Free Spirited by Shannon Delany, Judith Graves, Heather Kenealy, et al., Kitty Keswick, Candace Havens, Linda Joy Singleton, Jill Williamson, Maria V. Snyder Page B

you.”
    “Perhaps. But I am in control of how much weight gets added.” Cotton motioned for yet another rock to be piled onto Isaiah’s chest. “By morning, you will be just another dead nameless witch—like your mother.”
    Isaiah tried to respond, but he could only grunt. His mouth tasted of blood and vomit.
    “You can save your life and your reputation,” Cotton said. “Help me track down those witches. We’ll go to Governor Danvers with proof that there are covens of witches literally underfoot. And you will be at my side as we bring them to the light.”
    “You mean… I’ll be… your foxhound.”
    “You will live,” Cotton said. “You will thrive even. Things will be as they were. You were good at what you did. You made your father proud.”
    “He was not”—Isaiah spit out—”my father.”
    “This is what you were born to be, Isaiah.”
    “No.” Isaiah sucked in a wheezing breath. “That’s what… people like you… made me.”
    “Take a stone off,” Cotton ordered. “Take two off.”
    He turned back to Isaiah. “You see, I am not unmerciful. I will be kinder to you than Reverend Wildes was. We are alike after all. We share the same talent. We share the same destiny.
    “Do not force me to do this, Isaiah. Join me. After this is over, I’ll be the next governor. You’ll be my chief magistrate. Think about that.”
    Cotton strode away before stopping and turning around. “We’ll talk again tomorrow. If you’re able.”
~*~*~
    Isaiah coughed out a bitter laugh. Bloody saliva rained back down on his face. Cotton was right: they were alike. A few days ago Isaiah had had the same idea about going to the governor with proof of the witches, convincing him that the hunts must continue. Perhaps their destinies were the same.
    Destiny. He smiled weakly, thinking of Destiny Jacobs, her smile so much like her sister’s. That small girl had led her people to safety. At least he thought they must be safe. For now anyway. If they’d been captured, then Cotton would have no reason to keep him alive. But they couldn’t hide forever.
    Someone leaned over Isaiah. He recognized Alder’s voice, though his vision was blurring and he couldn’t make out a face.
    “I’m sorry,” Alder said. “You of all people know there’s nothing I can do. Please forgive me.”
    “My forgiveness… doesn’t matter.”
    Alder groaned as if he were the one crushed beneath stones.
    Isaiah sucked in air. “You knew my mother?”
    “I was there when Cotton passed sentence,” Alder admitted. “Reverend Wildes convinced him to stay execution until after your birth.”
    “What was her name?”
    After a moment of silence, Alder said, “I don’t remember.”
~*~*~
    Isaiah sensed Cotton coming the next morning. He could feel the stain in him, though it was weak and Destiny would laugh at Cotton as someone with little talent for learning tricks.
    “You’ve thought about my offer?” Cotton said.
    Isaiah nodded weakly and drew in a painful breath. “You offer the same fear and hatred and loneliness I’ve known all my life.”
    “But it is life. You can change your perspective on what that life means.”
    “You can give me only one thing.”
    “Name it,” Cotton said with a thin smile.
    Isaiah took in a labored breath. “More stones.”
    “Oh, you shall have them,” Cotton shouted. He waved his men over. “You shall have them all. Your time is up.”
    Isaiah grunted as more rocks were piled onto his chest. His ribs splintered. “No, your time is up. Without me, you can’t win.”
    “I will win,” Cotton said, “when I release your stained soul to hell.”
    “Release him!”
    “Release him!”
    Isaiah heard the voice, but he did not know it. Then he heard thunder, or imagined he did. It might have been blood rushing through his ears.
    The call came again. “Release him!”
    “You heard Governor Danvers.” This time Isaiah recognized Alder’s voice. “The hunts are suspended. Set Isaiah