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“It worked out, as we are free to go,” I said.
“How are things in Octavia Falls?” Charlotte asked.
I shook my head. “Not well. Margaret and Lilian have only made things worse. They’re taking away people’s resources so they’ll obey the priestesses.”
“They’re splitting up families, and they’re forcing people to work for them,” Chloe added. “People are going hungry.”
“You have not yet died,” Charlotte remarked. “How have you come here?”
“We came through a portal in Malovia,” Chloe explained. “We’ve come to find the missing Oaken Wands. Do you know what happened to the Mentalist Wand after it fell into the demon’s pit?”
Charlotte nodded and reached into her cloak. “I retrieved it when I fell into the demon’s pit. I landed here in the Abyss. The Mentalist Wand was lying in the forest beside me, as it too fell into the pit. I have been holding on to it until it could be passed into the proper hands. You have proven that you are worthy of wielding it by forgiving each other. The Wand trusts you and is willing to come back to Earth with you.”
Charlotte withdrew the Mentalist Wand and placed it in Chloe’s hands. The end of the Wand began to glow, and it sang a beautiful note.
“You’ve earned this,” Charlotte said. “What you did on that witness stand proves that when the time comes, you will all come together to do right by the coven. I know you will use this Wand for good.”
“Come with us,” Talia offered. “You fell into the demon’s pit and were portaled here. You don’t belong here, either.”
Charlotte frowned. “I’m afraid I do.”
“You died on the way down,” Lucas stated matter-of-factly. He wasn’t guessing. It was clear there was a part of his Death magic that knew.
Charlotte nodded.
Lucas shook his head, like he refused to accept this answer. “That doesn’t mean you belong here.”
Charlotte didn’t appear convinced. “You know what I’ve done. I started the Miriamic Conflict with the other priestesses.”
“And you chose better,” Lucas pressed. “It’s not what we’ve done in the past that defines us, but what we choose to do now—in the present. You saved us from the demon, Charlotte. You sacrificed yourself to break the contract and kill him.”
“One good deed does not outweigh my sins,” Charlotte said.
“No, but you can choose not to let it weigh you down anymore,” Lucas replied. “I know what it’s like to punish yourself—to feel like you deserve it, yet feel out of control at the same time. But we can make a new decision at any moment. We might slip up, but what matters is that we keep trying to do better. The only question is… do you want to do better?”
Charlotte nodded. “I do.”
“Then this isn’t where you belong,” Lucas told her. “Lessons can’t be learned by torturing yourself. It’s a symptom, not a solution. If you’re ready to break that cycle, then you belong in Alora, where you can shed light on your wrongdoings and heal from them.”
Tears rose to Charlotte’s eyes. “I’d very much like to heal.”
A bright light appeared behind Charlotte, outlining her form. It was so blinding I had to shield my eyes.
“Thank you all,” Charlotte said. “I will move onward toward Alora. I pray that whatever happens, the rest of you will be able to lead the coven into the light.”
Charlotte began walking toward the portal, until it engulfed her entirely, before she was gone for good. The light dimmed, and we were left standing in the mud without her.
It was a profound moment, seeing one of our own coven members ascend. Charlotte had been on the Imperium Council when the Miriamic Conflict began. She’d ordered witches and warlocks to hang, and she’d burned our friends on the pyre the night of the Burning. She’d been among the priestesses who summoned the demon that killed over a dozen coven members. By all accounts, it appeared that she belonged here in the Abyss.
But she’d owned up to her mistakes and stood accountable for them. She’d chosen a different path, one that led her home to Mother Miriam. If she of all people could do that, then each one of us could follow her lead. Because of people like her, the coven could change for the better.
If we accomplished nothing else in the Abyss, coming down to help Charlotte was worth it.
Chapter Thirteen
LUCAS
The light that guided Priestess Charlotte into Alora was so beautiful that I wished I had conjured the portal on my own. But I hadn’t. Charlotte had done that all by herself.
