“Renata,” I murmur and shake my head. I don’t know if I’m horrified at their impulsive decision, or in awe of the commitment that’s grown between them. “I’ll help you. We’ll all help you. When did you two…?”
She uses the back of her uninjured hand to wipe her tears. “Only a few nights ago.”
“You really did it. You made the bond,” I say quietly.
Everyone’s attention, including Sybil’s, turns to Renata.
She looks around the group, gulping in air and holding her cut hand away from Archer’s body.
We all look at each other as realization settles over us. The coven was always going to try to resurrect Archer, but it’s not only his life anymore. Renata truly cannot live without him.
Esme speaks first. “How do we do this?”
Renata bites her lip and looks around the group, gauging our support. When she sees the love and sincerity from each of us, she lets out a deep breath.
“I honestly don’t know. I’ve never done this,” she admits.
“Oh my Gods,” Sybil cries out. The adrenaline is beginning to drain out of all of us, grief slipping its way through the cracks.
Esme turns toward and snaps her fingers twice in front of Sybil’s face. “Pull it together, or leave. We all understand if this is too much for you, but you can’t do that here.”
Sybil takes a deep breath and a new wave of tears drips down her cheeks, but she closes her quivering lips.
“I’ve read about a few different rituals. It was years ago though. I’ve never attempted anything like this,” she explains.
She tries to wipe her hair away, but stops when she finally notices all the blood. Clementine, who has been outside of the salt circle and terrified since Archer’s body dropped, comes up behind Renata and gently ties her hair back in a low ponytail.
“Thank you,” Renata says.
The young witch nods once and joins the circle, sitting next to her sister.
“Um,” Renata says and looks around. “The salt circle is good, I think. We should relight the candles. Rowyn, if you have any angelica that might be good. We can grind it up or light a small bowl… I don’t know. Whatever you think is best.”
I catch Clementine’s eye. She always does best when she feels useful, and she’s helped me in the kitchen enough to find everything.
Esme and I start lighting the candles again. By the time we’re done, Clementine is running back into the room with a variety of bowls.
“I brought the angelica,” she says and sets it down. “I also grabbed peppermint and tobacco.”
Renata asked for angelica, since it can be used for protection and creating a sacred barrier around us.
Clementine is a brilliant, young witch to have thought to grab the other two. Peppermint for purification and calling upon a spirit. Tobacco for protection of the spirit and creating a clear path for his soul back into his body.
Renata’s only half paying attention, but Clover and I offer her an impressed look.
“Cassia must have left some herbology books lying around,” she says and shrugs shyly.
“Okay, yeah,” Renata says and looks around. “I… I think this should be good. I’m hoping our bond will fill in the gaps.”
Esme nods encouragingly, but none of us are sure of what we’re doing.
With that, we all take a seat around Archer’s body and wait for her directions. She looks around with tears in her eyes, full of confusion. After a few seconds, she sucks in a deep breath and sits straight.
She wipes the blood off her hand and makes sure it’s actively bleeding. It isn’t gushing, so I’m not worried, but I don’t want her or Archer losing more either.
“Should we do that?” Esme asks and reaches for the knife.
“No, I don’t think so,” Renata says and grabs Archer’s hand that she cut. “I don’t know how it would affect any of you. I’ll give anything to bring him back but I wouldn’t ask that of you—”
