Page 25 of Hexes & Heartstrings (Shifters of Bastion Keep #2)

Two days later, on Wednesday morning, Nurse Rolf parked the van over by the east wing of the castle and Bruin gladly exited, stretching his legs. Russell, meanwhile, began grabbing their shopping bags out the back.

"Dinner together later?" Bruin asked him.

"Yes," Russell said as he patted him on the head, then handed him one of several shopping bags. Within it was a tailored outfit that Sergiy had bought for Bruin while they'd wandered the city.

'So you have at least one nice outfit, ' he'd said.

It had taken all of Bruin's negotiatory acumen—meaning, behaving like an orc child by crossing his arms, thrusting his tusks out, and closing his eyes until his noble mate relented, probably out of embarrassment—but he'd talked Sergiy down from what would have ended up being three or four complete outfits down to just one shirt and pair of pants, plus a fresh pack of boxers that weren't threadbare.

It was still more money than Bruin would have spent in a year on himself, but he supposed that he couldn't tell his mate to not do anything nice for him, ever.

As Bruin watched, Russell first gave Rolf a big hug which the older man took with fair grace, and then broke into a jog, apparently eager to get to his work.

After shouldering his shopping, overnight, and witch's bags, Bruin grabbed a final potted plant before shutting the trunk. He joined Rolf in making the short walk from the parking lot to the castle entrance.

"Thank you for driving us back," Bruin said to him. "I'm sorry you have to head right back out."

"Nah, don't you worry, lad. It's part of the job, and I don't mind me a short vacation to the city. I've got time enough to bother Leona for a snack and grab the books our lord wants, then I'll head back thataway in time to catch the afternoon train."

Once they were inside the east wing, Bruin parted ways and headed up to his room on the second floor so he could drop off his bags.

He then gleefully kicked off his shoes and socks, and after a moment's consideration, he removed his shirt as well, which had gotten a little sweaty from the traveling.

Maybe if he hadn't spent the last five hours snuggled up against the warm-blooded Russell he would have been fine, but the shirt was a small sacrifice to make in exchange for cuddles.

Making sure he still had his witch's bag, he grabbed the potted plant and went up to the fourth floor where he'd claimed one of the many empty rooms as his own, turning it into an indoor garden.

With only one small window but sturdy stone walls, he'd decided against an atrium and instead had begun cultivating greenery that thrived in low-light, like mushrooms and mosses.

He didn't have much, yet, but by the time winter arrived, he'd hoped to have it well stocked with healing plants and assorted dried herbs.

He set the potted peace lily beside a half-dozen other plants—despite the name, not actually a lily, but instead a less toxic flowering plant—and drew up white light from the stone floor, up through his feet, and into his breast.

"Earthen blessing, I beseech. Guide my hands as I tend to my garden."

With that simple prayer, Bruin double-checked a schedule that he kept beside the door, then grabbed a watering can.

No charm could substitute for knowledge and attentiveness, but as Bruin began giving out water, nutrient salts, and the occasional witch-made sunlight, it helped tweak his instincts so that maybe he poured the water from a different angle to get to thirstier roots, or rotated a pot so certain leaves could get more light.

When he was done with his upkeep, he added a checkmark to his schedule with a flourish. Now to find his coven!

Heading back downstairs, he knocked at both Rosemary's and Lux's rooms but didn't hear a response, nor Arthur's when he tried, and figured that he'd better recheck the community room. Maybe he'd missed them while he'd been tending to his plants.

Just as he reached the staircase leading to the first floor, he saw Lady Yi climbing towards him, and he froze. Of all the people to run into.

"Witch," she said as she approached him, ruining all hope that maybe she was looking for her own willworker. "Where have you been?"

"In Watershire, lady."

She stopped before him. Today she wore a cerulean blue sports bra, as well as a blue patterned kilt that he assumed represented her House colors. Her expression flattened.

"I know you were in Watershire. I am asking why you are only just now returning." Bruin opened his mouth to mention that there were only a couple of trains that came out this far, and she scoffed. "Instead of yesterday."

"I stayed an extra day to make sure that Sergiy was going to be okay."

And to spend time with his mate. That was important, too.

"That's Lord Sergiy, to you," Lady Yi snapped. "He might be courting you, but a nameless foreigner still owes respect to his station."

