We killed a brace of rabbits, Alexander said before he flew over my lap and dropped a fully grown rabbit next to the fire.
“Here, everyone, give me your rabbits,” Revna said, and we did as she asked.
Then I watched as the dark-blonde beauty pulled out her thin wand and aimed it at the pile of dead rabbits.
“Intus sunt!” she recited, and the furry, fat bodies turned inside out until their red and purple muscles glistened in the bright, tangerine flames. “Alright, let’s cook them.”
Soon, a mouthwatering scent filled the air as the meat began to crisp, and then Vanessa loudly cleared her throat before she carefully studied each of us.
“We need to come up with a plan for tomorrow,” she said in a steady voice before she focused solely on me. “Cole, it was wise of you to suggest that we stop for the night. Now, we have more time to come up with ideas.”
“Well, isn’t the kingdom full of sea-like dwellers?” Morgana asked.
“Yes.” Vanessa nodded. “We’ll need a disguising potion or charm, but one that can last for as long as possible. At least from sunrise to sunset.”
“Anyone have any ideas?” Marina asked as she turned to look at every one. “You came up with that charm before, Beatrix.”
“B-But it only lasted for a little while,” the light-haired brunette responded as her eyes widened with anxiety. “It’s not enough to get us past the entire kingdom…”
“What if you and Penelope combine a charm with a potion?” I asked as I stared between the two witches. “Would that work?”
“I-I do know of a charm to create sea-like features for beings that walk on land,” Beatrix responded as she turned to look at the bright-haired witch, who was deep in thought as she chewed on her bottom lip. “Penelope, do you know of any potions that can make a spell last longer than usual?”
“Err…” the orange-haired witch began as she wrung her hands together and looked at everyone with bright but insecure eyes. “I started studying one before we left, but I have never had the chance to see if I perfected it or not.”
“I’m sure you can do it,” I said as I flashed her a confident smile. “Like we told Beatrix, we have faith in you.”
“Thank you, master,” the beautiful Wicca said, and as we locked eyes with one another, my heart beat faster and harder. “All I need are a few ingredients.”
“Such as?” Morgana asked as she leaned closer toward the flames, and they lit up her perfect features.
“Moth heart, citrus seeds, fairy powder, and a dash of thyme,” the orange-haired Wicca replied as she counted the ingredients off on her fingers.
“I bet you can find all of that here,” Morgana said with a bright smile. “We can search for them at first light.”
“Great,” Vanessa said before she aimed her wand at the cooked meat, and then plates appeared on our laps before each of us was given a full portion of a well-cooked rabbit. “Now, let’s eat and then get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”
“Yes, Professor,” we replied in unison before we dug into our simple but satisfying dinner.
I couldn’t help but wonder about Samara as I chewed thoughtfully on my meal. Her presence always felt like venom coursing through my blood, but the last time we connected, something was different. I just couldn’t stop thinking about her as I sat there, even after I finished my meal and our familiars were all cuddled up into a love pile.
“Prohibere,” Vanessa muttered to kill the fire, and the sound of her voice broke me away from my thoughts as she looked at each of us. “Now, everyone, go to sleep. And that was an order, not a request, in case you were wondering.”
We nodded in agreement, and as the glowing sunset fell beneath the horizon, the forest quickly grew dark and cold. Vanessa didn’t say another word before she popped into her own tent, and Isobel crawled inside to join her. Then a heavy and tense silence filled the air until Akira chuckled under her breath.
“So, is it just me, or is she even bitchier than usual?” she whispered, and some of the others giggled, but even in the dark, I could see Morgana’s horrified expression as she stared at the black-eyed witch.
“Akira!” she gasped. “How many times do I have to remind you that you can’t speak about her like that? She’s our professor, and she nearly died today. Of course, she’s a little tense.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” Akira replied with a regretful sigh. “As usual, you’re right, nerd.”
“Speaking of, I don’t think we should piss her off further by staying out here,” I said before I stood up and looked toward our massive tent. “Besides, she’s right. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, and we’ll need our strength.”
“Yes, master,” the women answered in unison before they followed me inside our magically built shelter.
There were soft silks and blankets spread out for us on the ground inside the tent, and we took off our shoes before lying down without a word.
I could feel as the others instantly fell asleep. They softly breathed as they wrapped themselves around me and each other, and even though my entire body was weak with exhaustion, I still felt this strange jolt of energy surging through my body as I laid in the middle of my curled-up women.
I didn’t push the feeling aside, and when I closed my eyes, I could suddenly feel the elder goddess’ presence as it surrounded me like a heavenly cloud. In my mind, I could see her with her back turned to me as clear as day. She was standing at the edge of a cliff, and down below, there
