Chapter 46

Agatha pressed yet another cup of tea into Naomi’s hands. She pushed it back. “No, no more. My eyeballs are swimming in this stuff,” she croaked. Her throat was sore, but she didn’t even like tea.

“No, you’re going to drink this cup too. It’s only your fourth,” the witch whispered. She’d completely lost her voice due to the chanting. Tavik was dabbing at the unicorn slash on his chest with a wet cloth. Yula moved around the cottage straightening the home. Many things had crashed to the floor when she had dropped onto the Golgoffs. Amazingly, the floor had not buckled or anything. Naomi wondered if the Golgoffs were as flat as pancakes underneath the cottage. She figured the witch would have to move the house soon or else it would begin to smell. She wouldn’t be there though to find out.

“Why do you think the unicorn attacked Tavik?” Mr. Squibbles asked. He’d been swift to tell everyone that he’d helped Yula. He’d direct her how to get the cottage airborne and how to set it down soundly on the Golgoffs. Agatha had given him a huge chunk of cheese for his reward, which he had gobbled up and now his stomach bulged out so much he couldn’t see his feet.

Agatha looked inquiringly at him for the answer. Naomi turned too with the mug up to her mouth. She was only pretending to drink it. “The unicorns recognize more than just chastity as a type of purity. Pure hearts are also highly regarded.”

Agatha cocked an eyebrow. “Pure hearts?”

He didn’t respond. Naomi lowered the cup from her mouth and put her hand over his. He uncurled his hand and let her fingers slip in.

“Tell me it’s safer in your world,” he said softly. Naomi lowered her eyes and nodded her head. “And you’re happy there,” he added. Naomi looked around the cottage. Happy? But she was happy here. “No, don’t think about what you'll miss here. Think only of what you have there. Can you be happy?” She thought about her family and nodded again. Tavik squeezed her fingers. “All I want is for you to be happy,” he murmured. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her palm.

“Will you be happy?” she croaked. He slipped his hand from under hers and stroked the column of her throat. Dark purple bruises had already begun to blossom. They would be in the shape of his hand. She grabbed his hand and clutched it in hers. She wanted an answer.

Agatha came up behind him and put her arm around him. “I’ll make sure he’s happy, even if I have to beat him with a stick to do it.”

“And I’ll stop her so don’t worry,” Yula declared from across the room. Agatha’s eyes turned to the other mother, and her eyes narrowed in challenge. She raised her hand and swatted Tavik upside the head. Tavik ducked at the smack and glared at his mother over his shoulder.

Yula shook her finger at the witch. “Don’t challenge me, Agatha. I will win.” Agatha bristled back.

Naomi laughed though it sounded more like a wheeze. “Careful Agatha, she might drop a house on you, and even on my world, we know that’s a sure way to kill a witch.”

“Really?” Tavik asked. She turned to him, and her face broke into a huge grin. She threw her arms around his neck, and when her head hit his shoulder, she began to bawl. Tavik held her tight as Agatha and Yula gathered round and patted her on the back.

“It’s time,” Agatha whispered. Tavik nodded his head and picked up Naomi. She tried to stop her tears, but they kept coming. She was going home, but it didn’t feel like that.

Tavik carried her out to where the unicorn waited. The unicorn came close to them. His horn brightened. He touched her neck with the tip of his horn. A warm glow spread over her throat, and the dull ache disappeared. Naomi raised her good hand to her throat in wonderment. “Are the bruises gone?” she asked. Her voice was back. Tavik nodded and set her on her feet. The unicorn tipped his horn again and lightly touched her broken arm. She shrugged off the sling in amazement. She flexed her arm and looked up at Tavik in shock.

“Can you hear him?” he asked.

She turned back to the unicorn. The unicorn stood motionless staring at them. Naomi tilted her head, and her jaw dropped. It wasn’t like a voice in her head, but more a stray thought or an urge. They didn’t think in words but she was able to understand anyway. “He wants to know if I had any other injuries!”
Tavik smiled. “Do you?”

She looked down at herself and really didn’t think she had any other aches or pains that would warrant the unicorn’s help. She turned to Tavik and raised her hand to his chest, lightly touching the slash the unicorn’s horn had made. The unicorn shook his head. He could not heal wounds inflicted by the horn. “Do not worry about it. It’s not bad,” Tavik said. Naomi threw her arms around him and squeezed him tight. He hugged her back just as strongly. “It’s time,” he reminded her softly. She turned her head and said the words that she hadn’t been able to say when Errilol was strangling her.

“I love you.” Tavik shivered, but he turned her around to face the unicorn again.

“Hold out your hand, Naomi, close your eyes, and think of home.”

Naomi closed her eyes. Her hand shook as she held it out. Tavik steadied it with his. The unicorn dipped his horn again, balanced for a second then flicked across her middle finger drawing a single drop of blood. Naomi saw the flash of light through her eyelids, and her eyes flew open. She jerked her hand back, but the deed was done. She now stood in her kitchen. A broken unicorn horn was on the floor at her feet. A dose of vertigo washed over her as she stared at it. Her hands shot out and grabbed the edge of the sink. It was full of soapy water. She dipped her fingers into the sink and found the water was still warm. Had any time passed? She knelt down and picked up the broken horn. It was just a piece of bone now. There was no more magic in it. There was no going back.

She felt like she was going to be sick. She rushed to the bathroom and put her face over the toilet, but though her stomach rolled, it did not heave. She picked herself up and brushed back the shower curtain. A nice long shower might help her. It would at least give her something mindless to do while her mind stayed in freefall. She began to undress and as she moved around in front of the medicine cabinet. Something in its mirror caught her eye. She craned her neck around but couldn’t get a good look. She grabbed a compact and opened it. She held it up so it would show her the reflection in the mirror and looked at her back. There on her left shoulder blade was a branding mark. It was shaped like a demon’s head. It was all she had to remember him.

Continue to Chapter 47.