Snow Witching White, page 8
My heart squeezed with sadness. “Yes, of course. You should go see your family.”
I remembered how much I had wanted to find Grandfather and now meet new family. I scrutinized Mistress Lita. She’d been proud announcing our connection and yet ignored me now. At least she’d been much nicer and more accommodating than the provost. But I refused to automatically trust her even though she was family. My friends were my family, even if my great grandmother said otherwise. I’d be sad for anyone to leave. I understood though and wanted my friends to be happy.
After saying goodnight, the acolytes escorted my friends to where they were staying. Stone kept his arm around my shoulders, while Cassia and Lukas strolled behind us.
Stone tugged me closer. “By your expression earlier, you had no clue that woman was related to you.” His warm breath tickled at my ear. “How are you feeling about the announcement?”
I slowly sucked air in my lungs while trying to decide. “I’m not sure. She didn’t act grandmotherly when we first arrived.” I glanced at the guards trailing behind us. “She doesn’t look grandmotherly either.”
“How can she be your great grandmother?” Stone rubbed my arm. “Maybe witches don’t age. Enough about her, how do you feel?”
“I’m shocked. Numb, really. Why wasn’t she involved in my life?”
Why hadn’t she visited when I’d lived with Grandfather? Or before when my parents were alive? With my memories returned I would’ve remembered her if she’d been around. And why hadn’t she helped me escape the banshees? Her message, or should I say threat, had shown up after I was safe. Frowning, she must’ve known where I was, otherwise how else had the message found me?
Stone shrugged, lifting his arm. “Hard to say.”
“I wish she would’ve told me first instead of stunning me with the news in front of the entire coven. I didn’t know how to react.” I shifted in his arms when we reached the drawbridge. “I wish I could stay with you.”
“Me too.” He perused around before lowering his head toward me. “I’m not doing my job protecting you.”
Dissatisfaction itched across my skin. I didn’t want him thinking of me as a job. “Is this part of your job?”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his face down. Standing on tiptoes, I touched his lips with mine. His immediate response had me smiling against his mouth.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me slightly off the ground. It was like floating or levitating, except it wasn’t magic, it was love. The urge to speak my feelings had me starting to break off the kiss. Until his tongue slipped inside my mouth and I wasn’t thinking at all.
“What’re you doing?”
Lukas’ sharp voice had me pulling away from Stone. We both turned.
Cassia had her arms around Lukas’ neck similar to how I was with Stone. Except Lukas stood stiff and unbending, glaring at her.
“Getting a goodnight kiss.” She sounded peeved. “Don’t werewolves kiss goodnight?”
“They do when they’re a couple.” He stepped out of the circle of her arms. “We never talked about or agreed to anything.”
I thought they’d make a cute couple. Obviously, Cassia did too.
She stuck out her hip. “Don’t you want to kiss me?”
“Yes. Maybe. At some point.” His cheeks brightened. “I don’t want our first kiss to be on display.” He jerked his chin at the waiting acolytes.
Heat flooded my face. I hadn’t thought about kissing Stone in front of anyone. Of course, this wasn’t our first kiss.
“Fine.” Cassia stuck her nose up and stormed to me. She yanked my hand and whispered, flinging a finger at the drawbridge. It began to lower.
“You two,” one of the acolytes indicated Stone and Lukas. “We’ll take you back to your rooms.”
My heart ached. I hated how Stone and I were separated and didn’t get to finish our kiss. There were so many things we needed to clear up between us. But Lukas was right. I didn’t want to have a private discussion with the acolytes listening.
“Goodnight, Stone. Goodnight, Lukas.” I waved.
“Let’s go.” Cassia kept hold of me. I couldn’t tell if she was hurt or angry.
“You can let go of my hand.”
She did as I asked when we got to the other side of the bridge. “No one wants to hold my hand or kiss me. Not even you.” She pouted.
“You were gripping my fingers too hard.” I shook my hand trying to get the sensation back.
