Page 67 of Cry of the Damned
″Thank you for everything,” I said, holding onto the straps of my backpack.
″We’ve told ya plenty of times. You ain’t gotta thank us,” Owen said.
George, who had an arm across his wife’s back, pulled her closer. “What Owen said.”
″I think it is us who have to thank you,” Ahanu said. The witch considered going with us for a brief minute, then decided she’d been away too long to give up what she had in Lux City. I detected a measure of sadness in her. Even if we’d destroyed the Academy, her coven was still gone. And I imagined going back would be too painful for her.
″I agree with Ahanu. Thankyou!” Rob said.
He was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, standing next to Heather. I still wasn’t used to seeing him out of his uniform, but he looked happy. George and Heather had offered him their spared bedroom. They had signed him up to the local high school, where he would attend the same grade as his girlfriend, Zoe. I could tell how pleased George and Heather were with the arrangement. They didn’t have children, and they were embracing Rob as a son. They’d even taken him to the dentist to get his missing front tooth replaced. I couldn’t be happier for him, even if it made me ache for what I’d lost.
″Come and visit sometime?” Rob said.
″I’d like that.”
″We would too,” Heather said. “I’ll make sure to have plenty of pistachio pastries for all of you.”
″Now, that sounds like the perfect reason to hang out with some city rats,” Maki said.
Ila elbowed him in the ribs.
″Ow, I was just joking.”
Kall interlaced his fingers with mine. “Ready?”
I nodded, and we turned and started following the trail into the woods. As we went, we glanced behind us a few times until the sight of our friends disappeared.
Ahead of us, Maki pulled on Ila’s hair, eliciting a cry. She ran after him, winding through the trees, trying to catch him.
I smiled and couldn’t help but glance in Bethel and Novuk’s direction. She was walking ahead of him, while he watched her go with sad blue eyes. We didn’t know what he and Bethel had talked about—they hadn’t told anyone—but I could only guess it wasn’t the news Novuk wanted to hear.
Novuk suddenly glanced down. I followed his gaze and saw Nirliq taking one of his big hands, her big eyes blinking up at him. A silent communication passed between them, then Novuk smiled, picked her up, and swung her over his shoulders.
Kall and I exchanged a smile.
″Her mind may not remember,” Kall said, “but her heart does.”
On the second day of trekking through the woods, we reached a distinctive rock that looked like a giant moose. There, Bethel stopped and performed a spell that I now knew would alert packs and covens of our passage. We waited there for a couple of hours, and when no one came, we continued on.
The next day, an hour after we ate a morning snack of fruit and nuts, we found the path blocked by three dark figures, and we knew Bethel’s message had been received.
Priestess Nanai peeled away from the shadows that obstructed the trail. Where I expected to see relief and happiness in her expression, there was only sternness.
″Mother,” Bethel greeted, her voice trembling, her expression downcast.
The Priestess’ old eyes scanned the group, marking those who hadn’t been with us when we left.
″We fulfilled the prophecy. We destroyed the Academy and freed the children,” Bethel said, her words slow but gaining confidence as she uttered them one by one. In the end, her eyes met her mother’s and held, unwavering.
Priestess Nanai said nothing, but her expression softened slightly. Without a word, she turned and walked away. Exchanging confused glances, we followed her. After a twenty-minute walk, we came upon an open field pitched with many tents. People milled about and a group sparred off to the side, though we couldn’t hear them since the camp was likely protected by a spell. Judging by their proximity to the Academy, I had to assume they’d been on their way to fight.
As we crossed an invisible barrier, the sounds finally reached our ears. I sensed the relief that ran through Kall, Maki, and Novuk over our tetrad bond.
″Bethel,” Nanai said, “come with me. You,” she glanced at us, “wait here.”
We watched Bethel walk away with her mother. As she went, she threw backward glances in Novuk’s direction.
″It’s okay, guys,” I told the children, who seemed terrified by the less than warm welcome by someone who was clearly a witch and they’d been told to mistrust.
