Page 37 of Destiny of the Witch

‘It’s my mum that’s under threat,’ I rationalised. ‘She probably had me on her brain.’

‘Maybe,’ he conceded, but the disquiet I felt from him didn’t fade.

I didn’t have time to pander to his hurt emotions because I was pretty sure that we were being followed and had been since we left the car park. ‘Black Range Rover,’ I said tightly. ‘It’s been on our six since we left.’

‘Yes,’Bastion agreed. ‘And so has the maroon Volvo behind it.’

Dammit, I hadn’t made the Volvo. My fingers tightened on the steering wheel. ‘What do I do? We don’t have time for evasive manoeuvres.’

‘Unless we want to bring more enemies to your mum’s door, that’s exactly what we do,’ Bastion disagreed.

‘Hang a left here,’ Oscar instructed from behind me. I did, and both cars behind us followed. ‘Take another left.’ I took the left. ‘There are lights up ahead. They’re already on green so slow right down,’ he ordered.

I slowed and ambled towards the lights.

‘Orange lights, hit it!’ Oscar barked.

I floored the accelerator and the car leapt forward just as the light turned red. I checked my rear-view mirror: the Range Rover had followed me and run the red light, but the maroon car hadn’t. Maybe its driver already had points on his licence and couldn’t afford any more, or maybe he didn’t want to risk a collision with oncoming traffic. Either one worked for me.

One down, one to go.

‘Speed up and then hang a right,’ Oscar said. ‘There’s a road immediately to your left. Take it, thenpark the car on the side of the road. Benji, as soon as we hit the left, duck down.’

I sped up again, creating a little space between us and the car behind. It followed confidently and allowed a little more distance to creep between us. I took full advantage of that and floored it, breaking the speed limit more than a little. Then I careened around the corner and did a handbrake turn into the left-hand road. I drove down a little way, slammed on the brakes and parked.

Oscar and Benji ducked low as Bastion pulled me from my seat onto his lap. Before I could object, he kissed me firmly, melting my bones and short-circuiting my brain. My brain restarted as he gently ended the kiss and deposited me back in the driver’s seat. ‘Drive,’ he instructed.

I blinked rapidly. I looked around but there was no sign of the Range Rover.

‘They sailed right past us,’ Oscar said smugly. ‘Now, get us to Luna!’

I started the car and we roared off. I prayed we’d get there in time.

Chapter 30

Mum’s safe house was eerily quiet. There were no interlopers to be seen. ‘What’s going on?’ I asked, confused.

Bastion frowned. ‘I don’t know. Wait for me to cover you before you get out. Keep your eyes peeled,’ he barked.

His hands shifted into claws. Oscar had his lighter open and flicked, a small flame dancing on it. Benji’s hands were clenching and unclenching as he looked around uneasily. He might not feel happy, but I’d once seen him take on a murderous ogre and win, so my money was on him. He’d been built specifically as a final defence for the Coven Council; there weren’t many things he couldn’t defeat.

Bastion slid out of the car and came round to open my door, covering me with his body. I got out, looking around a shade wildly. My heart was hammering. The tension was unreal. It felt like we were in the eye of the storm, waiting for the lightningto strike.

I felt rather than saw Fehu arrive. He gave a cautiouskraaas he swooped the air above us.

‘This doesn’t feel good,’ Benji murmured.

‘It’s not,’ I agreed. ‘It’s a trap.’ It felt a little better to verbalise my fears.

‘A trap?’ Benji paled.

‘Well, it’s not as much of a trap now that weknowit’s a trap,’ I conceded, not letting my inner apprehension show.

‘What do we do?’ Benji asked, suddenly nervous.

‘We spring it,’ Bastion said grimly. ‘Let’s walk to the house. Cover Amber’s back.’

Benji moved behind me obligingly as we walked to the house. Nothing happened. No attack. Nothing. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled.

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