The Secret Witch (The Coven: Academy Magic Book 5), page 23
It was probably tacky timing to make jokes, but it eased some of my pain to see even the slightest glimpse of happiness in him. So, I heard myself say, “You know what really bothers me about this?”
“What?”
“I called you hot.”
Haven threw his head back and laughed.
I shuddered and gagged for show. “Granted, I only said it out loud because that’s how Tegan referred to you, and I was just so juiced that she was there, but damn it, I had acknowledged you were hot. Although I must’ve known deep down because— Oh god, what if— No, I can’t even say that out loud.”
Haven shook his head, still laughing. “If it makes you feel any better, every other member of our Coven has said it, too.”
I frowned. “They’re not biologically related to you! We share the same DNA.”
He grinned. “True, but it was comical to watch Cooper get the words out.”
I laughed so hard I snorted. He giggled. For a few minutes…everything was okay.
But then reality crash-landed, and I knew we needed to get moving. We had a job to do, and a shadow army to destroy. I looked down at our mother’s locket in my palm and sighed.
“Well…” Haven sighed. “I guess we should put the key in it and see what’s in there.”
“Let’s hope there’s answers like she said there would be.”
He pulled the necklace off his neck and held the key out in front of him. I held the locket up as he moved in with the key…and then the world exploded.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Bettina
“OH SHIT!”
We jumped to our feet just as the awakening sky outside flashed with greens and reds.
PORTAL NOW! Tegan screamed into our minds.
Her portal opened up in front of us, and this time we didn’t hesitate. We lunged through…and right into chaos.
Joseph’s shadows were everywhere.
Like maggots in a dumpster.
My Coven-mates were scattered across the front lawn of Edenburg, each surrounded and outnumbered. My heart leapt into my throat. Jackson. Where’s Jackson? I knew I needed to get into the fight, I needed to help, but until I laid eyes on my soulmate, I wasn’t going to function. In my peripheral vision, I saw Haven summon our grandfather’s sword, his golden wings sparkling in the rising sunlight. But my gaze was laser-focused, scanning every moving object for a familiar head of golden bronze hair and eyes like the Caribbean Sea.
C’mon, Lancelot, where are you?
Just show your head for a second.
B! Tegan shouted in my mind. TWO O’CLOCK!
I spun in the direction she said— JACKSON! Relief hit me like a Mack Truck. He had a sword in each hand and was making quick work of the creepers near him. He spun and our eyes met. I nodded. He nodded. Then I turned just as a dozen shadows swarmed Haven. My magic rushed into my palms. I screamed and pushed it out.
A white cloud billowed out of me like a nuclear bomb. It sparkled a pale pink as it turned smoke to ice. The shadows surrounding Haven changed into frozen statues all at once. He spun in a tight circle so fast I couldn’t even track his movements. All I saw was the flash of his glowing sword and pieces of ice crumble to the ground.
Thick, dark green vines shot out of the dirt, shooting across the yard in a beat of a second. The thorny tip impaled shadows like shish kebabs. Tiny vines like weeds slithered across the grass, and the second they touched anything, the victims dropped to the ground.
“WOO! POISON ROYCY! HELL YEAH!”
I looked back to Haven. He was moving forward but barely. Every step he took, another five shadows appeared. He was incredible, but I didn’t know if he was that good.
And then I heard my mother’s story in my mind, and the words echoed.
He is the best that Heaven can create.
It was true, he was.
And I was his little sister.
Since I’d found out I was a witch, I’d been struggling and reserved. I couldn’t use my magic at first. I used to hold back, afraid I’d let my power loose and hurt someone. I’d been afraid. But that was naïve Bettina. That was human Bettina.
I might be keeping the name, but I was Hope.
I was the granddaughter of the archangel of war.
My mother could create anything she wanted, and it was a gift she gave to me. This was my wheelhouse. It was time I embraced it. Time to stop fighting it. My brother had power, but so did I.
