The Witches of the Glass Castle (The Witches of the Glass Castle Series Book 1) (14 page)

Outside on the gr
ounds, the world was quiet. It was still early so the Arcana were mostly indoors, and the Hunters had already begun their training in the forest. Well, that’s what Mia was banking on anyway.

She stormed through the gardens, fearlessly heading for the abyss of pine trees. Some remote part of her knew that she would be putting herself in danger, but she was beyond caring.

Why would Colt lie to me?
The question rolled over and over in her mind.
Or, more importantly, why did I think I could trust him?
She could have kicked herself for being such a fool. How could she have been so blind? He was a Hunter after all. A callous, heartless Hunter.

As Mia stumbled down the incline of the embankment, it dawned on her that maybe this had been Colt’s intention all along. Maybe he had planned to gain her trust as part of a much greater ploy. She shuddered at the thought. What did he want from her?

Recklessly, she marched towards the mist. Nothing could stop her, not even common sense.

‘Colt!’ she screamed, plunging into the murky, grey mist.

Almost instantly she began to feel woozy. The mist slowly filtered into her mouth and nose, working its magic on her.

‘Colt!’ she called, a little less assertively this time.

As she walked on, she recognised that she was losing control and was being guided by the enchantment of the mist. It directed her stride, setting her on course like a moth to a flame.

She looked on in trepidation as the mist began to break. Unable to stop herself, she wandered onward into
the looming pine trees. She was sure it was her imagination, but she could have sworn that the trees curved and parted to grant her access.

Just as her foot crunched down upon the forest floor, she was grabbed from behind. A rough hand pressed firmly over her mouth, stifling her cries. Before she knew what was happening, she was lifted off her feet and hauled backwards.

Hidden among the web of trees, Mia clawed at the hand over her mouth. It was hard to tell who was behind her, because his arm held her securely, stopping her from moving. She could feel agitated breath on her neck, and the rhythm of a heartbeat against her shoulder blade.

‘Just a quick question,’ a voice hissed into her ear. ‘Are you insane?’

‘Ouch!’ Mia moaned, biting at the hand that clasped her mouth. ‘Get off!’

Colt loosened his grip, but his hand stayed slackly over her mouth. ‘Don’t come to the forest and call
my name,’ he scolded her. ‘What a foolish move.’

‘Well, how else am I going
to find you?’ Mia reached up and tugged his hand away from her mouth, but she didn’t attempt to turn around.

‘Simple answer:
don’t
try and find me,’ Colt berated her in a hushed voice. ‘In fact, you’re lucky I found you before you found me. You surely know that they can sense you as soon as you cross the perimeter? If I hadn’t got to you first, you’d probably be dead by now.’

‘Well, in that case, I suppose calling out your name wasn’t such a foolish move after all,’ Mia retorted unflinchingly. She couldn’t see Colt’s face, but she felt him smile against the back of her head.

‘My, my, little one, you are getting cocky.’ His voice was still lowered to a whisper.

‘It seems to be a language you understand,’ Mia snapped. She wriggled to free herself from him, but he refused to relinquish his hold.

‘I’m already regretting asking this, but what do you want?’ Colt said into her ear.

‘I need to talk to you,’ Mia ordered tersely.

‘About?’

‘Last night. What you did…’

Colt interrupted her. ‘Not here,’ he murmured under his breath. ‘Spangles.’

And before Mia had a chance to respond, she felt herself soar through the air and land with a heavy thud several metres clear of the mist. It was incredible. Only a matter of seconds ago, she had been inside the forest rendered helpless by Colt’s grasp. Yet now she lay on the dewy grass at a remarkable distance from any of that. He had commanded the air to carry her as if she were nothin
g more than a weightless petal.

‘Spangles,’ she muttered in confusion, recalling Col
t’s final words. She sat upright, rubbing at the fresh graze on her elbow and racking her brain to decipher Colt’s meaning.

‘Spangles,’ she said again
. Slowly the understanding dawned on her.

Mia scrambled to her feet and set off towards the graveyard. She passed beneath the border of wind chimes and scanned the gravestones for the slab engraved with
Spangles
. It wasn’t hard to find – it was one of the largest stones there. She sat on the grass beside it, idly running her hand along the soft moss that grew over the ground.

In a cloud of misgiving, she wondered if Colt would show up. Or if she even wanted him to.

What have I got myself into?
she thought.

Then, as if from out of nowhere, Colt surfaced, answering her unspoken question. ‘Well, you’ve just gone and made things a damn sight worse for yourself. And me, too, I might add.’

Mia stood up to confront him face to face. ‘You lied to me,’ she stated. ‘Why did you tell me that your blood would break Lotan’s Enticement?’

