glistened. He just kept staring at his arm and shaking his head.
Constance smiled through the tears raining down her face. Hunter had one arm wrapped around his shoulders but I noticed his knuckles were white like he was holding on tight. Devon fanned her face and I related to that hardcore. I glanced around to the others.
Bettina was sobbing about a foot away. Jackson pulled her into his chest as he blinked away the tears in his eyes.
Tennessee was definitely being held up by Tegan. He was so pale he was almost the same shade as Tegan – who was pointedly looking away from Timothy like she was daring her eyes to cry. The two of them stumbled back a few steps.
Kessler glanced over his shoulder – then did a double take as his gaze landed on Tenn and Bettina. He cursed and walked over and put a hand on both Tennessee and Jackson.
Saffie hurried away from him.
“Saraphina?”
“I just want to check on Kenneth!” She jumped and her wings popped out. She pressed her lips to Riah’s cheek. “Hold the fort.”
“Aww, Taco. Come here.”
I looked up at the sound of Emersyn’s voice. She held her arms out toward Deacon.
He shook his head and turned away from Timothy and Em, waving his hands in the air. “Let a taco fall apart in peace, woman.”
Gigi sighed and shivered. “Too much feels.”
“Dis tew much, ma’am.” I cleared my throat and turned to Gigi. “Hella awkward, let’s give them some space?”
She nodded so we turned and hurried away from everyone.
I glanced over my shoulder but only Riah was watching us, and he only nodded. I almost laughed. I actually liked the dude now. Well, I had liked him before but then I thought he’d betrayed Saffie. So I liked him again. And the way he carried Olli around like a baby just told me everything I needed to know. Animals knew.
“Hey, Savannah?”
I looked up and realized we’d made it halfway back down the little cobblestone path. “Yeah?”
Gigi pursed her lips and twirled her hair as we walked. “When do you think we get to go home? And do you think they’ll portal us back, or what?”
“What? Go home?”
“Yes. Go home. To Salem, where we live.”
“I don’t wanna go home. I wanna stay.”
“Stay? Stay where?” She huffed and pushed her glasses up her nose. “With The Coven? Savannah, you’re not in The Coven. You have to be Marked by the Goddess with a Card number—"
“Are you mansplaining my own species to me right now?” I arched both eyebrows at her.
“No, I —" she sighed and shook her head. “I wasn’t meaning to, it’s just…I just…why do you want to stay when you’re not one of them?”
“Paulina isn’t one of them—"
“But she used to be!”
“Okay.” I nodded. “Bad example. But Lennox and Warner aren’t either and never have been.”
“Savannah.” She rolled her eyes.
“Would you quit saying my name like I’m an idiot.”
“Well you’re acting like an idiot.” She threw her hands up as we rounded the corner back into the courtyard. “Were you even listening to Lennox when she told us the story? She was roommates with Bettina. Warner is Jackson’s best friend since like a decade ago. Both of them were instrumental in the war with that Joseph guy. That’s why they get to stay. Friends with The Coven and helpful.”
I narrowed my eyes at her and tried to swallow down the anger raging inside of me. “Lennox and I were friends when I went to school here, so don’t come at me like I don’t understand what’s going on. Plus Saffie is our friend and she’s in The Coven. Also, I helped bring her and Riah back.”
“And what? You think they’re going to keep asking for your help?”
“Maybe!” I groaned. “What is your problem? What’s so hard to believe? More importantly, what’s so great about going back home?”
“Our lives? I’d like to get back to my life.”
I scoffed. “Doing what?”
“I don’t know…life.”
“I’m a witch, Gigi. I want to go back to magic school. Being with The Coven has made me realize just how badly I miss it.” I sighed and waved to a couple Crones passing by as we crossed the courtyard. “I want to enroll in Edenburg again, or at the very least the new school in New York.”
“New York?”
“Yes. The School of Magical Arts in Manhattan. It just opened in the fall – oh, excuse us, sorry!” I grimaced and guided Gigi around a group of Crones doing a ritual, then hurried