Page 5 of Witch’s Heart

Perhaps I deserved the lion’s share of the blame.

I turned in place to find Rixon just inside the doorway, watching me. He opened his mouth several times, then stopped himself. His eyes darted to the desk and he said, “A letter came for you while I was tied up with coronation obligations. It’s from the Citadel.”

A fission of fear shot through me because I knew. I fucking knew what I would find as I followed his gaze to the desk. I fetched the missive, reading its contents. It was from the head witch. She’d heard of Rixon’s father’s passing and of his upcoming coronation. She reminded me that I had a duty to the Citadel, and that by involving ourselves in crown politics, we’d broken witch law. I was a lady witch first and foremost. As such, I was required to answer for our crimes. I was required to present myself before the council.

Fiona didn’t know about the gate to hell. She didn’t know that by staying here, Rixon was still fulfilling a duty to the Citadel—of sorts. But I could hardly pen a letter with that kind of information.

“What is it?” Rixon asked, drifting closer to me.

“The head witch. She isn’t happy, as you can imagine.”

Rixon was silent. I began folding the parchment then thought better of it, handing it to him. He read it over, his jaw set. “What would you have me do, Lady Witch?”

Anger flared up, red hot. I felt my eyes change, caught a glimpse of blackened veins rising to the surface of my skin. “What would I have you do?!” I repeated, my voice morphing. “What would I have you do?! Now you ask? Where was that question when you so easily agreed to be king without consulting me?”

His throat bobbed and he took a step back. I flinched at the action. It wasn’t that he was afraid of me like this—I couldn’t bear it if he was—it was that he didn’t wish to anger me further. Part of me felt pleased by the thought that I was affecting him, making him wary.

“There’s nothing for it,” I said at last. “I have to go to the Citadel and explain our circumstances. We can only hope they understand and make an exception.”

They’d better. Otherwise…I couldn’t be sure what the consequences were for breaking witch law. It simply wasn’t done. The Citadel operated independently of the crown and worked hard to keep it that way.

Rixon looked as if he wanted to protest, either at my revealing the nature of his new obligation, or at my impending departure. We both knew he couldn’t come with me. Not unless he wished to subject the people of Corinna to the same fate they’d faced up until recently. His father’s blood had been failing. It’s why he’d looked so sickly and unwell. Tithing blood to a hungry portal hadn’t been kind to his health. As a result, more and more demons broke through, traversing the tunnels beneath the city, finding ways to get free. The city’s inhabitants had paid the price.

“I can ask the head witch for answers,” I added. “Perhaps even the council. I cannot believe your father—your family—has hidden this from the Citadel. It’s a matter that affects all of Raeria. By rights, it should be within the Citadel’s jurisdiction. Surely Fiona can help us find a way to close the portal—for good.”

“You really think they would help?” he asked, clearly skeptical.

“Why wouldn’t they?”

“Because they make their distaste of the crown obvious.”

“This involves everyone! Not just the crown.”

He blew out a breath and said, “What makes you so sure it can be closed?”

“Because I have to believe that it can!” I cried. “This cannot be your fate, Rixon—I refuse to accept that. There is no other option but to try! I won’t have you perpetuating this cruel and dangerous cycle. I won’t have you make babies so this gets passed on to the next generation, and the one after that.”

“I’d be more than willing to make babies, as long as it’s with you.” His voice was soft.

His words calmed my ire. My heart melted a little and I shook myself. “I won’t let this thing eat away at you, Rixon. If there’s a way to close it for good, I’ll find it.”

“So, you’ll run away then, rather than work through whatever is going on between us?”

“I’m not running away.”

“Sure looks it.”

“I’m not running away,” I roared, my anger back in full force. Okay, perhaps it was a convenient aspect of my whole grand plan.

“Then you’ll work through this with me before you go?” The hope in his gaze was bright.

I hesitated. My mouth opened and closed, but no response came. The truth was, I was still too angry to be rational. Still too angry to fix things between us. Not yet.

“Right.” His jaw flexed, expression hardening. “Well, then. I guess I have a party and obligations to return to.”

He backed up several paces, then turned and strode from the room. For a moment, I felt victorious. Then, I just felt empty.

I collapsed to my knees. For the first time in two weeks, the thing inside allowed my anger to extinguish. Only then did the tears begin to fall.