
Chapter 3
You were trying to find a way to be ok with leaving Agatha behind. The argument that the road wasn’t real, wasn’t working anymore. Not when you could remember the feeling of your wings being severed.
“Looks like the next trial is up ahead.”
A cabin. It’s disarming enough, but you knew better. A glamorous home, and the gates of heaven were both omens on this trail.
“Let’s get this over with,” you mumble entering the wooden structure.
You were uninterested in what was to transpire until you came to the understanding that this was Agatha’s trial. That information made you focus more on quickly executing the task.
Learning that you had to Ouija was disappointing. Due to your previous affiliation you were not allowed to touch the boards. If an angel were too touch a Ouija board there was a chance that their soul would get lost with the others.
So you watched on edge as the others did the board. You couldn’t help, but laugh a little when Agatha pretended to be possessed. You even laughed a bit when board said that Death was here with you. However your laughter completely stopped when it kept spelling out punish Agatha.
When she let go of the board you knew it was going to be all bad. The witches in the coven turned on her pretty quickly.
“It’s clear what we have to do, punish Agatha.”
“Try again because you’re not touching her,” you kept your voice low and calm.
You could feel their eyes on you.
“Y/n it’s what the trial wants. You should know-”
You stop them there, “You’re right, I do know because I had to have my wings cut off. What I learned is what happens in these trials is painfully real. So I dare you to touch her.”
Rio stands by your side, arm loosely hanging over your shoulder, “I’m on her side.”
“That’s not fair. Agatha has literal Death and The Fallen Angel protecting her, what are we supposed to do?” Jen throws her hands up in exasperation.
It starts a bickering amongst everyone. They all send looks your way. It's not something you mind anymore. You had gotten used to hostile starts a long while ago.
“What if it's the only way?” Agatha says just so the two of you can hear.
“We will find another way,” Rio reassures the woman.
That's when the lights go dark. You stay close to Rio, forming an outward facing circle with the rest. Agatha had vanished from her spot.
“Agatha,” you call her name tentatively.
Its not until Teen flashes his light at the ceiling that you see a clearly possessed Agatha drop down. Everyone screams at her appearance.
“What the fuck?” Slips out of your mouth as you watch your lover crawl and swing her arms around.
“Sweetheart, you okay?” Rio calls out tentatively.
“Oh my god.”
Agatha has Jen in her hold before anyone can do anything about it. You all try to get her to loosen her grip, but nothing works until Lilia hits the lights. Once she does you and Rio become frantic as Agatha disappears again.
“Agatha! Where is she, alright? Where is she!” Rio’s frustration grows.
You take her hand in yours, silently. Your eyes wandering the room because you’re still trying to find Agatha as well.
“What’s that?” Teen says as a almost translucent cloud forms in front of the stairs.
Your frown deepens, “A ghost.”
“I hate ghosts,” Rio grumbles as the image of a woman who is familiar to the both of you materializes.
Lilia asks the ghosts who she is. Evanora, answers and you can’t hide your look of irritation.
When Agatha speaks up from her spot on the stairs you feel relief wash over you. She’s ok, you breathe a little easier. Simultaneously, your heart breaks as you watch her pretend to be nonchalant about her mother possessing her.
“You must finish the road without Agatha, leave her with me.”
“No, no way!” Rio’s eyes burn into the ghost.
“Weren’t you guys fighting at some point before all this?”
You glare stays on Evanora, “Yeah, well, her mother can’t have her.”
The ghost floats towards Rio, who takes a step back. You block Evanora’s path, your eyes taking on that dangerous black color.
“Mom? Why do you hate me still?” Agatha comes down the stairs to question her mother with a vulnerability that you didn’t think anyone else would ever see.
“You were born evil. I ought to have killed you the moment you left my body.”
When you see a tear slide down Agatha’s face, you lose it. While the rest of the coven is taken aback by Evanora’s harsh words, you weigh your options.
“We have to go,” Jen says, turning to leave Agatha behind.
Agatha pleas are genuine as they fall from her lips, “Please take me with you. Don’t go. Don’t leave me with her I can be good. Please!”
“NO ONE IS LEAVING!” Your voice shakes the walls as you speak.
Jen tries to take a step forward, but she can’t in fact no one in the room can move freely except for you, Rio, and Agatha.
Evanora sees your display of power and tries to hide herself in Agatha’s body.
“Oh no you don’t, you raggedy bitch.”
You’re quick to lay your wrists against each other and open your palms outward. The magic that emits is black just like your wings. The power hits the ghost. She lets out a cry of agony, looking wildly around as her soul is being melted away by your magic.
“Holy shit,” Teen says as they all watch it unfold.
“You’re a fool. An angel ripped from heaven because of my daughter’s sinister impact, yet you protect her. She doesn't love you, she's incapable. She’s evil reincarnated, she will never-” Evanora’s ramble is quick and panicked as she begins to fade from existence.
