Page 64 of Witch's Fate

“It’s not possible,” Sofia said. “I’m the only one who can access the High Witches’ afterworld. I can bring someone with me, but I’m only strong enough to bring one—maybe two—at a time. I couldn’t bring enough of us to wage a fair fight. And there is no fair fight. They got that afterworld by destroying all the souls there. They’re more powerful than all of us combined. We must depart. For all our lives.”

Disagreements rose in the air, each faction leader voicing their support for battle.

Sofia turned from them to face Malcolm, Inara, and Aleia, who stood at his side. “They won’t believe me,” she hissed. “They want to stay too badly. This is their home. We need to convince them.”

“How?” Aleia asked. “If they’re disagreeing with you—which I’ve never seen—there’s no one left to convince them. There’s no one higher than you.”

Sofia scrubbed a hand over her face and sighed. “What if we could contact my ancestors in the afterworld? They could confess to what they’ve done and if we could have all the previous Protectors speak to the wisdom of leaving, perhaps the leaders would listen.”

“But how?” Aleia asked. “Calling forth one ancestor is hard enough. You want to try for all of them? There are six!”

“I’m stronger now.” Her gaze connected with Malcolm’s. “With Malcolm’s help, and possibly Inara’s, we can call them forth.”

“It’s worth a try,” Aleia said.

Sofia turned back to the crowd. When her gaze fell upon them, they quieted. “Tomorrow at dawn, we’ll meet in the sacred circle. I’ll call my ancestors forth and they’ll speak to the wisdom of abandoning Bruxa’s Eye.” She paused. The pain in her eyes was so clear that it made his heart ache. “I don’t want to abandon Bruxa’s Eye either. It’s my home. But a battle that we cannot win and the inevitable slaughter that will follow is worse.”

The leaders shifted silently, then rose and bowed.

“Of course, Honored One,” the vampire murmured, her head bowed.

The rest echoed her sentiment.

“Good. Until dawn,” Sofia said.

The leaders filed out. Sofia collapsed against a barstool. “Fates, that sucked. And tomorrow is going to suck worse.”

“Why wait until dawn?” Malcolm asked.

“It’s easiest to contact an afterworld at dusk or dawn, when the barrier between night and day is weakest.” Sofia glanced toward the window. “And the sun has already set tonight.”

Malcolm waited while she made arrangements with Aleia and Inara to meet before dawn.

Sofia felt Malcolm’s gaze on her like a brand as she said goodbye to Inara and Aleia. Her own home didn’t have a second bedroom for Inara, who would be spending the night with Aleia in her two-bedroom apartment over the apothecary.

She turned to leave, her gaze flashing over Malcolm.

Would he follow?

He caught up to her at the door and pushed it open. No one was on the street, so she transformed back to her normal self, sighing in relief as she re-entered her old skin.

Of course he would follow. He seemed determined to stay in her life these days. To the point that his actions had put her whole village at risk. Anger seethed in her chest as she stomped down the boardwalk toward her home.

“I’ll do everything in my power to see to it that your friends are safe,” Malcolm said.

“It’s too late now. You’ve done your damage.”

He grabbed her arm and gently pulled her to a stop, then swung her toward him. “I know that. I apologize.” His voice was graver than she’d ever heard it. “I would never have kept the dagger had I realized these would be the consequences.”

She believed him. Hewassorry. And he wouldn’t have done it. She was pissed he’d done it, but also mature enough that she could forgive him.

But it was so hard to forgive him for becoming a warlock in the first place.

She looked up at him, struck by how handsome he was in the moonlight. His hair was ink black and his golden eyes were so gorgeous. Her gaze strayed to his mouth. Why did he have to be so godsdamned beautiful? And so good in bed?

Or on a desk, rather.

The memory made her shiver.

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