Page 7 of With This Witch
Gammy and Lachlan sit back and look at her with pride as the remaining seven council members shift uncomfortably in their seats. Petra takes a deep breath and feels she has proven her point. The council is due for a change, and so is the supernatural community. They cannot continue in the current world without learning to live more harmoniously with mortal members of society.
Lachlan leans forward. “I think Miss Rose has proven she is more than capable of fulfilling this position. As the demon representative, we endorse her as the next Premier Witch. She would be an excellent addition to the role and could bring the supernatural community into the current century. Let’s settle this quickly. All those in favor of Petra Rose as the next Premier Witch, say ‘aye.’”
There is a brief pause as the members consider their votes, followed by a resounding “aye” from the council representatives for the witches, demons, faeries, and gnomes. The vampire, werewolf, shifter, and goblin representatives vote “nay,” but the remaining vote, belonging to the trolls, is halted.
“It appears we have a tie,” the troll council member, Grog, states. “As the tie-breaking vote, I wish to pose a challenge to you, Miss Rose. A way for you to prove you are worthy of this role and serious about taking on all of the responsibility that goes with it.” His sinister tone fills Petra with dread. “You see, we have not had the pleasure of getting to know you on the council since you have spent much of your time avoiding your heritage and responsibility as the next Premier Witch. As such, some of us on the council doubt your commitment to our community and the role you will possess. On the other hand, Miss Sloan Wilks regularly volunteers within the community, helps with council functions, and demonstrates her ambition to possess a leadership role.”
Is the mention of Sloan supposed to make me jealous or feel inadequate? What do they want from me?Hesitantly, Petra asks, “What is your request?”
“Ah, you must accept before you find out what it is,” he says in typical troll fashion. Petra resists the urge to roll her eyes in exasperation at the poorly veiled manipulation trolls are known for. “Think of it as the first step to show you are serious about becoming Premier Witch. If you accept and meet all conditions by the deadline, all council members will accept your appointment to the position,” he says, looking down the bench to see the others who side with him nod in agreement. “However, if you should fail, the title will fall to the next in line after you—Miss Wilks—and you will not only forfeit the title, but also your power. Knowing these conditions, do you accept whatever challenge is set before you?”
Petra looks back and forth between Lachlan and Gammy, hoping to receive a hint as to what she should do. Despite the shocked murmurs from the other council members, Gammy and Lachlan’s faces remain stone.
“What happens if I don’t accept?” she asks.
“You forfeit the Rose power and Miss Wilks will immediately become the new Premier Witch,” Grog replies with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
He’s baiting her and she knows it. He knows she can’t and won’t forfeit the family power.
What else can she do but agree? Gammy is counting on her to continue the Rose legacy. With a deep breath, she says, “I accept.”
“Wonderful,” Grog exclaims, clapping his hands together. “Then, the condition is that for you, Miss Rose, to be appointed the next Premier Witch, you must marry within the next thirty days to prove your commitment to this community. After all, it is so very important that the community see you valuing long held traditions. If you are unmarried within the next month, our new Premier Witch upon Gladys Rose’s inevitable passing will be Miss Sloan Wilks, and you will be stripped of all power. We expect to receive proof of your marriage within thirty days. Meeting adjourned.”
With the call for the end of the meeting, all of the council members except Gammy and Lachlan vanish. Petra stands stunned.
What just happened?
CHAPTERFOUR
Lachlan
Married! She has to getmarried? Who in their right mind would decide that getting married is a valid test to prove worthiness for Premier Witch? Also, why wasn’t this discussed among the other council members? And stripped of all her powers if she fails? Hades help her.
Lachlan fumes. Shadows swirl around him and leak from every corner of the room. The intensity of his rage is evident in the growing blackness and silence of the space. He comes down to the lower floor to go to Petra, but Gammy puts her hand up and erects a barrier to keep him on the far side of the room. Protecting Petra from him. From his anger.
“You need to calm down, Lachlan. I understand you’re surprised by tonight’s events, and I am too. However, my concern right now is my granddaughter, and you cannot be near her in your current state. Either get out of here and do whatever you need to work out your feelings, or use common sense and control your shadows. I will not allow you to take one step closer until you have a clearer head on your muscled shoulders. Do I make myself clear?” Gladys says.
Lachlan raises a hand to the shield and feels the vibrating power as it hovers around him, closing him in. It would be no easy feat to break through it. A witch with her power is almost limitless in their abilities and strength, and while he is an alpha demon, he knows he would still lose against Gladys’s skill and experience. His inner demon growls, rising and pushing Lachlan to shift into his demon form. Lachlan’s skin begins to tingle, and the hair on his arms begins to darken and lengthen; his ears start to elongate, dark horns push their way out of his forehead, and black wings poke out from his shoulder blades, tearing holes in his shirt and jacket. The dome Gladys placed around him fills with darkness, hiding him from view.
“NO!” Lachlan growls at the demon as he pushes it back into its inner cage, the internal struggle causing him to dry heave. The pain of stopping the shift is almost unbearable. He dry heaves again.No, I cannot let it loose right now. Get back down, you bastard, and let us be here to support Petra.He pushes again and feels his demon relent, just enough to give him room to regain control. A minute later, Lachlan stands back upright, sweaty and spent. The shadows have lessened and continue to retreat tentatively. He looks back to Gladys, hoping she can see he is back in control. For now.
With a nod and the flick of a finger, Gladys releases the shield and allows Lachlan to step forward.
“I’m watching you. One sense of that demon of yours trying to make a break for it again, and I will have you flying so fast out of here you will not know what hit you,” she warns.
“I understand.” Lachlan cautiously steps toward Petra, who has stood motionless and silent during this entire interaction with Gladys.
“Now, before discussing what happened, we must leave here. I don’t trust Grog as far as I could throw him, and who knows what he has listening. Lachlan, meet us at my home. I will port Petra there.” Gladys turns to Petra and takes hold of her hands before they disappear.
He ports himself outside the gates of Gladys’s home, the protective charm stopping him from going further. He looks up at the mansion beyond the ornate gates, noting the vines crawling up the front, hiding the dark brick and shutters. Finally, the charm falls away, and he rushes into the house.
“Petra, are you okay?” He manages to stop himself before he does something stupid like wrap her in his arms.
Petra’s eyes spark, and she comes back into the conversation. “Okay? Am Iokay? Of course I’m not okay! What kind of question is that?” she answers, her voice escalating with each question. “I just agreed to get married in the next month to keep the title of the Premier Witch in our family. To keep the Wilkses from getting their filthy hands on the council seat. Of fucking course I’m not okay.” She gestures wildly around the room, shooting dark pink sparks with each flick of her wrist. Thankfully, Gladys is quick and puts them out before they land. “And Sloan? Really? They want Sloan? The daughter of the slimiest warlock that is clearly using their family insurance company as a front for something else? Oh, but I guess because they support ‘traditional community values’ it’s ok? Please.”
“Of course you aren’t. I’m sorry. We can figure out a way out of this.” He turns to Gladys. “They can’t uphold this, can they? It wasn’t even discussed among the council.”
“Ah, unfortunately, it was likely discussed among those four naysayers, and we merely ‘missed’ it,” she answers, making air quotes. “They likely got together to discuss it before tonight’s meeting with every intent to lock Petra into this scenario, feeling she would never follow through with it and thus allow the title to fall to Miss Wilks as they truly desire. They knew it would never have made it into the meeting if the rest of us knew about it, so we were cut out instead. Unfortunately, with it officially entered in the meeting record, Petra is bound by the terms.”
