Page 29 of Soul of a Witch

Would It see I was a traitor? Would It know how deep my blasphemy had become?

Sweat broke out on my forehead and cold chills went up my back. My lungs were tight as I stumbled, bracing one hand against the wall. Setting down the radio as I shook, I pressed my back to the wall and closed my eyes, willing the dizzying nauseous to stop.

“I can’t go back,” I said breathlessly. “I can’t. You don’t understand, my father won’t — he won’t —”

With a rumble like thunder, Callum was suddenly perched on the railing in front of me. But I was still trying to simply breathe in a normal pattern, instead of frantically gasping for air.

“I don’t want to go back.” I was disgusted with how desperate, how pathetically frightened my voice sounded. “He won’t trust me after this, he’ll be suspicious. He won’t let me go, Grams, he won’teverlet me.”

“He can’t keep you,” Callum said. The viciousness in his voice snapped against my panic like a rubber band, shocking me out of it. He stepped down from the railing, moving with a feline-like grace as he came over to me.

I lifted my eyes, looking at Callum with a mixture of shame and defiance. Was this what he’d hoped for while he was waiting for me? A woman who hyperventilated at the thought of facing her own family?

He reached out, and his clawed fingers brushed along my cheek, wiping away a tear. Then they trailed down, tracing over my arms until he eased them apart. He took my tightly clenched hands, slowly straightening my locked fingers. His movements were so gentle, so unexpected, that my panic melted away into fascination.

“If you need to go back, I’ll be waiting for you,” he said. “I’ll be watching. If your father tries to keep you, I’ll ensure you escape. I’ll bring you home.”

“Home…” I whispered. “I don’t know if I’ve ever really had a home.”

“Home is wherever I can keep you safe,” he said. He was still holding one of my hands, embraced between his palms. Irrationally, I longed to lean into his touch. I wanted to press myself against his chest, and finally, after so long, just be held.

I wasn’t supposed to trust him. Yet, when I looked into those jet-black eyes…I did.

11

Everly

For the remainder of the evening, I explored the library. The sheer volume of books was astounding, and it wasn’t long until I amassed a stack of fascinating tomes. For hours, I was curled in one of the cushioned velvet chairs, consuming the literature like it was the only sustenance I needed.

At some point, food and drink appeared on the table beside me: a creamy bisque, mug of tea, and pitcher of water. Whether the house provided it or the demon brought it, I couldn’t be sure, but my stomach was satiated and so was my mind.

Callum made frequent appearances to check in on me, although he said very little and didn’t stay long. But he remained nearby; watching, lurking. I could feel his presence in the air, in tingling pressure that crept slowly up the back of my skull.

I had all the magical knowledge I could desire at my fingertips. I consumed books of spell craft until my head ached and my vision grew blurry, but I didn’t stop. There was a frantic need within me to absorb all the information I possibly could.

When I was too tired to sit upright anymore, I wandered out of the library in search of Callum, hoping he could escort me back to my room. But I only took a couple of steps down the hall, my arms full of books, before an open door caught my eye. Few doors were left open in this place; I couldn’t resist peeking inside.

It was a small sitting room. Nudging open the door with my shoulder, I stepped onto an elegant, plush rug covering the shining wood floor. A large fireplace was to my left, and the moment I stepped inside, the stack of wood within caught flame, swiftly chasing the chill from the room.

Velvet furniture was set before the fire; a chaise lounge and several chairs. To my right, on a slightly raised dais before a tall open window, was a grand piano.

Quietly closing the door behind me, I settled on the chaise lounge with my books. It wasn’t long before my tired eyes grew heavy, the steady rain lulling me into drowsiness.

Only when my book slipped from my fingers and hit the floor with a heavy thud did my eyes suddenly fly open, finding the room dark and the fire burned low. Hours must have passed, but it wasn’t only the light that changed while I slept.

I wasn’t alone.

Moving slowly, so as not to make a sound, I turned my head. The curtains were drawn, but I could hear the rain tapping against the window and the distant rumble of thunder.

The chair beside the fireplace was occupied. Only the silhouette of massive wings was visible in the dark.

With half-lidded eyes, I stared at the dark shape, knowing he was staring back. Neither of us said a word, neither moved.

The demon inhaled slowly, and I resisted the urge to shrink down and close my eyes. My heart pounded as the chair creaked, and he rose, a looming specter that seemed to glide toward me.

It was so dark I couldn’t see his face. He reached for something, and a moment later, a soft heavy blanket draped over me.

“Your mind is restless.” The demon spoke softly, igniting goosebumps along my arms.

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