Page 135 of Traitor Witch

"Are we certain that Lily is doing it by choice?" I ask. "She could be being coerced."

"No. She may have been a Solar, but she was never weak..." Sophie stares off into the horizon, eyes raking the sea. "I'm not certain of her motives, but there is a chance—No. The speculation of an old woman helps no one. Avoid her, Nilsa. The Goddess did not call for her death, not yet. Perhaps simply killing the Eagle of Galmere, the root of the problem, will be sufficient to let the exile see the error of her ways."

My eyes follow hers to the waves. "When I was travelling here, I met another exile..."

"Alletta," Sophie says. "She is a strange one. Perhaps the only one still living who is as old as Lily."

"She summoned the power of both Goddesses."

The lost, vacant expression that took over Sophie's face is gone in an instant. "Such things are not to be spoken of."

I'm not giving up that easily. "We were always taught that calling on both was impossible. That the Goddesses would strike us down for trying."

"That is all you need to know."

"It's not the truth though, is it?"

Sophie clams up, the impassiveness icing over her features. "It must be enough. Do not dwell on a strange rogue at the edge of the world, Nilsa. Focus on the Queen, the threat she poses, and your duty to your Goddess." A soft smile plays at the edge of her lips. "And try not to be too hard on Petra. Remember, I have to deal with her on a daily basis once you've finished riling her up."

I recognise the dismissal for what it is. I stand and bow, leaving my half-eaten meal on the table beside Petra's.

If I'm getting more sigils, I'll just end up fighting to keep the food down in a few hours, anyway.

I find myself wandering away from the gathered crowd as I contemplate what I've just learned. Although my soul is starved for the simple, easy companionship of a Lunar coven, my mind is starting to doubt witches as a whole.

Sophie's reticence to share her thoughts would have been an understandable side-effect of being a High Priestess to me, less than a month ago.

Now that Glenna and Danika have outright manipulated and lied to me, I'm not quite so trusting.

The Goddesses might be divine, but their servants keep secrets. I can't decide if Sophie is trying to protect her witches, or is just another high priestess who wants me to kill on command.

Ugh. Life was so much simpler before I left Coveton.

"I don't think these people mean to use us like that."Opal twines around my feet, drawing me out of my thoughts enough that I realise I've gravitated to the railing looking out over the damned sea without meaning to."Petra wouldn't have told us about your harem if that was the case. A Lunar alone is much easier to control, which is why Glenna kept them secret from you."

"But there are things they're not telling us." Big things.

"So has everyone we've met."Opal's dry words are not what I want to hear, but they're true."Even your harem was lying to us.I'm not saying we trust them about everything, but Petra is a Shadow. At the very least, we can learn from her. We have to kill the Queen, anyway. She manipulated us and Glenna. Not to mention the fae bargain she holds over your males.”

"When we've killed the Queen, I want to look into Alletta and this 'Alchemist.'” I stare out over the waves as I absently scratch her ears. "I want to judge for myself if it's something they should be keeping from the other witches."

"Maybe we can learn something about it from Petra?"

"If she doesn't kill me first."

Chapter Thirty-Six

RYSEN

“We have no choice," Nos mumbles. "The bargain will compel Val to sail soon, whether he wants to or not."

The mage in question has been pacing the lower deck for hours. Waiting. Searching. Like the rest of us.

Our mate is gone. There's no trace of her around the coast. It's almost like we imagined her, except her perfect scent still lingers everywhere on the ship.

Teasing me with the future Valorean destroyed.

We've all taken our turn yelling at him for his stupidity. Even Cas, who hasn't managed to shift back since we lost her, stuck his scaly head out of the water to roar in Valorean's face.