Page 47 of Extraordinary Quests for Amateur Witches

“Which concludes the summary of our events,” Philomena finished, seemingly unfazed by the crowd’s growing murmurs at the introduction of the crown hunt. She placed the crown back atop her head. “The coven wishes you a pleasant evening, and an even more pleasant solstice. Now, enjoy the feast!”

And with that, she snapped her fingers, and vanished into the air like water vapor.

As soon as she was gone, the room grew rapturous.

Every witch suddenly scrambled to make their plan for the hunt tomorrow.

Kieran’s skin chilled despite the enchanted wine he’d drunk.

There were simply too many of them, and not nearly enough of him and his friends.

It didn’t help either that when Kieran glanced around the table, everyone was staring at him.

Waiting for him to make a plan.

I can’t, that familiar, terrified voice in his head said. I can’t—I can’t—I can’t—

Kieran stood suddenly, making his friends flinch.

“I need to get some air,” he said.

And before anyone could stop him, he turned on his heel and nearly sprinted from the banquet hall.

Kieran hadn’t intended to wind up on a balcony overlooking the Iceweave Coven’s snow-packed territory, but after a few wrong turns caused by his desperation to get out and some poorly planned trips up the stairs, that was exactly where he found himself.

It was massive. Kieran guessed at least forty people could fit on it. Unlike most of the castle, the balcony was made of stone, jutting free from the cutting geometry of the castle’s ice spikes. The sky had turned midnight blue, and the stars were clearer than Kieran had seen them in ages.

The view, however, did little to calm his racing thoughts.

He went to the edge of the balcony, leaning against the thick stone banister that stopped him from plummeting sixty feet to the ground.

His head hung, breaths coming out in short rasps.

Seaweed gently nuzzled against his chin, but it didn’t help.

The air was cold enough to sting his throat and lungs.

He felt as if he might pass out. His heart was squeezing and pulsing in a way that made Kieran think he may be on the verge of a heart attack.

Each inhalation felt forced, and his fingers were shaking as he tried to hold on to the banister.

The cold air was the only sensation that cut through his panic; it kissed the sweat-soaked arch of his brow and the back of his neck, stinging where it touched.

The back of his throat constricted and burned as tears pricked his eyes.

How in the world was he supposed to beat all those people to the Crown?

Sure, he’d been able to get the Hilt and the Stave, but Elias had been the only other one looking for them at the time.

There’d been no competition, no need for him to come up with some grand plan that would somehow save the day when all appeared lost. He couldn’t do that.

Just when I thought I might have a chance. I’m going to lose my magic. I’m going to lose my chance at breaking Ash’s curse.

I’m going to lose everything.

“My,” a low voice said from behind him. “Quite a view from up here.”

Seaweed whipped around and growled as the wine’s warming enchantment evaporated all at once.

Kieran turned just as a short, heavyset man came to stand beside him.

He wore a finely tailored gray suit that matched the streaks of silver in his brown hair.

He settled in beside Kieran with ease, as if they were old friends who had had heart-to-hearts out here plenty of times before.

Seaweed bared her teeth at him but didn’t move to attack.

Kieran could barely get the name out: “Elias.”

The man nodded politely. His skin appeared chapped from the wind, redder than it had been back in the mushroom forest. There was something jovial about him—Kieran wondered if he’d been anticipating this moment for some time.

Kieran, meanwhile, felt his dinner moments away from reversing course.

He didn’t have the Hilt or the Stave with him—they were safely locked away back on the ship—but that didn’t mean that Elias wouldn’t do something to him to get them.

After all, his mercenaries didn’t seem to care about keeping Kieran alive.

For all he knew, Elias could be seconds away from seizing him by the shoulders and pushing him over the banister to his untimely death.

“It’s been too long, Kieran,” Elias said, as if they were old business partners sharing a glass of whiskey.

“You’ve given me the runaround for a while now, haven’t you?

That pilot of yours is quite proficient at shaking off my men.

Not to mention”—he gestured at Seaweed—“I suspect that little monster has been eating my listening bugs, considering the crunching noises I’ve heard the second they land. ”

Seaweed growled again, seemingly waiting for Kieran to give her permission to attack. He, though, was too frozen to even consider it. Not when he felt ready to dissolve into a quaking puddle of anxiety and terror.

