Page 51

Chapter 51

‘You’re not leaving without me!’ a small voice piped up. Frogmatch.

I turned to the little imp, noting with relief that his skin had darkened back to his signature red. Food, rest and potions had done him the world of good. He shot up from the floor, moved past Benji’s intricately tied shoelaces, scrambled up his legs and swung onto the golem’s shoulder.

With Benji’s height, I only had to crane my head a little to make eye contact with the impertinent imp. I told him he was looking much better. ‘Thanks to you, Ellie,’ he said solemnly. His jaw worked. ‘Not all the others were so lucky. Thank you, though, for forcing the Council to heal as many of us as possible without charging anyone.’

‘It’s only right,’ I said firmly. ‘It was our mess to clean up.’ I realised as soon as I said it that calling the abduction, torture, maiming and death of dozens of creatures a ‘mess’ was inaccurate and highly insensitive. I winced internally. ‘I just meant—’ I started.

‘I know what you meant,’ Frogmatch interrupted with a wan smile. ‘It’s okay. But if you’re off to confront another black witch, I’m coming with you.’

‘Evil witch,’ I corrected him absentmindedly.

‘What?’

‘We’re not using the term “black witch” any more. It makes them less evil, less offensive, and it’s too easy to start on the slippery slope of grey witchdom. Saying “white witches” and “black witches” just makes it seem like they are on opposing sides, but it is more than that. So we’re calling them what they are.’

Frogmatch conjured up a smile which had none of its usual joviality. ‘You’re re-branding evil, huh?’

‘Just calling them what they are,’ I repeated firmly. ‘No more of this fifty shades of grey.’

‘From the contents of your bookcase,’ Frogmatch muttered. ‘I thought you were a fan of Fifty Shades .’ I felt myself flush. Great: even my imp knew about my romance-book addiction. I levelled him with a glare. I wasn’t ashamed of my book choices.

‘Whether I like it or not, you shouldn’t yuck someone else’s yum,’ I said firmly. ‘Your kink may not be my kink, and that’s okay.’

He blinked and tried to find his footing again. ‘I’m just saying, I’m totally okay if you want to spank me.’

Bastion let out a low threatening growl. I’d never heard that sound from him before – an eagle screech, yes, but not his lion’s growl.

Frogmatch blanched. ‘Sorry, your growliness,’ he blathered. ‘Of course she is your witch to spank or not spank. You know, whatever floats your boat.’

‘Frogmatch,’ I sighed. ‘Stop talking.’

‘You know, I sense that maybe I should.’

I grinned. ‘So you’re coming with us to confront evil?’

‘Yes, ma’am, I am. And I want to spit in its eye.’

I met his gaze and found that I wasn’t inclined to deny him. He’d been through hell and back; if he wanted to spread around some bodily fluids, who was I to say no?

‘Can we address the you-growing-huge thing?’ I asked. He started to quirk an eyebrow and I knew that an innuendo was coming. I held up my hand. ‘No. I did leave that open, but no . We’re talking seriously, as adults.’

‘My response was going to be very adult,’ he huffed.

‘No.’

He sighed. ‘Imps can grow in size in emergencies. It’s a secret. It’s not done often or lightly.’

‘Because?’

‘Because it can kill us. You felt how cold I was.’

‘I did. I assumed it was because of the imprisonment.’

‘No, it was because of the engorgement.’

‘ Engorgement . Seriously?’

He flashed me a toothy grin. ‘That’s what we call it.’

‘Of course you do,’ I muttered. ‘Fine. You can come, but absolutely no … engorging.’

Looking a little more like his old self, Frogmatch smirked triumphantly. ‘I’ll just stay here on this piece of rock,’ he patted Benji on the shoulder.

Benji looked rather pleased to have his own personal devil on his shoulder. Bastion sent Frogmatch a glower; I don’t think he’d enjoyed the imp’s spanking quips all that much.

I stood. ‘Fine. Let’s go – all of us.’ What a motley crew we made but, motley or not, we were deadly. The evil witch in my Coven wouldn’t know what had hit them.