I jumped over Poison Roycy’s vines then sprinted forward while pushing my ice out around me. As I approached Haven, I dropped to my knees and slid under the blade of his sword. My magic sang in my veins. With every shadow I froze solid, my power grew stronger.
“We gotta get to Joseph!” I yelled back to my brother.
He cursed and sliced a frozen shadow into four pieces. “I need a clearer path!”
“FINE.” I spun around then threw icicles into the chests of shadows. “FOLLOW ME!”
Chapter Forty-Nine
Jackson
It was almost impossible not to keep looking for Bettina. But these shadows were everywhere. They’d infested our territory, and we had to eliminate them. I chopped a head off a shadow then glanced over to where I’d last seen her.
But she and Tenn were moving fast.
They were incredible together.
If only I could just stand and watch.
I spun back to my targets, and there were even more than a second ago. This battle was everyone for themselves. They were just too hard to fight when they vanished into smoke. For all I knew, I was only fighting two or three of them and they just kept vanishing on me.
A bright golden beam of pure sunlight shot over my shoulder and blinded the two shadows in front of me. They hissed and shielded their eyes. I dropped and swung my sword right through their abdomens.
When I looked back up, my gaze landed right on Trey. Rage exploded inside me, and fire filled my veins. My blood boiled with just one look at his traitorous face. I’d had the chance to kill him earlier in Charleston, but I’d let my emotions get the best of me.
I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.
And I was determined to make up for where I’d failed before. I tightened my grip on my swords then charged toward my nemesis. He stood half a football field away, tucked in close to his father like the demon spawn he was. All of my focus latched onto this target. I just had to get there first.
White lightning stretched across my path then vanished, then reappeared off to my left. A person ran by covered in silver body armor. I sliced my way through the battlefield without pause or hesitation. This needed to end, and it needed to happen now.
Two shadows jumped up out of nowhere gunning right for me. I slid like this was the World Series then leapt to my feet. The air around me glistened a pale blue, and it moved—a handful of shadows actually froze in place. Whatever Willow showed them was big enough.
Red lightning filled the sky and shot out as far as I could see. A line of bright orange flames shot between my legs. I had to leap over them to avoid being charred. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Em’s fire blazing through the shadow-army. I couldn’t keep up with who was where, or which magic belonged to whom.
Rainbow magic was everywhere, yet I didn’t bother watching what Tegan was doing.
TENN, THROW NOW! Tegan screamed into our minds.
I glanced over just as Tenn grabbed Bettina by the arm and threw her into the air. She flew up high above the ground with her arms out to the sides. Her mismatched eyes flashed. She roared and the air pulsed. Her palms turned to ice. White glittery snow rained down on the field below, and it spread inch by inch. Shadows screamed and fled back toward Joseph.
And then Bettina sank in the sky.
I gasped and lunged to catch her just as Tenn plucked her out of the air and set her back down on her feet. I slid to a stop, and then my jaw dropped.
Joseph shrieked out orders and flung his arms around. Six shadows appeared in front of him, blocking him from sight. I frowned and eyed these men. There was something off about them. They were human, but not really. Not even in the way Joseph was. I raised my sword but didn’t move. I couldn’t go charging for him, especially not when he was surrounded by a protective wall.
Ellis jumped forward with two long, nasty-looking katana swords raised. His front foot hit the ground, and he pushed off and twisted back around. He sliced his blades right into the shadows protecting Joseph. They crumbled to dust at his feet. Trey gasped and pulled his daggers out. Joseph screamed and his face was bloodied. His body turned to smoke then back again.
All of the shadow-men stiffened and glanced over to Joseph.
“RUNES, GO!” a male voice yelled out into the battle.
I frowned. I knew that voice from somewhere.
“SABERS, ENGAGE!”
Golden light flashed all around the battle in the shape of runes—ones meant for peace. They sparkled from the foreheads of shadow-men. In the blink of an eye, half the army was glowing. The others cursed and started for Joseph. But those marked shadows roared and pulled out long sabers, then sliced them through the other shadows.
