Suffer a Witch (19 page)

“Remove the stump,” William said.

“Even then. . .” Weni said.

The tree in his hand was cut down and the stump removed. Tendrils began appearing where the stump had been. The tiny tree grew into multiple maple trees.

“Then, how. . .?” Em asked.

“Kill the roots,” Weni said. “Plant a poison inside the tree, and it will rot from the inside.”

“But. . .?” Em started.

“Yes, what does it mean?” Weni asked. Em blushed. “Never doubt your practical nature, Em. It is your beauty, and it is the reason I know you will win this war.”

He held out his arms, and she let him hug her.

“Kill just one,” Weni said in her ear. “Poison him. He will bring the rot to the others. Don’t let them draw you into a battle with all of them. Focus on poisoning the one.”

Em nodded, and Weni stepped back.

“I belong to you,” Weni said. “I was given by Argos to William for his great service. William has given me to you.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Em said.

“You will see me in your world,” Weni said. “I will bring you the knowledge from this room anytime you request it, and even if you don’t.”

Em gave him a curt nod.

“Time to go,” William said.

“Take her by that path.” Weni pointed to a bookshelf, and a door appeared.

“Weni,” William said as he bowed.

Weni returned his bow, and the men hugged. Weni glanced at Em. Before she could thank him, he disappeared. Em glanced at her father to see him wiping away a tear.

“He was my teacher,” William said. “My friend.”

Em nodded.

“I will take you up the stairwell and then take my leave,” William said. “Dawn is coming. My wife will be looking for me.”

Em threw herself into her father’s arms, and he held her in a tight hug,

“I could not love you more,” William said. “Nor be more proud of you.”

“I love you, father,” Em said.

In a blink of an eye, Em was standing alone, and light was just peeking over the edge of the horizon. She had no idea where she was. She knew only that she was completely alone. She felt an overwhelming, desperate loss of her father and the world where she belonged. For a moment, she could only watch the dawn.

Then, she heard a man’s voice calling her name and smiled.

“I’m here,” Em yelled.

George appeared at the edge of the hill. He ran toward her. The rest of the witches crested the hill. Seeing Em, they took off running in her direction, and she laughed. George reached her first. He lifted her up and spun her around. He let her go to allow the others to greet her. As they gathered around her, she went from one to the next, hugging them in greeting. She ended with Ann, who allowed her a quick hug before taking her vitals.

“You’re finally here!” Alice said and gave Em another hug.

“And where exactly is ‘here’?” Em asked.

The witches laughed.

Excited to be together, Em and the witches spent the morning touring Gungywamp. Bridget took on the role of their tour guide. She blossomed under their attention. Midway through their first cairn, Em transformed Bridget’s usual stilettos into rugged hiking boots. For the first time in a hundred years, Bridget didn’t scream about the practical shoes. She just smiled at Em and continued a story of her many adventures around these ancient structures. They ended their expedition with breakfast at a local diner in Groton, CT.

After breakfast, Em finally admitted to her own exhaustion, and George insisted on heading home. Leaving the passenger seat for Sam and his long legs, she took her place next to Alice in the far back of the Suburban that George was driving. Susannah scooted in next to her. Giles, Elizabeth, and Margaret sat in the middle seat. The rest of the witches went in the other SUV.

“So, John and Mary Eastey?” Em asked.

“I know!” Alice said.

“Did they resolve anything?” Em looked at Susannah, who had shared a house with Mary Eastey in an Amish settlement in Pennsylvania.

“Of course not,” Susannah said. “She just realized that John Willard is a kind, decent man.”

“How did that come about?” Alice asked.

“Comparison to other men,” Susannah grinned.

Em and Alice laughed. Susannah smiled.

“Are you ready to return?” Em asked.

Susannah turned to look at Em. She opened and closed her mouth before nodding.

“I’m ready to rid myself of this old body,” Susannah said.

Em grinned. Em took Susannah’s left hand, and Alice reached over to her right.

“How young?” Alice asked.

“Oh . . .” Susannah looked out the window. “Thirty? Thirty-five? Is that too . . .”

“Done,” Em said.

Alice leaned back to get a better view. Susannah looked as if she were on the young side of thirty-five. Her teeth were gleaming white, her eyes clear, and her nose small and pert. She had always been thin, so they softened her boney features with youthful curves. Em smiled and nodded. Alice leaned forward and touched Susannah’s head.

“Blond is in,” Alice said with a smile.

“Blond?” Susannah’s voice went up with delight.

