“Hekate,” Kai and Hector echoed at the same time.
Romy blew out a breath. “Oh, yes.”
Kai giggled, taking his love’s hand in his own, and squeezing. “If that was a hint of jealousy I just saw, then I consider myself rather chuffed. But Romy, there’s only one woman for me.”
It took Hector a moment to realise I hadn’t joined him. He was the first to look up, noticing me at a distance. Kai stopped laughing at something Romy had said back to him, and he set his eyes on me too. Romy followed suit.
“Come, Arwyn,” Hector called, hand outstretched for me, beckoning me.
I took a step and then stopped.
Romy’s brow furrowed, calculating eyes putting together what was likely going through my head. Before Hector could come and move me himself, she stopped him. I didn’t catch what she whispered, but the next thing I knew it was Romy who was standing before me.
She took my hands in hers. “Hey, cousin. How’s it doing?”
“Hi,” I said, finding the word clog in the back of my throat. “Better now.”
“You could stand guard for as long as you want, except we all know that’s not what you want at all. So, why don’t you give in to your wants, understand you are worthy of them, and join us, yes?” Romy said.
It sounded so easy coming from her, and yet I couldn’t move my legs.
“I can try,” I replied, feigning a calm resolve when my insides still felt like a storm.
“You can, but not because I’ve asked. You’ll do it because you want to… because you do want to, right?”
I looked over Romy’s shoulder and caught Hector’s unwavering gaze. He nodded subtly. It was all the encouragement I needed.
“I do,” I said, and then shifted my gaze back to Romy. “I do want this.”
“Good.” She let go of my hand, and moved to the side. “Because you’re stuck with me now.”
There was a clear path for me, one I couldn’t ignore. So, I took it. Step at a time, because this was what I wanted… I wanted the family that I had found, and not the one I had been groomed to believe I wanted.
We each sat around Kai’s bed in silence, simply existing in our success and the sacrifices that paved the way to get here. It was blissful, in those moments, where we could pretend the trials were over, and everything was said and done.
But Kai being Kai, he just had to go and bloody ruin it.
“About the world above,” Kai said, eyes looking up to the ceiling as if he could see what was beyond it. “Hekate said we’ve got a little bit of a task ahead of us.”
Hector’s hand snaked onto my lap, fingers sinking into my skin and squeezing. I offered him a quick smile, hoping he didn’t move his hand north because I really didn’t think this was the time, or the place, for giving in to my other desires.
“She did,” Hector added. “And we can worry about that when you haven’t just been kicked out of the afterlife, right, Kai? If there is any time we can be selfish for an hour or so, it’s now.”
Kai regarded Hector with a look of ‘look who’s talking’. “I can’t believe you died too.”
“What can I say,” Hector said. “I’m like a cockroach. Stamp on me as much as you want, I’ll just keep coming back to pester you.”
“And that is something we can agree on.” Kai winked. “But even cockroaches have got to have a plan for vengeance, right? We can hide away in this room for as long as we want, but the shit show that waits for us is only going to get rowdier.”
Romy rolled her eyes, and yet her smile hadn’t weakened at all. “It sounds like you already have a plan.”
“Of course he does,” I said. “Kai’s middle name is plan. Although next time, it isn’t going to be a secret kept between us, right?”
“You’re not wrong, mate.” Kai sat up, more colour flushing into his cheeks. “I’m not saying I’m a brilliant, plan-making genius, but I kind of did play a big part in saving the day. You can’t deny that, especially not when Hekate has given me her seal of approval.”
“No one is denying anything,” Hector said. “Go on then, what’s your plan this time?”
Kai put his arms behind his head, slouched with the wickedest of smiles across his mouth and said. “Gosh, I’m so glad you’ve asked. Sit around, children, and listen to your favourite wise witch. Boy, do I have a story for you…”
