Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
I only need them long enough to get my revenge.
I made two spellings because I really have thought of everything this time. Two spellings.
One to send us home. Together. I have to see Callistina get home or I won’t be able to live with myself. I need to know she’s safe. I know she looks better and feels better, but after everything she’s been through, what I need, for my own peace of mind, is her resting in my foggy little town while I take care of business.
Because the second spelling will take me to Pressia.
I said I would end her. And I will.
She is evil. She is wicked, and vicious, and bad.
But most importantly, she hurt someone I love.
And that cannot stand.
I’m on the seventh round of heating and cooling when Callistina sits down next to me and leans her head on my shoulder. “You look worried.”
“I’m not worried.” I’m really not. She’s just misinterpreting my concentration. “I’m being intentional. I don’t want any fuck-ups.”
“Was the last try a fuck-up?”
I scoff and turn my head to look down at her. “I would call it one, yes.”
“Because I got hurt.”
“That, and the fact that Pressia dared to touch you. To bring you into our battle and use you to get to me.”
“Why would she do that?”
I scoff again. “She’s… bitter. And old. And mean.”
“Well, she sounds like a textbook villain then, doesn’t she?”
“I guess.”
“I’m just not convinced it’s her.”
“Who else would it be?”
“I’m not sure. But Ire was attacked as well. How does he fit into all this?”
“I don’t know.”
Callistina leans to the side a little in order to get a better look at me. “Don’t you think that’s… suspect?”
“Which part?”
“Are you being obtuse on purpose?”
“What are you talking about, Callistina? I just don’t know where you’re going with this.”
“OK. Then I will speak plainly. It’s not her.”
“It has to be her.”
She shrugs. “You’re…” She reaches up and swipes a bit of hair off my forehead, sliding her fingertips over my brow, like she’s trying to smooth it out.
“I’m what?” I really do want to know what she was gonna say.
“You’re in the middle of it. So you have to spin to see everything from all angles. But this is the problem with being in the middle of something. As you spin, you miss things. There is always a blind spot behind you.”
“If you can see past my blind spot, why don’t you just tell me what’s standing behind me?”
“I would, but I’m spinning with you. You’re going to do something stupid, I know it. You’re not coming with me, are you?”
“Of course I am. I’m gonna get you home no matter what.”
She stares into my eyes for a few moments, searching for the truth. But this is the truth. “You promise?”
I smile at her. “I promise.”
“And when we get back everything will be perfect.”
“I promise.” Then I stand up, taking the bowl of magic with me, and offer her my hand so she can stand up too. She takes it, sighing. And I lead her out of the little shelter I made for us and into the clearing. Ire is not far off, munching on some long meadow grass.
I hate leaving him behind, but there’s nothing I can do. He’s some kind of tagalong on this journey. Not meant to travel through the doors with us.
“OK,” I say, turning Callistina so we’re facing each other. “Let’s do this.”
She stares up at me with those yellow eyes of her, smiling now. “What will we use to replace the bottle?”
“We don’t need a fuckin’ bottle. I have this.” I stretch out one of my wings and pluck out a flight feather. It’s long, and golden, and practically aglow with magic. Then I dip it into the thick broth I spent most of the night cooking and swirl it around. Callistina watches, her eyes rolling up as I lift the feather out and paint the magic onto what’s left of her antlers.
She chuckles a little.
“There’s still magic in there,” I say. “That bitch can cut off your antlers and take a little power, but she can’t really steal it.” I place my other hand over her heart. “Because your power’s in here.”
She sighs out a little breath. “Who would’ve thought that the god of love would be a romantic.”
“Hold that thought.” I put the feather back in the turtle shell and set it down at our feet. Then I take both of her hands in mine and start the spell.
“Forget the hallway and the door
that leads to places fate and yore
for we are done and want no more.
All my power I do implore,
take us back to the place before.
The little town of Savage Falls
is just the place we want to call.
We walk, or run, or even crawl
back home to there, the place so small