“I can’t believe a werewolf rejected me.” She stomped up the stairs. “Lots of warlocks want to kiss me. They know I can help their careers.”
I reeled back. “They kiss you to advance their careers?”
She halted on a step. “You know, because my family is important. So is yours.” She grinned. “You could have any warlock in the coven. All of them would want you.”
My stomach flipped. I wasn’t about to go around kissing warlocks. “I only want to kiss Stone.”
“Don’t get me wrong. Stone is a hunk.” She fanned her face at the top of the long staircase. “But you’re a powerful witch and…”
“And banshee.”
“Yes, and banshee.” She used a spell to open my room. “You’re powerful. And Stone has no power whatsoever. No magic. You don’t think…at some point…he’ll get frustrated with your status and your magic?”
Her words drilled into me. “We won’t be here long.”
“You don’t think he’ll get tired of protecting you? Basically, being your personal guard.” She threw open the curtains and peeked out the window. “You don’t think he’ll come to resent you? Especially if you take him away from what he wants to do in life.”
Cassia must know about the offer from King Zacharye. The offer Stone had accepted without telling me, and delayed to come here. Guilt churned causing my throat to burn.
She faced me. “Did Stone want to come to the coven?”
“Not exactly. But we’re just here for a short time.”
“It takes a while to train.” She stepped to the door. “Years at the academy.”
I sunk onto the bed. I’d pictured a few weeks. I didn’t want to wait years to be with Stone. “I’m a fast learner.”
She snorted. “You’ll need to be. Distance doesn’t make the heart grow fonder.” Bitterness laced her words as if she spoke from experience. “Distance makes your differences become more noticeable and the chasm between widens.”
Stone and I already had a chasm. We hadn’t said we loved each other. He’d made plans for our future without consulting me. He acted more like a guard than a boyfriend. I didn’t want him to stay at the coven if he’d rather be somewhere else.
At the palace with the princess. And the new king.
I had nothing to be jealous or worried about. Stone loved me. He just hadn’t said it yet. And I needed to stay at the coven. I needed to learn. But how long would he stay if we couldn’t spend time together, knowing that he wasn’t welcomed by the witches and warlocks?
Chapter eight
The following morning, I pounded on Cassia’s bedroom door. “Cassia!”
Last night, she’d shown me her huge room right next to mine. I’d asked why she wasn’t staying with her family and she said she planned to visit them every day. Mistress Lita wanted her near me to help me adjust.
Cassia would never spy on me like another pretend friend. She was a real friend. She only wanted to help me feel more comfortable in the new surroundings.
When she didn’t answer after several more knocks, I gave up. Maybe she’d ended up at her parents’ home to help take care of them during their illness. I didn’t begrudge her time with family. I just wanted her to come with me to see mine.
Mistress Lita was waiting to see me. I swallowed. Great Grandmother.
To get to her office I had to climb down out of my tower, through the main part of the academy, and up the stairs to her suite of rooms. This place needed an elevator. Or I needed to learn to apparate.
I paused at the bottom of the stairs. The grand hallway was as gloomy as before. The doors were closed on the balconies above. The floating candelabra glittered with dim light. The witches I passed were serious and in a hurry. They barely glanced at me.
Taking a corner, I heard giggling. Three girls wearing matching school uniforms came around the corner. I recognized them. They were the ones who’d made fun of Trolgar with Damien. I flattened my lips.
They slid to a stop in front of me.
“Destiny.” The girl with straight black hair waved, pretending we were friends. “You didn’t come to the after party.”
“I,” I’d hated how my friends hadn’t been welcomed, but I decided to be more diplomatic. “I was tired.”
“Cassia partied the night away.” Another girl from the same trio swayed her hips. Her larger lips were painted a bright pink.
“She did?” That wasn’t the Cassia I knew. Then again, she had old friends at the coven. Maybe she loved parties and dancing and there’d been none of those things in the dungeon or with the banshees. At least not for her. She deserved a little fun after what she’d been through.
