Page 22 of The Silent Mountain (Under the Werewolf Crown #2)

twenty-two

The New Witch

*ALANA*

A s promised, Aza and our other guests have stayed until Erin, the witch, arrived. If I had doubts about this, they are chased away the moment I see the woman approaching with some of our warriors. They made sure she could ride on horseback while they accompanied her on foot. She has her luggage with her, and genuinely looks like she wants to be here, and there is something so gentle about her.

What’s even more telling is the way she and Azadeh hug each other. “My dear child,” Erin says. “I am so pleased to see you so well and flourishing.”

“Thank you for coming, Erin,” Aza says.

“I just had to,” she explains. “My work in my previous town was done anyway, and I was just waiting for a new task to present itself.” She turns to look at Favian, our ranked members and me. Her eyes sparkle, despite the others looking either tentative, at best, or hostile at worst.

“Pull it together,” I whisper towards Ludwig, who looks less than pleased.

Favian has put up his stoic front as expected, but Erin doesn’t seem to be scared. Together with Azadeh, she walks towards us and greets us in a friendly manner.

“I imagined you older,” Elio says, curiosity in his voice. “They emphasized that you are very old.”

He isn’t wrong. I thought Erin would look like a grandma, but in fact, she looks more like a middle-aged woman.

“My,” Erin chuckles. “Who said that?”

“I did,” Aza says. “But then, you did look slightly different when we met.”

“Well, most of us witches like to maintain a certain look once we are old,” Erin explains. “I had enough of looking like an old woman, so I changed my appearance slightly. I still look old enough, don’t I?”

“I certainly recognized you,” Aza reassures her.

“You don’t look a year older than fifty,” Stefan says. I am not sure if that was supposed to be a compliment or a teasing remark. Sometimes, it shows that these men haven’t interacted much with anyone over the last couple of years. It reflects in the way Favian is highly suspicious of everyone, in how Stefan misses the right tone occasionally, and also in how protective Theo is of Elio. It even shows, in the way Elio throws tantrums sometimes, and is overwhelmed by his emotions. And now in the way they ought to talk to Erin. Erin, however, just looks amused.

“Well, thank you,” she says. “What a charming middle-aged man you are yourself.”

Aza looks like she is holding back her laughter while Tynan just grins shamelessly. Stefan doesn’t seem to mind, fortunately. We get interrupted, much to my relief, finally getting the tension out of the situation. Theodor, who went to fetch Cassie, returns with her in tow.

The young woman literally squeals when she sees Erin. “She is a real witch, isn’t she? And she isn’t scared of me? She won’t kick me out!”

“Such a sweetheart,” Erin says with a smile. “You must be Cassie, darling.”

Cassie immediately seems to take a liking to her like a lost pup. It’s endearing and a bit sad. She starts babbling immediately, telling Erin her whole life story. “I see we have a lot to talk about,” Erin says gently.

“Why don’t you settle in first?” Favian says. “Theodor here is one of my best warriors. He and my brother, Elio, will assist you in your tasks and show you around.”

“Oh!” Cassie claps her hands. “You will like Elio, Erin. He is so cute.”

I could swear Favian’s vein starts to pulsate, but he keeps his cool. He really has a brother complex. I wonder how it would be if we had children one day. Will he be as overprotective of them as he is of his little brother? I can see it with my inner eye for a moment: a little princess and a little prince in Favian’s arms. My ovaries!

I shake my head to get that silly picture out of my head. We haven’t even marked each other yet, and I am not ready for children right now!

Once Erin has left with Cassie and Elio, our guests bid their goodbyes as well. “Well, we did as promised,” Aza says before giving Favian and me a hug. “We will research in our kingdom as well. Don’t forget to contact Flinn, who is currently in the human realm.”

“I will,” I say. “And the moment we know something, we will reach out to you.”

“Remember,” Cù Sìth’s voice can be heard next to us all of a sudden. “The mare is not from this realm. Be careful. Keep an eye on the birds.”

“We are contemplating following them,” Favian tells him.

“Yes,” Cù Sìth says thoughtfully. “Not a bad idea, but dangerous.”

“We cannot wait for danger to come to us,” Favian says, and for once, I think all of us agree. “Do you know where they are coming from?”

