Bella couldn't move. She wasn't sure she could pry her claws from the branch beneath her if she tried. She couldn't tear her eyes from Titus's terror-stricken face.

"Come here, or I'll be left with no choice but to assume you've sided against me," said Bryony, her tone like ice. "I'll give you ten seconds."

"Stop blackmailing her," snapped Daphne.

"Stay out of this. You've done enough damage already. Keep my familiar out of this."

"You can't say that while threatening to kill one of them."

"Him?" Bryony shook Titus lightly. His fluffed tail curled further about his paws. "He's just a stray. I only have one familiar who deserves that title."

The words jarred. Titus had said the reverse only minutes before, damning Bryony's right to call herself his keeper. No keeper would hold their familiar hostage over a poison fire.

Four Witches. Titus had been discarded by four Witches now. No wonder he stayed so aloof around Bryony.

"Put him down," said Daphne. "I'll give you the book."

Four Witches, but not five.

Bella watched in dismay, still frozen, as Daphne put her hands in the air, showing their absence of potion-bottles. Bryony was asking for her coded notebook back. That book contained all the evidence Daphne would need to take Bryony to the Covens for trial—or to put a search warrant on her head. Without it, it would be Daphne's word against Bryony's. The Covens already disliked Bryony, but Daphne was still young. A student, easily dismissed compared to Bryony's known and proven skill.

Without the notebook, Daphne couldn't hold Bryony accountable for anything she'd done. With it, Bryony could even turn the blame on Daphne instead. She had always complained about the presence of a second Witch in Hyacinth, even going so far as to say Daphne was after her job. Bella had assumed she was joking, but Bryony's other accusations—that Daphne was trying to continue her parents' failed investigation into Bryony's magical dealings—had been anything but humorous.

That investigation had failed because Bryony's hybrid magic—however dangerous—wasn't illegal the way Wight-Witch magic would have been. Instead, she'd be punished on the grounds what she'd used it for.

"Where is it?" said Bryony. "The book."

"In my coat." Daphne nodded into the forest. "I left it to lure the Wights with."

"Bella? Go find the coat and confirm she's telling the truth. I won't release him until then."

Bella's wings almost spread of their own accord, ready to obey the order. Then Titus's eyes flicked to her again, lit clearly as Wights began to gather around them, drawn by the lure that still clung to his fur. His look struck Bella into paralysis all over again. He wasn't begging. He was still scared, but there was more reproach than pleading in that gaze.

"I'm giving you another chance," said Bryony. "I still don't want to lose you, either." Her voice almost wobbled, but she caught and stiffened it again. "Them or me. You can only pick one."

Bryony and Bella. Bella and Bryony. It had always been the two of them, Bella realized now. Even Titus had never been part of their circle, and he'd lived with them for years. Would Bryony ever have let him in, given enough time? Or had his suspicion of her from the start always been enough to seal this showdown?

Bella dropped her head and nodded.

"Thank you," said Bryony, and the relief in her voice stabbed Bella through the chest all over again. It was replaced by that icy tone as she turned to Daphne again. "Point her to your coat."

Daphne pointed. Bella looked away so neither Witch could see her face, and so she wouldn't have to see theirs in turn. She took off in the direction Daphne had pointed. She could feel Bryony's eyes on her back. Watching to see if she would keep her word. Bella flew in a dutifully straight line, counting the trees until she was far enough for the forest's canopy to hide her. There, she landed again.

The Wights filled the forest here, hiding in amongst the leaves. Their lights were dimmed—from the poison or from fear, Bella couldn't tell. She'd never thought that Wights could feel fear. Bella glanced over her shoulder to make sure she was alone. The stabbing in her heart had intensified, stealing her breath away and threatening to collapse her wings beneath her. But she'd made her choice now.

