The Dutiful Witch (The Ward Witches)

by Lauren McMinn

  Seb's phone rang. He looked down at the number. “Would you mind, Mona, taking Fiona on the tour and explaining more about her duties?”

  “Not at all, sir.”

  “Thank you.”

  He answered his phone and walked away down the hall.

  “I've actually got to get to an interview, so can we postpone the tour for a while?”

  “Certainly. Tell me when.”

  “Thanks.”

  Fiona hurried back down the halls to Melanie's office. She was glad she had gone shopping with Skylar the day before because Melanie clearly approved of her outfit. It was a slimming blue top with lace on the neck and arms paired with tight black pants. She looked good for the first time in a long time.

  “Fiona, meet Tanya. She'll take good care of you while I go back to my room and take good care of my infants.”

  “I'll see you later, Melanie,” the reporter, a good looking woman in her late thirties, said. “It's good to meet you, Fiona. Now let me ask you some informal questions before we begin the on-camera part of our discussion.”

  “Sure.”

  The whole process took nearly three hours, and Fiona was glad when it was done. She felt worn, and the camera really made shivers go up and down her spine. But it was over. For now. She thanked Tanya, who had been very nice through the whole thing, and returned to the kitchen for her tour from Mona.

  “I'm sorry, Mona; I hope I didn't keep you.”

  “I'm used to Seb leaving in the middle of discussions to go work. It's no problem.”

  “He does seem to work an awful lot.”

  “Indeed. But it's thanks to him that this place works so well. Alright, let me apologize first. I'm the worst gossip and I know it.”

  “I'd love to know more about this place and its inhabitants.”

  “Good. Well, this place almost went bankrupt.” It meant something that Mona was talking about something like the financial security of the Coven when she barely even knew Fiona. She must think it was important for Fiona to know.

  “What? Aren't there tithes and such to the Coven?”

  “Oh yes. But the old Duchess, Seb's mother, ran through almost every dime of it. Even her husband didn't realize until after her death.”

  “What happened?”

  “Well, Duke Drake took to his rooms, sick with grief, for weeks. Seb and Justin were about a year and a half, and Leo and Dymphna were only six months. One of the witches with some accounting experience looked through the books, and found the spending. Most of us upped our tithe where we could, and it was dicey for a while.”

  “From the outside, it seems like the Coven's doing much better now.”

  “Oh yes, but not from Duke Drake. When the boy twins turned sixteen, they made a bet with their father on who could earn more money for the Coven in the stock market. They had a deadline of a year, and two thousand to start with, a generous amount considering that we were still in a pretty bad state. The two of them turned out to be stock market geniuses. Seb doubled his money, and Justin tripled his. Then they kept going. By the time Leo and Dymphna graduated high school, they were able to offer their siblings the chance of a lifetime. Since Drake had died a year before Seb's graduation, it was clear that he and Justin weren't going to college. They had pooled a lot of their stock market money to pay for the younger twins to have the chance.”

  “That's incredible!”

  “At least when they were younger, the four of them were inseparable. We were all surprised when they paid for all their college, including their respective grad schools, but it just shows how much family means to them.”

  “I had an inkling, but that's a lot of familial love.”

  “Yeah. Now Justin and Seb have been accruing their personal stock market nest eggs and paying tithe on them rather than taking a salary from the Coven like their predecessors. When you add in tithe from Leo's private plastic surgery practice and Dymphna's law practice, I imagine the four of them could finance the whole Coven. But the rest of us tithe as much as possible to make sure the Coven stays healthy.”

  They arrived in the dining room, which was classically decorated and gigantic. “We've served up to three hundred in here, and another three in the ballroom at times.”

  “Oh my god. That's a lot of people.”

  “It's a lot of work.”

  “I imagine. But I'll do my best.”

  “I can tell.”

  “You'll help me?”

  “Of course. Now here's the ballroom. I believe Melanie plans to do your wedding shower here.”

  The ballroom was also gigantic, with a raised podium for a live band and hardwood flooring. The walls were decorated with mirrors to make the whole room seem bigger. Fiona imagined herself in a billowing ball gown dancing in here. She liked the idea.

  “I imagine this place will hold a stunning ball.”

  “It could. But there haven't been any in a long time. There was no proper Hostess for a long time, and now Melanie's pushing to do more Coven events to promote the Coven both to members and to the outside world. Your wedding shower will be the first big event in here in years.”

  “I think it's a great idea to do more with the space and promote the Coven.”

  “I think so too. I think that you and Melanie can pull it off too.”

  “Thanks.”

  “What do you think?” Seb asked. Somehow he had known where they were and crept in behind them.

  “It's a big job, but I'm willing to try.”

  “That's all we can ask. I've got a few minutes, will you come with me to the bank?”

  “Sure, but why?”

  “I'll explain on the way.”

  Once they got in the car, Seb opened up again. “The Hostess will often need to buy things for the Coven, and there's a part of the Coven budget for just that. The kitchen needs to be stocked, preferably with Mona consulted, and any party expenses would also be picked up by the Coven. I need to get you a debit card on the Coven account so you can make those purchases. I'd also like to add you to my own account.”

