Page 101 of The Witch and The Blood Oath

“I didn’t get it before,” he said, “when you cut things off between us, I didn’t understand, but I do now.”

“Didn’t understand?” I repeated. “What—”

“I hung around you like a lost puppy,” he continued, “and I’m sorry. I should’ve respected the distance you wanted. I understand now how you feel.”

I sputtered for words.

“It’s okay,” he murmured. “You’re a witch. I should’ve known. I should’ve listened.”

My frustration swelled. “What are you talking about? You’re always accusing witches of being vague but listen to yourself!”

As I pushed him to clarify, dread reared its ugly head.

You’re a witch. I should’ve known.

“Witches don’t believe in love,” he said quietly. I held my breath. “You’ll never feel what I feel. You can’t.”

Tears pricked my eyes.

Did Walker…did Walker love me?

“I shouldn’t have expected you to tell me your plan just because I would’ve,” he continued, as if his confession hadn’t just exposed every raw nerve in my body. “You’re a witch. You’re a Coven Mother. I finally get it now, and I won’t expect otherwise from you. I won’t keep pushing for you to let me in.”

Speech failed me. I wanted to tell him he was wrong, but I couldn’t form the words. I wasn’t sure they were the truth.

Witches didn’t fall in love.

The sea of emotion that threatened to drown me every time he smiled or touched me or called me sweetheart had to be something else.

“I only ask,” he continued, “that you help me keep Cady safe. I know you never intended for anything bad to happen to her, but I-I can’t lose her, Freya. Ican’t.”

I nodded like a puppet on strings. My movements were mechanical and controlled by muscle memory alone. Far above, I floated from my own body and tried to come to terms with Walker’s words.

“Nothing else will happen to her,” I vowed. It was one thing in this mess of a conversation I could be sure of. “I swear on the Goddess to protect her at all costs.”

Walker stared at me, and I realized this was my chance to say more. This was the moment to tell him he was wrong. This was the time for me to confess I had only kept my call to the High Witch secret from him because I had been afraid he wouldn’t look at me the same way he did now, not because I didn’t care about him enough to tell him.

As Walker turned toward the others, I opened my mouth to confess the truth, but my courage died on my tongue. I followed him back to Cadence and Ryder in silence.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Walker

“Guys!” Cady called. “I know how we’re going to get Elle back.”

I steadied myself and walked toward Cady and Ryder, but I swore Freya’s hands shook at her sides. Had my honesty been enough to rattle her, or was she still shaken by guilt?

Not your concern,I reminded myself.

As soon as we neared the others, Cadence spoke, and I shut down all thoughts about the red-haired witch beside me or how she hadn’t disagreed when I said she didn’t love me.

Yep,I thought,pushing that heartache aside for later.

“It’s going to require a visit to some old friends,” she said with a sly grin.

Old friends,I pondered.

Freya gasped. “You’re a genius, Cadence Reid.”

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