Page 10

Chapter 10

I was relieved to see that the lights were still on in Melva’s office. She had been totally wrong: we were actually later than we’d expected and it was nearly 8pm. The traffic gods had not been kind.

‘Are you coming in?’ I asked Oscar. He often stayed in the car, ready to make a quick getaway, but the prophecy felt like a big deal and I’d rather he knew it – if he didn’t already. I often talked over big things with Oscar and this felt like it was going to be a doozy.

He hesitated. ‘I’d like to come in, if you don’t mind me hearing the prophecy.’

‘You don’t know it?’ I asked, a little surprised. Mum had bound Oscar and Bastion in knots with oaths and I knew they were keeping a cluster of secrets from me, so I’d assumed that they both already knew the prophecy. You know what they say about ass -umptions; now I was the donkey.

Oscar shook his head. ‘Not the full thing, just roughly what it says.’

‘And you?’ I asked Bastion.

He also shook his head. ‘Not the full wording. I’d like to hear it as well.’

‘I’ll come,’ Frogmatch offered. ‘I’ll guard you all while you hear it. I don’t need to hear it – I already know you’re destined for greatness.’

My heart warmed at his gallant offer. The idea of him guarding Bastion was kind of laughable but I kept my face straight. ‘That’s very kind of you, but you’ve already helped me a great deal. My treatment of you that day was free. You didn’t need to give me your kiss or your name, but I used them and called you. If there was ever any debt between us, it is certainly gone now. Our balance sheet is wiped clean.’

Frogmatch shook his head solemnly. ‘My Ellie-lady, it will never be wiped out. You helped me, then you helped Brambleford and you saved both our lives. We discussed it and agreed that my indentured servitude to you was the way forward.’

How generous of Brambleford, I thought drily. ‘Absolutely not! I have no desire to have a slave, Frogmatch. Besides, there is no debt to pay off. None.’

He smiled. ‘And that is why there is. You’re a good person, Ellie. I’m going to help you achieve something amazing. They’ll sing songs about Ellie and Frogmatch one day.’

‘I’m not. I won’t. I’m just an ordinary witch,’ I said, suddenly weary.

He snorted. ‘There’s nothing ordinary about you, sweet cheeks. You can accept my offer and provide me with accommodation and food, or I’ll follow you around homeless for the rest of my days.’ He shrugged like he was indifferent to my decision.

‘You are absolutely not being homeless on my account,’ I huffed, folding my arms.

‘Good! Then we are agreed. I’ll live with you and guard you with my life. Done and done. So mote it be.’ He stamped his right foot and his black claws clacked on the leather seats. His skin flashed with a bright light before settling back to its usual red colour.

My mouth dropped open again. He had sworn a magical oath. Damn it .

Bastion was smiling. ‘Nice,’ he commented. He held out his hand to Frogmatch and they shared a fist bump. Frogmatch winked at Bastion and Bastion’s smile widened. Oh goody, my bodyguards were bonding. Wonderful.

I opened the car door. Whoever damn well wanted to hear the prophecy could come with me – the more the merrier. All three men were sworn to protect me, so it made sense that they should learn what they were fighting against. Maybe Frogmatch would change his mind and we could work out a way to release him from his hasty little oath. This was a mess.

And, aside from the prophecy, I still had a tonne of work to do. Every spare moment I’d had I had been working on finding a mate for Krieg, plus I’d started making the final-defence potion for Shirdal and Bastion. Then there was my mum’s CD to open. Some days, it felt like I should have just stayed in bed.

I pushed open the front door to Melva’s office and felt oddly disappointed that her bitchy secretary Nell wasn’t there. She was a nightmare to deal with but I enjoyed getting one over her, and our bitchy banter always made me grin secretly. Still, it was one less obstacle to getting inside .

I knew where Melva’s office was located, so I pushed past the secretary’s desk to the stairway behind it. Bastion and Oscar followed me with Frogmatch riding on Oscar’s shoulder, looking for all the world like the daemon side of someone’s conscience.

I took the stairs two at a time. Melva’s door was slightly ajar and I pushed it open. ‘Hi! I told you we wouldn’t be…’

I trailed off, eyes widening in horror. Melva was sitting at her desk, her eyes open but unseeing. There were no signs of violence but she was motionless. I stared, dumfounded, waiting for her chest to rise. It didn’t.

I swallowed hard. There could be no doubt: Melva was dead.

For once, I let an expletive come to mind.

Fuck.