Bas appeared to be mesmerized, which made Mina a little giddy. This was the first time she’d shown anyone the sanctuary. She was thrilled that he appeared impressed.
“The magic here…” Bas’s gaze darted from tree to tree, his mouth partially open as he assessed. “It’s not all white…you dabble in the dark arts?” He cocked an eyebrow her way.
She shrugged, some of her excitement dampening. “Of course. It’s a viable source of power.”
Must have been strange to a pure witch to feel dark magic in the hallowed walls of White Willow. She had Mother Stone’s blessing, of course, and she wasn’t using black spells that would cause damage or harm to anyone. Pure witches, though, never dabbled in the dark arts; they typically thought they were too good for that kind of spell work.
“You are a sympathizer, aren’t you?” Bas snorted. “Human witches love using those dark spells.”
“The power needed to build this place demanded it,” Mina snapped. “And I don’t discriminate when I need to get work done.” She waved her hand, focusing on the beauty and ignoring Bas’s judgmental glare. “Besides, it wasn’t only me. Croft is a far superior spell caster. He did most of the heavy lifting.”
But even Croft had initially balked at using dark spells. It had taken some discussion to get him to the point of being comfortable with Mina using them here.
Bas grunted.
Mina rolled her eyes. “This is where I’ve been focusing most of my attention. It’s a labor of love. I know the animals will live in peace here.”
Bas was quiet for a few minutes, eyes darting, stroking his chin.
Mina sighed. “Anyway, just thought you’d like to see what the plan was.” She turned to leave.
Bas reached out and touched her arm. “It’s amazing, truly.”
She turned her head, searching his eyes for confirmation that he was being honest. “Thank you.”
He nodded, then moved his hand back to his face, scratching at the scruff on his jaw as he studied the space some more.
“There’s still work to be done before the familiars can come in here. There are some specimens I want to collect from the Dark Forest to bring in here and clone. They do so love that forest… All the intoxicating magic for them to dwell in. It’s just not safe out there. Once the sanctuary is done, though, the animals will have a place to live where they feel comfortable and where their magic is nurtured. Even if they don’t have long to live, at least the rest of their lives will be in a paradise. I need to get this place finished before the Saviors come. I need the room for them in the cages while we sort out what’s happened to them and whether or not they can be around other animals.”
“I had no idea people were still making Saviors,” Bas admitted, folding his arms and turning toward her, his eyes flashing with anger. “I just didn’t think anyone would do something so grotesque.”
Talking to him like this almost seemed normal, like he was a reasonable man with no chip on his shoulder. Mina felt surprisingly at ease, her guard sliding. She realized that his attitude was definitely a flip he could switch on and off, which meant that it wasn’t something so ingrained in his persona that it was stuck there.
“I know what you mean. I had the same reaction when I found out. The Breeders are really hard to pin down though so I think the rumors became more of a myth over the years and people don’t realize Saviors are still being made.” Mina felt that weight on her heart again. Wanting to save them all but knowing that was impossible. “I’ve encountered a few Saviors out in the field, left to fend for themselves. The last Breeder purge that happened years ago resulted in a few Saviors escaping to live in the wild, and there are a few who somehow find a way to break the bond to their masters. The poor beasts have been used far worse than a normal familiar would have been. They’re bred with the sole purpose of enabling a weak witch to perform spells beyond her abilities. And the bond is forced, as you know, so the animal isn’t given the opportunity to select someone who is compatible. The relationship is strained right from the beginning. It’s disgusting and the poor things usually die young. Typically, when I’ve encountered them, I’m acting in a hospice way, helping them die with dignity and without pain.”
“So what are your expectations for the ones who are coming here? I mean, if the team is able to locate and extract them?”
