Page 18

Chapter 18

At one stage in my life, being told I was going to be someone as important as the Crone would have filled me with excitement. Think of all the good I could do! But instead all I felt was tired, bone-achingly tired. Abigay was the Crone; she had deserved that title and I hated that she was gone. I wasn’t the Crone, I couldn’t be because it was Abigay’s role… It was fair to say I hadn’t come to terms with her death.

Even if I accepted what Melva had said was true, I couldn’t see it happening any time soon. The Crone had always been a respected witch, a formidable one, a woman in her sixties with gravitas and a lifetime of experience to pull on. I was in my forties and a lowly Coven Mother. I wasn’t even on the Council – not that Abigay had been on it before her appointment, but that was different. Abigay had been one of Edinburgh’s movers and shakers years before she became Crone. The only thing I’d been was on trial.

What I could take from the prophecy was that it was my destiny to weed out black witches. I’d been on a roll with that lately: first Ria, then Hilary, then Becky. The prophecy said the black witches trembled at the thought of me, which seemed faintly ridiculous. They were afraid of a woman who wore flowing skirts, devoured blueberry muffins and romance books? I wasn’t someone to fear. Or I hadn’t been.

It was a huge shift in my thinking to realise that I wasn’t just an ally to the predators – maybe I was one as well. Maybe they should fear me. But they could fear me later, after I’d saved Melva and had some sleep.

‘My 4pm will be arriving any minute,’ Melva said. ‘You have to go.’

I folded my arms. Absolutely no chance. ‘No.’

‘No?’

‘No,’ I repeated. ‘I’m not leaving you, not until I’ve made sure you stay alive.’

She crossed the distance between us and hugged me. ‘Thank you, Amber.’

‘For what?’ I asked, but my throat was thick and my eyes were prickling.

‘For caring.’ She squeezed me. ‘You can’t save everyone,’ she murmured gently.

‘I can try.’ Even I could hear the desperation in my voice.

‘If it makes you feel better.’ She sighed then muttered to herself, ‘It’s not as if my reputation for maintaining client confidentiality is going to matter soon.’ She cleared her throat. ‘You can wait in my private orb room but you must be quiet.’

‘Behind the bookcase?’

She blinked. ‘Yes. How did you know?’

‘A little imp told me,’ I replied facetiously.

She frowned but nodded at the bookcase. ‘Just walk through it. It’s an illusion.’

I grimaced; I despise walking through anything that appears solid. I had a sudden flashback to Benji heaving me through the walls of Edinburgh and tried to stifle the surge of fear the memory brought. That hadn’t been fun.

Bastion’s fingers laced through mine, no doubt because he’d felt my trepidation. When all this was over, I was going to undo that suppression rune so that it was a two-way street. I hated that he had access to my thoughts when I had no access to his.

I squeeze his hand. ‘Pull me through?’ I asked softly.

‘Of course. Close your eyes.’

I squinched them shut as he tugged me forward and let my feet follow his lead. I felt the air cool slightly. ‘You can open your eyes,’ he murmured, his breath against my cheek.

The walls were lined with shelves filled with glowing orbs. I guessed this was where the prophecies lived before they were formally filed with the Hall of Prophecy. Melva had never put mine in an orb; she’d held it inside herself this whole time.

Where the bookcase illusion was, a transparent wall allowing us to look directly into Melva’s office. ‘Can you hear us?’ I called.

‘Yes,’ Melva confirmed tartly. ‘So no heavy petting back there!’ She smirked. ‘I’m going to call in my 4pm.’

She used the intercom to tell Nell to let in her next client. ‘But your 3pm…’ Nell argued, sounding confused.

‘The appointment has finished,’ Melva responded firmly. ‘Send in the 4pm and then you can finish for the day. Thank you so much for all your hard work, Nell.’

I grimaced. She was thanking Nell not just for today but for everything she had done. Despite having Bastion and me in her corner, Melva still thought she was going to die. I bet Jinx didn’t have to deal with this cynicism when she rescued someone.