“It’s just that, it’s only been us. The four of us, for a long time. We’re the only ones who knew about the amulet and wanted to do something about it, and now we have the amulet, and it feels strange to give it up somehow, after all the effort and planning we put into getting it. To let you just have it,” Turner finished, looking apologetically at Ty.
Ty had been suspiciously quiet during this whole interaction, but she wouldn’t be surprised if it was tactical. He’d clearly done all he could to convince them of her trustworthiness, and she knew it was time for her to stand on her own two feet and defend herself. To show them who she was.
“I get that, I do,” she said. “But I don’t know how else to convince you that we want the same thing. That I want to break the bond and restore the balance just as much as you do. So you’re just going to have to take a leap of faith and trust me,” she finished. It wasn’t much of a speech, but it was really all she could say.
Turner nodded in understanding. “You’re right,” he said, standing up to pull something from his pocket. It was the amulet, wrapped in the same dirty cloth they’d kept it in on the journey here. He handed it out to her confidently, like that was all it took for him to trust her. Just her word, and the word of his friend.
Steig, on the other hand, avoided eye contact completely, but Lara seemed to speak for both of them as she gave her a small, trustworthy smile as Ena stood up to take the amulet from Turner’s hand.
Ty looked over at her as she sat back down, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Let’s make a toast then,” he said,standing up to grab the green-tinted bottle that sat in the center of the table.
Ena had wondered what it was, but no one had seemed to touch it yet. He popped the cork on top and gestured to them to finish the water in their cups. Then, one by one, he poured some liquid out of the bottle into their glasses. It was light brown, and strong-smelling. She recognized it instantly—it was woodwater. The same highly alcoholic substance she’d used to disinfect Ty’s wound after they were attacked by bandits.
Ena brought the cup to her nose, smelling suspiciously. The aroma was spicy, but slightly sweet, and highly alcoholic.
Ty raised his cup in the air, and the rest of them followed suit, holding their drinks up before them.
“To witches and daemons, working together. May we restore the balance, and cause a little chaos along the way,” he said, winking at Ena as he finished. Then he downed his drink in one big gulp.
Not wanting to be outdone, Ena brought her cup to her lips and did the same.
Gaia, it burned!
She sputtered, wondering if she was about to throw up as her mouth flooded with saliva. But then the warmth spread, deep in her belly, and the spicy, aromatic flavor of the woodwater hit her tongue and she found that, actually, she quite liked it.
Looking up at Ty where he stood beside her, she realized she liked a lot of things she never thought she would, and the feeling was incredibly freeing.
Chapter Ten
Ena
Enawokeuptoa pitch-black room.
She could hear Ty breathing deeply next to her and feel his body heat, so she knew she wasn’t alone, but when she’d fallen asleep last night, the lanterns had still been lit, and now it was disorienting waking up to the endless dark of the cave.
Then she heard a small click as the door to Ty’s room opened, and she stiffened.
Was someone coming in?
She rolled towards Ty. “Ty,” she whispered as quietly as she could, fear creeping into her voice. “Ty, wake up! Someone’s in the room.”
Her Knowing could sense them. It wasn’t a malicious presence, but it was a strange one, and she didn’t know what to make of it.
She felt Ty stir beside her as blue light suddenly filled the room. Someone had lit one of the lanterns.
Ty whipped his head towards her, checking to see that she was okay, before his eyes landed on the stranger lighting the lanterns, and his body language relaxed. “It’s okay,” he said gently, running his hand through his unkempt hair. “It’s just a timekeeper.”
“A what?” she asked, pulling the covers up to her chin as the figure moved throughout the room. They were wearing a black robe with the hood up, making it hard to discern anything about them, but she saw the light from the lanterns glint off animperaecollar around the person’s neck.
“A timekeeper,” Ty explained, his voice rough with sleep. “They light the lanterns in the morning when the sun comes up so we can maintain our sense of day and night underground.”
“Oh,” Ena said, keeping her voice low. “Is it okay that I’m in your bed?” she whispered, suddenly self-conscious about it.
Ty chuckled as he turned towards her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into his body. “Yes,” he said, his voice low and soothing. “It’s expected, given that you’re my…” His words trailed off, as if he was reluctant to say them.
“Witch-slave?” she asked, her eyebrow arching. She, at least, wasn’t afraid to say it. She knew Ty felt guilty for the position he’d had to put her in, but truly, she understood, and she was here willingly.
“Yes…that,” he said somewhat bitterly. “Witch-slaves are often taken for servitude of all kinds, and that includes…sexual arrangements.”
