“I love you,” I whispered. I wasn’t falling. I had fallen.
As we moved so I was on my side with her facing me, she curled into my body, her eyes closed but a small, beautiful smile on her face.
And we slept.
Chapter Twenty-One
Sage
My heart ached, and it felt like somebody was stabbing me from the inside. It didn’t make any sense. I had left one sense of loss and darkness, and once again, I stood staring at that abyss. At what I couldn’t change. My Aunt Penelope was gone, and there was no coming back from that. And I wasn’t even sure how I’d gotten here in the first place. Rome slid his hand over mine and squeezed it as we stood near my aunt’s grave. Rowen stood at the head of the casket, her hair blowing in the wind, though it was just of her making—her magic. Laurel stood on the other side of me, still as a stone. She had been closer to my aunt than even I was.
I reached out and gripped her hand. She was icy-cold, which was odd for a woman full of fire. I squeezed, and she clamped down on my hand so painfully, I knew I might have bruises later. But I didn’t care. She needed me, just as I needed her. Trace, Jaxton, and Ash stood on the other side, three stone pillars of strength and confusion. There were others from the town there. Customers who came in to help at the bakery and wanted to meet me. People who had known my aunt for years and wanted to be part of this final goodbye. They all knew who had taken her. They knew who had killed her. They all understood that we would have vengeance. However, it was difficult for me to realize that I couldn’t fix anything.
“Our Penelope was one of our founders,” Rowen began. I looked up at the woman who was my coven sister, my teacher. Someone breaking inside just like me. “She fought for her family, for this town. She was a founder of more than the hope that drives us. She was of the blood that brought us together, that has protected us for so long. She might not have had the magic to work the spells, but it was her hope and tenacity that protected us all. She will be missed. She was a light in the darkness. A beacon of steadfast loyalty and hope. She is gone, but she will never be forgotten.” Rowen looked at all of us, and then at the town, before staring back at me, her eyes fierce, that wind in her hair picking up. “She might be gone, but we will find who took her from us. She was of hope, but we will be vengeance. We will not let her die in vain. We will not let her go to ash, to the soil, without knowing that we will fight for her. We will continue fighting for her and for ourselves. Our Penelope is gone, but not the hope she brought. Not the protection she sought.”
“In this time of darkness, bring us back to light. Ease the sorrow and burden on these next harrowing nights. Penelope’s time here is done, for with life is given death. Keep with us the memories; Goddess, please alleviate the rest. For only She is eternal, even the sun must disappear. Gone from body but never from heart, our sister is always near.”
Magic churned within me, and I let out a breath as Rome, Trace, Jaxton, and Ash slowly began lowering Penelope into the ground. Rowen had her hands up, and I knew she was using air to buffer the casket.
We would bury my aunt whole so she would be of earth, and she would be ours. I had come to Ravenwood from loss, and yet here I was, surrounded by loss again. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with that.
Others from the town came to me to express their sorrow. They held my hand, and they hugged me. I could see the sincerity in each of them. I could also see the fear. One of theirs had been taken, and who would be next? If we didn’t stop Faith, my aunt would only be the first we lost. The townsfolk were scared. I would do my best to be strong for them. Somehow.
Rowen stood after the others had left, and only our small group remained. “Come with me to the magic shop. We can eat, speak, and then we will meet with the rest of the town for the wake.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to go take a nap or something?” Rome asked, and I frowned up at him.
“Do you think me so weak that I need to sleep right now?” I asked before I shook my head. “Sorry, I’m tired, but I need to do something. We need to do something.”
I met Rowen’s gaze, and she gave me a tight nod. “That’s what we will discuss. Before we meet the others and grieve with our town, with our people, we will decide what we must do.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” Trace held out his hand for Laurel. “Come on. I’ll walk you.”
“I can walk myself,” she said, but she still took his hand. She squeezed it slightly, and I saw the grin play on her lips. He was trying to make her smile, trying to make her laugh or feel at least some joy, and I was grateful for that. Jaxton followed them, whispering something to Laurel that made her smile, as well. Ash followed his sister after giving Rowen a long look. Rowen didn’t walk with him, instead falling into step with Rome and me. The three of us followed the group towards the magic shop.
As soon as we stepped into the building, I inhaled the sweet scents of herbs and magic. It warmed me, settled into my skin as it soothed me. I wasn’t sure how we would protect our town and those we loved, especially after losing my aunt. But I knew we needed to try.
“I know we’re here to protect the town, but first, there’s something else we must do,” Rowen said as she cleared her throat.
I looked up at her. “What do you mean?”
“There’s someone we need to say goodbye to.”
I froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I turned, and I knew that shape, that soft smile. She was but a shade, but not the same that Faith could raise. I knew this woman. I knew this spirit.
“Aunt Penelope,” I whispered.
Laurel sucked in a shocked breath and held out her hand. “No, you can’t be here. They will use her.” She rolled on Rowen. “What have you done?”
Rowen shook her head. “It wasn’t me.” A single tear fell. “It wasn’t me.”
“It was none of you, my children,” Aunt Penelope said, her voice sounding faraway, distant. “I lingered just for a moment because I wanted to make sure you knew what must be done. I love you all. You were all strong, together. Remember that. Know you must be together. I love you. Stand strong and fight. Remember who you are. Where you come from. And know that you always have one another.” She faced me as tears fell freely down my cheeks now. “I love you, daughter of my heart. I love you so much.”
Pain shattered me, and if it weren’t for my bond with Rome, I’d likely be on the floor without strength. “I love you so much. How are you here?”
“As I said, I lingered. Now, I must go.” She looked at Rowen. “I need to go before they find me.”
Chills spread over me. “Could Faith use her? Her spirit?”
“Maybe not Faith, but the one she calls Oriel,” Rowen answered, wrath in her tone. “We need to be careful. There’s something I could say to send her away.” She turned to my aunt. “This means you can’t come back. Ever. The necromancer cannot get you.”
Penelope nodded. “I understand. I only lingered because of the magic here. I do not want to stay. It’s not my place any longer. It’s yours. I love you all. Fight. Remember who you are.”