Kaz walked up the mountain trail towards Ellie's house as quickly as he thought he could get away with. He didn't want to raise any alarms, but he also needed to get back as quickly as possible. Not only did he have an important letter to deliver, but he felt like he would burst from the news he'd gotten from a realtor in Boone.

He entered without knocking and kicked off his boots, not noticing for a moment that he'd left the door open behind him in his haste to get inside.

Ellie, for her part, was nervously playing with her vines. It was a habit she'd picked up very, very quickly, and Kaz was honestly surprised that the entire house wasn't covered in out-of-season greenery, both outside and in. While she'd been waiting on word from the Council, Ellie had put everything she had into working on her magic. Any spare moment was practice, both growing things and returning them to the earth. Working with the natural cycle of things, she called it. She said that's what it felt like.

Kaz thought the expression fit her, especially considering how her Spirit Sight had taken off since she finally reached even a little closure over Ben's death. She could see and hear more clearly than ever, and not just human ghosts. Animals, plants, and spirits of the land appeared to her in flashes, and Kaz suspected that ability would only grow stronger.

He wondered if the years of teasing and isolation had really been the thing suppressing her magic, and maybe now that she had people encouraging and accepting her, it was able to break free. Or maybe he just hoped he had something to do with it because he loved her.

He did.

He loved her very, very dearly.

But she could wait a little longer to hear that, for now.

The hinges creaked as Kaz closed the door behind him, reaching into his pocket to wave a letter in the air.

"Look what I've got!"

Ellie looked up and gasped at the sight. "Holy shit, you're just in time."

"Could they have cut it any closer?" he asked, rolling his eyes as he handed her the letter. "That godforsaken ritual is tonight. You told them to rush."

"Now you see why Miriam hates the Council," Ellie snorted as she tore the letter open.

She scanned through the text as quickly as possible while Kaz waited with bated breath. After what seemed like hours, but was likely only a few seconds, Ellie finally looked up at him.

"This is just what we needed," she said with a slow smile.

Unable to help himself, Kaz picked her up around the waist and spun her around. The joy radiating off her was tangible and beautiful and delicious, and he would never tire of feeling that mix of calm and happiness and love from her. Ellie laughed as he finally set her down, tucking the letter back in its envelope and putting it safely to the side... for now.

"Before we start thinking about tonight, I need to talk to you about something," Kaz said seriously, taking her hands in his.

"You're... not proposing, are you?" she asked, brow furrowed.

"Give me at least another year for that," Kaz said with a snort, but Ellie's shoulders visibly relaxed.

He was glad to see her loosen up over the last few days. She'd always had a strong personality, but now she felt relaxed as well. For the most part, at least. They still had work to do, loose ends to tie up, but seeing her working her new magic and slowly finding herself again was worth more than he could describe.

"You said before that it would be difficult to find anyone who would sell land to a woman or a witch," he said slowly. "What if I told you I had land?"

"... What are you saying?" Ellie asked slowly, eyes narrowing. "I told you already- I don't want your money. It's too much."

"I'm not offering you money. I'm offering to sell you land," he said with a crooked smile. "Forty acres, if you want that much."

Ellie's mouth dropped open.

"That's... incredible," she whispered. "But I told you, I can't bring myself to leave the mountain."

"That's the best part: you won't have to." The smile on his face only grew wider as he spoke.

Her mouth dropped open. For a moment, she stood stock still and gaping like a fish, processing his words. "How the hell did you get mountain land?"

"I pulled some strings," he said with a shrug. "According to Hartley, it's over that direction..." he said vaguely, pointing off at a peak in the distance.

It was some kind of handle, Granny had told him. Or... something like a handle.

Or maybe a peak?

"Howard's Knob?" Ellie gasped. "You bought forty acres on Howard's Knob?"

"... Is that good? Granny said it was good," he said a little helplessly.

"That's more than good, Kaz. That land is beautiful!" She shook her head and laughed, like she just couldn't help it. "There's no way I could have afforded a quarter of that on my own. What on earth are you plannin' to sell it for?"

"I know someone that wants some land," he said with a shrug. "I'll set a price at some point."

"We'll negotiate. You're not sellin' yourself short," Ellie grumbled, pursing her lips together.

"You won't be paying interest. I won't budge on that."

Ellie tilted her head back and forth for a moment, seeming to weigh her options. "Okay, that much I agree to. We're not done talking, though."

"I would never assume," Kaz said, smiling.

It was time.

There was a small wagon packed outside Ellie's house. They didn't need much, mostly the two clothes trunks packed to the brim with anything they could shove inside and a couple sacks tied on top with food and dishware. Ellie and Kaz were both dressed for traveling.

