She was on her bed, under the covers. Elnora bustled in with a tea.

‘Drink this; it will calm you,’ she said.

It was probably a potion or the usual tea Elnora gave her. She welcomed it, knowing it would help. But Kellan’s brows furrowed, eyes burning at the mug.

Lenovik used to drink tea in a mug at the start of his lessons.

Her mind took over, and she imagined him taking a sip from his cup, but instead of milk resting on his upper lip, it was blood.

She screamed as her head hit the pillow. Those cards from the oracles were right. Death seemed to have a strange fascination with her.

chapter twenty

chapter twenty

bethan kore

the day was cold, yet the sun shone brightly through the grey clouds. The winter snow melted underneath Bethan’s feet.

They stood on the top of Wishing Hill on the edge of Mermaid Harbour.

The burial commenced at dusk, and Lenovik would be lowered in the ground when the sun left the sky.

The grey sky shifted pink as the ceremony went on. Lenovik had a special request for his funeral, that he would be buried like a Green Witch, that no one would wear black. He wanted it to be colourful and bright, not a day of mourning but a celebration of life.

If it was age or illness that killed him, she would have agreed. But his life was ripped from him. The details of his death became more known across the city. He was found with a slit throat; the Stratos said Lenovik didn’t see it coming. No sign of self-defence riddled his body. Using their magic, the authorities detected a weapon made of Aegean steel. Bethan was pissed that Dion Wilmott wasn’t the head detective on the case. She thought since it was a high-profile case, they would put their best detective on it, but she assumed wrong.

The sun lowered, and his family, including Councillor Edington, prepared to lower his body.

Bethan stood with her friends, all except Kellan, who was seated away from the family and friends. He sat next to official ministers who were obliged to be there.

The priestess called for the wishes to be made. Lenovik’s friends and family lined up to make their wishes.

All four stepped toward the grave. A white cloth draped over his body. Bethan was grateful for it, not knowing what she would've seen had it not been there to conceal his corpse.

The priestess handed them a decorated bucket filled of stones and clusters of amethyst.

They each took a handful, holding them up to their lips, silently whispering their intentions and wishes for Lenovik in his afterlife.

They let the stones and crystals fall from their hands on the top of his body in unison. They bowed before the hole and walked away.