“Me, child,” Lord Byron said roughly, gulping tea to ease his parched throat. “They will answer to me.”
“I see.” Isobelle rose and went to stand by the fire. She crossed her arms and stared into the dancing flames. “You don’t think I can defeat the other Chosen Ones, do you? You think I’m weaker than they are. After all my long years of study at the hands of those you chose to train me, you still don’t trust my abilities.”
Lord Byron shook his head. “I have every confidence in your skills. You were trained by the best. The demons are just insurance in case things don’t go as planned. The Chosen Ones were trained by the Jezibaba, Isobelle. You can’t be too cautious dealing with them.”
Isobelle turned and smiled. “I have studied my competitors while they have no knowledge of me at all. That means the advantage is already mine, Uncle. I think your demon insurance was really in case I end up inheriting their collective power at their deaths.”
“We don’t even know if that rumor is true, but if that does happen, I will do nothing but rejoice. My loyalty is to you, niece.”
“Is it?” Isobelle asked quietly. “I’m not so sure, Uncle. That’s the primary reason I poisoned your tea. Your death is my own form of insurance against those who might decide to rise up against me. And as for your demons… I’ve made my own deals with them.”
Lord Byron stood, but immediately staggered and fell down into the chair again. “Why are you doing this? I’m offering you more than anyone in the world. I sacrificed so you could be trained as the true witch protectoress. With your skills, we could rule the magical world.”
Isobelle walked around until she faced her uncle head on. “How can we rule anything when you’re constantly working to keep most of the real power for yourself? I find that behavior unacceptable, Uncle. I’ve decided that I want complete control of my power... and I will have it. Don’t worry though. Your good name will live on without your betrayal ever becoming known. Can’t have the rest of the council turning against me.”
Her uncle’s attempts to refute her statements while he struggled to keep breathing were futile, which was exactly what she’d planned. Normally, she outright killed those plotting against her, but this man was her relative. In her mind, a betraying kinsman deserved the worst possible death—slow, agonizing, and deliberate. That’s why she sat in her chair and calmly waited until his heart stopped beating before gathering up the tea things and walking to the kitchen to wash them.
The twinge of regret passing through her made her frown. She had to do much better than this. Killing her uncle had made her tired and unhappy. Maybe she should go back to bed.
She wanted to look her best when she destroyed the other two-thirds of the so-called “Baba Yaga” trio. What a horrible moniker! The council might as well have declared them to be “three ugly hags with power” like the non-magicals would have.
“Who could possibly respect anyone referred to as the Baba Yaga? Not me—that’s for certain,” Isobel declared softly, removing all traces of the poison from the delicate china.
Doing the dishes this evening was going to be the last menial task she would ever have to do in her life. From now on, she’d have servants cleaning up after her poisonings. From now on, she would kill directly without any subterfuge.
And the first thing she would do when she became the most powerful witch in the world would be to give herself a much better title. Enemies should have something wonderful to call you as they knelt at your feet and begged for mercy.
Chapter 3
Jezibaba paced while the girls sat side-by-side on Hildy’s bed. She didn’t like this. She didn’t like this at all. But tradition was tradition. Plus, she knew there was no other way. No one would follow the Baba Yaga witches unless they respected their power.
“As the current witch protectoress, I can’t assist you with your test. Once you take my place, then you can ask for my help any time. And I will gladly give it—providing I’m not at the beach or practicing my dragon flying. My landings still suck and no one is safe. I’ve already injured far too many innocent bystanders.”
“You’re getting much better. You only took out the iron bench last time you flew. It was old and needed replacing anyway. Hildy and I mangled that bench a dozen times in our training,” Carol said in support.
“And the time before when you flew, you only took out that one tiny building,” Hildy protested.
Jezibaba grinned. “That tiny building was the school’s cafeteria, Hildy.”
“Oh,” Hildy said, shrugging off her faux paux. “The food was never great there. I got take-out a lot until they rebuilt and hired a new chef.”
