Wytchcraft: A Matilda Kavanagh Novel

by Shauna Granger

  “Ronnie,” I said, finding my voice, “just stop.”

  “But we have to get everyone out of their cages. The metals and enchantments are killing them.” Ronnie strained against her ties, making her arms bleed even more. If she didn’t stop, she’d end up with scars to remember this horrible nightmare for the rest of her life.

  “Let me know how you expect me to do that, and I’ll be happy to help,” I said, looking up at her. She opened her mouth to argue with me or snap at me maybe, but she thought better of it and closed her mouth without another word.

  The cloud of pixies started tittering in their cage again, and I turned to see a few of them buzzing to life, floating to the top of their cage. Their tiny, bright eyes were wide with excitement as they watched the door of the room. A few of them started to squeak as they zipped around the confined space.

  “What’s happening?” Ronnie asked, but I just shook my head, turning my gaze to watch the door. A moment later, Joey darted in. She was a pink blur almost.

  “Oh gods,” she gasped, wavering between going to Ronnie, me, or the unconscious woman on the floor. “Oh, you’re okay, you’re both okay, oh thank gods.”

  “Looks like we missed the party,” a vaguely familiar voice rumbled from the doorway, and I saw the impressive form of Kyle standing there. He had one hand braced on the doorframe, and I caught his claws slowly retracting into his fingers, forming back to a smooth, dark hand. A cloud of wisps darted away from him, trying to escape through the closed window.

  “What are you guys doing here?” I asked, but I couldn’t be happier to see them.

  “The police wouldn’t come with me,” Joey said, her hands hovering around her face. “I told them that guy,” she pointed at Jackson, “kidnapped you guys, but they just laughed at me. I didn’t know who else to go to, and then I remembered Kyle was at your apartment when… Well… you know.” She finished with a shrug.

  “Kyle, thank you,” I breathed, finally letting my body shake, letting go of the white-knuckled control I was holding on to.

  “Any time, Mattie,” he said with that bright white smile as he came forward. He hesitated, eyeing the lock. “Any idea where the keys are?”

  “Are we really not going to call the cops?” Ronnie asked, stopping Kyle in his tracks, his black boot coming dangerously close to the wet, red stain in the carpet by Jackson’s head.

  “Joey already tried to go to the cops,” I said.

  “Yeah, but if Kyle calls and says he’s here and there’s a body on the floor, they may actually show up,” Ronnie said. “They’re gonna find out the guy is dead sooner or later. Do you want their forensics people to figure out we were all here and not know it was because we were held captive?”

  I looked up at Kyle, still standing too near Jackson’s head, and he shrugged. Sighing, I nodded, waving a hand at him. Kyle pulled out his cell phone and called the cops. Ronnie was right; as soon as he said “dead body,” it was less than two minutes before we could hear the wail of sirens racing down the street. I hated to think what kind of place this building really was if gunshots didn’t raise any questions and needed an actual phone call for help before anyone batted an eye.

  Within thirty minutes, the place was swarming with police. There was a sheet over Jackson’s body and paramedics were reviving Bernadette. Kyle was in the front room with Joey as the police questioned him. I said a silent prayer that they didn’t know Kyle was a Were. A paramedic cut Ronnie free of her ties and started cleaning the bleeding wounds on her arms while we waited for an electrician to come out to deactivate the wires going into my cage. Apparently they were reluctant to just unlock the door and let me out before they were sure it was safe, no matter how much we told them Jackson had done it earlier.

  Roane was finally out of his cage and in a chair with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Tommie was sitting on the floor by his feet, staring up at him, the doe-eyed look of a childhood crush making her eyes shine. Roane was going to need to get back to the Mound soon. It was the only thing that was going to make him feel better, and I was worried about how much time he had left.

  They released the other captives, and the grumpy gremlin walked up to my cage and considered me for a long moment, his scaly hands on his narrow hips, his head tilted to one side. I stared silently back at him, no energy left in me to say anything. His lower lip jutted out and he nodded, tipping his head to me before he walked out of the room to join the other freed creatures for questioning.

