Gigi sighed. “I want a Suit.”
Cooper grinned. “You’ve kinda got one, don’t you? Like built in.”
Gigi’s jaw dropped. “Cooper.”
Savannah threw her head back and laughed. “Oh my God he did not.”
Gigi shook her head. “That was good. I can’t even be offended.”
Cooper gave her a high-five then turned to me. “Well, Saffie…how do you feel now?”
I blinked and shook my head. “I’m not sure. I feel…everything all at once.”
“That’s actually the response we hear the most,” he said with a chuckle. “Have any questions?”
I knew I would have a million questions but later. Right then my mind was a mushy pile of blurred words. I was still a little freaked out about everything, because holy hell I had never seen witch coming. But looking back at all the things that were terrifying me about the last week or so now suddenly made perfect sense. I had an explanation for what was happening, which was pretty much the best thing ever.
I looked up at the tree I’d just brought into spring and grinned. “My only question right now is…can we practice my magic some more?”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Riah
It’d been six hours, forty-five minutes, and twelve seconds since Saraphina went inside that old wooden house…she had not yet resurfaced.
And I was about to lose my mind.
Every single part of me wanted to barge through that door and find her, to see her with mine own eyes. I wanted to tear that house down brick by brick and kick my way through the wooden slats. My legs bounced so fast the wooden bench I sat on vibrated. My fingers burned with the desire to yank my cloaking ring off and slam my way through that front door.
Yet I could not. But that was the story of my life. Everything I wanted I could not have – at least in regards to her.
I had to respect her privacy, her life. Well, I did not technically have to. Prince Thorne had made it perfectly clear I was to do whatever I needed to keep her safe – after all, he needed her alive. But I could not, in good conscience, betray her in such a way. I loved her with every fiber of my being. I would give her this little bit of privacy. It was all I had to give her in the end.
I’d kept that unspoken promise to her for three hundred and twenty-seven years, I would not break it now.
No matter how much I wanted to.
The first hour I’d circled the house, peeking in through every window to make sure she was not in any danger…but then I’d taken up post across the street on a bench in the middle of a mild blizzard. One I was fairly certain she had caused. I sighed and rolled my neck and snow cascaded over my face like a waterfall. I’d sat so still for so long the snow had piled up on my shoulders and head. It was fine, my magic kept me warm.
My magic also allowed me to feel her presence. I knew she was inside. After all these centuries I could pinpoint her exact location within the house so I knew she was alive and well. Mine self on the other hand, that was debatable.
This house itself I knew quite well. It was The Coven’s headquarters here in town. It always had been. In 1692, Saraphina had come here often with her mother and uncle. The façade had not much changed, not that that would matter. I felt the magic of The Coven radiating out of the wood even though none of them were here.
That was the only reason I had not gone inside. If a single member of The Coven had been present I would have been her shadow. The Coven could not have her. That was imperative. Prince Thorne had made that painfully clear.
Keep her safe. Keep her out of The Coven’s hands.
The front door flew open and Savannah and Gigi skipped out into the snow. I sucked in a sharp breath and sat up straight. A quick glance down confirmed my cloaking ring was on the correct finger – no one would see me. Unless she has that camera or the hag stone. I frowned as that popped back into my mind. It was not clear to me how she was able to see me through those, I would have to wait and ask Prince Thorne when I next saw him.
Gigi scowled and snarled her unusually lipstick-free lips. “Why are we going out again?”
“Because this night calls for pizza and tater tots, my friend,” Savannah yelled out then stuck her tongue out to catch the falling snow. The piercing in her tongue glistened in the fading sunlight.
I felt the wave of Saraphina’s power before I even spotted her. I braced myself but it was no use. The moment the sun shined on her fiery red hair my heart leapt from my chest. My breath left me in a rush. Every time it was the same. After all these years, I thought I’d be used to her effect on me yet she seemed destined to be my eternal torture.
She grinned up at the setting sun then threw her arm out behind her and grabbed someone by the elbow. “Come on, you have to come with us.”
I frowned and leaned forward as the person she spoke to stepped out from the shadow of the house. And then I saw him. I gasped and jumped to my feet only to freeze. Him. Fire scorched through my veins as Saraphina dragged him by the elbow out the door.
Memories crashed down around me, transporting me to another time before I could rein my thoughts in. The flashback came for me without warning or grace, with the full punch of a tsunami.
I sat up in the old oak tree, perched on a lower thick branch watching Leyka’s house. Their visitors were not from this part of town, or era. I recognized the faint scent of Prince Thorne’s magic lingering in the air around them. He’d sent them here. For what reason, I did not know. But I had to keep my distance for the Marks on their arms told me all I needed to know.
They were from the future, of that much I knew. But they were struggling to return home, I found myself wishing for their success. It made me twitch for them to be so near her.
The front door swung open and then Saraphina skipped out into the bright sunlight, dragging the big, blond male by the elbow with her. “Come, let us get you where you need to be.”
He chuckled and ran his hand through his short-trimmed blond hair. “Are you sure you can do this? I’m pretty heavy—”
“Cooper Bishop.” Saraphina put her thin arms on her tiny little hips. Her pale translucent pink wings sprouted from her back. She arched one red eyebrow at him and her lavender eyes sparkled. “Do you dare to challenge my abilities?”
The male, Cooper, threw his hands up in surrender. He bowed his head and smiled. “My apologies, Saffie the great one.”
She giggled and it made my stomach turn. Bile rose in my throat. Who does this male think he is to be so callous with her? To make her laugh in such a way.
“May I see the spell? I must admit I find myself curious…”
He held a piece of parchment out to her. “Please, read it. Then perhaps perform it on yourself. Just in case. You never know.”
She licked her lips and read aloud, “By word of magic, strength in deed, See my life, all memories I need. Plant a clone in your garden divine, Both good and bad, forever mine.”
Cooper shuddered. “My sister is terrifying at times.”
“This spell is strong, hold it tight in your heart and it will protect you.” She handed the parchment back to him, then stepped up and wrapped her arms around his hips. “Brace thyself.”
I exhaled and smoke billowed from my body from the fire burning inside me. My gaze latched on to the way her arms held him. My stomach tightened and flipped. My pulse quickened. I suddenly found my sword gripped firmly in mine hand though I had no recollection of grabbing it. And then he had the audacity to coil his arms around her like they were intimate.