“Yes… love,” I whispered back, my lips doing the same, “and our family,” I added, moving one of her hands to my belly.
“Ah…” she breathed, her lips fully forming a smile.
“Can we, just… wait a few minutes?” I requested. “My parents and my best friend are on their way –”
“We can, if you want to battle the hewcrows,” she cut me off to reply. “The she-god is working to mount her next offense.” Clarabelle moved closer to me too. “She’s more powerful than me, my dear. It took great effort for me to vanquish her army. I have enough magic to send you both and his horse back, I do not have enough to beat back the creatures she’ll send in her second wave and send you back. This magic would replenish faster than what it will take to move you between worlds, but it would still be years before I can build up enough to ensure you and your love’s safe return.”
Her emphasis was not lost on me and my eyes shot to Tor as my heart clenched.
“There isn’t time to wait for Mom, Dad and Phoebe,” I told him, though he had to have heard, he was only a few feet away. Still, I watched his jaw clench.
“I’ll explain it, tell them you wanted to wait, Cora,” Noc said to me and my eyes moved to him. “Just get this done.” I swallowed and bit my lip. “Go, baby,” Noc urged gently.
I nodded at Noc, my eyes shifted to Tor and he lifted his chin in an “it’ll be all right” that, for the first time seeing that from Tor, didn’t make me feel all right.
Then I looked down at Clarabelle.
“If you expend all your magic, will that mean you’re vulnerable?” I asked her.
She didn’t answer but her face said it all.
“When my father comes, tell him I told him to give you the money… all of it,” I told her.
She shook her head. “I am a certain kind of witch and this is about love. And the kind of witch I am a witch is a protector of love, amongst other things. I have vowed this. It is my duty. This I do as my religion, Cora, dear. So, that’s –” she started to refuse and I squeezed her hands and I did this gently, but firmly, making my point.
“All of the money, Clarabelle,” I stressed. “You must promise to take it all. I can’t go unless I do my bit to keep you safe and maybe you can use that money to stay safe.” She looked ready to protest again so I said, “I can’t use it, honey. So you might as well and, trust me, my Mom and Dad are so not going to take no for an answer so you might as well save your energy.”
She gazed at me seeing nothing for a long moment before she nodded.
“Let’s get this done,” I whispered, her hands grasped mine tightly and she nodded yet again.
Then she said softly, “Harold has told me, if you could find a way to tell his Circe that he is doing well, he misses her and she is always in his thoughts, he would appreciate this greatly.”
“Absolutely, Clarabelle,” I whispered. “Please tell Harold we’ll do that as soon as we can.”
Clarabelle nodded again. Then she got ready for business and straightened her shoulders.
“You and the prince mount his horse,” she ordered, let me go and Tor moved to me.
Hooking me with his arm around the waist, he guided me to the door and gently moved me in front of him down the trailer’s rickety steps, joined me at my side when he’d descended and he walked us to Salem.
“Cora, I must know that you’re sure,” he whispered to me and I tipped my head back to look at him as he stopped us at Salem’s side.
“What choice do we have?” I asked.
He turned me into his front and his arms curved around me.
“I stay here, in your world, with you.”
I stared up at him.
“But the hewcrows –” I started.
“We’ll fight them back,” he stated firmly.
“And if she sends something else?” I asked.
“We’ll beat it,” he declared.