You let up on your attack just to get closer to her. You squat down to her level, “Being in love with Agatha is one of the best things that could've ever happened to me. I will never regret it. She has always been good to me, even when I haven’t deserved it. For what you’ve done to her, I will erase you from every plane of existence because you, Evanora Harkness deserve a fate worse than eternal damnation.”
Your wings come out without your permission, making the moment look like something from a movie. With a single hand you begin unleashing your power on the ghost again. Your eyes, black and unblinking, your wings spread wide, your body firm in it’s place as you watch the ghost squirm underneath you.
Her words are incoherent as the screams take over. Her eyes begging for any other fate than this. You black magic drowning her out, until nothing is left. The screams are gone, her soul is gone. Not resting, not in a better place, or a worse place, just gone.
The trial had ended and the exit makes itself present yet, everyone is still frozen in place. Not by your voice, but by what they had just witnessed. Slowly you stand from your spot. Though you want to comfort Agatha, you turn your attention to the coven.
“If you ever think about leaving Agatha behind, I will kill you. I don’t care how old you are, I don’t care about what you want from the road, I do not give a single fuck about your feelings. I honestly hoped you’d shoot your magic at Agatha and just fucking die, but no we have to be on this stupid fucking road,” your anger rises with each word you speak.
“Y/n,” Agatha is gentle as she calls your name.
You shake your head, “Let’s just go.”
You march out of the exit with Agatha and Rio following behind you, and the rest following behind them.
“Sweetheart, I did say we'd go after one more trial,” Rio is careful as she speaks with you, back on the road.
“I’m not leaving her with them. If you have to go then go,” you can feel your jaw clench.
“Hey, I’m not the one who was going to abandon our girl, don't snap at me,” Rio says.
You take a deep breath, “Sorry, that just really pissed me off.”
“I know, I don’t think I remember the last time you destroyed a soul like that,” you can see the worry in her eyes as she looks at you.
“She deserved it. That woman was a piece of shit. Nothing she said was true,” you look at Agatha, who had been uncharacteristically quiet.
“Agatha,” Rio calls her name but she doesn’t answer. “Agatha,” she tries again more firm this time still nothing.
Its not until Death stands directly in front of the woman, her hands on the others shoulder, that Agatha reacts to her.
“I think we should camp for the night,” Rio says softly, and Agatha nods.
You turn to face the coven. They stop as soon as you turn, “Set up camp.”
“We always set it up, while you the go rendezvous for however long you want,” Teen talks back to you.
“Kid, don’t start with me,” your tone has a warning edge to it.
“No, I think I will. You’re not even a witch, why should we listen to you about the witches’ road?”
You roll your eyes, “You don’t know half as much as I do about the witches’ road.”
He stands his ground, “I’ve studied the ballad, I have notes. I am a witch.”
“ I’ve studied the ballad. I have notes. Blah blah blah,” you mock him.
Your words stir something inside the boy. Something that has the magic simmering at the edge of his fingers.
“I bet it was a harsh reality to deal with, once you realized you’d never go back to heaven. Considering that's probably where Nicholas went.”
It happens too quickly for anyone to stop you. You shove the teenager against a tree with an unimaginable amount of force. The tree cracks under the impact. You have two fistfuls of his shirt, tightly wound in your grip.
Your breathing is erratic and your eyes are once again black. The witches around you are screaming and pleading, but you aren’t focused on them.
“You don't get to speak about him like you know him. No one here knows him. You don't know what happened, so stop hypothesizing about my son’s death. It will get you killed, boy.”
“Y/n, let him go,” Agatha’s voice breaks through all the others.
You don’t get the chance to release the boy, as you feel yourself being repelled away from him. The magic is strong enough to push you off, but you don't fall down.
His hands are glowing with blue sparks and you see a crown forming around his head.
“Look who’s grown,” you don't back down from him.
“More than you can say for you son.”
You growl, “DOWN.”
The road seems to shift with your voice. The teen hits his knees. His magic vanishes from his hands. You don’t let him get the chance to speak before you blast him with your power.
He screams, but you don’t care. You stalk closer to him. You can feel hands on you trying to pull you back from him. Yet your vision is tunneled in on him. You strike him with your magic once more and he doubles over.
“Y/n look at me baby.”
Rio stands in your way, blocking you from the teen. You ignore her words but reach for her waist. You grab her dagger and hold it against the boy’s neck.
“You know what losing my son taught me, kid? Sometimes, boys just die,” a single tear rolls down your cheek as you smile sadistically at him.
“Can’t you do something to stop her?” Jen says.
“She’ll kill him,” Alice follows.
“Working on it,” Rio says, gears turning in her head, hoping to find a solution.
“It’s not his time,” Lilia murmurs.
You add pressure to the blade, watching him try his best not to move.
“Please, please I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I can be-"
“Good?” You cut him off.