Colt glanced aroun
d the empty graveyard. ‘It wasn’t a lie,’ he replied at last.

Mia folded her arms. ‘It was a lie. I read up on it, and…’

‘Oh, congratulations!’ Colt cheered. ‘You read a book!’

‘Yes, I did. And I learned
that the only way to break an Enticement is to drain the blood of your possessor.’

Colt gave her
bemused smile. ‘Oh, dear. It seems I celebrated too soon. You didn’t read a book, you read
a page
.’

Mia scowled at him.
‘Why did you lie?’

Colt sighed and rubbed his brow. ‘Your research, though thorough…’ he
paused to smirk ‘…was imprecise. I suppose some things simply aren’t documented. Yes, the standard procedure to break an Enticement is to drain the blood of your assailant. However, blood of the coven is a common loophole for many ritualistic attacks.’

Mia hesitated, unsure if she should believe him or not.

‘Although,’ Colt went on, ‘usually blood of the coven is not so easy to attain. You see, if a Hunter doesn’t want you to drink his blood, then it’s probably not going to happen. Not me, though – I’m just giving it away!’ he added. ‘So, unless you can find a Hunter as generous as I am, you’d be better off going for the kill. In short, draining the blood of your possessor is indeed the most plausible escape. Good luck with that.’

Warily, Mia looked him up and d
own. He stood with a blasé lean, not quite smiling, but not quite frowning either. ‘How can I be sure I can trust you?’ she asked.

Colt laughed
. ‘You
can’t
trust me! And don’t ever allow yourself to feel as though you can.’

For some reason, what had been intended as a warning actually had the opposite effect on her. It somehow managed to reinforce her faith in him.

‘So, it’s true?’ she said quietly. ‘I’m not under Lotan’s spell anymore?’

He placed his index finger on his lips and winked at her.

‘What about the mist?’ Mia questioned him. ‘How did it take a hold of me if I’m not being possessed?’

‘The mist is a different entity entirely.
To an Arcana, it’s like breathing in a highly potent drug. It’s a weapon in itself, designed to draw in an intruder. And you, my dear, need to steer well clear of it, because you have already made yourself far too conspicuous…’

Abruptly Colt stopped speaking. His eyes drifted southward
from her face and his cool expression dissolved into a look of hunger.

Mia followed his gaze. ‘Stop that!’ she exclaimed, mortified. Her arms were still folded across her chest, where Colt’s focus also rested.

‘Cover it,’ he said in a tight voice.

Blushing, Mia adjusted her
arms to conceal her shapely curves. ‘You pig!’ she cried.

Colt rolled his eyes
. ‘No, not that. Give me some credit. I’m surely a little subtler when I stare at your chest. I’m asking you to cover the graze on your elbow. It’s bleeding.’

‘Oh.’ Mia inspected her elbow. He was right – it was bleeding. A smear of ruby-red blood glistened on the graze and a heavy drop drizzled down her arm like a solitary tear.

‘I’m serious,’ said Colt. ‘Cover it.’ He backed away, his eyes never leaving her elbow.

Mia did her best to wipe the blood away, but it smeared across her arm like a smudge of red paint.

In a reflex action, Colt covered his mouth and nose.

‘Oops,’ Mia muttered. ‘Sorry!’ She licked her fingers and then dabbed at the blotted area. But this only seemed to aggravate Colt further. He bit down on hi
s knuckles. ‘You’re doing it on purpose!’ he accused.

‘I am not!’

‘Then put your arm down!’ Colt snapped. ‘Stop displaying it, devil! You know I enjoy it so!’

Mia straightened out her arm so that he was no longer able to see the scrape. Contrary to Colt’s allegation, she really hadn’t been doing it on purpose.

‘Is that better?’ she asked.

Colt’s mood altered somewhat. ‘I suppose so,’ he grumbled, letting out a tense breath. But despite his restored composure, his eyes didn’t return to her face.

‘Now what?’ Mia grumbled.

Colt grinned mischievously. ‘No
thing,’ he replied in a charming voice. ‘Perhaps I’m not as subtle as I thought I was.’ He laughed to himself and brought his eyes up to Mia’s. ‘Are we finished?’

As infu
riated as she was by his behaviour, Mia realised that she didn’t want their conversation to be finished. In fact, it unnerved her to think about how much she enjoyed his company. Feeling that way was the last thing she wanted.

‘Will the other Hunters
come after me?’ she asked.

All
of a sudden Colt became serene. ‘I’ll do my best to stop them this time,’ he assured her. ‘But in return, you must stay away. I can’t continue to protect you.’