  Melanie gave him an angry look. “I thought we weren't going to do things like that.”

  “I know. I'd like to ask for an exception, though. With all the Dark Coven activity, and the evidence that they're targeting Wards in particular, I want to make sure that someone can access it if something happens to me. Even if you never use the access, it'll make me feel safer if I know there's an emergency plan in place.”

  “Alright.”

  “I don't need access to your account, though, don't worry.”

  “OK. Are you sure you need that kind of backup plan?”

  “I hope to never need it.”

  “Does the Dark Order have you that worried?”

  “After Melanie's kidnapping, I've been worried for all of us in the Coven. But the fact they're willing to take one of us and use their blood to control another one of us does worry me. I'm concerned about my family, and I want to protect them. But I'm not going to pretend I'm above danger or something.”

  “You've given me an idea. Can you bring me back to my old apartment after the bank?”

  “Sure. What's up?”

  “I'll show you when we get there.”

  They went to the bank, and Seb's considerable bank accounts made the wheels turn smoothly. He was a valued customer, apparently, and it didn't take long at all to get her on the accounts, especially with their marriage license in hand.

  Finally, they proceeded to her old apartment.

  “I've got a bunch of stuff in here that I haven't put in stock yet, so I didn't bring them with me yet. But I think some of these amulets I've got might ease your mind a bit.” Fiona pulled out a drawer and started fishing through her supply of amulets, looking for the one with the right rune and spell. “Take a look at this one,” she said, pulling it out of the mess. “It's a protection amulet, with a special amplification for mental protection. I had a client months back who thought she was being possessed by a demon. I know
demons around here are more likely of a human variety, but I figured that if she thought she had a problem, maybe an amulet would help her rest easier. And since I was making one, I made seven. Luckier number, and it doesn't take any extra work on the part of the spell caster.”

  “Amazing,” he said, turning it in his hands. “Did you make this yourself?”

  “I like carving.”

  “You're damn good at it too.”

  “Thank you. I got started as a kid, and when I found a way to link the hand-carved wood to spells, I jumped at the opportunity.”

  “I know most earth witches use potions and herbs to make their spells.”

  “Yes. The connection to the earth is what makes it work. Earth witches don't do offensive spells as much as fire witches, or healing like water witches, etc. But with the right mix of ingredients, the right spell put on the sub-straits in advance, an earth witch can do a lot of things. Now I took the same principle, and applied it not only to herbs, but to natural woods, another product of the earth. I also used my abilities with water and air magic to amplify the products I make. So when I give you an amulet to protect your mind, it's got the earth magic of a strong witch with some of the talents of a water witch weaved into the mix.”

  “It's amazing,” he said, running his finger over the carvings. “You're very creative.”

  “Thank you. So I sold one to her and I've got six left. That's perfect for the entire family.”

  “There's seven of us.”

  “I don't need one. I'm sure you noticed that I drink a small potion every morning. It's a custom blend, with a little bit of a lot of magic in there. Included are some of the most powerful protection spells I can muster. Remember, I've been on the run a long time, and if I wanted to stay beneath the Order's radar, I had to take serious precautions against magical seeking spells and such.”

  “I'm sorry it happened that way.” He said, pulling her into a hug.

  “Don't worry about it. Besides, I'm worried that it's only a matter of time before they find me now. I'm not exactly hidden anymore when I'm wife of the Duke of the National Coven. Tanya's putting me on television, and Melanie's throwing a party. I hear she's reaching out to a lot of people to come celebrate.”

  “I can get a protection detail for you.”

  “No, I'd rather not. I'd rather work with Justin to set up an offensive before they can come and find me. I don't want to endanger anyone else, even a Protection agent.”

  “I can understand that. But if you're not worried about them finding you, why do you still take the potion?”

  He looked genuinely perplexed. But Fiona wasn't sure she wanted to give away all of her secrets yet. “Birth control, among other things. We haven't really talked about children, so I wanted that protection just in case.”

  Seb sighed. “You're right. We do need to talk about children, and a million other things about the future. But not right now.” He leaned in and placed his forehead against hers.

  “No, not right now.”

  “Can you tell me what some of these other amulets do?”

  “Sure. But first, I want to put yours on you.”

  She reached up and slid the amulet's cord around his neck, then spun him three times clockwise, using her magic to strengthen the carving's protection spell. Fiona watched as her aura mixed with the cord, seeping in until the match was seamless.

  “Even I could feel that spell.”

  “You really don't use your magic very much at all, Seb. You'd have better luck with it if you practiced more often.”

  “You're right.”

  “Then why don't you?”

  “It's complicated.”

  “I have my secrets; I suppose it's only right that you have yours.” She kissed him briefly. “So let's look at some of what I've got.”

  After an hour of looking over the amulets, and Seb's praise on their workmanship and creativity, Fiona decided to pack some of them up and put them on sale on her website. She brought along more of her potions, herbs, and candles, as well, to replenish the stock she had sold. Seb had work to do, so she made her preparations quickly. Seb promised that they'd do a full move that weekend.

