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“There isn’t, Sadie,” Charlie said softly. “River tried to save you by taking his own life, making a change, and in turn, the spirits were awoken after all these years. Not only that…”
Sadie’s nostrils flared, knowing precisely what her sister was about to say, wishing she could refuse to hear it. “If he kills me by his own hand, we won’t find each other in the next life—our child wouldn’t be there either. There would be no next life, no meeting beneath the veil because he’s becoming one of them now, isn’t he?” She thought about the red spots that had been in the whites of his eyes, ones that would grow to become orbs of blood.
Charlie slowly nodded. “He is, but that isn’t all. If he becomes one of those wretched spirits and ends your life, the woods will open and release them all. Chaos will ensue. To save River, you will have to sacrifice him.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“You can fly, even without wings.”
To save River, you will have to sacrifice him… Charlie’s words pounded inside Sadie’s head so hard she believed her skull would crack. River was becoming one of them, and she hadn’t suspected it, not even when blood had dotted his eyes. River killing himself hadn’t put a dent in the hex—it had morphed it into something darker.
“You honestly don’t think there’s an incantation to reverse it?” Sadie asked. “You’re so good with spells and conjuring up new ones.” But she knew better than anyone that most true hexes couldn’t be reversed, not without repercussions. Even such spells as bringing a loved one back from the dead were generally how it was in the movies—they were altered.
Charlie shook her head. “No, and if there was a spell to reverse time to take us to Salem, I would try it. But turning back time doesn’t exist, no matter how much I wish it did. I can attempt to do something for the rest of the day, but when midnight comes, you’ll have to make a choice. He doesn’t have much time left.”
Even after the lives she’d stolen in Salem, the only person she’d ever murdered with a weapon that wasn’t with a spell had been her father. She couldn’t imagine thrusting a blade into River’s chest, his throat, or anywhere else for that matter. “I can’t,” she whispered, her hands shaking. “I know he’s killed me countless times, but he was under a spell. This wouldn’t be me under an influence.”
“I would influence you if I could,” Charlie said. “But I don’t know if that would make the hex worse than it already is. River took his life of his own will this time, and I believe you will have to do the same. This is a way to save him, yourself, the world.”
“I don’t care about the world,” Sadie spat. “I care about him, you.” She peered down at Charlie’s hand, where one rested on her stomach, protecting the child growing inside her belly, the one that had belonged to Sadie and River in all their past lives. If River were to kill her and the spirits were set free from the woods, they would massacre people. That meant Skyler would reawaken to end Charlie’s life, end their baby’s once more. River’s parents were out there—so were Kalina and her daughter…
“I can’t do it for you, Sadie.” Charlie sighed. “I’m leaving this choice, this decision, up to you this time.”
“If it comes down to it, I’ll do it,” Sadie whispered. “But I don’t even know what will happen to him after—it would mean he’d be gone forever.” Her body grew rigid, and everything within her wilted.
Charlie wrapped her arm around Sadie’s shoulders, drawing her closer. “If it were Skyler, I would do it. No one would want to become one of those things. It would be better to be gone from this world. I promise I’ll continue trying to find a way, though. I only wish we had more time.”
“Me too.” Sadie wanted to hold her sister back, but she felt numb, too numb to even bring up her arms.
“Let’s reposition the bones around the house, and I’ll strengthen the wards one last time,” Charlie said.
Sadie walked back to the cabin and checked on a sleeping River before helping Charlie rearrange the bones, then she added the remainder of the salt. Charlie flipped through the book that Sadie had gotten from Crow Moon, finding nothing useful. Neither one could get the barrier to open to go back to the metaphysical shop, and Charlie’s phone hadn’t worked since the veil had dropped, so she couldn’t search for anything.
Charlie sat on the porch steps, and from her frustrated expression, she needed space, to be left alone to concentrate. Sadie’s hopes were withering.
She headed inside the cabin, finding River still asleep, his head tilted to the side. Skimming her hands over the records, she put one on and turned the volume down a shade as she lowered herself to the floor to watch over him.
After a while, Charlie came into the cabin and started tossing leaves and berries into a pot. Sadie went back and forth, helping her boil more pointless brews that tasted of dirt and didn’t lift any layers of the hex, until Charlie demanded she spend time with River. So that was what she did—except while he slept she dwelled on things in Salem, those she’d hurt, until midnight wasn’t far off. She couldn’t hold back anymore, couldn’t let him continue to sleep if she might not have time with him after this. It didn’t matter if she was being selfish—she pushed off the floor, tucked the dagger into her boot, then rested on the edge of the bed, placing a hand against River’s warm cheek.
His eyes cracked open, and they weren’t swirling with a hint of red—they were clear.
“Hi.” He smiled, then winced as he seemed to realize where they were, that he was still tied to the bed, with a desire to end her life in some way, any way.
“Don’t call me reckless. I have the dagger to defend myself, but you’re coming with me for a bit. I promise I’ll tuck you right back into this hellish bed.” She started to untie the rope at his left ankle.
“What is it?” he asked, a line settling between his brows. “I can tell you’re keeping a dark, dirty little secret.”
“You can always read me.” She smiled, moving to his right ankle. “I’ll talk to you about it after. For now, tell me your favorite moment between us when we were in Salem.”
“Oh, there are plenty of those,” he cooed. “But it had to be the first time we met when I found you beneath the stars in the woods with animal bones sewn to your dress and black feathered wings attached to your back.”
“You asked what I was doing.” She grinned, wishing those wings were here now and that they could somehow fly them away. But it was hard to dream at that moment, to wish.
“You told me to mind my own business and to shoo. But then, as I pried, you admitted that you were trying to figure out a way to fly for the night.”
“Then you told me you knew what I was, and I told you the same.” Sadie’s heart swelled at the memory. “You sat beside me, casting a spell, even though it didn’t work.”
“Then we continued to meet, dance, beneath the moonlight.”
