Out of the five deliveries Esmeralda had ordered, they had three left. Sasha both longed and feared returning to Greg. Thinking of what she had done, taking a part of Elia's soul turning it into purest evil, didn’t sit right with her. Still, she silenced her consciousness, focusing on here and now. Esmeralda's errands. The young witches, the holy water, and the anticipation. Sasha would fill her bottle with the build-up of years of longing. If she was right about it, Evelina would have the bottle full the moment they stood at the threshold of Greg, her university dreams within reach.

“I will not help you with this one”, Elias said. “I can’t.”

They were standing at the bottom of a mountain. It was hers to climb. It filled her with dread.

“I have handled it before, I will do it again.”

He had been more than useful, and she couldn’t blame him for skipping this one. She would too, had she been male.

“Here, give me your hand.”

Sasha gave Elias her hand, looking confused. He was brushing the lines in her hand and her complete arm started to glow.

“What are you doing?”

Not that she wanted him to stop.

“Is it true you have never, ever, taken anything by force with your magic?”

“Except yours?” Sasha tilted her head, a smile on her lips. She could lie, but he deserved the truth. She was no saint. “I have taken lives, and I have used magic in all the wrong ways, but I always ended it with brute force. I have not cheated. Does that count?”

“Did you kept their souls?”

“By the twisted witch- no!”

“Then”, Elias said and his magic started to search her. “Let's see, I would guess you are safe.”

Sasha felt the intrusion as a hot flow of magic was traveling in her veins. It went from the feet’s to the top of her head, flowing and humming inside her body with the same rhythm as her heartbeats.

“I can’t believe it, but it does seem true.” Elias looked into her eyes, holding her hand tight, his eyes becoming a soft slow burn of yellow.

“I told you so.” Sasha squared her shoulders and made her best trying to look down at the much taller Elias. She had used dirty tricks and helped their decision, but she had never taken anything they were unwilling to give. That said until she had seen the color of Elias orb. The answer to her silent prayers.

“Yes, you did. Very well, I will grant you all your magic back.”

“You will?” Sasha couldn’t believe it. “Just so?”

“Yes, just so.”

An overwhelming softness spread in her body. The last straws of magic found their way back home. She was she again, filling out her skin. There was such a comfort in knowing she was complete, that she could trust each move and decision.

“Thank you.”

She hugged him, holding him tight as she closed her eyes and exhaled. She didn’t deserve this fortune.

“Be careful when you climb. I will wait at the other end.”

He brushed her hair, inhaling her scent.

Sasha looked up at the mountain.

It was covered with red flowers, and the path to the top was a slippery slope. Each turn there was a big rose, unnaturally red and with a flickering light coming from it. Sasha was careful not to touch them, well aware of the thorns. It was the mountain of withes to be, and tales to be told. No one messed with what was supposed to be.

At the top of the mountain was a portal, it was just as beautiful as she remembered. Blackberries in a big arc, and behind that, a graveyard. Sasha was heading to the end of the graveyard. The gravel crunched when she walked through the portal. She kept her eyes focused on the throne, situated straight in front of her. She didn’t dare to turn her head, or even blink. The graveyard was filled with empty stones. One single glance at them and a new name would be written. A name she would have to fetch for the queen sitting at the throne. And only the queen of the witches would decide which of them that would be leaving, and the witch would end up below the headstone. She always asked for men.

“It was a long time since someone entered my quarters. What brings me the joy?”

“My queen”, Sasha said and bowed deeply. “I have a gift for you.”

“A gift? People come here to ask for things. It usually does not end with them continue to live.” She chuckled, obviously pleased with her joke. “Come to here child, take a walk with me and I will listen.”

Sasha bit down the bile. With her eyes focused on the queen, she nodded. They were going back for the graveyard, and she had to be strong.

“I have been asked to bring down an ingredient, the wishes of young witches.”

“Someone needs a love potion?” The queen shook her head. “I thought you would be different.”

“I am”, Sasha told her. She steeled herself, deciding to keep her focus on the ground and the queen's feet. “I will sell it to a friend of mine. But I want the potions to work, not giving them whom they are asking for, but rather the one they are meant to be with.”

“You are asking for true love. That is even more expensive.”

“I know. That is why I will promise to come back.”

“I will not gain anything out of this. What could you possibly offer that could compensate for that?”

Sasha was sweating. She felt tired of concentrating. The stakes were too high to casually stroll with her. She had to end their walk.

“I know you know the truth my queen”, Sasha said. “I will receive magic that was once stolen. A lot of it. I will give it all to you. When a year has passed, I will return, and all that I have been given, you can take. It is yours.”

The queen turned around, laying her hand on Sasha’s shoulder.

“Look me into the eyes, and what you desire will be yours”, she said.

Sasha rose her eyes from the ground, meeting the dark blue eyes of the queen. She smiled at her, the anguish that had been growing in her pit disappearing. This was why she had agreed to help Esmeralda.

“Thank you.”

“Do not forget to return. Within a year I will call for you, in one way or another.”

The queen's eyes left hers and landed on a headstone. Sasha swallowed. She didn’t think it would work, but she got the deal through. The death queen would reveal her of the queen's foul magic. She couldn’t wait to get the impurities out of her body.

A black swirl of magic covered her. It soaked into her flesh. Within the blink of an eye, she was out of the graveyard.

She had landed on the other side. She sighed in relief. Behind her was yet another portal. This too was covered in blackberry.

“Thank you”, she whispered. She kneeled and put her hand on the earth. Laying down her head, kissing the ground in respect for death. “I will not disrespect your faith in me.”