Jezibaba felt lighter as her laughter suddenly filled the room. She loved these young women. She wanted them to succeed in impressing the Council of Witches and Morgana the Red. In fact, they had to succeed. They were the only ones worthy to carry on her work.
“So what do we have to do for this test?” Carol asked.
Jezibaba stopped her pacing and turned to face them. “There’s been a recent flurry of demonic activity. They’ve been seen in the area bordering the United Kingdom and Ireland. Before that they were sighted in several states near the East Coast of America. No one seems to know how the demons are crossing the veil on their own. Those creatures belong on the other side. Your mission is to either send them back or destroy them. Demons can’t be incarcerated.”
Carol laughed, her eyes bright. “This should be a good challenge. I’ve studied a lot about how to kill demons. It’s not easy, but it can be done.”
“No, it’s not easy,” Jezibaba affirmed. Her gaze turned to Hildy who stared back with wide, unseeing eyes. The distraction factor was bad in that one. “What’s wrong, Hildy? You look overwhelmed.”
Hildy shook her head. “Sorry. I was thinking that demons carry a lot of dark energy. If they get hold of you, their essence can make you very sick… that’s if you even survive the encounter. They’re dangerous adversaries.”
“Just because I’m not allowed to help you doesn’t mean you can’t use all others who have taken part in your training. Consider this like an open-book test in school.”
Carol snapped her fingers. “I got it. Professor Francis has an amulet that wards off demons. He showed us during Alchemy training. He said it took several years to build the wards into it. We can ask him for help.”
Jezibaba nodded. “That’s good thinking, Carol. Now I have to turn myself into the Goddess until this is all over. I’ll be in Morgana’s sacred grove visiting with my grandmother and great-grandmother, not that either of them remembers me, but that’s probably a good thing. I’m not great at girlie talk anyway.”
“Is Professor Smoke going with you?” Hildy asked.
Jezibaba frowned. “No. He will remain here at Witchery U in case he’s needed. I’m sure I don’t have to explain his value to you both.”
“Oh,” Hildy said, realizing the implication. Professor Smoke would be available to help them. “How about Emeritus? He used to be Carol’s familiar.”
“Emeritus stays with the goddess, so I wouldn’t count on him intervening. None of us have heard much from him since Hildy’s shifter training ended. Do take your current familiars with you though. Take them everywhere until this is over.”
“Got it,” Carol said, nodding. “Anything else you can tell us?”
Jezibaba sighed and walked closer. They both rose at her approach. Though several inches shorter, the women in front of her were no less powerful than she was. They just weren’t as seasoned or as tough. That would come in time and she would always owe Zenos for what he taught them during their mage training.
“I have told you all I know. The only other thing I can say is that it’s been my great privilege to serve as your mentor. May the Goddess watch over you on this journey.”
She bowed her head when she noticed the women swallowing hard, emotion filling their eyes.
“No blubbering. Just take care of each other like you always
have and I will see you when this is done. Your relationship is one of your finest weapons. It always has been. Never forget that.”
Heart hurting, Jezibaba waved a hand and disappeared after their softly spoken thanks.
***
“Now what?” Hildy asked when they were alone. She admired the determination shining in Carol’s gaze, but it made her wary as well. Carol had been living for the chance to take this test while she had been dreading its arrival and what would come afterward.
Carol rubbed her hands and giggled, her brain racing with plans. “Now we search for demons, but first we get ourselves some protection. I can’t let my eagerness make me foolish.”
“You can drive,” Hildy said, sighing as she clasped Carol’s arm. “You don’t expend as much magical energy transporting as I do.”
Carol nodded. “Fine. First, we go see Professor Francis. We’ll grab some awesome pub food while we’re there. This afternoon when the tourists have gone home, we’ll pop over to Stonehenge. You can watch over me while I use the omniscience spell to find those evil bastards. It should work even better at such a sacred site.”
