Ollie, Ollie Hex 'n Free (5 page)

“Thank you for not choosing the elves over me,” Leslie said, her voice muffled against Selene.

“Never.” She released her friend. “Frost. What are you doing here?”

“Katrina invited me,” she said, not standing with the other girls, but also not standing as far away from them as she used to be.

Selene took in the scene surrounding her. “What are you guys doing?”

“He didn’t tell you?” Katrina asked.

“He said it’d be better coming from you.” Her gaze focused on the circle drawn on the floor. “I can see why. What is this?”

“Did they find a spell?” Cheney asked low enough that only I could hear him.

“In a matter of speaking,” I said. “I thought it best not to interfere more than necessary.”

He nodded and got Selene a chair. The coven had a mind of its own and would not be governed by us anymore than Selene would be ruled by Cheney, so we went to the couch and had a seat. Whatever happened, whatever they decided, we were spectators from here on out. It was the way it had to be.

Katrina and Leslie explained what they had done and what the plan was, Leslie periodically sending worried glances at a bowl in the center of the circle. Selene listened and Cheney frowned, but neither said anything until they were finished.

“May I see the spell?” Selene asked.

Cheney looked back at me. “What will happen to the evil residing in Jessica?”

I shook my head. “They don’t know.”

He took a deep breath. “Hence more preparation.”

I nodded. “Indeed.”

“With that problem ironed out, however, and if it works . . . well, it could solve a lot of our problems.”

That was true, of course—but I didn’t hold out much hope.

Cheney continued, looking thoughtful. “Perhaps if the witches stayed longer, they could figure it out.”

“After the incident this evening, I assured the people they were leaving. They will not stand for humans living in the castle any longer.”

“They’re Selene’s family—and our friends. You would turn your back on them?”

Cheney too often seemed to forget that it wasn’t about what either of us wanted, personally. This had always been about changing our world—and real change didn’t come without sacrifices. No one knew that better than me. I had sacrificed much to see that Selene and Cheney ended up here, and I wasn’t about to let it be for nothing. I stood board straight. “No one said being Erlking would be easy.”

Cheney’s mouth fell open then snapped back shut as he refocused on the coven. “As for your impartiality, Sebastian, I stand corrected. I honestly thought you cared more.”

I did care. I cared too much, which made every decision impossible. The fae race and the coven were important to me, but they both couldn’t win. Someone had to stand up for the fae. That was my job and Cheney’s job. There was no reason both could not thrive—but they couldn’t do it together. The girls needed to go back to their home and we had to do whatever it took to win. The debate tonight made that painfully clear.

Katrina tapped her foot rapidly, her stress thick in the air as I scanned the spell for a third time.

“This is why I didn’t want to tell everyone. I knew you would all have an opinion and…” She shook her head peevishly. “By the time everyone makes up their mind it will be too late.”

Leslie took her hand. “I’m scared too.”

I looked up at them, my best friends. “Gram would be really proud. It’s a good spell.”

“We tried really hard,” Katrina said, swiping beneath her eyes.

“So you think it will work?” Leslie asked. “We were going to have Frost cast it since she isn’t part of the coven.”

“I’m willing to
try
,” Frost added. “But I make no promises.”

Their hopeful faces made saying what I had to say that much harder. “I think it could work….That’s why we can’t do it.”

Kat stopped tapping. Her mouth fell open. Leslie shook her head as if it would change the words she heard.

Frost shrugged. “Then I guess I’m done here.” She started toward the door.

“You aren’t going anywhere,” Katrina said, jutting her jaw. “This is a democracy and it’s two to one. We’re casting the spell.”

“Kat, it’s irresponsible,” I said softly. “We can’t cast this without knowing what will happen. We could free whatever has her from the constraints of human form. It could possess something else. If we can’t control the situation, then we can’t do it. You have to see that. I have responsibilities.”

Kat’s shoulders rose as she took a deep breath, then let it gust out. “What about your responsibility to us? You brought us here. We’ve supported you through everything. No man left behind. . . . Hasn’t that always been our motto?”

“I think that’s the marines,” Leslie said.

Katrina widened her eyes at her and shook her head.

Leslie pressed her lips together. “Why does it have to be one or the other?” she said. “Selene, Kat’s right. It isn’t fair if you decide for all of us. And Kat, you don’t get to cast my vote. I think you’re both right.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t help,” Kat said.

“Look, I know you’re scared and sad and anxious about leaving, but that’s no reason to snap at me. I’m not the one who didn’t ask you to stay,” Leslie fired back.

Kat pressed a hand over her mouth and was very careful not to look at Sebastian. “Have I mentioned how awesome it is that you’re an empath? No? Huh.”

“This is the way I see things. I think we should cast the spell, but I also think Selene is right that we need some way to control or trap the entity.”

I nodded. “I agree.”

“Me too,” Katrina added.

“Good. Then what we need is a plan on how to capture Jessica without using magic.”

“Annnddd you lost me.” Katrina looked over at Cheney and Sebastian. “Call me crazy, but I don’t think the elves will let her go if she’s in custody. Am I right?”

They stopped pretending to ignore us and stood up. Cheney waited to speak until he stood next to me.

“I know she’s your friend, but she has hurt a lot of people.” He placed a hand on my shoulder as I looked up at him. “They deserve justice.”

“Whatever we pull out of her can be punished,” Leslie said. “That’s the real justice.”

The elves might not see it that way. Had this happened a week after the election that would have been one thing, but the week
of. . . .
Well, we had to tread lightly.

“We did that once already and you saw how it turned out,” he said as gently as possible, which was appreciated. “I have to do something this time.”

