“Could you give us some privacy?” I asked the other witches. Still clearly angry, they left the room in a huff without providing us further instructions on how to prepare a hero’s body.
I wrapped my arms around Tansy as she sobbed into my shoulder. Pain clenched my chest, but I forced my own tears back. I had to deliver his message. I had decided against telling her I’d seen him. That I’d hugged him one last time. That I had the chance to apologize. None of it would ease the raw ache she carried. Stroking her trembling back, I whispered, “He loved your laugh. Did you know that?”
She sniffed. “What?”
I forced a smile. “Yes, he loved your laugh. He said itmade him fall in love with you.”
She shed more tears. “Who falls in love with someone because of their laugh?” she sputtered, managing a laugh herself. Even here, I understood what he meant, it was musical. “He wouldn’t want his death to stop you from laughing again. I know it.”
She wiped her face with a clean strip of silk, then looked back down at his body. “I know. It’s just hard right now.”
I nodded, unable to imagine her grief.
A soft knock fell against the cellar door. “Come in,” I said, imagining it was one of Chastity’s witches. But it wasn’t. A younger witch appeared in the doorway. Her hair had been brushed and braided. Her face had been cleaned. She had been given a fresh set of clothes. But I recognized the hollowness in her eyes.
Mellie said nothing as she peered at us around the door. Her gaze fell to Devlinn’s body.
“What do you want?” Tansy snapped. “Aren’t you supposed to be with a guard?”
The girl lifted her chin and stepped inside. “She’s right behind me.” Mellie opened the door enough for me to see a female soldier standing in the corridor. “I wanted to offer my help preparing the bodies for death rites.”
“Why?” Tansy asked.
A bit of the girl’s confidence wavered. Her clenched hands trembled. "I trained with the priestesses who delivered death rites before..." Her voice broke, raw with memory. She shook her head. "I heard those witches snickering, saying you’ll muck up his honors because you don’t know the right prayers.” Mellie let out a derisive snort that would’ve put Natalia to shame. "Bunch o’ pompous jerks, they are."
“That’s bold, coming from the witch who killed him!”
Silence filled the cellar. I held my tongue, knowing it wasn’t my place to intervene. I’d already vouched for Mellie once.
“Fine.” She stayed, arms crossed, as Tansy dipped a cloth in clean water, holding it over his body but unable to start. Fresh tears fell.
“Why?” she choked out. “Why?”
I pressed my lips together to keep my own tears at bay. Unsure how long I should let this go on. I didn’t want something bad to happen again, but Tansy did deserve an answer.
Mellie bit her lip, fighting tears. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that spell. I was angry. I’d watched those weres do—” She shook her head. Fists clenched, she tried again: “I didn’t mean to kill him. I’ll go.”
She pushed her way past the door and then the guard, her footsteps echoing as she ran. Tansy blew out a breath, dropped the rag, then went after her. Worried she was going to strangle her, I followed after.
“Mellie!” she shouted, drawing the attention of the witches who were, in fact, snickering in the corridor. “Come back here!”
The guard dragged her back to us by the arm. Tansy and Mellie were both breathing heavily. Both angry, just for very different reasons. Finally, Tansy dropped her hands to her sides. The anger that had been raging in her quieted. “Teach me how to say the prayers.”
Mellie stopped struggling against the guard. “I’m not going to do it if this is just your way to berate me some more.”
Tansy shook her head. “I won’t.” She stepped aside, letting Mellie pass. Her guard glanced at me for approval.
I nodded weakly. “She’s not going to cause any trouble.”
* * *
Once Devlinn’s body was prepared for the pyre, we left Tansy alone with him to say her final goodbyes. Mellie shuffled beside me. Both of our sleeves were wet and rolled up to the elbow. Both of us stinking of ritual oil and fresh herbs.
“What are you going to do now?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Find my guard.”
I stopped. So did she. “No. I mean, after we leave. Chastity won’t let you stay.”
