The Honey Witch

A month passes. Marigold works to heal the land, cure the landvættir, and strengthen her protection runes. She is running low on her honey reserves and will soon need to choose between the landvættir and the protection runes. She works to rebuild the apiary with Mr. Benny’s help and guidance. The will-o’-the-wisp continues to flicker across the lake. At night, Marigold tirelessly studies her grimoire, as it’s the only thing that keeps her thoughts off Lottie.

Another month passes. Marigold’s apiary is nearly restored. Marigold asks Mr. Benny why he takes care of her. Mr. Benny reveals that he promised Althea he would. Mr. Benny loved Althea before the curse—they were soulmates. When Versa cursed Althea, Mr. Benny’s love shifted to a more platonic form, and he never quite remembered the way he’d felt before. When Althea died, it all came back to him.

The ring he gave Marigold was the engagement ring he made for Althea. He didn’t tell Marigold, because he didn’t want to upset her with the knowledge that she has a soulmate out there who is also alone because of the curse. Mr. Benny reminisces about his love for Althea and their time together. He sees Marigold as a granddaughter. Marigold sees him as a grandfather.

Marigold and Mr. Benny comb the cottage library for information on breaking the curse. Mr. Benny finds Lottie’s lost book of nursery rhymes. They determine that it is actually a spell book of ash magic. Marigold doesn’t think Lottie can be an Ash Witch, but she cannot help but feel Lottie is connected to everything somehow. Mr. Benny and Marigold realize that it was Lottie who disturbed the apiary rune the night she sleepwalked while having a nightmare. Marigold realizes that the Ash Witch blood in Lottie’s veins is why she can see the landvættir and why she recalls the protection rune from her childhood.

Marigold worries Lottie must be in danger for the power she carries. She knows Versa will use this power if she can get ahold of it. Marigold prepares to lure Versa to Innisfree to ensure Lottie is safe.

With Mr. Benny’s assistance, Marigold creates every defensive spell she can find in the grimoire and removes the runes from every corner of the isle. Her powers have grown stronger, and she is able to manipulate weather and the lake. Reminders of Lottie still pain her. She fantasizes about having Lottie by her side again.

Marigold sees her reflection and notices how sickly, weak, and close to death she appears from all the grief, tireless work, and heartbreak. Marigold writes a final love letter to Lottie in case Marigold perishes in her fight with Versa.

Marigold has an intense dream of ash, landvættir, and omens. When she wakes up, she knows today is the day Versa comes. She sends a reluctant Mr. Benny home, hoping to protect him.

Marigold waits for Versa’s arrival near the dock. She is ready for battle. Versa arrives in a black boat with Lottie in tow. Lottie has been tormented by the Ash Witch.

Lottie is Versa’s granddaughter. Versa claims Lottie as hers to do what she wishes with. She also claims Innisfree. Versa screeches, causing the windows on the cottage to break and the lake to boil. Versa killed Lottie’s parents after Lottie’s mother refused to help her take over Innisfree. She thinks Lottie’s survival proves Lottie worthy of claiming Innisfree with her.

Lottie apologizes to Marigold, but Versa strangles Lottie so she cannot speak anymore. The earth holds Marigold in place. Versa’s magic is strong. Versa can keep herself from dying with ash magic, but she needs Innisfree’s magic to give her full life. Versa plans to use Lottie’s magic to help her take over Innisfree and use Marigold’s magic to keep Innisfree alive.

Versa wants Marigold to convince Lottie to complete the ritual to unlock her full powers, because Lottie has refused thus far. Versa uses Marigold’s love for Lottie as a weapon, attempting to manipulate Marigold and Lottie into surrendering to her whims. Versa says Marigold would convince Lottie to do the ritual if Marigold loved Lottie. Versa says she will relinquish Lottie to Marigold if Marigold does this.

Marigold recalls how Althea stressed that everyone gets to make their own life decisions. Marigold tells Lottie that it’s her choice. She will give up Innisfree for Lottie, but she will not force Lottie to do anything. Marigold tells Lottie she loves her. Lottie cries, unable to say it back.

Lottie refuses to accept her power, because it would make her like Versa and take Innisfree from Marigold. With Lottie’s decision made, Marigold attacks Versa and prepares for a fight.

Versa and Marigold are locked in magical battle. Versa is well-prepared for honey magic, but Marigold is also ready. Mr. Benny shows up, having ignored Marigold’s request to leave the isle, and smashes Versa over the head, momentarily disarming her. She turns around, and instantly mangles Mr. Benny, killing him. Marigold is devastated.