  Ronnie’s eyebrows shot up as she looked at me. It didn’t seem like much, but just that small gesture from a gremlin was high praise. Not that I thought I would ever get anything in return for what I’d gone through tonight.

  By the time the electrician disabled the cage and the door was unlocked, Bernadette was awake, propped up in a chair with a paramedic cleaning the cuts on her face. Two investigators slipped into the cage after I exited and started marking places on the floor and wall with their little color-coded flags.

  “There’s a bullet hole up there,” I said, pointing at the back wall. One investigator nodded and stuck a flag by the tiny hole.

  Ronnie came over to me and hugged me. Her wrists were bandaged, making her look like she’d unsuccessfully attempted suicide tonight. Joey walked back into the room, the cloud of pixies swirling around her head, a squeaking, tittering, multicolored cloud.

  “Thank you so much,” I said, reaching out to take her hand and give it a squeeze.

  “Remind me to give you a raise,” Ronnie said.

  ***

  Two hours later, with the sun rising in the east, Roane, Tommie, and I were driving through town, making our way to Caraway Park. Kyle had offered to drive Ronnie and Joey home so I could settle things with the Dunhallows. Roane was sullen and quiet on the drive home, which was just as annoying and obnoxious as he had been while caged. But I didn’t really care; the nightmare was over, and once I returned him to his parents, I could go home and sleep for a week.

  After parking the car, I dragged myself out of the car, holding the door open for Tommie, who sprung out and dashed around to stand by Roane. She grinned up at him, but he only turned toward the grassy field and led the way to the Mound. Tiny sparks of anger flashed at my fingertips and I fantasized about flicking him in his pointy ears. Tommie glanced at me, the first signs of heartbreak showing at the corners of her eyes. I smiled at her, trying to silently reassure her, but I wasn’t sure how successful I was.

  Unlike when I had arrived at the Mound alone, calling out for help, circling like an idiot before the doorway opened, Roane came within five feet of the entrance and it materialized magically. A high arch formed out of the earth and four fancy-dressed and armed guards filed out, surrounding the prince on all sides without missing a step.

  I grabbed Tommie’s hand and hurried us through, following behind the escort, not trusting the fairies to keep the entrance open long enough for us to make it through. Tommie’s hand was tiny and cold in my hand, and she stuck close to my side as the entrance closed behind us, cutting off the reaching beams of sunlight.

  “Roane!” Willow called out, rushing forward to greet her son as we walked into the audience chamber. The guards melted away from the prince, moving to stand along the walls as Willow wrapped her son in a hug. Roane was still wrapped in the emergency blanket the paramedics had given him, and he didn’t bother to release it to return his mother’s hug. I was really starting to regret saving his life the longer I spent time with him.

  Stoirm came down from the dais to join his wife and son. For a moment, the Lord and Lady looked like every other set of parents in the world, just happy and relieved to have their child safe and sound. But when they turned their eyes on me, I watched that warmth and joy melt away and felt a chill run up my spine. Tommie’s hand tightened around mine and I squeezed back. If she wasn’t cowed, I certainly wouldn’t be either.

  “Tomasina,” Willow said, her slim brows drawing together as she looked at the young fairy. “Wh
at are you doing here?”

  “The man who kidnapped Roane took her as well,” I said. Tommie took a step to hide behind me, tipping her head to press her forehead to back of my arm. “Are you telling me none of you noticed she was missing?”

  “Young Tomasina here is an orphan,” Willow said, as if that explained everything. I felt my face contract as if I’d sucked on a lemon, and Stoirm leveled me with a look that said he’d like nothing more than to slap me.

  “Do not think you’re going to swindle more money out of us for saving her,” Stoirm said. Heat flooded through me and I had to let go of Tommie’s hand for fear of jolting her with power. Willow lifted her chin, looking down that perfect nose at me, waiting for me to do something stupid so that they could renege on our agreement or have me killed and call it self-defense. I took in a deep breath and held it, counting to ten in my head before I released it.

