It was true—witches were generally forbidden from handfasting with another prior to receiving their Gift from Gaia. Not only did this ensure that they were old enough for such a commitment, but knowing one’s Gift meant your path to serving Gaia had been revealed, whether that was to assist in healing ailments, contributing to the flourishing of life in gardens or agricultural fields, helping foster alliances with mortal villages, or assisting in the rituals required to commune with Gaia, among other paths. Witches often made strategic decisions to handfast and procreate with witches on a path that was complementary to their own.
Ena eyed her sister. “Wow. Subtle, Greya.”
“What? Oh, come on, you know he’s been head over heels for you for years. I’m just wondering where you stand.”
“We’ve had… fun together, that’s true. He’s a great guy. But he’s not for me. He’s not…he’s just not for me.”
Greya paused. Looking up from her sewing, she studied Ena. “Wow. Still?”
“Still what?”
“It’s been nine years, Ena. You need to move on and trust someone else. You need to commit to someone. Not all men will abandon you.”
Ena stared at her sister in shock. “Well damn...say what you really think, Greya,” Ena replied sarcastically, her ire rising. “That’s not what this is about. Not at all. I’m so over that.”
Greya eyed her suspiciously.
“Really, Greya, that’s not what this is about. Cris is just not a good fit for me long term. I gave it a chance between us, but I don’t see it lasting. Ithasn’tlasted. It’s over. I’m content to be on my own right now.”
“Okay,” Greya replied skeptically. “I just wanted to make sure. And I don’t mean to be harsh. I know how bad all that messed you up and I just worry sometimes. I haven’t seen you care about anyone, really, deeply, since then. I just want to make sure you’re not holding out for someone who’s never coming back.”
Greya’s words gutted her, and she didn’t know why. She knew he wasn’t coming back. She’d known that for years.
Gaia, she was pathetic. A few days with a boy nine years ago and she couldn’t move on.
No, that wasn’t true. Shehadmoved on—definitely, truly, had moved on. She rarely thought about him anymore. Yesterday before the Summoning was an anomaly.
“I’m not,” she said with a conviction she desperately wanted to feel. “And why are you bringing all this back up now? It’s been nine years, as you accurately pointed out. That was a lifetime ago.”
“I know, and I won’t bring it up anymore, I promise. Like I said, I just worry about you sometimes. I know it must be hard to never get closure from your first love.”
“He wasn’t my first love. It was just a summer fling. And I have moved on. I’ll find someone else—eventually. Or I won’t, and I’lljust live with you and Perse forever,” Ena said, smiling sweetly at her sister.
“Oh no, there’s not a chance in the Underworld I’m letting you live with us after the handfasting,” Greya replied, shaking her head and smiling in return. But Ena knew she was only teasing. She really would let her live with them forever if she needed it. Greya was just that good of a sister. Greya would never abandon her. They’d pretty much only had each other after their parents died. Ena didn’t even remember them, since she’d been so young when they succumbed to the fever, but she knew Greya had some memories of them. Especially of the trauma of their unexpected passing. Secretly, Ena was glad that she didn’t remember that. In her memories, it had always been just the two of them. And Heran, of course. Heran had taken them in and raised them like a grandmother would. They still lived in the matriarch’s house, too, although Greya would be moving out once she was handfasted with Perse.
“Speaking of, have you and Perse given any more thought as to when your handfasting will be?” Ena was extremely grateful to change the subject from her failed love life, and instead took joy in her sister’s thriving one.
“We’re thinking about doing it around Yule. Winter is Perse’s favorite season and he wants to take our vows after the first snowfall.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Ena replied with a smile. Perse and Greya had danced around each other for years before they finally committed. She was endlessly happy that she’d soon be able to count Perse as part of her family. Not only that, but she knew how happy he made Greya. The two were sickeningly in love.
The thought made her suddenly sad, though. She wasn’t jealous of them, but she was confused—confused about what her true path was, even with her Gift having been granted.How could she possibly commit to Cris or anyone else when everything still felt…off?
Ena took another large sip of her tea and pushed herself up to standing. “Okay, I’m going to wash up and get dressed. Heran told me last night to come speak with her this morning about my Gift.”
“Okay, I’ll see you later. But Ena…”
Ena turned to look at her sister before she walked away.
“Don’t worry. Your path will be revealed in due time too.”
***
Ena made her way back upstairs, trying to pull her mind from the long buried past that Greya had so lovingly dredged up. Instead, she chose to dwell on more recent troubling events—specifically everything that had occurred during the Summoning last night. She’d woken up today with everything much the same as it was before, but she did feel different—she couldn’t deny that. She Knew her Gift lay somewhere inside, and although she was curious about it, she didn’t dare reach for it again. Not after Heran’s and the rest of the Coven’s reactions. She hoped Heran could find some answers for her. What did it mean that Gaia had given her such a rare, powerful Gift? Powers of the mind were usually reserved for those who followed Iblis—daemons who existed only to disrupt the balance of life and death that witches, followers of Gaia, sought to maintain.
She had never seen a daemon before, but she knew of their works. Two months ago, a pestilence had spread through a neighboring mortal village, wiping out their entire wheat crop for the summer. And six months before that, an explosion of the wolf population in the north had led to a decimation of game in the region, leading to outbreaks of starvation among thevillagers who lived there. Such extreme, unnatural occurrences were always the work of daemons doing Iblis’s bidding.
After washing up with the pitcher of water and basin in the bathing room, Ena dressed in her everyday wear consisting of a long linen shift, knee-high woolen stockings, and a gray woolen dress topped with a black bodice. After brushing her hair and braiding it simply over one shoulder, she went back downstairs and past the kitchen to seek Heran in the altar room.
