Page 51 of Sorcia's Heart
Marcus stepped forward, his presence commanding.“I’ll take care of the restructuring,” he said.With a wave of his hand, the ground began to shift and smooth, filling the holes left by the toxic waste removal.The soil seemed to sift itself, spreading evenly over the area.
“How many trees do you need planted?”Marcus asked, his tone practical.
Hortense placed a hand over her heart, visibly moved.“Hazelton promised me the money to buy over a thousand saplings.”
Marcus glanced at Sorcia, seeking her approval.She nodded, her expression resolute.Turning to the gathered witches, Marcus addressed them, his voice carrying authority.
“Will each of you help Hortense by planting a dozen or so saplings?Wherever you see an open area, plant one or two trees, spaced far enough apart to give them room to grow.”
The witches murmured their agreement, their heads nodding as they began to organize themselves.The air buzzed with quiet determination as they prepared to heal the damaged forest.
Hortense blinked rapidly, her glowing green eyes glistening with unshed tears.“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.“I didn’t think…I didn’t think anyone would help.”
Sorcia placed a hand on her shoulder, her tone soft but firm.“This forest is as much a part of the world as we are.We protect what’s worth saving, Hortense.Remember that.”
All of the witches eagerly nodded their agreement.A few murmured about wanting a harsher punishment for Hortense, but with Marcus’ firm command and the urgent need to move forward, they flew off in pairs to fulfill his request.
Sorcia walked over to Marcus.She didn’t touch him, though she wanted to.She’d been thinking about what he’d said earlier today.Or yesterday?She wasn’t sure what time it was now.Still, she needed to resolve one problem at a time.
“Thank you,” Hortense whispered, her voice trembling.Her chin quivered as she struggled to contain the overwhelming emotions surging within her.“Thank you so much.”
Sorcia shook her head, her tone unyielding.“You’re not getting off that easily.We still need to find Hazelton.He’s a menace that needs to be stopped.If we don’t find him quickly, he’ll find someone else to partner with, and my coven will remain at risk.”
Hortense bowed slightly, her neon eyes filled with determination.“You saved my forest.I’ll do anything to help you.”
“Good,” Sorcia replied sharply.“Then tell us where you last saw the demon.”
Marcus stepped closer, his steady presence grounding Sorcia amidst the swirling emotions threatening to overwhelm her.She felt the subtle heat radiating from him, his strength a reassuring anchor.Her breath hitched for a moment, and without looking, she knew his eyes were on her.It wasn’t just concern—it was something deeper, something unspoken yet unmistakable.
Sorcia kept her gaze fixed on Hortense, her focus unyielding as she searched for any hint of deceit.But she couldn’t ignore the heightened awareness of Marcus beside her.His energy wrapped around her like a protective shield, steadying her resolve.She didn’t need to look at him to know he was ready, not just to act but to stand with her against whatever came next.
“I can do that,” Hortense said quickly.Her eyes darted to Jace, then to Viktor, who was standing stoically nearby.She blushed furiously before cringing under Viktor’s intense, intimidating stare.“Will he follow us?”she asked nervously.
“Yep,” Sorcia replied without hesitation.
The elf nodded, visibly unhappy about Viktor’s involvement.Sorcia knew Hortense had no idea that Viktor and his clan didn’t feed on elves.Vampires preferred humans, though why that was, Sorcia had never asked.Still, she wasn’t about to soothe the elf’s fears after what she’d done to Bethany.
“Let’s go, then,” Sorcia commanded, her voice brooking no argument.“Hortense, you’re coming with me.I’m not letting you out of my sight until we find this bastard who’s trying to torture my witches.”
“I got her,” Marcus interjected.Without warning, he stepped behind Hortense, lifted her effortlessly under her arms, and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
“What are you—put me down!”Hortense shrieked, flailing her legs and pounding her fists against Marcus’ back.But her protests turned to screams of terror as Marcus launched into the air, soaring high above the forest canopy and heading straight for Baltimore.
Sorcia couldn’t help but laugh, covering her mouth to stifle the sound.She turned to the Jace and Viktor, her expression serious once more.“Thank you,” she said sincerely.“Your help is truly appreciated.”
“Go!”Viktor ordered firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.“Marcus shouldn’t be separated from you.”
Sorcia grinned, her tension easing slightly at his protectiveness.She floated into the air, waving once at the shifter and vampire below.Then, with a burst of speed, she shot forward, flying fast to catch up with Marcus and the still-screaming Hortense.
Chapter 29
Hazeltonstompedthroughthepuddles left behind by the rainstorm, each splash a punctuation mark to his fury.He couldn’t believe it—there wasn’t even a whisper of a witch’s presence anywhere in the city!For hours, he’d been prowling the streets, reaching out with his senses, but the telltale ripple of magical energy he’d been relying on was completely absent.The witches seemed to have vanished into thin air, and it infuriated him.
“What the hell is going on?”he growled, kicking at a discarded can that clattered noisily against a wall.
And then there was Hortense.Or, more accurately, the absence of Hortense.The elf had been a thorn in his side, constantly nagging him about her precious trees and demanding more money.Hazelton grimaced at the thought of heading back to the forest to deal with her.He could re-absorb some of that witch’s power while he was at it—her energy had been tantalizingly potent, even if it wasn’t as strong as Sorcia’s.And maybe he’d zap Hortense for good measure.Pain had a way of motivating people, and the green bitch needed a reminder of who was in charge.
But then, of course, there was the debt.Hazelton ground his teeth as he remembered the deal.Trees.She wanted more trees.What kind of idiotic demand was that?She lived in the damn woods!Couldn’t she just plant acorns or whatever elves did?They were supposed to be nature’s guardians, weren’t they?Couldn’t the forest just sprout more trees on its own?