‘I’ll stay away from the forest,’ Mia agreed.

‘And from me,’ Colt added in an even tone. ‘I’ll do my part, and you’ll be safe. But this must be the last time.’ He stepped forward and placed his hand on Mia’s shoulder, his fingers absent-mindedly coiled around a strand of her hair. ‘I won’t see you again.’

The thought of this being her last encounter with Colt sent a little twinge through her heart. ‘But what about my powers?’ she pressed, in a feeble attempt to secure their alliance. ‘Won’t you help me?’ Sh
e looked up into his eyes.

Colt returned her gaze,
but shook his head. ‘No. You don’t need me.’

‘But I do!’ Mia blurted out.

‘No,’ Colt repeated. ‘Don’t say that. Don’t even think that.’

Mia looked down to the ground.

Colt removed his hand from her shoulder. ‘They say moss grows on witches’ graves,’ he said distantly, his eyes cast down to the ground surrounding Spangles’ grave. ‘I don’t know why, though.’

Mia swallowed a lump in her throat. ‘Does it matter?’ she wondered quietly.

‘I suppose not,’ he said in that same distant voice. ‘But it incenses me. I’d like to know why moss will grow above my corpse. Wouldn’t you?’

‘Not really
. I don’t care.’

He smiled. ‘Perhaps that’s wise
.’

‘I doubt it.’

Colt’s eyes drifted back to her. ‘Do you hate me?’

‘No,’ Mia answered at once.

Colt sighed. ‘Try to,’ he cautioned gently.

‘Why
?’ she whispered.

‘
Don’t feel anything other than hatred towards me,’ he said.

‘
Why not?’

‘Because I will never reciprocate.’ At these final words, Colt jolted backwards violently.

Mia gasped as an arrow sped through the air and plunged deep into his chest.

Colt collapsed back on to the moss of Spangles’ grave. Implanted into his chest was a slim, wooden arrow like a flagpole planted triumphantly into conquered territory.

Mia dropped to the ground, crouching at Colt’s side as he writhed in pain. The slim arrow jutted out from his chest, rigid.

And then a new sound cut through the tranquillity of the graveyard.

‘Mia, run!’ Kizzy’s voice echoed stridently.

Everything seemed to be unfolding in such a blur that Mia barely registered what was happening.

‘Mia!’ Kizzy yelled again. ‘Run!’ She emerged into view several metres away, a wooden crossbow tucked under her arm.

‘Kizzy!’ Mia gasped. ‘
You
shot him!’

C
olt let out a growl. ‘It’s a poisoned tip,’ he said through gritted teeth. In one swift motion, he ripped the arrow out of his body and tossed it aside.

‘Mia, get away from him!’ Kizzy cried. ‘We need to get out of here!’ She hovered at a safe distance from her immobilised victim.

‘I can’t leave him!’ Mia called back, her voice cracking with emotion.

Guardedly, Kizzy edged closer, still clinging to the crossbow. ‘He was trying to
kill you! Get away from him!’

‘No,’ Mia explained, ‘he wasn’t going to hurt me. He’
s my friend.’ She was racked with guilt. This was all her fault. If she’d been honest with Kizzy in the first place, none of this would be happening.

Kizzy gawped at her. ‘He’s your
what
?’

‘He’s the one who’s been helping me with
my power,’ Mia revealed. She turned her attention back to Colt, who was lying wounded and in pain. His eyes seemed unfocused and beads of sweat glistened on his face.

‘What wa
s on the tip?’ he rasped.

Kizzy took another cautious step forward. ‘Rosewood sap and
oleander,’ she said in a shallow voice.

‘I knew it,’ Colt spat
, ‘a poisoned tip. You did a ritual, Arcana?’

Kizzy’
s face turned pale. ‘Yes.’

Mia’s brow furrowed
. ‘A ritual? A ritual for what?’

‘I saw him. After you left the library I had a vision: the two of you were in the graveyard and I thought he was going to kill you. So I…’ she trailed off.

‘So you thought you’d kill me first,’ Colt finished.

‘I had to stop it,’ Kizzy murmured. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t know…’

Mia closed her eyes. ‘There was no way you could have known,’ she said quietly. ‘What was the ritual exactly? Can it be reversed?’

‘I…I think so,’ Kizzy stuttered. ‘I think there’s a potion that acts as an antidote to the poison.’

Colt snorted. ‘Oh, great! She
thinks
.’

Mia placed her hand on his
brow, calming him. ‘Kizzy,’ she said. ‘Do you think you can do the reversal ritual?’

Kizzy nodded her head
. ‘I need to find the book and the herbs, but I’ll go as quickly as I can.’

