Chapter 53

53

LECTURE NOTES FROM HERBOLOGY 101:

The Blood Sacrifice of the fallen Botanical Supreme was crucial for the formation of this realm. All that is green and colorful, started with her.

I t was worse than a nightmare. Soren was there, encased in fire-cuffs. They’d not spared any part of his body, which sizzled with every breath he dared to take. They weren’t just killing him, they were torturing him.

“Release him, or you’ll die.” The voice that had escaped her was not her own, but that of the monster within her.

The soldiers whirled around at her threat. The one in the middle grinned before saying, “Look who came to retrieve her beast.”

Thessa stood tall, letting her shadows dance around her.

“Killing us would go against the New Regime , now wouldn’t it,” mocked the soldier .

She took a step toward Soren. “This is far from just behavior.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The soldiers tightened their grips on Soren’s fire-cuffs as he writhed in agony. “We’ll end this now.”

Thessa snarled, sending eight wisps of her magic to float in the space between them: one for each soldier.

“Retract your shadows and this will be over soon. It’s only just after what you did to our Supreme.”

Knowing her magic stole a particularly useful element, she quieted. Her shadows were not a gentle blanket of death, rather a bundle of rage. Flicking her fingers, she willed them down the soldiers’ throats.

As they clawed at their necks, Thessa held her focus—she’d die before letting her magic escape their lungs. When they all collapsed, the fire around Soren’s scales faded, but only once the final soldier shuddered had she lunged for him.

Collapsing to his side, she sobbed. How long had they hunted him ? Tortured him? His body was burnt, limp and without a hiss.

Leora burst through a bush. “Quinnley’s going to help. She has supplies.”

Thessa was shaking. “I don’t think he’s breathing.”

Quinnley skidded over, pressing her palms atop Soren’s scalded flesh. “His heart is still beating, I can feel it.” A moment later, bright green magic escaped her fingertips, trickling over Soren like water. The lush color was as rich as the magic she’d witnessed in the capital.

“Quinnley,” Leora gasped; her eyes displayed the same level of shock as Thessa’s. “When you said you had supplies, I was thinking you meant potions and salves.”

“I wasn’t sure how to—” Quinnley stopped talking, shaking her head instead .

“Tell us you held the power of Earth Rendering?” Thessa chimed in, recognizing exactly who Quinnley was.

“How does it work?” Leora asked.

Her magic began forming intricate strings, weaving around Soren’s body like a tapestry. It was patching and sealing each crevice anew. “We can grow anything from flora to fauna. Scales and body tissue aren’t much different than algae and fungi. As long as the heart pumps and their blood moves, we can grow the rest.”

“Why is someone with your gift living under a tree root?” Leora pressed her.

“It’s not just a gift,” Thessa muttered. “She’s the heir.”

Quinnley sighed before mumbling, “I never asked to be … that’s why I ran away. Living in the Central Divinity was awful—with all that fire. I like it much better here, in the woods. I have a purpose here. You won’t tell my mother you found me, right?” Her vibrant, green eyes pleaded up to them both.

“Of course not, Quinn,” Leora said, “thanks for trusting us.”

A deep breath surged through Soren just as his skin began to shine, slick with slime.

Thessa sighed in relief. “Quinnley, keep working. Leora, let her focus.”

Leora nodded and stood, backing up into Emiel’s embrace. Thessa hadn’t noticed it before, but Emiel was terrified. Worry laced his freckled face.

“He’s going to be okay,” she heard Leora whisper to him.

Thessa refocused on Soren, staring directly into his black eyes.

I know you’re in there. I need you to shift. Find the strength and do it.

The bond was silent.

Please. Please, do it for me .

Nothing.

Thessa groaned.

Fine.

Pulling her dagger free, she sliced through her palm.

“What are you doing?” Quinnley asked.

“I need clove and mugwort, now.”

Quinnley used a single finger to conjure the herbs for her.

