by Kat Bostick
Mari felt all the blood drain from her face. “It’s destroyed.”
“Liar, liar, pants on fire.” Veronica crooned. “You have it somewhere. Either tell me now, or I’ll find out when I’m inside you.”
“You can’t possess magic folk.”
“Really?” She tapped her chin. “Then how did I have Lyse?”
A fleck of doubt muddied Mari’s confidence. “You weren’t controlling her.”
Veronica’s eyes flashed an even brighter red. “But I could have!” Her snarl was inhuman. “I just needed more time. I needed her to break down more of her barriers. A few more deaths—maybe just yours—and she would have been so broken. So pliable. You owe me, Mari. I want what you have and I will take it one way or another.”
“I’ll never let you in.”
Another flash of teeth. “We’ll see about that.” Then her hands were gripping Mari’s throat, lifting until her toes were the only part of her body scrabbling on the ice.
Deak appeared through the trees, his face twisted furiously. He moved across the ice with much more grace than Mari, but he was heavier too. Less than ten feet from them, the ice let out a snapping crack.
Deak was halfway submerged when he flung his arms out wide, catching himself before he went under. His shoulders strained with the awkward position. The ice was slick with the water that splashed up from his drop and his weight was too much to pull himself up without cracking the ice further.
“Aw, poor, wet puppy.” Vee shook her head.
Mari strained against Veronica, her mind whirring as she desperately tried to think of a way out of this. Veronica was strong. Breath still came in and out of Mari’s throat but it was constricted and the pressure on her veins was beginning to make her head pound.
“Don’t be stubborn, Mari. You’ve dreamt of me. You know how this ends. I am your future.”
“I—” She kicked again, this time hitting nothing but air as Veronica anticipated the blow. “Will never let darkness into me.”
“Never say never.” Veronica squeezed and suddenly Mari’s eyesight dimmed. A crunching sound vibrated up from her larynx into her ears, accompanied by an excruciating pain.
No, she thought sadly. This isn’t how it was supposed to happen. This wasn’t how she wanted to die. Not when her life had only just begun. Not when she was finally finding redemption.
But Charlie got it right. Mari did what she had to for the people she loved. Mari sacrificed. It would be so easy to give in now, to agree with whatever this sick demon wanted and take a blessed breath.
It would be the last breath she took as herself. Then she would become destruction. She would embody nothing but pain and suffering, taking all of those she cared for with her.
Veronica was fuzzy before her, two rubies glinting against bleary shadows. The sounds of Deak splashing and struggling were muted over the roaring in her ears.
“Your choice is easy,” that lethal grip eased just a hint and Mari sucked in as much air as she could. “Darkness or death. C’mon, Mari. I know you’re not that noble.”
She closed her eyes, focusing inward until she found that beautiful golden bond. It was so strong now, so bright and fierce. Mari still didn’t know if Jasper could actually read her mind. Probably not. Maybe she was just predictable. Regardless, she pushed her will into that bond and sent to him, “I’m sorry. I love you.”
Then, with the last of her strength, Mari kicked out again. This time she swung both her legs to the left, throwing as much of her body weight sideways as she could. The sudden jerking motion took both of their feet out from under them, sliding them on the ice and sending them down. Mari’s shoulder made bruising contact first. A second crack boomed beneath her—or was that above her?—and it was all she could do not to gasp and inhale frigid water as she was suddenly submerged.
Beneath the ice, the water was as black as the aura that surrounded Veronica. Mari felt as if she was suspended in the nothingness of space, trapped in a frozen, starless night. There was no way to judge proximity to the surface, no knowing if she was swimming toward hard ice or the murky bottom. The faintest glow caught her attention. Deak’s eyes, bright with panic as he searched for her in the gloom.
She’d never noticed how beautiful his eyes were before. The color was warm, the only light beckoning to her in the vastness of the water. Twin tiger’s eye stones gleaming as they approached her. Somehow his hand found hers and pulled up, urging her to swim.
