Page 26 of Sophie's Ruin
A muscle ticked in the witch’s cheek as she clenched her jaw. Her hands balled into fists at her sides, the knuckles whitening.
I felt all color drain from my face. I knew that if Celeste and I went against each other, the witch would prevail, at least in magic. I could prevail with my vampire part, but I didn’t want to hurt her. So I tried to force my magic down. Surprisingly, it resisted, spiking back up as if unwilling to be tamed. Pushing harder, I managed to suppress it, dispersing it through my body until it was nothing more than a steady hum in my blood. It was no surprise I had prevailed. Magic might be fickle, but I was no stranger to suppressing my true nature. The faint current of my powers ran through my veins alongside the insidious thirst that could never be truly quenched and would accompany me until the end of my nights.
“I’m sorry,” I said, keeping my voice even as I looked at Celeste. “I didn’t mean to lash out. It’s just…I can’t wait to get Henry back and put an end to this.”
Celeste’s bright blue eyes softened just a fraction. My neck and back relaxed—the apology seemed to be enough to placate her. The witch was still on my side, and I needed to keep it thatway, if only for her to leave me be and not interfere with the progress I’d been making.
“You need to be smart about this,” Celeste said calmly, uncurling her fists. “Magic is a powerful force. It is not something to be meddled with without proper motivation or preparation. You are just starting to come into your power. You need to take it slow. I know the timing is not ideal, but don’t rush it. Trust me on this.”
Trust her…Henry was placing his trust in me to rescue him…or perhaps he wasn’t. Perhaps he expected me to use the Tear to end vampires once and for all. He carried this weight—this guilt—with him, trying to atone for the mistakes in his past. And wouldn’t that be the ultimate act of atonement? To rid this world of his kind so humans had nothing to fear.
He probably wanted me to use the amulet to obliterate the vampires, leaving only humans and White Witches. I knew him better than to think he wished for death, but I could see him resigning himself to that fate. All for the greater good of humanity. Well, if he had, then he would be disappointed in me because I was no longer the selfless martyr. Perhaps that part of me had died when I’d turned. Henry had pulled me out of bloodlust, but maybe that part of me had remained behind, claimed by the never-ending darkness. Henry might be disappointed in me, but at least he would be alive. He deserved to be. Even if he didn’t always believe it himself.
“I understand,” I finally acknowledged Celeste’s warning.
I didn’t say I would heed it, and the witch eyed me warily as if not trusting I’d truly heard her words of caution. She opened her mouth to say something else, but I interjected, changing the subject.
“How did you find me?” I asked, shaking the remnants of my magic from my arms.
My fingertips tingled as if the power begged to be expelled and unleashed, but I ignored the feeling, opening and closing my fists until I didn’t feel the needling sensation anymore.
“The hex bag I gave you. It also has a tracking spell on it,” the witch replied.
My brows knitted. I didn’t like being tracked, but I knew better than to voice my displeasure aloud. Celeste had probably put a tracking spell on it in case something happened to me when I ventured into the Black Forest on my own.
“I’m going into the village. You should come with me. Amelie was asking about you,” Celeste said.
I stifled a sigh. I didn’t want to go into the village. I wanted to stay here and keep practicing my magic. But I doubted Celeste would let me out of her sight after the little demonstration she’d witnessed from me earlier. I just hoped I would still be able to practice by myself from now on without her hovering over my shoulder. I also hoped Celeste’s unexpected arrival hadn’t spooked Damien, deterring him from ever helping me again.
“Alright. I’ll go. Perhaps I could try using my magic to move through space like you do?” I asked, hopeful. Maybe Celeste wouldn’t have a problem with guiding me through it.
“We call it glimmering, and it requires much practice and energy. Again, don’t get ahead of yourself,” the witch said sternly.
I clenched my teeth to stop myself from muttering a curse at her stubbornness. Damien had said the magic in my blood was strong. Could she not sense it? I wished she would trust in my abilities.
I will advance quickly,I vowed to myself.The witch will regret underestimating me.
“I’ll run then,” I told her, wanting some time and space to clear my head.
To my surprise, Celeste didn’t offer to take me to the village with her, and I wondered if it was because my growing power was making her uneasy. The witch didn’t say anything else as she gave a curt nod and disappeared into thin air. The spot where she’d stood shimmered with soft, wavering light, and my head tilted to the side as I watched it dissipate. I supposed “glimmering” was more than a fitting term for that act of magic. If only Celeste had been willing to teach me how to glimmer… No matter, I would learn one way or another. In the meantime, I still had to rely on my supernatural speed.
My muscles tensed as I shifted my weight and leaned forward. A heartbeat later, I was flying through the dark forest, reveling in the freedom of the night. This was where I belonged—in the wilderness with other nocturnal creatures. My heart was full, but also empty, because Henry wasn’t by my side. I hoped I would dream about him when I went to sleep tonight. Maybe we would get to finish what we’d started in my dream the other night. It wouldn’t come close to the real thing, to the feeling of his body on mine, but it would still provide temporary release. My eyes pricked with tears as I suddenly felt sorry for myself because I was hoping for glimpses of Henry in my dreams. I would get him back soon—I had to, and nothing and no one would stand in my way.
14
The village was bustling with activity when I arrived, which took me by surprise. I’d thought the other night had been the exception because of the celebration, but seeing people milling around now, despite it being late evening, proved it was the norm. The crowded street was illuminated by dozens of lanterns sprinkled throughout the settlement, and various sounds and smells floated through the air.
My gaze glided over the throng of people, looking for Damien, but his tall, thin frame and blond head were nowhere to be seen. After a few seconds of not finding him, I decided to look for Celeste instead. The witch smelled like herbs and tea leaves to me, and my nostrils flared as I tried to pluck her scent from the others. After I’d identified it, I followed it to one of the cabins—the same one I’d come across the other night. Amelie had been sitting on these very steps, and judging by her floral scent that permeated the air on the porch, she hadn’t simply chosen this spot to be closer to the celebration; she lived here.
I knocked on the simple wooden door and waited, catching another familiar scent—Waylon was inside the house. Was he staying here? Two nights ago, when he’d left Celeste’s cottage, Ihadn’t followed him into the village, trusting Isabelle to keep an eye on him. I knew that one of the witches had agreed to take him in, but I didn’t know which one.
An older witch opened the door a few seconds later.
“You must be Sophie,” she said, beaming at me. “We have been expecting you. I’m Genevieve, Amelie’s mom. Please, come in. Join us for some tea.”
She stepped to the side and extended her arm in a welcoming gesture. I quickly took in her unbound, flaming-red hair and open, round face. Amelie was a spitting image of her mother, down to the copper freckles covering her nose and the apples of her cheeks. My heart squeezed as I lingered on the threshold, momentarily lost in thought about my own mother. Our resemblance had been uncanny as well, and based on what I’d been able to do by the creek earlier, it appeared I had not only inherited her looks but also her magical prowess.
“Sophie?” Genevieve asked, her soft voice gently pulling me from my thoughts.
