, locking her magic away so her father could raise a normal daughter.”
Alistair nodded, his gaze turning to Grace.
“She didn’t tell you what the curse entailed. I imagine she wanted to keep it hidden. Her own mother cursing her is cruel, is it not?”
“Get to the point,” Alistair said.
“Please, I… I’ll tell them myself, just stop this,” Grace said, taking a step towards her mother.
“Why would you not want them to know I gave you the curse of true love’s kiss?”
Grace stopped in her tracks. She couldn’t turn around. She couldn’t look at Alistair.
“Where is he, Grace? Where is the man who broke your curse? You told me you brought him.”
There was silence for a long moment. Footsteps sounded from behind Grace. A hand rested on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
“Here, Ophelia. I’m here.”
Grace watched the blood drain from her mother’s face. She didn’t look up at Alistair. She couldn’t bear to see his expression.
“No… No, it cannot be.”
“This is why you struggled telling me, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Yes,” Grace whispered.
“She was supposed to fall in love with a mortal. Not… not you!”
Ophelia backed away from the two of them a few steps.
“It’s unlucky for you it was me who found her.”
“You bro
ke it by other means.”
“You give me far too much credit, Ophelia.”
Grace dared to look up at him. His eyes were twinkling. He didn’t look remotely angry or put out.
“You should know the curse of true love’s kiss cannot be broken by just anyone.”
Ophelia turned her head towards Grace.
“Do you love him? Him. Of all people, her son. This cannot be.”
“I do love him,” Grace whispered. “I love him, Mother.”
She wasn’t sure if Ophelia heard her, but Alistair certainly did. He looked down at her, confusion marring his features. She’d just called Ophelia her mother. She took a step forward, away from him.
“I don’t care whose son he is, Mother. I don’t care about any of your ridiculous witch politics. All I care about is Alistair. I love him and… and he loves me and that’s all that matters. Do you understand?”
Ophelia turned her head towards her daughter, very slowly.
“You… you called me, Mother.”
“That is what you are even if you abandoned me.”
“Grace… Come with me. Come with me and I’ll bring your father back.”
“What?”
Her mother took a step towards her as Alistair grabbed her arm, holding her back.
“Don’t listen to her, Grace,” he said.
“The ley lines. I can use them to resurrect your father. Your power and mine is strong enough to retrieve your father’s soul.”
“But… why would you do that? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“If you come with me, I’ll show you what it truly means to be a witch. I’ll return him to you.”
She looked up at Alistair, tears pricking at her eyes. She wanted her father back, but would she lose everything if she went with her mother?
“Grace, what she’s suggesting is madness. He’s gone, you know he’s gone.”
She had no reason to trust Ophelia. None at all. The person she trusted was right in front of her. Her heart contracted, painfully. She loved him so much, but she missed her dad.
She moved, pressing up against him and kissing him for all she was worth, not caring about their audience. When she pulled away, she cupped his face. His beautiful face. She wanted to etch every inch of it into her mind. She couldn’t imagine living without him. Her heart felt heavy and the guilt, the regret about what she was going to do tore at her very soul.
“I’m sorry, Alistair. I love you, but I’m sorry.”
“Grace…”
“I’m sorry.”
She pulled out of his grasp, striding towards her mother.
“Please don’t go with her.”
She didn’t turn around. She didn’t want to see his expression. It would tear her heart in two.
“Please don’t leave me. Don’t do this. Grace!”
Ophelia smiled at her. Green smoked seeped out of her fingertips, creating a portal.
“You will not regret this, sweetie,” she said.
“Let’s just go,” Grace replied.
Her heart ached. She took Ophelia’s outstretched hand, turning back once before she stepped into the portal. Alistair was still standing at a distance, anguish in his expression. The sight of it broke her heart. He mouthed the words ‘I love you’ and it took all she had not to run back to him.
Ophelia would never stop hunting her. It was better for everyone if she went now. She hoped he would understand and forgive her, in time.
§
Pacing holes into the carpet of his parents living room, Alistair tugged his hands through his hair again. Why did she go with her? Why?!
“Alistair, please, come and sit down,” his mother said.
“Leave him, Etta,” Torin said. “Can’t you see he’s hurting?”
“I told him that girl was nothing but trouble.”
“Goddess, Etta! She didn’t go with Ophelia because she stopped caring about our son. She wants her father back.”
“That woman can’t bring him back.”
Alistair stopped by the patio window. He looked out over his parent’s lawn, leaning an arm on the glass.
“She can and she will.”
“What?” his mother said.
“She can bring back Grace’s father if she finds the ley lines, but what she didn’t tell Grace is she will have to sacrifice someone to do it.”
“How do you know that?”