  “Tommie, do you have somewhere to go?” I asked, turning my attention to the little fairy girl. She nodded, her hands were balled up and pressed to her mouth. “Then you should go,” I said, brushing a hand over her hair.

  Tommie lifted up on her toes and whispered in my ear, “Thank you, Mattie.” Then she scurried out of the chamber on silent feet, her white night gown drifting around her bare ankles as she went.

  “Roane,” Willow’s voice brought me back, and I turned to see him pulling out of her embrace and trying to leave. “Roane, where are you going?”

  “Mother, I am exhausted, all right?” Roane snapped at her, making Willow flinch as if he’d struck her in the face. Gods, none of them deserved what I had gone through these last couple of weeks to help them.

  “Yeah, I’d like to get out of here as well,” I said, but neither fairy turned to look at me. They watched their son stalk out of the chamber, disappearing into one of the dark hallways.

  “Hello?” I said, raising my voice so that it echoed around us. Stoirm turned slowly to face me, his face clouded with anger and his fists balled at his sides.

  “You dare—” he hissed, but I held up a hand and cut him off. I’d had enough of their stuck-up bullshit.

  “You’re not going to break our deal, are you?” I demanded. “I’ve done what you asked of me. In return, you were to pay me the other half of the money you owed me and release Owen.”

  “Who are you to tell us what to do?” Stoirm spoke as he walked over to me, stopping so that we were almost toe-to-toe. I could feel his breath as he exhaled, the warm air rushing over my face.

  “Who am I?” I asked, keeping my voice level. “I am the witch you contracted and the witch who expects you to hold up to your end of the bargain. Or are you an oathbreaker?” I drew out each precious syllable, enjoying look of horror that crossed Stoirm’s face. Willow whipped around, finally pulling her attention away from the hall her son had disappeared into. Her mouth was open in surprise and her eyes were too wide, making her look crazed.

  “How dare—” Willow started, but I stopped her just as I stopped Stoirm, holding a hand up to her.

  “One more word, stall for one moment more, and I shall name you Oathbreaker and will call down the wrath of the Slaugh upon you both.” I reveled in their horror, their fear. They thought they were going to take advantage of me, not knowing I knew just how to deal with double crossing fairies. I shifted my eyes from Willow to Stoirm, daring them to call my bluff. If they refused to fulfill their part of the agreement and were named an oathbreaker, the Wild Hunt from their world would descend upon them with horses, dogs, swords, and fury. The two of them would either be ripped to shreds or taken by the Wild Hunt to ride forever, without rest.

  “Of course we wouldn’t forget our end of the bargain,” Willow said, her voice taking on the practiced tone of working politics for years, even going so far as to offer me a closed-lip smile. She placed her hand on her husband’s shoulder, pulling him out of my space. His eyes flashed with fury before he turned away from me and stormed across the room to take his seat.

  Willow clapped her hands and a small boy came running into the room, clutching a white envelope in his little hands. He slid to a stop in front of me and held out the envelope, his chin lifted, back pin straight, and arm so tight it shook. I took the envelope and opened it, taking the time to count the money inside. I could feel the heat of Stoirm’s hate, but I didn’t trust them enough to not to count the money. Not after how they behaved today.

  “And?” I prompted, satisfied with the amount and tucking the envelope into the inside pocket of my jacket. Willow looked past me and waved a hand. It was a few minutes, but soon I heard the sounds of shuffling feet.

  “Mattie?” a rough voice called out to me, but it was strained. I turned and saw Owen. He didn’t look like he’d been mistreated, but there was something about him that said he hadn’t been taken care of especially well either. His usually shiny hair was lank and a little greasy, hanging around his face. And the pallor of his skin was too pale, making him look almost sick, as if they hadn’t allowed him to feed enough in the last few days. His clothes were so wrinkled I wondered if he’d been wearing them since that last night I saw him in my apartment.

