“Wasn’t it hard not to let go, though?”
“Yes. The wind was ridiculous. I didn’t want to be the one who ruined it.”
“You worked hard.” He brings her hand up to his mouth and kisses it. “We all know how hard this is for you, how brave you’re being. None of us take you for granted.”
“I’m just embarrassed at being such a rubbish witch.”
“You’re not rubbish. You’re just new.”
They lapse into silence. A comfortable silence, listening to the other witches, and laughing at how happy everyone is.
Elodie joins them. “We’ll head back now, and Ember will go to her team, Griff’s team, orchestrate a final...” She shakes her head. “A final whatever you want to call it. She’ll check the rebels have disbanded, I suppose, and I’ll try to get hold of the council members.” She pauses and looks to Ellis. “Are you okay?”
Ellis nods. “Unscathed.”
Elodie laughs. “I’m proud of you. I hope that’s not condescending. I don’t mean it to be.”
“It’s not.” Ellis hugs Elodie, letting the maternal wave of love wash over her. Elodie is wiping her eyes when they pull away from each other.
“Right. Let’s go home.”
The sky is awash with witches, all flying solo, unlike Ellis. They wait for everyone to depart, calling out thank you, and see you soon, and bye.
Then Fletcher opens up his arms and Ellis steps into them. Head on his chest. His heart beating in time to hers. He kisses the top of her head, closing his eyes and feeling the relief wash over him.
The council will be a hundred times easier than demons; and the demons were easy. The ancient magic his mother had invoked made the entire thing a doddle. Still scary, still draining, but they were all safe. They’d done it. The council should be more straightforward. They could talk to them, reason with them, and explain all that had happened. He was feeling suddenly optimistic; this might all work out okay.
“It’s all going to be okay,” he says to Ellis and then they take to the sky, clinging to each other.
Back at home they sink into chairs and sofas, only four of them now. Ember jumps back up. “I’ll ring the girls. Let them know that we’re okay.”
Elodie nods but doesn’t answer her sister. “I’ll make lunch. Then I’ll need your help, Ellis. Just tracking the council members or calling them through the fire.”
Ellis nods. She has to just do as she’s told because she doesn’t know what to do, otherwise.
Elodie bustles around the kitchen telling Fletcher and Ellis what she needs them to do. They happily pitch in and by the time Ember joins them, food is ready.
“How are the girls?”
“Fine. Relieved.”
“Good. We’re getting there. And you’re ready to go after food?”
Ember nods, pulling apart a piece of garlic bread. “Yes. I’ll go. I imagine the rebels are no more. But I know we need to be sure... what about that thing you were talking about earlier? About there being a reason the other creatures haven’t had their autonomy... do you really think there’s a reason?”
Fletcher nods, putting his forkful of pasta back down. “I can’t see why my dad would refuse, especially given his friendship with John. It doesn’t seem right.”
“I agree Adam was the best. But...”
“What, Ember?”
“Well, maybe Adam was just doing as he was told. Keeping things as they were, following traditions, not changing things for the sake of it.”
“Come on, Ember. Why wouldn’t he give the autonomy back? There must be a reason. I refuse to believe that Adam was as power hungry as the others. Besides which, times have changed, the world has got bigger. The old rules don’t always make sense. There’s something... something we’re not seeing.”
“Because we’re not head witches.” Suddenly Fletcher looks excited. “Ellis! Do you know why we can’t give the other creatures their autonomy back? Why do we have to stay in charge of them?”
Ellis blushes and shrugs. “I have no idea.”
Fletcher looks defeated.
“Sorry.”
He shakes his head. “It’s fine. There has to be a reason, Ember, and I will find out it what it is.”
“Ember, even John asked Adam if he would let the other creatures have their autonomy back. It’s obviously important – even before this rebellion, even before Zeta used their anger for her own end. It’s logical that there’s a reason it’s never happened before.”
“Ooh!” Ellis exclaims, her eyes wide. “I know something.”
Fletcher looks excited, Elodie and Ember wary.
“When we were waiting in the safe house, before Sally let John in, I was down the work end, because...” She tails off and Fletcher steps in.
“Because the twins and Sally were being horrible to you, and you didn’t want to sit near them?”
Ellis refuses to look at Ember and nods. “Anyway, there were reports all over the table I was sitting on, and I glanced at them when I moved them. It meant nothing to me, so I only read a line or two, but there was something I remember....”
“Go on,” Fletcher prompts her.
“One line jumped out at me, but I didn’t give it another thought... it said...” She closes her eyes, trying to remember. “Undoing ancient magic. Magical rites. Magical hierarchy... I think...” She shakes her head. “I’m not sure. Maybe it’s not important.”
“But maybe it is. Ember, you find out about the rebels, and us three will go to the safe house.”
“You think your father was working on this? Trying to find out if there was a way to give autonomy back?”
“Or maybe figure out why it wasn’t done before?”
“Only one way to find out. Let’s go.”
Elodie uses magic to clear the dishes and food off the table and then ushers them all outside. “Good luck, stay safe.” She hugs Ember and kisses her cheek, before gesturing at Fletcher and Ellis. “You two – with me.”
Fletcher is more than happy to take Ellis in his arms again, and they fly away quickly. Inside the safe house, they head straight to the
