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He swallowed and coughed the word “intercourse.” I smiled inwardly at his awkwardness. He continued quickly. “They bonded you together so he could hold on to your soul a while longer until a new witch could take Winnie’s place.”
I looked at Zaide, who was still staring at my hand, and decided to ask about our bond later. Instead, I asked, “Who is my new witch?”
I worried my bond with the new witch was the reason we were imprisoned. I couldn’t feel anything from them, but I assumed that was because it was a new bond.
Charlie huffed, “It’s me,” and ran a hand through his hair. Warmth flooded me at the familiar sight.
Wait? What?
I paused, unsure I heard right. “You? You’re my witch?” He nodded but didn’t meet my eyes. I let out a huge sigh of relief. “I’m so glad. I really didn’t want it to be Lydia. Or Mary.”
“You don’t mind?” he asked, uncharacteristically self-conscious.
I shook my head and smiled. “No. Should I?”
He gave me a self-deprecating smile. “Well, that means you’re stuck with me forever. You’ll feel what I feel. Hear my thoughts. You’ll have to suffer me learning to be a shitty witch.”
I shrugged. “I’m not concerned about that. You’ll be a great witch.” But evil thoughts nudged their way into my mind, and I suddenly cringed. “Youdon’t mind, do you? Being stuck with me forever? Are you upset that you were forced into this?”
He rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t forced, Clawdia.”
I interrupted before he could continue. “Of course you were. Zaide would’ve killed you if you let me die. You were pushed into it.”
“Clawdia, listen.” He pulled my face to stare at his. “Seriously, listen. I’m not upset about this. If it’s a choice between having you forever or losing you forever, I’m going to pick having you. That’s not a hard choice. I don’t feel hard done by. If anything, I got for free what other witches must work for. And as far as I’m concerned, I got a better deal since I already know you and—" He stopped abruptly, rubbed the back of his neck, and started again. “You’re important to me. You know that. I couldn’t imagine a world without you. Human or furry. Okay?”
Tears welled in my eyes at the heartfelt confession. “Okay.” I sniffed.
I looked at Zaide to see what he thought, but he didn’t look like he was paying attention. He stared at the bars, still holding my hand but lightly, as though unaware of its presence. My presence. I took my hand back to see if he noticed, but he continued to stare absentmindedly, lost to a world I couldn't find him in. My heart ached.
Blinking back more tears, I tried again to concentrate on learning what I missed. “How did you know you could save me?”
He shrugged. “Basically, after I beat the fuck out of glass jars holding fire, I heard him scream for me, and so I ran back to you both. I touched you, he yelled instructions at me, I got a new pet, and then some fucking witch popped up out of nowhere, caged us, and put us in here.”
I pause on one detail. “Wait, you set the fire free?”
“Yep. I wish you could have seen it.” He grinned so wide and so happily that I couldn't help but smile in response. "But you aren't going to believe how epic I was with my tree branch, so we might have to wait for Daithi to confirm once we’re free."
I laughed. “You're right. I don't believe you. I bet Daithi did all the work."
Charlie's head jumped back in mock affront. "You cheeky …" He started digging his fingers into my sides, tickling me. I squealed and squirmed and pushed at him.
“So, Savida could be?” I questioned, alight with happiness for the first time since I woke up.
“Back in his body and wondering where we all went.” Charlie grinned and continued, “Daithi took a portal back, so he might be there with him. I’m just sad for all the other demons who are waking up trapped in the ground.”
The process for taking demon fire meant that after they were summoned from their realm, the witches buried them to make their fire work harder to keep them alive so that when reaped, it was especially strong. It was an unimaginably evil act and the kind of torture I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
I shuddered at the thought and sent a quick prayer to God that the demons were quickly found.
Charlie echoed my thoughts. "Hopefully, Daithi has a plan to free the rest of the demons trapped underground."
"Well done. They weren't killed because of you. You're a hero." I threw my arms around him and kissed his cheek.
He grinned down cockily at me. "Damn fucking right, I am. Don’t you forget it."
I rolled my eyes trying to cover the blush suddenly burning my cheeks. Something about his confident reply and the intense stare had me feeling butterflies in my stomach.
“I am likely to forget since you’re so modest,” I replied sarcastically.
