"She helped me when I named Greg minister," Nana said. "Every time a clan protested, she was defending my choice and pushed for progress. She's been baby-stepping the clans down this path for the better part of a century."
Ethel bowed her head. "When I took this job, I knew it would take time to get what I wanted. We had a long way to go, and some of the recalcitrant old geezers would have to die before new ideas could take root."
I studied the wrinkled face and carefully coordinated outfit. "You won't live long enough to finish. You had to find someone else as passionate about this as you, but why me?"
Ethel tossed her hands in the air. "It was foretold."
"As I have said, prophecies do not work in that fashion," Elron said.
"This one predates those changes."
"And you believe that is has been passed down, unchanged for many millennia? Children cannot pass a phrase around a circle without it altering."
"It is a simple prophecy."
Elron cocked an eyebrow.
"Her clan scar. It's the same as the first… well, now we call her the first premier, but in some stories she is known as the mother of clans or the first to bear a clan scar."
I couldn't help but think that this fit with some of the things Varro had said. He had remarked that my clan scar was the same as the one on a witch he knew long ago. Varro had been old enough that he could've known the first premier and known of the prophecy. That indicated a connection between the two of us, one I didn't understand and didn't want to understand. There shouldn't be anything linking people over more than ten thousand years. I wasn't much of a believer in destiny, fate, or prophecy, but equality was worth the fight.
"I'll do it." They looked so surprised that I repeated myself at a higher volume. "I'll do it."
"What did you say?" Ethel asked.
"I'll agree to be in line for both ministries."
"Are you sure?" Elron asked.
I took a deep breath. "Yes. Being minister or premier is years down the road. My life now and those positions are not mutually exclusive. By the time I have to accept those positions, I'll be ready for a change, and even then I can keep this business. Those issues aside, I'll be able to do for the witches what I can't for shifters. Between the four of us, we can expedite equality and fully integrate with our home. Most witches have lived in this country their entire lives, but they still hold themselves apart. That's wrong."
"You're choosing a difficult path," Nana said.
I snorted and motioned to everyone in the room. "Ask them. Ask any one of them. I've never picked easy when difficult had a better outcome."
Mom rolled her eyes. "She's right about that."
"Easy doesn't seem to be in her vocabulary," Dad said sourly.
"She certainly put up more of a fight than any of us expected," Ethel said.
Elron didn't comment, but he didn't have to. I'd burned a woman alive for him. That she was a willing sacrifice and that it was the only way to kill the demon hadn't made that choice any easier. Those facts didn't stop the nightmares, and even after waking up dozens of times with the sound of her scream echoing in my ears and the smell of burning flesh lodged in my nose, I'd do it again.
"Once we agree, there's no going back," Ethel said.
"I know." I didn't need the warning. We were going to do this as a team, and unless something changed drastically, we were committed to this path. It would take years of work, with no guarantee of success.
"Then we"—Ethel looked around the room—"have a lot to talk about."
I sighed. Somehow, I'd been afraid of that.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to read A Witch's Concern. If you enjoyed Michelle and Elron's story, please post a review. Reviews are a valuable way for authors to connect with readers. If you're interested, the following pages contain information on upcoming books and my contact information.
Also by N. E. Conneely
A Witch's Path Series:
Witch for Hire (Book 1)
A Witch's Path (Book 2)
A Witch's Trial (Book 3)
A Witch's Concern (Book 4)
About the Author
I live in North Georgia with my dog and a mountain of books. We sweat through the summer and freeze through the winter. Life as we know it comes to an end when so much as a single snowflake falls out of the sky.
For fun, I play with my dog, read, knit, crochet, paint, tie-dye, and do origami. I make a great pizza. I'm negotiating with my roommate over sea monkeys and working on a vegetable garden.
I'm currently working on book 5 in the Witch's Path Series.
Connect with N. E. Conneely
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NEConneely
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Website: www.neconneely.com
If you'd like to e-mail me: [email protected]
A Witch's Concern (A Witch's Path Book 4) Page 24