Page 79 of The Spell Caster

“Okay. Good. How is he?” Costi asked, pacing away. He’d been with me for the story’s unfolding. My dad’s slow decline in health over my childhood. How I missed someone I never really knew but wanted to honor the good man he was now.

“My mother left him. She’s living with Cedar Grey.”

“What?” His lips twisted in a sneer. “What’s with Junior, then, some kind of twisted stepsister thing? That’s fucked up.”

My guts flipped over. I hadn’t actually considered that Mother might be involved with the councilor, even though that was the most logical explanation. “She was the one pushing me at him in the first place.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Costi said gruffly, throwing his arms across his chest. “He’s not getting you, and she’s not getting anywhere near you.”

I warmed with his protectiveness.

“Is he okay? Your dad?”

I considered. “I think so. He’s sad, though. He still loves my mother. And… he’s convinced we can’t win.”

“Win the war, you mean? Why’s that?”

“I don’t know. He can’t tell me. It almost seems like he knows something important, but…”

Costi nodded, looking off into the woods in consideration. He knew my dad couldn’t distinguish reality very well these days, that details got muddled in his mind.

“If we’re going to the meeting, we should go,” I said.

He made a noise that might have been agreement but didn’t move. “Layla.” His voice stopped me as I turned to go. “Thank you.”

***

No one noticed us slipping in late—the chamber was in chaos. Costi used his intimidating body to make way for us through the crowd.

Quince shouted from the dais, “We were elected to discuss these matters. Please let us do our jobs.”

I moved in front of Costi so I could see. He stayed behind me, not touching, but close enough to haul me out of harm’s way.

“I didn’t elect you!” a witch shouted back, straining toward the platform. He was being restrained by two others. “You think you’re gonna dissolve the Saltmarsh Council like you did Northern Sea? Think again.”

Quince held up his hands, stepping back. “I know you’re angry. You’ve lost people—”

“He’s angry because we’re sitting ducks, and you Arcaenum people aren’t doing a fated thing!” a robed spell caster I didn’t know yelled above the clamor of voices.

“We are doing all we can—”

“Like Hell you are!”

Cedar Grey stepped up on the dais, clasping Quince’s arm and saying something to him. The gathered witches moved restlessly, hurling questions at the councilors.

“If I could have everyone’s attention,” Grey boomed. The crowd shifted slightly, some settling down. “I am Cedar Grey, councilor for the Mountain Circle Arcaenum. Due to the extraordinary situation we find ourselves in, we haven’t had adequate time to address concerns. We will do so now, in an orderly manner.” He stressed the word orderly, glaring out at the witches. “I’ll thank you to allow the assembly leader to continue.”

“Thank you, Councilor.” Quince straightened his black robes. “We will proceed as if this were a public meeting, with concerns being voiced one by one, giving the councilors the option to provide additional information. Since this wasn’t a planned meeting, we will hold on any decisions, but we will make official note of all concerns and go through the voting process next time.”

“If the Mountain Council could join us on the dais,” Grey said. “Again, I ask for order,” he called out, as sharp protests accompanied the councilors stepping forward. I counted a dozen members, including Rhodes. Someone brought her a folding chair to sit in front of the others, who remained standing.

It was already getting overly warm and humid in the room, witches fanning themselves.

“This is gonna be brutal,” Costi said, echoing my thoughts.

When the Arcaenum was in place, Quince invited the first person to speak. It was the angry witch, now calmed down a bit. His companions had released him, and he settled into the familiar pattern of speaking at a public meeting.

“I’m Branch Lowri,” he growled through gritted teeth. “Water engineer and councilor for the Saltmarsh Circle. My concern is that our elected Council will be dissolved, leaving us without representation.”

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