Page 74 of Hallows End

Lucy falls into a heap on the floor, and I finish the spell, then lift her and signal for Nera to follow me.

Without thinking twice, I walk with Lucy in my arms all the way to Astrid and Hilda’s house.

Halfway there, the older witches are already running toward me. They’re out of breath and look terrified.

“Something imprisoned us,” Astrid says. “We couldn’t get out of the house.”

“She can’t stay at her place,” I add immediately as we hurry back to Astrid and Hilda’s. “It’s not safe.”

“We were trying to get to her,” Hilda replies, hurrying ahead to the cottage.

Without asking, I start a fire in the hearth and set Lucy on the couch.

“Whatever has its sights set on Lucy is strong,” I say at last and look up at the women. “It blocked me from her mind and sent me into a nightmare while it terrorized Lucy in her own home. And all of that after we’d all set incredibly strong protection spells. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Mama,” Lucy whimpers on the couch and scrunches her face in grief. “Don’t go again.”

“Oh, honey,” Hilda says and brushes her knuckles down Lucy’s cheek. “Wake up, darling. Come on now.”

Lucy’s eyes flutter open. Much to my relief, they’re no longer white and filmy, but they’re full of so much sadness it tears at my heart.

“She’s gone,” she whispers.

“Did you dream about your mother’s death again?” Astrid asks softly.

“No.” Lucy shakes her head in despair. “She’sgone.It took her soul this time, and it made me watch.”

We’re stunned into silence as Lucy hangs her head in her hands and begins to weep.

“We’re not safe,” she says. “We’ll never be safe.”

ChapterSeventeen

Lucy

“Tell me what you saw,” Jonas says as he kneels in front of me, wrapping his big, warm hands around mine. His palms are so warm, so soothing against my freezing skin. “Talk to us, Luciana.”

“It showed me everything.” My voice sounds like it’s coming from a tunnel. “Taunting my mom, confusing her. She was so scared that something would happen to you two.”

I glance up at the aunts and frown when I see them crying.

And Breena and Lorelei are here. When did they get here?

“So, she hid a lot from you because she was convinced that telling you too much would put you at risk.” I swallow hard, dreading what I’m about to tell them next.

“What else?” Jonas’s voice is gentle, but his eyes are intently focused on mine. I can see the worry and torment in his gaze and just want to hug him close and reassure him that I’m okay.

But I’m not entirely sure that’s true.

“She was terrified,” I continue. “And she triedeverythingshe could think of to keep it at bay. But it was no use. It showed me every step, every moment of terror. And after it caught her—”

I shake my head, and Jonas sits next to me, rubbing my back and kissing my temple, sharing his strength with me. “Take your time.”

I nod, brush at a tear, and continue. “It was pure torture for her. It was not an easy death at all. Not only was there physical pain, but it also promised her that it would come for me next, and explained in minute detail all the things it would put me through. She cried and begged for mercy for me, and it fuckinglaughedat her. And then, it killed her. She hung in her own living room until I found her the next morning.”

“Youfoundher?” Jonas asks me.

“I did.” I glance at the other four women and feel their love for me coming at me in waves. “She fought and loved us all with everything she had—until the very end.”