Page 35 of The Noldrin Witch

To Elise’s fortune, she didn’t have to wonder for long what was happening.

“It’s all done, darling,” Morgaine shouted. She raised an arm as she kept dancing to a melody Elise couldn’t hear. “Come join us!”

Elise was hesitant, but trusting Morgaine, she headed toward the pentagram.

She had scarcely taken a couple of steps when the snap of twigs made her turn her head.

In that precise moment, with her face half turned, a bird flew past at full force, so close she felt the brush of a feather.

The laughter died down, and Elise stood there, frozen.

The black bird circled her. A crow, she could tell. Elise felt a touch late in realizing she might have lost an eye or at least acquired a memorable scar had she not turned at the distraction on the ground. It had been a small rabbit, gone almost as soon as it appeared.

Morgaine sprang toward Elise. Beth and Isadore followed her close behind.

“Are you well?” Morgaine brushed Elise’s hair to the side to see for herself.

Elise nodded. She was still taken aback by the incident. “I think so.”

The other two witches seemed equally concerned for Elise’s well-being, but before they had the chance to voice their worries, a strong flame rose from the center of the pentagram. The sudden movement of the figure emerging from it made Elise stumble.

“I told you to stay far from the pentagram!”

Seth passed the witches like someone might pass a chair in the way.

Beth ignored the outburst just as Seth had ignored her moments before. “It’s all fine, love.”

The young demon grumbled.

“What is this, anyway?” Morgaine challenged. “You’re meant to be here to make sure we don’t overdo things, not to scold us over some small mishap.”

“That was no small mishap, witch,” Seth replied dryly. “That was the divinity of the north. That’s not under your domain.”

“Darling,” Beth began, “you are easy on the eye, but for someone with that face, you may be one of the most bitter infernals I’ve ever met.”

“This is serious,” Seth said, his eyes fixed on Elise. “What did you do?”

“Me?” Elise felt the blood leave her for a moment. By her own account, she had been cautious enough, but she suspected the first impression Seth had formed of her was not so easily undone.

“If the divinity of the north is not under our domain, how are we supposed to have done anything?” Morgaine cut in.

“That’s exactly what I want to know, witch.”

Morgaine was starting to lose patience. Elise recognized that sharp look in her eyes by now. She was about to cast proper manners aside when another infernal sight came into view.

“Morgaine, Seth.” Devon smiled. “What is the big conflict here?”

Seth was the one to speak first, “These witches are not telling me what they did to invoke Danu.”

“These witches have a name, demon,” Morgaine hissed.

Seth reciprocated with the same passion.

“Morgaine, my love,” Devon said, stepping between the witch and the other demon. “What happened here should not have happened, and we only wish to know why. Please, let’s keep our sensibilities. After all, we are all sophisticated beings.”

“If you say so,” Seth murmured.

Morgaine shot the demon a sharp look, readying herself for another exchange that might involve more than words, when the crow cawed high above in the starry sky. The dark bird began to descend, to everyone’s amazement.