Page 12 of The Soulless Witch

“You…are sure?” she whispered, licking her lips. “They are almost four and they haven’t shown any signs—”

“I’m sure,” I said with a knowing smile. I had learned to read the flow of energy, so even before their Awakening, I could tell if a person carried magic in their blood. “The one with the dark eyes can channel already. She is doing it even now to soothe her sister.” The old woman’s eyes widened, and she looked at the door where the girls had disappeared. A soft glow spread around her as she called onto her magic, her power slipping into the other room to confirm my words. A surprised gasp escaped her lips, and she spun to look at me. “Congratulations, she will be a strong one. I’d suggest reinforcing your wards with those two running around. There are many who would kill to get their hands on a witchling. And I’m not talking about the other races.” The old woman swallowed, fastening the top of the bag. I strode to the counter, sliding my fingers into the holders. The thing was much heavier than I expected, but I made sure not to appear struggling in front of her. “Thank you.” I nodded, adjusting the bag on my shoulder before heading toward the door.

“You are not as the rumors say,” the old woman spoke just as I was reaching for the handle. I looked at her over my shoulder, meeting her now calm gaze.

“Don’t tell anyone.” I winked. “They won’t believe you.”

I didn’t wait for her answer.

There weren’t many people walking these alleys, the sun barely peeking over the tall buildings. I was on my way to the main street where I needed to do the actual shopping, when my magic perked up, flowing around me in a protective swirl while trying to determine where the killing intent was coming from.

I tried to look around as casually as possible, glancing at the rooftops, the lower windows, even up and down the street, but I noticed nothing out of the ordinary. I didn’t want to spook them by sending my magic toward them, and I definitely didn’t want to pick a fight just yet. I had come here, without disguise, to the only magic shop in the city, to draw attention. No doubt there were eyes on that place even before my arrival, so this was my announcement to the world that I was back.

Now I just needed to set a trap and see what it caught.

Smiling to myself, I stepped onto the main street, with the buzzing crowds, music, and stores, still feeling those invisible eyes on me. They weren’t going to do this out into the open, especially during the day. And I had no intention of letting them follow.

Opening the bag, I rummaged through it until I found what I needed. I picked up a pinch of wolfsbane between my fingers and sprinkled it over myself. This ought to keep any werewolf away long enough—even vampires would have a hard time picking my scent over the strong stench of the herb. And hunters…hunters could be shaken off easily enough.

I flung the bag over my shoulder, heading toward the nearest shop, where thin mannequins were wearing tight, striking dresses that barely covered their bodies. I’d need that soon, anyway. One couldn’t set a trap without bait.

I felt the eyes stay on my back until I reached the door, but nobody followed inside.

“Let the hunt begin,” I muttered to myself as I strode between the rows of beautiful fabric, smiling even wider when the shop assistant came to help.

Chapter 8

Roman

“Hello,ProfessorKaiser!Goodevening, Professor Kaiser! How are you, Professor Kaiser?”

I smiled and nodded as the students strode inside the auditorium one after another, finding their seats in a cacophony of heavy steps, screeching chairs, and idle chatter.

“Hello, Professor Kaiser! Good evening, Professor Kaiser! How are you, Professor Kaiser?”

I smiled and nodded as the students strode inside the auditorium one after another, finding their seats in a cacophony of heavy steps, screeching chairs, and idle chatter.

I didn’t mind teaching. I loved it actually, but today I wished I was prowling the city, trying to catch a sight, a sound, a scent of her. But I couldn’t, because that would be useless and stupid. Until the search for her gave back any results, I had nothing better to do, and skipping classes to stay at home and wallow in my impatience wasn’t productive.

So I left my house even before dusk, pulling my class to an earlier slot so that once the sun was down, I could at least have a walk around the city. Maybe I’d be lucky and pick up on something. Maybe that bond would lead me to her and save me the trouble of finding her.

My eyes slid to the closed blinds that stopped the afternoon light from seeping in. Only a bit at the edges peeked into the room, but it fell far from my seat, and it allowed me to monitor the passing of time without looking at my watch every five minutes.

I was just about to tell everyone to settle down when I caught the scent. It was faint and mixed with so many others, but I knew that scent better than I knew my own. The freshness of it, the sweet undertone that most witches had in theirs, it was a song that had me getting to my feet without thinking.

She was here. She had to be. Of all the places in the world, she had found me.

Hope swelled in my chest at the thought that she might have come looking for my protection. But that wasn’t the Celeste I knew. My Celeste was independent, stubborn to a fault, and even when she was weak, she was magnificently dangerous. She didn’t need magic to get what she wanted, and she had enough brains to stay ahead of everyone.

So why would she come here?

My eyes continued to search for the coppery hair, the piercing green eyes, the voluptuous figure that had likely made more men than I could possibly kill go mad with lust. She’d be younger now, she always came back younger, but that didn’t matter. Inside, she’d be the same.

I stepped down from the podium, moving closer to the source of the scent. There were so many people inside the auditorium, too many. Where…

My eyes landed on one of the young girls—a short brunette, with shoulder-high brown hair and narrow shoulders. She was standing by one of the desks at the back, talking to another girl. None of them had long coppery hair, but it wasn’t impossible for Celeste to have changed her appearance.

“Cele…” I started, touching her shoulder carefully, so as not to spook her. I had no desire to be tossed across the room in front of all these people.

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