His words, stuck in his throat, as he realized the similarities between himself and Agatha.
“It won’t bring him back,” you hear Agatha’s voice in your ear.
Her hand is firm on your forearm, keeping you from digging into the teen’s neck.
“Did you hear what he said about Nicky? This little shit deserves it.”
“Love, please,” Agatha tries to reason with you. “He wouldn’t want you to do this.”
You let out an animalistic grunt before pulling the dagger away from the teen’s neck and shoving it into the ground. You stand abruptly and walk away from the group, trying to cool off.
“Word to the wise Billy, do not go pissing off people more powerful than you,” Agatha’s voice is sarcastic, but her gaze travels the boys face trying to find injury.
“You knew? Did you-”
“Yes I knew, you're as predictable as your mother and no I didn't put the sigil on you.”
Lilia speaks up, “I did, for your protection.”
“And the plot thickens,” Rio teases.
“Your familiar almost killed him,” Alice points out.
Rio’s dagger is back in her hand. She twirls it around a bit, “Are we surprised? Billy here, does not know when he should shut the fuck up. Talking about a dead boy, he should be ashamed of himself. Nicky isn't some tool you can use to get a response.”
Billy looks to Agatha for back up, but instead finds her cold stare.
“I know Y/n would've regretted killing you, even if it doesn’t seem like it now. That was more for her than you. I don't ever want to hear his name come out of your mouth again. Understand?”
He nods, his gaze not meeting Agatha’s eyes, “I understand.”
“Great, well go ahead and set up camp, while we go deal with Y/n. Unless anyone has an issue with our rendezvous,” Agatha looks around for objections, she gets none.
Rio and Agatha take off in the direction you were headed. They walk side by side, looking for any sign of you.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her like that before” Agatha looks to Rio.
The Green Witch mirror her look of worry, “Me either.”
They find you sitting by the edge of a creek. Your knees your chest as you stare past the water. The anger no longer seeping off of you like before. They sit on either side of you, slightly disappointed when you curl further into yourself.
“Sorry,” is the only word to leave your lips.
Agatha shakes her head, “It’s my fault.”
You and Rio try to protest, but Agatha simply raises a hand. “I let them believe whatever lies have been spun about my relationship with Nicholas. I believed them to be all less hurtful than the truth. It was ok when it was just me they antagonized, but if I knew you would've been their target, I would've come clean.”
“It’s none of their business. The truth would do no good for them. They have no empathy,” you mumble.
“How can you be so sure?” Rio is cautious when she reaches out towards you.
You take her hand and hold it up to your cheek, seeking comfort. Agatha sees this and moves so her shoulder is against yours, her arm tucks it self securely around your waist. Rio’s head falls onto your shoulder. You feel yourself un-tense at the contact.
“They heard my story, they saw our scars, they heard what Evanora said about Agatha, and yet, they still want to pick trivial fights,” your anger was replaced by exhaustion.
“He’s young,” Agatha tries to defend.
“It’s not just Billy. They wanted to leave you behind Aggie. What if Rio and I weren’t there, then what? They would’ve let her have you.”
You blink as the tears being to well in your eyes.
“I can't blame them, sweetheart. I would've done the same if it were any of their trials,” Agatha confesses.
Another sigh escapes you, “I’m assuming Billy made the road as well, while we’re on the topic of frustrating things?”
Agatha nods a few times, “I’m pretty sure. His powers they’re like his mothers, very tied up in his emotions.”
“I was going to kill him,” exasperation on your tongue.
Rio kisses your collarbone, “You didn’t, we wouldn't have let you.”
“He’s right, I’ve thought about it a lot you know? Nicky is somewhere up there like I was. I could’ve been there for him,” you look up to the sky as you speak.
“He’s in safest place he could be,” Agatha bows her head slightly.
“Who knew this made up road would be so stressful?” Rio concedes defeated by the things that have happened.
“At least it brought us back together. I don't think I could’ve spent another century, burning from the inside,” You attempt to joke.
“I think I know something that could relieve some of the stress,” Agatha says suggestively.
She stands, two pairs of eyes watching her intently as she begins to peel off her clothes.
“W- what are you doing?” You stutter, but don't look away from her.
She sits her clothes on a nearby rock, and struts into the creek.
“I’m taking a dip, you two are welcome to join me.”
Your jaw opens slightly at her proposal, “What if they see us?”
Rio stands as well, following Agatha’s suit, “I doubt that they would dare say anything after such a powerful display from our sweet angel.”
“Come on baby, loosen up a bit,” Agatha speaks from her spot in the water.
Rio slides up next to the witch, whispering something in her ear, causing them both to giggle.
“You know I’m supposed to be sulking,” you say getting to your feet, pulling off your clothes.
“Sulking, soaking, same difference,” Rio argues.
