Page 140 of Samhain Savior
“Thank you, Delilah,” Modi said. “For everything.” He placed his hand on my shoulder just long enough for Archer to growl unhappily and tug me away. “Relax, buddy,” Modi said, backing away. “You have your fated mate and I have mine.”
With that, he turned, drawing the others to him, and held up the Fallen Key.
I had assumed Modi would use it; as a member of the demon nobility, it was his birthright to be able to open portals to and from Hell. So I was surprised when he passed the relic to Halo, allowing her to take the lead. As I watched, she cradled it in both hands, whispering an incantation that was too low for me to hear, before a wide tear rent the air before her.
It looked just like one of Archer’s shadow gates, except instead of showing the interior of a lovely mountain chalet, this gate showed a dark, barren wasteland. As far as I could see, black sand stretched to the horizon, with a sky as red as blood hanging overhead. Smoke and brimstone drifted across the yard toward me, the air that poured out of the gate acrid with the taste of salt and sulfur, and in thefar distance, what looked like a river of fire, flowing slowly along, burning anything it touched.
“I can’t believe it,” Corson said, his voice low and reverent. “Home.”
“It’s been so long,” Vine added, softly.
Mal stood stoically as he checked compass, then replaced it inside his shirt with a small shake of his head. “It’s not time yet.”
“No,” Archer said, taking my hand again as we watched the little group disappear through the gate. “We may be called to fight again, but for now, our work is done.”
“Farewell, brother,” Corson called as Modi and his strange little group stepped through the gate and into Hell itself. “Protect the Light.”
After the gate had closed behind them, Archer and I stood, staring down at the village of Fallow Hill and the bonfire that lit up the night. The guys hadn’t waited long before they’d taken off to join the festivities—even if Mal did it in his raven form, so he could watch over the others from above.
The evening was peaceful, relaxed in a way I wasn’t sure I’d ever experienced. The Order may not have been defeated, but they had been bested for now. With the Fallen Key in Modi’s hands, they no longer had any reason to come for me; my blood had served its purpose.
Of course, that also left me feeling unmoored, drifting with no clear purpose now that I was done running for my life.
“So,” I said, nudging Archer with my shoulder and hoping the bond wouldn’t reveal just how unsure I was feeling. Fated mates or not, would he even stick around now that his mission had been completed? “You’ve had a house in literally every place we’ve visited these last few days. I suppose this one is yours, too?”
A low chuckle rumbled out of him, dark and amused. “Not mine, little witch. Yours.”
I blinked at him, certain I’d misheard. “What?”
Taking my hand, Archer pulled me onto the porch, drawing my attention to a brass plaque that was fixed to the door frame. Etched into the plaque was a very familiar symbol.
The tree within a circle, surrounded by neatly printed words.
Deep Roots. Strong Branches.
“This house has belonged to your bloodline for generations. It is your coven’s ancestral seat, abandoned after Salem. No one knew you were out there, the last of your line.” He paused, and I felt his trepidation as he considered his next words. “Everwood House is yours now.”
His words struck me like a tether snapping into place, binding me to the world I’d always felt adrift from.
Home. Roots.
A legacy that had been waiting for me to return.
I considered all the things I could do now that running was no longer necessary. A big house in a village full of acceptance? Could I make a place for others who had been like me? People who were different, but not in the right ways. Who had been turned away by the same groups of outcasts who should have accepted us?
I could picture it, this big house full of lost souls, people just looking for connection, community, and a place to belong.
A home for those who had never had one.
As the hope grew within my chest, I could feel another emotion building there, a small kernel of fear that I knew I couldn’t hide.
“If I stay here, will you stay with me?” I asked, not daring to meet his eyes. I wasn’t sure I could bear to see his face if he told me no.
His silence felt like it was strangling me, my heart rate climbing with each passing second. Finally, after what felt like forever, Archer spoke.
“Look at me, witch.” When I complied, he offered me an indulgent smile. “There is no force that could keep meaway. Where you are, I will be. I plan to be by your side for the rest of my existence.”
“Well, I don’t know about the rest ofyourexistence,” I laughed, trying to hide the tears that wanted to leak out of my eyes. “But I’d certainly have you for the rest of mine.”
