Page 41 of Their Witch Bride

He’s still staring, waiting for me to say something, so I scramble to talk about anything other than what I was just saying to Wisp. “Whose territory is this?”

My heart hopes he answers me instead of riding faster and ignoring me like they’ve been doing this whole trip. Not that the question is particularly significant – I just like the idea of him actually talking to me. Connecting with me in some way. Plus, a conversation with him might help me determine how much of what I said to Wisp he heard.

His green eyes hold mine for a long moment, and, to my surprise, he answers. “These are my lands. Pack Talon territory. You’ll live here most of the year.” His gaze moves ahead of us. Figures. He hasn’t looked at me much since I doused him with water and tried to help dry him off. A moment ago must have been a one-off.

But I don’t care, I’m just glad he’s talking to me, and I’m going to take advantage of this moment for as long as he lets me. “How many people live here? Is it a tight-knit community? That’s how it is with my coven. Everybody knows everybody, and it’s kind of awful, really, so I’m hoping it’s different here.”

He clears his throat, and I think he’s considering not answering, but he does. “About five thousand people live there.”

Five thousand?

“Really? I’ve never been in a town so big. That’s a lot of new people to meet!” I exclaim. With five thousand people, I might not be lonely. I might find some friends if they can get past me being a witch. I might not be the town fool here either. Part of me hopes they already have one. I’d love to blend into the background and go about my life.

“Is everyone here a shifter?” That adorable little boy was, and his wolf was even cuter than his human form. Is the school full of cubs or kids? Oh, I bet it’s a blast to be around them all.

“Different kinds of magical beings live here. But, yes, the vast majority are shifters.” His tone says he’s done answering questions.

That’s okay. It was progress! Progress is all we really need.

Besides, I’ve learned a lot from such a short conversation. A town of five thousand with all kinds of magical beings? This place is the opposite of where I’m from in the best of ways. My mom has always said that outside of shifters, monsters, and monster hunters, other supernaturals are useful. Still not allowed in the Witch Kingdom, but useful. I’m excited to meet them. And since I doubt there will be any witches here, there’s no one to compare me to. It’s a strange but exciting notion. Maybe I’ll even make a friend that doesn’t pop in and out of my world at their whim.

The horses slow. I lean out the window once more and see that the castle is right in front of us. And to my surprise, there are no wall around the castle. I don’t understand. How do they keep the lesser witches out? Aren’t these lands full of monsters? How do they protect themselves?

There’s only a short distance between the castle itself and the large town beyond it. The people could just… walk beneath the portcullis and strut right into the courtyard. My mother would never allow a castle to be built like this. Yes, it has watchtowers on the four corners, but you lose a massive line of defense not having a wall.

Could it be that these shifters feel safer than we witches do? The notion is strange and uncomfortable to me for reasons I don’t understand.

The castle doesn’t look as… archaic as I expected it to either. I wasn’t honestly even sure if they’d have running water or toilets here, based on the little I know about shifter daily life. My mom always said that if knowledge of the shifters doesn’t help us kill them, it’s not useful. But this castle? It looks well-maintained and not that dissimilar from our castles.

Interesting.

I turn my thoughts away from the building itself, and my mind starts turning over what happens from here. Will we all share a room? Or will I get my own room?

Glancing around, all I see are male shifters on horses and male shifters guarding the castle. It’s weird to see so many men. I’d almost forgotten that women don’t run everything here. But are there even any other women around anywhere?

Is this place like an ancient civilization, run by men where women do all the heavy lifting when it comes to the household? Do I have to cook and clean? Or do shifters have servants to do those things in the castle? I know there were servants on the trip, but I haven’t quite figured out my place in this society yet.

There’s motion near my carriage door. I glance out and see that Prince Arlys is near my window again and that Prince Drogo has dropped back to ride beside him. Every muscle in my body tenses, and I lean closer, hoping to catch whatever I can from their conversation.

And, unfortunately, Prince Drogo doesn’t make me wait long. “I hope our Princess is ready for her cell.”

“A cell?” And I realize I’ve spoken the words aloud.

Glancing outside, I realize that they’re both looking at me, and I can’t tell what they’re thinking, other than that it’s not great. So, while I was worried about servants and making friends with other women, I should have been worried about being imprisoned.

Damn it.

I slide down in my seat, so no one can see me through the window. My stomach aches and I have the overwhelming urge to start crying. Every stage of this journey there’s been more to learn and more to fear.

Who would’ve thought the unknown was worse than my little life back with the witches?

I mean, I hope he’s joking. Keeping me as a prisoner isn’t exactly enforcing the treaty in good faith. I know that much logically, but I also know that now that they have me, they can do whatever they want with me.

Which is oh so comforting.

FIFTEEN

Tara

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