Granny stood with them on the fringes of the crowd gathered to watch the Ritual of Returning, looking rather somber. She took the news as well as it could be taken, and she hadn't doubted Ellie for a moment. For that, Ellie would forever be grateful, but it still felt like a betrayal to take Granny's daughter away from her.

"Granny," Ellie said softly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," the old woman said. "You didn't make her decisions for her. You didn't force a single thing on her. She brought this on herself."

"I wish..." she said softly, helplessly, but Granny just nodded.

"I do, too. She sealed her a fate a long time ago when she couldn't get over how jealous she was of your daddy, though." Granny sighed, clasping her hands together. "I wish I could'a gotten through to her before she married that man..."

"You did everything you could," she murmured, reaching out to hug her grandmother. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, baby," Granny said, kissing Ellie's cheek. "Now go get 'em."

Ellie took a deep breath as she gazed towards the gathering crowd.

It was now or never.

She carefully wove her way through the group on onlookers gathered for the Ritual of Returning, working her way to a place where she could see the entire setup. Jeannie stood at the top of a five-pointed star in the center of a massive casting circle drawn on the ground with the ends of burnt oak branches. A black-robed witch stood at each of the four other star points. Each of them had a basket at their side, presumably filled with tools and ingredients for the ritual.

Bile rose in Ellie's stomach as Jeannie stepped forward to address the gathered crowd. She forced it back down, concentrating on the feeling of the earth's energy around her, of the plants and roots under her feet, of the cycle of nature at work.

It wanted to bloom for her, she'd learned. Her heartbeat and the heartbeat of the wild green plant life around her wanted to intertwine to make something beautiful. She just had to give it a little direction.

"Tonight we complete the Ritual of Returning!" Jeannie proudly declared. "Step into the circle with me, friends, and claim-"

"You're not steppin' nowhere," Ellie called out from the crowd.

Green, thorny vines grew from the ground around Jeannie's feet where she stood outside of the casting area, some wrapping their way around her feet and legs while others whipped out to secure her wrists and hold her arms in place.

Wild mountain roses.

They weren't wrapped tightly enough to do any real harm... so long as Jeannie didn't try to move. Ellie stepped forward and walked across the casting circle, purposefully mussing the carefully drawn lines as she went by dragging her feet across the chalk. A wave of whispers and murmurs went through the crowd as she walked, and two of the four other ritual casters moved forward to stop her.

They didn't make it two steps before Ellie flicked her hand and wrapped vines around them, too.

"Anyone else?" she asked, looking around. No one moved.

"Ellie? What are you doing? We need this-" Jeannie tried, but it was no use at this point.

"I believe one of those ingredients rightfully belongs to me," she said coldly as she approached.

Ellie bent down to the basket, plucking out a large glass bottle of dark, congealed blood, ignoring the other bits, bobs, and herbs in the basket. She forced herself to breathe slowly, evenly, as she got to her feet to look Jeannie in the eye.

"This is a bottle of Ben Mathers' blood, isn't it?" she asked loudly, holding up the glass for the whole circle to see.

Jeannie was silent, but Ellie could see the color begin to drain from her aunt's face, could see the change in her posture as she started to try to squeeze her way out of the vines.

"I wouldn't struggle if I were you. If you don't want a whole mess of thorns stuck in ya, at least," Ellie snapped. "Now, if you don't wanna tell me the truth, I've got a friend over here that can tell me exactly who this blood belongs- belonged- to. It's just gonna get worse the more you make me wait, though."

Jeannie didn't seem particularly inclined to respond to that, but Mrs. Little, still wrapped in her own set of thorny rose vines, tried to protest.

"This is ridiculous, Ellie-" Mrs. Little grunted, pulling at the plants.

"I ain't talking to you. Hush up," she snapped, tightening the vines ever so slightly. Mrs. Little cut off with a gasp as Ellie turned back to her aunt. "You needed the blood for the ritual, and you never liked Ben. He was a convenient target, and the only time you were able to catch him alone was the morning of our wedding."

"You have no proof," Jeannie hissed. "The Council will have your hide for this."

"Oh, I do have proof," she said. "I have a sigil page in your hand and a bullet singing Ben's bloodsong with that same sigil on it. I have the fact that you own a hunting rifle and managed to get to me and Kaz that day in the woods almost a little too quickly. And, I bet if I really wanted to, I could match the decayed fabric scraps from that poppet to a piece in your house."

