The Secret Witch (The Coven: Academy Magic Book 5), page 10
I gasped.
That’s TENNESSEE!
The real Tennessee let out a strangled groan behind me.
Holy shit. It IS him. It looked exactly like him. Just smaller. Little toddler Tenn had the same long, wavy black hair that fell down to his shoulders and the same mismatched eyes. His skin was as tan as he was now. But on his little face was an expression I’d never seen on the real Tennessee.
Fear.
Pure, genuine fear.
He ran beside his mother, squeezing her hand tight. His little legs moved faster than a little kid should’ve been capable of. He kept looking up at her then glancing over his shoulder like he was expecting someone else to be there. My heart broke for him, because I already knew how this ended.
The hologram ran by us, then the woman stopped at the edge of the water—right in front of where the real Tennessee stood. He dropped to his knees and stared at the image of his mother with broken eyes. His soulmate glyph turned dark purple. Tegan appeared beside him then wrapped her arms around him. But he didn’t seem to even notice her. He just stared.
The woman, Ruth, sank to her knees in front of her now grown-up son and let go of Little-Tenn’s hand. She had long blonde hair and wore a white cotton dress that grazed the dirt as she knelt there.
Little-Tenn reached out, gripped the sleeve of her dress, and clung to her. Like he was afraid she’d get too far away from him. He frowned and glanced around, then in his little voice, said “Momma, can we stop running now?”
“I’m sorry, baby, no. We don’t have much time.” Ruth held her palm out, closed her eyes, and began humming. Her blonde hair flew all around her and brushed over Little-Tenn’s face.
A light flashed under her palms, and a small wooden boat sat in the dirt at her bare feet.
My stomach flipped. Why is she barefoot? I didn’t want to know the answer to that question, mostly because I already knew. Julian.
Ruth lifted the other, smaller child off of her shoulder and raised their face up to hers. It was a little girl. I knew by the delicate features of her face and the pink nail polish on her tiny fingers. Her little pink dress rustled in the breeze. Like Tenn, the little girl had long black hair, but I couldn’t see the color of her eyes because she was fast asleep.
Ruth kissed the girl’s forehead then gasped. She pulled her daughter against her and squeezed her real tight. Tears poured out of her closed eyes and down her cheeks. Her whole body shook, and I felt myself shaking with her. Oh, Ruth. Little-Tenn held on to her like he was trying to hold her together.
Ruth hugged the little girl close and whispered against her cheek, “I love you more than a thousand stars, Hope. Please forgive me. May the Goddess bless you.”
Tennessee’s eyes watered, or maybe that was mine because suddenly things got a little blurry. This was too much. This was too awful. I didn’t want to watch this.
Little-Tenn stepped close and put his hand on his mother’s shoulder, blinking through the tears on his little face. “Momma?” he said, and his voice cracked.
Kessler groaned and moved next to Tenn. He gripped his shoulder tight enough to make his knuckles crack and turn white. Not that Tenn seemed to notice. His face was paler than moonlight on snow.
Ruth carefully placed Hope down into the little wooden boat she’d conjured. A second later, a blanket that hadn’t been there before was tucked around Hope, snuggling her in. Ruth mumbled under her breath, but no matter how hard I concentrated, I couldn’t understand them. They weren’t in English or our ancient language. Ruth reached into a leather satchel hanging near her hip, pulled out flower petals and small crystals, and placed them into the boat, covering Hope’s body.
Tennessee gasped. Tegan hugged him harder. Kessler dropped to one knee beside him.
Little-Tenn gripped Ruth’s dress tighter. His eyes were wide with fear and confusion. “Momma, where is Hope going? Are we going too?”
She didn’t answer him. Her eyes were full of tears and her lips trembled. She reached up behind her neck and pulled off a locket. The one Kessler said she never, ever took off.
My heart pounded in my chest even harder. My throat was tight, like there was something stuck in it. This was breaking my heart, and it wasn’t even me. I couldn’t imagine how Tennessee was feeling.
Ruth leaned forward and wrapped the necklace around Hope’s neck. Her fingers shook as she tucked the locket under the blankets.
