contorted in pain. Seeing their skin melting. The stone hanging from her neck felt warm. It seemed to pulse in time with her quickening heart. The floating light intensified with a flash. She closed her eyes tight, squeezed out tears.
She opened her eyes. Ronan had lowered his arms. He stared at her with a knowing look in his eyes. She swallowed hard. Her mouth was suddenly dry.
“Is it done?” Jonathon asked.
“Why don’t you go see?”
“Aren’t you coming?” Rowena asked.
“I have to get back. The future doesn’t stop when I’m here. Brenna needs my help.” The water turned black. Rowena stiffened as something emerged. A dripping wet wolf.
“Kiba! What are you doing here?”
Ronan waited a beat like he was actually listening to the animal.
“Okay. I’ve been here longer than I intended. I must go.”
“What are we meant to do?” Rowena said, feeling her stomach lurch.
“It is done. The women are safe.”
“What about the women still in the prison?”
“Safe. They are all back home.”
“Thank you, Ronan. I won’t forget you.”
“Likewise. Jonathon, take care of her.”
“Count on it.”
You’re more powerful than I thought possible. With that necklace, you will be the one looking after him.
Ronan? How are you doing that?
It’s a little trick of mine. I know you changed my spell. I know who is going to be burning today.
Are you angry?
I am. But not at you. Be at peace, Rowena.
Jonathon gave them a look. Shouts from outside flittered in. “I’d better go. Blessed be, both of you,” Ronan said before hugging them both. The wolf walked with him to the pond. They went under the water and did not come back up. For an instant, the water turned black before returning to its previous aqua shimmer. Rowena and Jonathon left the cave, hand in hand.
The crowd milled around, growing impatient. “Get on with it!”
“Sear their skin from their bones!”
“Burn the bitches!”
The women were already fastened to the stakes, their hands behind their backs. Their eyes wide, their dirty cheeks streaked with tears.
The guards yelled for order. They marched toward the women with flaming torches. Rowena’s vision of them was obscured by a sudden thick fog.
“What in Jesus’s name?”
“What’s going on here?”
A vein of the powerful light spread through the fog. The crowd abruptly went silent. The light became so bright people had to shield their eyes. The fog started to clear. Rowena squinted. The witches were gone. In their place were the people Rowena had imagined. Her incarnation had worked.
The one-eyed man scowled at the crowd, his eye squinting. The judge peered at them with incredulous eyes. “What in God’s name is going on?” The guards surged ahead. A flame flickered at the bottom of each pile of straw. The flames grew, moving toward the stakes at lightning pace.
The guards came to an abrupt stop. “Untie us! Now!” the judge roared.
Flames licked and snapped at the men’s feet. They struggled against their binds, to no avail.
Two of the guards stumbled forward. The flames flourished, whipping up the men’s legs. The guards drew back as the flames intensified. Flames engulfed the judge. He screamed at the sky. As the flames seared his throat he yelled, “You will regret this! You will all regret…” His words trailed off into a ragged scream.
The guards stood watching, unmoving. One of them locked eyes with Rowena. His eyes moved down. Rowena followed his gaze. His eyes landed on the pendant hanging from her neck. Oh no. She had forgotten to hide it under her clothing.
The guard’s eyes narrowed on her. They filled with pure hate. “Witch!” He pointed at her. All eyes fixed on her. “She did this!”
The guards woke up from their stupor and marched at her. Jonathon stepped in front and took a swing at the first guard. He went down.
Jonathon was soon outnumbered and thrown to the ground. They crowded in on him and one of them tied his wrists. They threw him to the ground and went after Rowena.
She thought about running but couldn’t leave Jonathon. Besides, where would she go?
Overwhelmed by their numbers, they dragged her to the burning mounds, where the men attached to the stakes were beginning to char. Jonathon inched toward her. A guard lunged on him, pinning him in place.
Rowena rolled into the scorching heat. The flames enveloped her. A scream roared up her throat. Something wasn’t right. She felt the heat, but no pain. She looked down at her hand, expecting to see bubbling flesh. Her hand was unscathed. The stone around her neck glowed so brightly