Page 71 of Witch Unbound
I wasn’t a fan of riddles and run-arounds, and time was wasting. “Look, we came here to save her. Can you do that or not?”
She dragged her gaze from Lauris and fixed it on me. “My name is Minerva, and yes, I may be able to help.”
“May be? No one said may be.”
Lauris’s brows snapped down. “Your pixie said Bramble could be saved. We came here because of that promise.”
“Bixie told you the truth. Bramblecanbe saved, if shechoosesto be.”
“Why wouldn’t she choose it?” Rune asked.
Minerva looked sad. “The fae afterlife is home. It’s a fae’s favorite memory, safety and security. Not many would leave it willingly.” She slid a glance my way. “It would take someone with great mental fortitude to separate the living reality from the dreaming of death.”
I lifted my chin. “Bramble can do it.”
She smiled. “You believe in her.”
“With all my heart.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Please…bring her back.”
Minerva moved toward Bramble and the many lights vibrated against each other in excitement.
“It is time.” Minerva spoke to the lights. “Are you ready?”
The cloud glowed bright as if in affirmation.
Minerva bowed her head. “Your sacrifice will be cherished.”
The cloud fell over Bramble and the lights sank into her. For a moment nothing happened, and then her body began to glow so bright that light shone through her clothes. The wounds at her wrists and on her face began to weep, crimson and then…silver?
Her blood was silver.
* * *
BRAMBLE
The world is filled with light and beautiful scents. I run through the long grass, trailing the tips of my fingers across the prickly blades. My heart swells with happiness. I’m almost at the oak. Today I’ll swing so high maybe I’ll touch the sky and then there’ll be blueberry pie.
There’s always blueberry pie.
The oak comes into view, the wooden swing tied to it with thick, sturdy rope wrapped in vines. I skip toward it and hop on.
I’ll stay here forever. Forever and ever and—
A cloud of tiny lights like fireflies appear in front of me and a strange foreboding kicks to life in my belly.
They’re pretty but they’re dangerous. They want to hurt me. They want to spoil this moment.
“Go away.” I shoo them with my hand. They disperse for a moment but then come back, moving closer, trying to kiss my face. “No. No, go away, I don’t want you. I don’t want to go back.”
Back?
Wait.
What is back?
A strange feeling settles on my mind. Where is this place? Where am I? Something tugs at my mind, a memory of a place, of a moment filled with pain.
I shut it down.