The water is pleasantly warm as you sink into it. The three of you bare, in the faux night of the road. It reminds you of the early parts of your relationship. Both women always up for dip in whatever body of water they came across. Nights spent in bodies of water, bathed by the soft light of the moon. Dark purple marks from the eager lips of your lovers.
The memories brought a slight color to your cheeks.
“What are you thinking about, sweetheart?”
Agatha and Rio circle you, in somewhat of a predatory fashion.
“I bet she’s thinking about all the things we used to do in the water. Am I right doll?”
“Perhaps,” you say coyly. “But if you think after centuries, I’m going to give myself to you on the witches’ road, I’m sorry to disappoint.”
“Fair, but a couple of kisses wouldn’t hurt anyone,” Rio wraps her arms around you from behind.
She trails a few kisses up the side of your neck.
“I suppose not,” you crane your neck to give her access.
“I think love bites are fair game,” Agatha’s hands find your waist. Her mouth latching on to the opposite side of your neck. She sucks with delicate force, playfully biting, before soothing the space with her tongue.
“Mhm,” you hum, the pleasure getting to you.
Your hands rest on Agatha’s stomach slowly climbing up to her breasts. You can’t help but play with them in your hands. You lick your lips recalling, how they felt in your mouth. Her moans when you would suck and tease her nipples.
“I thought we weren’t doing this here,” Agatha said breathlessly, as you play with one of her nipples between your fingers.
“We’re not,” you say, with a warmth spreading across your body.
“Then-”
You cut her off with a sensual kiss. She moans in surprise. She slips her tongue into your mouth and you suck on it teasingly. The woman laughs at your antics, which breaks the kiss.
It isn’t a moment after that you feel a hand wrap around your neck. You let Rio pull you into a hungry kiss, turning you body fully towards her. She’s trying to be dominant, but when your teeth tug on her lower lip, she lets out a whimper.
She ends up kissing down your body. Her lips stop right above your scar. She makes eye contact with you as her tongue meticulously traces over it.
It doesn’t go away, you all knew it wouldn't because it had already healed on it’s own. Yet she looks up at you with a pout that makes your knees weak.
“It was worth a shot,” she speaks innocently.
You want nothing more than to grab a fistful of her hair and yank her up to kiss your lips.
“That was hot,” Agatha says, watching with dark eyes.
“We have to stop,” the disappointment in your tone makes the other women chuckle.
“Awe, does baby want to cross her own boundaries?”
You separate from them and make your way back to land. An irritated groan leaving your lips, “We’re not fucking on the road.”
“Don’t be too mad about it hon, this was supposed to be relaxing,” Agatha teases following you.
Rio is the last out of the water, “I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait.”
Going back to the makeshift camp, puts a sour flavor in your mouth, but it’s better than the burning rage you had felt when you left. Everyone is asleep when you return except for Billy.
“I wanted to apologize, for what I said. It wasn’t fair to blow up at you like that,” his remorse was real, you could tell.
“It’s fine, kid. I should be apologizing to you, hundreds of years old and I still can’t keep my temper in check. Let’s just squash it,” you start to make yourself comfortable.
“Did you mean what you said, about letting Agatha kill us?”
You suck in a breath unwilling to lie, “Yeah, I did. It might be hard for you to understand, but I’ve spent centuries away from Agatha and Rio. Having them back is everything to me, and the road strives to take them from me. I would do anything to get us off of the road and nothing will change that.”
“I- I understand. My brother, I would do anything to see him again. Whatever it takes.”
Agatha smiles, “Spoken like a true witch.”
“Word to the wise kid, power plays are never as personal as they seem. In this life, things are taken from you if you hesitate for even a moment. Don’t be afraid of your power and never hesitate.”
“Pretty sound advice for someone who isn’t a witch isn’t it?” Rio teases Billy.
He laughs awkwardly and nods.
“Get some rest, we have a road to conquer,” Agatha’s tone was parental.
Billy does as instructed, feeling better after the talk.
Your stare lingers on him a bit longer. A hand rests on your shoulder, “He’s fine.”
You nod to yourself, “Yeah.”
It’s easier falling asleep than it should've been. Your body is completely exhausted from using your powers so frequently. Time is strange on the road, you couldn't really tell how much time had passed due to the darkness.
“We gotta go now!”
You are startled awake by a panicked voice. You’re quick to get to your feet.
“Where’s the fire?”
You’re damn near being pulled along the road, as you hear steps running all around you.
“The seven are here.”
That sentence seems to shake the sleep from your body. Your eyes open wide as you begin to pick up your pace.
“Then why are we moving so slowly?”
“I’m running as fast as I can,” Lilia speaks, out of breath.
“We could use analog magic to fly?” Billy suggests it and the witches groan as a collective.
“I don’t hear anyone else coming up with ideas,” you say in his defense.
“Blast them with your angel powers,” Jen exclaims.
“Not an angel and I'm not doing a 7 on 1 attack,” you say.