Ruth turned to Little-Tenn and cupped his face. “Stay here, love.” Then she got up and carried the raft into the river, passing through Tennessee’s body.
OH MY GOD. The river?? Ruth, what are you DOING?
Tennessee spun around to watch as the holographic image of his mother carried his little sister in her raft…into the river.
“Momma?” Little-Tenn shouted. “Momma!”
With one hand on the raft and the other raised up to the moon, Ruth called out to the Goddess and prayed. Again, in that language I didn’t know. After a few seconds, she pushed the raft into the water…and let go.
My heart skipped. My stomach sank.
“NO! Hope!” Little-Tenn screamed and ran into the river.
The water splashed all the way up to his little knees. Ruth caught him and wrapped her arms around his body, holding him in place while he screamed. My nose burned, and tears filled my eyes so much I couldn’t see. I opened my mouth and strained to breathe. This was heartbreaking.
Little-Tenn cried and wiggled, trying to get free. “Momma! Hope! Get her, get her! Hurry!”
Ruth picked him up and carried him back to the dirt.
This time when Tennessee turned to follow her, I didn’t look at him. I didn’t want to watch his heartbreak. Tegan and Kessler held on to him tight, and I was glad he had someone who loved him. Because this was awful.
Ruth dropped to her knees so his feet touched ground and their eyes were at the same level. Hers were full of tears that kept spilling onto her cheeks like rivers. She squeezed his fingers. “Baby, look at me.”
“Momma, I don’t understand.”
“I know, baby.” She smiled but it looked a little wobbly since her lips were shaking. “You are so strong, so brave. Hope is not lost. You will find her again one day.”
Tennessee groaned.
Ruth reached up and pulled off her other necklace, an old key on a leather cord—one I recognized instantly. It was the one Tennessee always wore. It was always hanging around his neck. Ruth looped it over Little-Tenn’s head. He gasped and stepped back to look at it. I couldn’t help myself this time—I looked to real Tenn. He gripped the key still hanging from his neck twelve years later.
Ruth cleared her throat. “One day you will find her, and this key will help. Until then, the Goddess will keep her safe. Where they can’t find her.”
“Who? Who’s gonna find her, Momma? Where’s Daddy?”
Thunder rumbled over our heads, and the sky lit up the brightest white I’d ever seen. The ground shook under our feet. Which was weird, since this wasn’t really happening. This was just a holograph.
Little-Tenn cried out and grabbed onto Ruth’s dress. She pulled him up and squeezed him so tight her fingers dug into his skin.
Tears filled his eyes. “Momma? I’m scared.”
“Oh, baby.” She set him back down and cupped his face in her hands. “Don’t be. You are so strong. The Goddess will protect you. It’s time we say goodbye now.”
He gasped. “Goodbye? No! I don’t want to leave you.”
“But you must. My time here is done. Before sunrise, I will be with your father.” Her eyebrows scrunched down and her face twisted. She turned away and cried.
Tears poured down his face. His lips were shaking too. “But then I’ll be alone.”
She wiped her wet face on her sleeve before turning to look at him. “No, baby. You will never be alone. You must run now and not look back. The Tennessee wilds will protect you. Run through there until you get to Eden. The Goddess will send you guidance.”
“No, Momma, please. Stay with me,” he whispered.
Her face twisted. “It’s time now, my love.” She pulled him to her chest and squeezed. “Just know, my love, I will always love you.”
“Momma…”
But then she stepped away, and placed her right hand over his heart. “If you ever need me, this is where I’ll be. Right here, real close. I will be in your heart forever. All you have to do is look.”
He nodded and gripped her hand with both of his, tears pouring.
She held her left hand up, and purple smoke swirled around her fingers. Then she pressed it to his cheek. I gasped and took a step forward, to do what, I had no idea. The purple smoke circled around his face a few times before disappearing. When he looked back to her, her green eyes were red and puffy and full of tears.
“Now, my love. Do you remember your name?”
“My name?” He opened his mouth then shut it. His eyes grew wide with panic. “No, I don’t. Momma?”
