Chapter 83

**Merianna**

“Don’t you think you should be in your bed instead?” Noch’s humorous voice asked from behind me.

I was slumped over on one of the tables in the library, scroll connected to my forehead and quill in hand with a few books strewn around me. It has been a full week now since the battle with Dermon and the demons. The Dark Warlocks had been handed over to their own kind for judgment because us witches only had so much influence in the magical human spectrum.

My healing was slow going, but at least my arm and other bits I hadn’t even noticed before didn’t ache as much as they used to anymore. Nelia really was a good and meticulous healer. Maybe excessively so.

Not to mention the extra attention that I’ve been receiving from Thyrion lately. Urgh… just thinking about it was threatening another blush.

“I was going crazy in there. It was stuffy, suffocating, claustrophobic, and restricting. I don’t want to get injured again in the future. I don’t think I could handle this kind of treatment a second time. She originally said a week, but then yesterday decided to extend it for three more days. I’m prepared to face the consequences of escaping my room at this point.” I muttered into the parchment.

Noch chuckled as he sat next to me on the table. I heard him lift one of the books and page through it. “Studying up on demons, I see.”

I nodded. “It’s not like we won’t run into Dermon again in the future. He even said it himself, that he will come back to get me again, remember? You and the others have a lot more experience with these things than I do, and I want to be properly prepared.”

“Sound judgment.” Noch chuckled and placed the book on my head, balancing it on my braid. Only to pick up another book to examine. “So, how are your wounds?”

“I’m practically fully healed, even though Nelia insists that I stay in bed for another three days. I can’t. I know she’s worried, but even the Ga’s said I’m practically as good as new.” He placed another book on my head.

“Hmmm, enjoy the treatment while you can, Demon Spawn. Before you know it, things will get hectic again.” He picked up another book to examine.

“I know, and I am. But my enjoyment can only go so far. I like being active more than I do being spoiled inside four walls.” And there went another book onto my head. “Are you trying to build a tower?”

“Maybe.” He answered while picking up another book, not even pretending to examine it anymore.

“You have way too much time on your hands, you know that?”

“Hah.” He chuckled, “Oh, I do know that. Things have slowed down a lot now that Dermon is at large and word had spread. All casualties have been dealt with and any loose ends on the Council's side are being handled by Jernok.” He placed another two books on the growing tower. “I have something I’m curious about, though.”

“What’s that?” I asked, not really interested, but still not wanting to move either.

“It seems like Thyrion is starting to get a lot closer to you lately. Is something going on there?” I could practically hear his devilish smile in his words. His question made my ears start to burn in answer.

“Haha! Well, I’m not one to get in between relationships, but you and Thyrion both better be prepared for some future nitpicking and teasing. Nitpicking from Fog’s side and teasing from mine, obviously. By the way, didn’t Nelia have a crush on Thyrion?”

I groaned into the scroll as he placed another book on my head. “Yes… she did.”

“How did she take the news of Thyrion being interested in you and not her?” He asked curiously, like he was waiting for some juicy gossip.

“...She is too mature for her own good, I swear. She didn’t even bat an eyelash when I asked her opinion and what it was that she wanted to do. I would have been happy to leave Thyrion in her hands, but she only smiled and said that I should go with what my heart wants. She said she’d support our relationship and is happy about the development.” I felt my neck starting to heat up now as well. Her words had calmed my anxiety, but I was still not sure of what I really wanted to do about it.

“Hmm, well, the two of you have stopped being children a long time ago, and this is just another bump you have to face as you keep growing. It’s possible you had been married in one of your past lives, but obviously you don’t remember anymore, so it’s new.” I had never given thought to that possibility before, not like it helped right now, as his tower started to wobble. “However, I was originally wondering if you were feeling a little restless and would be interested in a little bounty.”

My eyes shot open, and I turned my head to look up at him, sending his tower scattering over the table. He was poised to put another book on my head and scowled down at me. “You broke it.”

“I don’t care. What was this about a bounty?” I asked, sitting up to give him my full attention.

He sighed and tossed the book he had over his shoulder. “I want to get out of the castle too, and I figured it would be a lot more entertaining to drag you along with me than going alone.”

“You are going on a bounty?” I raised an eyebrow. “Usually you just dish them out to everyone else.”

“Well, what can I say? Things are getting boring around here since no one wants to really go out on bounties with an invasion looming over our threshold.”

“So you guys couldn’t find where he went this time?” It worried me to know that he hadn’t been found yet.

“Sadly, no matter what tracking spell we tried using, he didn’t leave any new traces behind for us to use this time around. As you know, objects used for tracking do lose their potency the more they get used in spells. We had his blood last time, but now we don’t even have a bit of fabric from his clothes to go on. I think his demons made sure to get rid of all their traces as they escaped.” He sounded frustrated. I understood why. Who knows how much preparation Dermon was able to get done now that we had no way of finding him?

“I see, so that’s why you’re itching to go on a bounty.”

He cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean, Demon Spawn?”

