Page 74 of Potions and Proposals
“Willa! I’m sorry – in the chaos I completely forgot about our lunch, but I’m so glad you’re here.” Gwendoline glared at Lucy, who winced.
“Did you do this?” Wilhelmina’s eyes went wide as she stared at her daughter.
“It was an accident. I haven’t been myself.” Lucy hated lying to her.
Her mum’s eyes narrowed. Lucy had never made a mistake like this before.
“Gwen, why don’t you go outside to your guests?” her mum said, ever the mediator. “I’ll help Lucinda clean this up. You’ll never know it happened when you return. If anything, you’ll get a great carpet clean!”
Lucy saw where Benedict got his sharp stare from. “Fine. I’ll overlook this mishap, as I know the pressure you’ve been under lately. However, this is the only time.” Gwendoline tried her best to leave with dignity, but it was hard to do while sloshing through the water.
When she was gone, Lucy took her mum’s hand. “Mum, can you please drain the water? I’ll explain later, but Ineedto find Benedict.”
“This is your mess, darling. I expect you to take some responsibility for your mistake,” Mum said, looking at the mess with troubled eyes.
“I do, but please help me just this once? You’ll be able to drain the water far faster than I could, and Benedict is missing,” Lucy pleaded, fretting about where he could be.
“Okay, but you’ve to tell me how things went this far. Did you fight with him?”
“Nothing like that. I was dropping off the new map for the Autumn Festival. I… I thought I was doing something nice by watering the new hedgerows, but my element got the better of me. With the stress of everything, I lost control.”
The lie was ridiculous, but if her mum asked about the gardens, Gwendoline could confirm they’d had new hedgerows planted. Even if it made Lucy feel ill to lie to her mum, it was better than telling the High Priestess that her element was now in the hands of a Matherson.
“At least you weren’t fighting.” Wilhelmina gave her a sly look. “I heard you two have been getting on rather well, in fact.”
Lucy wanted to cry with relief. The last thing she needed was to tell Gwendoline their fire magic flowed through her veins. She’d take it as a sign that their binding was fated.
“We’re making the best of a bad situation, and now isn’t the time to discuss this.” She needed to leave. The flooding was rather ironic, considering Benedict had been so worried about her burning her house down. She fiddled with the ring on her finger, wishing she’d done more to help him.
Mum sighed. “Go find him, but use the side entrance so Gwendoline doesn’t think you left without helping.”
“I’ll see you at home later. Thank you.” Lucy squeezed her hands gently, only to realise her mistake when her mum flinched out of her grasp. In her heightened state, Lucy hadn’t realised how hot she was.
“Fire?” Wilhelmina gasped.
“I’ve got to go!” Lucy hurried out of the lobby, half expecting her mum to come after her. When she glanced over her shoulder, Wilhelmina stood frozen, staring after her.
Out of the Manor and turning down Warlock Avenue, Lucy let her element call her towards the university.
Benedict, where the hell are you?She hurried through crowds of students going from one historic building to the next.
In the shadow of the arched entryway to the practical magic building, she let out a long exhale as she finally spotted Benedict slipping down an alleyway towards the sport fields. Lucy struggled to keep up as he hurried into the woods.Where the hell is he going when the Manor needs his attention? Maybe he’s trying to get away from town in case he loses control again.
Keeping her distance, Lucy hesitated on the edge of the trees. She clenched her fists, knowing that every moment she wasted in fear of what lay ahead was another step Benedict was taking. All manner of creatures lived in the lawless woods. Many kept tothe pathways or to the lake, but he was heading off the safety of the paths.
Does he have a death wish? Or is he looking for a place to expel my element safely?There was no law or order here; only the rules the creatures within created themselves. Those who wished to travel from village to village always kept to the main road. To diverge was to risk their life.If he gets killed with my element, will it die with him?I can’t let him continue without a proper way to defend himself. He doesn’t know how to use my water defensively. She headed in, not letting herself talk herself out of it.
Mist lingered around her ankles as though wishing it could trip her. Her boots were not the right attire for a walk in the thick mud, even if the water in the lobby hadn’t already ruined them. Spotting him in the distance, she tripped over a tree root with a grumble. Lucy quietly ducked behind a tree. She doubted he’d be happy about her following him. The coven would have plenty to say if they were caught in the eastern woods.
Tree sap clung to her fingers as she peered around the trunk to make sure she wasn’t discovered; he was muttering to himself. Clearly something had upset him. Reluctantly, she wiped the tree sap on her favourite black midi skirt with a long slit that was now getting caught on branches. At least her cropped sweater was nice and thick, so it was keeping her warm. She glanced down and bit her lip to stop herself from cursing when she realised her foot was sinking into a boggy mess. Taking a calming breath, she heaved it out of the mud. However, her relief was short-lived. When she looked back up, Benedict was out of sight.
I hate the woods, I hate the woods, I fucking hate the woods,she chanted to herself. Quickening her pace, she searched the trees for any trace of him, but he was gone. Lucytried to sense her element again, only to find it was blocked by the energy emanating from the trees. She began to tremble.
A crunch of cracking branches sounded, causing her to freeze.What if whatever’s got Benedict is now hunting me?She was turning slowly, careful not to startle whatever creature was waiting to pounce, when a figure jumped down from a tree in front of her.
Lucy shrieked, punching the shadow, and cried out again when her knuckles connected with something hard.
“Lucinda! What the fuck?” Benedict held the bridge of his nose.
