Page 4 of The Endless One

With a thud that was surprisingly loud, Sybil set the next stack of papers down on the table they’d dragged out into the sunlight. “Are you sure you want to keep working out here? There’s a storm brewing.”

One that was far in the distance, though. Jessamine had time before it started to rain.

Tilting her head up into the sunlight that still burned through the clouds, she nodded. “Sometimes it’s nice to remind myself that I’m still alive. I’ll stay out here until the rain chases me in.”

“What if the papers get wet?”

“Do you really think any of these people have seen Leon?” Jessamine knew her friend agreed with her when Sybil sank down into the chair beside her and stared down at the papers like she wanted to set them on fire.

“No. No, I don’t think they have seen him.”

“Then why are we still reading through everything?”

“Because I don’t know what else to do. He aims to become a god, Jessamine. We can’t just let him channel one of them. I remember…” Sybil’s voice cracked. “I remember what it was like when they all ruled. It was chaos. So many of us believed that this was the best way for us to live, and that the gods were doing everything they could to help us. But the witches knew. We could see how so many people had fallen under their spell and that the gods were doing nothing for us. Not anyone other than him.”

“And yet, people still worship them. Even hundreds of years after their deaths.”

“It’s hope that keeps them going. Hope that is insidious and deeply rooted in their souls. They pray to dead gods, hoping that someone will help them because they are desperate. They will cling to their gods who did horrible things, and they will ignore every act that harmed them or those they love.” Sybil shook her head. “I’ve seen people do terrible things for gods. Both living and dead.”

Jessamine reached for Sybil’s hand and squeezed her wrinkled fingers. “We’re going to make this happen. We’re going to kill him long before he brings anything back.”

“How are you so sure?”

Even Nyx looked at her, cracking one eye open as though she was waiting to hear what her mistress would say next.

Jessamine sighed. “I just know it. I have a feeling in my gut that this time, we’re going to win.”

As she said the words, a shout rose from inside the house. Not one of terror or fear, but a shout of victory that echoed around the household with a crackling pulse of magic.

Something had happened. Something that filled all the witches in their house with glee.

Then Elissa sprinted out the back door. It slammed open so loud Jessamine swore it shook the entire building as the willowy woman raced toward them.

“The crows!” Elissa shouted. “The crows have returned!”

Sybil’s face creased in confusion. “The crows?”

But Jessamine knew exactly what they were all so excited about. She stood, papers spilling from her lap into the dirt in a rain of rippling white. “The crows I created with Elric’s magic. They were sent out to Leon’s kingdom to spy for us. They’re back.”

Which meant they’d found something. Those crows weren’t natural. They knew not to return unless they had detailed information. She’d made them only to return when they would give them an edge over the would-be god.

Jessamine ran for the house, her heart in her throat. This was possibly what they needed to actually move forward in their plan, because the people of Leon’s kingdom were useless.

No one wanted to help witches. But the witches didn’t need other people’s help. This was proof.

The meeting room was full of witches. There were more of them than a month ago as women found their way to this hideout. Not that it was much of a hideout anymore. With so many people coming and going, Jessamine had a feeling most of the Pleasure District knew who and what they were. They just didn’t care after… well, everything.

She couldn’t be surprised. Nothing could surprise them after watching the statues of the gods walk through their streets, a coven blot out the sun, and Fortuna herself suddenly disappearing.

And in the midst of that crowd of powerful witches was the only person who always caught her eye.

Elric stood in the center of the madness, immovable and frowning as he stared at the single crow perched on the back of a chair. They eyed each other with distaste. His dark hair was rumpled from lack of sleep, dark shadows under his eyes showing just how ill rested he was. But he still looked intimidating. Commanding. In control.

Her god had been far more serious in the past month. Part of that was the threat of another god entering this realm, but the other threat was that of his own family seeing him once more. Of all of them, Elric wanted the God King to come into this realm the least.

She walked up to his side, trying to ignore the hubbub of all the other witches chattering around them. But she couldn’t help picking up on what they were saying.

“What did the crow claim?”