“What if she’s banished,” I said. “We’ll banish her from the Abyss. If she ever comes back, she will pay for her crimes.”

Leslie sucked in a sharp breath.

“What sort of payment?” Katrina asked.

I fidgeted. There was only one punishment for murder the fae would accept.

“Her life,” Sebastian said.

Katrina nodded and Leslie stared at her feet. “So we can never come back,” she said.

“Jessica can’t,” Sebastian said. “The rest of you can, but it might be good to give them a few years. None of us want you to leave,” his eyes were trained on Katrina, “but perhaps it is for the best. You are young still and—” His mouth moved, but nothing came out.

Kat’s brown eyes met his and sadness seemed to wash over her before she looked away. “We don’t belong here.” Her voice was raw.

“You deserve a full life. You will not find that here.”

None of us dared to make eye contact with each other. You didn’t have to be an empath to know we were intruding on a moment, a devastating moment for both of them, with no hope of escape. My heart broke in two for them. Life was cruel and unfair. Cheney’s thumb massaged a small circle on my back. He had said the two of them dating was a bad idea from the start, but I wanted to believe otherwise. If Cheney and I could find a way, why couldn’t they?

“I think we’ve made everyone uncomfortable enough for one day,” Katrina said. “Sorry. My bad. Total TMI.” Just like that she sounded like her usual self. “So how do we capture Jess without magic when she doesn’t trust any of us?”

“You mean she’ll see through my invitation for tea?” Frost said.

Leslie snorted. “You’d have better luck with whiskey.”

“Nothing less than Knob Creek,” Katrina added.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” The petite woman brushed an errant lock of white hair from her face, then slipped her hands into the pockets of her tight black jeans. “What’s the point of a coven?”

“Power,” I said. “Our strength, when we’re not divided, can be harnessed as one, which means our spells are that much more effective.”

“And friendship,” Leslie added. “These girls know me better than anyone else. We accept each other just as we are.”

Katrina nodded. “That’s sort of priceless. We also keep each other in line. When one person is going off the deep end, we pull them back.”

Frost nodded. “That pretty much goes with what I’ve read. Most covens wouldn’t want someone like me. I guess it’s a tainted by association sort of deal, but I figure if you’re willing to take back someone who killed one of your own in front of you, then you might be willing to overlook that I’m a necromancer.” Her eyes didn’t connect with any of us and, if possible, her face grew even paler. “I’ll find your friend and bring her back here, but after the spell is cast, I want in on this coven thing. I want you to help me with my curse.”

“Selene and I already discussed the idea of expansion at Halloween and you were the first person we thought of.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Leslie said.

I had told Frost there was no way to undo the curse because there wasn’t. I couldn’t imagine carrying the burden she held all through life, but it was hers. The more she held on to this hope that there was a cure, the harder she would fall each time she failed to uncover it—which meant the dark path she was predestined for would become that much more alluring. “There is no cure.”

She nodded, but the truth didn’t register on her face. “Nevertheless.”

I nodded. “If you’re sure this is what you want—but just a warning, you’ll never get rid of us.”

“I can live with that.” Of course she didn’t smile or look particularly happy, but her shoulders squared a little and she nodded at her boots. “I’ll let you know when I have a lead.” She slipped out of the room.

“Everyone should get a good night’s rest,” Cheney said, taking my arm and helping me stand.

Katrina stepped forward. “Promise me you’ll let her leave with Leslie and me. I know we discussed it, but I want your word that you will not hold her, no matter what else happens.”

It was too open ended. How could we make such a promise? Even about Jessica. “Kat—”

“Promise, Selene.”

I looked up at Cheney who gave me the slightest of nods. “So long as it’s the Jessica we know and love, I promise, but you need to remember that she might be gone. We can’t be sure she’s even in there anymore.”

Katrina gave me a relieved smile. “Of course we can. Your magic didn’t work on each other. If she was truly gone, it would have.”

I thought back on the fight. Every spell happened around us, but never actually reached our physical forms. “She’s right.”

A sharp pain shot through my side, stealing my breath. I lurched forward.

Cheney caught me and steadied me as books flew off of the shelves around us. Then the disruption was over as fast as it started. Two dozen books littered the floor as I straightened, feeling normal once again. Cheney’s face was stretched tight with worry and Sebastian’s wasn’t much better. “I’m fine,” I said.

“To bed. Now,” Cheney ordered.

I opened my mouth to let him know that I would not be told what to do. I would go to bed when I felt like it and that jolt set a lot of things in motion, but sleepiness wasn’t one of them. However, Sebastian spoke first.

“You promised, Selene.”

I sighed. “Fine.”

I went to our bedroom though the person I needed to talk to was Corbin. With the physical connection we shared, there was no doubt that he’d felt that. Which meant he could possibly have a clue as to what was causing the pains. Were they contractions? Was it the baby? Or was it something else?

However, Cheney wasn’t very likely to support my desire to see Corbin. He wanted me to rest and even though he didn’t say it, I knew why. We all knew why. Cheney witnessed what his mother’s death did to his sister, his father, and to the kingdom. He would have to be unfeeling to not worry about me entering into the same situation.

When he had me safely tucked back into bed, his body curved against mine and his hand rubbing my stomach, I said the one thing we both had been avoiding. “I’m not going to die, Cheney.”

His hand stilled. “Of course you aren’t”

I placed my hand over his. “This is our story, not your parents. We will have a remarkable daughter and we will
both
watch her grow into an even more remarkable adult.”

My words came out firm and confident, making me ache to believe them as easily as I could speak them. But as I told Corbin, I was afraid. Not of dying, I was stronger than that. I was terrified of the child herself and the bad feeling I got whenever I thought about her being born.