Her footsteps stop, and I think, for just the smallest moment, that I got through to her. Then she lets out a derisive laugh.
“I’m so sick of cleaning up your messes. It all had to be aboutyouall the time. Did you know Mom and Dad punished me if I failed to prevent you messing up? They set me up as your keeper, but you never stayed in your place. And now if I don’t take you back, they’ll blame me again.” She lunges around the tree and clutches my arm, her fingers digging into my flesh. “I’m done with you.”
I’m so shocked at her revelation, I don’t even try to escape. “I-I didn’t know, Allie. I’m sorry.”
Her face twists with some violent emotion. “Don’t call me that. We’re over. From today on, I have no sister.”
All my will to fight leaves me. “Don’t say that,” I beg, and I hate myself for it. “Please don’t.”
She falters for a beat, and hope, that nasty, undying hope springs up that she might change her mind. Then she grabs me by my neck in a flash.
Suddenly, my instincts kick back to life. I scream to push her off, kicking and shoving. She holds on, though, and for a second, I think she might really kill me.
Then a shape barrels into her, and Alice lets out a scream of surprise. It’s Ty, knocking her down. He and Jack jump on her and restrain her. Jack holds her arms pinned behind her back while Ty slaps a piece of silvery duct tape over her mouth.
“The bracelets,” snaps Aiden, appearing beside me. “Put them on.”
With trembling hands, I kneel by my sister, pull my damper bracelets from the pocket of my parka, and ease them on Alice’s wrists. Her eyes go wide with shock, and she struggles beneath us, moans of distress coming from her muffled because of the tape.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, tears springing to my eyes. “I’m sorry, Allie.”
Jack and Ty bind her hands with another strip of tape, and by the time they’re done, Alice’s eyes roll back, and she passes out. I swallow down the bile that rises in my throat. I remember well the feeling of putting these on for the first time. It’s a memory that won’t ever leave me. Over the years, I’ve built up endurance, and it became easier—if never comfortable—to wear the bands. For Alice, the shock must be profound. She’s always had access to her magic, and it must be excruciating to be cut off from it.
Ty picks her up, and she hangs in his arms, limp as a rag doll. Jack takes her backpack, then comes over and wraps me in a hug, crushing my body to his.
“I’m sorry she attacked you,” he says. “Are you hurt?”
I think of my stinging palm but close my fist over it. “No, I’m fine.”
“We should have intervened sooner,” Aiden grumbles. “She could have killed you.”
I’d made them all promise to wait and not interfere unless Alice made a serious attempt on my life. And I’m glad I didn’t come in with guns blazing, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have had a chance to come to the bottom of Alice’s motivation.
Turns out, she was just trying to get rid of me to make her life simpler.
I hate how my parents raised us. They were never kind, and despite Alice’s magical mastery, she was never enough for them, either. But I didn’t let that turn me into a murderer. Maybe it was easier for me to get away because the coven never had much interest in me, but I still had to distance myself by going away to college. Alice never managed to take that step, and that’s partly on her. She made the decisions, and I could no longer pretend otherwise.
“It’s fine,” I say. “At least now I know.”
Aiden looks at me dubiously, as though he doesn’t quite believe my calm façade. I take his hand and interlace our fingers. After a moment, he gives me a squeeze and leans in to brush a soft kiss over my lips.
“You did good,” he says.
I’m not so sure about that, but I’ll have to deal with that later. This will rest heavy on my mind for a long time. Now, we have a job to do.
“Let’s get her inside.”
With that, we march back toward the Lodge. Somehow, word must have gotten out that we’d caught the witch responsible for the attacks, and the villagers gather in small groups, watching us pass by. No one cheers or calls out suggestions for how we should punish Alice, and I’m grateful. Instead, Mrs. Hobb offers me a cloth bag of still-warm bread rolls and presses my hand with an affectionate smile. I can’t thank her because my throat is tight, but I manage a smile in return.
After all of this is over, I’m going to go over to every house and introduce myself properly. It’s time I start living as a real member of this community.
But first, we have a witch to deal with.
Twenty-Seven
Skye
Alice wakesup hours later in one of the guest cabins. The place is cold because we’d only set the fire this morning, but it’s warmer than outside, and we got her blankets. She blinks several times, confused, before she focuses on me. Then her eyes flash with rage so intense, I have to stop myself from taking a step away from her. But she’s helpless, and I have Aiden with me—he sits at the kitchen table, an unobtrusive but watchful presence.
