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“Do you want us to come with you?” Rhiannon asked.
I shook my head. “Nah. Unless you’re afraid I’m not going through with it.” I gave her a long look, challenging her to call me a liar. Of course, Rhia wouldn’t, but I was feeling under the gun and really itching for a place to lash out.
She gazed at me softly, then touched my arm. “Come with me.”
I followed her into the parlor. “What?”
“Cicely, I know you think we’re against you but we’re not. Leo’s being an ass, and I am so sorry for the crap he’s given you—if you want, I’ll put him out. But we all want the same things: Myst dead, the town free, Grieve home safe. And”—she lowered her voice—“my mother . . . I want her to rest. For good. I can’t stand the thought that Myst turned her into a vampire.”
I hung my head, trying to swim up through the depths of depression. Everything was so fucked up that I couldn’t see the bottom from where I was standing. Enfolding my cousin in my arms, I patted her back and kissed her hair.
“I’d give anything—even Grieve—to be able to give you your mother back again. Remember: I loved her, too. She was the only steadying force I ever knew in my life, aside from Ulean. Please, never think I’m angry at you. I hold my anger for those who deserve it. Myst—Lannan . . . even Leo. Right now, I could take them all out. Well, maybe not Leo, but I’d like to give him a bruised butt. But you . . . chica, we’re family. We’re twin cousins—remember?”
She smiled then, tears in her eyes. “I remember when we were young. How much fun we had. Life seemed so full of promise, until Krystal took you away. After that, I still had fun, but there was always something missing. And that missing piece was you. Cicely, we’re solstice babies; I’m the light, you’re the dark. We balance each other out.”
I nodded. “Wipe your eyes. Get some dinner. I’ll be back later. We’ll see what Anadey can do.”
As I let go of her and moved to the door, she clasped my hand. “I know this is hard for you—”
“The hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
With that, she let go and I headed over to Anadey’s, to see if she could release me from something I’d give anything not to let go of.
Anadey was wearing a long black robe when she opened the door, and she looked as tired as I felt. She stood back and I entered the house. Peyton was in the corner, curled up with a book, and waved when she saw me.
“Are you sure you’re up for this, so soon after . . . what happened at the diner?” The last thing I wanted was to cause Anadey more pain.
“It will help me take my mind off today.” Her voice was grave. She motioned for me to sit down. “Tell me everything.”
I did, including our plan to rescue Grieve and hide him in a safe house. Anadey said nothing while I spoke, just blinked her way through what I had to say. After I finished, I sat back, waiting.
“I think I can help you. In fact, it won’t be that difficult. But you have to trust me. Do you trust me, Cicely?” She gazed at me with those brilliant eyes of hers. Anadey: the daughter of the most powerful witch who had ever lived in New Forest. Anadey: Peyton’s mother. Anadey: one of our only allies. And I was about to put myself in her hands, to let her work her magic on me.
I paused, holding her gaze. After a moment, I slowly nodded. “I trust you.”
“Then go into the bathroom and bathe—I’ve set up a ritual bath for you. After you finish, return, naked. Peyton—you must leave. You shouldn’t be in the house while we’re working. Be careful, though—the Shadow Hunters could be anywhere.” She gave her daughter a long look.
Peyton bit her lip, then turned to me. “Are you sure you want to do this, Cicely? Think about it . . .”
“Don’t you trust me to treat your friend right?” Anadey turned to Peyton. “After all we’ve been through, do you doubt my word? Is that your father’s doing? Did he lie about me to you in that letter he sent?” She sounded bitter.
“No, damn it! I just want to be sure Cicely realizes what she’s doing. This has nothing to do with you—or my father!” Peyton grabbed her jacket, then turned back to me. “Give the word and I’m out of here. I will support whatever you choose to do, but I want to hear it from your own lips. I just have a bad feeling about it.”
I gave her a faint smile. “I love you, too, Peyton. And thanks—for caring. But I have to do this. If I don’t, I put everybody I love in danger.”
She nodded. “That’s all I needed to hear. I’ll see you later, lady.” To her mother, she glowered, but said, “I’ll be careful. You better be, too.”
When we were alone, Anadey let out a long sigh. “I wish she’d quit blaming me for being angry about her father. He’s a sleaze and a drunk. He ran out on us, leaving me to cope with a young girl, and never once checked in to see how she was doing. Never once did he send support for her—I had to fend for the both of us on my own. And now he wants back in her life? I’m convinced he’ll try to take her away from me.”
I lightly put my hand on the older woman’s arm. “Don’t do this to yourself. You know Peyton adores you—she loves you so much. How can you believe that someone who’s a relative stranger could come in and destroy your relationship with her that easily?”
She wavered, and I could see she was thinking about what I’d said, but then she shook her head. “It’s just too dangerous . . . I can’t chance it . . .”
“Chance what?”
“Never mind.” Her smile returned and she pointed toward the bathroom. “Here, drink this. It will put you in the right mood. Go immerse yourself in the bath and clean with the soap I put there. Then return here, naked.”
I downed the drink—it tasted like apple juice—and then excused myself and went into the bathroom. The walls were soft rose-petal pink, and the bathtub and fixtures were painted porcelain. The tub was filled with steaming water and a froth of bubbles that immediately calmed me down. As I stripped down and slowly lowered myself into the water, the heat seeped through my muscles and I leaned back, letting the magic of the herbs work their wonders.
