Page 72 of Star Witch
‘Mazza, you killed a defenceless animal instead of getting help for it.’
‘It was dying anyway.’
‘Unless you’re a trained veterinarian, you don’t know that. You tried to use magical herbs, which could have had any number of dire consequences on any or all of the crew members. And that’s without even getting into what you did in Bellows’ trailer.’
‘He attacked me! He turned into a monster! Besides, it worked. He stopped going after Amy. He stopped harassing all the female crew members. I stopped him from doing all that because I scared him when no one else was going to do anything!’
Brutus let out what could only be described as a loud snort. I’d almost forgotten he was there. I raised an eyebrow in his direction and he pouted.
‘Was that you?’ I enquired. ‘Did you stop Trevor Bellows from harassing Amy?’
‘I am cat.’
I stared at him. Apparently that was all the answer I was going to get. I suppose Brutus felt he’d made his point.
‘What?’ Mazza shrieked. ‘The cat didn’t do a thing! I stopped Bellows. Alright, he tried it on again last night when he was out here before the vote. He grabbed Amy and that’s when she lost her necklace. But she said he let her go before he did anything. He was obviously scared what would happen if he continued. I made him feel like that. No one else.’ He thumped his chest. ‘Me.’
Brutus snorted again. He picked himself up and walked a few metres away, pawing at the ground. Then he dipped his head for a brief moment before looking up with a quiet purr – and a delicate gold necklace dangling from his mouth.
‘Good job, Bruty baby.’
‘It was me!’ Mazza said, continuing to protest. ‘I’m the hero! Not a bloody cat!’
Winter rolled his eyes. ‘Grow up.’
‘We need to find Trevor Bellows,’ I told him. ‘Everything seems to centre around him.’
Winter’s brow furrowed. ‘But…’
‘Let’s just see what he has to say.’
He nodded. ‘Fine.’ He walked over and hooked his arm through mine. ‘Let me help you. I’ve borrowed that bike again. We’ll be back in Tomintoul in no time.’
I smiled weakly. ‘Great.’
Brutus ran lightly over to us, springing up onto my shoulders and coiling his tail round my neck.
‘You could have told me what was going on,’ I scolded him.
‘Food.’
Yeah, yeah.
‘Hey!’ Mazza shouted. ‘What about me? I need a lift back to Tomintoul as well.’
Both Winter and I ignored him and carried on walking. I was pretty certain, however, that Brutus stuck out his tongue.
Chapter Twenty
I let Winter drive the bike while I took the opportunity to lean against his back. It was slightly uncomfortable with Brutus wedged between us but it might have been the only opportunity I was going to get to be close to Winter again.
When we reached the edge of the town, I tapped him on the shoulder to make him pull up. He flipped his visor and peered at me. His sapphire eyes were soft and concerned and, just for a beat, I doubted myself. All I really wanted to do was stay by his side.
‘I don’t feel well,’ I said.
His concern turned to alarm. ‘What is it?’
I shook my head. ‘I don’t know. The after-effects of that spell are still hitting me really hard. I feel woozy. I think I might pass out.’ I looked away. ‘Maybe you were right and I should have stayed in the trailer until I felt completely better.’