Hildy’s sigh of resignation was loud and long. “Great. Visiting sacred ancient sites while demon hunting. Sounds like the best day ever. You’re so good at this planning stuff.”
With a chuckle over Hildy’s sarcasm, Carol smiled and lifted her hand. She was nearly giddy with excitement and giddy wasn’t a word she even liked being attached to herself.
“Are you wearing your motion sickness bracelet?” Carol asked.
Hildy nodded and held up her wrist.
And then they were off to become the real Baba Yaga.
***
“So when do you go to the grove?” Damien asked, watching the woman he loved stare at the wall. He walked closer, hands in pockets to keep them off her. Vulnerability oozed from every pore and she looked ready to cry. The thought of her shedding tears terrified him. She hadn’t done that in a very long time.
“Carol and Hildy went to England to visit their alchemy professor. I think I can safely stay here one more night. Tomorrow I’ll have to go into seclusion until this is all over. I don’t know how I’m going to survive because I’m already fighting the urge to kill everything around me.”
“You merely need a large distraction to get your mind off your concerns. Luckily, I have something very large that I know works quiet well for that purpose. Want some bed company tonight?” Damien asked, hoping to coax a smile.
But he didn’t get one.
Instead the great Jezibaba sighed, which coming from someone so passionate was the worst of all reactions to his sexy teasing. He’d rather be provoking her anger than having to endure her current apathy. It had only gotten worse with every passing year, no matter what he said or did.
Thinking Elenora might not care as much for him as he did for her nagged at him constantly.
In the last couple of years, he’d finally concluded that no amount of excellent fucking was going to win back his mate’s enthusiasm for their relationship. Jezibaba wouldn’t even allow him to call her his mate. When the Baba Yaga witches came into full power, he intended to use that change in the Jezibaba’s responsibilities to force their mating situation into resolution.
Unethical? Perhaps. But he’d become a desperate dragon where she was concerned.
“I can’t believe you let my distraction go by without rebuttal,” Damien said, purposely trying to pick a fight. Her apologetic shrug was heartbreaking for him.
It was his fault that they weren’t as close as they used to be. The Jezibaba now kept her true thoughts to herself in all matters. She no longer shared about her work or her struggles. He had to drag any truth he wanted from her. She’d been reserved to the point of freezing him out ever since he’d inadvertently supported Thane’s betrayal.
That foolish, young dragon had been sent half-way around the world to serve in a dragon military, but the Dragon Council’s punishment had not satisfied the Jezibaba’s sense of justice. Nearly a decade had passed now since he’d acted to save the boy’s life. To this day, he still wasn’t sure why he’d even bothered. When the young dragon mage had spelled the Jezibaba into desiring him, he’d personally wanted to tear Thane’s wings off, and very nearly did. But once captured, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to outright kill the misguided boy. Thane’s mistakes had reminded him too much of the ones his now deceased son had made.
Ironically, though, their disagreement over Thane was also what convinced him the Jezibaba still loved him under all her disappointment. She’d never let anyone else get by with displeasing her that much. Well and not live to talk about it. Even Zenos, who had no polite filters at all, had quickly learned to avoid making her angry.
Now fully connected to the dragon within her, the Jezibaba’s power had eclipsed any magical being he knew except Morgana herself. If she’d decided to go hunt Thane down, there was really nothing he could have done to stop her. So far she hadn’t gone after Thane, but their broken trust remained a stumbling block to their full mating.
And he didn’t know how to bridge the emotional distance between he and Elenora since he couldn’t undo what he’d done about the boy. His frustrated sigh over his dilemma brought his reluctant lover’s attention back to him.
“There’s no use staying with me tonight, Damien. I’m not going to be fun company. My mind’s on Carol and Hildy. They might have to fight demons for their Baba Yaga test. I didn’t fight demons until three decades into my service. I hope Morgana knows what she’s asking. I think their test is intentionally harder because there’s two of them. But I can’t say anything because I fear Morgana will make their test harder just to annoy me.”
