Page 76 of The Witch's Spell
I look down at her, at her green eyes, and I see Lucy. And even though Lucy isn’t here anymore, hasn’t been here for many years, I almost imagine her whispering in my ear, telling me to let love guide me. Then my gaze slides from my mother to Aurora, who’s standing beside Alden now, looking equal parts excited and frightened by what she’s done.
“I’ll listen to what you have to say,” I tell them. Relief flickers across everyone’s faces. “But first, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Pulling my hand from my mother’s, I reach for Aurora. Her mitten slips into my palm, and I guide her forward. She eases up beside me hesitantly.
“Father, Mother, this is Aurora Silvermoon.” I meet her eyes, smiling as I say, “The mother of my child.”
My father makes a small sound like he’s trying to hold back a sob.
Without a word, my mother steps forward and opens her arms, and Aurora slips into them as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“Aurora,” Mother says, and her eyes are moist with tears when she pulls away. “It’s so good to meet you.”
“Thank you for coming,” Aurora says. “I... wasn’t sure if you’d want to.”
“Of course we wanted to.” Mother squeezes Aurora’s hand, and then her eyes flick to mine. “We’ve wanted to make amends for many years. I suppose it just took a bit of a push.”
I look down at Aurora, who’s beaming now, unable to contain her joy. And all I can do is shake my head and laugh.
Because of course she would do this. And though she might not realize it, this is perhaps the best gift she could ever give me.
The gift of family.
The gift of healing.
And the gift of love.
Chapter 36
Alden
AFTER INTRODUCTIONS ARE MADE AND more hugs are exchanged, Rowan walks off with his parents, headed for the bakery. I can’t quite read the expression on his face, but I think it’s somewhere between curious, excited, and terrified.
“Do you think I did something wrong?” Aurora asks from beside me.
I look down at her. She’s holding her pumpkin cider mug in her mittened hands, and her lips are pulled into a slight frown. Her green eyes follow Rowan and his parents as they get lost in the crowd.
I’ve not seen the village this lively since the harvest festival. Seems folks from Wysteria are here as well, probably checking on friends and family members now that the fog is gone.
“I don’t think so,” I say. “A heads-up may have been nice, but then again, maybe it’s better this way. He didn’t have anopportunity to get in his head about it.” I smile. “And I think he does that a lot.”
Aurora nods once, then takes another sip of her cider. With a sigh that sends steaming breath puffing around her mouth, she says, “I hope you’re right.”
I finish the rest of my cider, then ask, “What now?”
Aurora perks up. “Let’s go see if Niamh has returned.”
We take our empty mugs back to Tom, then make our way through the crowd to Niamh’s apothecary. As we approach, I detect a hint of sage in the air.
“Pretty sure she’s here,” I say. Aurora smiles as I pull the door to the shop open and step aside.
People mill about, chatting and laughing while perusing Niamh’s shelves. The oracle is standing behind the counter, spectacles perched on the end of her nose. When we walk in, she lifts a hand and beckons us over.
“Happy Yuletide,” she tells the woman in front of us. When the shopper leaves, Niamh comes around the counter to wrap Aurora in a hug.
“You’re back,” Aurora says, voice tinted with emotion.
“Did you miss me?” Niamh asks. She pulls away with a smile, and the golden dust she often wears on her cheekbones glitters in the winter sunlight streaming through the shop’s front windows.
