Page 107 of The Warlock's Trial

“Finally,” Miles added. “Is everyone okay? We thought maybe…”

He winced, like he couldn’t bear to finish.

“We made it,” Chloe said. “And we brought three Wands with us.”

Mandy sat up straighter. “You found all the other missing Oaken Wands, the ones the priestesses don’t have?”

“We found one of the missing Wands,” Grant explained. “We stole the Alchemy Wand and the Seer Wand from the school where the priestesses were keeping them. Then we took a detour to Malovia, hitched a ride to the Abyss, and we came back with the Mentalist Wand.”

Grant had a strange way of making it sound easy.

“The priestesses aren’t going to be happy,” Mandy said, sounding worried. “They’ll come looking for the Wands. We should keep them in a safe place.”

“The safest place is on our person, so they’re readily available if we have to use them,” Chloe suggested.

“Then the priestesses will come after you,” Mandy insisted. “They should be kept together, somewhere the priestesses can’t get to.”

“Isn’t it better to split them up?” Grant asked. “That way if the priestesses get one of the Wands, they don’t get them all.”

“I’m with Grant and Chloe,” Talia agreed. “As long as the Wands are on us, we can use them. Then if the priestesses come after us, we’re stronger with the Wands.”

“Maybe each Cast should agree on what to do with their respective Wand,” Nadine offered.

Talia turned to her sister. “All right. Tate, Miles? What do you want to do with the Seer Wand?”

Tate drew a deep breath. “I don’t think that’s something you should be asking me.”

Talia tilted her head. “But you’re a Seer—and my sister. I care about your opinion.”

Tate stood. “That’s sweet of you, but I don’t think I can continue to be a part of this fight. I’m not in a good place mentally, and I’m at risk of a relapse if I don’t get help. My time in rehab helped after I overdosed on nightshade, but I’m still not stable enough to stay and fight. Believe me, Talia, I want to help, but I know my limits, and I don’t want to hold the team back.”

“You’re not going to hold us back,” Talia pressed.

“Tal, be real,” Tate insisted. “I know you want me around because I’m your sister, but I don’t belong here. If I stay, I’m going to end up hurting people, and I don’t want that for anyone.”

Tears welled in Talia’s eyes. “Where will you go?”

“I don’t know, but I can’t stay here,” Tate replied. “All I know is that if I continue to be a part of this war, I’m going to relapse. I need to get out of here as soon as I can.”

“I can portal her to Hok’evale,” I offered. “She’ll be safe there, and the healers can reverse the worst of her injuries. There’s a rehab clinic. I saw fliers for it when we visited. She can stay there until she gets better.”

Tate nodded. “I think that’s where I need to go. And maybe when I’m in a better place, I can help others like me.”

Talia reached out for her sister. “Are you sure you have to go?”

“Positive.” Tate’s voice cracked. “I need you to let me go, or I’m going to end up staying for you, and that’s not going to turn out well for anyone.”

“Okay,” Talia said gently. “Once the Miriamic Conflict is over, we’ll come back and get you, and we’ll bring you home.”

Tate shook her head. “You don’t understand. Octavia Falls is too triggering for me. Being there reminds me of everything that happened and all I went through. It makes me want to start using again, so I need to start over in a completely new place. I can’t come back home ever again, even if the priestesses fall. I need to start over and make a new life somewhere else, because Octavia Falls isn’t my home anymore. I love you, Tal, but this is what’s best for me.”

“Hok’evale is a good place to start over,” Nadine said. “They’ll welcome you with open arms.”

Talia teared up. “I’m sorry for everything you went through, Tate, but I’m proud of you for knowing your limits and setting boundaries. If this is what you believe you need, then I’ll support you.”

Tate sniffled, like it was hard to admit all this. “It is what I need.”

Talia drew her sister into a tight hug. “I’ll come visit, all right?”

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