Page 81 of The Witch’s Daughter

“What?” I glared up at him, incredulous. How the fuck did he think he could… My thoughts trailed off when I saw the stretcher and the healers carrying it that Vincent called forward.

“We’ll take care of her.” Vincent’s healers pried Calla from my arms as he looked me up and down with a curious expression. “I trust you can heal yourself.”

I hadn’t even thought of my injuries. The burned flesh. The bruises. They all came to me now, but I could ignore them.

I did ignore them as I struggled to my feet. “Where are you taking her?”

“To our healing clinic.” Vincent was already walking away.

I moved to follow, but the twins held me back, softly, and afraid to touch my injuries. “Let her go.”

It was Gentry’s voice in my ear that stopped me from chasing them down. “Calla will be okay,” he said. “She’s going to find Trish.”

29

Trish

“Hey! Wait up!”

Gods, she was fast.

Though I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to say that anymore. Was it sacrilegious? What gods were I really praying to? Ugh. Vincent and that incense had really done a number on my head. And a number on my lungs and running stamina, if I was being honest with myself.

You okay in there? I asked my wolf as whatever witchy drugs were in that tent burned out of my system.

She raised her head up and it swayed a bit. Give me a minute.

I came to a stop at the corner where I’d seen Sarah disappear, resting my hands on my knees as I looked around. All the stupid black tents looked the same. Nothing like the colors and vibrance and life at the magic festival in the next valley over.

Where we could also be…

“There.” I sensed movement in the tent up ahead, locking onto the faint scent of a panicked witch.

Why she was scared of me—and running—I didn’t know, but my intuition said that I needed to find out. And I could actually hear it again since I got my magic back.

“Sarah…” I used my softest voice, pushing open the flap of the tent. “You don’t know me well, but I’m here to help you.”

My eyes adjusted as I looked inside. The tent was set up similar to the one I was staying in, with a bronze tub in the corner and large framed bed over the Persian carpet on the ground. This one was empty, though. Except for the faint scent of Ossory witch…

“Why are you following me?”

“Hi-yah!” I karate chopped the air, heart leaping into my throat as I spun around, coming face to face with Sarah. “Gods, don’t sneak up on a girl like that.” I slapped my hand over my heart. “It’s been a freaking day.”

Sarah frowned as her gaze went to my bare arms. “So it’s true.”

“What’s true?” I asked.

She tugged her sleeves down, but not before I saw the bandages still there. “He hasn’t tried with you yet.”

“Hasn’t tried what?” I inched closer, scared she’d take off running again and still not totally sure I wasn’t hallucinating this encounter too.

“You’re powerful.” Sarah glanced around as if the tent had ears, and I had to wonder who would be listening. “We all heard what you did to Alpha Jaxon.”

You don’t know anything about Jaxon. My wolf bristled. She didn’t much care for anyone talking bad about him. Truth be told, neither did I—another thing I’d unpack later once I’d gotten the dirt on Vincent and left this strange place.

“I don’t think I’m all that powerful,” I said.

Sarah blew out a frustrated breath. “He wouldn’t have brought you here if you weren’t.”