“Why? What do you know?” Ena asked, feeling suddenly off-kilter. Had Mel seen Greya in a vision?
“Trust me,” Mel said sadly, shaking her head. “You don’t want to know.”
***
After packing up their camp, they headed southeast toward the Sacred Pool. Ty led them with hisvenator, making their navigation simple, but despite this assurance, Ena could not shake the apprehensive feeling she had after what Mel had said.
It turned out, Mel had brought their own horse, thank Gaia, and Cris had volunteered to ride with them to give Mahnin a break from the extra weight.
Ena appreciated the space, especially since her wrist was feeling better and she could use two hands to guide the horse on her own now. But the downside was, it gave her brain ample time to spiral about everything that was to come.
She didn’t want to pester Mel—the witch had made it clear they did not want to tell Ena any more of what they had seen. But why? Was it bad? Was it good? The unknown of it all was killing her.
And on top of that, her heart soared at the prospect of speaking to Greya soon, of seeing her face and hearing her comforting voice, but her stomach flipped every thirty seconds, thinking about what she should say, and how Greya would take it. Ena didn’t know if she could handle it if Greya didn’t believe her again, and if the wedge between them remained.
Around midday, Ena found herself riding next to Ty, their horses having paced themselves together of their own accord. He sat stoically on his horse, his strong hands guiding the animal around roots and bushes. His face was impassive, uncaring even, but she knew him well enough by now to know that was a mask. She wondered again how he was dealing with all of this, deep down.
Eventually, she couldn’t help herself and she broke their pointed silence.
“Are you okay?” she asked quietly, even though the others were far ahead, out of earshot.
He looked over at her, giving her his full attention. The intensity of it always shocked her, and this time was no different as she felt a small shiver travel down her spine.
He chuckled darkly, not out of amusement, but irony. “I don’t know,” he said. “Are you?”
“I don’t know either,” she repeated, giving him a small, sad smile. A few seconds of silence went by before she felt compelled to ask. “Do you…want to talk about it? About your mother?”
Ty shrugged, obviously wanting to avoid the discussion. “What is there to say?” he asked.
“Well, I know we’re not…usanymore, but I can still be here to listen, if you want.”
Ty looked at her with so much emotion in his eyes. Love and anger, sadness and regret, warred inside him, just as they did inside her. She was overwhelmed for a second, seeing it all so clearly. Like a mirror into her own heart.
“I don’t know what I want anymore,” he said sadly. “I used to be so mad at her for leaving, but now…after everything that happened with you in the Underworld, I can understand a bit more why she left. But still…so much was hidden from me, and I—” He paused, clearly subduing his rage. “It doesn’t even matter, because she can’t help me now. If I had known all this a decade ago, about her and Petyr, and the amulet and everything, maybe then it would have helped, but now…” He shook his head. “Now, it means nothing. I figured everything out on my own anyway. I don’t need to know any more about her.”
Ena’s heart ached for him, seeing him so clearly upset, but part of her understood why he didn’t want to seek her out. Why seek out someone who left you? Why cling to someone who couldn’t be with you? That feeling, she understood all too well.
But another part of her wanted Ty to know his mother, because at least he had that opportunity. She never would. Her own parents had both died when she was too young to remember them, and her grandparents were gone too. There was no family left for her to discover. All she had was Greya.
She was about to open her mouth to contribute this when Ty sighed. He clearly didn’t want to discuss his mother anymore, and she didn’t blame him, so when he changed the topic, she let him.
“What about you?” he asked. “I know you must be excited to finally speak to your sister. I know how much you’ve missed her.”
Ena’s heart melted a bit at his consideration. Even though they weren’t together, it was clear he still cared.
“I am excited,” she replied. “And nervous. I don’t know how she is going to take it all, but I’ll do my best, just like I did with Cris.”
Ty watched her religiously, as if taking in her every expression. “I’m happy for you,” he said quietly. “To be reunited with your Coven, your family. I know that’s what you want, and I want you to have that.” Ty was quiet for a beat, letting his words sink in, before he continued. “I never wanted to take you from them forever. Never wanted any of this for you. You know that, right?”
“I know,” she said sincerely. She didn’t blame him for anything that had happened. She knew he just wanted her to be happy. Just like she wanted him to be happy.
“I’m just glad that after all this, you’ll be safe. And you’ll be with people who love you,” he said, his voice filled with a melancholy she’d never heard from him.
But something about the way he said it made Ena angry all the sudden. Looking down at her hands where she gripped her reins, she tightened her hold. “Why does that sound like you’re saying goodbye? We’re not through this all yet.”
“I know, but…I can’t fix any of this for us, Ena,” he said. “My own mother couldn’t stay in the Underworld, I don’t know how I ever expected you to either. So I just…I’m trying to do what you wanted, what we agreed is best for us and everyone else.”
Ena had to look away as she felt tears well in her eyes. Why was he saying this now? Her anger surged again, and she didn’t know whether to yell at him or sob or both.
