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“Then they do want the flower.”
Why is he worried about the flower? Gothel wondered. It wasn’t the flower that animated him—if it were, he would be fully flesh, like a living being. “Don’t worry, Jacob—you will not be harmed if the rapunzel is gone. That is another kind of magic. I spoke with Mother about it briefly. The flower—”
“I know all of this, Gothel. I am older than you are, I spent countless nights talking with your mother until the sun rose to greet us.” Jacob paused. “Listen to me, these witches are not here to help, and even if they think they are, something horrible will happen. You have two choices, Gothel: either give your sisters the blood, or let them die. But whatever you do, take the blood yourself, because you can’t truly rule here as queen until you do.”
“You called me your queen last night.”
“I wanted your guests to respect your station. But I am sure even they know you’ve not taken the blood. If you had, you wouldn’t be asking them for their help with magic.”
“But don’t you see…if they don’t show me how to use Mother’s magic, who will? I need them!”
“Now listen to me, little one. This is important. Whatever you decide, do not let those witches anywhere near the blood or the flower. I don’t care if your sisters’ lives depend upon it. If you can’t save your sisters on your own, then their lives were not meant to be. I’m sorry to say it, but these witches are not to be trusted. They’re not your friends.”
Gothel stood there, gobsmacked. She didn’t have the proper words. She loved and respected Jacob, but she thought he was wrong.
“I hope you are wrong, Jacob.”
“For your sake, I hope I am.”
It had been several weeks since the solstice, and the strange sisters were still in the dead woods. Jacob kept his reservations to himself, and Gothel kept him busy so she wouldn’t have to see his disapproving looks and the worry on his face. She was convinced it was she her mother had seen in her vision and these witches were the only way she was going to be able to save her sisters.
Hazel and Primrose had now taken to their beds. They were weak and in constant pain. Gothel couldn’t stand to see them that way and hid herself away in her mother’s library with Lucinda and Ruby, desperately trying to find a way to save them. Martha stayed with Hazel and Primrose, doing everything she could to make them more comfortable. She brewed them a daily poppy flower tea to manage their pain. She had offered to put them into a deep magical sleep, but Gothel was fearful that if their condition changed while they were sleeping, she wouldn’t know.
“I can send them to the land of dreams, Gothel. They will be happy there, content and no longer in pain,” Martha had said with sad eyes.
“But they wouldn’t be able to tell me if they needed me! Please don’t send them away,” Gothel said. She could see the heartbreak on Martha’s face.
“I understand. I will brew a powerful tea to keep them calm and without pain. It’s made from the seeds of poppies. I promise it will not harm them.” She touched Gothel’s hand tenderly.
“Yes, please do that.” Gothel felt helpless but, thankfully, not so alone with the odd sisters there to help her.
Gothel played the conversation she’d had with Martha again and again in her mind, wondering if she had made the right decision to keep Primrose and Hazel sedated rather than put in a magical trance, as she pored over her mother’s books, desperately trying to find a way to save them.
“Gothel, please stop torturing yourself,” said Lucinda, reading both Manea’s book of the dead and Gothel’s mind.
“What’s that you’re reading?” asked Gothel.
“Nothing that will help us, I’m afraid,” said Lucinda, putting down the book in the pile designated as useless to their cause. “May I ask you a question? Why don’t you want to give your sisters your mother’s blood?”
“They don’t want it! Especially Primrose.”
“At this point I don’t think she has a choice if she wants to live,” Lucinda said, giving Gothel a sad look.
“It feels like I would be forcing something on her she doesn’t want. But I can’t stand by and watch her die.”
“That is exactly what we are doing. We are on a deathwatch, Gothel. Whatever your reasons for not wanting to use your mother’s blood, you need to make a choice. Either use your mother’s blood or your sisters die.”
“I think you’re right. I really wanted to find another way, but it doesn’t look like we will. I feel terrible we didn’t use the blood sooner. But honestly, I’m afraid, Lucinda. I’m afraid of what will happen to us once we take her blood. And not just because my sisters will know my thoughts, but because I’m worried I will become more like my mother and I will lose my sisters forever.”
“You will definitely lose them forever if you do not use your mother’s blood,” said Lucinda.
Gothel sighed. “Keep looking. We need to find the blood ritual.”
“I have it right here, Gothel,” said Lucinda.
“Thank you. I’ll be right back.”
Gothel stood at the door of her sisters’ room. My beautiful sleeping sisters.
