Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

Zinnia

The table was laden with food; Daisy and Else had outdone themselves. Everyone I loved was in the same place, sitting around the table laughing and talking, and I tried to let it fill me so I could shake the awful empty feeling inside me, but what happened at the cemetery lingered, clinging to me like a cold hand around the back of my neck, not letting go.

I rubbed my arms and smiled when Vi gave Hemy another wide grin. He was besotted with her, performing for my tiny cousin, running down my arm and up Willow's, then peeking at Violet through Willow's hair. He did it again, and Violet giggled uncontrollably. Hemy spun around, triumphant.

"You little show-off," I said and scratched his head when he ran back to me.

"I need a Hemy," Wills said. "Imagine everything I'd get done with him keeping my little drama queen busy when I'm trying to make dinner or pee or just take a shower." She turned to Ren, who was sitting beside War. "I have asked my loyal familiar to go fox and entertain his niece, but he won't do it."

"Because I want her to love me for me, and not because I'm a fuzzy, cute woodland animal," he said with a smirk. "And thanks to Jaz's mural, she's now obsessed with them."

Jazzy chuckled. "I can't help it if I'm just that talented."

"Would you go crow and flap around to entertain babies and small children?" Ren asked Bram.

He shrugged. "Depends. If they were my own kids, then yeah, but then they'll probably have their own wings, so I'm not sure I'll need to."

Mags spun to face him. "And then I'll be left standing there while you all fly off and leave me behind." Her lips turned down. "I'm jealous already, and we don't even have kids yet."

"I'll carry you, babe," Bram said and kissed the top of her head.

"There's always the broom," Else said at her spot beside Daisy.

"What broom?" Iris asked, her hand dropping from her massive belly and grabbing the edge of the table. She was due in a few months, but with twins, she looked ready to have them now.

"Don't even think about it," Draven said to his mate, who still thought she could do everything she used to.

"What broom?" Mags asked, impatient.

Daisy frowned at Else. "Hey, we made a pact never to bring that up."

"Oopsie," Else said. Stan, Else's devoted and deceased familiar, stood behind her, chuckling, amused by her as always. Only Jaz and I could see him and knew he was there. He'd asked us not to tell her.

"When I asked if we had a family broom, you said we didn't," Rose said from her spot on Ronan's lap.

"We lied," Else said. "None of you could be trusted not to do something crazy with it." She shrugged. "But your daughter's mated to a crow, Daisy, so I think she should have it." She sipped her wine. "There's a hat as well."

"Else!" Aunt Daisy said. "What has gotten into you?"

"A hat like a hat , the pointy kind that most families have, but you said we didn't," Wills said.

"It doesn't do anything," Daisy said. "And if you knew about the hat, then you'd know there was a broom."

"Because it hasn't found its new owner. Jaz and Zinny haven't tried it on for size yet. Maybe it belongs to one of them," Else said.

Brooms, pointed hats, cauldrons—they were the things that humans associated with witches, but there was a reason for that. All covens supposedly had those things, items of power. They were tangible, things you could see and touch, unlike actual magic, and during the witch trials, the connection between the witches tried and those particular items had been noted, hence the association to this day.

Else stood slowly, then shuffled from the room. Stan followed her. He was always with her; the only time he left her side was when she was asleep, but he never went far.

"I can't believe you never told us we had them," Mags said.

"We tried the hat on each of you when you were babies. It didn't claim any of you, so we put it away," Daisy said, looking guilty. "Honestly, I was kind of scared of it. It's old and powerful. Who knows what it can do when it finds its owner?"

Else shuffled back in carrying both. Mags jumped up, and Else handed her the broom. "Fly, my pretty," she said and cackled.

Bram frowned, looking it over. "If you use that thing, you have to wear a helmet."

Mags looked disgusted. "A helmet . No way. None of my ancestors would have worn one . "

"And I bet there were a whole lot of witches walking around with concussions." He gave it another once-over. "I don't know about this. You could break your damn neck."

"No, I won't," Mags said, running her hand over it.

Else placed the hat on Jazzy's head. "It won't toss her off, and she won't fall. Once you're in the air, you're stuck on it until you land." The hat was worn rich brown leather. Soft, the point at the top not super tall, not like in fairy stories. It was too big for Jazzy, though, and covered her eyes.

"See, nothing to worry about," Mags said to her mate, eyes shining with glee.

Else plucked the hat off Jasmine's head. "Nope, not yours. It might be destined for one of the babies," she said. "Could be Vi's or one of the twins." She moved behind me and put it on my head.

The moment she did, something happened. The room spun, the world shifting around me, followed by a massive surge of power flowing through my body. It was meant for me. I felt it. The hat had been waiting for me, and I knew instantly that if I was wearing it, any spell I used would be boosted.

"Whoa," Rose said. "It shrunk down to fit."

"How does it feel, Zinny?" Wills asked.

I had to take several breaths while the power surge settled. "Yeah, it feels… right. Good." That was the only way I knew how to describe it.

Else took it off my head and set it on the kitchen counter. "Then it's yours, my girl. It belongs to you now."

"Looks good too," Mags said.

"Thanks, Else." I took her hand.

She smiled, so much love in her eyes and warmth on her weathered face. "I had a feeling that the time was right," she said, then grabbed for the chair, stumbling.

"Else!" Daisy shot to her feet, but Warrick was there first, scooping her up.

Else went limp in his arms.

* * *

Else looked so small in her bed, covers pulled up to her chin, her long silver hair, wavy and soft, spread out on her pillow. Stan lay on the bed behind her, his arm around her.

They were the loves of each other's lives, but then they'd been torn from each other when Stan was murdered. He'd only been twenty-one years old.

He looked up at me now and shook his head.

Else wasn't coming back from whatever this was. Jasmine was standing behind me, and she rushed from the room, trying not to let anyone else see that she was about to cry. Stan had made us keep our promise, and we had; we never told our aunt or anyone else that he was with her. He'd wanted her to move on, to at least try and have a full life without him, and he knew she wouldn't be able to if she knew he was there.

She never really had, though. There was Connor, the sweet old guy she was kind of dating, but they'd never really been more than good friends. She'd never gotten over Stan, and she hadn't really tried because she didn't want to get over him. He was it for her.

Mags was kneeling on the floor beside her. "Else?"

She opened her eyes slowly. "Don't you yell at me," she said to Magnolia. "I didn't tell you because worrying gives a body ulcers. I've seen other healers, the best, and there's nothing anyone can do. My time's up, pumpkin," she said, her usually strong voice sounding weak.

Daisy brushed her hair back. "I won't give up, Else. There has to be something—"

"It's my heart, Daisy… and nothing can be done." She wrapped her fingers around Daisy's hand. "I'm ready to go. I'm… I'm so goddamn ready to see my Stan."