No more. Beatrix is right. I needed this push, and she was the only one who could have given it to me.
“That’s our girl.” Her voice breaks through my thoughts. “When you’re ready, open your eyes.”
I take in my mother, aunt, and grandmother one more time. I don’t often get to talk with them, but they’re always there when I need them. Their support and strength have gotten me through so much over the years, and I almost let myself forget that.
Not again.
Looking at Beatrix again, my attention only stays on her aging face for so long before I realize the two of us are locked inside a sphere of energy.
Tendrils of silver, blue, and purple whip around us, mixing together before separating once more. I want to reach for the power, but Beatrix still has a tight hold on my hands.
“This is the power of the coven, Andie,” she says earnestly. “We might be part of a community now, but the witches are still one and they need a leader. By taking on this magic, you become their beacon, their sense of home and safety. They will count on you to be wise, not on your own, but as a whole. Will you be everything they need and more? Will you swear to protect the lives of the witches tied to you with all that you have?”
I can move again and nod my head. “I will, now and for however long I’m blessed to do so. I will care for them as you have, and I will make you proud.”
Beatrix’s gaze softens as she squeezes my hands, and she offers me one of her rare genuine smiles. “You already do.”
She releases me, and the moment the connection is lost, the wisps of energy converge over Beatrix, creating a ball of magic in front of her that swirls with the intensity of a thousand witches. I’m drawn to the power unlike anything I’ve felt since officially becoming Foster’s mate.
Wind whips around us, still trapped inside the shield. Just as I try to reach out, the magic feels as if it explodes and a blindingly bright light takes away my sight.
No matter how many times I blink, there’s nothing to see other than white around me. “Beatrix?”
My voice sounds far away, and my heartrate increases until magic slams into my chest, making my body feel as if it’s folded in on itself from the impact.
I can’t breathe or see or move, but I’ve never felt more alive.
The power from the hundreds of witches within our coven illuminates within me, making me feel as if I’m ten feet tall. Their energy swells like the waves of the oceans, a force to be reckoned with, and I’m now charged with keeping them all safe.
The weight of that responsibility settles over me, but I’m not afraid like I would have thought before Beatrix showed up. There’s a warmth within me that calms my thoughts and emotions, reminding me that there is nothing we can’t handle together.
“Well, I didn’t expect that,” I hear Beatrix say, and my eyes shoot open.
“What’s wrong?” I glance around, but there’s nothing around us. Not even the shield we’d been surrounded by moments ago.
She chuckles. “Nothing at all. In fact, everything is more right than it has been in much too long.” Her hands wrap around my shoulders. “Your journey has only just begun, and I can’t wait to see all that you do.”
As sweet as she’s being, I can’t stop from glaring at her. “You tricked me.”
“You needed the push.” She shrugs.
I want to be mad at her, especially for doing this when she knew I was vulnerable, but I also know she’s right. I would have wallowed for as long as I could, allowing my guilt to control me.
Not that I don’t still feel remorse over what happened to River, but with the energy of the coven flowing through me, the hollowness in my chest is no longer there. The drive to make things better is all that I feel. Well, that and the need to get home to my mate and tell him everything.
My arms wrap around the old witch. “Thank you. For everything you’ve always done. Even if we didn’t understand or agree, you never gave up on us.”
“And I never will.” She squeezes me back. “You might hold all the power now, but I’m still here for you.”
We separate, and she shudders. “Alright. I need to go before I combust.”
My head cocks to the side. “What’s wrong?”
She glances back toward the houses. “Without the distraction of the coven, I think I’m finally feeling the effects of my soulmate bond.” She grins widely. “Unless the world is ending, don’t bother me for a few days, okay?”
I chuckle and return her smile. “Take all the time you need with your mate. We’ll be here when you need a breather.”
“Ha!” She cackles. “That ogre will need one before me. I’m still spry. Age is just a number.”