“Elizabeth? Margaret?” Alice leaned forward so that her head was between their shoulders. “What do you think of Susannah?”

Elizabeth gasped, and Margaret clapped her hands together.

“Beautiful,” Giles added.

Susannah put her hand on his shoulder in thanks. Giles smiled. Sam turned around in the passenger seat and whistled “wheet whoo.” Susannah blushed. She was so embarrassed that the witches turned away from her to allow her to collect herself.

“What’s with Giles?” Susannah asked under her breath.

“Yeah,” Alice said. “He’s been so . . .”

“Nice,” Susannah said.

“I saw you talking to him,” Alice said.

Em nodded and looked at the back of Giles’s head.

“Tell us,” Alice said out of the side of her mouth.

Em grinned.

“Come on,” Susannah said.

“He told me that he’s been angry with me for everything,” Em said.

“Everything?” Alice asked.

“Continuing to live,” Susannah nodded. “He has been mad about that.”

“When I was gone, he had to face the idea that I might not return,” Em said. “He realized that all of this was a gift.”

Susannah mock-clapped her hands. Em shrugged.

“About time,” Alice said.

“You should talk,” Em said and bumped Alice with her shoulder. Alice laughed.

“Did I tell you my client is coming back into town?” Alice asked. “The one who was with us when we met the demon?”

Em shook her head, and Susannah rolled her eyes at Alice.

“I can’t believe you still do that,” Susannah said.

Em nodded.

“This one’s a keeper,” Alice said. “He likes me. Anyway, how else . . .”

“ . . . is a three-hundred-year-old gal going to meet a nice man?” Em and Susannah joined Alice in asking.

They laughed.

“Hey!” George yelled from the driver’s seat. “Don’t have too much fun back there!”

Em, Alice, and Susannah fell silent. They batted their eyelashes at him, and he laughed.

“Okay, okay,” George said. “Carry on.”

They laughed.

“Want to see . . .” Em said.

She held her hand over her head. Her hair turned fire red. It unwound from the bun and fell in gentle waves down her back. Her sweater turned from the neutral grey to bright orange to match her hair. Alice squealed with delight. Susannah touched Em’s newly ginger hair.

“It looks so natural!” Susannah said. “How . . . Where . . .?”

“I saw my father,” Em said with a shrug.

Everyone in the SUV fell silent. Margaret turned around in her seat, and Elizabeth turned her head. Sam rotated his body to look at her from the passenger seat. George’s eyes watched her in the rearview mirror. Noticing their attention, Em blushed.

“Where did you go, Em?” Giles asked.

“I . . .” Em smiled at Giles and turned to look into the faces of each of them. “My father cast a spell to bring me to him when I died next. Of course, he cast the spell in the 1600s, but you know me. I’m not much of a risk taker.”

The witches laughed.

“I promise to tell you everything,” Em said with certainty. “I just need to process it all.”

“Who loves the hair?” Alice asked in an attempt to brighten the mood.

“Love it,” Sam said.

“Me, too,” Margaret said. “Will you . . .?”

Em put her hand over Margaret’s head, and her hair turned bright red. Margaret was so delighted that she giggled.

“Elizabeth?” Alice asked.

“No,” Elizabeth laughed. “Don’t you dare!”

She put her hands over the top of her blond head and ducked down. They laughed.

“You will tell us.” George’s voice broke through their levity. “Won’t you?”

“I will,” Em said. “I also have some ideas about finding John Proctor and fighting the demon.”

Em nodded.

“When we get home?” Margaret asked.

“When she’s rested,” George said.

Em winked at Margaret, and she smiled.

“You won’t leave us out, will you?” Margaret asked.

“Bring your own shovel!” Em said.

Margaret laughed and turned around. Elizabeth said something to Margaret, and she whispered back. Em glanced at Giles, who was still looking at her.

“Giles,” Em said.

“You seem different,” Giles said. “More sure of yourself.”

Em nodded.

“It looks good on you,” Giles smiled and turned forward.

Sam asked Giles a question about their season tickets to their beloved football team, the Patriots. The Suburban slowed to a stop as they reached morning traffic into Boston. Off the hook, Em leaned back against the seat.

“Could I live with you?” Susannah asked.

Em turned to look at her.

“I mean, in the apartments,” Susannah said. “Not with you and George. I know all of that’s over.”

“What’s over?” Em asked.

Alice bent over to see Susannah around Em.

“George and everybody,” Susannah said.

“What do you mean?” Em asked.

“You don’t know?” Susannah asked.

“Know what?” Em asked.

