Cackles and Cauldrons

by Sarina Dorie

  “Ahem,” Pro Ro said from his bed. “I don’t suppose anyone would consider rescuing me before Nurse Hilda brings me any bat-dung elixir to drink?”

  After we helped Pro Ro to his dorm room, Thatch spoke to me in the privacy of the dungeon office. The mask of his face gave no indication of what he might be feeling, but I suspected if he’d gone to all that effort of hiding his emotions, it probably wasn’t good.

  Thatch steepled his fingers in front of himself. “Do you truly understand the gravity of what you did? Witnesses have now observed you using forbidden magic.”

  I sat across from him, so exhausted even the hard metal ‘meditation’ chair felt comfortable. “I couldn’t just allow Vega to die.” If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t have chosen any other path.

  Thatch’s lips pressed into a flat line. “Had you waited, Elric would have broken the curse.”

  “As Vega pointed out, she might have been dead by then. I saved her, and I dissolved the connection between them. If you hadn’t pulled me off of her, the Fae would be dead.” If she wasn’t already.

  His voice remained monotone. “There are consequences for killing a Fae in this world, especially royalty.”

  “I thought you said you didn’t think this was the Raven Queen. You called her a ‘supposed’ princess.”

  “I don’t know who it is.” He hesitated. “It doesn’t seem logical that the Raven Queen would want to kill me since I am her fairy godchild. On the other hand, Fae and the inner workings of their minds are often a complete mystery to human logic. Who else would want revenge on you?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe Elric, except that he doesn’t seem mad at me, just . . . sad. Plus, the culprit is a woman.” I thought about that note Khaba had found. “Isn’t there any way to find out who the Princess of Lies and Truth is?”

  He rose from his desk, the usual sign he was done talking to me. I stood to leave, but he strode over to me and took my arm. “You said that connection with her is broken? Do you think she was using Vega to try to get in?”

  I stared up into his stormy eyes. “It felt that way.”

  “Which means she now can’t get into the school?” He circled an arm around my shoulder, rubbing my arm.

  “Even if she was using another way to get in, I have a feeling I burned her pretty badly.” My lips curled upward. It felt good to be wicked and powerful. Did that make me like my biological mother?

  “Is that so?” He tugged me closer, a mischievous smile on his face. “There are some . . . activities we might take advantage of while our enemies are at their weakest. If you should feel like celebrating. . . .”

  As tired as I was, that perked me up. “Are you suggesting what I think you are?”

  Thatch and I quickly made up for time lost. In the back of my mind as he made love to me, a small piece of myself worried about the Fae. What if we were wrong about her not being able to do something to us despite being injured?

  Not that I was able to linger on these thoughts much while I was naked in Thatch’s arms. His every kiss intoxicated me so deeply, rational thought left me.

  “Remember, I’m a virgin again,” I said. “Because of that potion Vega helped me make.”

  “I haven’t forgotten.”

  “It hurt the first time,” I said, trying not to think of Derrick. Not because it had been so horrible, but because I was done thinking of Derrick. I had moved on. I loved Thatch and wanted to only think of him in bed.

  “Focus on your affinity to ensure you remain in control,” Thatch said, ever the drill sergeant, even now. “You can ensure you never feel pain again.”

  I did my best to renew my concentration, but he excelled at distracting me. He was so skilled that it only took a few minutes before I was lost in the passion of the moment.

  I forgot to shield myself from pain as he thrust inside me. I was lucky he was so considerate and accommodating. He protected me when I couldn’t focus on the pleasure and pain at the same time. I drank in his kisses, overwhelmed by the taste of him and his magic. His lips were every flavor all at once: piano music and flowers swaying in the breeze, rainclouds and sunshine.

  “I love you,” I said. With my heart and soul, I couldn’t imagine anyone I wanted more.

  I came with him inside me.

  “Thus with a kiss I die,” he breathed into my hair. “Sweet Alouette.”

  The shock of those words sent a jolt through me. Sweet Alouette? My mother?

  Just when I had learned to let go of my past, I had to learn he hadn’t fully let go of his.

  THE END

  Go to Sarina Dorie’s website for information about the next book in the series:

  https://sarinadorie.com/writing/novels/wombys-school-for-wayward-witches

  PERSONAL ADS

  for Characters from Womby’s School for Wayward Witches

  Women Seeking Men

  Putting the Romance Back into Necromancy

  The best teacher in the world and most superior witch in the Unseen Realm will grant the privilege of a mutually beneficial relationship with some lucky man. Enjoys dancing, vegan and fat-free food that doesn’t taste like cardboard, and long walks in the graveyard. Must love cats and corpses. Fucktards need not apply.