‘Thanks,’ Mia replied quickly.
‘I’ll wait here with Colt.’

Without missing a beat
, Kizzy turned and sprinted across the graveyard, back towards the castle.

Colt’s eyelids drooped. ‘It’s s
tarting to numb,’ he said, ‘which is pleasant.’

Mia shivered.

‘Actually,’ Colt went on, ‘I think it’s time you left me. The Hunters will sense what’s happened to me and track me down. I imagine they’ll be here soon.’

Mia traced her hand al
ong his face, soothing him. ‘I don’t want to leave you,’ she said, unafraid.

Colt flinched. ‘Go!’ he barked
. ‘When they find you here, they’ll kill you.’

‘I can’t,’ Mia choked. ‘I can
’t leave you when you’re in pain!’

He summoned
a weak smile. ‘I’m not in pain. I told you, I can’t feel a thing. I’m enjoying it in some ways.’

‘How can you make jokes at a time lik
e this?’ she cried.

He blinked up at her, as though he couldn’t quite see her properly. ‘Please go,’ he said quietly. ‘You know how much I loathe to say please. And I did it, didn’t I? Just for you.’

Mia shook her head. Her eyes welled with hot tears. ‘I don’t want to go. I don’t want you to be alone.’

‘Don’t worry. It’ll be quick,’ he assured her. ‘And I wasn’t exaggerating – I really can’t feel a thing. Otherwise I’d throw you on your way.’

‘You’ll die?’ Mia whispered, fighting back a catch in her voice.

‘Yes. But quickly.’

‘No.’ Mia shook her head. ‘No. Kizzy will be back with the antidote soon and then…’

‘She won’t be back in time,’ Colt interrupted. ‘The poison is spreading. It’ll be a matter of minutes. The girl will barely have time to find the correct book, let alone execute the ritual.’

‘Well, then, you’ll have to hold on.’

‘It’s not like I have a choice in the m
atter, darling.’ He shuddered under the mercy of the poison.

‘There has to be another way,’ she tried again.

‘There isn’t. Go!’ he told her. ‘Listen to me; there’s an instinct in a Hunter coven to go to a brother when he’s under threat. I’m trying to focus on blocking their senses, but I’m fading. I can’t carry on. It takes too much concentration, and I want to rest.’

Mia began to tremble
. Not in fear of the Hunter coven, but in terror at the thought that she would helplessly watch Colt die.

‘Wait…’ she muddled on, mostly to herself.
‘The coven. Blood of the coven,’ she said out loud. ‘You said blood of the coven can be a loophole in all sorts of rituals.’

‘No,’ Colt denied her flatly, already predicting where her thoughts were heading.

‘Will it work?’

‘I’m not taking your blood,’ Colt
snapped. ‘Now, be gone! You’re not wanted here.’

‘Why won’t you take my blood?’ Mia persisted.

He convulsed as a wave of pain flooded over him. ‘Don’t be ridiculous! You’re not even a coven!’

Mia shrugged her shoulders. ‘Kizzy’s the closest thing I have to a coven. If it’s got a chance of working, I think we should try it.’

‘No!’ Colt snarled warningly at her.

‘Why not?’

He closed his eyes. ‘Because I’ll bleed you dry,’ he muttered. ‘I’ll kill you.’

‘No, you won’t,’ Mia insisted. In truth, she couldn’t be sure of that, but she refused to let him die. Not when there was a chance of healing him.

‘Don’t be so careless with your life,’ Colt advised her. ‘If I start drinking from you, I won’t stop.’

‘I’ll stop you.’

Colt laughed sourly. ‘No one could stop me.’ The statement, though arrogant, was not said with pride.

But it didn’t deter Mia. Even with Colt’s harrowing warnings, she twisted her arm and picked at the graze on her elbow.

She grimaced as the cut reopened and glistened with fresh blood.

‘No,’ Colt
groaned. With great effort he tipped his head away from her. ‘Don’t.’

Kneeling at his side, Mia
gently guided his face back towards her. She noticed that his skin was hot and clammy to the touch. His eyes rested upon hers with a wistful intensity. All through the graveyard the wind chimes whistled softly on the breeze.

‘Go away,’
said Colt, pensively. ‘And just say goodbye. I’d like that to be the last thing I hear.’

‘No,’ she denied him.

‘Don’t make “no” the last thing I hear! I’m told it far too frequently as it is.’ He coughed and winced. ‘That word has been the bane of my life, and now my death, too!’

‘Now who’s
being melodramatic?’ Mia remarked under her breath.

‘I’m
allowed
to be melodramatic. I’m soon to be dead!’