Bruin really didn't know how to respond to that. Sergiy had never insisted upon it before, nor did Marka and Markos for all that they were nobles too.

"You were needed yesterday," she continued. "Lady Marka organized an expedition to the Umbral, and is even now hunting for the nautilus spirit with the aid of four packs and High Priest Roland. You failed to support your coven in their preparation ritual."

"I'm sorry, I hadn't known."

At least, he hadn't known that it would be a big deal.

Sergiy had been informed about the plan by Marka over video call, and Bruin had the nostalgic experience of watching two siblings bicker.

The argument had ended after Markos had joined the call, making puppy-dog eyes and sorrowfully asking Sergiy if he had that little faith in them.

Sergiy had growled, but eventually admitted that he did trust them, and that was the end of that.

Though, he had needed Bruin and Russell to massage his back and neck afterwards to put him back in a relaxed mood.

Lady Yi's lip curled, and she looked at Bruin like she'd just stepped in a particularly watery pile of excrement.

"I'm sure your coven head will come up with a suitable punishment," she said. "You don't look to be doing anything important now, so come with me. No witch in my castle is going to be helpless in a fight, so you're going to practice casting offensive spells alongside my pack."

"I'm what?"

Bruin took a step back, but Lady Yi strode forward smoothly to grab his upper arm. Bruin reached out to take hold of the railing that looked down over the first floor, which was all that prevented him from stumbling as she pulled him towards the stairs.

"Let go," she ordered. "Why are you resisting? I'm the garrison commander, and you're part of the garrison force. Either come voluntarily, or I'll pick you up and carry you to the training yard like the petulant child you're behaving."

"The hell you will! When Sergiy finds out—"

" Lord Sergiy!"

Bruin's vision glazed over. She hadn't let go of his arm, and her fingers were starting to dig in painfully.

The words of a harsh binding came to mind, one that he'd read about but had never had cause to incant, and he found that he was already suffused with white light.

With a heavy breath, he began whispering.

Rex librare, a lord's balance—

"That's enough, Bruin," Lux said, his voice carrying.

The words cut through his choking anxiety, and both he and Lady Yi looked to where Lux was emerging from the library.

"I was only…"

"I know what you were about to do, and you shouldn't," he said, then his expression softened. "You'd be justified, but knowing you, you'd also feel guilty afterwards. Now, Lady Yi, I would appreciate it if you took your hands off of my coven member."

Lady Yi seemed to consider it, then let Bruin go. The abruptness of it had him staggering, falling to his knees.

"He is still to come with me," she said, making curt gestures with her hands.

"He will not."

Bruin was used to Lux's calm, matter of fact delivery, but it seemed that Lady Yi hadn't been countered in any recent time.

"Do you think either of you have the privilege of declining?"

Lux adopted a polite pose, speaking with the authority of someone who was absolutely certain of his position.

"Green witch Bruin is not under your jurisdiction. Nor am I, nor Rosemary. We report directly to High Priest Roland."

"Who is not here, at the moment. I am the garrison commander, so it falls to me—"

"It falls to Lord Sergiy, and then to Lady Galina after him," Lux interjected. "I know our chain of command well. Perhaps if we were Free Glades witches, an argument could be made, but we are U.S. citizens, and not beholden to any noble or royal."

Lady Yi drew herself up straight, but her glare seemed to wash right over Lux.

"And if my Lady would think on it for more than a few seconds, she would also agree that now is not the time to be using Bruin's services."

"Is that so?"

Lux dipped his head. "Most assuredly, Lady Yi.

As a Green witch, Bruin's primary role in the castle is as a healer.

Right now, there are four packs in the Umbral, hunting a powerful spirit.

You, my lady, who has a witch in her own pack, are surely aware that our energies are not limitless.

Were you to take Bruin and… overtax him during training, let us say, then if the worst happens in the Umbral, he might not be able to do his real services. "

"The odds are small."

"And yet still present."

Lady Yi heaved a breath, then stared contemptuously at where Bruin was kneeling on the ground.

"He still needs to learn how to defend himself."

"My Lady was seconds away from receiving a practical lesson in what Bruin is capable of." And now there was a smoldering in the air, and it seemed like Lux's dark hair held a fiery halo. "But that is, in fact, the goal of today's coven meeting, which I was about to invite him to."

"I should like to see this."