Cù Sìth gazes in the direction of the ocean. “I am a creature wandering the lands, not the sea,” he says. “But there is a strong presence I can feel from the ocean, many miles from land, where the sun meets the water and it sparkles like crystals.”

We stay silent for a moment. “Well, I am sure with that precise explanation of direction, they will find their enemies in less than a day,” Shayan finally says in his usually calm voice, but there is a hint of amusement in it.

“I am no compass,” Cù Sìth says. “Most deities and mythical creatures are like me.”

“It’s still better than nothing,” Favian says. “Thank you for your help, Harbinger.”

Cù Sìth lowers his head in acknowledgment of his thanks before leading the path down the mountains. I hug my friends one more time, even Shayan, whom I don’t know too well. “He really likes you,” I whisper as quietly as I can. “His emotions overwhelm him sometimes. The littlest sign or word from you will already mean something to him.”

“I know,” Shayan mutters in return, surprising me by not being upset at me butting into his relationship. “I will try to open up more, and I will watch out for him.”

I smile in relief. “Sorry for interfering. It’s none of my business.”

“No, it’s alright,” he says. “In return, here is a piece of advice from me, who has served many kings. You bring him peace and hope. You already are his queen. That’s your position in these lands.”

“And my responsibility,” I add quietly.

He nods. “Peace is feeble here. If something happens to you, they will lose their hope and their king. Just keep that in mind.”

“I will.”

The others must have noticed we are talking about something privately because they eye us curiously, though none of them ask any questions, showing once more why I love my family and friends so much. I stand there together with Favian until I can’t see them on the horizon anymore, with my heart a little heavy from having to say goodbye.

Favian hugs me gently. “They are always welcome to visit,” he says softly. “Anytime. And you can visit too, you know?”

“I know,” I say. “I am just bad with any type of goodbyes. I think I should throw myself into work to distract myself.”

“How about we take the horses instead?” Favian suggests. “Go for a ride. I promised you to steal you away for an hour or maybe two. It’s time to act on that promise. When we return, Erin should have settled in, and we can talk to her.”

“Can we really do that?” I ask hopefully. “Do we have time for a ride?”

“I think it’s okay to allow ourselves this little break,” he says with a smile.

It feels like a dream as we saddle the horses and set off. It’s been so long since we’ve spent time like this, and just casually strolling through the wintry landscape with him feels magical. We pick up our pace when we reach a vast snowfield before slowing down again.

“So, how am I doing?” Favian asks me. “I am not as good as you are, but I hope I have improved my horse riding a little?”

“You are actually pretty good,” I reassure him. “Good control over your horse without pushing it too much, and your posture is also good. Your legwork could do with some improvement.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound too bad,” he says with a smile. “I am sure I will get better when we do this regularly.”

“Do you like it?” I ask. “You can tell me if you only do it to humor me.”

“No, I actually find it really relaxing, almost meditative,” he says. “It makes me focus on my horse and my surroundings, and takes my mind off more difficult topics.”

“Then, let’s make sure to do this regularly,” I offer.

Favian nods his agreement. Unfortunately, time passes too quickly, and we have to return to the clan and our duties, although I feel refreshed with a new spurt of motivation. Once back home, I help Favian with cleaning our horses and feeding them properly before we’re finally ready to meet Erin.

*FAVIAN*

Alana’s cheeks are colored a light red from the cold wind and the outdoor activity. She looks so fresh, healthy and happy that it warms my heart. I truly need to ensure that we schedule more activities and dates into our daily life, despite our responsibilities.

Erin has settled into a small cottage I had prepared for her, and it seems like she has immediately started to mentor Cassie, explaining to her the various spices and potions she brought along. Cassie herself seems to be full of motivation, carrying a little book around which she constantly makes notes in.

“It’s been a long time since I had such a diligent student,” Erin says kindly. She turns to look at me. “I also heard you captured a mare.”

“Yes, we are keeping it away from clan grounds,” I tell her.

“I would like to see it,” she says. “Also, the dead birds you have kept.”

Her words are very much to my liking. She seems to be ready to get to work immediately. “Could you take a look at Barbara as well?” Alana asks.

Erin looks at her curiously. “Barbara?”

“She is one of our warriors,” Alana explains. “And currently sick. She has been in bed the whole day, but I think she hasn’t been feeling well for longer.”

“That’s very unusual for shifters,” Erin says, surprised. “Did a doctor look at her?”

