Chapter 611: Coven Leader
I took a vacant seat and sipped at my water, just for something to occupy me. I felt the fine chain slide over my collarbone and I reached up to grasp the pentagram pendant Mom gave me as a gift years ago. I'd only taken to wearing it in the past few years, knowing now it held a part of her power in it. Power meant to protect me and bind me to the family. Even though she wasn't officially a Hayle witch anymore, the magic remained true to the coven.
Thinking about Mom made me sad. We hadn't talked, not really, since my release from custody. I'd tried to see her a few times, but she refused. Any attempt to reach for her with power was firmly blocked. She'd made it very clear to me she couldn't be on my side anymore. The Council magic changed her, pushed her to the brink, forcing her to do its will instead of the other way around. Mom's deterioration was a clear indication, her premature aging and total change of personality frightening in its totality. I wished I could convince her to step down, but the thought of another witch being in her position, one not strong enough to wrangle so much magic, so much pressure, made me shake my head.
It was Mom's choice. And though I disagreed with her attitude, I understood. She couldn't save me anymore. Which meant the next time I stepped over the line, I was going to the stake.
Wow, great party ponderings, Syd.
The whole group of witches fell quiet, hushed suddenly, and I had to push up walls around me before they started to smile and chatter again. I knew my state of mind affected them through my control of the family magic, but it was hard sometimes to keep it to myself.
Right. Happy thoughts.
Which, oddly, made me think of Liam. Because there was nothing really happy between Liam and me these days. Not while his helicopter mom kept the two of us apart. I'd broken off our relationship-what little there had been thanks to Sonja O'Dane's constant need to be with Liam-before my Beltane birthday. He'd been moping and quiet ever since.
From what the black hound, Galleytrot, told me, Liam now spent most of his time in the Sidhe cavern archive, lost in books, while his mother sat with him.
Just a sad state of affairs. And while I adored Liam, loved him, I hated his mother and wished she would d-
Syd.
Bad, bad, Syd.
Another sip of water did nothing against the sudden bitterness in my mouth. Sucked. All of it. Because the guy I really wanted, the one I knew I could spend my life with, I couldn't have.
Speaking of tall, dark and scrumptious, Quaid hadn't been in touch lately either. He was my pipeline for Council and other coven information, but I hadn't heard from him in the last week or so. I took it as good news.
Had no choice.
"It's so exciting, isn't it?" I looked up, actually speechless as Penelope Anders turned and reached out to gently touch the back of my hand. Her silver hair was tinted faintly blue, brown eyes watery behind her round glasses as her lace glove scratched over my skin.
"It is?" The seat I'd taken put me beside her, but now a few of the other ladies pulled theirs around to make a little half circle with me on the end. I met their eyes, smiling, hoping it was a good smile and not the one Shenka laughed about. Rodrigua Pernicus sipped noisily from her sherry glass, wrinkled cheeks pink, small body squeezed into an antique-looking suit, a small box hat perched on her rock-hard hair.
"It certainly is." The ladies giggled. So much giggling. I didn't know if I could stand it. "I never thought I'd live to see another coven leader come of age."
They all nodded sagely while I sat forward in my chair, ready to bolt. They were sweet, but I sucked at small talk.
"Now tell us, dear," Penelope said, voice a gasping whisper the whole yard could hear, "have you made any choices yet? Narrowed down the field, as it were?"
Okay, I clearly missed most of the conversation and now looked like an idiot. "Not sure," I said, dragging out both words as I struggled to figure out what they were talking about.
"I like that handsome Gatekeeper you've been out and about with." Rodrigua tittered over her sherry while Talee Happern leaned in and saved me.
"He's adorable." She winked at me, a flash of amber fire showing in her eyes before they reverted fully back to normal. "I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers."
The ladies laughed and slapped each other's knees while I rolled my eyes at Talee. At least my family was well adjusted enough they'd accepted the demon woman and her brood with little complaint. More than that, adopted the Happerns as though they'd always been in the coven despite the fact Talee and her two kids were demon kind and her husband a normal. Penelope snorted as she gasped for air before catching her breath. "Well, there are also lots of handsome young witches out there. Take that dashing, young Quaid."
I'd like to. Hey, wait a second. The gleam in the old lady's eye was ew worthy.
Just ew.
"Syd still has some time to decide." Rodrigua clearly wasn't one of those witches who could handle her liquor. Every witch reacted differently to alcohol. She glowed decidedly red in the nose and cheeks and swayed in her seat, though she clutched at the half-empty glass as though it kept her upright.
Decide?
I looked up as Gram joined us, meeting her faded blue eyes, her gaze sharp and careful.
Excuse me. My love life was none of their business, thanks.
"It's a big choice." Rodrigua hiccupped into one fist. "But you only have less than a year. I hope you'll let us know well before you choose so we can get to know him first."
More sage nods. Knowing stares. Expectation.
Of what?
A terrible, tight knot formed in my stomach as I realized they weren't kidding.
No, actually, they were absolutely serious.
"Of course you'll have the wedding here." Penelope clapped her white-lace gloved hands together, holding them clasped under the jowls of her chin, eyes rolled skyward. "What a gorgeous ceremony you had for Frank and that dear vampire wife of his."
Gulp.
Wedding?
What the h-
All the blood rushed from my upper body, pooling in my legs as the world went briefly dim.
"What are you talking about?" The whisper barely made it past my lips. But I knew it did, because they all looked surprised. All but Gram, who sighed and sagged, shaking her head, muttering under her breath.
"Why, everyone knows," Penelope said, happy expression fading, worry rising. I felt someone sink down beside me, a hand on my arm as the old witch went on. "You're a coven leader. Which means, by law, you must wed by your twenty-first birthday."
***