He sighed.
“He knows because my mother gave him her spell book, Etta,” Bree said.
“Why would she do that?”
“Because he was supposed to lead the coven after she died. She chose him as the heir despite knowing he would never accept it.”
“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because it didn’t matter, Mother. Bree took my place,” Alistair said.
He looked up at the stars. She was out there somewhere with Ophelia.
“Alistair, why did you refuse?”
“I’m not a leader.”
“Why did she choose you?”
“Your son has more power than all of us combined, Etta. Why do you think she pushed you and Torin together? Your bloodlines mattered, not your feelings,” Bree replied for him.
He’d known the truth of his parent’s marriage. Known about his grandmother’s vision. She’d told him everything before she passed away.
“Ophelia loved you, didn’t she, Dad? And you cared for her too, but Grandmother refused to entertain the idea. She saw the future and in it you would have me if you married Henrietta Sayanan.”
“Yes,” Torin said. “Ophelia ran away when I proposed to Etta. She was gone for years, but she kept in touch with Bree.”
“She did, until the day she left Ben and Grace. We argued over her decision,” Bree said.
“And that’s why you all hate each other,” Alistair finished for them. “Why you won’t accept that I love her daughter.”
“I’m just supposed to accept that she left you to go off with her mother,” Etta said.
He turned away from the patio doors, looking his mother in the eyes.
“She wants her father back. You couldn’t possibly understand what it’s been like for her since he died.”
“And you do?”
“Who do you think holds her when she cries out in her sleep? Her father was the only one there for her when she was suffering the most. No matter how much I love her, I can’t replace the man she lost and you don’t even care. You haven’t bothered to try to get to know her. I love her, Mother. She is the world and I am at her fucking mercy. Do you have any idea how that feels?”
His mother stared at him, hurt in her eyes.
“I didn’t think so.”
He wrenched the patio doors open and strode off, walking along the lawn until he reached the rose garden. He threw himself down on the wooden bench, fists clenched. He let her go with Ophelia because he couldn’t stand the look in her eyes. There was hope there that hadn’t existed since her father died. Putting his head in his hands, he sighed. His heart ached. He needed her.
“Your mother is sorry.”
He turned, peeking out at his father who sat down beside him
“Sorry for the idiotic grudge she’s holding against Grace?”
“That and everything else.”
“I had to let her go.”
“I know. She needs to learn Ophelia’s true nature on her own.”
“I have to stop Ophelia from resurrecting her father. She can’t just tear open the Gates of Hell without there being consequences.”
“You know where the ley lines are, don’t you?”
He nodded. He had to protect them. Everyone was at risk.
“I know Ophelia has found them. There’s no reason she’d have come for Grace otherwise.”
“Then you should go.”
“I don’t have a plan.”
“Take Will and Rory. You must have allies in London who can help you. Bree and I will keep the Grand Coven off your backs. It won’t do to invo
lve them.”
He stood, blue smoke curling down from his fingertips.
“Tell Mother I’ll speak to her when this is over.”
“I will.”
“Thanks, Dad. I won’t let her get away with this if it’s the last thing I do.”
Chapter Twenty
Frozen in place as the ground glowed and shimmered beneath her, Grace knew she’d made a mistake.
“Why are you doing this?”
Ophelia turned, green smoke dripping from her fingertips.
“You think I want to bring your father back? That’s what you want. I want the world to burn.”
“Why?”
“That woman took everything from me. Even you.”
“What woman? Who are you talking about?”
Ophelia stared at her, a frown appearing on her face.
“He didn’t tell you, did he?”
“Tell me what? I don’t understand.”
Ophelia waved her hand, turning away.
“You will. One day.”
She focused on the ground again. It began to shake beneath them.
“Mother, please, don’t do this. Don’t open the gates.”
When Ophelia had explained what she was going to do, Grace tried to escape. It had been futile. She didn’t know how to stop her mother. She still couldn’t use her magic to its full potential.
“Bring forth the sacrifice.”
Two witches appeared, holding Lacey between them. Grace’s eyes widened.
“Let go of me!” Lacey screamed.
“No. No! Mother, stop this. It isn’t right,” Grace said.
She didn’t like Lacey, but that didn’t mean she wanted her dead. She focused on her magic, trying to break out of the spell Ophelia had cast over her. The two witches shoved Lacey to the ground in front of Ophelia who drew a knife.
“It’s only fitting she die, Grace. She wanted to take your true love away from you.”
“That doesn’t mean she has to die. I don’t care about that.”
Ophelia threw back her head and laughed.
“After I found your daughter, this is how you repay me?” Lacey asked, her expression vicious.
“Dear girl, you have outgrown your usefulness,” Ophelia replied.