Page 38 of Warmongers and Wands
Chapter 12
Hadur
Ilurked while Bronwyn read, trying to find something to do that wouldn’t distract her. Although I really wanted to distract her.
Those sisters of hers had nearly sent me over the edge. Maybe it was because I was a war demon. Maybe it was because I’d spent over two hundred years completely alone in the forest. Either way, all the chaos, the noise, the witch-energy circling around the cabin…it set my hair on edge, made me want to burn down the mountain or explode something.
Or make them all fight.
There were some unresolved issues between these witches, and as a war demon I hated unresolved issues. Air out the grievances, get physical if necessary (and it was always necessary when it came to humans), then hopefully resume with a cleaner, healthier relationship. But it wasn’t my place to do that. Well, it was my place, but I hadn’t been officially assigned this task, and while I’d never been averse to a little side job in the past, these were Bronwyn’s siblings. A small nudge was the most I’d do. For now, anyway.
Even she had secrets that would fester if they remained buried. Her eldest sister had anger and resentment, although of all seven, she seemed the most open about letting her feelings have a voice. Or a fist. That was probably somewhat due to Lucien’s influence. I didn’t like the demon, but I’d be willing to admit he had his skills—and he was clearly dedicated to his witch.
The others…they had their own burdens, which would lighten considerably if only they shared them. But again—it wasn’t my place to interfere in Bronwyn’s family. Well, beyond a nudge.
Thankfully Bronwyn managed get the eldest sister to leave my house. Lucien knew he wasn’t welcome, but after his one visit, I knew he’d decide protocol be damned when it came to being with his witch. If Cassie stayed, Lucien would be back, prowling around the perimeter of my circle, camping out if necessary. And if the sisters set my hair on edge, Lucien made me want to do more than burn down the mountain.
But they were gone, and finally there was peace in my home once more. Just me and Bronwyn. Now, if only I could keep my hands off her while she read.
“This is interesting.” She looked up from the book she was reading and pointed to the genealogy chart. “There are no journals from Adelaide Perkins, but there is one from her elder sister, Celesta. I’m guessing Adelaide was probably between sixteen and twenty from your description of her. She was twenty-six when she passed away.”
“That might have been why she didn’t return,” I said, although when I thought about it, six to ten years was plenty of time to research a spell, or at the very least come back and tell me she was working on it.
“I think she didn’t come back because she was afraid.” Bronwyn looked up at me. “According to Celesta, Adelaide was very weak for a witch. That might have been sibling rivalry talking, but I really do think Adelaide wasn’t a significant force in the Perkins family during that time. Her Aunt Matilda was head witch and running the town, and there was an Aunt Larkspur who was a very powerful second. Adelaide and Celesta’s mother, Serenity, was a very weak third.”
“How many cousins were there?” I leaned over the chart, looking at the tiny handwriting on the section she was pointing to.
“A lot. Matilda had four sons at the time of the journal I’m reading, and Larkspur had a daughter and two sons.” She shook her head. “Male offspring of witches are unusual, so that’s really odd. Male witches don’t have magic. There are some very rare exceptions to that, but even those witches aren’t as powerful as those born female.”
“So, the line would have gone from Matilda to her sister’s daughters—either Larkspur’s, or Celesta, or Adelaide.”
“Cousin Marina wasn’t well. I’m thinking she might have had the same illness that eventually killed Adelaide because according to the chart, she died a year before her cousin.”
“Leaving Celesta to carry on the family name,” I said.
“Yes, which is one of the reasons I have her diaries.” She held up the book. “We try to keep everything now, but some witches didn’t keep journals, just spell books. In the past, a lot of journals were lost or destroyed, but there was always special care taken with the records of those who eventually took over as head witch of the town.”
“So, did Celesta say anything in her diary about summoning a demon?” I asked. “The magical energy of the summoning circle was the same as Adelaide’s, so it must have been a relative. Plus, I’m assuming your ancestors are the only witches in the area?”
“There’s no rule that says we have to be the only witches in Accident,” she told me. “In fact, Temperance put up the wards in hopes of this being a safe haven primarily for witches. Few escaped the burning times, so Accident instead became a sanctuary for any supernatural being who wanted to live free. We’ve just never had other witches come. There aren’t many left in the world.”
So, it probably was one of her family that had summoned me. “Do you think it might have been Celesta?”
“She’s got nothing in her journal so far to indicate that her magical studies might have been going in that direction. I’m not sure if she would have come right out and admitted it, though.”
“Because there’s something shameful about summoning demons?” I scowled at the thought.
“No, because you’re awardemon. Which meant whoever summoned you had some sort of violent conflict in mind. We’ve never been a family of witches that deals with demons, so if one of my ancestors went to the enormous effort to find out how to summon you, then they would have had a particular purpose in mind—something very specific they wanted you to do.”
“So, you’re reading the diaries to find motive?” I guessed. “To see if someone wanted a person or a group of people to either go to war or to find death at another’s hand?”
I doubted they were wanting me to bring buried conflict to a head, like a demon family counselor. No, Bronwyn was right. When witches summoned a war demon, it was usually because they had death in mind.
“Yes, and so far, all I’m finding is a bunch of family intrigue.” She pulled a napkin over, uncapped the marker, and began to write. “Matilda was making noise about a second marriage after her husband’s death, and Larkspur was worried that union might yield a daughter and ruin her and her daughter’s chances to be head witch. Marina and Celesta hated each other. Plus, there was some serious discussion about whether to oust the fairies or not. Pretty much like the discussion over whether to oust the werewolves or not today.”
“So, Larkspur, Marina, and Celesta all had motive.” I counted off on my fingers. “And Matilda, if she wanted demon back-up in getting rid of the fairies.”
“Adelaide had a boyfriend that dumped her,” Bronwyn added. “She might have done a revenge summoning.”