“Thank you,” she managed, dropping them on the ground and mashing her bloodied fist atop them. She opened the top of her tunic and smeared the mixture across her chest, drawing a five-pointed star.

‘“ Blood, herbs, heart, and soul. Take my gift, take this toll. Seek my mother, not another. Goddess be, please help me. Blood, herbs, heart, and soul. Take my gift, take this toll. Seek my mother, not ?—”

Thessa met Quinnley’s puzzled stare just as everything went black.

“The least you can do is help him shift after lying to me for eighteen years.”

“Thessa.” The majestic voice boomed across the dark and airy plane of her soul. “I’m more than relieved you survived your slip in the sea. Look at all you’ve overcome.”

Thessa shook her head, the blurry memory of her mother babbling about Poseidon resurfaced. “Spare me, and help Soren, now .”

“It won’t be that simple. He’s too far gone. In the mind.”

“You said you’re with all those who share our blood, so go to him . Save him .”

There was a thunderous sigh, a dramatic pause, and then a response. “He’ll need a tether. ”

“What do you mean, don’t start with your riddles,” Thessa snapped at the goddess of night.

“Something to tie him back to his immortal body. A reminder .”

“But he knows it’s me, I’m not enough.”

“Make it enough, Thessa. You’ve worked so hard, let it not be for nothing.”

Thessa's eyes shot open and she cursed.

“I take it that didn’t go so well?” Quinnley asked, her hands still busy healing Soren.

Thessa grunted and sat up. “Useless, as usual.” A swell of heat to her back had her glancing over her shoulder; Wayland was incinerating the dead soldiers.

Good .

Emiel was still wholly focused on Soren, and Leora wholly focused on him. Their connection was palpable.

Thessa turned to Soren’s serpent form, now breathing steadily. Every scale was whole.

Alive .

“I’ll never leave you again. I’m never leaving you again,” she swore to him. She’d watch him in this form, from afar if she had to, forever— after killing his father for placing this curse upon him. Upon her.

Lying beside him, Thessa unscrewed her necklace. “I suppose now is a good time to tell you how foolish I am.”

Soren blinked slowly, as if listening.

“Growing up, I used to be so jealous of the witchlings with homes. So much so that I convinced myself that if I worked hard enough, one day I could afford my very own.” She laughed; the sound was more melancholic than joyful. “But I was wrong to think it was something you could buy, and I’m sorry for taking so long to realize it.” She paused, swallowing the lump of fear in her throat. “The way my heart trembles when I’m near you, and the way you look at me, but actually see me , makes it clear. You brought light into my life that not even the stars could muster. My home is with you, and forever will be. I love you, Soren. I love you so much .”

Then, Thessa kissed the serpent.

Quinnley gasped—from either the sight of Thessa’s lips on the serpent’s mouth, or the glistening veil of night Soren created while shifting back. Thessa sprang to her feet to meet him as Quinnley backed away, muttering something about fairytales.

From the corner of her eye, she watched Leora drape her arm across Emiel’s chest, holding him back as Soren uncurled.

Quinnley was a powerful witch, was all Thessa could think about while staring at Soren’s nude and unscarred body. Everything was perfect, with the exception of one missing serpent tattoo.

Soren followed her gaze, brushing a palm over his clear skin in recognition. What she’d thought was a tattoo was an imprint.

Echidna was gone .

Despite this, and everything he’d been through, Soren stepped closer, scanning her. He whispered, “Are you hurt?”

Thessa’s heart crumpled. She shook her head—the weight of it suddenly so heavy. “Not physically.” Her words broke as they came out.

Soren’s strong hand cupped her face, lifting her watery gaze to meet his. His eyes glazed over like black pearls before crashing his lips into hers. Their tears mingled on her cheeks as he swept her off her feet.

Pulled in tight, she felt every emotion in his embrace—grief and anger, hope and longing, desire and need. But something lingered above the rest; it was so strong her insides melted.

Atop her lips, Soren said, “I love you too, Thessa. So very much,” before shielding them both with his magic.