The next morning, Will is eerily silent. I don't blame him after what he's been through. I'm grateful he managed to cry in Callie's arms until he fell asleep last night. It won't help against the pain, but it may help him start to process it.
The four of us sit at a rudimentary table that looks and smells freshly carved. The same is true of a lot of the furniture here, no doubt a result of needing so much stuff in a hurry. Some witches have exceptional skills when it comes to carpentry or other creation spells, but they take years and years of practice, something most of the people in this cave won't have had. In fact, the table has probably been carved by hand instead of magic.
I run a finger over it.
"Careful not to get a splinter," James cautions me as he also examines the unsanded wood.
We try to make conversation about the table, but neither of us knows enough about the situation to truly be able to keep it up, especially not when we're all keeping our eyes on Will as he eats. His movements are as wooden as the table we're sitting at, but I'm thankful he's eating at all.
As I'm finishing my last mouthful and realizing I have no idea what I'm actually eating, my attention is pulled away by my vibrating pocket. I frown as I pull out my phone and stare down at the screen. I don't recognize the number. With everything going on, I don't even know if that's good or bad.
"Hello?" I say tentatively, unsure of who to expect on the other end.
"May I please speak to Callie?"
I'm frozen. Theresa's voice is the last one I expected to hear. We still don't know if she's the one who betrayed us, but given she hasn't turned up anywhere, dead or alive, it seems likely.
I glance around to make sure no one is sitting too close to us, then remember the spell mom used to use when I was younger. I pull the phone away from my mouth and mutter it under my breath, creating a soundproof bubble around the four of us and the table. It's safer this way.
With that out of the way, I hit the button which puts the phone on speaker.
"Go ahead," I say tersely. "She can hear you."
"Are you ready to give up yet?" Theresa asks, her voice sounding harder than I ever imagined it possible. She was so nice to us before. To Callie.
I trail my gaze around the others, noting the wary look on James's face and the disinterested one on Will's. I know he doesn't feel that way underneath, though, as he's clutched his spoon tighter in his hand than he should, his knuckles whitening as he does.
Callie's eyes are wide in disbelief, like she's processing the same thing I am.
It's true. Theresa is the one who betrayed us, and from her tone, it doesn't even seem like she feels bad about it.
Callie's face hardens, and a glint shines in her eyes like I've never seen before. "How could you do this? You're supposed to have been my mom's best friend." She tries to cover up the hurt she's feeling, but I don't miss it.
Theresa sighs over the line. "Oh, Callie. You're very young and even more naive. Your mother and I were friends until she lied to me and left without a word, choosing your father and you over the coven. Your uncle has since proved himself to be a very good leader. You coming here has only created trouble when there didn’t need to be any."
It's all I can do not to let my mouth drop open. There goes any pretense that she's being coerced into saying all of this. Theresa is clearly one of those people who believe King Robert's spiel hook, line, and sinker.
"I'm going to kill you before this is over."
I'm shocked by the venom in Callie's voice. Not because she's angry at Theresa; that's perfectly reasonable. But I'm surprised by how dark her tone has turned.
Theresa's laugh drifts over the line, and it's condescending as hell.
Will slams his fist down on the table, making us all jump and look at him. Smoke drifts from his ears as he stares at my phone. "If Callie fails, I will succeed," he promises.
Theresa laughs again and speaks before any of us can. "I called to tell you that you've got one last chance to save your boyfriend's mom."
Mom...
There's no room in my mind for any thoughts other than her. I know Callie will do whatever she can to save her, but deep down, I'm not sure that's enough.
I pull the phone closer to me and lean toward it. "What are you talking about?"
"They're building pyres in the middle of town to burn the rest of the traitors. Including your Mommy."
James curses under his breath while Will bangs the table again. Rage seems to have replaced his grief, though I'm not sure if that's a good thing. Callie's mouth is set in a determined grimace. All this is doing is making her more determined to beat her uncle. At least that's some good that can come out of this.
She continues in a sing-song voice. "That's how bad witches die, in flame and smoke."
Then the line goes dead.
"It's a trap," James says with his gaze on me.
I shake my head. I know it's a trap. But that doesn't stop the part of me that wants to run straight out into the square. No one who gets in my way will stand a chance. I can't see Dad and my sisters trapped in the same kind of grief as Will is.
"So?" Will retorts. "They won't trap me. I'll go." I don't know if he's simply feeling reckless or if he has a trick up his sleeve.
But it doesn't matter which. I don't want my friend to risk his life for me. Not when I'm perfectly capable on my own.
"No." Callie stands and looks down at us. "I need to connect to the nature magic. That power I felt calling to me. If I do, I think I can save them."
My mind flashes back to the vines that took our enemies underground. Callie had done that accidentally. What might she be able to do if she fully communes with the earth’s magic?
"Okay, let's go. We'll keep you safe." I begin to gather up our trash.
Callie puts her hand on my shoulder. "I’m sorry, but I have to go alone."
James and I exchange a look as Will stares at Callie. James shakes his head.
"No, we'll go. We can give you space and stay spread out enough to make you feel alone," he insists. I'm glad he says it. If he hadn't, then I would have done.
Callie breathes out sharply through her nose.
"I feel like letting you go alone is like trading your life for my mom's," I admit. If anyone can get Mom back alive, then it's Callie, but that doesn't mean I want to put her in danger to get it.
"Letting me?" She tosses her hair back. "You guys have trained me and stood by me. I appreciate that to my very soul. But I know I have to do this. Don't ask me how."
She isn't asking for permission. And I suppose she doesn't need it. If we're going to accept her as queen, then we need to get used to doing what she says, when she says it.
"You're going to go whether we like it or not?" I ask.
She raises one of her delicate eyebrows at me. "I am."
"Let her go." Will's face is still pretty much devoid of emotion. "If this is what she needs to do to prepare, then we have to trust her enough to let her do it. Without trust, love doesn’t mean much.."
Callie looks startled.
I grin. “He’s right. That’s what love is.”
Callie smiles and kisses each of us. It wasn’t an official declaration of love, but it was nice to speak the words out loud for the first time. Even if Will hasn’t even realized what he’d said.
“But if you’re gone too long,” I say, “we have to head to the town square.”
She nods and takes a step away from us. “I understand.”
"Please... just be careful," I whisper. "Stay aware of your surroundings."
"I will," she promises.
After she makes similar promises to James and Will, she walks away from us.
I watch her go, my heart aching. Why does it feel like my last hope is walking away with her?