Page 68 of Love's a Witch
“She chose to leave the coven. Once she’d given up on it, they didn’t feel the need to keep doing the magick to help her, so the curse forced her to leave.”
Lyra and I wore equal expressions of shock.
“Wait.That’swhat happened?” Lyra held a hand to her heart. “She always told us it was because of our dad. That once he’d left, she didn’t want to stay in this stupid town anyway. That’s why she took us and left.”
“What?”Raven blew out a breath, her face a picture of shock. “Um, so your dad didn’t disappear. He lives up in the hills outside town.”
“Hewhat?” My heart twisted, like it was a punching bag taking too many hits, and I picked up my drink, finishing it in two gulps.
“He’s… here?” Lyra blinked at me, her face wrecked.
“Aye, though largely a hermit. Your mum had a falling-out with the coven. I remember because my mum was raging about it. After all they’d done for her and all that. Came home just up in arms over it. Your mum seemed pretty ungrateful, got into it with everyone, threw a huge fit, and the coven revoked their protection. Everyone was pretty fed up with her behavior at that point, but none of them thought she’d take you three with her. It’s why the town hasn’t full-on tried to boot you out. Most of them remember what you all dealt with growing up.” Raven’s eyes were sad. “And your dad, well, he just went to the hills. I think he needed the peace, to be honest.”
“I can’t… even. I just can’t wrap my head around this.” Lyra’s eyes filled.
“That arsehole. No-good bastard of a man,” Mum shrieked.
“What’s going on?” I asked as I came downstairs and noticed that Mum had once again smashed some plates.
“What’s going on? What’s going on is your father is gone. Just left us all. I knew he wouldn’t last. Men never stay,” she growled.
“Mum, what? What do you mean he’s gone? On a holiday?” I asked, although, for some reason, I knew it wasn’t just a holiday.
“No, Sloane. He’s gone and never coming back. Not that I’d have him back.”
“She always said Dad was the devil.” I put my arm around Lyra’s shoulders as she dabbed at her eyes with a napkin. Glancing up, Icaught Rab giving her a worried look. “But maybe we’re old enough to make that judgment call for ourselves now.”
“We have to tell Nova.” Lyra nodded, her movements jerky.
“I’m so sorry. I truly thought you knew,” Raven said, her face wreathed in sympathy.
“It’s not your fault. It’s not the first of her lies we’ve gotten caught in. I’d rather know than not know. At the very least, maybe we can make a plan to approach him on our terms.”
“Och,Dad.” Lyra shredded the napkin. “Do you think he’ll even want to see us?”
“If he doesn’t, the man’s a bloody eejit.” Raven waved a hand at Liam. “I believe we need another round, ladies.”
“Och, aye. That we most certainly do.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEENKnox
Help her.” Henry’s voice sounded at my back.
I turned from where I stared out the window in the library to see Henry holding Oswald in his arms. A plaintive moo sounded, and Haggis clattered in behind him, shaking his horns.
“What’s got you in a huff?” I asked Haggis, ignoring Henry’s statement.
Oswald swiped my nose. His claws hurt.
“Oswald, was that really necessary?” I asked, bending to examine the wee scratch on Haggis’s snout.
He ran me over!Oswald flipped his head backward over Henry’s arm, the picture of a dramatic, fainting damsel in distress. Except he was no damsel, and I suspected he’d caused his own accident on this one.
“You know he doesn’t corner well. Did you cut it too close?” I asked him, scratching the scruff at Haggis’s neck.
Of course not. I’m blind, remember? How am I supposed to know where the big oaf is?
The cat had a point, and I sighed. Crouching, I kissed Haggis on the forehead.
