Page 111 of The Last Session

“Thea!” Sol jumped up from the table. He wore a wreath of leaves in his shaggy blond hair, which contrasted with a blue band T-shirt.THE RA RAS. “I’m so glad you’re feeling better. Welcome.” He leaned down to kiss my cheek. “You were incredible today.”

“Uh, thanks.” That was a weird thing to say.

“Sit right here.” Arm around my shoulder, he directed me to the head of the table. “You’re the guest of honor tonight.”

“Oh no—”

“Yes! No arguing.” His eyes were wide, a little wild. “Now that we’re all together, our power is so strong. Can you feel it?”

I wasn’t sure if it was the physical aftereffects of the sweat lodge or the imminent escape plan, but I felt slightly giddy too. “I can.”

What would they think, waking tomorrow to find Catherine, Jonah, and me gone? It made me feel both a tug of guilt and a buzz of excitement. Trickster energy. Moon and Sol thought they knew everything; what would their shock look like?

Grace walked out of the kitchen, carrying several bottles of wine.

“We’re celebrating tonight.” Sol gestured at her. “You’d have to ask Steven—he’s the expert—but these are some of the jewels of our collection.”

“Thea, you have a preference?” Grace asked. “Cabernet? Burgundy?”

“Wait, I thought you guys were dry?” I asked. The sight of the wine bottles was doing something to my body, like a dog spotting a bag of treats.

“Only during retreats. The rest of the time, we partake.” Sol slid his glass to the edge of the table. “Alcohol can actually be a great medicine, if used responsibly. Why don’t you give her the cabernet.”

Grace leaned over me to pour.

I opened my mouth to stop her—I could tell them I didn’t drink. And I shouldn’t drink here, not around these people I couldn’t really trust. But after everything that had happened over the past few days, I needed it. Just one glass. I could smell the dark, earthy aroma. Okay. I’d have one glass, and I’d drink it very slowly, and that would be it.

Sol didn’t touch his wine, so I waited too. Moon entered the diningroom, Catherine and Jonah behind her. Leaning over, she grasped me in a hug from behind. “Our beautiful savior!”

Jonah nodded at me, his eyes serious. He hadn’t come to the yurt to check in with me. But maybe he also wanted to act delicately until we were on the road out of here. Catherine’s cheeks were tinted with pink, and she avoided looking at me as she sat.

Moon settled on my other side. “A toast!” She raised her filled glass. “To our long-lost sister, a seer with unimaginable powers. Thank you, Thea, for giving this—for giving us—a chance. We’re going to do something spectacular together. We’re going to heal the world! Cheers!”

I couldn’t help but smile at Moon’s childlike enthusiasm. I clinked glasses and took a sip. I wasn’t a huge red wine person, but this was delicious; rich and complex, it melted on my tongue. As I swallowed, my entire body relaxed. I hadn’t drunk since last Thursday, after drinking pretty much daily for the past year. I’d seen articles that said alcohol was physically addictive; I didn’t quite believe it was true, but my body was responding in kind.

Just one glass.

Steven and Karen carried out large pans that they set onto the table: roasted chicken and grilled zucchini, charred ears of corn, fresh corn bread.

“Watch your fingers, Joe,” Karen said as she put a steaming tray down where he was picking up his water glass.

“Jonah.” He smiled at her.

“Not a nickname guy, huh?” She winked, then settled by Moon.

I took another small sip. Damn, this was delicious.

Three hours later, near midnight, I was in Moon and Sol’s room. It was a large, sumptuous space: four-poster bed, faux-fur blankets, plush Turkish carpets. Sol messed with the record player on a side table, shirtless, his hair still wet from the hot tub. Tonight felt like it had lasted days, starting with dinner, where I’d drunk a glass, and then another, and then another. I knew I shouldn’t, but the warm, fuzzy buzz just felt so fucking good. When was the last time I’d felt this good? It had been weeks, if not months, if not years.

And the last few days had been so stressful. I craved this, some small opportunity for release.

On the way to the bonfire, Jonah walked next to me. “Are you good?”

“Yeah. I’m great.” I leaned in, breathing in his scent. “Your alarm set?”

“Yup.”

“And you can drive tonight?”

---