Page 18 of Secrets of the Forgotten Heir

I inched the door open. As soon as I saw the figure on the bed, I smiled. Despite her pallor, Mrs D looked identical to how she’d been all those years ago. Her hair was still the same soft, silvery blonde pinned at the base of her neck, and she was wearing a tweed suit that I’d bet good money was the same one she’d worn back when she was teaching me. I’d always suspected it was indestructible.

As I moved into the room, I felt a twinge of anxiety. What if she didn’t remember me? After all, witches are one of the few magical creatures burdened with ageing, although a lot of them seem to linger unnaturally long at middle age and get very cagey if you ask how old they are.

I watched her frown before her jaw dropped in amazement. ‘Oh my goodness, as I live and breathe!Beatrix Stonehaven. How wonderful to see you!’ She shuffled upright in her bed.

I found the glow that warmed her cheeks surprisingly humbling. ‘Hey, Mrs D. I popped back to Witchlight for a visit and I heard you’d got yourself into some sort of trouble. How are you feeling?’

She shook her head, waving away my concern. ‘I’m okay, honestly. Just came over a bit funny. But I must look terrible. Warren – he’s alright, isn’t he?’

‘I saw him with his daughter.’ I gave her a big smile. ‘He looks okay.’

She bit down on her bottom lip and her brow furrowed. ‘I don’t know what happened. I don’t— I don’t—’

I stepped forward and placed my hand on her shoulder. ‘Don’t worry. Yanni is going to look into it.’

‘Yanni is?’

‘Yeah. Potential poisoning and all that.’

Her eyes widened so far they practically bulged from her skull. ‘Poisoned? She doesn’t think…? Oh my goodness, no. I’m sure it was just a funny reaction or something.’

‘If it was a “funny reaction”, it was one that only affected shifters and it could have easily taken out two of the village’s most beloved characters. Someone needs to look into it,’ I replied firmly.

‘Oh. Yes, that makes sense.’ She looked up at me and a deep pang of sympathy struck me. She might not have looked any older, but she was. And, if my suspicions were correct, she’d probably spent another decade alone apart from the kids she’d helped.

A wave of sadness and worry flowed through the air from her to me and I concentrated for a moment, trying to shore up my mental defences. After I’d strengthened my wards, I couldn’t help yawning; I’d forgotten how draining it could be dealing with other people’s emotions and keeping up shields strong enough to keep out magical emotions. I’d got into the habit of shielding again since I’d adopted Eva, but it was far easier in the human world where emotions didn’t batter me.

‘Are you alright, dear?’ Mrs D said as I covered my mouth. A moment later, she echoed my yawn.

‘You don’t have to worry about me – you’re the one in hospital!’ I patted her hand. ‘You must be tired too. But a question or two, if I may?’ She nodded. ‘Did you see anyone approach the pasties before the competition?’

She shook her head. ‘No.’

‘Anyone looking at you too intently from the crowd?’

She gave a helpless laugh. ‘My dear, I was focused on the pasties! There were a lot of them – and I really wanted that £500 for the school.’ She yawned again. ‘Excuseme,’ she muttered. ‘It seems that poisoning really takes it out of you.’

‘You don’t say! Next you’ll be telling me that jumping off a cliff leads to sore knees.’

Mrs D laughed and I was happy to have put the smile back on her face, if only for a minute or two. Now that I’d seen her for myself, I could relax. She might be ill, but she was miles away from death’s door; that being the case, I could now focus on finding the fucker that thought poisoning Mrs D was okay.

‘Anyway, I should go and let you get your rest,’ I said. ‘Besides, I’ve only been in Witchlight Cove a couple of hours so I should probably unpack. I’d like to meet up properly when you’re out, though. Maybe we could catch up over a coffee?’

I lowered my shields a little. The gratitude and warmth that flowed from her was enough for me to know I’d made the right decision in leaving the house to visit her.

‘Of course. It’s been lovely to see you, Beatrix, really lovely. You go enjoy some of that Witchlight,’ she winked. ‘I bet you’ve missed it terribly. Such wonderful magic.’

Witchlight was a local term for the Eternal Flame. No one knew which one had been named first; it was a real chicken-and-egg situation.

‘Yes, absolutely,’ I forced out, keeping my face blank with effort. I was about to stand up when a thought struck me. ‘Mrs D, you know most of the people in Witchlight Cove, don’t you?’

She chuckled. ‘Well, I should think so – I’ve taught most of them! I taught a lot of their parents and grandparents, too. But don’t use that to try to work out my age.’ She winked.

I smiled the way I knew she expected me to. ‘Is there any chance you know of any witches who aren’t in covens?’ If Maddie and I were to retrieve the missing Eternal Flame, we needed someone who wasn’t affiliated with the covens to help us.

Her smile dropped. ‘Aren’t in covens? You mean like your friend Maddie?’

‘Yes. Just… I’ve got a few questions, but you know what it’s like for me – and for her. The judgement. I wondered if there was anybody outside the general circle of things that I could talk to.’

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