Page 40 of The Witch and His Crow

I closed the grimoire with a finite thud. My hands shook as I handed it back to Romy, who took it without hesitation. ‘It doesn’t matter what’s written on those pages. Not yet. Maybe soon, but for now I need to keep focused. We must, if we want to find the Witch Hunter.’

‘Understood,’ Romy replied, grasping the book with both hands. There was a sense of protection in her body language, the way she was almost shielding me from it. ‘But when you want access to it, you can have it. Anytime, you don’t even need to ask.’

‘If,’ I corrected, faking a smile that lasted barely a second.

‘No, Hector. Not if.When. We can do our best to hide from what we fear will harm us. But it’s when we finally face it that truly proves our strength. So,whenyou want it, you know where to find it.’

I could have refused. I could have feigned nonchalance again. But instead, I just nodded, knowing if I spoke my voice would crack and that terrible weakness in my chest would finally reveal itself.

There was an awkward silence between us. I broke it, choosing an awkward question instead of the quiet. ‘Jonathan bargained with Tomin to keep you safe.’

‘Wow.’ Romy’s eyed widened. ‘My father may have a heart yet.’

‘He was adamant. Panicked almost. Clearly he cares about you’

‘No, no he doesn’t.’ Romy turned her back on me. I waited, refusing to say another word, as she gathered her breath and steeled herself. By the time she turned back around, it was to face me with a look of defiance I had seen on my own face before.

‘Nowthatis the look of someone with a plan, if ever I’ve seen one,’ I said, offering a grin that I managed to keep up for longer this time.

‘I do. And a solid one.’

I crossed my arms, leaning all my weight on one hip. ‘I’m all ears.’

‘We both agree that one of us needs to win. But regardless of who does, it’s best we come out of the Witch Trials, not only alive, but holding the answers to what Tomin and Jonathan’s plans are. Only then can we face the true fight that will be waiting for us on the other side of this.’

Romy began to pace, working grooves into the panelled floor. ‘To do so is simple. Beside surviving, we need to find this Witch Hunter and flay his mind open. If we can get one step ahead ofTomin and Jonathan, we have a better chance of putting a stop to whatever it is they’re trying to achieve.’

‘It’s a solid plan,’ I said, fingers brushing across my jawline as I did whenever I focused on a thought. ‘And yet, how exactly do you suggest we do that?’

Again, Romy lifted the grimoire up. She shook it as though it held all the answers. Which, I gathered, it did.

‘The Witch Trials are built upon the grounds of old magic. If this Book of Shadows is going to come in handy, it would be here.’

I narrowed my eyes, feeling a swell of emotion within my chest. It was hope born from the belief we actually had a chance. ‘I like where this is going.’

‘Not to expose myself, but I consider myself a super-fan of the Witch Trials. I’ve studied every one. Jonathan thought I did it to increase my chance of survival, which is only in part the truth. Really, I did it to stay one step ahead of him. I know every trial that has been, I know how the previous victors won it.’

‘I consider myself lucky to be a part of your coven,’ I added.

‘That’s because you’re smart, Hector.’ Romy flicked through the pages, wildly searching for something. ‘There are hexes. Spells for almost anything. If this works, we could achieve anything from astral projection, to making potions that would put everyone in this fucking castle into a dreamless slumber.’

‘Ifit works.’

‘Yes, if. But I strongly believe it will.’

The idea of utilising old magic forgotten by generations of ancestors was thrilling. ‘But you forgot that access to this magic has long since faded.’

It was Romy’s turn to lean on her hip. ‘Come on, Hector. You are literally walking around with a familiar. How can you believe the old ways have truly disappeared?’

‘Familiars are outlawed,’ I said, repeating the same warning Caym had practically brought me up on. It was why he was kept such a secret. It was drummed into me to hide him.

‘In part, they are. But a familiar is also old magic. What they can achieve, what your Caym can offer you, that has nothing to do with gifts. If we can speak with Caym, then we may be able to access the spells on this page.’

I chewed my lip, using that moment of quiet to reach out for my familiar. Again, I was met with a solid wall of nothing. No voice, no presence. Just empty space where Caym once dwelled.

‘Then this should be the moment that I tell you, Caym is missing.’

‘Missing?’ Romy stopped dead, mulling that word over as though it didn’t make sense.

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