Could they treat with the Hedge-Witch as an equal?
And what if the Hedge-Witch refused to help? Would they find themselves on different sides now, of what looked like a many-sided war, a struggle for power, for recognition, for survival?
Tav wanted to believe the Hedge-Witch would join them. Would help them. But they weren’t so sure anymore. The doubts that had drifted like pieces of sand in their bloodstream now flowed thick and dark through their arteries and veins. Was the Hedge-Witch, with her single-minded pursuit of the Heart, all that different from the Coven?
Shoving one hand in their pocket, Tav made a fist with the other and knocked once on the door.
The door swung open. The tinkling of chimes broke the silence. Tav ran a hand through their purple hair (wishing they had time for a haircut) and crossed the threshold.
Immediately the weight of the magic pressed on their lungs; like dust, it clung to every surface and hung in the air, thick and cloying as perfume. The Hedge-Witch must have increased security measures; either that, or she had been casting some complicated enchantments recently.
“Can I help you?” A young woman with gleaming white teeth stood behind the bar. Otherwise the room was empty.
Tav could see through the glamour as easily as looking through a window.
“Did you miss me?” Tav grinned and spun their keys around their pointer finger, flashes of silver playing over the walls. “I’ve had quite the adventure.” They walked over to the nearest table and sank into a thin wicker chair, throwing one leg up on the table, hands behind their head.
The face of the cheerful but bland woman melted away to show the sharp eyebrows and wide mouth of the Hedge-Witch. “You’ve been gone longer than expected.”
“I have,” Tav agreed. “And there’s no homecoming party to welcome me back. I’m disappointed.”
“But surely not surprised. Will you submit to an examination? To ensure you didn’t come back with some nasty Coven spell behind your eyelids or under your liver?”
“Sounds painful, so I’ll pass.”
“I thought you might.” The Hedge-Witch suddenly appeared in front of Tav. Tav managed not to flinch, even when the witch’s shadow leaned over and handed them a mug of hot coffee.
“Cute trick.” Tav swung their leg off the table, accepted the coffee, and took a sip. It burned their tongue. “Tasty.” They smiled. “Thank you.”
“Etiquette should always be observed, even in these uncivilized times. The Sun, as you know, has always been a sanctuary.”
“For whom?”
“For us, and our allies.” The Hedge-Witch sat across from Tav. “You’ve come into your powers, then.”
“You knew?”
“I suspected.” The Hedge-Witch sipped her espresso. Tav felt a surge of anger play across their cheekbones.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
The Hedge-Witch arched an eyebrow coolly. “I didn’t know for sure. You had to discover it on your own.”
Tav tightened their grip on the mug, feeling like a child being reprimanded. Had the Hedge-Witch always been this cool, this calculating?
Isn’t that why you admired her?
“There’s news.” Tav took another sip of the bitter drink. “The Coven is destroying the Earth. They’re devouring it, drinking its essence.” They paused, fumbling over the words and their terrible meanings. “I have a method of healing the damage. I think.”
“You think.”
“We could use your network.”
“To save the world?” The mocking tone slipped under Tav’s rib cage.
“To save both worlds, actually.” The plants that lined the room were stretching out tentacles of magic. Tav pretended they couldn’t sense them drawing closer. They had seen first-hand how deadly the Hedge-Witch’s children could be. Their heart began to race. It would be so easy to open a door, to disappear …
To break the promise they had made to Cam and Eli. Not to use their power. Not to attract attention. Not to show the full extent of their power.
Not yet.
Tav took a sip of coffee and forced themselves to breathe.
“A conspiracy theory?” The Hedge-Witch shook her head sadly. “The real battle is here. Will you let your city get overtaken by the alt-right as you chase after a fantasy? I left that world for this one. I’m not interested in hearing about the Coven’s squabbles. All we need is their power. Not their politics. Not their problems. We have our own, Tav.” She finished her espresso and leaned forward, elbows on the table. Her eyes latched on to Tav’s, her pupils expanding and contracting like oil flowing across water. Soothed magic hummed around the Hedge-Witch’s body like an aura.
“Did you get it?” she whispered. Her eyes were hypnotic.
Would it be so bad if I gave it to her? If we turned the Heart over to the Hedge-Witch now, and let her lead us? She has power and experience.
And then it wouldn’t be me. It wouldn’t be our problem anymore. Would it be so terrible to let someone else carry the burden?
Just tell her where the Heart is.
But the Heart was a person, and Tav had made a promise. (They were losing track of their promises: the ones they had made, the ones they had broken, and the ones that would ruin them.)
Tav wrenched their eyes away, their human heart racing. Words fluttered into their mind, a memory — the first conversation they ever had with the Hedge-Witch.
“The Coven has something we could use to end the struggle. You could do it — Tav. I’ve seen it.”
“But the ghost —”
“The ghost was a sign. It brought you to me.”
Tav shook their head, snapping back to the present. “We failed.”
The Hedge-Witch drew back, the plants lining the window ledges wilting. Her lips thinned. “That’s disappointing.”
Tav exhaled. “It’s not too late —”
“It’s disappointing that you felt the need to lie to me,” the Hedge-Witch interrupted. “You know I’ve only ever wanted to help you. To see you succeed. To see your people thrive. I thought we had the same goals.”
“I thought you wanted the Heart.”
“Of course. I need the power of the Heart to help you. To bring justice. To create a new