Taking off again, she circled back towards the bog, where the darkness would hide her. It was easy to spot the place Daphne and Bryony still faced each other down, the former with her hands still uplifted, the latter with a small black cat suspended over the bog. Wights flocked about the three of them. Those that strayed too close to Titus tumbled in the toxic fumes of the smoldering fire. Some escaped back into the forest, but not all were so lucky.

Bella willed the rest to stay back as she coasted high over the bog, stilling her wingbeats now to keep from being heard. There was still time to turn back. She could see where Daphne's coat must be, another aggregation of Wights farther off through the forest. Bella turned her back on it, folded her wings, and dove.

The screaming of the Wights masked her whistling wings. Bryony didn't hear her coming.

Bella hit her keeper in the back of the neck with claws out and beak lunging. Bryony screamed. Her outstretched arm lurched, lifted, trying to block the attack. Titus snatched her wrist and sank his teeth into it. Bryony released him with another scream. Titus clawed his way onto her arm and launched off it, landing safely and bolting away. Bella flew free before Bryony's flailing hands grabbed her. Daphne was already gone, her footsteps crashing through the nighttime forest in the direction of her coat. She needed time.

Bella could buy her time.

Bella banked and flew at her keeper again. Bryony stumbled backwards this time, falling hard on the bog's edge. She yelped and rolled back into the forest. She struggled out of the garment and smacked it frantically on the ground, even though it bore no flames. Bella flew up into the shadows of the canopy and perched there, crouched and ready to dive again. Bryony stumbled to her feet in the gathering darkness. The Wights Titus had brought with him were dispersing into the forest. Bryony crouched again and fumbled around her.

Her lantern. Bella could see it from here, tipped over in a patch of longer grass. The urge to call out, to help, to alleviate Bryony's current fear, was almost overwhelming. Bella clenched her beak and held it there. If Bryony ever trusted her again, it would be after coming to terms with what she'd done. Until she showed remorse for that, their reconciliation would have to wait.

Bryony found the lantern. It had been over a minute now, long enough to give Daphne a head-start. She would reach her coat and Bryony's notebook long before Bryony herself could hope to. Bryony seemed to know it. She fumbled with the lantern for another half-minute, then stopped and just looked at it. Then into the forest after Daphne. Then back at the lantern. She lowered the lantern. Her hand shook visibly as it ran inventory of her other belongings: her coat, clothes, and potion-bag. Then she turned in the opposite direction and slipped away into the forest.

Bella followed her, gliding silently from tree to tree. Bryony took the darkest routes she could, avoiding the Wights where they clustered, seeking safety in each other's company after their collective ordeal. Bella half expected Bryony to circle around like she herself had, to intercept Daphne and Titus, but she held a straight line. When she reached the road, she threw a final glance over her shoulder and took off running. Farther from Daphne. Towards a town she'd never visited. Away from Hyacinth.

This time, Bella didn't follow her. She landed in a tree again, watching her keeper disappear into the nighttime distance, running footsteps fading into the singing of the crickets and the faint stirring of a breeze. The forest was so peaceful here. Bella hid her head beneath her wing as the pain in her chest twisted her all the way in half again. She turned around and flew back into the forest. It didn't take long to find Titus and Daphne. The Wights still followed them both, trailing through the forest back towards the camp they'd left behind. Bella caught up to Daphne here. The young Witch was packing frantically. She yelped when Bella landed, and fumbled her rolled-up sleeping mat. She scarcely caught it again. Her reflexes were improving.

"She's gone," said Bella. "She ran the other way."

Daphne didn't respond for a long moment. Then, slowly, she lowered the mat and opened her arms towards a patch of nearby bushes. Titus detached from the shadows and jumped into the waiting hug. Bella's throat closed. Daphne extended her other arm. Bella landed on it, and let the young Witch extend that hug to both of them.

A/N: Hi friends! Given recent changes Wattpad has been making, this will be one of the last books I post on this site. If you want to keep in touch, learn when I move to other platforms, or get insider updates on my publishing journey, sign up for my newsletter—link in the comments, or in my Wattpad bio if you can't click it here!