The faintest shades of grey appeared blearily through the water. Ice. They were right below the ice. Her shoulders bumped it awkwardly and she let out a frantic huff. She hadn’t taken a full breath since Veronica had her and her lungs were already burning. Beside her, Deak was bubbling furiously as he pushed against the thick layer that covered the pond. They’d travelled from where they fell in and with so little momentum in the water, the ice seemed impossible to break.
Panic. Suddenly that was all Mari could feel. Panic as her chest burned and her throat willed her to open, to take a delicious breath. Panic as her body numbed and she couldn’t tell if she was kicking her legs. She tried to slam her hands against the ice but it was like a nightmare where her limbs were useless and weak. They moved as if they were asleep, drained of blood, uncoordinated and floppy.
Air, air, air! Her brain chanted it, body ready to give in to the desperate need to fill her lungs, even if it meant filling them with water. I need to breathe. I need to breathe!
An explosion sounded above her and she was moving rapidly. Wind whipped at her, but she was only peripherally aware of the sensation, skin too numb to feel the sting of changing temperatures. Her mouth opened on its own volition, throat gurgling as she sucked in such a massive lungful of air that she choked. Still coughing, she went limp as rough hands shoved her further up onto the ice.
Water dripped from her hair and clung heavily to her jacket. Her nails bent as she tried to dig them into the ice and pull herself all the way out of the water. It was impossible to tell if her legs were following. They were useless behind her, flopping as her body sluggishly carried blood to them.
A growl sounded behind her—Deak using all of his strength to give her legs the final push. Mari flopped onto her back, unable to do anything but breathe. Water splashed up onto her arm as Deak was once again struggling to pull himself from the pond. The hole he punctured was more jagged than where he’d fallen in and the ice around them was slowly cracking and drawing apart.
“Deak.” Mari croaked, barely managing to turn her head in his direction.
“Get off the ice.” His teeth chattered as he spoke, his lips an unnatural shade of blue.
Get off the ice? But she was so tired. Every bone in her body weighed a thousand pounds. Her eyelids weren’t much lighter.
“Too tired.”
“Mari, get off the ice and call for help!” He slapped her arm so hard she rolled onto her side.
Call for help. Yes. She could do that. She just needed to catch her breath.
Mari heaved herself onto all fours, crawling at a snail’s pace toward what she hoped was the edge of the pond. Her mind was exhausted, begging her to just stop and rest. To sleep. She fought the urge, dragging her frozen knees into the snow and lifting up onto them.
One deep inhale, then another. Jasper was already close. She could feel him searching for her. A final inhale and Mari was cupping her hands, raising her head heavenward. Her voice quavered as she let out one long, sharp note. She repeated the note, that lone witch’s howl was all she could manage with her aching throat.
Deak lifted his fists and brought them down on the ice with such force that it cracked around him. For a moment he was submerged again and Mari worried he was too cold and tired to get out. Then he was propelling himself onto the shore, sluicing through water and ice until he collapsed beside her.
“They’re coming.” She assured him, taking his hand. The weight of it was obvious in hers, but she couldn’t make out the texture of his skin.
> “Where is she?” He lifted his head to scan the pond. The rest of him was prone.
Mari flopped down beside him. So. Tired. “Who?”
“The demon.”
“In the water.” As far as Mari knew, Veronica was still in the water. “She knows how to swim.”
Then she was resting her chin on Deak’s shoulder, her eyes firmly shut.
✽✽✽
Mari was dimly aware that someone was saying her name. Shouting her name. She cocked her head, trying to tune into the noise but hearing mostly fuzz.
“Deak?” She murmured weakly.
“I have to get you warm.” Jasper’s voice finally came into focus. He was beside her, dragging her into his arms and swiping wet hair from her face. “Mari? Mari! I need you to talk to me.”
“Hey, Red.” She tried to smile but her lips had no feeling.
“Coralee!” Jasper snapped.
