The End of Magic (The Witches of Echo Park #3)(83)

Eleanora sighed.

"It's loose in your world now and we can't stop it, but we can balance it," Tem said from his perch by the kitchen island. "Well, Eleanora and I can't, but the rest of you living souls can."

"How?" Lyse asked. She was still with Lizbeth, her arm around the younger woman's shoulder.

Tem looked at Thomas, who nodded.

"Lyse?" Thomas asked. "Do you know who you are?"

She looked confused.

"I'm just me, I guess." Thomas continued to look thoughtfully at her. "I don't know what it is you want me to say."

"The tarot spread. The World, The Magician, The Hierophant, The Devil, and The Fool . . . which are you?"

"I have no idea," Lyse said, shaking her head.

Thomas got up from his place on the long white couch and began to pace.

"Think about it," he said. "We know The World stands for your world, correct?"

Lyse nodded.

"Sure, yes."

"And The Devil represents what we call 'the darkness' and the blood sisters call 'The Flood.' But it more literally refers to a specific minion on Earth-"

"Desmond," Daniela said with a low growl in her throat. "That's the devil we know."

"Or your son, David," Lyse said, addressing her words to Eleanora. "Only he's gone now. I took care of him."

All eyes went to Lyse.

"What did you do?" Eleanora asked.

"I brought him here and threw him into a singularity. It was a crazy idea, but I think it worked."

She looked around the circle of assorted faces and her posture changed, shoulders hunching. Dev realized that Lyse thought she was being judged, and she'd clearly taken on a defensive stance to protect herself.

"He killed you, Eleanora," Lyse continued, before turning to the others. "And he would've killed any of the rest of you if we'd given him half a chance."

"No one's upset with you, Lyse," Dev said. "I think you did the right thing. We all do." 

She shot the others an imploring look: Let Lyse see that we don't judge her for her actions.

Daniela understood Dev's meaning and took a few steps toward Lyse.

"If you hadn't done it, I would've. And I think I speak for everyone when I say that what you did was necessary."

Lyse's shoulders relaxed.

"Thanks, Daniela."

Daniela shrugged.

"It's just a truth."

Dev was pleased that Daniela had been able to reach Lyse. They did not need their coven master disabled by guilt. Every one of them needed to be functioning if they were going to stop The Flood from doing what it wanted with their world.

"Tem and I have an idea about two more," Thomas continued-now that Lyse was calmer again. "Who they represent-"

"I'm The Fool," Daniela said. Her tone was even, but there was anger in her eyes. "I was duped by Desmond Delay, who is my father and Lyse's grandfather."

Eleanora sighed deeply, lips pursed tightly together.

"I always wondered who your father was, but Marie-Faith refused to tell me. She kept it a secret from all of us."

"Francesca knew, and she hated you and Lyse because of it," Daniela said to Eleanora, her fists unclenching as she spoke. Dev wondered if saying these thoughts out loud-it was clear they'd been tormenting Daniela-was like lancing a wound, the poisonous infection slowly seeping out with each word. "Desmond used Francesca to infect Lyse with the dreaming spell when we were in Rome."

"After your mother went to Italy, we spent far less time together. I hardly knew Francesca," Eleanora said.

"Well, I think she hated you," Daniela replied, "because my parentage was kept secret and Francesca blamed you for it, Eleanora."

"I never met the great and powerful Desmond Delay," Eleanora said. "But now we know why."

"Because you'd have known him for what he truly was," Lyse said. "And if you're a fool, Daniela, so are the rest of us."

"I gave him Lizbeth on a silver platter-"

"The Fool played an important part," Thomas said. "It all happened as it was supposed to. Without the full return of magic, The Flood would not gain its power . . . and without magic, you and your blood sisters could not drive it back."

"That good old 'balance' you were talking about," Daniela said to Eleanora.

"Well, Lyse," Dev said. "Then you're either The Magician, who brings about change, or The Hierophant, who stands at the crossroads of time and space."

"I'm The Magician then," Lyse said. "Is that what you wanted me to see? There, I see it. I say it. I'm The Magician."

Tem looked at Lizbeth-and Dev felt their connection. It was more than just palpable. It was electric. She wondered if anyone else knew that Lizbeth was in love with the handsome dead man from another dimension?