Versa creates a fire to consume the trees of Innisfree. It feeds off the storm Marigold has summoned. The landvættir emerge and transform all at once. Marigold realizes this is survival for them—if ash magic controls Innisfree, they must adapt to that magic. Marigold summons a gigantic lake wave to flood the isle and put out the trees. The landvættir fight alongside Marigold at first, but Versa quickly uses her magic to turn them on Marigold.

The landvættir grab Marigold and pin her to the ground in front of Versa. A chasm opens up, and Versa threatens to drop Marigold inside. Marigold sobs, staring down at her death. She feels that she has failed Innisfree, she has failed Lottie, and she has lost everything.

Versa offers Lottie a deal: If Lottie accepts her magic and helps Versa run Innisfree, Versa will leave Marigold alive as a pet for Lottie and as a source of magic to keep Innisfree alive. Lottie accepts. She wants to be able to love Marigold freely.

Marigold remains pinned while the rest of her honey is dumped. Marigold will have to maintain the isle with only her magical blood, which will keep her in a state of exhaustion and near-death.

Lottie performs a painful Ash Witch ritual. Versa tells her that power is pain. When the ritual is complete, Versa breaks the curse. Versa mocks them for allowing love to make them weak. Versa reminds Marigold that this is why Althea warned her not to let her heart get captured.

Lottie and Marigold confess their love for each other for the first time without pain or hinderance. Lottie feels the love like never before. Versa drags a reluctant Lottie inside the cottage, leaving Marigold outside. She tells Marigold to generate flowers for them to burn. Marigold works through the night, obeying Versa’s command. Marigold fears what would happen if she didn’t comply. Marigold endures by fantasizing about life with Lottie.

Versa burns the flowers the next morning. Lottie is training and will not be allowed to see Marigold until she is a stronger witch. This goes on for three days, with Marigold weakening and growing closer to death.

Lottie finally sneaks food to Marigold. Lottie and the landvættir are being forced to try to heal Versa. Lottie helps Marigold eat and drink. Marigold worries that it is too late. Even if Lottie grows strong enough to defeat Versa, Marigold is not long for this world. Lottie refuses to let Marigold go, because Marigold is Lottie’s soulmate. They kiss, and it does not hurt.

Marigold realizes Lottie still has the soulmate spell, which is made with honey. They plan to feed it to Chesha to free her from Versa’s hold. They kiss again and again. Marigold knows this is true love.

Lottie sneaks food and water to Marigold each night, strengthening her. They formulate a plan, as Marigold is too weak to defeat Versa, and Versa will not train Lottie in anything that could be her downfall. When the night comes, Marigold and Lottie work as a team to force the honey down Chesha’s throat. Chesha returns to her original form and releases Marigold. Marigold has Chesha guard the cottage door to prevent Versa’s escape.

There is a cauldron of tallow in the enfleurage. Marigold plans to grow the flowers into the tallow while Lottie boils it, setting the cottage on fire. Marigold is not strong enough to do this through the window, so she climbs inside. Marigold overturns the cauldron as Versa bursts into the room. Marigold tells Lottie to set the fire, but Lottie is too afraid of burning Marigold.

Versa slips in the tallow and realizes what is happening. She sets the fire herself, declaring that Marigold will burn with her. Marigold catches fire. She manages to escape through the window with Lottie’s help, but she cannot hold on. Her last image is of the burning cottage.

Marigold wakes up surrounded by yellow flowers. She has died. Nothing hurts anymore. Althea greets her. Althea is proud of Marigold, despite Marigold thinking she has failed. Althea informs Marigold that she can go back, if she chooses. Marigold is reluctant to leave, as she’s missed Althea, but Althea has Mr. Benny with her now. They can finally love each other the way they were meant to. Althea helps Marigold resurrect. Marigold promises she won’t let Althea down.

Marigold wakes in pain with Lottie crying over her body. Marigold cannot speak, but Lottie notices Marigold’s breathing and promises to heal her. Lottie has learned enough magic trying to heal Versa to bring Marigold’s body back from its broken state. The women confess their love for one another again, kissing as much as they can, finally able to love each other freely.

Sometime later, Marigold and Lottie are a happy couple. Mr. Benny rests in a grave next to Althea. August and Frankie are in Innisfree helping rebuild the cottage. Marigold and Lottie hope to create a daughter of ash and honey to complete their perfect family.