“Realistically? I’m hoping that I can save some of them but I’m expecting that I will likely have to keep them caged for the rest of their lives. Like I said, unless there is a sudden influx of Healers who are interested in caring for the familiars, I’m going to be stuck with the Healers who are being punished for something and who don’t want to be here,” she said, taking an obligatory jab at the state of things. “Otherwise, it’s just me and Croft, at least until Mother Stone decides he’s better off somewhere else, and if it’s just me… Well, I’ll do what I can but it’s not really enough to do anything significant for these beasts.” Seemed hopeless when she said it like that, and that familiar tightness in her chest had her rubbing her fist along her sternum.
“Yeah.” He turned back to face the sanctuary. “You’re right. No one knows this place is even here.”
“I’m hoping that in time, Mother Stone will make it part of the rotation for interns.”
Bas snorted.
“Pipe dream, right?” She sighed. “I know I’m facing a lifetime of work split between two people or fewer.” And the idea of that was damn depressing because it meant, once again, that Mina was working alone. If she was going to be honest, the loneliness was the worst part of chasing her passion. Being the only person who had such a drive to help the familiars meant that she often worked in solitude. She might be strong and independent but she did like having someone around to talk to.
“So why’d you agree to do it?” He shrugged. “If it’s such a lost cause?”
“Mother Stone knows me…from before.” Mina’s cheeks heated and she shifted her head so that her hair fell forward, hiding her hot flesh from view. Bas was reaching out to touch the petals of one of the flowers, his hand easily sliding through the magic barrier. “She messaged me when she ascended to her new position asking if I’d be willing to help her with a project,” Mina said, watching him caress the flower. “She said there were feral familiars being hunted in Salem Forest and wanted me to help her set up a triage centre for them and any other familiars who may come to White Willow.”
“Seems like the job of a lifetime,” Bas said. He crouched down and fingered some of the dirt that was there.
“It’s a dream job for sure and I don’t want to let Mother Stone down. But honestly, someone needs to take care of the familiars. Even if no one else is willing to, I am. I always will be.”
Silence fell. Bas scanned the replica forest once again. “This is what I’m here for. This is why Mother Stone sent me down here.”
Mina raised an eyebrow when he looked at her.
“You only have a short time to get it done before more animals come.” He rubbed his hands together, dusting the dirt from his fingers. He stood and waved toward the forest. “Mother Stone said that my particular brand of magic would be useful here.”
“Spell unification would be helpful.” Mina was assuming, of course, that he was endowed with his mother’s innate magic.
“You’ve got a good spell, for dark magic, in the dirt, but I can do better. Keep the flowers healthy indefinitely.”
Of course, any innate ability to unify magic would be better than a spell from a grimoire. The fact that Bas could unify spells meant that he was on the more powerful end of the witch spectrum. She felt a jolt of excitement over that. Bas had an ego, sure, but maybe he deserved it. Maybe Mother Stone had sent Mina a treasure instead of a curse when she’d cast Bas down to the Dungeon.
“There are some elements of the Dark Forest that I’d like to bring here that are not compatible with living indoors. And there are some aromas that I need here to help some species acclimate. You think you’d be able to
do something about that?”
“Piece of cake,” Bas said, taking a step toward her. “I’m actually really stoked about this. I’ve never seen anything this complex before. There are some things I can do…enhancements, like a waterfall. Over there…can you picture it? I could do that…I know a way.”
Mina couldn’t help but smile. He actually did sound excited about it. “I can picture it and yes, it would be wonderful if you can pull it off.”
He scoffed. “Easy.” He moved closer.
Mina had the urge to step back, his proximity confusing her. But then she got a whiff of his scent—musky, cinnamon, with a lingering touch of witch hazel—and swayed closer to him.
“I could build some shelters, like little caves for the familiars who like to burrow.” Bas’s smile was infectious, his excitement rolling over Mina like a shiver. “We could build this place up so that it’s the talk of all the Healers… Everyone will know about the sanctuary once we’re done with it.”
And that pushed Mina over the edge. Without Bas knowing it, he’d just given her more of a reason to like him—or at the very least, embrace his presence in her world. He could get the word out to the other Healers and put the Dungeon on the radar.
