Page 48 of The Soulless Witch

Childrenhavetoomuchenergy, that was the truest truth in the world.

Jumping from the taxi, Jake sprinted toward the house as if we hadn’t spent the last five hours walking and playing. Where he got all that endurance, I didn’t know, but I could definitely use some of what he was taking. Maybe next time when I had some spare time, I could research how to harvest that energy from children and transfer it to adults who were lacking. Adults like me.

The taxi drove off, and we followed the boy inside the house. The sun had set about an hour ago, and I suspected we’d be scolded for being late for dinner, but I’d rather listen to that lecture than Jake whining about not going on those rides in the park a million times.

The moment I stepped inside the house, I knew something was off. The wards were there and there was no danger creeping nearby, but there was something different, something new, something powerful.

I found the problem in the living room, sitting with his legs crossed and a teacup in his lap. Roman was wearing one of his immaculate suits, as if he had just come from some formal event, but his hair was left to fall casually around his face—if one could call it casual, considering he always looked like he was sitting for a painting.

Nym was curled up in his lap, looking perfectly content, while Jake’s dog was lying in its bed in the corner, watching Roman with a mix of uneasiness and hostility.

Sitting on one of the other sofas, Julia was rubbing something off Jake’s face, probably chocolate from the waffles we ate before coming back. She glared at us, but when she looked back at Roman, she was all smiles.

“Professor?” Lily stuttered as she followed me into the room. “What are you doing here?”

“You’re late, girls.” Julia sighed, getting to her feet. “Mr. Kaiser has been waiting for you for a while. I’m so sorry, I really thought they’d be back sooner! They weresupposedto be back sooner!” She glared at us again.

“It’s alright, I got to know you instead, and now I know who Lily takes after,” Roman replied with a dashing smile, putting his teacup down. Julia flushed.

“Please, at least stay for dinner so we can make it up to you for waiting!” Julia insisted.

The epitome of politeness, Roman raised his hands with an innocent look on his face. “I wouldn’t want to impose. I just came to bring Lily some materials and talk to Celeste.”

“I insist!” Julia declared, looking at us for help. “I’m sure both Celeste and Lily will be delighted to have you! It’s so rare for us to have a guest! And we have plenty of food.”

“He is a vampire, he doesn’t eat food,” I said and Julia’s eyes widened when she looked back at Roman, searching his appearance as if expecting to find something different. Roman gave me an exasperated look.

“Really, Celeste? That is so rude,” he said with mock displeasure, but I could see him fighting a smile. Roman turned to Julia, giving her a slight bow of the head. “I apologize for not being upfront, but I didn’t want to scare you. I’m fond of your remarkable daughter, and I’m sure Celeste will tear me to pieces if I so much as show my fangs. So please, Julia, be at ease. You and your family have my protection.”

“O-Okay, thank you,” Julia said awkwardly. “Will…will you stay for dinner still?”

“I’d be delighted.”

Julia nodded, murmuring for her daughter to help her in the kitchen. I looked down at Nym, who was now lying on the couch, watching me with half-opened eyes.

“Some protector you are,” I noted, crossing my arms.

“Roman is not a threat,” Nym replied lazily, stretching his body before finding a more comfortable position. “The witches that were watching the house were, even if they didn’t try to approach. But they left once he came in, so I didn’t have to stay outside to keep an eye on them. It was getting cold.”

I rolled my eyes, motioning for Roman to follow. We moved past the kitchen, slipping into the backyard. The sky had turned cloudy, so the only light came from the windows of the nearby houses. I doubted it mattered much for Roman, but as I turned, I could hardly see anything but a silhouette and a pair of eyes boring into me.

“Why are you here, Roman?” I asked, shifting under his gaze.

“Because you can’t seem to learn how to pick up your phone,” he replied, annoyance slipping into his voice. “These ingenious inventions can make life so much easier if only you’d remember they exist.” He reached toward me, plucking something out of my jacket pocket. The screen of the device he gave me lit up, showing nine missed calls and several messages. “You need to catch up to the present, darling.”

I snatched my phone back.

“I will,” I said, trying to hide my embarrassment. “What was so important that you needed to speak to me so urgently? I was going to see the calls eventually.”

Roman sighed loudly, turning to face the garden. His eyes moved up to the sky, but he said nothing for a long time as if trying to pick his words carefully.

“The Order and the witches are working together. I do not know if their collaboration has anything to do with you or not, but we surveyed the man who has your medallion meeting with a witch from the Coven of the Hallowed Goddess.”

“Bloody hell!” I cursed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Regina must have figured out what that medallion was! She hinted she knew about my dealings with the Coven of the Silver Flame. If she gets her hands on that artifact…she may not be able to open it, but just keeping it away from me is enough to give her an edge.”

I looked up at him just as he was shaking his head.

“The medallion is still with the witch hunter. I had pictures of him sent to me two hours ago. He still had it around his neck.” I nodded, leaning my back on the wall. Roman followed me there, crouching down with inhuman grace as I slid to the floor. I was just about to bump my head against the wall when he slid his fingers behind it, cushioning the hit. “We are still trying to figure out why they are working together. If it is to take you down, we need to take precautions. Without your power and with their combined one, they might actually kill you again. I can’t let that happen.”

---