One of the seven ends up catching up to you and like Jen suggested you blast them with your power. She gives you an ‘I told you so' look and you mock her.
“Brooms now,” Agatha says breaking off a branch from a tree.
Once everyone has a working broom you expand your wings and shoot up into the air.
“I thought we were any to have the coolest moment ever, yet here she goes upstaging us,” Rio smirks as she takes off, Agatha isn’t far behind her.
You don't remember the last time you flew prior to your time on the road. This is different than your trial. The cool air surrounds you as your wings flap with a familiarity. You feel free for the first time in a long time. A genuine smile takes a place on your face as you fly.
Agatha and Rio can't take their eyes off of you. It has been too long since they've seen you move freely in the sky. To them, it looks like you are home. Your smile makes them do the same, sharing a look of love between the pair. The shared adoration for you, fills their hearts. A soft fondness in their eyes as they fly side by side. Their love for each other unspoken, but heavy.
The road decides to break up the moment, forcing everyone back on to the path. You end up landing gracefully while most of the others take a rough landing.
It's no surprise that you land in front of another trial. Just like with your trial, everyone rushes in to avoid any of the wandering seven. Once inside it feels like a distasteful costume party. The witches dressed as their famous caricatures, while you have tiny fake black wings on your back with fake horns to accompany it. The only person who looks more ridiculous in your opinion is Rio.
“Why the fuck am I Skeletor?”
You giggle, but place your hands on her fake blue abs, “I think it’s all in good fun.”
Your laughter stops in its tracks when you get a glimpse of the ceiling. Knives dangle overhead threaten to fall. You see the tarot spread and immediately think of Lilia.
“Well looks like you’re up Lilia,” Alice places a hand on the older woman’s shoulder.
“Who am I reading for?”
The others chime with thoughts and theories, but for you the answer is quite clear.
“Your trial, your reading,” you say cutting through all of the chatter.
“Smart girl,” Lilia says beginning her own reading.
When the death card comes up, you can see attention shift to Rio.
She throws her hands up, “All roads lead to me, we already know that.”
The exit opens, but before anyone can step through it the seven are rapidly approaching.
“I’m tired of running,” Lilia stands her ground.
You shake your head, “You’ve got to get out of here, its not your time yet.”
“But-”
“But nothing, you’re a damn good witch, but right now you have to go,” you send her towards the door.
“What’re you doing?” Agatha asks with panic in her voice.
You don’t respond to her, “Billy, if you want to show off that power, now is the time."
Your powers manifested in your hands as you begin to shoot it at members of the seven.
“I’ll try,” magic sparks like electricity at the tips of his fingers.
“Y/n, we have to-”
You shook your head, “Get them out of here Rio. The kid and I got it, just have Alice on standby.”
Rio doesn’t reply, instead she shoves you towards the exit. She uses one hand to push you out of Lilia’s trial and with other she throws out the teen.
She closes the door behind the teen. You begin to bang on the door. You try hitting it with your power but it doesn’t budge. Your fist hits the door a few times, before Agatha pulls you back from the door.
“Why would she do that? She can’t- Agatha, we have to help her. We have too,” you were on the brink of being a mess.
Agatha grabs your face in her hands, trying to get you to focus on her. She gives you a tiny smile, “ Sweetheart, they are locked in with her not the other way around. She’s la muerte.”
On cue, you hear the sound of screams coming from the room you were just in. You listen hard and pick up the unforgettable sound of a sword piercing flesh.
“Should we…” Billy says, ready for a fight.
“Easy there tiger, sounds like she has it under control,” Alice keeps the boy back with an exaggerated grab.
Rio doesn’t walk, but skips out of the space where Lilia’s trial was held. Her dagger in hand, glistening with blood. The gleeful nature of her return nearly makes you forget that you were in danger
“ The seven are now the zero,” she says spinning the knife in her hands.
“You could’ve done that the whole time?” Jen questions Rio.
Rio shrugs, “I don’t like getting my hands dirty, too much paperwork if I’m the one that does the killing.”
Instead of stopping to rest like the other trials, you decide to continue on. There’s only one member of the coven to test, before you could finally leave this hell hole.
You can basically see the nerves bouncing off of the kid. If this is the end, then whatever is next is for him.
“Well, looks like your last up kid,” you place your hand on his shoulder.
“I’m ready for whatever it is,” he steels his jaw.
“Just remember, take what you want. Don’t hesitate,” you lose pace with him to fall back with Rio and Agatha.
“Not too long ago you were trying to kill him, and now you’re giving him advice. Look how far you’ve come,” Rio teases you.
You roll your eyes, “I’m just trying to get out of here.”
“No soft spot for him?” Agatha pushes farther.
A smile tugs at the ends of your lips but you hide it well, “Nope. ”
“Guys I think we have a problem,” Alice’s voice calls for your attention.
A row of shoes in front of everyone seems to make silence fall across the group.
