Esme hops off the counter and grabs a bowl of fruit out of the fridge. “You a virgin too?”
Sybil looks at her confused and shakes her head. “I’m lucky enough to not be attracted to men.”
We all laugh—and agree—as Rowyn grabs the glass and dumps it down the sink, along with the leftover tonic. It doesn’t hold well, so one of us will have to make it daily or go down to the apothecary for a fresh batch.
“Great, now that we all know way too much about each other,” I tease, making all of them laugh, “can we focus on something—anything—else? Like how we have been taking down wallpaper for a week and have only finished two bedrooms?”
Together, we let out a defeated sigh in unison. None of us are excited to spend another day fighting with the old, brittle sheets that rip every few inches. It’s a frustrating, tedious task but one I am committed to finishing.
There’s still a lot to finish but if we could fully restore even one room, I think it would be the encouragement we all need.
Chapter 39
Archer
All morning, my mind has been focused on one thing—Renata’s soft, pliant body under mine. The way her needy moans poured from her lips so willingly when I had her in my hands. How she curled up in a ball and stayed by my side all night while I read through each journal, some of them twice.
Fine. Technically, there are three things on my mind, but they all revolve around her.
A sick, twisted part of me accepted my fate. I’ve wondered before if ending the curse would result in my death. I never thought it would be the cure though—much less that it would happen at Renata’s hand.
In many ways, Renata’s admission was confirmation for what I already knew. Something I have, unbeknownst to me, been preparing for my entire life.
I meant it when I said I would do anything for her and the coven—especially because it now includes my sister. When it comes to Sybil, her wellbeing will always be placed ahead of mine. Though I have a hard time imagining she will want to stay after my passing.
She deserves to know in advance. I can’t let her walk into that blindly. If I can talk to her, maybe I could convince her to stay with the coven after I’m gone
Petra’s journals are full of details, yet somehow so vague. I need to take notes the next time I read through them so I can piece together her chaotic, fragmented thoughts. One thing I started to suspect is that the curse affected each of the families in the coven.
Maybe not directly—not in the way it has a tight hold on mine and Renata’s fate, but there has to be a reason all five of the families are back at the Dreaming Willow Inn.
I think they tie back to the decisions of the coven members centuries ago. Ones made out of pure desperation and survival after Petra’s death.
All magic has a price though—even the smallest of spells.
Mayumi is the current mayor of Briarhollow, the soul of the town. She’s the reason the town hasn’t disappeared completely. According to Petra’s journals, Mayumi was close with the coven, nearly seen as a member herself. Why didn’t she keep in touch with the families?
The Connors would make the most sense since they never fled but Rhiannon’s close bond with the former wolf pack is a mystery too. Packs and covens can bind themselves to each other, creating a larger community. Rowyn hasn’t mentioned any wolf packs in town though, only a few lone omegas. Where did they go?
Unless the end of Vexley Divination Witches is somehow tied to the curse, it could connect Sybil and me to Everly, or maybe even Barrett. That still leaves the Foxgloves and Aguados. Maybe Renata or Esme know more about their family histories, a piece of the puzzle missing.
Shaking my head, I let those thoughts drift off into the oblivion of my mind, finding the memories of last night with Renata much more enjoyable.
Before I can get too lost in my head, the front doors open and the bright sunlight is nearly blinding, silhouetting Gale until they slam behind him.
Sitting in his usual spot, he slides a coffee from the bakery toward me. “How are you today, boy?”
Smiling, I offer a nonchalant shrug. “Can’t complain.”
He gives me a long, assessing onceover before lifting an eyebrow. “You look like the cat that got the cream, if you ask me.”
I bite back a laugh, not wanting to talk about Renata that way. I don’t miss the protective look Gale is wearing. Since the coven is Rowyn’s family, he sees it as his responsibility to care for all of them.
I ask, “How long will you be in today? It’s been slow but I was hoping to go down to the basement. Look through some of those texts again.”
“You’ve read damn near every book down there,” he says.
Rolling my eyes, I slip my hands in my pockets. There are at least three hundred books down there, so I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface.