A blonde shape moved beside them. Then a howl, as haunting as it was beautiful cut the air. A second howl answered, echoing through the trees.
“Can you walk, brother?”
“I’ll be fine.” Deak groaned beside her, dragging himself up and huddling against Cora as she pressed into him.
“I have to get Mari out of here. Charlie’s coming.”
“Wait.” Mari protested.
“Shit. You’re freezing. Fuck.”
“Wait!” She tried to push against him but she was still so heavy.
“Mari, your skin is blue! You’re freezing!” He was shouting.
“But Veronica! She was here.” Shit, please no.
“The others will handle it.”
“No, Jasper. No! We have to get her out.” Her thoughts were wavering between lucid and blurry. How long had Veronica been underwater? The ice was a broken mess across half the pond. Could she have pulled herself free?
Jasper whipped Mari’s coat off and made quick work of wrapping her in his. “She’s not here.”
“She’s in there.” Mari pointed a weak hand to the pond.
He stilled, drawing her into his arms as he scanned the surface of the pond. “Are you sure she was in the water?”
“No.” But how could she have avoided it when the ice was smashed beneath their feet? Father Above, she felt so confused. It was as if her confrontation with Veronica was six hours ago, not six minutes. “Where is she?”
His gaze snagged on something across the pond and her heart plummeted. “Mari…”
“Where is she?” Mari repeated, trying to turn and stumbling.
“I have to get you home. You’ve got hypothermia!”
On cue, her body crumpled. Her mind was a dizzy mess and she was cold. So cold that she couldn’t even tell if it was temperature or if all of her limbs were missing. “Tell me, Jas.”
Instead, he hoisted her into his arms, cradling her to his chest as he began to run. “Where is she, Jasper?” He kept his eyes forward, navigating through the trees as fast as he could. “Where?”
Mari twisted her head as the pond was passing from their view. She caught a flash of blonde hair. Veronica was face down, her head bobbing gently with the shifting chunks of ice. She was still in the water.
She was dead.
Chapter 25
Mari
Red and blue lights from two sheriff vehicles splashed through the front window of the house, reflecting cheerily on the Christmas ornaments that decorated the massive tree in the far corner of the parlor. All of it was wrong; the presence of the sheriff, his two deputies, and the EMTs from the volunteer fire department. The silence in a house where hours ago they’d been drinking in celebration of a wedding.
Mari glanced down at the ring on her finger. Would any of this have happened if she hadn’t wanted to wear that ring?
She pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders, hunching further into the couch. Fire crackled hot over the logs in the hearth, but it still wasn’t enough to warm her. Jasper shifted closer in response to her shudder, pressing his face into her hair and heating her ear with his breath. At least that part of her felt better.
It was jarring when Charlie and the others finally returned inside, accompanied by Sheriff Davis and one of his deputies. Mari recognized his face from around town. He was a nice guy, good at his job. But he didn’t belong here and it was obvious to every member of the party standing in the foyer. Tension wasn’t a strong enough word to describe the taut anxiety winding the two outsiders up.
Clem shuffled most of the pack into the kitchen—they’d been busy giving statements after leading the sheriff and the fire department to the pond—and offered cups of coffee to everyone. Most declined, including the sheriff. It was past two in the morning now and he clearly wanted to get this over with. Humble Springs didn’t have many needs for law enforcement in the middle of the night. Only during the summer when drunk tourists got out of hand or people ran themselves off the road in the snow on the darkest winter days.
Without looking too obvious, Mari peered around the foyer to search the faces of those present. The deputies wanted statements from everyone. “Everyone” was inexplicably missing Alexey. Aubrey, Dad, and Emma were notably absent too.
Mari was experiencing a dizzying case of déjà vu as Sheriff Davis dropped into a chair across from her and adjusted the notebook in his hand. This wasn’t the first time she’d huddled before officers, giving statements of half-truths because she knew they wouldn’t believe the real story.
No, it wasn’t a half-truth. She looked into the sheriff’s eyes and told him a lie.
