After dinner, Sagely hurried back to her room to find Muffy lounging on her bed. She scratch her behind the ears and collapsed onto the bed with her, exhausted from the long day. Soon she was asleep.
Suddenly, the man with no face was standing over her. She was terrified, more terrified than she’d been when he slit her throat. He loomed over her like a reaper—dark, hooded, and undeniable.
“I compel you.” The voice came from around her, inside her, like the voice that came from the cave walls that day. Booming through her, it vibrated her bones. She looked down to find Quill’s head between her hands. She pulsed her fingers, and it exploded.
She sat bolt upright, sweat slicking her body, her heart hammering, her ears still ringing with the cry she’d let out. She slipped from the bed, goosebumps running up and down her spine, sure that the noise must have come from the waking world. Sure that the others had heard it. They’d be crowding into the hall, racing for the cavern, ready for a fight.
When she stepped through the wall into the hallway, no one was there. She looked up and down the tunnel, lit now by a single wall sconce. No one.
Cradling Muffy in her arms, she tiptoed down a few doors until she reached Quill’s. Slipping through, she didn’t stop to think what she would do if she found him with someone else. She pushed the thought away. He was not with someone else. He was in the bed by himself, sleeping. She could feel him, his magic and his warmth. Tiptoeing over to the bed, she lifted the blanket and slid in with him. Muffy settled onto her feet and began to purr.
“Sagely?” Quill asked groggily, his hands finding her waist and pulling her close. She tried to melt into the warmth of his chest, but she was still shaken.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I had a bad dream,” she admitted, feeling childish. What was she supposed to say, that a man with no face compelled her to explode his head in her dream? But that was exactly what she told him after a moment of consideration. She wouldn’t feel better until he told her that it was nothing, just a dream from feeling guilty about murdering someone. Because that had to be it.
Good or bad, that man had been a human being. She’d killed a warlock who just happened to be using his powers for evil. But Quill had explained to her one day that they didn’t kill because no matter how evil someone was, they had the ability to turn good. No one was beyond redemption.
Quill was silent for a long minute before he spoke. “You probably won’t be surprised to learn that we believe in the power of dreams,” he said at last.
“So it’s going to happen?” she asked, a shudder wracking her body. If she saw herself kill Quill and there was no way around it… She definitely should have gone with the faeries to protect the coven.
“It’s more likely something that they are planning,” he said. “There are too many variables to be sure, but a dream like that can often be an omen warning of their intent.”
“What if… What if he gave me some of his magic?” It was a question she hadn’t wanted to ask, because she felt things sometimes, things influencing Quill’s magic inside her, things that weren’t exactly nice.
She waited for Quill to deny it, but he only snuggled her closer into his arms and kissed her forehead. Her heart began to beat faster, but she had to say it now, while she had the courage. “I can feel it inside me,” she whispered.
She waited for him to say they needed to have a cleansing ritual, to purify her of her evil side, rid her of the evil magic that she was tainted with. Instead, he smoothed back her hair. His hand rested gently against her cheek and he tipped her chin up. “I know,” he said, his thumb stroking her cheek.
She drew back a little. “You do?”
“Of course,” he said. “I can feel it through our bond. I don’t know if the others can feel it or not, but I felt that since you arrived. Since you killed that man. He didn’t just let my magic go when he died. He let his go. And some of it has found its home inside you.”
“Great. So I’m half good witch, half wicked witch?”
“You can’t be a dark witch without choosing it,” he said. “Everyone has a choice what kind of witch and person they want to be. You have dark magic inside you now because someone else made it dark. Not because you made it dark or because you are dark.”
“So what do I do to get rid of it?”
“You don’t. It’s up to you to turn it into creative magic instead of destructive magic.”
Quill slid his arms around her and kissed her cheek, snuggling into her neck. After a minute he fell asleep. Sagely lay awake staring up at the ceiling thinking of how she could change dark magic to light. She didn’t know how to do that. There was a part of her that wanted to go scratch Raina’s eyes out just because Raina used to have Quill before she did. She didn’t really blame Raina for hating her. If some other girl came in and took Quill away from her, she would scratch her eyes out.
But she was not giving him up. She may have thought he only loved her for their bond, but she liked his idea better. What could be better than magic to bring two people together?
And Quill trusted her. Even with the dark magic inside her, he trusted her enough to fall sleep right next to her, even knowing that she’d had a dream in which she killed him. Even knowing that she was perfectly capable of killing a man.
This powerful warlock, with some of the most potent magic in the world, was sleeping as innocently as a baby beside her. And when she thought of it, she trusted him just as completely—otherwise she wouldn’t be in his bed. He could have stopped her earlier, stopped her from doing any magic. He could have bound her magic because she’d killed someone. But he hadn’t.
She’d found a man any girl would want. A man who could make stones into diamonds but was happy just to goof around, swing through the trees like Tarzan, and kiss her until she couldn’t think straight. No wonder Raina hated her. When she thought about how lucky she was, she almost hated herself.
