Page 31 of Familiar of the Witch

‘No, that isn’t how this works.We’re an equal partnership or we’re nothing. Decide,’ I ordered abruptly. I sat back but kept my hand lightly on the surface of the wood.

Voltaire was visibly wrestling with himself. With a final glance at Bastion’s stony visage, he nodded. ‘Fine.’

‘Fine, what? Which is it, vampyr?’ I asked coolly, drawing the moment out. I couldn’t afford to have any mistakes or misunderstandings.

‘Partnership.’

I knew a little of vampyr customs; though it was disdainful in the extreme, the only way to bind him properly to his word was with an oath.

‘I will share with Voltaire of the Red Guard any and all information I have pertaining to any currently practising black witches or necromancers. I will answer any relevant questions put to me by him with honesty, and I will not seek to omit relevant details. As I will it, so mote it be.’ I glowed for a moment as the oath took hold.

With a reluctant twist of his mouth, Voltaire’s teeth elongated. He bit into his wrist and blood welled. ‘My oath that I will share with Amber DeLea any and all relevant information I have pertaining to any currently practising black witches or necromancers in the United Kingdom. I will answer any relevant questions put to me by herwith honesty, and I will not seek to omit relevant details.’ He lifted his wrist to his mouth and lapped at it, sealing the wound with his healing spit and not wasting a single drop of his own precious blood.

‘Witnessed,’ Bastion said gruffly.

Voltaire and I had aligning goals, but I’d heard often enough that he was a vampyr who cared about results and wasn’t especially bothered if he made mistakes. He’d killed witches all over Europe. Some may even have been practising black magic. As I stared into his slate-grey eyes, I couldn’t help but feel I’d just made a deal with the devil.

Chapter 26

I told Voltaire about the black Coven. I told him about Becky and Hilary, though I didn’t tell him about Ria as she wasn’t currently a practising black witch. If he knew she ever had been, he would watch her like a hawk and one day she wouldn’t come home again. As such, I’d phrased my oath very carefully.

Finally, I told him about my father – as much as I knew, anyway. After all, I didn’t care ifhedidn’t make it home one day.

‘Have you checked your birth certificate?’ Voltaire asked tightly.

‘The section on her father has been expunged,’ Bastion confirmed.

I blinked in surprise. I hadn’t known that Bastion had done some digging of his own. Why hadn’t that occurredto me? I was running on empty, I guess. ‘His name was Shaun. That’s all I know,’ I said.

‘Appearance?’

‘He had blond hair and green eyes like mine. Apart from that, it’s hazy.’

‘Photos?’

I shook my head. ‘My mum burned them all when he left us.’ I hesitated, but in the spirit of sharing… ‘Mum had my mind cleared when he left. That’s why I don’t remember more.’

‘You could get the clearing broken,’ Voltaire pointed out.

‘No,’ Bastion said instantly. ‘It would be agonising. It’s been in position for too long.’

I touched Bastion’s arm lightly. ‘It’s an option,’ I said to Voltaire. ‘One I’m exploring. What have you got?’

Voltaire pursed his lips before he began. ‘We have long suspected the black Coven’s existence. In the last decade or so, we have seen more evidence of collusion amongst black witches. They are organised, they’ve been working towards a goal.’

‘What goal?’

He grimaced. ‘If we knew that, it would be a lot easier. Power, certainly.’

‘We knowsomeonewasposing as Felix Holloway on the Coven Council,’ Bastion pointed out.

‘Indeed. And they orchestrated the Crone’s death.’ My voice was as emotionless as I could make it.

Voltaire cleared his throat. ‘Abigay Morgan was a woman of indomitable strength and presence. I was … saddened to hear of her passing.’

That made me blink. I wasn’t sure Voltaire even knew what sadness was. Did the vampyr have a heart somewhere? Surely not. ‘Thank you,’ I said, acknowledging the effort he was making for us to work together smoothly.

He nodded once. ‘Have you heard of the “soul auction”?’

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