“George doesn’t share himself anymore,” Susannah said.

“I . . .” Em shrugged.

“He just stopped,” Susannah said.

“That can’t possibly be true,” Em said. “He visited you on his way home just a couple months ago.”

“He stayed with us,” Susannah said. “Helped with the upkeep of our house. Stayed up late talking, praying, giving counsel, but nothing else. No romance.”

Em’s eyes scanned Susannah’s face. Susannah had been seventy-one years old when she was hanged. At that time, George was her pastor and her counselor. Immortality created a push-pull relationship between Susannah and George. Susannah had left for the Amish after a blowout argument with George.

“It’s why I left,” Susannah said. “Alice didn’t tell you that he’s not ‘available’ anymore? That’s what he calls it: ‘available.’ He’s not available to anyone. Period. Why didn’t you tell her, Alice?”

“George and I never had that kind of relationship,” Alice said. “I’m too hung up on my husband.”

Alice shrugged. Susannah gave a little nod and looked down at her hands. Deeply embarrassed, she pulled her shoulders up and dropped her head. Em reached over to hold Susannah’s hand. Em gave her hand a squeeze, and Susannah looked up at Em.

“I never loved him, Em,” Susannah said. “Not like you do, not like what you have. I know that now. If I were a better Christian, I would have seen the God in your love. I just didn’t want to lose, again.”

Em put her arm around Susannah and hugged her. Susannah tucked herself into Em’s shoulder and cried. Em held on until Susannah’s tears ebbed. Alice reached around Em to touch Susannah’s arm.

“You didn’t lose,” Alice said.

“You can’t lose,” Em said.

Susannah gave them a watery smile.

“And yes,” Em said. “You’re always welcome to stay. We’ve rented everything except the small apartment in the back. It’s not much, and the window looks out onto the parking lot. Alice is in the big one for the summer. You could move in there when she moves out in the fall.”

“You can share with me,” Alice said.

“What about your . . . clients?” Susannah asked.

“This one’s loaded,” Alice said. “We won’t stay there.”

“What do you say?” Em asked.

“Sounds really great,” Susannah said. “Thanks.”

Smiling, she looked forward for a moment before threading her arm through Em’s.

“What’s the plan for Saturday?” Susannah asked.

“The boys’ and Martha’s hanging day?” Em asked. “No idea. You?”

“I’m sure they’re making a plan in the other car,” Alice said.

Em scowled.

“What is it?” Alice asked.

“We have to find John Proctor before his hanging day,” Em said. “George Jacobs and Rebecca. We should do that on their day.”

“Do what?” Susannah asked.

“Em thinks that, if we find John Proctor, George Jacobs and Rebecca will return to physical form,” Alice said. “Like we did.”

“Really?” Susannah asked.

Em nodded.

“Do we want that?” Susannah asked. “Mary Eastey has been more than a little relieved that her sister didn’t make this . . . trip.”

“I don’t think we have a choice,” Em said.

On that note, the women fell silent. In the seat in front of them, Margaret and Elizabeth were asleep. Giles and Sam were talking in low tones about the Patriots’ quarterback, Tom Brady. When Em looked at blonde, young, Susannah, she had also fallen asleep. Em turned to look at Alice. She gave Em a little wave and a smile.

“Glad you’re back,” Alice said.

“Me, too,” Em said. She leaned in and said in Alice’s ear, “I found a way to send you on.”

Alice didn’t respond.

“What?” Em asked.

“And leave you to deal with the demon yourself?” Alice asked. “Not a chance. When this is over, we’ll talk.”

“But I thought . . .” Em started.

Alice shook her head and looked out the side window. Em stared forward at the road. George caught her eye in the rearview mirror and winked. She smiled at him, and he turned his attention back to the stop-and-go traffic. Em watched the scenery for a while before succumbing to exhaustion. The next thing she knew, George was pulling up in front of the Mystic Divine. Through the glass, she saw a slight, dark-skinned man standing behind the counter inside the Mystic Divine.

“Who’s that?” Em asked when she got out of the SUV.

“He’s new,” Margaret said. “George, who’s the new guy?”

“Weni,” George said. “You’ll like him. He’s smart and very knowledgeable.”

Feeling her eyes, Weni turned around to look at her. She inclined her head to him, and Weni smiled. Alice got out behind Em.

“Come on,” Alice said to Susannah. “Let’s get you settled.”

Alice threaded her arm in Susannah’s, and they went upstairs.

“Ready to get back?” George asked.

“Not really,” Em said.

George grinned. They took the outside stairwell to their apartment.