Page 35 of Familiar of the Witch

‘A mole,’ I confirmed. ‘The simplest explanation is often the right one.’ I sighed. I had emailed the Coven Council after the attack on Mum’s care home. Obviously,I hadn’t said where she’d been moved to, but maybe it had been enough for someone to start to track her down. ‘Are you moving my mother to another location?’ I asked.

‘Yes, we are moving imminently.’

‘I’ll come and rune the car you’re travelling in,’ I said, even though metal holds runes about as well as a sieve holds water.

‘Not necessary,’ she responded briskly. ‘She’s flying in the sun via Griffin Air.’ She used the same term her father had. ‘No shadows up there. I’ll confirm once we’re safely settled in the new venue.’

She rang off before I could point out that there could be other airborne dangers. Being a griffin, though, I guessed she knew all about aerial risks and she wouldn’t appreciate me teaching a snake how to slither. I turned to Bastion. ‘Mum was attacked.’

He nodded grimly. ‘I heard the call. Do you want to go and see her?’

I did, desperately, but she was in the middle of her relocation and I had an appointment with Krieg. ‘No, it’s fine. Charlize is moving her. We’ll go when she’s settled. I don’t want to upset her even more.’

As promised, John had placed my shopping in the front footwell of the car and Oscar was sitting in the driver’s seatwith the engine running. I’d have to tell him what had happened and give him the same option Bastion had just given me.

I slid into the car. ‘Mum’s been attacked. She’s fine, but they’re moving her. It turns out she’d painted wards into all of her paintings.’ The words spilled out of me hastily so I could reassure Oscar quickly before panic set in.

Oscar gave a faint smile. ‘That’s my Luna. Even when she’s down she’s not out.’

‘Do you want to go and see her?’

He turned to look at me. ‘And where would I go to?’

I had no idea where they were relocating her. Ever-practical Oscar had a good point. ‘I don’t know,’ I admitted.

Oscar’s jaw was working. ‘We have to trust the griffins to keep her safe,’ he said finally. ‘You have an appointment with Krieg and I’m not letting you stroll into the vipers’ nest without me.’

The ‘again’ was unspoken but I heard it clearly. I nodded, like I had expected no less. ‘To Krieg’s, then.’

I buckled my seatbelt and the car moved off smoothly. As we drove, Bastion reached out and linked his fingers through mine, drawing a smile from me despite my anxiety. I let him feel how happy that simple touch made me, even with everything else in the world going to heck in ahandcart. His answering wash of emotion took my breath away.

I was too much of a coward to disentangle all my confused feelings, save for acknowledging that they were pleasant ones. He cared, and that was enough.

It would have to be because I was too broken to offer more.

Chapter 29

‘So, you need my blood,’ Krieg stated coolly.

‘Yes, for the mate potion.’

His brow furrowed as he looked at me impatiently. ‘And why would you not let me simply send you a sample?’

‘I need more than a vial and it needs to be drawn carefully. You have to give it willingly. I won’t have the potion fail because you couldn’t fit me in for five minutes in your oh-so-busy day,’ I snapped.

The attack on Mum had made me anxious, and whenever I feel worried I lash out; it’s better than letting others see you are vulnerable. Nevertheless, I took a deep breath and tried to dial it back; Krieg wasn’t someone I wanted to piss off.

‘May I?’ I asked, more evenly. I drew out my athame and my bloodwork bowl.

Krieg shook his head. ‘You’re not cutting me with that piddling thing,’ he sneered.

He reached up to one of the tusks that protruded from his head, slid his arm down it and sliced the flesh of his forearm. He grabbed my bowl and held the wound over it, letting blood drip into the wooden vessel. He’d cut deeply and rather than a small drip it was a steady river. In seconds, I had more than enough.

I pulled out a healing potion and a paintbrush and hastily painted onhagalazfor injury andsowilofor health. I pulled my magic through the runes and watched them light up. His flesh knitted together effortlessly, leaving not a hint of the deep gash that had been there moments before.

‘Is the potion ready?’ Krieg asked abruptly, not acknowledging my healing.

You’re welcome.‘Not yet, but it will be. I’ll do it later today.’

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