Page 31 of Guarded By the Orc

Tabitha’s eyebrows flew up immediately and she leaned forward toward me with a small glare. “You werealwayspart of our coven, Zara. The most important part.”

I frowned before shaking my head. “No, it’s fine. You don’t have to lie to me. My powers wereunpredictable, I know. But since I was taken, I’ve learned to focus them better and I’m going to train harder—”

Tabitha shook her head, leaning forward to take my hand, her expression fierce. “No, Zara, you don’t understand. You werethe reasonwe had a coven. Your mother formed the covenfor you.”

My lips parted and I froze, shock filling my body. “What?” I gasped, shaking my head and looking between the women I’d grown up with.

“She knew that they would come for you,” Floria whispered, taking my other hand into hers. “And that you’d need protection in case anything happened to her.”

Hanna nodded, putting her own hand onto Tabitha’s shoulder. Tasia linked her fingers with Hanna and Floria’s free hands. Gabbi was asleep in her new bed, having worn herself out with excitement.

We formed a circle now, all connected, and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “I thought—” I started, my voice getting watery until I cleared my throat. “I thought that you formed the coven to do magick together,” I whispered, searching their faces.

One by one, these females had become a part of my family. Tasia had been the last, and I was closest to her age, but even then, I’d always thought I was apart from them. But was that because they’d wanted it that way or becauseI’dkept myself apart, assuming I wasn’t needed?

Their words shone a new light on the way I’d felt while I was growing up. My mother had wanted these females to guide me.

“Why couldn’t I participate in the circle?” I demanded, turning to Tabitha.

She snorted out a laugh, patting my hand with tenderness. “No offense, Zara, but you’d have been more likely to blow the circle up than contribute to it when you were younger,” she said on a peal of laughter.

The others joined in and even I gave a rueful smile. It was true. Even now, my powers were bound by the spell my mother had cast on me before she’d left the world. I pressed my hand to mywrist—where the threadbare braided bracelet was still on.

The biggest spell I’d been able to cast was to open a portal betweenHellplaneand this one. If I’d been at full power, the likelihood of me casting the spell would be low. I would have probably blown up the orcs and myself instead.

“I still can’t control it,” I whispered, swallowing hard. “If I unbind myself to face Veron, I’m not sure what’ll happen.”

Tabitha sighed, squeezing my hand. “We’ll help you figure it out. Your mom may have bound your powers, but we’ll find a way to help you focus them. Channeling them has always been a struggle, but I think I know a way.” Her eyes got hazy as she pondered something and we all waited. “I’ll have to seek assistance from another coven, though.”

My eyes widened and I shook my head. “You know how dangerous that is. Mom warned me that the other covens might want to get on the warlocks’ good side and hand me over. If they actually win…” I trailed off, shaking my head and the other witches sobered, knowing what I was talking about.

If the prophecy was right and I was impregnated by him, he would use that child to imprison all the worlds. Their magick wouldn’t just be formidable. It would be absolute. And a power like that in the wrong hands didn’t bear thinking on.

“That isn’t going to happen,” Hanna said in a low, sweet voice. “We’ll protect you.”

I smiled at her, love filling my heart for this family that had formed around me. “Thank you,” I told her, swiping at the tear that gathered in my eye. “But I want to protectyou. What’s the use of all this power if I can’t even use it to take care of my coven?”

“I’m guessing from your reaction, that you didn’t know you’re our High Priestess?” Tasia leaned in to ask with a wink.

My eyes widened and I shook my head. “No, I had no idea,” I gasped.

The group giggled, and then Tabitha’s hand tightened on mine. “You’re the obvious choice. Your powers will keep growing, and you’ll be able to lead us. Your mother announced it before…” she trailed off, her smile turning sad. I swallowed hard, knowing she meantbefore she died. “And we all agreed. You’re the best choice,” she finished.

I took a deep breath, gathering my strength before I gave a firm nod. “I’ll do my best,” I told them and they all smiled at me, our hands still connected.

“Now, we’ll have to start on that protection spell,” Tabitha told me, releasing me long enough to open my mother’s spell book on the table between us. She turned to a page and then joined hands again. “And we’ll use your strength, but focus it, is that okay? You’ll have to allow me to channel your power,” she explained, her voice encouraging.

I nodded again, leaning forward to skim the spell.

“It’s an easy one,” Tasia told me with a wink. “We just need some herbs.” She stood, walking over to a box where there were some jars. She pulled out the heavy marble mortar and pestle that my mother had always used.

My heart gave a sharp pang as I saw it, remembering how she’d allow me to grind herbs for spell pouches. I looked away, focusing on the book instead, reading as she began adding herbs to the mortar.

“We sold some potions to the orcs who live here,” Tabitha told me, watching me closely. “They seem very nice.”

I smiled, nodding, covering my mouth and hiding the grin that had spread across my lips at the mention of them. “Theyarereally nice.”

“That’s the horniness talking,” Floria told Tabitha with a sage-like nod, her eyes twinkling.

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