Twenty-Four
Sagely woke up slowly on the morning of her initiation and stretched across the bed. It was empty. She sat up and looked around. Muffy and the mink were curled up on the foot of Quill’s bed. Sagely lay back on the pillow, snuggling in and smiling at the delicious memory of his warm arms cocooning her as she fell asleep, making her feel safe. She turned her head to inhale his woodsy scent on the sheets.
Damn, I’ve got it bad.
As she lay there reveling in the softness of Quill’s sheets, she realized she hadn’t really looked around his room before. With all the drama, there was always something else on her mind. That, or it was dark and Quill was the only thing on her mind. She’d been sleeping in his room for the last week.
Now she had a chance to study his room. Like hers, the walls were made of dirt and stone. But otherwise, the normalcy of it comforted her. He had a shelf of records with a small record player on top. Led Zepelin and Bob Seger record covers were taped up on the wall. She liked that he was a normal guy as well as a powerful warlock. It made her feel safe that he was both, not too foreign but also able to protect her in ways a commoner never could.
She sat up when he slipped through the wall, carrying a tray in both hands. He was wearing drawstring grey sweatpants and nothing else, and she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. God, he was gorgeous!
He returned her smile, licking his lips before setting down the tray across her lap. Two plates heaping with bacon, scrambled eggs, and biscuits with gravy sat on the tray.
“Oh, wow, this looks amazing,” she said, grabbing a fork. She dug in, stuffing her mouth with the salty, rich food before noticing he hadn’t taken a bite yet.
“Glad you’re enjoying it,” he said, grinning as he picked up a fork. His hair was all mussed and curly in the morning, before he brushed it. She was touched that he’d gotten up to make her breakfast in bed before he even went to comb his hair.
They ate in silence, enjoying the simple pleasure of good food after such hard days lately.
“That was amazing,”
she said when she was done. She set her plate on the tray and leaned back on the pillows. “How come you eat such normal food? Not complaining. It’s just that looking at this place, I’d expect to be eating roots and herbs or something.”
“There is a special brew you’ll have at your initiation ceremony tonight,” he said with a grin.
She groaned and closed her eyes. He’d outlined the whole ceremony for her so she wouldn’t be nervous. The whole coven would come to welcome her, drink together and vow to treat each other as family as long as they shared one coven.
“Seriously, though,” she said.
Quill gave her a teasing smile. “I can’t reveal all my secrets,” he said. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss, then lifted the tray. Before he could stand, she knelt up on the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a deep, passionate kiss.
“Does this mean what I think it means?” he asked, glancing meaningfully at the bed.
“Not even,” she said, swatting his muscular backside. “I have to get ready for my big day, and I don’t need any distractions. Now, what should I wear?”
“You’re such a girl,” he teased, leaning in to nuzzle her ear. Delicious shivers ran through her, and she pushed him away with reluctance.
“Says the guy who thinks one kiss means I’m ready to hop in bed with him,” she teased back.
“You are in bed with me,” he pointed out, leaning in to brush kisses across her collarbone.
“Okay, I can spare a few minutes,” she said, melting into him. “But just for kissing.”
“Just for kissing,” he promised, his voice rough with desire as he murmured into her neck.
Twenty-Five
That evening, she was a bundle of nerves as she made her way to the big cavern. She must have changed twenty times, trying on every outfit she owned. At last, she settled on a yellow sundress that made her red hair stand out and suited her warm skin tone. The damp breeze in the tunnel swished her skirt around her legs as she made her way into the cavern.
Her heart sped when she heard the clamor of voices, and for a second, she was sure those dark witches were back to ruin her ceremony. She’d only been there a few weeks, but it already felt like she’d been waiting for this day forever.
But the sounds from the cavern weren’t the angry ones of a fight. They were excited, and when she stepped into the room, she spotted Eli talking to the drop-dead gorgeous girl with long, dark blonde hair and a smooth, heart-shaped face. A few others were standing around chatting, holding copper mugs, above which swirls of silvery mist hovered.
“If it isn’t the woman of the hour,” Quill said when she entered. His freshly washed hair was slicked back in the little knot he wore at the nape of his neck, and he gave her a closed-mouth smile, pride shining in his eyes. “Ready?” he asked, his fingers brushing the small of her back.
She nodded, swallowing hard. He gestured to the stairs, and together they climbed them and emerged in the cabin above. That was when she heard more voices, and saw that outside the screen door, the yard was teaming with people.
Half a dozen grills lined the edge of the yard, and the smell of grilling meat and vegetables filled the air. She turned to Quill, and he slid his arm around her and gave her a squeeze.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured in her ear.
“Good, because I feel sick,” she muttered back.
“Aww, don’t be nervous,” he said. “They’ve all been waiting to meet you.”
When they stepped out onto the porch, she looked around, confused. She didn’t know any of these people!
“It’s the whole coven, remember?” Quill said.
Damn. He had said the coven would be there, but she’d imagined all the people she’d met the first day. The students. Not a bunch of families. There were kids of all ages, from babies to teenagers, and adults, too.
“Can I introduce you around?” Quill asked, pulling away to study her face.