“Then you’re going to be just fine. I will always be proud of you. Now run, and remember, Hope is not lost.” Her voice cracked. “I love you to the moon…”
“And back,” he whispered.
“Now run.”
Little-Tenn spun around and ran in the direction she pointed without a beat of hesitation. Ruth sobbed. She covered her mouth then wiped her eyes. This woman had already lost her husband—I knew that from the story I’d been told but also by the glyph of her soulmate mark. It was stone gray, the color of death. Now she’d just said goodbye to her children, sending one down a river and the other running through the Smoky Mountains by himself in the dark. I knew they were young. Timothy had told me Haven was five, and Hope was four. They were so young.
Ruth cried out and held her palms together. Light flashed between them, and then a little wooden chest appeared in her hands. I gasped. It was the same exact chest Trey had dug up. The one I’d stolen. Ruth dug into the dirt quickly, then buried the chest deep under the ground.
“Did you actually think you could outrun me?” a deep, male voice bellowed from behind us.
We all jumped and spun around.
Then I saw him. I knew who he was in an instant. And not only by the Emperor’s Mark on his left arm. I knew it by the hate in his eyes as he looked down at the woman who was supposed to be the love of his life. I knew just in this image of him that he had never gotten over her, and now he was going to make her pay the price.
Ruth got to her feet. “Julian, please—”
“PLEASE?” he screamed and waved his arms. The river shot up then slammed into Ruth and into the ground. “HOW DARE YOU ASK FOR MERCY AFTER WHAT YOU’VE DONE!”
Ruth cried and shook her head. “It was an accident. I didn’t mean to—”
“TIMOTHY WARNED YOU! I know he did. He TOLD me he did. WHY COULDN’T YOU JUST LISTEN?” He thrust his palms forward, and a tornado of brown dirt wrapped around her. “You are not an angel. You are a murderer. And now you will suffer the same fate you placed on them…just like your husband.”
Ruth sobbed and gripped her chest. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry—”
Green magic shot out Julian’s hands and slammed into Ruth. She screamed and flew back. He fired his magic at her again and again, without pause or mercy. Blood spilled from gashes on her face and arms. Her white gown was stained red.
The ground trembled under us so hard it knocked us off our feet. We all fell down. Thunder rolled over our heads and lightning flashed. Dirt hovered five feet in the air. The river had rapids so severe fish were flying above the surface. I strained and pushed myself back up—and my jaw dropped.
Tennessee’s entire body was rattling.
Tegan had her arms wrapped around his waist. The golden bands on his left arm shimmered like glitter. His body lit up like a neon Las Vegas sign. Golden wings popped out of his back and flapped.
Kessler’s eyes widened. He gasped and dove for him. He wrapped his thick, muscle-corded arms around Tenn’s shoulders like a boa constrictor and held Tennessee down.
But he still lifted a few inches off the ground.
The magic rushing out of him felt like a category five hurricane.
Oh God. Tenn. He was watching his mother’s murder and couldn’t stop it. I summoned my magic into my hand then slammed my palm into the ground. Pink magic raced across the dirt like a snake. I narrowed my eyes on the stream and pushed it up. It coiled around Tenn’s ankles and slithered up his legs. I curled my fingers and pulled, and Tenn’s knees hit the ground.
Ruth shrieked and threw her hands up. Golden magic crashed into Julian, and he flipped into the air. She gasped and dropped down to all fours. She coughed and blood spilled onto the ground.
Julian screamed and punched the ground. A crevice split the earth in two, and Ruth fell into his valley. She scrambled and tried to pull herself out, but she didn’t have much strength. He thrust his arms forward, and the ground re-sealed itself around her, trapping her under the earth from the thighs down.
“Where are your children, Ruth?” he bellowed and stood tall like he’d already won. “No matter where you hid them, I WILL find them.”
Ruth snarled, “You will never lay eyes on my children again. They are innocent.”
“So was my sister and nephew. So were they all!”
“They chose to try and help me,” Ruth cried. “They wanted to—”
“DIE? Is that what you were going to say? They wanted to die?” He stomped toward her. “That my sister and my nephew WANTED to die?”