Jeannie was silent, but her eyes blazed as she glared. Murmurs went through the crowd, and it seemed as though the whole village collectively took a step or two back from them.

"You know what I really don't get?" Ellie practically snarled. "You were so determined to leave me alive. Even when you shot at me and Kaz from the woods, you stopped as soon as I got in a pinch."

"You're still my niece," she said through gritted teeth. "I didn't want you dead."

"Oh, but you were fine killing the person I loved? Mm, great judgement there," Ellie snarked, very aware that she held the cards in this situation. It was difficult to control her anger, to control the desire to yell and scream and rip Jeannie to shreds in every way possible, but she knew she had to. She had to stay calm if she wanted to keep the upper hand. "You know else what I found out? You were also fine with makin' sure I could never get a start for my own business. You never sent my apothecary papers to the council for approval. I checked. They'd never heard of it. You wanted me dependent on this village- dependent on you."

"I wasn't gonna let some human fuck up the last chance our line has for a better future!" Jeannie shrieked, pulling against the thorns. The plant seemed to tighten around her almost of its own volition, and streaks of red blood ran where thorns pierced her pale skin. "You're the only one who can pass on our magic— make it stronger. I'm not lettin' it die that easy."

"So why shoot at Kaz?" Ellie asked, eyes narrowing. "He's not human."

"Because you couldn't let Ben go," she spat. "You couldn't just let it fucking go and live your perfect life! You had to poke your nose into the past instead of burying it, and he was encouraging you. You have everything, Ellie! You have everything in the world and you couldn't let one stupid, useless human boy just die-"

Ellie took the remaining two steps towards Jeannie and slapped her aunt across the cheek with a resounding crack. She thought she heard a gasp in the background, but she didn't care.

It wasn't about their line, not really. It was about power. It was about jealousy. Jeannie didn't inherit the magic that Ellie and her father did, not to the same degree. She couldn't have children, either, and thus couldn't pass on even the smallest bit of power that she did have, and her husband left her because of it. Though it might have started as rage against Ellie for marrying a human, exactly as she claimed, her motivations had clearly warped and twisted beyond that.

"I don't know what the hell made you think I have some kind of perfect life, but I've got good news for ya: You'll never be a part of it again. I'm leaving," she said with a quiet fury that rang through the cool spring night. "I'm leaving, and you better be thankful I'm leaving you with your life."

"The Old Ways say-"

"The Old Ways say you owe me a blood debt for taking one of mine from me," Ellie spat. She reached forward and took Jeannie's chin in her hand, forcing eye contact, squeezing just a little tighter than necessary. "I'm well within my rights to collect on it now. What'cha think, Jeannie? A life for a life sound good? An eye for an eye? That follow your Old Ways well enough?"

The woman paled, eyes wide. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, I don't think you have any idea what I'm capable of right in this moment," Ellie said softly. "You're right about one thing, though: the dead don't suffer. And you will get your due for this."

And then she stepped back, taking a deep, slow breath. She wanted to fight and scream and let every bit of her anger and grief loose at Jeannie, but that wouldn't do any good. She needed to be calm right now. She needed to show that she had the upper hand.

Oh, and Ellie certainly had the upper hand.

"I don't need to follow the Old Ways for you to get what's coming' to ya," she said, loud enough that the surrounding crowd could hear. "I sent a letter to the North American Witches' Council a week ago. You violated our code by taking one of mine from me- one of ours, one I claimed as my kin and yours through me. I have the paperwork to prove it, too. Good thing I mailed it myself instead of handin' it over to you."

"The Council will side with me. I was well within my rights to preserve the lineage of our community," Jeannie said confidently, her posture straightening a little

"Funny you should say that," Ellie said slowly, fishing in her pocket, "because they sided with me."

She unfolded the letter that Kaz brought her that morning, waving it in front of the village.

"As of receiving this letter, so- mm, maybe 10AM Monday? You've been stripped of your position as lead witch and this community has been put on formal suspension until a new lead is elected. Council members should be on their way here as we speak to evaluate the situation."

A murmur went through the crowd, louder than before.

"Actually, they offered me your job, but I turned 'em down. I ain't staying here, no siree."

"So you're turning me over to the Council for punishment?"

"Nah. Not yet, anyways," Ellie said, and then turned to face the village gates. "Ya get all that, Sheriff?" she called, her voice echoing through the trees.

Sheriff Mathers stepped out from his hiding place just outside the gates, two deputies following quickly behind him.

"Loud and clear, Miss Ellie," he said, tipping his hat.

