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Her arms returned around me, squeezing me in a grip that nearly crushed my healing body.
“Oof.” My pained sound broke through her wave of anger, and all three of them released me with a gasp.
Ember’s hands patted my body as if she held the power to heal me with a mere touch.“Sorry, but also not sorry, you bitch.”
Together, after months apart, I felt the distance between us drift away until there was only our love remaining. An ugly sob caught in my throat, and I felt tears drip down my cheeks until I tasted salt. “I missed y’all so much.” Turning to Audra and Isla, I asked, “What are you doing back at the estate?”
Isla pressed her cheek into my shoulder, her hands rubbing up and down my back soothingly.“When we heard what happened in Salem, we came home straight away. Did we not learn last year that we’re stronger together? That secrets are the enemy in this family?”
I took a shuddering breath as my gaze connected with Ember’s, our thoughts returning to the night of Samhain and just how close we came to losing everything we had built together as a family.
“I know.” Halfheartedly, I brushed away the tears that refused to slow. “I just had to keep everything together for you girls. It’s been my job for so long, I didn’t know how to stop. I don’t think I’ll ever not worry. Especially after I failed you all last Samhain.”
“What?” they yelled together.
“You didn’t fail, Jade!” Ember snarled, smoke rising from her fingertips. “I made my choices, same as everyone else. If anyone failed, it was obviously me.”
Audra looked no less furious, her auburn curls rising around her face from her magick.
“Is that why you disappeared into your mopey sad bubble all year? Because you thought everything that happened last year was your fault? That’s unhinged! Last Samhain was nobody’s fault but Carreau’s.” She took a deep breath before tangling her hand into my hair and bringing her forehead to mine. “We love you, Jade, and we sure as shit wouldn’t have made it this far if not for you. But we don’t need a mom, we need a sister. And we’ve missed having our sister for a long time.”
I could see the truth reflected in Ember and Isla’s eyes.
As the eldest sister, I knew some habits would be harder to break, but for them, I managed a watery nod. We hugged in an unbroken chain, linking us together irrevocably as the moon and the tides, before we broke away, laughing through our tears.
“Okay, enough emotion for one night, please. I’m dead on my feet and need either a pot of coffee or bed.” Audra sniffled, glancing back at the lit-up estate with a grimace. “Are we bunking here or going home?”
Being back here reminded me of my promises to Grandmother. My tears stemmed, and I chanced a guilty look at Ember.
“About that,” I started, winding my hands together at my stomach. “I don’t know what exactly Grandmother told you after I left for Salem, but in order for me to atone for the masquerade fuck-up, I had to promise to return to my High Priestess duties.”
Ember’s eyes widened in shock, for once quiet.
I hurried to apologize, panic drying tear tracks on my dirtied cheeks. “I know, I know. I’m such a two-faced bitch. I lied to you all about what I was doing at Alexei’s Court and what was happening in my life. But I’ll tell Grandmother no. You’ve been working yourself to the bone for this, and I swear I won’t take it away from you.”
To my surprise, a smile curled one side of her lips, and she let out a sigh of relief so powerful, her magick shimmered between us. “This is possibly the best news you could have ever given me!”
Her laughter rang out in the gardens.
“I love you for being considerate of my feelings, but I haven’t been entirely honest either. High Priestess trainingsucks. I’ve been so stressed and haggard, spending hours away from Killian and the fun possibilities that opened to me after I mastered my magick last year. It’s been such a burden, but I didn’t want to force you to play the perfect granddaughter.”
My breath caught as one of the worries occupying my weeks of anxiety fell apart.
Before I could laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation, Killian’s portal reopened, along with the remaining demons who had acted as transport. Liliane hopped out of Killian’s arms and swiftly embraced Willa. From my periphery I noticed Tabitha as well, her wearied gaze checking me for injuries before breathing a visible sigh of relief.
“Thanks, you lot.” Liliane saluted the demons, who shot her concerned looks before escaping the estate.
Killian smirked, sidling towards Ember. “You're welcome. Anything for family.”
“Speaking of family…” My great aunt clapped. “Where’s Rebecca?”
From Grandmother’s office window, we heard her voice, screaming shrilly from her desk, “Jade, upstairs now!”
The girls shot me sympathetic looks, but I shook off their concern. “Y’all catch up with Liliane and then head home. I can get a ride with someone after this showdown.”
As I trudged up the winding staircase to her office, I knew I had failed for the last time in Grandmother’s eyes.
The French doors were sprung open, and my mother’s painted face stared down at me as I approached Grandmother hunched over her desk. Several thoughts crossed my mind, but I started with the most impossible.
