she told him with a choking sob. "You would never come back. You think you would, but once you are outside again, you would soon forget. You would want to forget."
"No," insisted the boy, moving toward her, but she kept just out of reach.
"You think you are making a great sacrifice," she said huskily with a fierce swipe of her hand at the tears that stained her face. "But what about me!? What of my life!? You don't even know me! Who are you to decide what's best for me!?"
Zack was speechless. Everything that he had believed was in turmoil. "I have to do what I think is right," he voiced weakly, knowing that he had lost the sense of certainty he had convinced himself he possessed.
"There is no right!" Leonie cried out, her emotions raw, "not for us, can't you see that? All of my life I have been told what to think, what to feel. My mother," she faltered, fresh tears marking her features, "wanted me to follow her, be like her. But I never could."
Swallowing very hard, Zack considered taking her into his arms and telling her everything would be alright. But he would not lie. Not now. "I will get out," he pledged, his words stronger than his voice. "I will. And then I will come back here to get you. I promise."
Leonie's tears were at an end. She gazed at him with red, sorrowful eyes. "And I will wait," she spoke in an emotionless voice. "Where else is there for me to go."
27
If things get any more crazy, I think I will start my own therapy group right here in Witch Town! I'm sure there are plenty of witches who are having issues and that's an understatement if ever I heard one. And don't even get me started on the men. If they knew what I knew! But my problem is that however hard I might try to make a joke of things to preserve my sanity, every day brings me just a little bit closer to the edge. And if I ever get pushed over it I'm pretty sure I will never come back.
One more heart to heart with Margaret and then it would be time to go.
Ellie was feeling relatively pleased with herself. She had faced down Abigail and got both herself and Beth out of trouble. At least temporarily.
The witch had not been at all happy about having to back down, but it was obvious that she did not want to incite the men. Ellie couldn't quite believe what she had been told, how the baby boys were injected at birth with some kind of serum to prevent them developing the ability to use Words. It had never even occurred to her that it was possible. Maybe she was just as arrogant as the rest of the women here after all. To ever think it was only females that possessed the gift.
But now this new knowledge brought up other issues and possibilities and she had made up her mind to attempt to take advantage of them before she departed.
The girl had been summoned once more to the elder witch's room and she was seated in a chair, fidgeting with impatience.
"I hear you took a bold step today," Margaret enquired, her expression neutral.
"You mean my visit to the White Coven house?"
"What else?" The Black witch studied her carefully. "Did you not understand how dangerous that was? Not only for you personally, but for our Coven?"
"It was personal business," countered the girl.
"You have no business that is not shared by your Coven, or by me. What you do reflects on all of us. You are a Sister in this House now. Never forget that." She seemed to consider her words before she spoke again. "What did you talk to Abigail about?"
Ellie pressed on with a determined glare. "I know what you do to the baby boys when they are born."
If Margaret was in any way startled by this revelation she didn't show it. "Indeed? Then you should also recognise the need for discretion. We who have been selected to govern Witch Town are expected to bear the full responsibility of whatever sacrifices are deemed necessary. Is that clear to you?"
For a moment, Ellie's dislike for the witch intensified, but she pushed it aside, knowing that it was not the time for such sentiments. She needed to concentrate on what she needed to achieve. "I understand that you are keeping the men where you want them and making sure they can never use our power. Is that about it?"
The smile Margaret gave was reptilian. "A fair summary," she agreed, "but it is the law. Passed down since the very beginnings of this township."
"So it was Rebecca's idea then?"
The older woman's expression was momentarily uncertain. "No," she said tentatively, "No, it was decided at the first council when the Five Covens were formed. But that is not important. If you are to fulfil your potential you must stand with us on this. There would be war if you do not."
Ellie gazed at Margaret with scepticism. "War!?"
