Page 89 of Hex You

The pentagram carved into Hunter’s core tingled with power, with a plan, with the energy that came from trusting herself. “You’re absolutely right.” She closed the distance between them, rolling her pendant between her bloody fingers. It heated as magic bubbled within her stomach, surged up her throat, and weaponized her tongue.

“I knew you’d see the light, young Witch.”

Hunter returned Amphitrite’s ghoulish grin with one of her own as she reached out and clapped her hands onto glowing blue shoulders. The goddess’s cry was the shriek of owls as her skin bubbled and hissed beneath Hunter’s palms and the magic of the banishment spell she’d carved into her flesh. Hunter ran her bloody hands over Amphitrite’s chest, water seeping from the boiled skin she left in her wake.

“Release me!”Amphitrite cried as Hunter pressed her palms over the sea goddess’s heart, salt water spurting between her fingers, pinkwith the blood of Jax and Emily.“Release me, Witch!”Amphitrite clawed at Hunter’s cheeks, her arms, her torso. Each strike was a bursting water balloon drenching Hunter’s skin.

“You first!” Hunter shouted as she drew a bloody pentagram against the sea goddess’s steaming chest. “Begone, Amphitrite! I call upon the strength of this mortal blood, the blood of the people of Goodeville and their ancestors, to banish you. I banish you from this town. I banish you from this earth.” Heat swelled in Hunter’s fingertips as she reached into the chest of the goddess who’d nearly turned her magic dark. “Begone, Amphitrite!” She flexed her fingers, the points of a star aflame with the magic of the universe.

“You have no power here!”

Amphitrite’s wail hatched beneath Hunter’s flesh and clawed its way to the surface, flaying her skin as the goddess of the sea burst into steam, an azure cloud that rocketed toward the heavens.

A booming clap of thunder and a blazing flash of cerulean lit the night as the misty blue exploded against the blanket of stars. A new constellation. A twinkling blue pentagram winked down at Hunter, the only proof that Amphitrite, sea goddess and scorned wife of Poseidon, had ever sought revenge on the people of this realm.

Hunter’s stomach tingled, and she lifted her shirt. The ropy scar receded, melting into her body and leaving behind pale white skin. Her heart hammered between her ears as she spun around and raced to Jax, Emily, and a wet, disgruntled Xena. She collided into them, ignoring Emily’s objections, Jax’s squirms, and Xena’s meows as she scooped up the cat, wrapped her free arm around her friends, and squeezed.

“You’re alive.” She breathed, finally taking a step back. The blood that had trailed down their skin had vanished as quickly as her scar.

Jax smoothed down his clean white tee. “Zero thanks to that sea monster,” he called after Hunter as she dashed toward Mercy.

The green orb had dissipated, leaving the townspeople able to act on their own thoughts and opinions for the first time in days.

“Hunter saved us…”

“There was a monster…”

“Hunter Goode shot that creature into the sky…”

“She’s a good witch. Like Glenda…”

The whispers swirled around Hunter as she wound through the townspeople slowly making their way from the park.

“They know my name.” A spark of joy flickered in her chest before being buried by the sight of Kirk Whitfield.

“This isn’t over!” he growled, his chest heaving with frantic inhales.

Hunter’s veins buzzed with untapped magic. “It so is.”

Jana strode over, eyes pink-rimmed and puffy with tears. “Kirk, it’s time to set down the torch.” She clutched the gold crucifix dangling from her neck. “I fear we were led astray by a false prophet.”

“She’s a witch!” He spat. “We have to—”

Jana placed her hand on his shoulder. “Son, like evil, good comes in many forms.”

“But—”

Hunter’s fingers twitched with stored magic, but Jana squeezed Kirk’s shoulder and guided him toward the parking lot. “Let’s get you set up in one of the church’s Bible study groups.”

Hunter darted around another group heading to their car and finally spotted her sister, surrounded by their friends and their cat-turned-guardian.

“Mercy!” The wail tore out of her as she rushed to close the distance between them.

She can’t be dead! She can’t be!

THIRTY-SEVEN

Mercy fought back to consciousness through layers of green-tinged darkness as Khenti lifted her into his arms.