Hope for the Past

IV

The world came back into view, and I had no idea where I'd sent us. I hadn't used peregrine magic in such a long time. I'd forgotten the most important step—think about where the hell you were going.

It was cold. Icy shards of snow cut across my face.

"What have you done?" Younger Whitney punched me in the shoulder. "How are you worse at Peregrini than I am? Do I become the worst witch of all time?"

"No." I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself. "Those two assholes use you to take over the world and banish us to an Obstruction dome for ten years. I just saved you from that. So, no, I think we're actually a pretty good witch, if you ask me."

Younger Whitney said nothing right away. I knew I'd be stunned if someone just told me my best friends would ultimately betray me.

"You know where we are?" I couldn't see more than a few metres ahead through the driving snow. Every second we stayed out here was another second colder.

"Sorry...what?" The younger me was still stunned. "The mountains. We're in the mountains."

"I can see that," I said. "And we're going to freeze to death in these mountains if you don't focus up. I haven't lived in this area for centuries. My peregrine magic would have only taken us so far. We must still be pretty close to the tower."

Younger Whitney just stared ahead, her entire life crumbling around her ears.

"Look, kid." I grabbed her by the shoulders and stared right into her eyes. "This sucks. I didn't find out about Kiara and Connor until much later, and it still hurt thinking about them. But now we've got each other. We've both got a shot at a new life, one that we live for ourselves, and not being strung along and lied to by those two. What do you say?"

She took a deep breath and nodded her head. "First, let's warm up. Then we head east. I know a good place where we can get into some trouble."

Younger Whitney twiddled her fingers and cast a fovulla spell around us. Glorious warmth bubbled right to my bones, and I watched as my counterpart started trudging down the mountain. I checked my watch—the hand was stuck at 11:59.

For the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt a lightness within. I'd forgotten what it was, or even the word for it. But right then, it sang to me as the snow swirled in every direction.

It was hope.