“They weren’t supposed to be there!” Ruth screamed back while trying to wiggle herself free. “I changed the spell after Timothy warned me. I changed it! It should have worked—”"
“IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU.” Julian froze, his gaze looking off in the distance. Then his amber eyes sparkled, and a smirk pulled at his lips. He pointed to the edge of the forest to where Little-Tenn’s head was just barely visible. Julian grinned. “Oh, he’s a fast one. Must get that from your father.”
Ruth’s face paled. “No. NO. Leave him be!”
Julian’s eyes went dark with hate. “You should’ve thought about that this morning. Now you will watch as I take everything from you. I took that bastard Micah, and now I take HIM.”
“NO!” Ruth screamed and scrambled to get free, but her legs were pinned.
Julian pulled his sword from his sheath and charged after Little-Tenn. My heart caught in my throat. Adrenaline and fear raced through my veins. Which didn’t make sense because I knew Julian didn’t get him. I could see grown-up Tennessee right in front of me. But I was lost to this moment.
Fresh tears rained down Ruth’s ashen face. Blood dripped from all over her. She trembled and pushed at the earth, but it wouldn’t budge…because she didn’t have close to the amount of power as the Emperor. And she knew it. I saw in her eyes she knew Julian would kill her son if she didn’t do something. I saw the wheels turning in her head.
She squeezed her eyes closed and looked up at the sky. “Please, Michael. Please. Just once. Let me save him! I’ll take it. I’ll take it. Just PLEASE.”
I frowned. Michael? As in the archangel Michael? What the hell is going on?
Lightning flashed then struck her in the chest. Bright golden magic filled her body. She gasped and her back arched. Golden wings just like Tenn’s popped out of her back, and she shot out of the ground.
Julian spun around and screamed. He sprinted back toward her.
Ruth pulled a dagger out of her satchel and thrust it up over her head. She cried in that unfamiliar language that sounded like a spell then dropped straight down. She screamed and slammed her dagger into the dirt, and golden magic exploded out from her in a giant golden dome. It hit Julian like a tsunami, and he lit up in flames as white as snow. He screamed and the fire consumed him whole. Green magic sparked from under the flames on his left arm—and then he was gone.
Vanished.
No body, no blood. Just gone.
Ruth screamed out in pain and sank to her knees. Those same white flames covered the lower half of her body. Her hair and eyes turned white, then her wings changed to clouds. She gasped and fell forward, her palms landing in the dirt. Those flames climbed up her back and over her head, yet she kept her eyes on the tree line.
“Run, Haven, run,” she whispered. Tears still poured from her eyes, but she looked to be resigned to her fate. I knew what she was waiting for. The second Little-Tenn disappeared between the trees, Ruth sighed and dropped to the ground. “I’m sorry.”
The flames rushed over her body. There was a flash of bright golden light, and then she was gone.
The hologram faded away, and it was suddenly just us again.
For a long, long time, there was only silence. No one moved. No one spoke. We were all lying in the dirt, looking worse for the wear. Kessler’s hair was pushed back, and his face was red like he’d gotten a sunburn. Tegan sank into Tenn. Her long black hair was disheveled and her clothes covered in dirt. Tears dropped from her face down to the ground.
Tennessee was absolutely destroyed.
“She took your memories right here,” Tegan whispered and summoned the Book of Shadows to her hands. It flipped to a page without her speaking. She looked down, and her eyes darted over the page. Then she nodded. “Let’s see if I can get your memories back.”
Chapter Eighteen
Bettina
“Tenn?” Tegan shook his shoulder. “Tenn, is that okay? Can I try?”
He stared at the ground, at the place his mother died. He didn’t move. I didn’t think he was even breathing. Tears slid down his cheeks. Kessler squeezed his shoulder.
Tegan pressed her palm to his chest. “May I?”
He nodded his head barely and only once.
Tegan closed her eyes and cringed. She kissed his cheek then jumped to her feet. Her soulmate glyph was just barely visible over the V-neck collar of her shirt, but it was out enough to see it was dark purple. I didn’t specifically know what it meant, but I knew it meant pain.
