“No, it’s okay. I’m okay.” Romy smiled. “Actually, it kind of feels pretty good. Like letting the stale air out of an old birthday balloon. I haven’t given myself the chance to grieve my family in a long time. Jonathan kept me busy, and then you did.”
“Glad to be of service, my friend.” I saluted.
Romy’s eyes lit up, the colour brightened by the tears pooling in them. “Me too, Hector. Me too.”
A shout caught on the wind, distracting us both from the moment.
It was Kai, his hands cupped around his mouth, gaze fixed to us. “This location should work just fine!”
Romy and I spoke no more about her mother. The conversation was, as it should’ve been before, left buried. Instead, we caught up to Kai and Arwyn who stood at the tallest tip of the cliff’s edge.
If were weren’t locked in this warped demonic realm, I might’ve taken more time to admire the view. Endless ocean that frothed as gigantic waves warred against one another. The sky was a blanket of darkness, smothered by the gathering of thick clouds that promised yet another storm.
Bahmet clearly loved a certain vibe. He was a pumpkin spiced latte kind of goat-man I guessed. The thought was enough to make me smile to myself. It made the monster seem more human… mortal. And what was good about that was humans died. Bahmet would too.
A solid arm wrapped around my side, drawing me close. “What’s so funny?” Arwyn’s deep voice warmed my soul as he brought his lips to my ear.
I couldn’t explain that I was picturing Bahmet, with his big animal head and pristine suit, holding a cup of PSL, so I opted to divert his question with one of my own.
“Do you believe this will work?” I asked.
Arwyn’s fingers dug into my side tighter. “We can only hope. Regardless, I want you to stay close by me just in case it does. Bahmet’s going to be fucked off we’re attempting to invoke his old master, capital F fucked off.”
“Just how I like him.”Capital F fucked off indeed.
“We get this over with before the storm comes in,” Kai interrupted my thoughts, saving me from another unwanted visual. “No doubt Bahmet is sensing something is amiss and is going to want to put a stop to it.”
That’s exactly the point.
“Keep your panties on, Kai,” I said with the flick of my hand. “And you forgot your manners I think.”
He grimaced, and I lifted my brows up. “Please,” he drawled.
“Would you both stop,” Romy snapped.
“It was Hector who—” Kai’s eyes went wide. “Oh my god, he’s getting to me.”
“Ask Arwyn,” I added as I swept into action. “I’m well renowned for getting to men. It’s even on my degree.”
“You have a degree?” Arwyn asked, genuinely interested. “And I thought I knew everything about you…”
“Hell no,” I laughed. “It’s just become my life’s purpose to wind up Kai.”
“Clearly,” Kai sneered.
“Now, any more interruptions, or may we begin?” I asked, sweeping my gaze over my coven. Our coven. My friend, my lover,Kai—who was rapidly growing on me. They each nodded in turn, hesitation not even remotely betraying their faces.
If anything, we all knew this was what we needed to do. We each agreed. And for that, for their trust and determination, I really hoped this worked.
“In Eleanor’s grimoire, to invoke Hekate was simple,” I said, thinking back to that same entry with the image of Hekate beside a black-eyed goat. “It’s one of the oldest magical practices, and predates most of the frills of most spells that came after it.”
We each took our place in the circle, aligning our birth element with the correct position on a compass.
“To call upon Hekate, just as witches of old would’ve done in ancient Greece, they were to stand before the sea, beneath the great sky, and be solid on the earth. So, take your shoes off. Let’sreallyget into the spirit.”
It took but a minute for the boots to be taken off. I delighted in the soft earth as it squelched between my toes. There was a warmth to it, as if my flesh recognised the raw power that lingered in the element, even in a dark place such as this.
“All good?” I asked, sweeping my gaze to make sure we were all ready.
