But she refused to succumb to those thoughts. It was just her and the spell. Nothing more. Sometimes it took a few moments for the magic to work, especially with inexperienced witches. Her mind traveled far away, distancing herself from everything personal about this situation.
A fresh new witch was casting a spell. Her magic was unpracticed and unpredictable. If the magic did not come forth immediately, the witch would need to utter the phrase with more conviction. More surety.
The witch had to believe in her own abilities. Sometimes, that was the most important thing.
Believe,Mona thought.The magic will work. The conditions are met. The ingredients are here. Believe in the power.
“Hoc vulnus sana,” she said, louder this time. Her voice was firm and confident.
Power brushed against her, whispering along her skin, tickling her flesh. Sudden warmth seeped into her chest, blotting out the cold and spreading throughout her body. It extended from the top of her head to the ends of her toes, filling her with a comforting heat that soothed her aching muscles and throbbing wounds. It knitted the pieces of her heart and soul back together.
A relieved exhale left her, loosening the tightness in her chest. The salve dissolved into her flesh, making its way through her body as the spell did its work.
When the warmth finally left her, she let her eyes flutter open. It was not as earth-shattering as thepowerful and instantaneous healing she had performed as a goddess. This was… gentler. More subtle.
In a way, she almost preferred it. It was a delicate presence that needed to be nurtured. It wasn’t something that came easily, but it meant that the results feltearned.
Mona had no true power within her. But the power shecouldwield had been honed through years of hard work and practice.
She was breathing deeply and fully now, a smile spreading across her face. In front of her, Gaia was beaming, her eyes shining with tears. Evander’s gaze bored into hers, full of pride.
That’s my Mona,his affectionate gaze seemed to say. He’d had no doubts. No concerns.
He had known from the beginning that she could do it. He had always believed in her.
Always.
Gaia squeezed Mona’s shoulder, jolting her from her thoughts. “I am more proud of you than you could ever imagine, Pomona,” she said softly. “You have more power than you know, my dear.” One by one, she gathered the ingredients and placed them back inside the sack. When she stood, she smiled down at Mona. “I’ll return tomorrow with another spell we can try. Will that be all right?”
Mona couldn’t stop smiling as tears rolled down her face. She choked on a half laugh, half sob. “Yes. Yes, I would very much like that.”
Gaia nodded once, then left the cavern.
Mona felt Evander’s gaze burning into hers. Slowly, shefaced him again, and her chest cinched at the desire sparking in those eyes.
“That’s always been you, Mona,” he said gently. “You’ve always been a witch first and a goddess second.Thisis who you are.” He gestured to her with that same look of pride on his face.
“I—I couldn’t have done this without you,” Mona said breathlessly. Energy churned through her, restless and volatile. She wanted to leap and scream. She wanted to sprint and laugh.
She wantedeverything.
Evander’s expression sobered, the joy in his face dimming slightly. “Yes, you could have.”
Mona’s smile faltered. “Evander…”
“Youcando this without me, Mona.”
She shook her head. “Why are you saying this?”
He took a deep breath, then shifted so he was sitting on the cot next to her. “I have to stay in the mortal realm. I made a deal with Typhon and the Wild Spirits. I vowed to help free the other creatures who have been unfairly punished by the gods. Starting with Clotho.”
Mona felt the blood drain from her face. “TheFate?”
Evander nodded. “It is thanks to her that Typhon was kept alive. I must try to return the favor as best I can.”
A hard lump formed in Mona’s throat, and she found it difficult to swallow. “So you’re leaving?”
Evander frowned. “No, I’m staying.You’releaving.”
