Page 2 of The Powerless Witch

I yanked my hand out of her grip, storming away. When I didn’t hear her following, my step faltered, and I looked back. She was standing where I left her, watching me with a dark, angry expression.

“What?” I snapped, shifting from one foot to another.

“Does he? Love you?” she asked, crossing her thin arms over her chest. “Has he ever said it? Would he have looked at you if it wasn’t for your mother’s power and influence? Noah can have any woman he wants. His family is the richest in the area! But he chose you, Estia. If it weren’t for your bloodline, he wouldn’t have looked at you twice. And because your mother rejected his marriage offer to you, he is now determined to have you. There are two things men love above all else—to feel strong and to win.”

My throat bobbed, and I shook my head.

“Why are you being like this?” My chest tightened as my friend glared at me. “I thought you’d be happy for me. Didn’t you say you wanted us both to find good men to have children with at the same time so we could raise them together? Just like our mothers…” I trailed off when Medina stiffened. Her mother had died two winters ago, saving me from the illness that had stricken our village. She had been the best healer we had, but the toll it took on her ended her life a few days later. Medina insisted she didn’t blame me, but it had left a stain on our friendship and things hadn’t been the same since. “You know what? It doesn’t matter what you think. I’m marrying Noah. I’m carrying his child. I…”

Medina took a step forward, her magic crackling around her. I reached for mine on instinct, but she didn’t attack. She let her energy swirl around her, ruffling her hair and making her eyes glow as if she were seeing down to the very bottom of my soul.

“That’s the other thing, Estia,” she whispered in a voice that didn’t sound like hers at all. “There is something wrong with that child, something dark and twisted coiling within your body. And I think you know what it is.” She paused before me, looking down at my stomach. It had barely been a few weeks, so I wasn’t showing yet, but her look made me put a protective hand over my belly. “It’s going to be a boy.”

A horrified gasp escaped my lips and before I knew it, I had removed the space between us and I was pressing my hand to her mouth.

“Don’t you dare say something like this ever again!” I snarled, digging my fingers into her cheeks. She didn’t try to free herself; she didn’t even flinch. “I’m not carrying that! Do you know what they will do to me—to her—if they even suspected it was a…no! If you ever cared about me, Medina, you would not say a word about my daughter! Am I clear?”

Medina stared until I removed my hand. Even if she was afraid that my magic would strike her down, she didn’t show it.

“I’m sorry, Estia, that was unthoughtful of me,” she finally said, her voice going back to the gentle timbre I knew and loved. “I only spoke of concern for you. You are my best friend. I only want you to be happy. If this is your choice, I will respect it.”

I swallowed the bitterness that had gathered in my mouth and let go of my magic. Medina’s shoulders slacked. I might not have been as strong as my mother or some of the other witches in the Coven of the Black Sisters, but I was definitely stronger than her. We both knew it.

“I’m late,” I said, stepping away from her. “Dine with us tonight, like old times. Be there for me when I tell my mother about my daughter, about Noah. I need my friend, Medina, and I need her on my side.”

Her throat bobbed, and she licked her lips before a smile spread across her face, bringing forth memories of another time, a better time, when all was right and she was the person I held most dear. Even above my family.

“I’ll be there,” she said, fingering the thin silver chain hanging around her neck. I hadn’t seen her wear jewelry often, but I had seen this pendant several times in the past few months. I was just opening my mouth to ask about it when she took my outstretched arm. “I’ll just drop by my home to grab some fresh bread and the contraption I created for your father’s garden, and then I’ll join you.”

I smiled, holding back a relieved sigh, and I let her lock her arm with mine as we made our way back to the village.

“I’m home!”

I pushed the door to my house, peeking inside in search of my family. I found Sibyl crying while cutting onions by the kitchen table. She barely heard me over her sniffing and cursing, and when I patted her shoulder, she let out a loud, high-pitched shriek. There was a bowl on the side of the table, full of clear water that rippled as my sister hit the table, leaning on the edge for support.

“Goddess take you, Estia, you scared the demons out of me!” she whined, pressing her hand against her chest. “Where have you been? You were supposed to be back an hour ago! And where are the mushrooms?”

“I dropped them while I was…running from something,” I lied, and the look she gave me told me she didn’t believe me for a second.

“Did that something catch you and roll with you on the ground? It must have been a vigorous battle. You are filthy!” She plucked a leaf from my hair before putting the cooking knife on the table and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Go wash up before Mother sees you. And make a better excuse if you don’t want to be cleaning swine intestines for the rest of the evening.”

Sybil grinned when I gagged. I reached for the bowl, but she slapped my hand before I could dip my dirty fingers into it.

“Not that one! That’s for my scrying!” She grimaced. “I’ve been working on it all afternoon, but I can’t seem to get my mind there. Maybe because Mother kept making me do your chores!”

I gave her a sheepish grin, hurrying to the bucket in the corner. After washing my hands and face while Sybil helpfully informed me that our parents were skinning the pig our father had butchered in the morning, I took over for her. I told her about meeting with Noah—excluding our quick tryst in the middle of our conversation—and then about inviting Medina for dinner. She kept quiet, staring at her scrying bowl with such intent that I wasn’t sure if she was even listening to me.

Our mother returned to the house as the sun started dipping toward the horizon, carrying a large bucket with what looked like pig’s blood. I tried not to puke when she set it in the corner and some of the liquid sloshed on the ground. I had managed to hide my morning sickness for the most part, but she was too smart not to notice I hadn’t bled for two months. Still, on the off chance that she had been too distracted with preparation for winter and really hadn’t paid attention, I had to tell her. For my sake and Noah’s.

“You’re back.” Looking me over, she wiped her hands on her apron. Her long coppery hair, the same as mine and Sybil’s, swung in a heavy braid over her shoulder. The wrinklesthat had started to form around her eyes deepened when she narrowed her gaze. Still, she was beautiful—the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. “What happened to you?”

A knock on the door left the new excuse I had prepared lingering on my lips. I held back a sigh of relief, silently thanking Medina for the perfect timing. I was just heading to open for her when Sybil’s hand shot out, locking around my wrist. I hissed at the strength with which she squeezed me, but then I noticed her vibrant green eyes had dulled, a pale, milky veil giving them a glassy look.

“Sybil?” I said at the same time my mother did. The Head Witch had suggested that my sister had a natural affinity for scrying and other forms of divination, so my mother had started training her—unsuccessfully so far. Or so it seemed.

“Child, what do you see?” our mother asked, moving closer. She didn’t touch her—startling her might sever the connection and even trap her within her mind forever.

Another knock came on the door and I glanced at it, opening my mouth to tell Medina to come in when Sybil spoke.

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