Page 41 of Wicked Love
Jasper held my eyes with his, seeking a sign, wanting something I couldn’t give.
“Thank you,” I said to Delphine. Then I took my mother’s hand, turned away from Jasper Thibodeaux and walked out of the door. It closed behind me without another word from Jasper.
I did not look back.
Chapter Twelve
Jasper
Watching Melasina and her mother and the talking skull walk away from me was the hardest thing that I’d ever done. I wanted to run after her, to beg for her forgiveness.
But that wasn’t why I’d said what I said. I knew when I shared my part in her mother’s exile that she might never want anything to do with me again.
I had to be honest. I had to stand up for me, for what I wanted, and what I knew was right.
And it looked like I had gambled, and lost.
Over the next week, I practically lived at Magnolia House. Two days after my confession in the meeting room, my magic righted itself. So I’d been right, facing my fears of rejection, of being nothing, of being cast out for doing the right thing. I did as Lavinia had instructed me weeks earlier, and I spent the day casting spells for everything. By the end of the day, I knew my magic was back, and the way it should be. I knew that I’d broken the curse.
It was too bad I might have broken my own heart in the process.
I sighed, and kept on with the meetings, and the discussions, and the questioning of Talia, and all the things that had to happen. As all this was going on, witches from the coven were asking to meet with Delphine and the elders to confess their fears.
We were healing, slowly.
After that first week, I went by the house on Saint Ann’s. Sariah was walking out the front door. She saw me, and her face lit up in a smile.
At least one of the Cormiers was glad to see me.
“Is Mel here?” I asked.
“Yes, and she’s got her magic back, so go in at your own peril,” Sariah said. “I’ve explained to her that if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here. But she’s mad still.”
“She’s allowed to be,” I said.
“Wise man,” Sariah patted my arm. “Go on in. Just be ready for things to fly.”
I nodded, and watched her walk down the street. She seemed so… normal. Which was not what I expected from a woman who’d been under a spell for fourteen years.
Guilt washed over me.
“It’s nice to see her back home, isn’t it?” Mel was at the door, her arms crossed.
“It is. It’s why I went to get her,” I said.
“You wouldn’t have had to do that if you hadn’t been part of sending her away,” Mel said, her face expressionless.
“I know,” I said. “May I please come in and talk to you?”
“No,” she said. “You can say your piece right here.”
“Out in public?” I asked.
“Take it or leave it,” Mel’s face was stone.
I sighed, and then straightened my shoulders. “All right. I’m sorry. I believed Talia. I was only seventeen when she worked on this case, and I had no reason to doubt her. She rescued me from my own hell,” I said. “And I’ll be happy to tell you all about it, in great detail, if you’d like. The point is, she rescued me. She gave me a life when I was looking at a pretty bleak one. I had a home, and food, and clothing, and a chance at being something.” I tried to keep my voice steady. “She was like my mom,” I finished. “If you think I enjoyed what I did, I didn’t. I lost the only mom I’ve known for nearly fifteen years. She spits when she sees me now. I lost a chance with you. But I still did the right thing, because I knew it was about more than looking like I was doing the right thing, or making the right moves. I had to do the right thing. For you, for your mom, and even for me.” My head dropped. I looked back up.
“So that’s it. I’m sorry. I screwed up. I was more concerned with appearances than doing the right thing for years. I want to try again. I’m just asking for a chance.” I looked into her eyes.