“Yes, but he can’t find the root of her sickness,” Alana says.

“If you want, we can go to her right away,” Erin offers.

I have been listening to their exchange in silence and decide to follow them to Barbara. Whenever I am in the vicinity of a witch, I can’t help but feel particularly tentative and distrustful. Cassie and Alana walk ahead while Erin adapts her pace to mine. “King Favian,” she says quietly. “I know you don’t trust me.”

“I don’t,” I answer honestly. “But it doesn’t mean I am not thankful for your help.”

“I wouldn’t trust a witch either, after what Penelope did to you,” she says.

“Did you know her?”

“No, she was never one of my pupils. The only witch with dark powers I mentored is the one working for the werewolf kingdom, and she is very trustworthy. Other than her, I mainly mentored and taught young witches like Cassie.”

“So, you are more of a healer and advisor?” I ask.

“Precisely.” She turns to look at me. “If it helps you, I will pledge my loyalty to you,” she says seriously.

“That’s a big step for a witch,” I point out. “It would bind you to my kingdom and punish you with death if you betray us.”

“Yes,” she says. “But, it’s the least I can do after a witch brought so much destruction upon you. You don’t need to trust me yet,” she tells me. “Trust is earned.”

“Azadeh pledged for you,” I say. “And her words matter to me.”

“The Princess of the Sun,” Erin says with a smile, indicating she truly knows about Azadeh, and also verifying that Aza must have trusted her to reveal herself to her. “Your very own Warrior Princess is also one of a kind,” she adds, glancing at Alana.

“I would do anything to protect her,” I say with finality in my voice. “I would kill and wreak havoc over whoever hurts her.”

“Let’s make sure to keep her and your clan safe,” Erin says. “So, you won’t need to do anything drastic. Don’t you agree?”

I furrow my brows, wondering what she is trying to say. I feel like she is lecturing me, but it’s hard to put my finger on it. There is no time to enquire further, though, because we have reached Frederick’s cottage. He is currently keeping Barbara with him to make sure she gets treated. One look at his worried expression tells me everything I need to know.

“She is not better?” I ask quietly.

“No, in fact, I would say that her fever got higher,” Frederick mutters. “I am worried, Your Highness.”

I turn to Erin. “Please, take a look at her.”

“Of course.” Erin grabs her bag and takes Cassie’s hand. “Come, sweetheart, introduce me to your friend.”

Alana and I wait at the door, not wanting to intrude too much. We only stare into the room to see for ourselves how Barbara is coping. Frederick is right. She is not looking better at all. Her face is ashen and sweaty, and she looks exhausted. She is coughing slightly and clearly battling some sort of infection. She readily complies with Erin’s examination, although it seems to exhaust her further. Her eyes light up, though, when she sees us.

“Alana,” she whispers.

“Barbara.” Alana steps into the room, smiling warmly. “When I checked on you earlier, you were asleep. We didn’t want to invade your privacy.”

“You are not,” Barbara reassures us. “I am so happy to see you. Such an honor.”

“We just want you to get better as soon as possible,” I say. “You and your strength are very much missed.”

My words seem to have made her happy for a moment. However, my optimism doesn’t remain high, as I study Erin. She has a worried frown on her forehead while inspecting Barbara’s arm. “How long have you had these, my child?” she asks.

Barbara gazes at her arm. “I don’t know.”

Erin turns to look at Frederick, who steps closer. “They appeared earlier today,” he says.

I frown at his words, stepping closer to see what they are talking about. On the pale skin of Barbara’s arms are small black dots, and her veins seem to be more prominent.

“I was thinking it might be something in her blood,” Frederick says. “An infection.”

“Did you take some of it to test it?” Erin asks.

“Not yet,” Frederick says. “To be honest, it’s not the type of practice we have here, and I have been away from work for too many years.”

“It’s no issue,” Erin reassures him. “This is my field of work. Do you mind if I take some of your blood, Barbara?”

“If this means you can find what’s wrong with me, then take all you need,” Barbara says.

Alana and I exchange a worried look before stepping out of the hut again, to give Erin room to do what needs to be done and maybe ask Barbara some more personal questions.

“What do you think?” Alana asks me quietly. “What’s wrong with her?”

“Honestly,” I mutter. “I don’t know.”