One by one, the non-marked shadows melted into cloudy puddles.
My Coven-mates froze in place like we were all as equally confused. The shadows were fleeing, running full speed toward Joseph.
“LEFT, FLANK!” That familiar male voice shouted from somewhere. “RIGHT, REGROUP!”
The marked shadows moved into smaller formations. The ones on the left rushed back toward the edge of the Old Lands. The ones on the right huddled together. Up ahead, just off to the left, the trees rustled and swayed. Someone was in there shouting orders. The ground rumbled, and then the trees rocked left to right.
A man emerged from within the Old Lands with a sword in one hand and magic flashing from his palm. He charged into the fight. There was something about his gait that I recognized, but I couldn’t place it.
I frowned and rushed forward just as the day’s sunshine washed over the man’s face.
My heart stopped and my legs crumbled under me. TIMOTHY?!
I blinked then rubbed my eyes. This had to be a figment of my imagination. I had to be dreaming. Because there was absolutely no possible way that was Timothy Roth running towards us right now.
Can’t be.
Can it?
I heard my Coven-mates gasp in echo all around me.
“Timothy?” Constance croaked behind me.
“OH MY GOD!” Easton cursed nearby.
“TIM!!!!” Willow cried.
I dropped to my knees. My breath was knocked out of me, and it was all I could do to stay conscious. That can’t be Timothy. He died. I saw him. I saw his lifeless body. I saw the gray color of his skin. I saw his eyes unstaring.
Half the marked shadows sprinted to him, then turned and raised their swords like they were prepared to die for him. The other half of marked shadows turned on their fellow shadows.
Joseph bellowed. He threw his arm out, and a small white-colored object shot like a missile straight at Timothy. But then it hit a wall of rainbow mist and exploded into dust.
“YESSSSS!” Tegan cheered. “Ellis, it worked!”
The shadows stopped fighting and sprinted back to the treeline, to the edge of the Old Lands. Joseph screamed hysterically as he shot magic at Timothy. He turned to smoke then back to human. Trey’s eyes were wide. He glanced around at us, then dove for his father. He tugged on his arms then dragged him all the way back into the Old Lands and out of our sight.
All the marked shadows tossed their weapons aside then dropped to the ground.
The rest of the shadow-army was gone.
Joseph was gone.
But the man standing in his place had salt-and-pepper hair and a scruffy beard. His brown eyes sparkled in the rising sun. He lifted his left hand up in the air, and my gaze latched on to the gray, faded letters on his forearm.
XX.
Judgement.
TIMOTHY.
Chapter Fifty
Jackson
He’s alive.
Timothy is alive.
My heart was pounding so hard and fast in my chest it sounded like a jackhammer. My vision went blurry, and little white lines flashed all around. I opened my mouth and sucked in air, but my lungs didn’t seem to know what to do.
Timothy is alive.
Timothy.
Alive.
Each breath I took burned a path down my throat. My fingers trembled. I wanted to get up and run to him, to see him up close with my own eyes. Except my body was locked in place.
There was a beat of silence that could’ve lasted hours for all I knew.
And then everyone was rushing to him. In the back of my mind, I registered that all the marked shadows simply sat down right where they were, but I was too busy watching Timothy. He looked the same, although slightly slimmer than I recalled. But everything else about him was utterly familiar.
Constance got to him first, with Daniel hot on her heels. She threw her arms around his shoulders and wept, her cries echoing through the trees. Daniel hugged them both. They stepped back, and Hunter and Devon embraced him in tight hugs. Timothy chuckled that deep, lumberjack kind of chuckle, and sharp pain shot through my chest.
Willow, Chutney, Paulina, Lily, and Henley straight up tackled him at the same time. There were squeals and giggles and a showering of cheek kisses.
“DUUUUUDE!” Easton shouted and jumped on top of them.
Royce, Deacon, and Braison sprinted over.
