Bentley frowned, his eyes full of pain. “Do you know how to do it?”
“I read it in the Book of Shadows.”
“Same.” Tegan squeezed Bentley’s shoulder. “But you’re gonna need to go back with them.”
Bentley nodded and then sulked back over to stand beside Chutney and Olli.
Tegan and Tennessee stepped up beside Kenneth and placed their left hands on his forearm, right over his IX Mark. They both closed their eyes and I felt their magic slam into my face. Their bodies lit up like a full moon. A bright golden light poured out of their palms and coiled around Kenneth’s arm.
The black letters on his arm turned to gray…and then faded to a pale, pale gray.
Kenneth’s back arched off the bed and then he gasped. His eyes flew open
The Coven swarmed his bed with teary eyes and wide grins. Riah and I stepped back to let them embrace him. Kenneth’s aura was already growing stronger by the second. It hummed in the air. He was going to make it. We did it.
Kenneth’s pale blue eyes swept across the room left and right and back again. “Am I…Crone…Island? What…happened?” His voice was soft and weak, but with the sharpness in his eyes I knew it would only be temporary.
“You saved me,” Bentley cried and squeezed his arm. “You saved me and you got Witch’ Shock…”
I smiled and leaned into Riah’s chest as Bentley relayed everything to Kenneth.
Tennessee lifted Kenneth’s left arm up and grimaced. “I’m sorry. We had to strip you of your Mark in order for you to live…you’re no longer in The Coven.”
Kenneth’s lips curved up to one side. “Son, am I alive?”
Tennessee nodded.
“Then I could not be happier—” he stopped short and scowled so hard his eyebrows hung low over his eyes. His face paled. We all reached for him but then he shrieked, “HAVEN?”
Tennessee’s jaw dropped but then his cheeks flushed. “Y-yeah. Yes. I am Haven…and you’re my great uncle…I forgot you weren’t here for that.”
Kenneth sat up straight with tears in his eyes. He wobbled but Riah caught him by the shoulder and held him up. He looked to Timothy. “All this time? He was right here? What…how…”
Kessler chuckled and walked up behind the son he’d adopted all those years ago. I smiled seeing how they were the same height now. “Bit of a nasty shock when we found out too. It’s a long story, but we’ll be glad to tell you all of it when we get home.”
“Do you remember me? From before?” Kenneth asked softly, but I saw the fear in his eyes.
Tennessee grinned. “I still owe you that coke, Uncle Kenny.”
Kenneth shook his head and laughed – then gasped. “Hope! Where’s Hope? If you’re here then she must be—”
“Here,” Bettina whispered from the foot of the bed. She tucked her black hair behind her ears and gave a wobbly smile. “I am here.”
Kenneth’s face fell but I felt the giddiness in his spirit. He slouched back like he couldn’t sit up anymore. Kessler slid his arm behind his back to hold him up. Kenneth hadn’t noticed, his eyes were teary and glancing back and forth between the two siblings. “Look at you…both together again. Gran, can you believe— Saffie?” Kenneth choked as his eyes landed on me.
I giggled and reached out to take his hand the way I always did when he came to see me. “Hello, nephew.”
“You’re here.” His eyes were wide and glistening with tears. “Gran, she’s free. Finally.”
Gran. That made my eyes water. Kenneth was my mother’s grandson many, many times removed just as he was my nephew…yet somehow I’d forgotten that he called her Gran. As a child he used to call me Aunt Saffie but I’d asked him to stop. It had made me too sad.
Mom stepped up beside me and ran her hand through my hair. “Yes, Grandson. Finally. I have my family back finally. All of them.”
I cringed and wrapped my arms around her waist without letting go of Kenneth’s hand. “We have so much catching up to do.”
“And I cannot wait to do so.” Kenneth ran his hand through his long silver hair and sighed. His aura was now pulsing with life. “Am I okay now? I feel— Saffie, is that a Mark on your arm?”
My cheeks warmed as I held it out to him. “Yes. Paulina had to sacrifice her Mark much like you did just now.”
He looked over my shoulder and smiled. “Paulina, dear, are you okay?”
“Never better,” she said with a sigh and a smile. She held out her faded Mark. “Now we match.”
“Myrtle, is he okay now? Saffie?” Bentley leaned forward with eager eyes. “His soul feels strong but—”
“He’s growing stronger by the minute,” I answered.
“Yes, he will be all right.” Mom cleared her throat and then rubbed her hands together. “But now I need everyone out, except for Leyka and Keltie. There are special rituals that must be done before another moment passes and I need the room cleared.”
“Okay, but we’re not going far.” Tegan winked. “And we’re taking you home with us.”
Tennessee chuckled. “All right, you heard my grandmother. Everyone out.”
Light flashed and then we were all back outside, standing just beyond the door to his room. Everyone was pumped as they teased Tegan for portaling us all like that. There were smiles all around, the happiness in their spirits was crisp…except for — what is that?
I frowned and pushed my magic out. As the Death Card I could sense people’s spirits. It was a trick I needed to train with and get used to. However I definitely felt something. It felt new yet old at the same time. It was a soft strength…and a shift in someone’s spirit. Something huge had just changed for someone— I gasped.
Someone’s been Marked.
I eyed the group looking for someone not celebrating…and then I spotted Timothy. He stood a little ways away from the group but with his back to them. The air around him was dark, like maybe he was about to be deeply emotional.
“Timothy?” I cleared my throat. “Timothy, are you okay?”
Nothing. He didn’t even flinch. But the rest of the group all froze and spun toward him.
“Timothy, what’s wrong?” I pushed.
Silence.
Tenn and Bettina exchanged worried glances. They both looked near ready to be sick.
Tennessee took a step toward him. “Uncle Tim?”
Timothy turned, holding his left arm out – I looked down and gasped.
On his arm, written in bold black script over his faded gray XX Mark were the letters IX.
Timothy was the new Hermit Card.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Savannah
“WHAT?!” Everyone screamed at the same time, except for me and Gigi.
Gigi jumped — then turned into a penguin.
They all tackled him. In the blink of an eye this poor man had the entire Coven, plus a few extras, on top of him. I couldn’t even see him. There was so much shouting I felt like I was back home at a college football game.
Olli, Safferella’s adorable puppy, sat on my feet and cocked his head to the side. Same, bruh. Same. Olli barked and then jumped away from me. I started to grab for him when a large hand with an amethyst ring scooped under his butt and lifted the little hound up. Riah held Olli in the cradle of his arms all cuddled up to his chest. Olli definitely hated it. I looked up, expecting to see the same awkwardness I felt in him…but he was smiling.