The Wizard, the Witch, and the War: A paranormal women's fiction novel by Louisa West

Author:Louisa West [West, Louisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-30T00:00:00+00:00

NINE

As much as Rosie wished she could be the type of person who could just walk away from carnage and not look back, she never had been. Even with Randy, after she’d left him there had been a thread that still connected them. It was never a clean break for her, and she’d become used to there being something that still connected her to a past she had tried so hard to leave behind.

It niggled at her even now, like a cat constantly crooning to be let out, or fed, or stroked. They were in the middle of an extremely volatile situation—one where her entire family and a few of her close friends were in serious danger. But she couldn’t leave River laying amongst the rubble. She couldn’t just ignore her conscience. She had to do something.

After going back to the Council Chamber to double and triple check the necklace wasn’t there, she went back to the Hall of Ancestors. Slim’s clothes still lay in a filthy bunch on the floor, and Rosie bent down to poke through them once more. The necklace didn’t magically materialize, no matter how badly she wished it might. With a swipe of her hand and a thin trickle of magic, Rosie made Slim’s clothes disintegrate.

Then she walked over to where she knew the tiny body of the docent had been carelessly discarded. With tears stinging the back of her eyes, Rosie bent down and gently removed pieces of rubble. Slowly, piece by piece, the remains of her friend were revealed. With gentle hands and a broken heart, Rosie cradled River’s tiny squirrel body to her chest. She went back into the Council Chamber, the mystical center of power that River had spent her life serving.

Whispering to the souls of any of her ancestors who might be listening, Rosie went to the middle of the stone circle and laid the tiny, furry body on the small podium there. She curled River up to look as though she were simply sleeping before she allowed a gentle rush of her magic to leave her. Before her very eyes the lifeless little creature turned into an exquisite stone carving, forever immortalized as the price of this war—come what may.

When she turned, the rest of her party had gathered behind her. Maggie looked as upset as Rosie felt. Gabe almost seemed like he was numb, which broke Rosie all the more. No kid should have to feel that way, and shouldn’t even be in a situation like the one they found themselves in.

Hella glanced down at the tiny creature Rosie was holding with her eyebrows drawn together in confusion, but they ironed themselves out as understanding dawned. Rosie notched up her chin as if daring her tears to fall when they had to keep moving.

“Let’s go,” she said quietly.

Nodding, Gabe stepped forward and slipped a supportive arm around his stepmother’s shoulders, helping her to walk away from the place where they had lost so much: Rosie’s friend, their chance

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