There were parts of her life that she would always have to be dishonest about. Or at least, omit from regular conversation. She was a witch living with a pack of werewolves. They had secrets that were worth keeping. But Mari had hoped that those were the only lies she would have to tell. There was a family legacy of dishonesty weighing heavily on her and she’d been so desperate to disrupt it, to carve a new path for herself.
Instead, she told the sheriff a story that the pack had previously agreed upon. Unfortunately, Dad wasn’t feeling particularly agreeable and hadn’t been inclined to tell the sheriff the same story. But he wasn’t there. He didn’t see how Mari struggled. He didn’t see the choice she made when she thought it was the end.
She was too aware of the blooming bruises hiding beneath the high neck of the navy sweater that she borrowed from Clem, the fabric making her feel as if she was being choked all over again. Mari wanted to rip the offending thing from her back and throw it into the fire.
She didn’t know if she believed Charlie’s decision was the right one. Her throat still throbbed where Veronica’s hands squeezed her. Wouldn’t this be much easier if they just showed the sheriff the darkening bruises?
There was a difference between an accident and self-defense. Charlie was right in that, at least. It was one thing if a very drunk Veronica walked over a frozen pond and fell in. It was another if Mari dropped her in there because Veronica was trying to choke the life out of her.
Davis was skeptical of her story. He hid it well until the end, tapping his pen on his notebook and staring pensively at her. Mari would be skeptical too. Nothing about Charlie, his family, or this entire night was normal. No one from Humble Springs had even set foot on this property before tonight, as far as she knew.
“You two got married tonight?” He gestured to Jasper. The shift in conversation puzzled her still fuzzy mind.
“Technically, yesterday evening.”
“Congratulations.” His smile was genuine, but she could tell something she wasn’t going to like was coming next. “Why were you out walking with your stepmother on your wedding night? Wouldn’t you rather be celebrating with your groom?”
She shrugged the way Jasper did when he was dishonest, making herself cringe inwardly. “It was a casual wedding. We already live together.”
“I see.” He took a moment to write something on his notepad. Mari had a suspicion that he wasn’t actually taking notes, just giving himself the si
lence he needed to make her uncomfortable. “Your father had some unfortunate things to say about you.”
Mari blanched. What would dad be willing to divulge if it meant making sure she was punished? “He wasn’t happy about the wedding.”
“Is there a reason for that?”
“He thinks I’m being impulsive.”
“Are you impulsive, Mari?”
“Sometimes.”
Their gazes locked. This wasn’t unlike a werewolf challenge. If she looked away now, she would be the weaker party; admitting guilt.
“Your father and your stepsister both claim that you’re responsible for your stepmother’s death.”
“It was an accident. The ice was too thin.” She meant to sound confident, but her voice quavered.
“Veronica wasn’t your favorite person.”
It was a struggle not to sound defensive. “That doesn’t mean I wanted her to die.”
“I’m not accusing you of anything. I just want to understand what happened tonight.” He tapped the butt of his pen on his notepad again and leaned back. “Let’s be frank, Mrs. O’Connell.” That wasn’t a good change in tone. “Something doesn’t add up. It concerns me.”
“Veronica is—was—an alcoholic. She got out of control when she was drinking.”
“Was she out of control when you were on the ice? Is that how you all went under?”
Jasper was so tense beside Mari that she worried he would shatter if she bumped him. He really shouldn’t be here for this.
“She was—”
The front door flew open, Dad stomping in with an irritated deputy tight on his heels. He stormed through the foyer and into the parlor, pointing at Mari and demanding, “Why haven’t you arrested her?”
“Sir, I asked you to stay outside.”
“No!” The deputy narrowly avoided a shove. “I won’t wait any longer! That girl is evil. She killed my wife. She’ll kill all of us if you don’t lock her up.”
“It was an accident.” Mari repeatedly dumbly. There was something too staggering about being accused of murder by her own father. She couldn’t form a proper defense.