“What do you want, Elias? To finish what your mercenaries keep failing at?”

Elias chuckled. “Goodness, I would have expected a Pelumbra to keep a stiff upper lip at a moment like this. My dealings with your family have always been so…rigid. Very serious folks. Never even wanted to stay for a drink when I had them over back in Gellingham. Your father especially. Tell me, has he ever smiled?”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Kieran said, ignoring the statement entirely. He didn’t have the wherewithal to argue over how like or unlike the Pelumbras he was. “What do you want?”

Elias smirked. “Perhaps you’re more like him than I anticipated. Pity—I would have liked to simply chat. You’ve impressed me immensely these last few weeks.”

Kieran blinked. Impressed him?

“You handily disposed of all my mercenaries,” Elias went on. His eyes had gone to his hands, examining the rings he wore on each finger. Kieran wondered if they were enchanted. “And you turned my assistant against me. I had to hire a new one, and on such short notice too.”

“A new one?”

“I heard you met them earlier,” Elias continued conversationally, even as Kieran’s muscles all stiffened at once. “Handsome young thing, aren’t they? Hélène, I mean. And so good at their trade too. Better than Sebastian, I might argue. And certainly with more flair.”

Kieran’s mouth went dry. “Their…trade?”

“Oh, my boy.” Elias chuckled, hand over his heart as if the laughter was simply too much to contain. “Sebastian still hasn’t told you? Perhaps you aren’t as close as I first thought. Well, in that case, I suppose all I can offer you is a bit of advice.”

While the first part came out breezily enough, his voice turned cold on the final words. Kieran’s hands were clammy, bile crawling up his throat. He found himself unable to speak.

“Tomorrow, when that hunt for the Crown begins,” Elias began, casually turning his hands over as he adjusted the placement of his many rings, “a second hunt will also kick off. While I’m off securing the Crown, my dear Hélène will be looking for you.

I’ve told them to avoid deadly force, if possible, but I question their restraint. ”

Kieran’s heart stopped for a moment. He really hoped he hadn’t heard that right. Because if he had, that meant Sebastian’s ex might try to kill him tomorrow.

Unfazed by the color draining from Kieran’s face, Elias continued: “Of course, that can be prevented. If you would prefer not to risk it, I’ll happily take the Hilt and the Stave from you in exchange for your life.

After all, it would be a pity to die over…

what was it? Some petty little curse you cast?

Seems a bit too small to throw away your life for, if you ask me. ”

Kieran sputtered, “How did you—”

“I have my ways. Remind me—what was your beau’s name?

Ashmont Bartelle? He seems perfectly nice.

Safe, even.” Elias chuckled to himself. “Much safer than Sebastian and his bloodlust, that’s for sure.

If I were you, I’d head home, where you belong.

Go find an easier way to break Ashmont’s curse, say you’re sorry, get your happily ever after.

Then you can go back to your simple little life of making coffees and worrying over the electric bill.

No more dabbling in a world that’s far too sharp for a soft young man like yourself. ”

Hearing Ash’s name come out of Elias’s mouth was almost enough to push Kieran over the edge. Seaweed began to growl again. Magic sparked at Kieran’s fingertips as he spat out, “If you lay a finger on him—”

“Oh, come now. I’m a reasonable man, Kieran.

I don’t just go around hurting teenagers for fun.

” Elias straightened, tucking his hands into his pockets as he turned to face Kieran fully.

“I’ll give you the rest of the night to think about it.

If you’d like to make the trade, meet me here tomorrow before first light with the Hilt and Stave.

And bring Sebastian, if you wouldn’t mind.

He has a broken contract we need to discuss. ”

Elias cracked his knuckles, though his face remained unchanged. “If you don’t, I suppose I’ll see you in the ice caves. Pity the coven will have to clean up the mess.”

With that, Elias tipped his head pleasantly to Kieran, then took his leave. “Goodbye, Kieran,” he said over his shoulder. “And good luck. You’ll need it.”