“Her and Damien.” The third girl chuckled and wiggled her eyebrows in a suggestive way.
I frowned. Cassia had been mad when Lukas hadn’t wanted to kiss her. I hoped they would work things out.
“What about you and the god-like giant?” My pretend friend glanced down. “Is he that big everywhere?”
My cheeks flamed and I tilted my chin up. “I wouldn’t know.”
“Really?” The one with the pink lips giggled. “When you get tired of him—”
“Or he gets tired of you…” The third girl elbowed her friend.
My heart thumped. Stone and I might not have committed to anything specific in our relationship, but we’d never get tired of each other. Right?
“Send him my way.” Pink lips bumped her hip against her friend’s.
I didn’t want to stand around gossiping about my relationship with Stone. I had a mission before Trolgar left. “Can you direct me to Mistress Lita’s office?”
Pretend Friend gave me quick directions and I was on my way. Yesterday, they’d been mean to me and today they’d been nice. Rounding my shoulders, I had to get used to the fact that witches and warlocks would treat me differently because I was related to the mistress. That was the reason for their change of mind.
I didn’t need to make new friends who might favor me because of my ties to Mistress Lita. I had old friends, good friends. Violet had been part of our team and I wanted to ensure she was okay.
My knees quivered as I approached Mistress Lita’s door. She was powerful with her magic and in the coven. Was she disappointed by the fact that I was part banshee and insisted on keeping my mark? Disappointed I couldn’t control my magic? And after her welcoming announcement, disappointed I didn’t want to stay? Although maybe I hadn’t made that clear yet. Everything was happening so fast.
Taking a deep breath, I lifted my hand to knock.
The door flung open on its own. Or probably with magic. I’d have to get used to everyone having powers.
The scent of burning sage hit me first. I held in a cough as I entered. A dark fireplace with intricate carvings flared and faded. Trepidation tripped through me until I spied the rest of the room.
Bright colors with pretty blue and yellow walls, flowers in vases, and a striped couch and chairs. A coffee table sat in the middle of the furniture holding a flower teapot and tray. Everything in the room appeared new. Mistress Lita must have recently redecorated.
“Destiny, come in.” Mistress Lita sat at a wooden desk and lifted a fine-boned China teacup with a trembling hand. Square reading glasses perched on the tip of her nose and dark circles hung under her eyes. Last night she’d had a few gray hairs. Today, her long dark tresses were half white. “I see you found the clothes I left for you. How did you sleep?”
The dream jolted my mind and I wiped my hands down the deep purple pants I wore. Snippets of other scenes had played in my sleep last night too. “Not well. I had a dream or a nightmare.” Maybe a memory.
She must not have slept well either. Her gaunt face and raspy voice made her seem older.
She reached into a drawer in the desk where a pile of papers flipped magically. “I can give you a charm to hang in your room to stop nightmares and banshee wails.” She pulled out a circular talisman in a quarter moon shape. “I should’ve put it in your room before you arrived.”
I tucked in my chin. “What if I don’t want to stop my banshee wails?” Like I’d refused to get rid of the mark.
“At the Inferis Coven we don’t have much death.”
That would explain why she didn’t age. I compared her again to the woman in my dream. How could they be the same? Maybe the dream witch had been a great, great, great relation. Lita was too young to be the woman from the memory, although she’d specifically said she’d named me. A family name then?
“Are you ready to learn the witch way?” Realizing Mistress Lita wanted me to learn magic as much as I did gave me leverage.
I straightened, standing tall. “After my friends and I see Violet.”
“She’s not conscious.” The mistress’ lilt went flat. “I’ll take you to talk with Provost Morgane who will give you your schedule for tomorrow.”
“No.” I pressed my foot into the ground. I needed to be firm. “I want to see Violet first.”
“You sound like a child.”
