Page 142 of Traitor Witch

There's already a saddlebag packed on the bed, but I ignore it in favour of the bathroom. I rush through my shower, only allowing myself a few minutes under the spray to wash the sweat off my skin before I step out and pull on a short, wispy dress and a set of ass-kicking boots, complete with built in knife sheaths. All black, all designed to help me blend with the darkness if I need to.

I add a few more weapons, then survey what's been left out for me on the bed. A handful of moon shaped amulets, carved from bone and charged with power, have been laid out on the sheets. I tuck them into one of the pockets on my belt for later before turning my attention to the bags.

Of course, that means evicting Opal, who's taken my shower as her cue to curl up on top of them for a nap.

Her disgruntled grumbles fill my ears as I rifle through the contents, but I ignore her. Eventually, she hops up onto my neck, claws digging in to punish me for waking her up.

Food. A spare set of clothes. A cloak. Water. All the standard things for a long journey. But there's one last thing I can't leave without. I abandon the bag and turn my attention to the chest at the bottom of the bed.

No matter how much I dig through the junk inside, Glenna's athame isn't there.

The stone doesn't have time to fully settle in my stomach before a quiet voice cuts through the silence.

"Looking for this?"

Reva's standing in the doorway, twirling Glenna's athame in her hands with a thoughtful expression.

I snatch the blade away from her and start checking it over, my glower letting her know exactly what I think of her taking it.

Why did she take it? And where? How long had it been gone? I can't see anything different about it. Perhaps it's a little cleaner, she's definitely had it sharpened. The moonstones in the handle are definitely brighter.

I can't believe she took it just to get it cleaned out of the goodness of her heart. If she'd taken all my knives, maybe it would have been plausible, but just the athame and none of my other blades? But I already know she won't tell me anything if I ask. Reva is as cagey and stubborn as I am.

No, I'm going to have to figure it out for myself.

She ignores my expression and moves further into the room, closing the door behind her. "A blood-tainted athame isn't the traditional weapon for a Shadow."

"I'm not going to use it—"

"Maybe you should."

I frown. "What do you mean?"

"You want to know why Glenna chose to lie to you, don't you? The weapon that killed her will have enough links to her soul. You could call her back. Ask the questions which no oneelse will ever know the answer to. A summoned spirit can tell no lies."

"She's got a point,"Opal murmurs in my ear. "There's so much Petra doesn't know. Glenna might know how to get to the Queen without using the pirates."

"No." I can't keep the snap out of my voice and I have to work hard to dial back my anger before continuing, "High Priestesses are never called back. Even if they are traitors."

Reva shrugs. "If you're sure. A weapon infused and bound with the spirit of a powerful witch who owed you a debt would be..."

"Blasphemous."

"Powerful," she counters. "You realise the reason Glenna taught her coven that summoning the spirits of past witches was wrong was because ancient witches would have denounced her."

"Doesn't matter."

My tone doesn't invite discussion, but Reva continues, "If you don't want to use it, you should probably leave it behind. It's dead weight, after all."

That's common sense... but still.

"It comes with me."

Even if I don't even understand my own reasons. Glenna betrayed me. The letters proved it. Carrying around her athame is a pointless reminder of that betrayal.

But it feels like a kick to the gut just thinking about leaving it behind.

Reva wisely decides to drop the conversation. She runs a hand through her short hair and sighs. "Your broom is waiting for you by the statue of the goddesses. Everyone's come to wish you luck."