“No.”His eyes were getting glassy.“Aunt Sybil, I’d never do that.”
“Don’t lie to me!”Mom’s words were like a slap, causing Colin to step back.“Your grandmother bound your magic to her until we had time to deal with you.When she was killed, your magic returned.”
Uncle Joe looked over his shoulder, surprised.Apparently, Colin hadn’t told him.
“And what is the first thing you do?”Mom continued.“You go to a bar, find a shy nineteen-year-old, one who says no, who tries to get away from you, and you spell her.You force her to go home with you.”
He was shaking his head, fear draining the color from his face.“No.That’s not—how would you know—” He turned to me, glaring, and spat, “You bitch!”
Mom grabbed his face and turned it back to her, stepping in to him so they were almost nose to nose.“The Council has seen what you have done.I’d turn you over to the police right now, if I could count on the women to press charges against you.You fixed that too, though, didn’t you?You made sure that horrible, sick, violated feeling they had remained too shadowy to name.For the rest of their lives, they’ll feel unsafe, constantly checking locks and looking over their shoulders, finding it hard to trust anyone, while you, the sexual predator, move on to your next victim.”
Colin had begun to tremble.
“Never again will you use your gifts to harm others.Colin Joseph Corey, I strip you of your magic.”She lifted her free hand into the air.“I call on the Goddess to work through me.Your magic will return to the source, never to be touched by you again.”
Magic sizzled through my veins.Faith must have felt it too because I heard a quiet gasp beside me.Colin flew through the room, hitting the wall before crumpling to the floor, his body curled in on itself, his hands cradling his groin.Apparently, the Goddess was as pissed off as we were.
Joe stood frozen, horrified.
Mom walked over to the heap by the front door.“Colin Joseph Corey, I banish you, away from the heart of the Corey coven.You are Corey no more.You will leave town today and I will never set eyes on you again.Do you understand me?”
“Sybil, please,” Uncle Joe pleaded.“Sarah will be heartbroken.You can’t banish our son.”
She turned on her brother.“I already have.If you wish to go with him, I give you leave to go, but he will not remain a part of this family.”
Joe went to Colin and helped him stand.
“Aunt Sybil?—”
“I’m no longer your aunt.You’re nothing to me.You’re a festering boil that has been lanced from this family.You have until midnight to gather your belongings and leave the county, preferably the state.Don’t ever return.”
He opened his mouth to beg, but she put up a finger, shushing him.“Don’t try me, boy.You will stay away or we will know.”She opened the door and gestured for them to get out.“Go.We need to sage the house.”
Joe kept his eyes down, moving past Mom to collect his son.Once they were out the door, she slammed it, keeping her back stiff and her face turned away.
I went to her and took her hand in my gloved one, squeezing hard.“We had to do it, Mom.”
“I know.Thank you, darling.”Patting my hand, she turned to Faith.“We really do need to cleanse the house, though.Let’s get started on that.”
SEVEN
This Whole Sharing Thing Is a Lot
By the time we finished, we were all feeling pretty wrung out.The house, though, had lost much of the oppressive darkness hanging over it.The three of us worked well together.Our magic was different, but we complemented each other.
When Aunt Elizabeth arrived to pick up Faith, I told my mom to have some tea, snuggle up on the couch, and read a good book.She needed a rest, body and mind.
She held my hand.“I’m all right, darling.It had to be done and it’s my job to do it.”Squeezing my fingers, she added, “Having you beside me helped.”
“Good.I need to see if I can catch a ride with Elizabeth.Call me if you need anything.”
Nodding, she shooed me out the door.
Elizabeth and Faith were waving and pulling away as I closed the front door behind me.Shit.But then I saw Declan leaning against his new Bronco, waiting for me.
“Hey,” he said.“When I couldn’t get through to you earlier, I decided to just come.It saved me from worrying and it meant I got to see you sooner.”
I walked into his open arms, melting against his chest.
