But she wouldn’t use it. She would do what Heran asked of her, like she always did.
Ena went about her chores for the remainder of the day, plastering on a big, fake smile when she joined Greya in the gardens to harvest herbs. She explained what Heran had told her about not using her Gift unless she expressly communicated with Gaia, but left out the historical details. She hoped that Greya would learn this one day anyway, when she became matriarch and was entrusted with all the knowledge that entailed.
She spent the rest of the day trying fervently to keep her mind from these recent events and focus on her path, and like everything she put her mind to, she was largely successful.
But later that night, as Ena drifted off to sleep, she could not stop her mind from turning once again to old memories, and that restless feeling from the night before returned. And while she knew she should be grateful for everything Gaia had given her and that she should be steadfast in finding her path with the Coven, in her dreams, she saw a different, dark path, and she yearned to walk down it.
Chapter Four
Nine years and four months ago…
TheLithacelebrationswerewell underway by the time Ena finished her chores and made it to the Sacred Grove. Witches from the Aquilo Coven, their closest allies, were there, as were visitors from several nearby mortal villages, and other travelers from farther away who were passing through to attend the gathering. They had all been filtering in slowly over the last week and their makeshift camps now extended deep into the forest surrounding the village, filling the air with campfire smoke and the sounds of voices laughing and chatting. All these visitors were putting a strain on her Coven’s hosting capacity, and Ena’s chores had increased tenfold. For the last several hours, she’d been busy hauling extra water from the river, since the witches’ magic could only produce so much, and harvesting and preparing foods and potions for trade. But there was an undeniable energy in the air that Ena loved, and she was intoxicated on all the new faces and signs.
It was late afternoon when Ena finally arrived to wander among the revelers milling about in the clearing in the middle of the Grove. The lively music was loud and drowned out the constant rush of the nearby River Wry. The birds and animals that dwelled in the forest had long ago removed themselves to quieter trees and hovels, their everyday noises replaced by fiddles, drums, flutes, and a cacophony of voices. The rumble of so many people laughing and talking created an underlying hum that seemed to resonate in the earth, and the feel of it vibrated through her.
Ena made her way over to the edge of the clearing which housed giant barrels of mead, ale, and wine sitting side by side on stands next to a large wooden table groaning with the abundant foods of early summer. Ena perused the fresh berries, cheeses, pea and leek fritters, roasted asparagus, and various baked savory breads and sweetcakes with interest, noting several items to try later. One of the visitors from Tyndell had brought a large sow all the way just for the occasion, and the smell of it roasting on a spit over the simmering fire filled the air. Ena watched as the juices dripped down into the coals, wafting up to create a delectable steam.
After filling a wooden mug with ale, Ena turned to casually observe the madness. Over near the musicians and dancers, she saw Greya and her friend Thyla, already deep in their cups, laughing and talking to some mortal boys. Perse stood in the group, too, and she noticed the way his eyes never seemed to stray from Greya.
Perse was tall and thin, with long, chestnut-brown hair tied back in a low ponytail and large hazel eyes. It was painfully obvious to Ena how in love with Greya he was, especially given how close he was standing to her, as if he could shield her from other male attention. But while Perse was tall, his demeanor was kind and unintimidating, so it was definitely notdetracting the other boys from flirting openly. Ena rolled her eyes, wondering when he would get up the courage to make his feelings known.
Smiling to herself, Ena let her eyes roam over the rest of the gathering. Despite the heat and mugginess of the late afternoon, witches and mortals of all ages were talking, dancing, and laughing—celebrating the triumph of the light on the longest day of the year. It would be hours before the sun would set, and the air was alive with the signs of life.
Distracted by all the goings on, Ena didn’t hear the young man’s approach.
“Hey.”
Ena turned her head and was met with the face of the most gorgeous boy she’d ever laid eyes on.
He was tall, enough that she had to tilt her head upward to meet his gaze. And what a gaze it was. His eyes were mostly light green, the same color as the new growth on the pine trees, with a dark-green ring around them. They were framed by dark lashes and heavy brows that were just a shade darker than his light-brown hair. Dragging her gaze up, she saw his hair was slightly mussed, and had grown to a shaggy length that made him appear unkempt in a delicious way. His face was clean-shaven and the sharp line of his jaw could cut glass. On top of all that, he was smiling at her with impossibly straight teeth.
“H-hi,” she replied, caught off guard.
“Will you dance with me?” he asked, with the calm confidence of someone who was clearly used to hearing yes.
Something about that sense of unwarranted assuredness made her bristle. She was not one to fall at a boy’s feet, no matter how cute.
“You don’t even know my name and you want me to dance with you? What if I’m a horrible dancer?”
“Are you?” he asked, those dark brows rising in challenge.
“No, I’m an excellent dancer.”
“Great, so dance with me.”
Ena scoffed. In all honesty, she was so flustered by his attractiveness that her heart was beating out of her chest, and she didn’t quite know what to do.
“I can’t. I already promised I’d dance with someone else.”
It wasn’t a lie. Cris, a witch from the Aquilo Coven visiting for Litha, had found her early this morning gathering water from the river and had asked her to save him a dance at the celebration. But he was currently occupied playing a rowdy game of Three Covens with several other boys their age, and given the way they were all shouting and throwing their cards down on the table, he likely wouldn’t even notice if she did dance with someone else.
“Alright, then,” he replied, but he made no move to walk away. The way he was looking at her was so intense, staring right into her eyes and hardly blinking, as if he was a predator locked on his prey.
“Okay, so…bye.” She gave him a tight-lipped smile and walked away.
What in the Underworld was that? Her cheeks flamed in embarrassment. Gaia, she was an idiot. Why didn’t she say yes? It would have been so easy to just say, “Yes, actually, I’d love to dance with you. Please dance with me all night long and keep smiling at me while I stare at your face.” Okay, well, maybe not that last part, but the first part would’ve been the wise choice.
She was all at once mortified for being so awkward and mad at herself for missing such a wonderful opportunity. Not looking back, she went to refill her cup—with wine this time—and made her way over to Greya.
