oath and binding spell at once, I escaped back to my family.
My parents pleaded with the council that I was innocent and should not be expelled. But they along with the rest of my family died before the case even had time to go to trial. And my powers as a witch vanished.
After that, I was beaten, labeled a heretic, and thrown out of The Sanctuary once again. I had no choice but to return to Rhys. I didn’t think I could survive on my own in the wilderness at such a young age, especially not without magic. I’d never left The Sanctuary all my life until the day I first left with Rhys.
But over the years I spent with Rhys, his aunt, and the others who left with us, I realized that going out on my own, even without magic, was a far more attractive option. I was a slave to a cause I didn’t believe in. A foolish decision I’d made as a child, I was now suffering the consequences for as an adult.
I understood my curse by then. Everybody I loved was already dead. I had nothing left to lose. So I made the decision to leave and never get close to anyone. That way, I could have my freedom without anybody getting hurt.
What could go wrong?
----
R hys , Isolde and Efren gathered around my bed the following morning.
“It’s time,” Rhys said.
I wrapped myself in the black cloak he handed me and followed them out of the room.
We entered the large chamber with the red door and I took a seat around the circular table next to Rhys.
“We should begin with Mona stating her oath,” Isolde said sternly. She walked over to the cupboard and withdrew a heavy leather book—the Ancients’ Scrolls—and brought it back to the table. “And before we begin this, remember, each time you run away, the oath you take next time will be stronger, and come with more consequences should it ever be broken. This is your third time now taking this oath. Should Rhys see that you have broken it again, he will have no choice but to abide by the rules and kill you himself.”
Rhys glanced my way, looking uncomfortable.
I knew that he wouldn’t want to kill me. But Rhys didn’t ever act according to personal desire. He only acted according to the rules set down by the Ancients. As was the way of every other witch in this coven.
“I understand,” I croaked.
“Then begin your oath,” Efren muttered. “You should know it well enough by now.”
I placed both of my palms flat over the scrolls Isolde had placed in front of me and chanted the ancient syllables that would bind me to live and die by the rules of the Ancients.
My throat became so dry, I was rasping by the time I got to saying the final words. My lips trembled as I withdrew my hands from the scrolls. Rhys took one of my hands in his while Isolde took the other and we all formed a circle—chanting the spell that would seal the oath.
I felt like I was sealing my own coffin.
Then silence fell on the room. After three minutes, Isolde and Efren got up and left the room. I remained sitting, my hands still shaking. Rhys reached for me and tilted my chin up to face him. I fought to avert my eyes away. I was scared that he would see the tears within them. And I hated to cry before him. I hated him to see me weak.
I returned to my room and stayed there the rest of the day, dreading the moment Rhys would return later on. Because I had no more excuse to live separately from him. Now that I’d been reinitiated, I was fit to share Rhys’ bed again.
Soon after midnight, the door to my room opened. He came in and planted a kiss on my bare shoulder before picking me up and carrying me to his room. As I lay in my nightgown, I felt him settle down beside me, sliding an arm around me and drawing my back closer against him.
“Do you ever think about how we used to be?” I whispered, my eyes glazing over at the memory of the carefree boy he once was. After all this time, I still kept that image of him etched in my memory. I supposed I did it because it helped me to be less afraid of him at
My parents pleaded with the council that I was innocent and should not be expelled. But they along with the rest of my family died before the case even had time to go to trial. And my powers as a witch vanished.
After that, I was beaten, labeled a heretic, and thrown out of The Sanctuary once again. I had no choice but to return to Rhys. I didn’t think I could survive on my own in the wilderness at such a young age, especially not without magic. I’d never left The Sanctuary all my life until the day I first left with Rhys.
But over the years I spent with Rhys, his aunt, and the others who left with us, I realized that going out on my own, even without magic, was a far more attractive option. I was a slave to a cause I didn’t believe in. A foolish decision I’d made as a child, I was now suffering the consequences for as an adult.
I understood my curse by then. Everybody I loved was already dead. I had nothing left to lose. So I made the decision to leave and never get close to anyone. That way, I could have my freedom without anybody getting hurt.
What could go wrong?
----
R hys , Isolde and Efren gathered around my bed the following morning.
“It’s time,” Rhys said.
I wrapped myself in the black cloak he handed me and followed them out of the room.
We entered the large chamber with the red door and I took a seat around the circular table next to Rhys.
“We should begin with Mona stating her oath,” Isolde said sternly. She walked over to the cupboard and withdrew a heavy leather book—the Ancients’ Scrolls—and brought it back to the table. “And before we begin this, remember, each time you run away, the oath you take next time will be stronger, and come with more consequences should it ever be broken. This is your third time now taking this oath. Should Rhys see that you have broken it again, he will have no choice but to abide by the rules and kill you himself.”
Rhys glanced my way, looking uncomfortable.
I knew that he wouldn’t want to kill me. But Rhys didn’t ever act according to personal desire. He only acted according to the rules set down by the Ancients. As was the way of every other witch in this coven.
“I understand,” I croaked.
“Then begin your oath,” Efren muttered. “You should know it well enough by now.”
I placed both of my palms flat over the scrolls Isolde had placed in front of me and chanted the ancient syllables that would bind me to live and die by the rules of the Ancients.
My throat became so dry, I was rasping by the time I got to saying the final words. My lips trembled as I withdrew my hands from the scrolls. Rhys took one of my hands in his while Isolde took the other and we all formed a circle—chanting the spell that would seal the oath.
I felt like I was sealing my own coffin.
Then silence fell on the room. After three minutes, Isolde and Efren got up and left the room. I remained sitting, my hands still shaking. Rhys reached for me and tilted my chin up to face him. I fought to avert my eyes away. I was scared that he would see the tears within them. And I hated to cry before him. I hated him to see me weak.
I returned to my room and stayed there the rest of the day, dreading the moment Rhys would return later on. Because I had no more excuse to live separately from him. Now that I’d been reinitiated, I was fit to share Rhys’ bed again.
Soon after midnight, the door to my room opened. He came in and planted a kiss on my bare shoulder before picking me up and carrying me to his room. As I lay in my nightgown, I felt him settle down beside me, sliding an arm around me and drawing my back closer against him.
“Do you ever think about how we used to be?” I whispered, my eyes glazing over at the memory of the carefree boy he once was. After all this time, I still kept that image of him etched in my memory. I supposed I did it because it helped me to be less afraid of him at
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