“You just want an outlet for your frustration, and a bounty is the perfect excuse.” I said with a knowing grin.

“Ha! And you know this because it’s the same for you?” He looked like he was getting excited.

“Of course it is. Let’s slip out before the Ga’s or Nelia realize that I’m gone. Otherwise I’ll have no chance of leaving at all. Especially since Nelia has expressed her great desire for me to help her with building a ‘greenhouse’ for the herbs.”

“Good point. You should at least leave something just in case they get worried and try to track us.”

“I’ll leave a note, that should be enough. For how long are we going to be gone?”

“A week tops. Fog can also reach me anytime if anything happens in the meantime.”

“You got Fog’s permission?” I asked with surprise. There was no way that Fog would agree while Nelia was still healing me.

He grinned as if reading my mind. “Who said I told him that I’ll be bringing you along?”

I grinned back at him. “I’ll get my things.”

***

Needless to say, Noch and I snuck out of The Order that very night and set off on a spontaneous bounty mission. It was more enjoyable than the bounty I had gone on with Jasnine. At least Noch didn’t try to use me as a distraction like she did. We didn’t once receive a message from Fog about any troubles at the Order during it either. I did, however, receive a burner note from Nelia chewing me out for leaving without getting her approval first. Heck, forget approval. She chewed me out so badly for suddenly vanishing without a trace that I actually feared returning.

No one came after us though, so we took that as approval to keep doing what we were doing. I needed to get out and gain more experience anyway, especially if I’m going to be fighting more in the future. Noch was also there to look out for me, even though he didn’t want to admit it outright. Zerial was also waiting patiently in the ether just in case, so nothing was going to stop me from enjoying the bounty I’d been invited to.

As Noch promised, we were on our way home precisely at the end of the week.

The wind was whispering past me, lifting my hair off from my back and letting it fall back again gently. I took in a deep breath, feeling the fresh air bless my lungs. It was a little humid and chilly today, but not unpleasant. 

I looked out at the rolling hills in front of me. Not too far off in the cluster of trees, I felt the familiar barrier surrounding the Order in the distance. I smiled to myself as I looked at where I will soon see the Castle. The Order… Home. 

“You coming, Demon Spawn?!” Noch yelled from the bottom of the hill.

I looked down, feeling exasperated. Stupid Noch couldn’t keep his pants on for a minute or two? I wanted to at least savor the feeling of coming home after a whole week of being gone. 

“Hold on to your bloomers, you old crone! No one needs to see them dragging behind you!” I yelled back, stepping down the steep decline. My leather pants clung to my legs, and my sturdy boots caught on the grass, giving me traction even though it was so slippery.

“I’m not a crone, you wretched Spawn. Now let’s be on our way so I can be back in my much needed bed before the sun sets.” He retorted and started to walk towards the castle again.

“You are a crone, no, actually you are older than a crone, you’re a mummy. Let’s get back so I can stuff you back into your coffin.” I quipped as I fell into a marching step next to him.

He gave me a withering look, and I smiled sweetly back at him. “All you want is me dead and in a coffin.”

I pretended to think this over for a little bit, then started nodding my head vigorously. “Yep, dead as a doornail. Dead as a rat in the rafters. Dead as a fish on land. Dead as –,“ I broke off and ducked as a staff came flying over my head.

“Keep this up child, and you would wish that you were the one that was dead.” Noch threatened with a grin across his face.

I grinned back at him. “You’ll have to catch me first!” I yelled out and started sprinting. I heard Noch curse and then pick up his pace with a chuckle.

I started laughing and ran faster. “You wretched Devil Spawn! Come here so I can whack some manners into you!” He yelled from behind me. I knew he was kidding. He wouldn’t really hurt me without any good reason. The only time I got hurt with him was during our sparring matches after all.

I twisted half way around but never once slowed my pace. “Think of it like this, now you can get to your coffin faster!” 

He spewed a few more choice insults as he ran to catch up with me. I couldn’t wait to see Nana Ara again, to see Jasnine and Raska, to hug Nelia again and help her out in the ‘greenhouse’ with whatever was left to do, I couldn’t wait to hug Fog again, and strangely enough, to see Thyrion again as well. This week had given me a breath of fresh air and time to think, as well as a clear answer to what kind of future could be waiting for me.

I laughed with the utter joy of almost being home as I sprinted out in front of Noch. The day couldn’t be more perfect…

And I hoped it would stay that way for at least a while longer. Who knew what Dermon was going to do next? We all needed to be prepared for anything that might come our way.





**Auther's Note:

I'd like to use the space at the end of this chapter to thank everyone that has been reading and has been patient with me while I took such a long time to edit and upload! I hope you all enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to the next segment that I've already started working on :D
I love receiving any kind of feedback, since this is my first book I'd love to read your critiques! Both good and bad, so I can strive to make my other stories better!
And trust me, there are a lot of ideas I'm juggling around in my head.

I hope to give you all better content with my next stories!

Stay tuned for Witches Book 2 and more!!!  ;D**