  When Melanie got back to their rooms, she took some of her supplies and commandeered one of the empty apartments in the hall leading off their apartment. She took her time setting up a new sanctuary. She did the protective spells she needed, drew the runes on the floor, and blessed the whole place. Then she got to potion making. She made enough of her regular stock to supply her orders from the internet.

  Then she mixed up a special potion. She only made one dose, though she made notes on how to make it again if she needed to. Then she mixed up some protection potions for herself since she wouldn't have that amulet that the rest of the family would. But she wanted that for them. She could protect herself against distance attacks that the Dark Order better than they could since she knew the kind of things the Order could bring to bear better than the others did.

  When Seb got back to the bedroom, Melanie was sitting in the living room, staring at the little jar she had put that special potion in.

  “How was the rest of your day?” He asked, giving her a quick kiss.

  “I used one of the other rooms on this hallway as a sanctuary for potion making and such.”

  “Good. It's time they were put to use.”

  “I made this special potion,” she said, gesturing to the bottle on the table.

  He could tell something was wrong. “What's going on, Fiona? What's that potion supposed to do?”

  She didn't directly answer. “I married you because we were aligned. In the past few days, I've really grown to like you. But I've also come to realize that there are a lot of duties that you've taken on as Duke. I'll be taking some on as Hostess. But even without being Duchess, I have other duties and responsibilities as your wife. I have to be on my best behavior when I'm in public because I'm going to be brought to the attention of the media. And I have to have your heir. We've touched on the subject a few times, but we both know what needs to happen.”

  “What are you talking about, Fiona? What is that potion for?”

  “If I take that potion, I will conceive. If I've had sex twenty four hours from taking that potion either direction, I'll get pregnant.”

  “We need to talk long and hard before you take that.”

  “Yes, we do.” She shook her head sadly. “But it's got to end with me taking that.”

  He sat down next to her and took her hand. “I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not as young as I once was. I am Duke of the Coven, and I do have a responsibility to provide the Coven with the next generation of leadership. But we just met and just got married. There's no rush to have that heir now. There's not even a rush in the next year or two.”

  “I don't know, Seb. I know that I have that duty.”

  “Not yet, you don't. Believe me on this.” He thought for a minute, hand linked with hers. “How about a compromise?”

  “I'm open to that.”

  “You keep that potion, but don't take it yet. If you come to the conclusion that you love me, really love me beyond the bond that married us, take the potion. If, one year from the day we sealed the bond, you still haven't taken it, take it then. Agreeable?”

  “And what about your love for me?”

  “That will factor into our lives, but not into the decision to take the potion or not. So do we have a deal?”

  “We have a deal.”

  They shook on it, and he kissed her. “Now no more serious talk.”

  She went and put her special potion in the drawer of the nightstand next to her side of the bed. It would stay there for now. Fiona returned to the living room, and Seb told her about the kinds of things he had been doing that day. She did the same in trade. It was clear that talking about his day helped get some of the stress off his back. He had so much tension, and every time she looked at his aura, she saw it. But this evening, there was less of it there, and she felt proud of th
at.

  Seb chose a cheesy horror movie from the sixties, and while Fiona had never really watched those, she found it quite enjoyable. It was on the side of funny rather than scary, and they had a nice evening.

  When they got ready for bed, she climbed in on her side and tried to fall asleep. As she was trying, Seb reached out his arm and gathered her close to him. With her head on his strong chest, it didn't take long at all for Fiona to fall asleep.

  75

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Fiona quickly adjusted to living in the Coven House. It helped that she had moved so often in her life that she was quick to adapt. She visited Melanie every day, and Skylar was temporarily taking over a lot of Melanie's duties while she was on maternity leave, so Fiona saw a lot of Skylar too. She really liked both women, and they accepted her instantly and without question. That actually made Fiona a little uncomfortable.

  Both Skylar and Fiona tried to get Melanie to not touch the wedding shower, but they seemed to be constantly getting input from the new mom. And then, in not much time at all, the wedding shower was there.

  Skylar showed up to Fiona's room early to help her choose her outfit and do her makeup. Seb was getting ready with Justin, so the women had the room alone.

  76

  THE DUTIFUL WITCH

  “Are you nervous?” Skylar asked.

  “Yes I am. This will be my first event as Seb's wife. Then tomorrow, the segment that Tanya taped will be airing. I'm going to be more public today and tomorrow than I've been in my entire life combined. And it'll get worse before it gets better.”

  “You'll do fine. Seb's on your side, as is the rest of the Ward family. Just relax and be yourself.”

  Right before the shower, Fiona ran into Seb, who was looking great in his suit.

  “You look great,” he said, fingering the spaghetti strap on her dress.

  “Thank you. So do you.”

  They got together and prepared to meet the guests as they arrived. Melanie had chosen to go all-witch, and there were witches from all over the Northeast Coven as well as those in the National Coven. Fiona was sure she hadn't seen this many witches together ever. She smiled at them all and shook their hands, trying to remember their names. Whenever she got too nervous, Seb could tell, and he squeezed her hand in support. That helped a lot. Fiona had never been fond of crowds.