Page 58 of Curses and Cauldrons

I retch, wishing with a perverse desire that I would puke all over her ornate rug. My magic pulses in my chest, sputtering in and out, searching for a way to help me. I pray to the triad, to the Maiden, Mother, and Crone to give me the strength to get through this.

“You bitch.” My mother’s words cut through the pain, but then her freezing hand squeezes tighter. Those are the last words I hear before I black out.

“Jo?”A soft, sad voice reaches me through the darkness. “Jo, please wake up.” There’s a sniffle and a hiccup. “I don’t know what to do. You’re the one who always tells me what to do. Please, Jo.”

I crack open one eye. My sister Penelope’s head is on the floor next to mine. She’s lying on her side, her hands resting under her cheek like a little angel. Tears flow over her nose and down her temple.

“Pen,” I croak.

Penelope jackknifes up. “Jo? Oh, thank God you’re okay. Are you okay? What do you need me to do? How can I help?”

My poor little sister is panicking, her words spilling out in a tumble of breathless gasps.

“Can you get my phone? It should be on the desk.”

Pen hops up and is back on the ground, lying beside me before I can blink. “Who should I call?”

“Call Roman.” I don’t know what he’ll do. Is he going to break into my parents’ house and carry me out of here like a damsel?

Penelope unlocks my phone and finds the entry for R. She pressescallwith shaking fingers. Once again, one of my people is calling Roman out of the blue. It’s quiet enough in the library that I hear Roman’s voice when he answers.

“Jo, did you make it out alive?” He sounds so happy. To hear from me? Or did he have a good night? I know he was dreading Thanksgiving with his family, but maybe things weren’t as bad as he’d imagined.

“Um.” Pen’s voice wobbles. “Mr. Blackthorn? This is Pen, Penelope, Jo’s little sister. She needs your help.” Tears pour down Penelope’s face, and her voice waivers, but I’m so proud of her. She’s keeping herself together.

“Pen,” Roman’s deep, commanding voice is calm and soothing. “Are you both okay? Is Jo okay?”

“She’s… They hurt her, but she’s awake. I’m fine, I just… I can’t touch her without causing her pain, and she needs to get out of here. I don’t know what to do.” Pen sobs, and my heart aches. I may despise what my mother does to me and the pain she causes, but I hate her all the more for putting Penelope in this situation.

I have never wanted to hug my sister so badly. To tell her it’ll be okay, that I’ll be alright. I don’t even know if that’s true, but I want it to be. I want her to feel safe and loved. All the things she doesn’t get from our family. The things that every child deserves. The things that I deserved but never got. Instead, I can only layhere and force her to handle something a kid shouldn’t have to deal with.

“I’ll be there in less than ten minutes.”

“Mr. Roman, sir, we still have a house full of people, including council members and the head of our coven.”

“It’s okay. I’ll get her out of there, and you too.”

30

ROMAN

“Call Ambrose and Odie.” Bram and I barely have my parents’ house in our rear-view mirror. I have Josephine’s little sister on mute so she doesn’t hear the growled command to my brother. Fear drags a cold finger down my spine. How many more times can Josephine go through this?

“Pen, I’m going to stay on the phone with you until we get there. I may not be talking, but I’m here. If you need anything, just say it. Or if you want to talk, we can do that too. Josephine said you’re pretty good at art in school. Do you wanna tell me about that?”

“Not really.” Penelope sounds annoyed at the question.

I chuckle. “How about Jeremiah Fairfax? I heard he’s being a little asshole.”

“Jo,” Penelope whispers on the other end of the phone. “You told him about that?”

Next to me, Bram softly speaks with Ambrose. He’s heard the entire conversation and knows exactly where we’re headed.He hangs up his phone and nods at me, quietly whispering that Ambrose is going to get Odie. They’ll meet us there.

Bram parks a few homes down from the Delvaux house. There’s a screech of tires, and Ambrose whips around the corner. He parks like he’s in a fucking heist movie. I suppose we’re about to perform a breakout of some sort, so it fits. Bram and I get out of the car, and the wind immediately lashes my exposed skin. I turn up the collar of my coat and shove my hands in my pockets. When it’s this cold out, I have to be careful. My fingers could be purple, and I won’t know until I look at them.

Odie, Bram, Ambrose, and I stand on the corner in a huddled group.

“Bram didn't say much on the phone.” Ambrose rubs his hands together, blowing on them like that’s going to keep them warm in this frigid temperature. He must’ve already left his parents earlier because he’s in a hooded sweatshirt and jeans. I know that would not be acceptable attire at a Roth event.

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