He was so close now that she was looking up at him. “Sounds good to me.” She smiled, refusing to let his proximity intimidate her. His heat radiated toward her and she had the urge to sway closer, to put her palm on his chest and feel the ripple of his muscles. She stayed still, clenching her fists at her sides. “The Savior mission could take a couple of weeks, maybe longer. So that’s our timeframe for now. We need this place ready and safe for the transfer of the ferals we have. And I need you to help me with the daily care and upkeep of their medical requirements as well. So it’ll probably be best if you go to your room and get some clothes. I’ve got a cot down here with your name on it and I’ll be expecting round the clock support.”
“So I guess it’s just me and you.” His voice was gruff all of a sudden. He shifted closer to her, his scent invading her nose, her mouth, making her mind go fuzzy.
She cocked her head and bit her lip. “Yep, just me and you.”
For a flash of a moment, Mina’s thoughts turned from work to something else. Maybe…maybe this could be fun.
He put his hand on her hip, drawing her somehow closer, before pressing his lips to her neck for a little kiss. Her body jolted with surprise. Her nipples hardened more.
It had been a long damn time since she’d been touched like that. She wanted to melt. Her stomach fluttered, her core tightened, and the long forgotten jolt of lust zapped her brain off line. She put her hands on his biceps, tracing the hard muscle and marvelling at how powerful he seemed. He could pick her up and fuck her against the trunk of the tree behind them with no trouble.
“You can send the Sin Eater back upstairs and let her shadow someone else for a while,” he murmured against her skin. “I mean, her sole purpose is to babysit me, but I won’t need that down here with you.”
And then it all came to a screeching halt. A wet blanket of anger blotted out her lust in an instant.
“Angel?” Mina put her hands on his chest and pushed him back, blinking away the cloud of desire she’d fallen into. “She’s attached to you. Where you go, she goes. Whether you like it or not. And she’s not your babysitter—she’s your mentor.” Fuck! Mina had let her defences slip completely. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he’d bewitched her somehow. She took a step back and gave him a scathing once over. “From what I can see, you’ve a lot to learn from her.”
His eyes flashed with anger and surprise. He took a step back as well, his arms crossed and his broad chest puffing.
“You’re wrong,” Bas growled. “I have a lot to offer to you and I don’t need a Sin Eater, a human, watching over me like I’m some kind of criminal. She doesn’t have anything to teach me.” He ran his fingers roughly through his hair. “I thought we were on the same page here.”
“Nope. When it comes to Angel, we’re definitely not. I think you’d better go.” Mina walked out of the sanctuary.
He trailed after her. “Go? I thought you said you need all hands on deck. You need me. And don’t get pissed for what I said. You agreed it would be just me and you.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Mina shrugged then continued walking away from him, not wanting him to see the burn on her cheeks or the humiliation in her eyes. “You need to go adjust your attitude. Seriously, it’s not cool. I’d rather spend the next two weeks doing twenty-four hour shifts than let you in on this project if it means having to listen to your bigotry. You’re not a good fit here.”
“And what about Mother Stone? She’ll kick me out of the program if you don’t let me stay down here.”
“That really isn’t my problem, now is it?” Mina walked to the other side of the Dungeon. “Angel, where are you?”
Angel popped her head out of the back room as they entered the main chamber. She paused, her cloak moving as she looked in Mina’s direction. “Healer Knox?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight. There are many things I’d like to talk to you about. Healer Frank needs some time alone to reflect on his opinions before he’s welcome in my Dungeon.”
Bas swore under his breath but loud enough for Mina to hear.
“I’m obligated to—”
“I’m releasing you from that obligation for the night. Dine with me. Please. I’d be honored.”
“Well.” Angel lifted her hand up to touch the side of her cloak. “Okay, yes. I’d love to.”
Mina turned toward Bas for one final withering glare and effectively dismissed him from her service. “Leave. Now.”
“You’ll regret this.” Bas plucked his security card from the chain on his neck and disappeared.
7
“You don’t have to wear that around me, you know.” Mina had some sway with the kitchen crew and had ordered her and Angel a buffet of things. She moved around her small kitchen, grabbing utensils and plates before coming back to the table.
