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Celeste’s expression softened. She took his face in her hands and gazed into his eyes.
‘Magic isn’t good or bad, Blaise,’ she said firmly. ‘It’s the person wielding it who decides how to use it.’
‘But what if I forget all the damage I’ve done?’ he whispered. ‘What if I start to crave power and excitement again?’
‘I can’t give you any guarantees,’ she told him. ‘But you’re a strong man, and deep down you have a good heart. You’ve proved that. Be the master of your fate, Blaise. It might call to you, but if you don’t think it’s the right thing to do, you can say no. You can walk your own path. I’m sure of it. I have faith in you.’
‘Maybe you should sleep on it,’ Wulfram suggested. ‘There’s no need to decide right now. Think about it, and if you decide you can’t take the risk of getting your magic back—well, I’ll figure something else out.’
‘No,’ Blaise said, taking Celeste’s hands in his. ‘Celeste is right. I can walk my own path, and the path I choose is the path that leads me back to the seventeenth century, where I can try to make amends once and for all.’
He turned to me and his eyes gleamed with tears. ‘I’m so sorry, my love.’
I knew he meant it, and I understood why he had to go back. How could I ask him to remain here, tormented with guilt and grief? He needed to at least attempt to fix things or how could he ever be happy? And if he couldn’t be happy, neither could I. It would be no life for either of us.
‘Don’t be sorry,’ I told him, managing a smile. ‘It’s okay.’
‘I’ll miss you so much,’ he told me.
‘No you won’t,’ I said. ‘You won’t miss me at all. Because I’m going with you.’
Chapter 34
Wulfram
‘No, Romy!’
It was Ewella’s voice that rang out the loudest, but we all issued our protests as soon as she made her declaration.
Even Blaise was adamant that she couldn’t go with him.
‘You have no idea what the seventeenth century is like,’ he told her. ‘You’d never be able to cope with it. The disease, the dirt—I couldn’t put you through that. I’m sorry, Romy, but you must stay here where you’ll be safe.’
‘Plenty of people stayed alive and well in the seventeenth century,’ she said defiantly. ‘They lived to a decent age. Not everyone died young.’
‘But there are so few guarantees,’ he pleaded. ‘And remember, witches aren’t accepted. We’d have the added danger of discovery.’ He shook his head. ‘I was protected in Castle Clair. We had our safe little bubble, where we were free to be who we truly were. Not everyone was so lucky. We won’t have that bubble if we return. It will be just us, trying to make our way in a hostile and strange world. Even I’m going to struggle, having spent these last four years in this time. I’ve grown accustomed to comfort and security. But at least I’ll understand the world I’m returning to. You…’
He held me tightly and I felt a sob escape him as we stood together. ‘Please, Romy,’ he murmured. ‘You can’t do this. You have to let me go.’
‘Blaise is right,’ Celeste said gently. ‘I’m sorry. I know how much he means to you, but it’s not safe.’
‘It’s not your decision to make,’ Romy said, staring round at us all as if challenging us to disagree with her. ‘It’s mine. And I’ve made it. If Blaise is going back to the seventeenth century then so am I. It might be tough, but we’ll be together, and that’s all that matters.’
‘I won’t do it,’ Blaise said, stepping away from her. ‘I won’t let you come with me.’
‘And I won’t take you,’ I added, feeling guilty for crossing my sister, but aware that I was doing her a favour. She’d never survive in that world. I didn’t want her to try. She belonged here with us.
Romy spun round and turned appealing eyes on Emrick. ‘Tell them!’ she begged. ‘Tell them it’s not up to them.’
Emrick closed his eyes but remained silent.
Romy gave an exasperated cry and swung round to face Hector. ‘You’ll tell them, won’t you? Please, Hector.’
‘Romy, stop it,’ Ewella said. She hurried over and put her hands on Romy’s shoulders. ‘Listen to me. This isn’t a game. The time that Blaise is from is a hard and dangerous one. I don’t want you trapped in that life. Blaise is right. He should know. He has first-hand experience of that period. Listen to him. He’s going to have enough to worry about as it is, and the last thing he needs is you weighing him down. You’ll be a burden to him; can’t you see that?’
She turned tearful eyes on Blaise. ‘Thank you for telling her the truth,’ she said. ‘I’m so sorry you’re going to have to go back there. I can imagine what a wrench it’s going to be for you. I think you’re incredibly brave. But you’re right. My daughter belongs here. Thank you for being noble enough to tell her that.’
Sirius and Trinity exchanged worried glances and I knew exactly what they were thinking. The fact was, Blaise might not turn out to be a noble hero after all. Celeste herself had said that fate was still pulling him. What if this was part of a plan for him to get his magic back? How could we be sure? If he turned out to be as rotten as he used to be, I certainly didn’t want my sister stuck in another century with him.