“Our shoes,” you hear the anger simmering beneath Agatha’s tone.
“We’re back where we started,” Alice says in disbelief.
“The witches’ road is a circle,” Billy adds on.
“And this is the finish line?” Jen is just as shocked as Alice.
You see Agatha try to use her powers and as nothing happens her face begins to contort into a scowl, “That’s it?”
She glares at Billy before yelling again, “That’s it!”
“Well, maybe we passed the trial?” Lilia tries to reason with the group.
“Then how exactly do we get off?” Agatha’s anger finally tips over.
“Well maybe we-”
“IF YOU DON’T KNOW KEEP QUIET!” She tries to stalk towards the boy, but you’re quick to pull her back into you.
You look to Rio, who carefully watches the interaction in front of her. It’s strange, because you three are the only ones who know that the road has been manifested by Billy. Therefore it is technically his domain, meaning he designed it like this.
“We need to keep going,” Agatha says with her voice low.
The rest of the group quickly breaks into chaos shouting their refusal.
“FINE! STAY HERE!” Agatha growls at the group.
Billy keeps staring at the shoes.
Rio speaks up, “Go ahead, put them on.”
“What do the shoes have to do with anything? “ Alice questions.
“Well you took them off for respect for the road right? Has the road been respectful too you?” Rio points out.
“Screw the road,” Billy says before slipping his shoes on.
No one gets a chance to say anything else. Instantaneously you find yourself confined in a dark space. You panic, feeling all around you until you find a zipper. Once you're free from the bag, you notice that you're in an all white room.
Billy, Agatha, and Jen all appear in the same situation you are in. You leave the body bag and look around.
“Where are we?” Billy asks.
“My basement give or take,” Agatha answers him.
“Where are the others?” Jen asks.
“Not too far,” you answer her.
She squints, “How can you be sure?”
“Cause my insides aren’t boiling from being away from Rio.”
“But Agatha’s right here?”
You sigh, “It’s an and/or type of thing. Meaning if one of them is too far it burns, significantly less than if they were both far, but still burns nonetheless.”
“Glad to know they’re close, but that doesn’t make us any less trapped,” Billy points out that the door is sealed.
“These are grow lights, are we supposed to grow something here?”
“There’s no water or soil,” you point out.
Agatha huffs in irritation, “Sure seems like another stupid fucking trial.”
She digs around in the body bag and gasps lightly, “We do have our personal effects.”
She pulls out her locket, causing the others to dig in their bags. You didn’t come on the road with anything so you weren’t surprised to find your bag empty.
You see Agatha struggling to put on the necklace and walk over to her. You take it from her hands and gently sweep her hair out of the way. Knowing what’s inside the locket, keeps your hands steady as you hook the chain.
You see her smile, relief plastering over her features, “That’s better.”
You go to step away, but she grabs your wrist, keeping you close by.
Billy isn’t so lucky with his notebook, “It’s worthless.”
The body bags disappear once he tosses the book in there.
“Well, I guess the road agrees,” you say sarcastically.
It’s then that the grow lights flicker.
“And now we have our countdown,” Agatha points out.
Jen leans against the wall watching the countdown. Agatha can’t help, but antagonize the woman as their time ticks away.
“I’ll be damned if I let us all die here, after making it this far,” Jen peels herself off the wall to stand in the center of the room.
“You don’t have any magic,” you tell her without any animosity.
“Well she saved me, maybe she doesn’t need it,” Billy points out.
It’s at this point where Jen mentions Boston. You can’t help it as your mouth falls open and you look at Agatha. Her eyes also opening wide, while staring at Jen.
“You need to do the unbinding ritual,” you tell them.
“Doesn’t she need the witch that bound her to do that?” Billy says not connecting the dots.
“Agatha? Are you the one who bound me?” Jen says, rightful frustration in her tone.
She shrugs, “I don’t know.”
You narrow your eyes at her, crossing your arms over your chest, “Now is not the time.”
“You nonstop sociopath!”
“ You’re the one who bound her?” Billy can’t believe it.
“How did you even know I was in Boston?” Agatha questions you.
“Old habits die hard, you always went to sell your services in Boston when times got rough, but enough deflecting, do the ritual.”
“You kept me like this for 100 years?” Jen yells.
Agatha tries to defend herself, “ I didn’t know it was you. It was the 1920’s I did the odd spell for bank notes. The patriarchy really shelled out to shush a lady. It was bind or burn!”
“100 years!”
As much as you wanted to push to get the ritual over with, you knew Jen was justified in her anger. That was time that she’d lost forever. You knew better than anyone what it felt like to walk around for years on end as a shell of your former self.
“This is so awkward.”
Jen pulls Agatha into her and starts the ritual. Once it’s over and her magic is running through her she sobs. The reunion of her and her powers means her journey is over. She vanishes from the road.
“Where did she go?”
