19

Sienna

Forrest's magic dimmed, as if a veil of mist had descended upon its once brilliant glow, leaving behind only a faint flickering flame.

"Why would you do that?" I screamed, beating my fists into his chest. "We could have found another way."

The sacrifice of his powers had taken a visible toll.

"Because I care for you, Sienna. I've seen what Cider Falls means to you, what your coven means to you."

The witch at the end of the Council's table stood and approached us. She placed one hand on Forrest's heart. "He'll be just fine," she said. "Love is a powerful magic all on its own. "

"Athena cannot have her full powers!" I screamed at the elder witch. "She can't be trusted!"

"Not to worry, my dear, the reversal of her curse stripped her of any powers," the witch clarified. "She will never know the feeling of magic again."

"What about her immortality?" I asked.

"The end of her days will come soon," she promised. Without another word, the witch vanished into thin air, her form dissipating like smoke. The other council members followed suit, disappearing without a single trace. The candles that once flickered stood still, their flames extinguished.

My breath came out in shallow gasps as I tried to make sense of what had just happened. It was as if the very fabric of reality had shifted before my eyes.

I could feel the weight of Forrest's gaze, a silent question hanging in the air.

"How does it feel?" Forrest finally asked.

I knew what he was asking. It was the unspoken desire for me to demonstrate my powers. Yet, despite the thrill that should have accompanied such a gift, a wave of guilt crashed over me, choking out any spark of celebration. The burden of Forrest's choice made it difficult to embrace my newfound abilities .

"You shouldn't have sacrificed your powers," I told him. "Not for a woman you barely know. Not for me ."

"What I do know is the woman that I barely know would have done the same damn thing. Hell, she would have given up her powers entirely for her coven."

I blushed at his words. He wasn't wrong. I would have.

"You're the most selfless woman I've ever met," he continued. "I couldn't let you do what I knew you were considering. I couldn't take that risk. I don't want to date a mortal," he joked.

"I told you, I don't date," I smiled at him.

"You did mention that once before." He leaned in towards me, the scent of his cologne tickling my nose. "Technically, we've already been on a date, if you count the ball."

"Okay, fine! If you get me out of this place, I'll consider a second date," I promised. The unsettling atmosphere of the room weighed heavily on my senses. The cold air wrapped around me like a cloak, and my heart longed for the familiar warmth of Cider Falls.

"Well, Sienna, you're going to have to do that for us," he explained. "Remember? "

"But I don't know—" Two seconds later, we landed on the hardwood floors of Forrest's cabin.

"I guess you figured it out," he laughed as he helped me up from the floor. "You must have really wanted to get out of there."

"You have no idea," I laughed. "I need to work on the landing. Maybe you can teach me."

"I can do that."

"Oh, my coven!" I said as I smacked my forehead. "I must summon my sisters."

"I should probably—" Forrest began.

"Please," I said, "come with me. You're a part of our coven now."

Forrest's eyes lit up at my words. "I am?"

"Your sacrifice has solidified your place, a bond stronger than any Athena could ever hope to forge," I told him. "I'm sure it will take my sisters some time to get used to having a wizard in our coven, though."

Forrest nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Sienna."

"Thank you , Forrest."

I closed my eyes and focused intently on the bond my coven shared, feeling their presence wash over me like warm sunlight breaking through the clouds. It was as if an invisible thread connected our souls, and I found myself reaching out to my sisters with an effortless grace that surprised me. The familiar sensation of their energy enveloped me, more tangible and vivid than ever before.

"They'll be at our covenstead in one hour."

"What about Athena?" he asked.

"One of my sisters is bringing her along."

∞∞∞

A man had never stepped foot in our ancient amphitheater, its stone walls steeped in centuries of feminine secrets and whispered incantations. That is until the day I brought Forrest with me. The air crackled with tension as we approached, the very stones seeming to hum with anticipation at the unprecedented intrusion. Forrest's presence, so alien in our sacred space, sent ripples of unease through the gathered witches, their eyes widening in curiosity and alarm.

"Sienna!" Athena screamed from across the other side of the rock structure, as soon as she saw Forrest. "What is he doing here? You know this is—"

"Athena," I said calmly. "So glad you could join us."

"You are breaking—" Athena began.

"I know what I am doing, Athena," I said as I approached her. "Did you know what you were doing when you sacrificed our coven's powers for your greed? When you traded our full powers in exchange for immortality and the ability to control mortal men?"

A collective gasp rippled through my coven, a symphony of shock and disbelief as the weight of Athena's deceit settled upon my sisters for the first time.

"So," she said, her voice dripping with disdain, "you discovered the truth. Bravo, Sienna. There is not a single thing you can do about it, my dear." Her eyes gleamed with defiance.

I stepped closer, my shoes crunching on the dry leaves scattered across the stone floor. "Are you sure about that, Athena?"

The witch threw back her head and cackled, a harsh sound that echoed through the trees. "Once a trade has been made, it can't be reversed."

"A new trade has been made," I replied grimly. "You are banished from Cider Falls, Athena."

The bitter taste of regret lingered on my tongue as I cast out one of our own, severing ties that once felt unbreakable. The weight of the decision bore down upon me like an oppressive storm cloud, darkening the corners of my mind. Athena had been like a mother to us, her nurturing presence a balm for our souls, and now that comfort was gone, leaving a gaping void in our hearts.

But the woman who stood before me was anything but a mother figure. She was a bitter old woman whose only interest was control .

"Banished? From the town that I created?" The former witch cackled. "Who do you think you are?"

"A witch who has her full powers," I said with a sly smile. I summoned the strength of my sisters as we displayed our powers for the deceitful Athena. We might not have needed each other any longer, but we were still stronger as a unit. A unit Athena would never be a part of again, her betrayal having severed any ties she once held.

"But how?" she asked.

I took Forrest's hand in mine. "A man made a sacrifice for our coven. Not just a man, a wizard . "

Forrest stood before the coven, his hands trembling slightly as he raised them. The witches watched with narrowed eyes, their powers crackling just beneath the surface. He took a deep breath, willing his magic to cooperate.

A faint glow emanated from his palms, wisps of ethereal light dancing between his fingers. The witches murmured, unimpressed. Forrest gritted his teeth, focusing harder. Flowers began to bloom from beneath the stone.

"Is that all?" sneered Athena.

"He was once more powerful than all of us!" I yelled at the self-absorbed witch.

Silence fell over my sisters as the weight of my words sank in.

But Athena only cackled at my confession. "A man never does anything without sinister intentions attached. Be warned, Sienna, there will come a day when he seeks repayment. You will owe him . Mark my words."

"Do not pretend, for a moment, that you understand me or my intentions," Forrest said. His voice was stern.