Page 155 of The Black Witch

Auralie, a heavyset girl with hair escaping her bun at odd angles, has a look in her eyes similar to Ariel—not quite there. And her baby looks stressed and too thin.

It’s easy to match the other children with their mothers. I pick out the neatly attired, well-behaved children and mentally match them to Liesbeth. To Auralie, I match the disheveled twin boys with tense faces.

“We know your aunt quite well,” Liesbeth tells me, beaming. “She’s a great ally to our father on the Mage Council—they’re of one mind about practicallyeverything.”

I stiffen at the mention of Aunt Vyvian, wondering when my aunt will finally tire of sending a steady stream of letters and sporadic gifts to get me to wandfast. I fear it’s only a matter of time before she shifts tactics once more.

“Aunt Linnie!” the little girl cuts in, tugging at Aislinn’s skirts. “When are you coming to visit? We got a kitten!”

Aislinn sets her hand on the child’s shoulder and smiles down at her. “That’s wonderful, Erin. I love kittens, you know that.”

“I baked your favorite cookies, Linnie.” Liesbeth pulls back the blue cloth that covers a woven basket she’s carrying. “You’re welcome to have some, too, Elloren.”

Aislinn’s smile instantly becomes as strained as mine as we glance down at the traditional Gardnerian harvest cookies. They’re in the shape of Icaral wings. Before eating them, it’s customary to first break the wings in two, symbolic of the breaking of the wings of the Evil Ones by the Gardnerian First Children. I’ve eaten these cookies hundreds of times and performed the breaking ritual mindlessly. Now all I can think about is Wynter. And Ariel, too—thrown into a cage when she was only a child.

The children grab at the cookies and snap them noisily.

“I can do it louder than you,” little Erin taunts one of the boys good-naturedly. She breaks the wings with a deft snap.

Aislinn flinches at the sound of it. She shoots me a troubled look, and then her eyes go wide. She’s staring at something past me, her face panicked.

Curious, I turn to follow her gaze.

It’s Jarod, leaning against a far wall, watching us.

Aislinn’s sisters immediately notice Aislinn’s rattled expression, stop smiling and follow her gaze, as well.

“Is that...” Liesbeth whispers, horrified, “...theLupine male?”

Auralie gasps, and both sisters touch their heads, then their hearts, as they murmur the familiar prayer:

Oh, Most Holy Ancient One, purify our minds, purify our hearts, purify Erthia. Protect us from the stain of the Evil Ones.

Liesbeth turns to Aislinn, concerned. “Has he been bothering you, Linnie?”

“No,” Aislinn protests, her brow furrowing tightly. “No, he stays away from me.”

“Is he still in that class you’re taking?” Liesbeth presses worriedly. “I remember how scared you were to have him there.”

“He leaves me alone,” Aislinn insists, her voice strained. “It turns out he hasn’t the slightest interest in me.”

“But he’s quite wild-looking, isn’t he?” Auralie breathes, peering over at Jarod, who hasn’t moved.

“Look at his eyes,” Liesbeth exclaims. “They’re positively inhuman!”

Aislinn glances over at me, horrified, knowing as well as I do that Jarod can hear every word of this conversation. He’s turned away, his face expressionless.

“Take great care, Linnie,” Auralie warns Aislinn, her tone hushed. “Lupine males...they have no respect for women. Father says they’re like animals. All they can think about is dragging women off into the woods and...”

Jarod abruptly walks out.

“Oh, good, he’s leaving,” Auralie says, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. She pats Aislinn on the shoulder comfortingly. “There, Linnie, he’s gone. You can relax now.”

“Thank the Ancient One,” Liesbeth says, echoing the sentiment.

“Mommy, who was the man with the strange eyes?” Aislinn’s niece asks.

“A very bad man,” Liesbeth says, hugging the child soothingly. “But he’s gone now, sweetheart, so you needn’t worry.”

---