The elderly witch rubbed her cheek. "An uprising, if you will. And what value would there be in that? We would be forced to put down our men like mad dogs. Is that what you would want?" She looked away then, a shadow of something in her eyes, a flicker of some unfathomable emotion. "Already you have seen the price that must be paid for conflict. My own daughter was a casualty." Her gaze returned sharply to Ellie and there was something potent, a fire that burnt with bitter passion gleaming there. "You should remember. As I do."
The girl didn't know how to respond, but she would not be put off. "That's not what I want to talk to you about."
Now the witch's countenance became measured and cool. "I am listening."
"I want you to make a deal with the White Coven and bring Beth here."
Margaret stared at her for quite some time. When she finally spoke her voice was matter-of-fact. "And this is to guarantee your silence?"
"Let's call it a gesture of good will," the girl said casually.
"And why should Abigail agree?"
Ellie gave just the briefest of smiles, although it was without humour. She knew how serious everything had become and she knew what Beth had done. "Maybe she would be glad to get rid of her."
"I see," was all the woman said.
"So?" Ellie asked after a few more moments of silence.
With a theatrical wave of her hand, Margaret's eyes bore into the girls. "I will see what I can do."
Luke was struggling with conflicting emotions. They raged within.
When he had explained to Beth about his sham marriage to Ellie he wasn't sure what he had expected. Shock. Outrage. Maybe just a little bit of jealousy. But no, who was he kidding. She would never feel that. The reaction he had not anticipated was laughter.
Beth had laughed at him.
He knew how stupid it was, he realised that he had been used as a dupe to get Ellie off the hook. But it had hurt him very badly to see the way Beth had looked at him, as if to say, you and Ellie. How could anyone believe something so ludicrous!
She didn't even ask how he felt about it, how it had affected him.
Luke was in love with Beth. He understood how that felt, warming his heart, soothing his soul. It was a dream he held onto, a dream of a different life. One where he would have hope and happiness and someone to share it with.
But he saw now that she didn't care about him at all. It was as if she viewed him as having no feelings, hollow, empty inside.
And he had begun to wonder if maybe it might not be better that way.
While Zack romanced his pretty young witch and Ellie moved further away as she became one of them, only Beth was left. Only Beth.
And yet, she saw him only as a joke and as he faced this reality, he felt something break deep inside him, something so entrenched within that its loss was like his spirit being snuffed out. He was left feeling suddenly devoid of sensation, his heart still beating, but the blood in his veins moving very slowly, thick with despair.
"So now we can concentrate on what needs to be done." Jeremiah said this in a considered tone. He watched the boy carefully.
Zack's features were slack. His heart just wasn't in it. "I don't really want to talk about this."
The man jabbed a finger at him. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. There is more at stake here than your love sick suffering!"
With a scowl, the boy's hurt expression revealed how tor
mented he felt. "You wouldn't understand, would you!? You were forced into your marriage with a woman you don't even like. And now you're making sure I stay away from your daughter, when you don't have any relationship with her either!"
Raw emotions tore at Jeremiah's resolve. Hurt, resentment, sorrow. And yet far more than any of these. Something that went so deep, was so personal that it was impossible to name. "I have tried," he began, his voice low, "I did what I could to show her that I care. It was not easy." He stopped speaking and seemed in two minds about continuing. "As for Abigail. You do not know her. Best that you do not. Why she chose me I have no idea. I am strong, yes. I am not ugly." He smiled very briefly, but it was short lived. "The Mothers have to choose someone. Abigail has for the most part left me to my work. I rarely see her. This suits me well enough."
Zack began to feel calmer, something in the man's words affecting him. "Okay. I get it. But I won't give Leonie up. I love her, she loves me. There's got to be a way."
"Isn't that what this is all about," Jeremiah's said with passion, "finding a way to change things. You can help us. And help yourself."
"But what can we do? I've tried to think of something, but the women are too powerful." Zack feelings of helplessness and anguish fuelled his words. "They can do what they like. They make the damned laws! What can we ever hope to do against them?"
Jeremiah's expression became very grim. "Some of the men are getting desperate. There's no telling what they might do. There's been talk of