Page 5 of Destiny of the Witch

‘I’m going to help you,’ I promised. ‘I’ll brew something tonight. Can I take some blood?’

She nodded, watching me calmly as I pulled out a small syringe and some blood tubes from my bag. ‘Can you turn onto your tummy?’ I asked softly. ‘Or shall I move you?’ It is easier to take blood from an animal when they are in sternal recumbency.

She rolled onto her stomach with a visible effort. Because she was a familiar – and clever enough to lie still – I didn’t need anyone to restrain her. I took her right forepaw and located the cephalic vein. ‘Hold still,’ I murmured.

She sat patiently, watching me with intelligent eyes as I carefully placed the tip of the syringe into her vein and drew back the plunger. When it was full of blood, I removed the needle and bandaged her little forepaw. She lolled back onto her side and her eyes slid shut again.

‘Lucille?’ I asked in panic.

Her eyes opened again.Tired.The voice in my head wasn’t my own.

I’d never heard of a familiar communicating with anyone other than their bonded. I stared at her, my heart racing in panic at the state of her and the intrusion of the unknown voice in my head, which I knew somehow wasLucille’s. It shouldn’t be possible, but the fact that she was trying to speak to me showed how desperate things were.

Bastion stepped out of the lounge. ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, looking around. His hands had shifted into claws, ready to rip into whoever had caused the distress that had rippled down our bond.

‘Lucille,’ I said finally. My voice dropped even lower as I voiced my fears. ‘I don’t think she has long left.’

Bastion’s lips tightened. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘I need to do something,’ I said desperately. ‘I need to help her.’

His claws shifted back into hands and he pulled me into an embrace. ‘You can’t save everyone, Bambi.’ He kissed my forehead.

He didn’t need to tell me that: my failures with Abigay and Melva were fresh in my mind. But I had saved Ria from black mordis, and I could save Lucille from whatever this was. I couldn’t –wouldn’t– fail again. ‘I can try,’ I argued.

‘You can try,’ he agreed. His confidence settled around me like a cloak. He had no doubt that if there was a way to save Lucille I would find it. Something in me eased. I might have failed Mum – this time – but I wouldn’t fail Lucille. But for now, I needed to move. I had work to do.

‘Dick Symes has called in his second favour,’ I said.

‘I’m not ready to see his dick again,’Bastion complained.

It was enough to make me smile. ‘I think that’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.’

‘We can hope.’

‘He wants me to use some truth runes on someone.’

‘On whom?’

‘That remains to be seen.’

‘I’ll get the others.’ Bastion released me and went back into the sitting room. I let him go; I couldn’t face Mum again just now, not when I was feeling so raw. I couldn’t see that polite smile directed at me one more damned time.

Oscar, Benji and Frogmatch followed Bastion out moments later. Grief was written across Oscar’s face, and it was enough to make me pull him in for a hug. He clung to me for a long moment and there were tears in his eyes when he pulled back.

‘It is hard for you to see her that way,’ Benji said softly. ‘When she does not know you.’

I nodded, a lump in my throat. ‘Yes,’ I managed. ‘It is.’

Benji reached out and touched both my shoulder and Oscar’s with gentle sympathy, ‘I’m sorry.’ There was something so simple and true about his comfort that it shot right to the heart of me and my eyes filledagain. I hated it. No matter the new spin Bastion had tried to put on crying, I’d never be a tearful person and I didn’t want to be. Especially not in front of others. It was a vulnerability I simply couldn’t afford right now.

Oscar patted Benji’s hand before squeezing and releasing it, then he cleared his throat. Just like that, all signs of grief were gone, wiped from his face and shoved behind a carefully crafted mask of indifference. If only it was as easy to erase grief from our hearts as it was from our faces. Oscar took out the car keys and led the way out of the safe house.

Frogmatch was riding on Benji’s shoulder, but he swung across to sit on mine. He pressed a kiss to my cheek then, before I could do or say anything, he skittered down and disappeared into the car. I didn’t know what it meant that the imp was trying to comfort me, but it felt good. I had been so long without friends that every single one was now a wonderful gift.

Bastion waited patiently for me whilst I gave Lucille one last pat. When I stood to go, Mum was in the doorway. ‘You must destroy the harkan, Amber, no matter the consequences.’ Her eyes were full of passion and fire.

‘Mum!’ I ran to her and threw my arms around her before she could leave me again.

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