My jaw dropped. He was the Hermit Card so the line made sense, but I hadn’t expected this level of power and magic from it.
A cold gust of wind rushed through the trees that lined the Old Lands and slammed into us from the side. The golden beams curled and wrapped around Uncle Tim like a tornado of words.
Thunder roared over our heads and a golden spotlight shined down the circle. Haven’s big gold wings popped out of his back. The gold lines on his arm shined so bright it hurt to look at him. My fingers buzzed and tingled. I looked down and hissed. The gold bands on my fingers burned bright like Haven’s.
Two lightning bolts struck the ground on either side of Tegan and then burned across the grass to Uncle Tim. They jumped off the ground and slammed into his palms.
I ran over and dropped to my knees beside him. “Welcome back to The Coven!”
Haven leaned over us with a wide grin. “I might even let ya have leader back.”
Uncle Tim threw his head back and laughed. “Took me twelve years to get rid of that damned job. She’s all yours.”
“Uh, mates? We gonna talk about that sword?” Jackson pointed to it in Uncle Tim’s hand. “Is that normal for a Hermit?”
“I don’t think so,” Hunter said with a scowl.
Devon walked up to us and eyed it. “I don’t recall Kenneth having a special sword. He would have showed me back in school.”
“I was at his initiation,” Kessler said softly, his eyes distant. Then he shook himself. “I mean, I was little and I watched through the windows. Our dad was in The Coven, but I definitely don’t remember him getting a sword.”
Constance frowned. “He didn’t.”
Uncle Tim was staring at the sword in his grip like it was a ghost. “I don’t think any Hermit has been given a sword—”
“They haven’t,” Bentley said as he walked up to us. “This isn’t a Hermit sword, it’s a you sword.”
“Huh?”
“What does that mean?”
“That makes no sense.”
“In non-riddle plain English please?”
Haven cursed. “Show us.”
Bentley held his little arm up and everyone gasped. Beneath his V Mark were two lines written in elegant black script. The Goddess had sent us a message. My pulse quickened. Everyone just stared.
“W-wh-what does it s-say?” Uncle Tim whispered. “Haven? Read it?”
“Blessed be the heart Marked twice…” Haven read the first line, then looked up to Uncle Tim with glistening eyes. “A gift for the soul who’s paid the price.”
My heart stopped. A hot lump formed in my throat and I felt my body tremble like it wanted to sob hysterically. Tears filled my eyes. “It’s…it’s…for you.”
Haven and Uncle Tim both stared down at the sword in silence.
Jackson crouched beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “We all agree he deserves it…but what does it mean? Surely it’s more than just a sword?”
Tegan stood behind Haven with her hand on his shoulder. She was staring into the distance in front of her like she was deep in thought. “Does it…is there an inscription?”
Haven leaned forward and his eyes widened. “Yes.”
“Read it.” Tegan licked her lips. “Timothy, read it. Out loud.”
“Oh, right. True. Okay.” He cleared his throat and held the blade point up. “Valinainya.”
Golden light flashed from within the blade — and then the blade turned to solid ice.
We all gasped.
I frowned. “Is that…angelic?”
He nodded. “It means magic.”
Tegan grinned. “That’s an angelic sword.”
“Like Michael’s?” I tapped on my left forearm. “The one Haven has?”
“No, but not entirely dissimilar.”
We all jumped at the sound of Riah’s voice suddenly breaking through our silent confusion.
“Riah,” Saffie said with a swoony smile and a sigh.
“Sorry, y’all, I called him out here.” Tegan tapped on her temple. “I have guesses but all I know for certain is this is an angelic sword. I thought perhaps Riah might know more since…well, since he knows angels.”
“Do you actually know angels?” Willow whispered with wide eyes.
Riah nodded. “I’ve met all the ones who have come here, but I was closest to Michael.”
“You said this is not like Michael’s?” Haven stood and narrowed his eyes at him. He tapped on the gold lines on his arm and Michael’s glowing six-foot-tall sword appeared. “But is this not an angelic sword?”
“That is the sword of Heaven, an angel’s sword.” Riah gestured to Uncle Tim’s. “That is an angelic sword made by an angel.”
I looked up at him and frowned. “How do you know that?”