fresh rain filled the room. The air pulsed with electricity, tingling across my bare skin.
Tennessee.
I rolled over—
“Oh, you’re awake,” Tennessee said softly. He grinned and crossed the room in a flash. Olli picked his head up and looked to him but Tennessee rans his fingers over the fur between his eyes and Olli passed back out. “Good boy.”
“You should have seen him attack those green lizard bird chicken things.”
Tennessee smirked and arched one eyebrow. “The dinosaurs?”
I bit my lip and nodded. “I may need to rewatch those movies now that I’ve seen them in real life.”
“Well hopefully you’ll never have to see them again.”
I chuckled and then glanced back over to Riah. “We better not.”
“He’s doing better.”
“Yes.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I feel good but I’ll feel better once he’s awake.” I looked back over to Tennessee. “Are you not going to ask me about him?”
“Oh, I will. Many, many questions.” He shrugged. “But a healing room is not the appropriate place.”
That made me smile. And that was when I realized he was wearing a ceremonial white sheath gown. The black lines of his soulmate glyph wrapped all the way down his arm to cover his hand. The heart shaped crystal on the back of his hand was emerald green.
I frowned. “Are you okay? Your glyph is green.”
“I am fine.” He cleared his throat and traced over the green heart. “Tegan is nervous.”
“Oh, why?”
He grinned over at me. “She’s just been selected as new Coven Leader.”
I gasped and sat up. “What happened to Constance? Why are you in ceremonial white—”
“Constance is perfectly fine.” He smiled and leaned against the bed. “She has decided to step down as Coven Leader…and The Coven has selected Tegan as her replacement. However, as a member of this Coven I have to ask if you’re in favor of that decision?”
I chuckled. “One hundred percent.”
“I thought so…but that is actually what brings me down here right now.”
I frowned. “What is?”
“We are doing her Coven Leader ceremony now and we need you to be there.”
My eyes widened. I glanced over to Riah. I wanted to be there for Tegan, especially after all she did for me and Riah. But the idea of leaving his side sent my pulse flying.
“Saffie,” Tennessee whispered. “It’s only going to take a few minutes and I know you’ll be upset if you missed it. We do it right out back, so we’re not going far. You can come right back to him after.”
My stomach tightened into knots at the idea but I knew he was right. So I climbed out of the bed before I could talk myself out of it. Riah would be okay for a few minutes. I’d be able to sense it if he wasn’t or if something happened. And Katherine would watch him. As my feet hit the cold hardwood floor I realized I’d lost my boots at some point—”
“Devon wanted to clean your boots for you, so she took them upstairs.” He backed away, then frowned. “Though we need to find you ceremonial white. Maybe one of the girls has an old one from when we were kids—”
“Not necessary.” I flicked my wrists over my body and my golden glitter billowed all around. My long white dress from 1692 was now a ceremonial white sheath gown that perfectly matched his. “Okay, ready.”
His eyebrows rose. “I need that trick.”
I grinned. “I can teach you.”
He chuckled. “Come on, you’ll be right back to him.”
“Wait!”
He froze.
I grinned and tackled him in a big hug, or as big as my little arms could stretch. He chuckled and squeezed me back. We didn’t say anything. We just hugged each other for a moment. We’d been through a lot, Tennessee and me, and I just needed this moment.
After a few seconds we both stepped back.
He smiled down at me. “I missed you. Glad you’re back.”
“I missed me too.” I grinned. “Thank you for saving me.”
“Right back at ya.” He winked and backed away toward the door. “Come on.”
I turned and found Olli watching me. I took his face in my hands. “Keep an eye on him, okay? If anything happens just run outside and find me. Okay?”
Olli licked my wrist.
I took that as a yes.
Riah hadn’t moved at all. I stared at his sleeping face, willing him to wake up…but he didn’t. It’s okay, Saffie. You can tell he’s going to be okay. You can leave for five minutes.