You’re one to judge anyone, she thought, stopping her pacing and sinking onto the bed.
She was living with a man, wasn’t she? They weren’t married, were they? So why was she so upset about Owen being so protective over Maria, completely disregarding what she wanted?
Because you’re a spoiled brat and you’re jealous, came the unwanted reply in her head.
Jealous. The realization rolled in her stomach like rotten cod. She’d noticed from the moment they were reunited how Owen kept one eye on Maria at all times. Like he was coiled to jump in front of her should something untoward get in her way. She’d managed a few whispered conversations with him but he would not budge far enough away from Maria for her to really get a handle on what was going on. He cared more for Maria than he did for her. And she’d known that for some time.
“That’s why I ruined everything,” she said to her reflection in a foggy looking glass that hung from the wall by a gray velvet ribbon.
Jealousy had made her expose Owen’s shortcomings and cause Maria to break their stupid, secret engagement. Knowing she would have gotten over it and gone back to him had led Ariana to let Owen go through with his dangerous plan to cast a memory spell on her. Maybe not the actual spell. Once that was out, it was out. Even he couldn’t contain it. But she could have kept Maria away from him so he wouldn’t have had the chance.
Before Owen had actually fallen in love with Maria, Ariana had thought it would be the most wonderful thing if he did. Her best friend, almost like a sister to her, would be with her other best friend who was almost like… except he wasn’t like a brother or a cousin. Not anymore. She understood now that was why she couldn’t truly give her heart to Nick. It wasn’t hers to give.
The overwhelming urge to scream made her stand and start pacing again. What was she going to do about Nick? Her coven? That massive house she’d spent thousands and thousands to repair and fill with beautiful things so the other witches would be comfortable and want to stay with her.
“I won’t go back,” she muttered, nearly bouncing off the wall. “I merely won’t go back.”
She could easily leave it all to them to do with as they pleased. Most of them had such little imagination that they’d end up wandering off to different places or different times. They’d go back to keeping to themselves and practicing small, meaningless bits of magic to grow bigger carrots and forget all about her vision to change the world with their united powers.
She felt bad about Milo and Gloria and some of the others she’d grown attached to. They were truly kind to her. And Nick. He’d loved her the best he could. There was no way he’d ever hurt her, no matter what Cousin Dexter believed.
She wiped away tears and clenched her fists. Could she honestly give up all that she’d worked for because of her newly discovered, unrequited love for Owen? It would surely remain unrequited, especially if whatever had its hold on Maria let her go.
Actually, more especially if it didn’t and Maria never returned to normal. Owen solely blamed himself now but it would surely and rightfully shift to her as time went on. He’d despise her. Perhaps as much as she despised herself.
A sharp rap at the door tore her away from her winding thoughts. She gratefully rushed to open it, sure it was Owen wanting to help make a plan for the trip up to Scotland. Once she had him away from those prying, glowing eyes she’d be able to get him to tell her what had really happened in his family’s village.
Instead of Owen, she was shocked to see Milo standing in the hallway. He gripped his top hat in his hands, wringing it beyond repair, a terrified look on his face.
“Oh, saints be praised that I found you,” he said, sagging against the door frame.
She hustled him inside. “Were you looking for me?” she asked, confused. For a moment she forgot she’d come back to her own time and was discombobulated at having her two worlds collide. Milo had never come to her time before, she’d always met with them either in 1889 or before she was born, when she first met Nick. “And how did you find me?”
“We scryed you. I didn’t want to pry into why you might have left us and I wouldn’t have chased after you like this except that…” He gasped for breath, mangling his hat some more.
“What’s wrong?” It had to be something bad for him to come all this way and she almost didn’t want to hear it. She couldn’t take one more bad thing.
“I dropped off Nick in his own time— he’s fine, he’s on his way to Europe. It’s Gloria.” He broke down sobbing.
Gloria was his longtime partner. Ariana didn’t think they’d ever been married though their bond was as strong as any she’d ever seen. They doted on one another despite occasional petty squabbles. Gloria was a whiz at time spells and quick travel spells and had taught Ariana everything she knew. Beside the wealth of knowledge she’d gained from the older woman, Ariana had grown to be quite fond of her, almost like another mother— one who was proud of her every time she successfully did a spell.
She helped him to the one chair in her room and handed him a cloth from the dressing table. Her heart didn’t want to ask