“I am a child. Sort of.” I’d be seventeen in four days. I felt as if I’d lived several lifetimes. I wouldn’t back down. “I want to see Violet this morning. With my friends.”
“I thought you wanted to learn magic.” My great grandmother was disappointed. “With your witch and banshee background, you’ll need to possess exceptional control with your combined powers.”
Part of learning control was taking control. “Trolgar wants to go home. He wants to see Violet before he leaves.”
“You can’t just show up to the medical facility.” Mistress Lita set the teacup down. “We’ll need to arrange a visit with the witch doctor and such a large group will be disruptive.”
I crossed my arms. This was too important to give in because Violet was important. I went along with the spa and the clothes and sitting at the head of the table while my friends sat at the other end. It was time for my great grandmother to give a little. “This isn’t a negotiation.”
Holding my breath, I didn’t twitch a muscle on my face. I couldn’t exhibit a second of doubt. This was too important.
“Of course, we can arrange a visit.” She nodded regally and added a soft smile. “Follow me.”
She didn’t waste time.
“And my friends?” My bones tensed. I refused to go without them.
“Simon.”
The acolyte apparated next to me.
I jumped. I had to learn how to set a warning spell for when someone apparated near me. If there was such a thing.
“Get Destiny’s friends and bring them to Dr. Everbleed’s office.” Mistress Lita ordered and he apparated out of the room without a word. “Let’s go.”
She led me out of her office, down the stairs, and across the drawbridge which was down. Crossing the moat, I peered into the water. I swear I saw something stalking my friends yesterday. She led me to the same building the spa had been in except we went around to the back.
A sign on the metal door said Medical Laboratorium and I shivered. It sounded like a place to do experiments, not healing.
“Wait here while I make sure your fairy friend is ready to be seen.” She entered the building before I could respond.
Perspiration already soaked the silk blouse I wore. The dreary clouds must be heavy with moisture because mugginess clogged my senses.
Violet was unconscious and in hibernation, although knowing Violet she’d want to be more than presentable. It’s the reason why I’d put her in my discarded dress right after she’d been frozen.
“Destiny.” Helartha rushed ahead of my ragtag group of friends. She’d put on her old clothes and her red hair was back in a braid.
Simon led the group. Bringing up the rear was another acolyte.
Stone, who sported a new red bruise on his cheek, carried Gnit who grimaced and held his leg. My friends had changed back into their own less formal clothes.
Worry threaded through my veins. I hated that we were separated. “What happened?”
“Misunderstanding, miss.” Simon’s flat tone explained nothing.
Stone gave the acolyte a dark glower. “The guard wasn’t specific when he said he was taking us to the laboratory and Gnit panicked.”
Similar to what I’d thought. A chill ran down my spine with memories of the dungeon, the treatment there, and the experimental auraguillotine which sucked majiks’ powers and souls.
“Naturally, he put up a fight.” Lukas stood beside Stone, a protector in his own right. “I think Gnit broke his leg.”
“And Stone protected Gnit.” Helartha tugged on her braid.
Of course, he did.
“And lost.” Pith jumped up, raising his hand.
“They used magic against us.” Trolgar stressed this point because he understood using magic against other majiks wasn’t allowed in the coven. He’d learned that the hard way.
And now it had happened twice. My mouth dropped open. “What?” I glared at Simon. “That’s illegal and they’re my friends. Guests of the coven.”
“They attacked us.” He sneered and glowered at my friends. “We had to defend ourselves.”
“Or explain better.” Stone’s sarcastic remark told me he believed Simon had tried to scare my friends on purpose.
“Are you okay?” I stroked Gnit’s arm.
“Good thing we’re at the laboratory.” Stone scowled at Simon. “Most people and majiks call them hospitals or medical offices.”
“The witch doctor can fix the goblin in seconds.” Simon snapped his fingers.
“His name is Gnit.” I hated the way Simon treated them. “If the witch doctor can fix injuries in seconds, why isn’t Violet okay?”