  My lips parted, I could feel his name on my lips, but I couldn’t manage to speak it. The weight of his ring on the string around my neck pulled me down, and I had to fight against it to walk straight. Owen lifted his hands, expecting me to come to him, but I continued forward, reminding myself to keep breathing as I led the way out of the audience chamber.

  We weren’t five feet into the tunnels before the world shifted around us and we were standing outside upon the grassy knoll. Owen flinched away from the bright light of the new dawn.

  “They didn’t keep you fed,” I observed. Owen was old enough that the sun never bothered him anymore; to see him holding his arm up against the warm light was strange and disconcerting. A small part of me worried that he wasn’t safe to leave alone. If it had been too long since he’d fed, he couldn’t be trusted around humans as he tried to make his way back to the lair.

  “Not well fed at any rate,” Owen answered, keeping his eyes averted from my face.

  “So I guess you need a ride then,” I said. He lifted his eyes to look at me and I felt the air in my lungs rush out of me in defeat. I had wanted to return Roane to the Mound, get paid, get Owen released, and just wash my hands of this whole messed up situation, but when he looked at me with those sad and tired eyes, I felt the tiny string that was still tied around my heart that connected me to Owen constrict. My hands itched with the desire to brush his hair out of his face and touch his cheek, press my lips to his, and make that sad look leave his eyes.

  “I’m not sure how smart it would be for me to be around humans right now,” Owen agreed, his voice catching in the middle as we gazed at each other.

  “I can take you to the hotel,” I said, starting to turn toward the car.

  “There are too many humans there,” Owen said, stopping me.

  “You’re telling me there isn’t some secret passageway for vamps to get in?” I asked, challenging him to lie to me.

  “Mattie, I’ll still be too near them too soon,” he said, leaning toward me, begging me to understand. He wanted to ask for my help, but he knew better than to actually do it. Not after what we’d been through, what he’d put me through.

  “Are you seriously asking me to take you home to recuperate?”

  “Yes.” He dropped his eyes, lifting his hands to run his fingers through his hair, pushing it out of his face like I had wanted to do. When he looked at me again, I could see the light pink tint to his eyes, the bloody tears threatening to spill over.

  “Damnit.” I stomped my foot, wishing it was his hold on my heart that I was crushing into the ground. “C’mon then,” I growled, turning away from him and storming over to the car.

  Chapter 21

  Once back at my apartment, I busied myself taking care of Artemis, feeding him, cooing to him, apologizing for leaving him so long. Owen stood in my living room, shiftin
g from foot to foot, unsure what to do with his hands. He’d used my phone to call a contact at the local blood bank to bring him some supplies to help replenish him.

  I threw a pillow and some blankets on the couch before retreating to the bedroom, shutting the door behind me. Artie was already curled up on the arm chair in the corner by the time I crawled into bed after the longest, hottest shower I’d ever taken and changed into an oversized T-shirt. It felt good to rub my eyes without the grime and smeared make-up on them.

  I examined my nails in the half-light. There were black scorch marks at the cuticles and they were tender to the touch, but at least I hadn’t lost any of them. After bushing my teeth and rising with mouthwash, I’d been able to chase away the taste of pennies.

  Slipping down, I rested my head against the mound of pillows, feeling so small in the empty bed as I pulled the covers around me. It might have been my imagination, but I thought I could smell the crisp scent of Owen in the linens as if he’d been there the night before. It took days to get his smell out of the apartment after he left me, and now here he was again, permeating my life. A pain formed in my chest as my throat constricted, making me squeeze my eyes shut when the room went blurry.

  The latch clicked as the bedroom door opened and a shadow slipped through. I gripped my pillow, burying my face into it as the springs of the mattress at my back compressed. The covers were lifted and the familiar, cool shape formed around me. Knees fit behind mine as an arm wrapped around me, the fingers prying mine away from the pillow to intertwine. His lips pressed gently to the shell of my ear as he rested his cheek against my damp hair. His smell was a little muskier tonight than in my memories, speaking of the weeks of captivity, but right then, it was exactly what my body needed. I breathed in his scent, letting it fill me, easing the knots in my back as my shoulders relaxed.