Page 21 of Familiar of the Witch

‘Whether you knew it or not, Iwasbound to a child,’ he snarled back, his own anger rising. ‘I’ve been your familiar for three decades. You never noticed that it was alwaysmethat saved you, Amber? When vampyrs and necromancers and werewolves threatened you, it was alwaysmepulling you out of the fire. Always.’

He shook his head in frustration. ‘Sometimes I was on the other side of the world, Bambi, when your fear sent me scrambling for the skies, running to you. For a long time I found it hard to come to terms with – I wasn’t used to being atanyone’s beck and call, let alone a child’s. But being with you these last few weeks, guarding you openly, has been such a relief. Getting to know you properly rather than simply having flashes of feelings that weren’t my own... Being with you.’ He met my eyes with a passion that sizzled. ‘I’ve felt happier than I have for so long.’

‘I don’t know what to say.’ I blew out a breath. ‘I’m sorry it was a burden. Now I don’t know which way is up.’

I guarded my emotions, partly because of my father’s abandonment and partly because of Mum’s illness and my lack of a familiar. I was an intensely private person; knowing that he’d been privy to my emotions the whole time was a bitter pill to swallow.

Melva had remained respectfully silent but now she spoke up. Frankly, I’d forgotten she was there. ‘You’ll need time to process it, of course, but you haven’t spoken of the rest of the prophecy.’

I frowned. ‘It’s not about me though, is it? It’s about the Crone.’

Melva looked sympathetic. ‘Amber, the whole prophecy is about you.’

‘But the Crone—’ I trailed off. Abigay, the Crone, was dead and gone but she would have a replacement.

Melva continued drawing out what I was too stubborn to see. ‘The Crone isyou,child. What I don’t know is whether it will be this appointment or the next or the one after that. But one day you will bear the mantle of the Crone and all the power and responsibility that comes with it.’

Wonderful,I thought drily.

Chapter 18

At one stage in my life, being told I was going to be someone as important as the Crone would have filled me with excitement. Think of all the good I could do! But instead all I felt was tired, bone-achingly tired. Abigay was the Crone; she had deserved that title and I hated that she was gone. I wasn’t the Crone, I couldn’t be because it was Abigay’s role… It was fair to say I hadn’t come to terms with her death.

Even if I accepted what Melva had said was true, I couldn’t see it happening any time soon. The Crone had always been a respected witch, a formidable one, a woman in her sixties with gravitas and a lifetime of experience to pull on. I was in my forties and a lowly Coven Mother. I wasn’t even on the Council – not that Abigay had been on it before her appointment, but that was different. Abigay had been one of Edinburgh’s movers and shakers yearsbefore she became Crone. The only thing I’d been was on trial.

What Icouldtake from the prophecy was that it was my destiny to weed out black witches. I’d been on a roll with that lately: first Ria, then Hilary, then Becky. The prophecy said the black witches trembled at the thought of me, which seemed faintly ridiculous. They were afraid of a woman who wore flowing skirts, devoured blueberry muffins and romance books? I wasn’t someone to fear. Or I hadn’t been.

It was a huge shift in my thinking to realise that I wasn’t just an ally to the predators – maybe I was one as well. Maybe theyshouldfear me. But they could fear me later, after I’d saved Melva and had some sleep.

‘My 4pm will be arriving any minute,’ Melva said. ‘You have to go.’

I folded my arms. Absolutely no chance. ‘No.’

‘No?’

‘No,’ I repeated. ‘I’m not leaving you, not until I’ve made sure you stay alive.’

She crossed the distance between us and hugged me. ‘Thank you, Amber.’

‘For what?’ I asked, but my throat was thick and my eyes were prickling.

‘Forcaring.’ She squeezed me. ‘You can’t save everyone,’ she murmured gently.

‘I can try.’ Even I could hear the desperation in my voice.

‘If it makes you feel better.’ She sighed then muttered to herself, ‘It’s not as if my reputation for maintaining client confidentiality is going to matter soon.’ She cleared her throat. ‘You can wait in my private orb room but you must be quiet.’

‘Behind the bookcase?’

She blinked. ‘Yes. How did you know?’

‘A little imp told me,’ I replied facetiously.

She frowned but nodded at the bookcase. ‘Just walk through it. It’s an illusion.’

I grimaced; I despise walking through anything that appears solid. I had a sudden flashback to Benji heaving me through the walls of Edinburgh and tried to stifle the surge of fear the memory brought. That hadn’t been fun.

Bastion’s fingers laced through mine, no doubt because he’d felt my trepidation. When all this was over, I was going to undo that suppression rune so that it was a two-way street. I hated that he had access to my thoughts when I had no access to his.

---