Something gripped my arms, and I gasped—and then I was suddenly on my feet. I frowned and looked over my shoulder…and found Kessler holding me up. He squeezed my shoulder and winked, then nodded once before walking away. I blinked and opened my mouth to speak, but my breath came out all shaky.
“Hey, man,” Warner whispered from suddenly right beside me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and forced me into a walk. “Come on.”
I frowned and started to fight him when I realized my face was wet. I licked my lips and cringed. They tasted like salt. Wait, am I crying? I wiped my face, and yep, I sure was. Whatever. I didn’t care. I scrubbed my eyes and ran my hand through my hair as we walked toward him.
When I looked back up, I found Cooper, Bentley, and Emersyn hugging him. And then Kessler was there, shaking his hand before pulling him in for a hug. There was a flash of indigo as Lennox ran past us. She cheered and gave Tim a high ten. He chuckled and shook his head.
“And you called me dramatic, eh, big guy?” Tegan said with a laugh as she walked up to him. “That was something.”
“YOU.” Timothy sighed and pointed his finger at her. “You saved my life.”
Tegan stopped in front of him and shrugged. “Meh, it could’ve killed you faster.”
Timothy shook his head again and smiled. “Thank you, Tegan. I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t sent your magic with Ellis.”
Tegan blushed. “You have no idea how hard it was not to storm in there and find you my damn self.”
Timothy grinned and wrapped her in a hug. “Oh, I think I have an idea.”
“Lucy, you got some splainin’ to do…” Warner said in his best Ricky Ricardo impersonation while wagging his finger.
Timothy’s eyes widened. “Warner. Thank God. I was worried they never got you back out of the balefire.” He held his hand out to him.
Warner shook his hand then clapped him on the back. “I’m still not convinced I’m not still in there, so there’s that.”
Timothy chuckled. And then he spotted me standing there. He sighed and smiled. “Jackson.”
I couldn’t believe it. He was alive. This man was more like a father to me than my own father. For a decade. He raised me. Trained me. Taught me everything I knew. When he died, a part of me died with it. And now there he was, standing right in front of me. I hadn’t even registered that I moved—or maybe he came to me—but the next thing I knew, I was wrapped in the tightest bear hug.
After a long moment, he stepped back. I cursed and scrubbed my face.
“You all right, son?” he asked softly and squeezed my shoulder.
I nodded. All right? I was more than all right. So much had happened since he died, my life was barely recognizable now. I was a Card in The Coven. I had a soulmate. I’d gone on Michael’s quest and succeeded. I had this new family now, but I also got my old one back. I got my best friend back. And now, I had my second father back. It was surreal. After everything we’d learned about him from Catherine— I gasped.
Bettina.
OH MY GOD.
I looked him in the eye. “Timothy…there’s some people you need to…meet.”
Then I stepped aside and turned to face Bettina and Tennessee. They stood next to each other, looking rather identical with their black hair and mismatched eyes. Neither of them moved or spoke. I doubted they were fully breathing. They just stared with wide, teary eyes and ashen faces.
Timothy’s energy beside me was sharp and tense, like a bomb about to explode.
I cleared my throat then licked my lips. I pointed to them. “Haven and Hope.”
Bettina—Hope—let out a strangled cry then charged for him. She was sobbing by the time she crossed the few feet and threw herself into his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut and wrapped his arms around her. Tears slipped out and slid down his cheeks. She sniffled then mumbled something. I couldn’t quite hear, but I did catch “I’m sorry” several times. My chest tightened. I hated seeing my soulmate cry, but these were the happiest form of tears. Her parents were dead, and she’d lost over a decade with her brother and uncle…but now she got to have him back.
And if that wasn’t a damn bloody miracle, I didn’t know what was.
After a few minutes, Bettina pulled back. She had black makeup streaked down her face that only got worse as she rubbed her eyes. Her face was wet and red. She sniffled, then stepped aside. I held my breath. Pretty sure everyone did…as Timothy met Tenn’s eyes.
