(Rowan would call us all soulmates, but… I was still me. No soulmate talk around the scientist, thanks.)
And tonight… I would mark my first public action as High Priestess of the Briarwood Coven, and it would change the future of what it meant to be a witch. And a fae.
I raised my arms and addressed the equal numbers of witches and fae who made up the circle. Behind them, more ranks of bystanders – fae legions, and witches from our allied covens – came together to witness this historical event. “Liah, step forward.”
The queen of the fae glided out of the circle and faced me across the sidhe entrance. The fae had bedecked her in their finery – a gown of green silk spun with shimmering veins, garlands of flowers in all the colours of the rainbow cascaded from her neck and waist, and her white hair had been piled on top of her head and woven around her dramatic crown of vines.
“Today, Liah and I make a pact. Witches and fae are no longer enemies. We now share this world. The fae will reclaim their roles as guardians of the wild places, and we witches make it our responsibility to protect them. In return, the fae will revoke their right to lie. They are now bidden to tell the truth in all dealings with humans, witches, demons, or their kin.”
A gasp rocked the crowd. I grinned, pleased with the contract Liah and I had reached. I hoped this provision would prevent another Daigh from rising again.
Liah raised her hand to mine, to show she agreed. “We agree to this provision. In turn, the witches will not raise their hands to use their powers or ours against us. We fae will mete out justice to our kind. We are not to be interfered with.”
“We agree.” Liah and I shook hands. Together we faced the entrance to the sidhe and raised our clasped hands. Magic poured into me from my magisters and the other witches present, zipping along my skin and pooling in my hand. I drew it in, focusing on the invisible gateway that existed over the sidhe, the gateway that led to the prison that had kept the fae for centuries.
Corbin stepped forward and directed his palm toward the entrance of the sidhe. His voice rang loud and clear across the meadow. “With air, I break this prison.”
The sidhe rumbled, and a clot of dirt fell from the roof and burst on the stairs.
A rush of heat burned past my face. “With fire, I break this prison,” Arthur said.
The air misted with droplets as Flynn said, “With water, I break this prison.”
My ankles rolled as the earth rocked again. Rowan blinked. “With earth, I break this prison.”
“With spirit, I break this prison,” Blake said, his eyes warm as they fixed on Liah.
Together, Liah and Ipushed.
Magic streamed through my fingers, mingling with Liah’s power and becoming an unstoppable ball of opposing forces. As that power crashed into the entrance to the wormhole, it fractured something beyond the earth.
Smoke appeared at the edges of the sidhe entrance. A wave of energy flared out, shoving against my body. I pressed against it, but something told me to let it come. I relaxed my body, and a great shockwave sailed up the steps, swiping my feet out from beneath me. I fell hard on my back, my breath knocked out of me. The energy flowed over my head, out of the circle. Trees fluttered as it soared into the wood and disappeared.
Beside me, Liah clambered to her feet and crawled forward. She thrust her hand through the entrance of the sidhe. I expected to see her hand disappear into darkness, but instead, she waggled it around, a grin spreading across her stony features. “The gateway has been destroyed,” she declared, offering me her good hand. I took it and allowed her to help me up.
“Welcome back to the earth,” I said. “I hope with your help, we’ll take better care of it.”
Cheers rose from the ranks of the fae and witches. Sprites darted through the air, chittering and flicking their wings together like a hundred tiny Blood Lust drummers. Far Darrig’s clattered their bone blades together in a jangle of cacophonous delight. The court fae loosed fire-tipped arrows into the sky. The arrows burst into colourful fireworks that rained over us, speckling our flesh with crystalline light.
My coven cheered also. Corbin thrust his fist in the air. Arthur spun his sword around in one hand, a broad smile breaking his stern features, Rowan’s grin lit up the evening. Flynn grabbed Blake and forced him to dance an Irish jig.
“We call upon the earth and the stars as our witness,” I said, to complete the ritual. “This barrier is broken. The fae are welcome back into the wild places of the earth. No witch or human or other magical creature will stand in their way. Both sides will abide by the accord set forth on this day.”
Liah held out the papers we’d drawn up, detailing the treaty between fae and humans. I was quite proud of it. Corbin helped a lot, putting his quick mind to use thinking of new scenarios and clauses that would protect both sides long into the future.
Arthur waved his hand, and the treaty burst into flames. I tossed it onto the steps, and a new cheer rose up as the flames devoured our careful words, binding us with air and fire. Liah and I had copies, of course. But by burning the papers we gave the words back to the earth. The trees would see the accord was kept.
The Avebury coven had insisted we celebrate the union in true Druidic form – with a feast. Liah had shown Rowan how to bake honey cakes and other traditional fae fare. Now they were no longer banished, both fae and humans could break breadtogether. Arthur rolled out two barrels of his best mead, and across the meadow, we toasted our new alliance.
Flynn spread out a picnic blanket under a tree, and the six of us crowded together, passing around plates and drinks. Obelix waddled between us, picking scraps of chicken off our plates. “What now, Princess?” Blake asked, biting into one of Rowan’s meat pies.
I glanced over to Corbin, and he nodded. “I guess now is as good a time as any to talk about it. Corbin and I would like to do something that impacts the future of the coven. We think it’s going to be a good thing, but only if you guys agree. We’d like to apply to study at Oxford.”
Rowan’s eyes lit up. He pounced on us, knocking us back with the force of his embrace. “That’s amazing,” he breathed. “Youhaveto do it.”
“I knew you two brainiacs wouldn’t be able to rest on your arses like the rest of us,” Flynn grinned as he stroked Obelix’s fur.
“So this is it, then.” Blake’s eyes blazed. “You guys leave Briarwood, and then what? We all go our separate ways.”
