Kindra hugged Valen tight. She had made so many mistakes she was afraid to let him go. With his father in his life, always doing the right thing, how could her boy ever see her in the same light after learning the truth?”
Valen squeezed her. “Mom, we really should go. I need to talk to Melanie.”
“I know, but I don’t want you to go.” She didn’t want to lose him.
“I’m right here,” he answered. “You’re still my mom. And I still love you. But I need to go to Melanie.”
“And you can come with me,” Morrigan said. “I promised to help you.”
“What about your sister?”
Morrigan smiled. “Oh, I have a feeling she’ll want to stay near Gina for now. And we can come and go. It might make things easier for now. Mark has forgiven you, but he’s never going to forget and I’m not sure it will ever be easy to have you around,” Morrigan explained.
Badb touched her shoulder. “I think you all will find a balance. Though I can’t say exactly what that will be,” Badb said. “But yes, I want to stick around near Gina.”
“There’s a bed and breakfast,” Preston stated. “You could stay there. Meals are provided. I’m sure we can work something out.”
She smiled. “That would be great. I can get myself around easily enough with portals, though.” She opened one.
Preston held up a hand. “Slow down. One of us will need to check you in. They’re not going to be expecting you.”
Robert reappeared. “Who’s next?”
Preston sighed. “We’re taking Badb to the bed and breakfast for now.”
“I’ll take Kindra with me. We’ll be in my residence in Seattle.” Morrigan opened a portal and took Kindra’s hand.
Valen hugged Kindra. “Love you. Keep in touch.”
“I promise.”
“Let’s get you checked in.” Robert looked at Valen. “May as well come with me, and I’ll get you to the car.”
Preston held up his phone. “I sent a text to Christian that he was too late.”
Robert shook his head and held out his arms.
* * * *
Cora felt light burst through her and she knew without a doubt that the doppelgangers were dead. Their hold gone. And she had to wonder what had happened to their town.
Not hers. Not anymore. She planned to take Druciela up on her offer to move in with her. She needed a new start, and what better way to do that than to move in with a witch who gave up coven life to start her own.
She had a feeling she could truly learn from her. Besides, there were other witches in Edenton. Hopefully she could claim Mark as a friend now. Though she still wished she could go back in time and drag Daniel to the Council with Mark.
Then again, she probably never would have left the coven, and she felt like this was a new start.
Besides, she would only serve as a reminder to how wrong the people of her coven were if she were to go back. And she wasn’t sure she wanted to be anywhere near Kindra. Though she had to wonder what would happen to her in the long run.
She stared out the window, sipping her coffee. Time flowed by and she hardly felt it until she heard the pop. Robert was back in the room. “It’s over.”
Druciela entered the room with a smile. “Want to move in?”
Cora couldn’t help laughing. “Yes, I do. I need someone to show me how to be an independent witch, away from the coven.”
“Oh, I’m going to make you see how much better it is without all those silly ideas.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. And Dacia is up to having a new partner.”
“Really?”
“I told you she would be. She’s very pregnant. I’m sure she’ll want more time with her baby.”
“When can we go?”
Robert chuckled. “Now. Though to be safe, you can’t go back to your old home for a week. No one is sure what will happen to Brightwater Bay now that the doppelgangers are dead, but to be sure, no one is going back for at least a week.”
“Are you going to tell the coven what happened?” Cora asked.
“Yeah, they need to know. But it may be best if you aren’t there, unless you want to confront them.”
“If Mark will go, I will. If not, I’ll stay away. But they should see that one they believed was full of shit wasn’t.” Cora sighed. “I don’t know if it’s worth it.”
“They may learn a valuable lesson. But that won’t happen today,” Robert answered.
“Want to take us home?” Druciela asked.
“How about to your car, which is still parked at my place?” Robert prompted.
“Even better. Thank you,” Druciela answered.
“I can’t wait to start my new life,” Cora said.