Chapter 297: Witches Assemble
It wasn't until I was part way back to the staircase I realized Erica and I were being escorted by the two Enforcers I'd stormed past upstairs. Pender was one of them. I looked back over my shoulder as we reached the top, turning to meet his eyes, even if he wouldn't meet mine.
"Nice to see you." I kept my tone light, but my meaning was clear to both of us. I heard Quaid call my name, spun and spotted him being held by two more people in black robes.
Pender kept his head down while the other Enforcer just looked uncomfortable.
"I'll be happy to let Mom know how well you're repaying her gift to you." I sniffed delicately, as if his very presence offended me. "Please, rest assured, if such an instance were to happen again, none of us would interfere, but let events take their course." Not a threat. But I was pretty sure he got the point.
If the coward was attacked again, I'd happily watch him die.
I walked away, stiff and angry, while Erica paced beside me.
You need to get it together.
I know, I snapped back. Just give me a second.
She nodded quickly and fell back a step while I struggled with my temper. We reached the two Enforcers guarding Quaid. They stepped aside, letting him pass at last. His hands were trembling when they reached for mine.
I was going to... he showed me an image of them flying across the room.
I'm glad you didn't. I sighed, feeling my anger and tension leave me. Thanks for toeing the line.
He shuddered once and calmed. No way am I giving them more ammunition.
I wanted to hug him, to feel his arms around me, but it could be construed as a show of weakness and I simply couldn't afford it.
A bell pealed in the distance, from the main entry. By the time it stopped, the echoing sound of it fading away, I stood with a large gathering of witches, my coven members around me, facing the small man holding the bell.
He tucked it under his arm, the small thing barely bigger than my hand and clearly augmented with magic. The witch was as diminutive, pinched nose a precarious balance for the round spectacles he wore, thinning dark hair slicked back from his sharp features. He was shorter than I, but commanded our full attention. It was obvious that was exactly how he liked it.
He cleared his throat with an ah-ha-hem before raising his face, light catching his lenses.
"Covens, leaders, witches," his voice was nasal and a little squeaky, but I had no desire to laugh. "The conclave beckons. Assemble."
He turned without waiting, the hem of his blue trimmed velvet robe trailing along on the ground behind him. The entire group seemed to sigh at once, the silence gripping us all falling away. Chatter started up as witches moved forward, joining the line deeper into the manor.
I went with the crush of bodies, adrift it felt like, keeping my poise wrapped around me like a blanket. It was easy to just follow along, not think or engage, just focus on one aching foot in front of the other.
"Name and coven." The pointy-nosed little man was suddenly in front of me, gaping doorway just past him. He held a clipboard, but no pen and looked down his nose at me though I had at least six inches on him. Two young witches stood next to him, one looking harried, the other bored.
"Sydlynn Hayle," I said, feeling my detachment come apart in the face of the arrogant little jerk. "The Hayle Coven."
"And your members?" He tapped one finger against the board in his hand impatiently. I felt a whisper of magic, noticing sparks fly.
I introduced them one at a time as he magically noted their names down under mine. Task complete, he offered me the page.
"Signature, please."
I stared at the black parchment, the same stuff the scroll was made from, and felt a thrill of nerves.
What?
Use your magic. Erica' s mind touched mine quickly, showing me what to do.
I reached out with my witch magic to obey and had a thought. I let the family magic join me, as well as my demon and Sidhe power. I heard gasps around me, saw the nasty little secretary type gape in shock as a swirl of multi-colored magic attacked the page and scrawled my name in a rainbow of hues.
I heard Celeste hiss my name in anger, but ignored her, instead shoving past the small man and his two helpers. The bored one winked at me and grinned like it was funny. I guess it kind of was.
"You have to hold your temper," Erica whispered at me, angry, as we entered the long tunnel-like hallway, the walls covered in more tapestries, on the way to the chamber. "Your normal behavior won't work here." She sighed, squeezed my arm. "I'm sorry, that's why I was so worried, Syd. This is important."
"You think I don't know that?" I stopped, heard someone complain, but ignored them. "This is my mother's life, Erica, the coven's existence. I wouldn't risk my family or Mom for anything."
She nodded slowly before leaning forward and hugging me. "When did you grow up?"
I hugged her back, trying to emulate how Mom would act. "It's going to be okay."
She actually smiled at me, a real smile. "Yes, ma'am," she said.
Okay, then. It was nice to have Erica back on board. Even if that meant Celeste was even pissier than before.
Actually, that made me happy. I smiled at Celeste like this was a big joke before turning back to Erica.
"Just give me a minute." I squeezed her hand, found Quaid's as the twins and James moved past us, through the rest of the dark corridor and into the large chamber beyond. "I need to catch my breath."
Quaid looked like he wanted to argue, but Erica led him away. I moved toward the wall, out of the path of entering witches, forcing myself to draw one pull of oxygen into my lungs after another.
Now, if only I could make good on my promise to Erica and not lose it completely.
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