“Yes, please,” she said. She wasn’t scared of the witches, she just wasn’t expecting to have to make small talk with the whole valley. Holding her head high, she descended the steps. This was her day. They were here to meet her, and they were being honest, to judge her. She was not going to show weakness by letting them see how rattled she was.
Deep breaths, she told herself.
“They’re gonna love you,” Quill said, taking her hand. “How can they help it?”
She pulled her hand away discretely, ignoring his hurt look. She didn’t want to show up clinging to a man’s hand. She walked beside him, like an equal, not a pretty arm piece.
He introduced her to each person, telling her something meaningful about each one and then standing by while she made polite conversation. When the food was done, they sat at the picnic tables and ate.
Eli and Ingrid squeezed in on either side of Sagely, and she realized that at some point, she’d forgotten about her nervousness and wandered away from Quill, too interested in all the other witches to remember that she was making a first impression.
They had all been warm and welcoming, from oldest to youngest. No one had been jealous or snooty like some of the student witches. Now she glanced around as she ate, noticing that some students were eating with adults. And then she saw Quill, and her heart stopped.
He was sitting at one of the wooden picnic tables, and beside him, the super hot young witch had planted herself. Her hand was on his shoulder, and she was stretching her mouth up to his neck, kissing him. Right there for the entire coven to see.
Oh, hell no!
For about two seconds, Sagely considered going on eating like nothing was happening, like she didn’t see a thing. It was the classy thing to do. But some situations called for class, and some called for kicking ass.
She got up and drew herself up to her full height, which, when she faced facts, was not very intimidating. Luckily she’d chosen to wear her trusty red boots, which made her feel a little more like she could stomp someone than if she’d worn cute sandals. She’d be damned if she’d sit there and let some other girl move in on her man without at least calling him out on it. She marched over to his table with all the dignity she could muster.
“Hi,” she said, dropping onto the wooden bench opposite the necking couple. An older witch and a young warlock who looked like mother and son were eating together at the table, too. Sagely would have preferred to do this where no one could overhear, but this needed to be said right then, so it couldn’t be helped.
“I guess all that ‘magic brought us together’ crap was just a ploy to get in my pants?” she said, her voice shaking with barely contained fury. “Well, good thing I caught you before it went that far, huh?”
“Sagely,” Quill said, an amused smirk on his face.
The girl pulled away and dropped her head, hiding her face behind a wall of silky hair. At least she had the decency to be ashamed. Quill just smiled indulgently at Sagely, bringing his hand up to his neck.
“You think I’m the kind of girl who will just sit here and pretend this isn’t happening right in front of my face? After you went on about how I was a part of you forever? Let me guess. She’s a part of you forever, too? How many other girls are a part of you, Quill? Inquiring minds want to know.”
“What?” the girl asked, raising her head. Her perfect lips parted, and Sagely saw a shiny smear of blood on her lower lip. What the hell?
“Sagely, this is my sister, Willow,” Quill said, standing and stepping over the bench.
“Hi,” Willow said in a soft, breathy voice, giving Sagely an apologetic wave.
“Why is your sister kissing your neck?” she asked.
“She’s half fairy,” he said, dropping his hand from his neck. That’s when she saw that the bite from the other day was ripped open, bleeding again.
“And faeries drink human blood, so you’re feeding her in the middle of a cookout?”
He laughed. “No, but she’s the only one here with enough faerie blood to heal
a faery’s bite. They’re venomous. She’s immune to it.”
“And you thought it was appropriate to do that at the dinner table?” Sagely asked, grasping at straws.
“She’s right,” the woman at the end of the picnic table said, standing. She held out a slender hand. “I’m Bea Golden, their mother. I’m afraid we don’t always teach our children human etiquette. But this is your party, and we should be respectful of your customs.”
His mother. Oh God.
Sagely shot him a murderous look, but he just could’t stop grinning.
“Mom, meet Sagely, the girl I saved. And who probably saved me. I hope to one day be a member of her collective,” he said with a wink.
“Don’t count on it,” Sagely growled.
The boy at the table was watching them with a big grin on his face, obviously finding the whole situation as hilarious as Quill did. Sagely could see the family resemblance then, that he looked just like a ten-year-old version of Quill. Willow, however, had the unearthly glow of the fae, an unnatural and alluring beauty that had the unfortunate effect of hypnotizing Sagely into a brainless lump of lust.
“Half faerie, huh?” she asked, sitting down across from Willow. “How’d that happen?”
“Our mother has eclectic taste,” she said, avoiding eye contact.
Her mother just laughed and sat back down to eat. She looked like a cool hippie with her brown hair in two braids that hung to her waist, each one woven with little feathers and beads and ribbons. She had Quill’s green eyes and square jaw and tall figure, though she was wearing outdated bell bottom jeans and a cream-colored peasant blouse.
Quill told his brother to get Sagely her plate, and he scampered off to do his brother’s bidding over her protests.
“It’s okay,” Quill said, joining her on the bench opposite his sister. “He loves to help. It makes him feel useful.”
Magic of the Void: A Reverse Harem Witch Series (Winslow Witch Chronicles Book 1) Page 12