Page 15 of Witch’s Ruin

Rixon paced the length of the sitting area. She’d done well, his lady witch. Unbelievably well. Her cutting responses, her defense of him, left him aching for her. But that was trumped by the king’s—his father’s—accusations.

“It can’t be true,” Mina said, repeating herself for the umpteenth time.

“For all we know, it could be,” he said, running a hand through his hair. The tie had already fallen out, forgotten somewhere on the plush rug beneath his feet.

“He told us nothing,” she snorted. “Absolutely nothing. No information about how many demons, number of deaths, nothing. To be fair, I didn’t ask. I was too…” She pressed her lips together.

“Perhaps that is information we can get from the other witches.”

She nodded. “We need to meet them first thing in the morning.”

He hesitated, considering. “The palace walls, like the city walls, are made of Nebrine. Demons cannot cross through Nebrine walls.”

“You think they’re being summoned within the city?”

“That seems the only possible way. Question is, who?”

Mina sighed, slumping against the sofa. “I suppose there’s only one way to find out.”

He froze, turning to her. “Are you proposing we go hunting, Lady Witch?”

She scrubbed a hand over her face. “Gods, I’m so tired, Rix.”

A challenging grin pulled at his lips. “If you wish, I can leave you to nap, take a look around the city, report back what I find.”

She jolted upright, her body tensing like a bow string. “Absolutely not. I’m not letting you out of my sight. Not until I understand what we’re up against.” He lifted an eyebrow, hiding the sudden warmth seeping through his chest. “What?” she demanded. “It’s not that you’re incapable. It’s just…Oh, stop looking at me like that! So what if I’m overprotective of you?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

She scoffed, jumping to her feet. “Your father’s playing games,” she muttered under her breath, almost too quiet to hear. “I’m going to find out what they are.”

She strode to the door, snatched her cloak from the peg, and threw it around her shoulders. “Well, Lord Wielder? Are you coming?”

He glanced down, adjusting the straps of his baldric, ensuring his blades were secure and accounted for. “Very well, Lady Witch. Let’s go hunting.”

* * *

Rixon led Mina through the city, sticking to the main roads. The eerie silence set his teeth grinding. He’d been through plenty of cities at night, but none so large as the capital with its tens of thousands. Every one of them had boasted a vibrant nightlife. That made this even stranger. It was as if Corinna held its breath. Waiting…watching.

In a city such as this, there should have been late night revelers. People strolling home from the pub. Performances at the theater. Formal dinners. Instead, the buildings and homes glowed, but no one dared set foot outside, save a few clusters of guards. They’d already dodged several pairs. It was easier than answering repetitive questions.

It might have been his birth place, but aside from a few familiar sights, much of the capital was foreign to him. There had not been much opportunity to explore as a child. That part of his life had always felt so long and drawn out. He frowned, glancing into the dark mouth of an alley.

Mina kept pace beside him. “What is it? What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. I…I just realized that I’ve now spent more time away than I did growing up here.”

Her expression softened, but she didn’t say anything.

“What do you feel?” He asked after a stretch. “Anything?”

She slowed to a stop, glancing about as she pulled her long cloak tightly around her shoulders. They stood on a main thoroughfare, in a residential district now. There were side streets separating blocks, any of which might hold dangers.

She rubbed her chest. “The pressure hasn’t changed, but I don’t feel what I did earlier, with the Tharns. It’s like, there’s a promise of demons but…they aren’t here.” She turned in place, completing a full circle.

His lips flattened, eyes darting up and down the street.

After a deep inhale, Mina began walking again. “Come. Tell me about the city,” she said. “What you know? What you remember?” The question was uncertain, as if she were afraid to voice it. His fault, because he’d turned down so many attempts in the past.