  Siren-dipity

  Voluptuous blonde bombshell with a voice that will entrance, seeks a sexy man—or woman—I’m not choosy. Pluses in a mate: bookish, intelligent, and open to wild tantric sexual experiences and threesomes. Swimming skills a must.

  Pretty in Pink

  Artist and art teacher with sunny disposition, optimistic world view, and pink hair seeking the love of her life. Looking for someone trustworthy, patient, compassionate, and loving. Must be honest, open, and not evil.

  Also, must be okay with a rainbow light show after we’re intimate.

  Along Came a Spider

  Vegan, crafty, earthy bohemian searching for a date and potential mate. Originally hails from the Seattle area, but currently residing in the Unseen Realm. Brownie points to you if you are open to kinky bondage. Please be not gay or hairy.

  Men Seeking Men

  Djinn and Tonic

  I’m looking for my soul mate, but in the meantime, I am happy to have fun with a kilty pleasure. Red hair and elf ears pluses. I’m ready to take a ride on your kilt-a-whirl. Rub my lamp and let me make your dreams come true.

  Men Seeking Women

  Horny, Handsome, and Hungry for Love

  You know what they say about stallions. We’ve got big hearts—and bigger horns. I want you to ride me all night long. Then I’ll serenade you with eighties love ballads. This beast is waiting for his beauty.

  Virgins only.

  I Won’t Blow You Off

  Blue-haired wind Elementia searching for a lady who will whisk me away in a whirlwind of a relationship. Prefers the girl-next-door type. I’ll give you my heart. Will you give me yours?

  Looking for Princess Charming

  Wealthy, handsome, considerate, and humble Legolas look-alike searching for an artistic woman interested in bearing his heirs. Let me be your muse. I will inspire you all night long.

  Big Feet, Big Heart

  I’m BBFM (big, beautiful furry male) and proud of it. I’m a nature enthusiast searching for someone with similar interests. Open to all magical affiliations and affinities. Friendship and connection is important. We’ll see what follows.

  No Pain, No Gain (Sample Title)

  ?

  CONTEST: Felix Thatch’s Personal Ad

  Do you have a brilliant idea for Professor Felix Thatch’s personal ad for what he would write? (Okay, so if you have gotten to at least Book 4, you probably realize Thatch would sooner die than write a personal ad, but if he did, what would it say?)

  If you submit a personal ad for Felix Thatch, using the Google form link below, your entry will be entered in the contest and potentially published in the back of the book. As a thank-you for your enthusia
sm for the series, and making my readers and me laugh, I will send the first-place winner a prize in the form of a Womby’s mini-notebook.

  Enter your submission in this Google Form. Winners TBA.

  https://goo.gl/forms/RDTWBLgbwpdm7Ukc2

  If you enjoyed this cozy witch mystery in the Womby’s School for Wayward Witches Series please leave a review on the online retailer where you purchased this collection. You might also enjoy free short stories published by the author on her website: http://sarinadorie.com/writing/short-stories.

  Readers can hear updates about current writing projects and news about upcoming novels and free short stories as they become available by signing up for Sarina Dorie’s newsletter at:

  http://eepurl.com/4IUhP

  Other novels written by the author can be found at:

  http://sarinadorie.com/writing/novels

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  https://www.facebook.com/sarina.dorie1/

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  @Sarina Dorie

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Sarina Dorie has sold over 150 short stories to markets like Analog, Daily Science Fiction, Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Orson Scott Card’s IGMS, Cosmos, and Abyss and Apex. Her stories and published novels have won humor and Romance Writer of America awards. She has sold three novels to publishers. Her steampunk romance series, The Memory Thief and her collections, Fairies, Robots and Unicorns—Oh My! and Ghosts, Werewolves and Zombies—Oh My! are available on Amazon, along with a dozen other novels she has written.

  A few of her favorite things include: gluten-free brownies (not necessarily glutton-free), Star Trek, steampunk aesthetics, fairies, Severus Snape, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Mr. Darcy.

  By day, Sarina is a public-school art teacher, artist, belly-dance performer and instructor, copy editor, fashion designer, event organizer and probably a few other things. By night, she writes. As you might imagine, this leaves little time for sleep.