Dirt and blades of green grass shot up from the ground. We bounced before finally sliding to a stop in the grass.
I coughed and peeked up, waiting for my lungs to resume working again.
“YES! WE DID IT!” Savannah shouted and dropped down beside me, then leaned back on her heels and pushed her black and turquoise hair back. She grinned and sighed. “Safferella!”
I pushed up off Riah’s chest and gasped.
Tennessee stood a few feet away, holding a shimmering thick rope in his hands. His entire body was glowing brighter than a full moon. Those mismatched eyes sparkled down at me. Then he grinned, that rare happy grin he didn’t often show people. “Saffie.”
Kessler stood a little ways back, looking completely at ease with that glowing rope tied around his hips. He waved and smiled so wide his cheeks dimpled. “Welcome home!”
Groaning and cursing filled the air and then movement between father and son caught my eye. I sat up straight and leaned to see around Savannah and my jaw dropped. Riah lifted his head off the ground and Olli made a confused little grumble.
The rest of The Coven were in a pile. Literally. They were stacked on top of each other like a bouquet of flowers...or like a net full of freshly caught fish all wriggling to get free. Silver body armor covered all of their bodies. It reminded me of the Seelie Knights. They cursed as they tried to move. Someone with long jet-black hair was sprawled on the bottom. Ice covered the ground and was spreading out from the pile. I spotted Tegan’s purple-tipped hair above them and heard her wild giggle.
“Not funny, Tegan,” Cooper growled from somewhere within the pile.
“Yes, it is!” She snorted. The pile wavered and then Tegan’s head poked out. She was cackling. “You’re just mad this was your idea.”
“Butterberry, you’re gonna set us all on fire, love,” Deacon said with a chuckle.
“Don’t laugh. That —” Willow hissed, “burns.”
“Whoever is on top get the hell off of us!” Emersyn shouted and then orange flames shot out from the middle of the pile.
Easton, who was near the top, picked his head up and grinned. “Hey, I’m finally on top of all of you!”
“Easton!” Lily grumbled.
The pile all groaned and magic of every color flickered. Tegan snorted. Tennessee and Kessler just shook their heads and watched.
And then little Bentley sat up from the very top of the pile, rubbing his head. “Little people should not have participated. Mistakes were made.”
Light flashed and then there was a handful of Devon’s clones standing around the pile. She held her arms out and helped Bentley down. Once he was off the pile, Tenn flicked his wrist and a gust of wind slammed into it…and they all went flying.
Riah sighed with a little chuckle and rested his head back down. “I can die now that I’ve seen this.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Saffie
“I can die now that I’ve seen this.”
I gasped and dove for Riah’s shoulder, not realizing I’d let go. “NO!” I screamed as blood poured over my fingers again. “RIAH!”
He smiled up at me and blood stained his teeth. “It’s okay—”
“NO IT’S NOT! Don’t you DARE!” I screamed. Fresh tears burst from my eyes. “I will not let you die. I will reverse haunt you, do you understand me!”
The Coven all gasped around me. I felt their magic shift into fighting mode. Their spirits turned cold and afraid, and sharply tense.
The shock of seeing them, all of them, short circuited my brain for a split second. But I could not rejoice in being home, not when my soulmate was dying in my arms. My fingers trembled – my whole body shook.
“HELP HIM!” I shrieked, my lungs burning.
“Saraphina—” he gasped and the gold lines of our soulmate mark flashed on his face.
“NOOOO!” I looked up and met Tennessee’s wide-eyed stare. “SAVE HIM! PLEASE!”
Tennessee shook himself and then leapt for us — and then he appeared crouched down right behind Riah’s head. He cursed. “Get him inside!”
Tegan materialized right beside him. She shoved her hands right into his wound, blood splashing up her pale arms. I felt a rush of magic and then Riah’s blood began pouring back inside of him. “This won’t be enough—”
“KATHERINE!” Timothy yelled in the distance and then I spotted him running into a massive wooden house.
Large warm hands gripped my arms and I flinched. Golden light poured over me and air rushed into my lungs. I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding my breath.