Page 15 of The Fated and the Damned
Kitarni grimaced. “I am working on the others, as well as our network in Budapest. But as it stands, my influence is … limited.”
“Which brings me to the next item on our agenda,” Nora said. “The matter of succession. With Caitlin out of the picture, a new High Witch will need to take her place. There has only ever been one way of doing so.”
“A trial of magic,” Eszter whispered, her eyes drifting to her sister.
Nora nodded. “As is customary. But I have a different proposal in mind. Our coven is breaking and with war coming, we don’t have the time for ancient rites of passage. I suggest a vote on the next High Witch. To make it fair, it must be unanimous, and all present will partake, as this decision will affect both the witches and the táltosok. Are we in agreement?”
A slow smile spread across my face as I studied Nora. A strategist knows when to make their move, and this plan was carefully conceptualised. I had to wonder how long she’d had this in her arsenal. With Caitlin out of the way and Iren absent, Nora had shifted the battlefield and opened the way for a new leader to come calling in one fell swoop. A woman who would lead us all to safety through fire and blood.
I stood slowly, my movements smooth, my face set as the warrior, the lord of Mistvellen. “I cast my vote for Kitarni Bárány to become High Witch.”
It was a pin drop in the silence, and it sent a wave surging around the room.
András didn’t even bother to hide his shit-eating grin. “Aye, the blood witch has my vote.”
Kitarni shot him a glare, but her eyes glimmered as one by one, each one of her family and friends bent the proverbial knee. My girl would be lady of Mistvellen and High Witch of her coven, andno onewould reasonably be able to ignore her summons then. She would gain her armies and the aid required, and maybe, just maybe we’d stand a chance at surviving Sylvie’s wrath.
Nora nodded, smiling warmly as she extended her arms towards the group. “Then it’s settled. The decision is unanimous. Kitarni will be ordained as the new—”
Her words were swallowed by the temple doors slamming open, vines creeping around the edges, latched on from Iren’s outstretched hand. She smiled coldly as she approached, her cape fluttering behind her, those grey eyes calculating.
“I vote Iren Gábor for High Witch.”
Well, fuck.
Things were about to get a lot more complicated.
SIX
Kitarni
Irensuckedthejoyout of a room like a vampyr from Transylvania sucks blood from its victims.So close.I’d been so close to securing the power I needed to convince the other covens to come to our aid. As lady in waiting of Mistvellen and the new High Witch, they would have been forced to grant me an audience at the very least. Iren stood in the way of that, and she knew it.
No matter, I would do things the hard way, because when had it ever been any different?
“We’ve already cast the vote, Iren,” Mama said sharply. “You’re too late.”
“Come now, Nora, we both know all councillors need to be present for decisions like this,” Iren said sweetly, slipping elegantly into the chair closest to Dante. “Not to mention, our High Witch is still very much alive.”
“Caitlin gave up her rights the minute she sold out our sisters,” Erika said darkly. “The witches need a leader now. Performing the trial of magic only slows us down.”
Iren’s blonde hair swayed as she tilted her head. “Now more than ever we need a strong leader. A smart one.” Her eyes cut like daggers as she looked me up and down dismissively. “Kitarni is young and brash, and she’s also no longer part of this coven. Not in the way that we need.”
My fingers curled into fists, but it was Dante who answered, “And who better to offer resources and men to fight for your cause? Who better to offer refuge for witches when the time comes? Your people are being taken by the day. They are dying, Iren, or have you so easily forgotten whilst you’ve been away?”
Shit. This was quickly spiralling. We didn’t have time to play ‘who’s the better wordsmith’. Morning was approaching and, come the dawn, we’d be burning a witch at the stake. Everything was going to change, and if we didn’t present a united front, the witches would break.Our coven.It would be chaos.
Iren placed a hand on his arm, her long nails clutching him almost possessively. She looked at Dante, batting her lashes, leaning too close towards him. Her gaze flicked to mine ever so quickly, and I saw red. My power thrummed in my veins, sensing my anger and the white-hot surge of possessiveness roaring through my blood at the sight of her sharp fingers touching him. My husband to be.
“Away strengthening our ties to the other covens. You’re forgetting I have connections of my own, wolf lord,” she purred. “I am no blood witch, but I am powerful, and I have no plans to let this coven fall. Perhaps you’d be better off with a woman with more … standing. A marriage to the future High Witch would better serve you and your people. A marriage with me.”
Over my dead body. The chair squealed as I stood up and planted my hands on the table, red misting around my fingers as I stared Iren down, my words slow and measured. “Get. Your. Fucking. Hands. Off. Him.Before I burn them off.”
Silence. Then tinkling laughter, melodic and utterly out of place as Iren chuckled and removed her hand, her finger sliding down his own before she rested her palm on his cheek and tilted his gaze towards her. For a heart-stopping moment I thought she might kiss him, and that image alone nearly made me explode.
Iren knew it, too. A volatile leader, brash and violent, was hardly a fit one to lead. I would not fall prey to whatever new games she’d concocted so easily, but I’d be lying if I didn’t picture her dying a hundred gruesome deaths just then.
Everyone gaped, looking between Iren and me as though we might start a war of our own, and oh, was I tempted. Unfortunately, disintegrating Iren probably wasn’t the best way to gain the coven’s support. I huffed, taking a deep breath and forcing myself to stay calm.