Damien sighed softly this time and went to sit beside her on the bed. “I’m sorry you’re so worried. Remember this is what they’ve trained for all these years and you have to let them get on with it. I’ve had to let go a lot of children in my long life. It doesn’t get easier, but you do eventually learn that there’s nothing you can do to stop any of them from leaving the cave.”
“Leaving the cave? Yes, I guess that is what dragons would say about their offspring. But they’re not really my children, Damien. They’re my… my… damn you for confusing me. They’re my replacements. They’re my retirement plan. They’re the Chosen Ones,” she insisted, jumping up and stomping out of his reach.
Damien chuckled at her irritation because at least it was a sign of real life. “They’re also your friends, your cohorts, and your students. Whatever label you put on them, they’re still the closest thing you’ve had to children. You’ve been with those girls since they were ten years old. You’re reacting exactly like a parent would react to watching them head into a dangerous situation.”
She threw up her hands. “If I could help, I would be much calmer.”
“But you can’t,” Damien said firmly. “And that’s wise of Morgana because you won’t always be around to help. They’re your retirement plan. Remember?”
Clenching her hands into fists, she growled low in her throat. “I hate this, Damien. I hate worrying. I hate being so concerned. I hate that I can’t help them fight whatever it is they’re going to face.”
Damien nodded. “All perfectly reasonable. So is that urge you have to kill things and keep them from knowing you intervened. But that will only work a short while. My eldest loves to point out what an out of control idiot parent I was when he left the cave. That was five hundred years ago and he still won’t shut up about it. You don’t want to know what I did when my daughter left. Before she mated, I stalked her everywhere. Then when I couldn’t do that anymore, because I was working for Morgana, I paid someone else to do it and report to me. I paid him for twenty years until she settled down with my son-in-law. If she ever finds out, she’ll be appalled.”
“You paid someone to spy on your child?” Jezibaba asked, very much liking the idea. “I have money. I could do that. I could hire someone to follow them around.”
“You could. How do you think Carol and Hildy will feel when they end up killing that person you hire because he was tailing them? I doubt they would take it well, knowing you didn’t believe they could do this on their own.”
She groaned because he was right. They would be pissed and rightly so. “I think I hate you right now.”
“Good. When I came in here earlier, I thought you’d turned into a zombie or something. Hate is at least something I can work with. I plan for you to ride me so hard tonight that I’ll have something good to think about while you’re away.”
“Ride you hard?” Laughter over his bold statement started low and built to a crescendo that rippled everywhere. “I get it. You think I’m being an idiot to worry this much, don’t you?”
“Not even a little bit,” Damien denied, rising to walk to her. He looked into her clear gaze. “You’re being a parent whose children are stretching their wings on their own. And I’m here to make sure you know that it’s alright to feel helpless and scared. When this is all over though, you’re going to wonder why you ever worried to begin with. That’s how this worry nonsense works. There’s no getting around the idiot part.”
“Being concerned is not nonsense. I’m worried because they could fail,” she whispered.
Damien nodded and put his hands on her shoulders. “Failure is a risk we all take every day we breathe. But Carol and Hildy won’t fail,” he said firmly, making her hold his gaze. “Those young women you mentored will do whatever they have to do to win. When this is all done, you’re going to be the proudest witch in the world.”
“Did I tell you Morgana plans to make me immortal if they fail? Even she’s not sure they’re going to make it. How can I not worry?”
“Really? She said that?” Damien gasped in shock. Granting immortality was certainly possible. Morgana had already demonstrated that particular skill set. “Other than the loss of his dragon, Zenos seems to have survived Morgana’s reconstruction efforts. But the Chosen Ones won’t fail, Elenora. And when they win, I want us to talk about being mates again. I think I’ve suffered long enough for my past mistakes. I love you. I always will. I want to call you my own and know there are no barriers between us.”
Magic and Mayhem: To Yaga Or Not To Yaga (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Baba Yaga Saga Book 3) Page 3