Angel nodded, her cloak moving slightly. “I know.”
Mina nodded too, then motioned to the table. “I got a bit of everything. I wasn’t sure what you’d like.”
Angel’s hands hovered at her waist for a moment and then she swept them up, sliding her cloak hood back as she did.
Mina expected disfigurement. She expected skin damage similar to what she’d seen on Angel’s hands. She hadn’t expected what was revealed.
“Most don’t like a reminder of my sacrifice.” Angel’s eyes flicked from hers to the table. The skin on her neck growing pink, color rising over her jaw.
There was a fine network of scars. Not bubbling or deforming her features. They were more like a web of silk that radiated from her eyes up and down her face, like she was marked with a purplish-white ink.
“Your sacrifice is worthy, Angel. And you have nothing to be ashamed about. You’re beautiful.” Mina felt tears prick her eyes. She’d met many Sin Eaters over the years. And like most witches, they came in all sorts. Some were bitter and jaded, some so selfless that they’d give their life to save a pure witch, and had, in brutal ways. Others would only work with Pagans and a few, here and there, even worked on familiars. Some were funny, and some were storytellers, while others were silent. Watchful. Like Angel.
“Your hair…” Mina moved closer. “May I?”
Angel moved her eyes up again to meet Mina’s briefly. “It’s been like that since birth.”
“I swear, it’s every color.” Mina ran her fingers over a curl. The way it reflected the light was mesmerizing. “And the curls! Breathtaking!”
Mina’s own hair was straight and unbendable. She’d tried a few times when she was a teenager to spell some curl into her hair but the curls never took. She was doomed to strategic hair cuts that would give it some body. “The length suits you.”
Angel blushed again, the color accentuating her scars. “
I’d always wanted to have hair like yours, actually. So stylish.”
Mina patted her own hair then waved the compliment away. “It’s long enough to put into a ponytail if I need but short enough to look professional I guess.”
Angel smiled. “The other side always seems so appealing no matter who you are.”
Mina smiled back. “Very true.” She picked up a plate. “May I serve you?”
Angel nodded, indicating what she wanted from the selection.
“For now though, let’s enjoy our time away from him. Shall we?” Mina set down Angel’s plate and quickly got her own filled up. The kitchen staff always spoiled her when she made a request like this, setting aside some of the prime cuts of meat knowing that she’d serve the leftovers to the familiars. She’d rehomed a sweet little familiar a few weeks ago with the head chef and now he catered to her every gastro-related need.
“Your compassion for the animals is legendary.” Angel’s voice was soft, sweet but also full of certainty.
Mina found herself leaning forward, not because she couldn’t hear Angel, but because her tone was so captivating. “Who me?” Her cheeks burned. “I’m a nobody.”
“That’s not true!” Angel’s eyes grew wide. “Your skills with rehabilitating rescue animals is talked about all over the country. My fellow Sin Eaters here have been buzzing about you for weeks now. You have a reputation that rivals some of the most famous Healers.”
Wait until I tell that to Dad.
“Your skill and technique with feral familiars is replicated in many witch villages. You could consider running an apprenticeship here. It would be highly sought after.”
Sought after by the Pagans but not pure witches. Interesting thought. She hadn’t considered it really. She’d always incorporated training as part of her rescue work. Making sure the witches she encountered understood how to best care for their familiars. Like normal humans, the majority of Pagans with familiars cared for their animals in the best way they could. While well intentioned, sometimes the best they could do was not the best for the animal. Mina made a point of educating the witches in her travels, bringing resources to aid in not only training but also how-to guides on proper spell casting and power use. Her work used to take her all over the place, moving from state to state, sometimes into other countries as well. She was usually called because of an abuser or wayward beast, but she ended up always staying beyond her contract terms in order to deliver some much-needed support to the village or community as a whole. Could she see herself as an instructor at White Willow?
Feral Heart: A Witch Hospital Romance (The Witches of White Willow Book 2) Page 6
