Page 62 of With This Witch
“You look a little rough for wear, my son. Tell me what has you tore up,” his mother says softly, placing her hand on his.
“I don’t even know where to start.”
“The beginning is always a good place. Or the end if that is what has brought you here.” She checks the clock over the stove. “We have plenty of time.”
“I’m sorry for bursting in so late the other night.”
“It’s okay. I have plenty of time to sleep when I’m dead.”
The classic joke brings a short smile to his face. “That is true. But please don’t do that for a while.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Lachlan responds with a short huff, then picks up his cup and takes a long sip. He closes his eyes and lets the flavors dance over his tongue.
“I’ve landed myself in a situation, and there are some serious consequences if I don’t pull out ahead,” he starts. “So I need to sort things out.”
“You know I don’t mind you being here. But what is this situation?”
“Well, you know Petra and I got married.”
“Yes, I do remember being at my son’s wedding,” she teases.
“Yes, well, what you don’t know is that it wasn’t out of love,” he says, watching her, gauging her reaction, but her stone face gives nothing away. “ It’s a whole thing, but she needed to get married to become the next Premier Witch.”
“Okay. Okay. Go on.”
Lachlan takes a deep breath and another sip of his tea. “As part of her conditions, she had to notify the council. Which she did. Well, now there is concern over whether our marriage is acceptable as we would both be council members. So they are starting a forum. If they find our union dishonorable, Petra will fail to take the Premier Witch title and they’ll strip her of her power. What no one is saying is that all of that will also remove any status she has within the community. She’ll become a pariah, and the Rose name will be forever tarnished.”
His mother lets out a long whistle. “I understand now why you’re here.”
“Yeah.” Lachlan sighs. He places his face in his hands, trying to will the complicated feelings he holds for Petra to resolve and show him how to move forward.
If they were to fail and she lost her power, he… can’t even imagine. He has no words for how it would break him.
His mother leans back in her chair, looking at her fingers as she plays with the tea bag tag. “So, I guess the first place to start is figuring out where you stand with Petra right now,” she says, drawing his attention back to the moment.
“According to her, we arejustfriends.”
“And judging by your tone, you don’t believe that.” His mother raises an eyebrow. “Why?”
“I think she’s lying to herself. She’s holding back out of fear.”
“Why?” she asks again.
He tilts his head, cocking an eyebrow at her. “Do you really want the details?”
“I’m your mother, I’m not dead. Give it to me straight.”
“We’ve been fucking like faeries, and there is no way the sex is that good with someone you’rejustfriends with. Besides, she’s been through some shit, and I’ve been there with her every step of the way. She tries to claim we can only be friends because everyone leaves her. She’s scared and won’t let herself feel what’s there. If she can’t break through that, I don’t think we can succeed.”
“So, how do you plan to help her see what’s there?”
“That’s a good question.”
“Perhaps step one should have been not leaving, especially after what sounds like a very combative council meeting.”
Lachlan leans back, dropping his head onto the back of the chair, realization striking him.
