Page 86 of Magic Touch
Mother sits, and Esme takes her hand.
My heart is so full, it's hard to concentrate.
The room rumbles with comments both for and against what Mother has said. Some agree that I'm a hero, but that magic will corrupt me. Power will poison my mind and heart. Other's rally behind Mother's words.
"Enough!" Sara Beth yells. "We will let Goddess decide."
Sara Beth, Sylvia, and Minerva stand. They walk forward and surround me.
Magic cracks in the air, and the hair on my skin stands up.
This is it. I've given my word and will stand by whatever their goddess says. My heart may beat out of my chest before that happens, but I keep my shoulders back and face Esme.
No matter what happens, I know she will hold true.
Chapter
Twenty-Two
ESME
Helpless is what I am, watching three powerful witches surround the man I love. I hold Theodora's hand in mine, and we're both trembling. I want to give her comfort, but I'm as terrified as she is.
Gods and goddesses can be fickle.
I push aside my fears and let my heart open to Goddess.
Sara Beth lifts a hand, and a silver cord slips around William, holding him in place. "I bind you for this ceremony as is the tradition. You shall not strike out while our magic opens to greater power."
My heart is pounding so hard I struggle to draw breath.
Sara Beth begins the chant, and Minerva and Sylvia join in. "Goddess mine, your will divine. This man to judge in light or bind. We seek wisdom and beseech thee your advice."
The walls shake. Trina's screams carry from the room above, and light fills the coven house.
I'm tempted to shade my eyes, but I keep them focused on William. I wish he'd not shut me out. I want to reassure him that my love for him is true and constant. But my words are not necessary, because his love for me shines in his eyes and warms me.
The air bubbles with magic.
Then silence deadens the room. Not even the fire in the hearth crackles. No sound comes from the street, and Trina's terror is squashed by the nothingness.
The light fades, and in the circle facing William, stands Goddess. She is both ethereal and solid at once. Her sheer white gown billows in a breeze we don't feel. Her body is curved perfection without a care for modesty. "William Meriwether, you have done well."
Eyes wide, William remains silent.
Goddess smiles at him, and I feel a twinge of jealousy. She turns toward me. "He will never betray you, Esme O'Dwyer. Not even for power such as mine. He would, as his mother said, die to keep any one of you safe."
She turns back to William. "Such loyalty do you command and give in return."
Her gaze turns to the men standing at the door. "Not of magic, yet still so light of heart and open of mind. I shall revisit the minds of men, as they may have grown since last I looked."
Without actually moving, she faces Sara Beth. "Good child, you must follow your own path. Stuck in the ruts made by your mother will only do you harm. This man will be your savior if you let him. Darkness comes sooner than you think. Leave him bound, and you will pay the price in blood."
Sara Beth swallows hard. "Is my goddess telling me that a man should be allowed to join this coven?"
Her shoulders lift and fall like the gentle waves of a pond. "I am not to interfere in the mortal world. I gift you magic and offer counsel with laws to keep you safe. Magic is neither good nor evil. Mortals decide how to use their gifts. Do you think his heart is dark?"
On a shaking breath, Sara Beth says, "His heart is in the light."
