Page 93 of Hex You

Xena looked at Mercy. Her smile was a mother’s—tender and unconditionally loving. Then she returned her gaze to Hunter. “Freya bound me to your sister. I must go with her. Forgive me?”

Fresh tears flowed down Hunter’s face. Behind her, Emily was weeping in Jax’s arms. Hunter nodded, and drew in a long, shaky breath before she could speak. “I forgive you. I’m glad you’ll be with Mag. She’ll need you. It can’t be easy to die alone in a strange world.”

Xena put her hands on Hunter’s shoulders. “You will not die alone, not in this world or in any other, precious kitten.” As Xena continued to speak her voice was amplified with the power of her prophecy.“You will live a long life. You will keep your city and your people safe. You will find love and happiness—and you will also be gifted with a daughter, as well as a partner who will be by your side when you draw your last breath. And then you will join our precious Abigail, our loving Mercy, and me in the Summerlands where we will frolic together for an eternity. You will never be alone.”

“So mote it be,” whispered Mercy.

“So mote it be,” said Xena firmly. Then she turned to Mercy. “Shall we begin our next adventure, my kitten?”

“I’m ready,” said Mercy. “Help me?”

“For eternity,” said her faithful familiar. She faced Hunter again. “I shall leave this with you, kitten. I know Abigail would approve.” With a practiced flourish, Xena took off the well-worn bathrobe and handed it to Hunter, who clutched it like a lifeline.

Then, naked except for a pair of pink, fluffy slippers, Xena took Mercy’s arm and together they walked through the portal.

On the other side of the opal disc, Mercy paused and turned. Hunter was there—just on the other side of the portal. Through the glowing gate, she spoke to her twin—her other half. “We’ll never really be apart. We can’t be. I promise I’ll find my way to you in the Summerlands, just take your time getting there. Goode guarantee!” Mercy lifted her already graying hand and held it up to the portal.

Through tears, Hunter smiled and lifted her hand. She pressed it through the portal so that she could hook her sister’s pinky finger with her own. Pinkies still entwined, the twins tapped their knucklestogether before their hands separated, fingers fluttering like birds as they spoke together one last time. “Sisters of Salem!”

Then Mercy, with a magnificent Maine coon padding beside her, strode to Khenti to face the jackals—and the goddess who had just materialized, white horns glistening, dark eyes compassionate and wise.

“Speak, Khenti Amenti! Your goddess shall hear your petition!”

The opal disc faded and was once more simply the bark of a cluster of ailing doum palms.

THIRTY-EIGHT

Hunter was empty. She’d lost the most important part of herself. Her heart had walked out of this realm and into another. She would never be whole.

I’m still here. I’m alive.

“And Mercy’s gone.”

Hunter didn’t know who had spoken, didn’t know who was crying. She only heard sobs as soft and hushed as footfalls on snow and felt the pain of loss, the ache of loneliness, and—

She smoothed her fingers over her talisman, sucking in a breath as it scorched her fingertips.

Ouch!Hunter’s lips moved, but no sound emerged. Time had stopped. The world had stopped. A tear glistened on Emily’s cheek, frozen halfway between her eye and her chin.

“Do you want to leave this place and live a new life?”A voice like silk drifted between her ears.

Her pendant glowed bright against her skin, casting light against the doum palm that was the same silvery white as the full moon. “Tyr?”

“Hunter?”

Her breath caught in her chest. Tyr had never spoken to her before. Not directly. Not with words. She’d only known he was there through the heat of her talisman and the pinpricks of energy that hummed against her fingers whenever she cast spells. She’d felt his absence, too. A hollow pit had formed in her stomach when she’d forsaken him. Over time, it had filled with lead, pulling her toward despair, pulling her closer to Amphitrite. But Hunter had made the decision to seek love over power, and her god had returned to her.

She was the first Goode witch to choose a god over a goddess. She was the first Goode witch to do a lot of things. She could leave, even now. She could start over and be free…

Hunter’s ponytail brushed her shoulder blades as she shook her head. “I have to stay.”

“But what do you desire?”

“I want to make my mom proud, and my sister, and my friends. They would want me to stay,” she said, her gaze sweeping over Emily and Jax. “I survived. I won. I’m still here and that means something. Goodeville may not be one hundred percent great one hundred percent of the time, but it’s my home. A Goode witch belongs here.Ibelong here. I’m not leaving.”

“You always follow your heart.”

“My heart left.” Hunter swallowed.