“The road gave her what she was missing. And now she’s gone,” Agatha deadpans.
You can sense the shift in her attitude immediately. It feels as though she and the teen are facing off against each other.
“This can end right now. I want power, you have power, juice me up.”
“So you get what you're missing and I’m left here to rot?”
You scoff at him, “She could’ve killed you at any point by now. When you were bleeding out of your side or when my knife was at your neck kid, use your head.”
“No one was talking to you, do you even want anything from the road ? Shouldn’t you have disappeared by now too?” Billy tries to pick a fight with you.
“You are the only thing standing in the way of what I want,” you tell him seriously.
“So what it’s 2 against 1 now? I’m not scared of either of you,” he gets in Agatha face, but keeps his glare on you.
The gesture pisses you off and you march over to them. Agatha puts her hand out, motioning for you to stay back. You reluctantly follow her gesture
“What a good little familiar,” Billy directs at you.
Before you can do anything Agatha interrupts, “Sit.”
“Why?”
“We’re going to find your brother."
His whole energy changes, “What?”
She sits down, “That’s what you want right? Tommy isn’t waiting out there. Not in a body anyway. Why do you think Rio came here to begin with? She knows you could do it for him.”
“Do what?”
The teen was so dense that you couldn’t help your outburst, “Give him another life. Another spin around the dance floor.”
His eyes snap to yours, “You think I can bring Tommy back?”
“Time to grow up, kid,” you say to him.
Agatha pats the floor and he cautiously sits down across from her.
You watch her work in only the way she can. Her instructions clear and concise. Just as prodding as they need to be to stir his memories, and get him talking. In another life she could’ve had a coven of disciples.
She keeps him focused on his breathing. Though she has no magic in this moment, you could feel it in her aura. The way she carries herself, there will always be a witch underneath it all.
When she grabs Billy, the lights flicker. Things become intense quickly. He hyperventilates, but Agatha holds him as he begins to rock.
He begins ramble about a dying boy his questions tug at your heart strings, but you remind him, “Don’t hesitate, Billy. Don’t be afraid of your power.”
“Am I killing this boy so my brother can live?”
He lets out a strangled scream, and then he’s gone.
The lights in the room are almost completely gone. Agatha sits still her place.
“No, Billy. Sometimes… boys die.”
It breaks you to hear her like that. You sit behind her and she leans back into your arms. The lights fade faster.
“I’m sorry, we should’ve left when had the chance,” she says unable to look at you.
You just hold her tighter, “Seeing you again has meant everything to me.”
She opens the locket and you both look at the strands of Nicky’s hair. She takes it out of it’s place, finding a small dandelion seed. Agatha sniffles and you bury your head in her shoulder. Your wings expand, wrapping around the both of you.
She looks between your wings and the seed, “Out of death, life.”
She lifts your face out of her shoulder, and swipes the small seed across your tear stained cheeks. She quickly buries it in a crack of the grounds foundation.
You watch as a dandelion quickly sprouts and the room begins to shake. You are quick to hop to your feet as the lights turn back on and the walls begins to shake. Dirt begins to fill the room, much like with your trial.
“What’s happening?”
“The trial is over, we can’t stay here, come on” you begin look towards the previously locked exit.
Agatha pushes the door, but it doesn’t budge. You join the effort to help her, but it’s like something is still blocking it.
“Stand back,” you push her behind you, ready to shoot your powers at the door.
Just as you’re about to blast it, the door is opens. You and Agatha rush through, covered in dirt
On the other side is the coven, who watch the two of stumble into Agatha’s backyard. Your back hits the grass and you close your eyes. You can’t remember the last time you were this relieved to be on the earth’s soil.
The peace doesn’t last long as Agatha tries to use her powers and it doesn't work.
“You have to be fucking kidding me? I WANT MY PRIZE,” Agatha exclaims.
You look at Billy from your spot on the floor, “What gives kid, everyone gets a prize, but her?”
“Why are you asking me?”
Rio ruffles the boy hair with a laugh, “Isn’t it obvious? Billy, conjured up the witches’ road.”
The other witches turn to him, with their jaws dropped. He begins to sputter and point wildly at you three, “Are we seriously going to believe them? Death, the Fallen Angel, and Agatha. What do they even know?”
“We know that the road was never real,” you say sitting up in your spot.
“But Agatha said she walked the road?” Alice points out.
“Is it surprising that she lied?” Jen chimes in.
“She didn’t lie,” Rio defends.
Your jaw clenches, you close your eyes and take a breath. You speak calmly, “Agatha, please… tell them truth about the road.”
She plays with the locket around her neck, “The ballad… I made it, with our son. That’s why I know it’s originally coven 2, it’s about me and him. It wasn’t even about witches, it was about the winding roads we used to have to travel.”
“What really happened to him?” Lilia is the one to ask.