Mia straightened up her shoulders
. She knew what she needed to do. ‘Open your mouth,’ she instructed.

Colt pressed his lips together obstinately. ‘Go away!’ he garbled, followed by a string of profanities which, as luck would have it, were mostly inaudible behind his sealed lips.

‘What a temper!’ Mia teased him. ‘
I
didn’t resort to such foul language when our roles were reversed last night.’

In spite of his suffering, Colt smirked. ‘Your memory is selective,’ he pointed out. But his mouth remained clamped shut.

Taking charge, Mia pressed her elbow to his lips.

Colt let out a howl of protest and thrashed his head back and forth in an attempt to escape her.

But his efforts were in vain. A trickle of blood spilled over into his mouth, and with the taste on his tongue, it was impossible to resist. Reluctantly, his lips parted and the exchange began.

Mia clenched her fists
. She could feel the sensation like tiny pinpricks. Contrary to what Colt had said, it wasn’t enjoyable in the least.

Before her very eyes, Mia watched Colt’s strength return. His limbs flexed and regained their movement and dynamism. Vigorously, he clamped his hands around her arm, securing her elbow to his mouth.

‘OK,’ Mia spoke shakily. ‘I think that’s enough.’

But Colt didn’t respond to her. He didn’t stop feeding, either. In fact, he seemed more rapt by the procedure than ever.

‘Stop!’ Mia cried. She squirmed to free herself, but his grip was ruthless.

T
he pinprick sensation developed into a deep sting. His fingers squeezed down upon her arm, as though he would crush her bones with his bare hands.

‘Stop!’ Mia commanded. Desperately, she used her free hand to push at his face. Bu
t he refused to relinquish his hold. As panic rose in her throat, a strong gust of air whipped over Colt, tousling through the strands of his dark hair. The breeze swirled around him and, in one solid blow, struck his face away from her, breaking the connection.

Mia quickly withdrew her arm, and Colt lay panting on the ground, his face cushioned by the moss of Spangles’ grave.

Neither spoke for a moment.

‘Thank you,’ Colt murmured at last. He paused and slanted his head to look up at her. ‘You see,’ he said puckishly, ‘that’s the suitable response for such self-sacrifice. Thank you. I believe your response to me was, “You evil, vile monster.” Or something to that effect.’

Mia smiled. ‘I see you’re back to your old self,’ she commented wryly, rubbing at her sore elbow. ‘My blood worked?’

He lay on the moss, p
lacid but strong. ‘Apparently.’ He extended his arms, stretching them out around him and relishing in their restored strength. ‘I suppose we’re even now.’

‘I suppose we are. Although I think I drew the short straw!’

Colt grinned. He flexed his hands and idly knotted his fingers through the moss. ‘You didn’t enjoy it? Not even a little bit?’ he taunted her wickedly.

‘No!’

‘Suit yourself. But, on the plus side, you resorted to using your power.’

Mia
beamed. ‘I did it?
I
charged the air to push you away?’

‘Yes, you
did. And with quite good force, too,’ he admitted. ‘Not bad.’

‘So I’m as
powerful as you?’

Colt chuckled throatily. ‘No.’

‘But one day I might be…’

‘No,’ he cut her off. ‘You’re delusional.’

Mia swatted at him in good-nature. ‘Maybe I’ll surprise you.’

‘You always do,’ he replied casually.

For some reason Mia blushed. She moved on swiftly, ‘Will the other Hunters still be tracking you?’

‘No. I’m not in pain any
more.’

Mia let out a sigh of relief
. ‘So you’ll be OK?’

Colt closed his eyes.
‘Yes.’ The shimmer of the sunlight lit up his face and for a moment he looked almost ethereal. ‘I just need to rest for a moment.’

‘I should find Kizzy and tell her we don’t need the reversal potion,’ Mia mused out loud.

‘No,’ Colt said in a smooth tone.

Mia studied him curiously. ‘No?’

‘Not yet,’ he elaborated. ‘You’ve lost a lot of blood. You’re probably feeling light-headed.’

‘No. I think I’m OK.’

Colt opened one eye and peered at her. ‘No. You’re probably tired. Perhaps you should stay here.’

‘I’
m fine!’ she insisted with a laugh.

‘All the same…’ He hesitated. ‘I think you should stay.’

‘Why?’

‘You know why.
Don’t make me say it!’

‘Do you want me to stay?’ she asked tentatively.

He mulled it over for a second. ‘Yes,
please
,’ he said at last.

‘Well, seeing as though you asked so nicely…’

Colt patted the ground. ‘Would you like to rest for a while?’