Page 32 of Heart of a Witch
“Yes. I found families of them hiding out.” He sneered. “Some escaped, however.”
“Oh, damn,” I said, trying but failing to keep the sarcasm from my tone. I glanced at the chessboard on the small table in front of the unlit fireplace to my right. I’d never been invited for a game.
“I’ll find them eventually,” he said, taking no notice. “I have priests in every town on the lookout for the Amberwood and Vinewood witches.”
“Amberwood? Sounds very human.”
“It is. They took the name of some poor dead man.” He shook his head. “They told the locals he was their father. Such lies they spill.”
I heard a shuffle behind me, coming from the corridor. “I think I hear Corbin.”
The muscle in Father’s jaw ticked as the door to the study opened. My brother had at least had the brain to slick his hair back and powder his face, so it didn’t appear so yellow. “Sir.”
He allowed it. “What have you done in my absence? How are your studies?”
He hesitated, and I shot him a look.Don’t lie. He’ll know.He’d talk to the headmaster and know he’d been skipping school.
“I’m doing good.”
Fuck.
“That is yet to be determined.”
I chimed in before they could say anything else. “He’s doing great, but I’ll admit, I took him out of school for a few days while you were gone. I needed help at the club.”
Corbin took a step forward, but I placed my hand out to stop him from saying anything.
“Is this true, boy?”
His expression darkened. I knew that far-off look, as if he’d desensitized everything. “Yes.”
Father clicked his tongue. “You know better than to bring your brother to such a place of temptation. He is not like us. He can’t withstand it.”
I inhaled deeply. “I wasn’t thinking.”
“Don’t let it happen again. Your brother must remain dedicated to his studies.”
I nodded. “I won’t.”
“You’re dismissed.” He looked over his papers. “Both of you.”
I touched Corbin’s back and led him out of the study. Once we were outside, he breathed relief. “Why did you do that?”
“He’d have found out otherwise that you were skipping.”
Something flashed in his eyes. “You don’t need to protect me against him.”
“I won’t let him hurt you.”
“Right.” He laughed it off. “He still threatens to whip me, you know.”
“He won’t, not while I’m here. Besides, things will be different one day. You’ll see.”
“When the bastard’s dead, yeah.”
“Corbin.”
“What? Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.”