Neither Agatha or Rio speak up. You bring your knees to your chest and face away from the coven, “Nicky, was born sick… he wasn't- he couldn’t. He was made from scratch. With tears of a fallen angel and a heartbeat from death.”
“Rotten ingredients,” Rio doesn’t hide the crack in her voice.
You nod, “Agatha was the only one who could provide him with flesh. It didn’t matter, how much with loved him. Our ingredients just never mixed well. Nicky wasn’t the first, but Agatha begged and pleaded.”
“And threatened,” Rio says quietly.
“Rio had already broken the rules for me. To do it again so soon, was a big risk for her.”
Alice was the one to ask, “What did you do?”
Rio bites her lip, “I could only give him time.”
You bury your head in your knees, “Being around him could’ve gotten Rio in trouble, so we all decided it would be best for us to keep our distance from Nicky.”
“How much time did he get?” Billy asks.
“He was only 6,” Agatha clutches the necklace harshly.
You bury yourself further into your knees as if it would protect you from her words. Rio looks at the ground, unable to relive this yet again.
The coven looks between the three of you, piecing the rest of it together. The tragedy of it all displayed across each one of your bodies.
“The one day I didn’t kill any witches, he died. I went on a rampage after that, I used the ballad to lure witches into my trap. Then I’d get them to attack me and drain them of their powers,” Agatha explains wiping her own tears.
“So that’s what you were going to do to us?” Billy asks, but his tone isn’t accusing.
“Pretty much,” she says with a bored tone.
Jen interrupts, “So you knew it was him the whole time, even with the sigil?”
“Well as soon as the road appeared, I had a hunch.”
They all begin to go back and forth about how it was all for nothing and unfair. The spew words of negativity at Agatha for hiding the truth from all of them. It doesn’t sit right with you or Rio.
“Are guys even listening to yourselves? Alice you aren’t cursed anymore, Lilia you’re done running from your powers, Jen you’re unbound, and Billy you reincarnated Tommy, all thanks to Agatha. So, what are you bitching about? She helped you all achieve what you wanted, whether you want to admit it or not,” Rio goes off on the group.
“She deserves this and as her coven you know that,” you say, getting to your feet.
“Fine, I’ll do it, just don’t kill me” Billy speaks up.
“Scouts honor,” Agatha says as Billy gears up to shoot her.
You stand next to Rio, leaning on her slightly. She wraps her arm around your shoulder, pulling you further into her side. She feels your eyes on her and meets them. You slowly glance over to Agatha and Billy and then back at her. She shakes her head and you nod to yourself.
When Billy shoots Agatha the coven gasp seeing Agatha’s power in real time, sucking the magic out of the boy.
“She’s going to kill him,” Alice mumbles under her breath.
“She won’t,” Lilia and Jen say at the same time.
Agatha hears them and subtly surprised by their confidence in her. Upon hearing it, she cuts the ties with Billy. He stumbles to the ground, but is quickly helped by the rest of the coven.
“Finally, everyone get what they wanted?” Rio claps her hands together.
The all hum in agreement.
“Great, now get out,” she points to the exit of the backyard.
It starts a commotion again as they start to talk over each other.
“SILENCE!” Your voice echoes causing them all to stop talking. “I get it, you’re a coven now, found family yay, etcetera, etcetera. As a familiar who has been separated from her witches, I would really hate for you to get in the way of what would be our first time alone together in centuries. That would really piss me off.”
They murmur in consensus.
“We’ll let you know when it’s ok to come over,” Agatha says shooing them away in the process.
They all pile into Billy’s car and the three of you wave them away. As soon as they pull off, you enter Agatha’s home.
“Well, now what?” Rio asks.
Agatha flicks her fingers replacing her dirt covered clothes, before doing the same to you.
“I don’t know about you, but my back has been begging for a mattress after sleeping on that awful ground,” Agatha cracks her back.
“Pillows,” you nod in agreement.
The three of you climb up the stairs to the bedroom. Once you’re inside, you fall face first into the middle of the bed. Moaning in pleasure as the bed melds to hold your body.
“I hope to hear more of that later,” Rio lays in the space to your right.
Agatha lays to your left, “Such a pretty sound, sweetheart.”
You groan, turning your head between the two women, “Yes, later we can do that, but now it’s time to sleep. So less talking, more cuddling.”
“It’s not even 5 pm.”
“I can go sleep on the couch if you want to argue with me,” you tell them.
“No,” they say in unison.
You smile, “That’s what, I thought. Now, hold me.”
Agatha and Rio’s fingers intertwine as they wrap their arms around you. It’s warm and safe, the horrors of the road, no longer haunting.
You too, had gotten what you wanted from the road. It was this. Rio and Agatha; you all back together. For a moment, having a simple domestic life.
You knew it wouldn’t last long, especially now that Agatha had her own little coven of chaos. Yet the thought of it made you smile. As long as the three of you were together, everything would work out alright.