Jeannie tried again to move, but she failed miserably, screaming as the thorns bit deeper into her limbs and kept her in place. Only once the deputies had her by each arm did Ellie release the plants so that she could move, and she didn't make it half a step before Sheriff Mathers cuffed her.

The entire crowd was dead silent. They didn't know what to do or where to move, or if they should move at all. Ellie was fine with that. She suspected that, somewhere along the way, at least one or two others had been involved in Jeannie's rotten plans.

She hoped anyone who helped happened to be very literally shitting their pants at the moment.

"If you ever come knocking on my door- no, if you ever set foot in my neck of the woods, if you ever come looking for me or mine ever again, I will collect what I'm owed. Are we clear?" Ellie asked, eyes narrowed.

"I am one of yours-"

"You are NOT one of mine and ya never have been, ya goddamn devil woman!" Ellie took a long, slow breath, let go of Jeannie's jaw, a took a step back. "As of today, I renounce you. I sever all ties, blood or otherwise. You are a stranger to me."

"You can't do this to me-" Jeannie cried, struggling against the cuffs and the deputies, but it was futile.

"I'm not leaving you alive because I'm feeling merciful, Jeannie," Ellie said slowly. "I'm leaving you alive because I don't deserve to carry the weight of your death on my conscience. I'm leaving you alive because you owe me. Anyone who had a hand in this owes me. And just in case anybody thinks I might be sweet and merciful, make no mistake: You will never be off the hook until the day you die."

Slowly, very slowly, the residents backed away from Ellie. She finally released her thorny grip on the two casters who tried to interfere, and they both scrambled away. Rather than chase after any of them, though, Ellie just stood where she was.

Her legs shook against her will, and if Kaz hadn't walked up and wrapped his arm around her for support, she thought she would have collapsed on the spot. She felt sick and exhausted and cold, so cold, and leaned into Kaz like he was her lifeline.

Well, he was her lifeline. She wouldn't have been able to pull herself out of this without him.

They stood quietly for a long moment, watching the villagers retreat into their homes as Granny and Alice worked double-time with straw brooms to sweep away the casting circle. Simon gathered up the baskets of ingredients and separated them out, preparing to scatter, burn, or otherwise get rid of them.

It was only then that Ellie realized she still had the bottle of blood in her hand. She didn't drop it, though. She wanted to return it to where it belonged.

The Sheriff walked over as the crowd thinned, a somber expression on his face.

"You did good, girl," he said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder for a long moment. "I'm as glad to know who killed him as anybody."

"If you're grateful, get your deputies to stop flapping their jaws about me in town," Ellie said. "I'd like to be able to walk down King Street in peace from now on."

"You brought in my nephew's killer. Least I can do is clear your name." He paused for a moment, frowning. "And... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I thought you killed him."

"Apology accepted," Ellie said, sighing. "It's gonna take time to mend bridges. I hope you know that. This is a big step, though."

"I understand," he said slowly. "If I can ask... where ya goin' after all this?"

"Not sure yet. Can't stay here, though," she snorted. "We'll be gone before sunrise."

"You could always come to the farm," Mathers said, and Ellie genuinely smiled at the offer. The Mathers farm was a long ways out of town, though, and it was already crowded with a whole herd of kids.

"I really appreciate that," she said. "I think we'll find somewhere, though."

"Y'all be safe, then. And stay in touch," he said, patting her shoulder awkwardly before he turned to where the deputies were struggling to force Jeannie into the back of a car.

It didn't feel real, in a way. Kaz's arm around her was the only thing that anchored her to her place, and she couldn't decipher what the mix of grief and adrenaline in her veins meant to her. What was she supposed to do now?

Where did she go now that she knew the truth?

"You don't have to stay, you know," she said softly, looking up at Kaz. "I... I want you to, but you don't have to."

Kaz pulled her in close and kissed her, and for once, she didn't care who was watching. Ellie let herself lean into him and wrapped her arms around his neck for balance, a wash of gratitude and sadness and relief rushing over her.

"Does that count as an answer?" he asked, pulling away ever so slightly.

"I just wanted to check!" she squeaked, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

"I made my decision a while ago. Don't worry," he said, keeping his arms around her.

"What about the bargain?" Ellie asked. "You said if we didn't finish it, there would be something left unresolved that would... connect us."

"Would you be opposed to simply leaving that in place?" Kaz rested his forehead against hers as he spoke. "I don't think it would hurt to have that as a connection point, though I'd argue you've already given me something precious, so I think the conditions are satisfied."

Ellie blinked at him. "Excuse me?"

"I've got you. Best bargain I've ever made, if you ask me," he said with a toothy smile.