This ceremony was open to the public, that was protocol for Coven Leader rituals – the people had a right to watch this one. And they’d shown up. There were hundreds of civilians surrounding the circle. I wasn’t even sure who had told everyone or how they’d all gotten here so fast. We’d only decided I was doing this like twenty minutes ago. Yet there they all were. Standing there in their white school cloaks, eagerly awaiting my crowning. Their energy was pure excitement…I just wished I shared the feeling.
Sure, I wanted to be Coven Leader. I’d wanted it since the moment I found out I was High Priestess. Since my real life began. But now that it was here…now that it was happening…I was nervous. I’d always thought I understood Tennessee’s hesitance to become leader yet now I knew I had no idea. The pressure and responsibility was suffocating.
This was pressure.
More so than Salem’s Prophecy, or saving Henley from the demon, or rescuing Warner from the balefire, or…literally anything else I’d experienced in my short time as a witch. Because if I screwed this up the entire arcana species could suffer.
Before I would just throw out all my crazy ideas knowing Tennessee and Constance would say no, or put limitations on me…except now that was gone. No one was in charge of me besides the Goddess herself. Even Tenn was now my co-leader.
I looked up and my gaze landed right on my soulmate. He was standing front and center, looking like power itself holding his tall staff made of dark wood, black opal, with silver and gold vines wrapped around it. The entire staff had runes carved into it, and the bottom ten inches was clear quartz crystal. But the top was the coolest part. It had long spikes that trapped a glowing orb within them. His golden angel wings flapped in the breeze behind his back. The crown somehow looked more intimidating out there than it just had in the house. The opal shined like the North Star even in the sunlight.
Everyone was looking at me. I felt their eyes on me. But I needed one more thing before I let this happen.
Babe.
His eyes burned into mine.
Promise me something?
He arched one eyebrow.
Promise me you won’t let me go crazy?
He smiled and nodded.
That probably wasn’t the right way to word that, but I knew that he knew what I meant.
No more stalling, Bishop.
I swallowed that last ounce of nervousness, then marched forward. The crowd gasped and I heard their whispers…and it reminded me of Tennessee’s ceremony not too long ago. I remembered being in opposite positions as we were now. I remembered how the ground rumbled under my feet and how a wild gust of wind swept through the clearing as he’d marched toward us. As I headed toward him he was full-on beaming smiling, full of pride and love. Soft pink light poured out from his hand and chest.
I marched slowly and precisely, each one of my footsteps left a little swirl of rainbow-colored mist in the dirt just like last time. When I got to the opening of the circle, I twirled my wrists and wiggled my fingers—and light flashed from the ground under our feet. Runes of sparkling blue were etched into the dark brown dirt.
The crowd gasped like they hadn’t seen this a couple months ago.
I glanced to the left and spotted Tim, Paulina, Mona, Warner, Lennox, and Katherine standing just beyond our circle wearing their white cloaks. Savannah and Gigi stood beside them in white street clothes they’d definitely borrowed from my Coven-mates.
Then I glanced to my circle, my Coven-mates. They all wore happy smiles and not an ounce of fear. They all had unwavering, unconditional trust in me – even after my stunts in October. That level of trust was probably why this was so terrifying.
Ice cold energy slammed into my bare feet and then I heard Bettina’s voice in my mind, Damn, you should see that resting bitch face you’re wearing right now. Classic.
I gasped. Stop. You’re gonna make me laugh and then Cooper will kill me.
In a few minutes that will be a rather serious crime, to attack a Coven Leader.
I snorted and I saw my Coven-mates frown. BETTINA. She grinned from her spot beside Tennessee, looking more like his twin than Emersyn and I did. My twin stood to my left shaking her head. She knew Bettina and I well enough by now to know we were not concentrating or being serious. I was rather proud of Bettina’s achievements in telepathy. Sure, I knew she could only do it because of me – and with me – but all best friends secretly wished they were telepathic.
Cooper cleared his throat. I ignored Bettina’s laughing in my head and looked to him. He just arched one eyebrow. I smiled. Cooper was more like my father than my own father was sometimes. My dad was used to my shit. And right now he stood beside Cooper grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Mom winked at me. Deacon made a goofy face.
“Don’t encourage her, Deacon,” Cooper hissed.
The entire circle chuckled.
I turned and found Tenn’s eyes locked on me. Oops?
He smiled and shook his head. “On your knees.”
Easton snorted from behind me.
“Easton,” Lily chided.
“What? He said it!”
Royce threw his head back and laughed. Deacon threw his hand over his mouth but his laughter was not missed.
“Bloody hell,” Jackson said with a chuckle from his spot beside Bettina.
And then to my surprise, Saffie laughed. When we all looked to her. “Hey, I got that joke.”
“I don’t like that joke,” Cooper grumbled.
And then the whole Coven fell apart.
After a few seconds they all stopped and looked to me.
I grimaced. “Not too late to change your minds…I haven’t stepped inside the circle yet.”
“Shut up and get in there,” Uncle Kessler laughed from right beside me. He gestured ahead of him. “Go on, git.”
Okayyyyy, I gave y’all a chance to back out.
And then I stepped inside the circle and the runes turned bright rainbow colors. The ground rumbled under my feet, and it sounded like a cat purring. Strong gusts of wind wrapped around the circle. The crowd gasped. I felt their eyes on my back like little needle pricks.
As I walked, I looked at the woman I was replacing.
Constance stood in the front between Tennessee and Emersyn, with a crystal crown on her head and an ornate scepter in her hand. She wore a sleeveless white sheath that fell to her knees, and a silver arm band. Tucked between her skin and the metal was a dagger slightly longer than my hand.
Are you sure, Connie? I whispered into her mind.
She pressed her hand to her belly and grinned. “I’ve never been more sure.”
It’s go time.
In the direct center of the circle was the rune symbol for the Goddess. It looked like embers from a fire. That was my target. I walked over, then dropped to my knees right in front of it. An eerie, calm quiet fell over the crowd.
Here we go.
I took a deep breath, then said, “By The Coven’s magic, I shall be heard, with mine High Priestess’s power, I give my word.”
Tenn winked then raised his left hand out in front of him, the Mark of the Emperor peeking up at me from his tan forearm. He twirled his hand and wiggled his fingers. Bright, shimmering silver magic shot out from his palm and then swirled in the air until it formed a single silver glowing orb the size of a softball.
Light flashed in my peripheral vision as the rest of my Coven-mates summoned magic to their hands. Orbs of silver and gold surrounded me. I kept my eyes on Tennessee. If I looked around at them now, I might fall apart. Their faith in me was too much sometimes.