The meeting should be over by now, but he hasn’t adjourned it yet. He clears his throat, getting everyone’s attention.
“As your High Priest, it’s my job to lead this coven. I’ve taken us out of dark, unpredictable times, and guided us toward the light. I’ve made it my mission to bring us back to our roots—to strengthen our craft. To make us stronger and grow our numbers. The long days I spend making sure every member of this flock is thriving are worth it, because our combined magic is a gift I cherish,” he says in a measured pace.
Everyone in the audience hangs on his every word, and the insecurities I felt this morning fade away. His words make me swell with pride. My man’s hard work and determination unified a coven that was so close to falling apart after my parents’ deaths. We lost our way, but he helped us find our path again.
“My vision of a unified magical family is reflected in every face I see before me tonight. Seeing us all gathered here today reminds me of how I was able to make this a reality, through the support of very special, dedicated people who care about this coven. Especially the support of one person in particular.”
Whispers break out across the crowd, and I hold my breath.Where is he going with this?
“This person is very near and dear to my heart and offers the love and support I need to do the hard work. Gives me strength when I feel tired. Lends me faith in myself when I feel defeated. As I look over this coven—our family—every week, I can’t helpbut think of how I want to start a family with this person. To build a legacy together that will watch over this amazing community.”
As he talks, the ember of hope inside me grows into a burning flame. He’s finally going to tell the coven about us. I knew he’d do it in his own time, when he was ready. That’s why he was so nervous earlier!
“This morning, I proposed to Flora Lawrence, and she was gracious enough to say yes. Over the past few months, I’ve fallen so deeply for her, and I know without a shadow of a doubt she is the woman I want to build my legacy with. Please come up to the stage, darling.”
3
AMBROSE
Everyone claps and cheers as parks of magic sail through the air. The joy in the room is palpable for everyone except me.
My blood boils in pure rage. The contents of my lonely breakfast churn in my stomach as bile rises up my throat. It takes every shred of control and dignity I have to sit through the meeting, and not cause a magical catastrophe. The last thing I need is to draw attention to myself and have all eyes on me.
Flora Lawrence floats onto the stage, in her beautiful black lace tea-length dress. She looks like a 1950s movie vixen, with her glowing skin, red lips, and beautiful, smooth hair. She looks positively radiant, smiling at everyone as she loops her arm in his. He kisses her on the cheek and I want to vomit.
How long has he been seeing her behind my back?
She looks at him with such joy in her eyes, like he hangs the moon.The same way I look at him…He gives her an indulgent smile. He never smiles at me like that, or at all, honestly. Every time I brought up the subject of marriage or children, he’d pointedly shut the conversation down. He told me that wasn’t in the cards for us, because he was so busy leading the coven.
It suddenly dawns on me that they must have been seeing each other for a while if they got engaged today. Their familiarity with each other seems so romantic. A life together was never in the cards forus.
I was never meant to be the one standing on the stage next to him.
He wasn’t seeing her behind my back.I was the secret.The side piece he kept behind closed doors. Who he only visited in the middle of the night with no witnesses to see it. The few times we did do anything outside either of our homes was when we’d grab lunch at a coffee shop or a quiet restaurant on the outskirts of town. Both places where when people saw us, they’d only think we were two coven members sharing a meal and talking craft. Not two lovers…
How can I be so stupid? How did I let myself fall into this…thing…I had with him?
As soon as the meeting ends, I storm out without saying goodbye to anyone or looking at him. My broken heart was already everyone’s entertainment when my parents passed away. I don’t want anyone seeing my shame. Or the broken, sharp edges of my heart as they fall to the floor.
I can’t bear to see the cold aloofness in his eyes anymore. When we’re in public, he looks upon me like I’m a stranger—it feels like a knife to my heart. And seeing the way he gazes at her was the dagger that sliced it apart.
How dare he? Howcouldhe?
I spent the past two years of my life as his dirty little secret, more than happy hiding our relationship because he liked tokeep his private life private.
That was the excuse he gave me, and I was depressed and desperate enough for affection to believe it. I stuck around for months, waiting for him to finally make good on his whispered promises to claim me publicly.
As soon as I’m elected as High Priest, I’ll tell everyone about us. I’m so stressed out right now and need to focus on this.
I do love you, but I’m so bogged down with running the coven. I’ll tell everyone after the Solstice is over.
You mean everything to me. I’ll tell everyone soon, don’t worry. Please let me do it on my own time.
I should have known his words were empty. He never meant to make good on his promises to me. He never wanted to bring us into the light.
As I walk through the darkened woods back to my cottage, my hold on my magic breaks for a moment. My anger manifests as lightning crackling through the sky. A chilling gale of wind whips around me, climbing right up my back under my sweater. The trees lining the path shake, and their dried leaves rattle an ominous, echoing chorus.
I revel in the coldness. It stokes my anger, keeping me from breaking down until I finally lock my front door behind me.
