Page 63 of Destiny of the Witch

Bastion pulled out his phone and tapped a message. ‘Inc’s on it.’

Perfect.

Chapter 56

I looked dubiously at Benji. ‘What do you mean, you can drive?’

‘Oscar has been showing me,’ Benji said. ‘Now that Oscar is guarding Luna full time, you need a new driver.’ He puffed out his chest. ‘I’m an excellent driver.’

‘Do you have a licence?’ I asked, not quite sure which answer I was hoping for. Ididneed a new driver, after all.

‘Well … no,’ Benji confessed. ‘Not exactly.’

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling. ‘You’d better get that before you become my official driver,’ I said evenly. ‘The police get grumpy when you drive without a licence.’

Benji sighed. ‘I suppose.’

‘Soon,’ I patted his cold arm. ‘I bet you’ll pass the test really quickly, and then you can drive me everywhere.’

He brightened. ‘I will pass the exams really fast. I’ve been studying the theory. I know all the signs, like that one there for diverted traffic!’ He frowned. ‘Why are there two diverted traffic signs pointing in the opposite direction? The book did not cover this scenario.’

I looked to where he was pointing and let out a sigh. ‘Frogmatch!’ I huffed. ‘Change it back!’

Snickering, the little red imp grabbed the second sign and moved it back down the road, making sure it pointed the correct way this time.

Bastion slid into the passenger seat, and Benji and Frogmatch joined him in the back.

‘Let’s get this show on the road,’ Benjamin drawled. In an aside to Frogmatch he added, ‘I’ve always wanted to say that.’

I ignored the chatter in the car and moved off, pointing us towards the Home Counties and what would bemyCoven for only the next few hours.

It was raining when we pulled up, which matched my suddenly sour mood. It truly was the end of an era. Feelingsomewhat melancholy, I parked in the underground carpark, touched the walls and lit up the familiar wards. This Coven tower had been my home for so long; though I was looking forward to the next chapter in my life, the next time I came here it would be as a visitor.

I turned, only to be engulfed in Bastion’s arms. He kissed the top of my head but said nothing. He knew how I was feeling, and he offered silent, non-judgemental, comfort. He always knew the best thing to do to soothe me.

‘Benji, Frogmatch, could you two go up and start packing up my bathroom and kitchen items for me?’ I asked, more to get them out of the way than anything, though it did need doing.

‘Sure thing,’ Frogmatch threw me a cheeky salute.

‘Of course,’ Benji confirmed, proud at being given a trusted job. ‘I’ll bubble wrap your mugs,’ he promised.

The two of them headed on up. I threaded my fingers through Bastion’s and climbed the Coven stairs to where Ethan and Jacob lived. It was early evening, so the family were eating dinner together when I knocked. ‘Sorry to intrude,’ I apologised. ‘Can I come in?’

‘Of course, Coven Mother.’ Jacob gave me a bow and stepped back.

Henrywas slouched at the table, looking glum. ‘Everything okay, Henry?’ I asked.

He sighed. ‘Sarah dumped me.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

‘She feels bad about betraying Ria, but Ria hasn’t been in touch with either of us in weeks,’ he huffed.

I sat down. ‘About that…’ I explained the truth about Ria and Shaun as calmly as I could. Ethan and Jacob held hands as I listed some of the horrors Ria had confessed to. ‘She also admitted that she had drugged you, Henry. An infatuation potion. That’s why you felt so desperate to be with her for a while, and then it just … stopped. It wasn’t you not missing her anymore, it was the potion getting out of your system.’

Henry gaped for a moment then brightened. ‘This is great! Sarah will be sure to give me another chance now.’ He pushed back from the table. ‘Can I go and see her?’ he asked his fathers.

They deferred to me. ‘Can Ria’s betrayals be public knowledge?’ Jacob asked.

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