Suddenly, her head thumped against the ground as her rescuer dropped her. Jennifer weakly reached out as a creature stepped past her. She made contact with a leg, causing the decrepit woman to turn her attention downward.
Jenny Greentooth.
Jennifer instantly let go. The hunched, bony frame looked as if it might have once been human. Long stringy hair clung to the bog witch’s back. Mud coated her naked, wrinkled flesh like paint.
“Rory,” Jennifer whispered, unable to scream for him like she wanted.
Jenny’s unfortunate, noseless face pressed close. The raspy breathing was louder now, joined by the foulness of her breath.
“Rory,” Jennifer repeated. “Take me for Rory.”
The words seemed to annoy the witch, and she growled. Jennifer flinched, but Jenny didn’t touch her again. She merely stood and continued back to the bog.
Jim barked in excitement and ran past her. Jennifer pushed up, trying to grab the puppy but missed it. He pranced after Jenny. The bog witch ignored the dog.
“Rory?” Jennifer called a little louder. She couldn’t see him. He wouldn’t have left her behind. There was only one place he could be.
Jennifer crawled after Jenny.
Jenny flung her arms, grumbling and growling as she clawed her way into the earth. Suddenly, she thrust her hand inside the small hole she’d made and turned. With one hand, she dragged Rory from the bog toward Jennifer. Her hunched body didn’t appear to labor under the task. Once he was free from the hole, Jenny dropped him on the ground near Jennifer.
“Rory?” Jennifer swiped the mud from his face, digging past his lips to remove it from his mouth.
For several very long seconds, his chest did not move. She didn’t want to breathe mud into his lungs but didn’t know what else to do. She pressed her mouth to his and prepared to force air into him.
Rory’s hand pressed into her face, stopping her. She looked down to see his handsome eyes gazing up at her. She exhaled sharply in relief.
“Rory,” she whispered. “Oh, thank goodness.”
She glanced up to see Jenny standing in the disrupted soil. Her body was slowly sinking into the earth.
“Thank you,” Jennifer said, too weak to stand and unwilling to leave Rory’s side.
Jenny’s answer was anything but pleasant. The bog witch opened her mouth wide and let out a horrible screech.
“Jennifer?” Rory’s voice came on a pant.
Jennifer kept her hand on his chest to feel him breathing but watched Jenny as she disappeared into the ground.
“How?” Rory asked, his hand slipping over hers on his chest.
“She let us go,” Jennifer said, finally looking at him. “We weren’t worthy of her garden.”
“I don’t know what that means and don’t care.” Rory cupped her face. “I thought I lost ya, love. I thought…”
His words choked a little, and tears entered his eyes.
“I thought you lost me too there for a moment.” Jennifer couldn’t keep herself upright and dropped down next to him. She rested on her side as he still held her hand to his chest over the comforting beat of his heart. “But it’s over now. She’s gone.”
Rory’s brow furrowed as he rolled onto his stomach. Her hand slid off him. He pulled himself to his feet and stumbled toward the bog. Cautiously, he stepped forward, tapping his toe until he crossed the now-dried path.
“I don’t think she’s coming back.” Jennifer watched him from her place on the ground. Her eyes stung with small granules of dirt, and she had to close them.
“I don’t understand. Why did Jenny let us go?” Rory came back to her. She felt more than saw him.
“Has your magick returned? Can you conjure some water so I can clean out my eyes?” Jennifer asked.
“I can do one better.” Rory ran her hand over her face. Energy tingled her flesh as he used his magick. The mud flaked away from her skin, clearing her eyes and nose. The taste of peat disappeared from her mouth.
“Oh, thank you,” she said.
Rory hooked his arm under her armpit and helped her to her feet.
She chuckled in relief. “I was afraid I was going to have to kiss you with the worst case of morning peat breath in history.”
Rory did the same to his face, cleaning the mud from it with magick. “I’d do more, but I’m afraid my magick is drained.”
The mud still stuck to their hair and clothes, but Jennifer didn’t care. They were alive. They were breathing and…
“I love you,” Jennifer stated. “When Jim ran off, I was trying to tell you. I love you.”
“We need to buy that puppy a leash.” Rory kissed her gently before whispering, “Say it again.”
“I love you.” She smiled.
“Again.” He pressed his cheek to hers.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I will never tire of hearing that,” he said with a soft moan.
“I will never stop saying it,” she promised.
Rory glanced back to where Jenny had departed. “I should get ya back to the house.”
“I don’t think she’s planning to return. We’re not worthy of her garden,” Jennifer said.
“Ya mentioned that before, but what do ya mean garden?” Rory swooped his arm around Jim and carried him like a tiny football as he urged Jennifer to walk with him toward the mansion.
“The bog, you said it’s enchanted,” she explained.
“Aye.”
“I think it’s like purgatory or some kind of afterlife.” Jennifer hugged close to Rory, still chilly from their ordeal. The mud made her clothes heavy and uncomfortable. “When I was in there I understood. It showed me things.”
“What kinds of things?” Rory brought the wiggling puppy closer to his chest and held him. The animal’s fur became matted.
“I saw you. I saw a lot of you. It’s like I watched your life over the years like the bog was trying to decide if you deserved to be there if it could use you.”
“Use me for what?”
“Fuel for Jenny’s garden. She can’t keep you unless you earned your place. When you went after that woman, that selfless act saved you. But you’re magickal and strong, and Jenny wanted that for herself. She marked you with a curse so she could try again. It was my destiny to find you and bring you to judgment.”
“No, it was your destiny to find me, but not for judgment.” He kissed her gently. “It’s because you’re the other half of my heart.”
“And you’re mine,” she answered. Jennifer stopped walking and tried to catch her breath. “Sorry. I need a moment.”
“Take as long as ya need.” Even as he said it, he looked worried as he peered down the way they’d come.
“I felt Jenny’s rage when she couldn’t have you the first time. The blade would have transported your soul to her. When that didn’t work, she brought the bog to us. I saw your life, Rory. You’re a good man. Jenny saw that too. That’s why she couldn’t keep you.” Jennifer gave a small laugh. “I think it pissed her off, to be honest. If I’m not mistaken, she was pouting as she was pulling us from the sludge.”
She nudged his arm to prompt him to walk with her again.