Page 5

I barely had a moment to take in her long, languid appearance, the high cheekbones, the curling ginger hair. I quickly averted my eyes, realizing it was rude to look upon a witch without permission.

“You… are one of Terra’s daughters,” she realized in a voice that was soft yet subtly powerful.

I took that as invitation enough and peeked up to see sparkling green eyes considering me. I had a feeling she could see right through me. Perhaps she could see every thread of my history, every fear I’d ever tried to bury. I swallowed to ease my dry throat. “Are you the witch?”

She gave a soft snort through her nose. “It is normally polite to call someone by their name. Mine is Cersey. And you…?”

“Diana.” I looked down again, forcing my hands to remain at my sides and resisting the urge to pick at my fingernails. “I am sorry if I am bothering you.”

“Please, sit.”

Wood scraped against wood, and the chair closest to me turned as if all by itself. I cautiously took the seat.

“I have no other clients at the moment,” she said with an edge of boredom. Her finger drew circles in the air, and a tea kettle appeared next to some mugs. “Have some chamomile tea, and tell me why you’ve come to see me, dear.”

I did not reach for the offered mug, recalling a vague memory of Mom telling us to never accept food or drink from a witch. I smiled politely instead, working to tame my chaotic thoughts into linear sentences.

“Normally, when a werewolf is troubled, they visit their pack seer,” I began slowly.

Her smile was slow, warm, comforting. “It can make things difficult if the seer happens to be your mother.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath. The warm smell of chamomile and honey made me more certain of myself. “I want to prove myself as a great warrior for the pack.”

“Like your father,” Cersey nodded.

“Um. Yes,” I said, surprised. How do I say this? I started over. “I am in the guard. I don’t want to be accused of emotions getting in the way of loyalty, honor, and discipline. I need to prove my strength and–”

Cersey frowned, “And here I thought I smelled some heartbreak in the air when you arrived.”

How could she smell my heartbreak? My tongue went sour at the description. That was beside the point. I was there to be whole and strong. I knew I must be truthful, but I did not want to admit that I was lovesick. “There is someone…”

Her frown lifted into a wolfish smile. “There usually is.”

I paused, making sure I had the strength to say the name without faltering. “Orion. He is… currently dating my sister.”

“Orion. Alpha Nathaniel's boy.”

I nodded.

“You want him for yourself.” she surmised. Without waiting for my response, she rose to her feet and took three smooth steps to the cauldron hanging in her hearth.

“No!” She had it all wrong. “I don’t want thesefeelings. I want you to take this feeling from me.”

Cersey’s movements stilled, and she turned to me slowly with a puzzled expression. I imagined this was not a request she received often. “Youdon’twant to be with Orion?” she asked.

A trick question. Of course I wanted to be with Orion. I hesitated.

She raised an eyebrow, making her predatory smile appear a bit more amused. “What’s holding you back?”

“Selena.” The name escaped my lips as a sharp hiss, and I slapped my hand over my mouth in shame. I didn’t mean to utter my sister’s name with so much poison.

Cersey considered me for a moment. “It is natural for sisters to be rivals.”

I lowered my hands, hardly trusting myself. “I do not want us to be enemies.”

“You care for your sister,” she surmised in a clipped tone. “If you want to continue to do what is best for her, you must not deny yourself these feelings. To take out your heart would erase the bond and compassion you hold for her. If you want to be rid of these feelings, you should instead confront them like the warrior you are.”

I felt the threat of tears rising. “How?”