Was I ready? I was almost positive I could timewalk back to the present, even with so many people in tow. Only a niggling doubt remained that they might arrive in the present injured or ill. But would I be ready for what I had to do when I got home? Had I squeezed every ounce of precious knowledge that I could from M&M, and even the traitorous La Voisin?
Only time will tell.
Once my cup was empty, I stood. When I stepped inside the cottage, everyone was sitting at the long table, waiting. Empty plates and bowls sat before them. There was a nervous tension in the air. A mix of excitement and fear, potent as any drug or dream.
“If everyone else is ready,” I cleared my throat. “I think we should be going.”
Diana shot up first. The others followed after a moment, putting away their dishes before filing out to our shack to get their things. We weren’t taking much from our time with Morgan and Merlin: just the clothes we’d arrived in, and a couple of trinkets that Alex and Eva had wanted to keep. It was best that way. The more items someone brought back from the past, the harder it was for them to leave that time period. Morgan seemed to manage it fine, but she was the exception to the rule. I didn’t wantanythingto hinder me from getting us home—particularly excess baubles.
After getting our things, we gathered in the same field that I’d passed the morning in, and faced our mentors and ancestors.
“It was a pleasure meeting all of you,” Merlin said, fingering his beard. His eyes rested on Alex, his blood. “If you wish to visit again one day, our door is open.”
I swallowed the lump rising in my throat. The emotion on everyone’s face was plain. Even Hunter and Diana, who usually kept it together, looked like they might sniffle at any moment.
“Thank you. For everything,” Alex replied, his voice cracking. “We owe our lives to you.” He approached Merlin and slid his totem off his finger to put in the old witch’s hand. “And if we get the chance to return, we will.”
Merlin smiled, his eyes crinkling proudly at the corners into deeply grooved smile lines. “We hope that day comes.”
A flurry of hugs and kisses ensued. Morgan grabbed me last, the sage she often burned in the cottage wrapping around her and clinging to me as protectively as her arms. When we broke apart, I unclasped my necklace,hernecklace, and placed it in her hands.
“Thank you for everything. For teaching me, for showing me the past and how to act in it, for beingsoincredibly patient.” My eyes darted down to the necklace. “And for saving my life more times than I can count. How can I ever repay you?”
Morgan shook her head. “You being here is enough repayment. Seeing my blood and knowing that she will do great things. To fight great evil is the biggest blessing of all.”
Tears filled my eyes. “I’ll try not to let you down.”
“You never could, Odette.” Morgan gave me another hug, and for what could be the last time, I took in her face, focusing on the freckles that I was fond of, trying to memorize their pattern.
My friends and I parted from the legendary witches. I’d just extended my hand to create the warphole when Morgan spoke again. “Be prepared for anything and everything. You’re returning to a time unlike other magicals have ever seen.” She clasped Merlin’s hand. “We can’t be sure, but we sense that you will be thrown into a crucible. Formed and tested in Hell’s fire. Take care how you emerge.”
“Crucible,” Eva murmured, a little amusement in her voice.
I turned to face my ancestor and beamed at her. “It’s funny you say that. Crucibles are exactly what we’ll be soon.”
The five of us waved goodbye again before I opened the warphole. Easy as you please, I called the strands of time, and grabbed the one I knew was right. I took one last look back at our mentors, unsure if I’d see them again, or if death would claim me first. They smiled encouragingly, and Morgan placed a hand over the moonstone necklace, the piece of jewelry that had saved my life and brought me to her.
My throat tightened and with a final nod, I turned and led my friends back into the future.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
With a gulp of air, I collapsed onto a soft rug as the warphole deposited me exactly where I’d envisioned
Home.
My heart rate slowed. I’d done it. I’d timewalked through centuries without Morgan or the totem. I lifted my head to take in my friends. To my great relief, I saw that they were all whole, no limbs lost. They appeared uninjured and awake. Joy burst through me, but I tempered it, needing to check on one more person to consider the timewalking a total success.
Hello?I asked in my head.
Louise moaned.What happened? I feel funny—uncomfortable.
I timewalked. You’re in the twenty-first century. You’ll get used to it.
She didn’t reply. For once, I’d stunned Louise into silence.
Fine with me. I needed a moment too.
Wondering if Claude still resided in Eva’s head, I shot her a questioning look and tapped my skull. She nodded, a slight smile on her lips.
