Page 27 of Rogue Witch

Blade rises and crosses to the liquor tray where he pours another drink, then he faces us. “You just don’t want to entertain the possibility that Leilah is The Demon Bride’s granddaughter.”

Raith scowls. “You’re confusing me with Ethan. He’s the one who wears rose colored glasses.”

I ignore the jab. “Seton—Tychon—didn’t arbitrarily befriend Leilah. If his reason has something to do with Miriam, why didn’t he ingratiate himself into her life instead of Leilah’s?”

Raith shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“Miriam did nominate him as a student to The Academy,” I say. “After she sent Leilah packing,” I add,

Raith rubs his temples. “I hate the machinations of the gods.”

“Either way, that’s not our only problem,” I say.

“Ciarah being taken from the Reaping,” Blade murmurs.

“All we can do there is hope for the best,” I say, despite the fear that tightens my chest.

“Maybe.” Blade looks from Raith to me. “I believe I connected with Leilah earlier.”

“What?” I blurt in unison with Raith’s, “What do you mean?”

“After Eldione appeared, I heard a wolf’s howl,” he says. Raith and I exchange a confused glance and Blade continues. “I was remembering the wolf howl in the virtual war games. The howl suddenly became as real as if the wolf stood in the room with us. I can’t be a hundred percent certain, but my instincts tell me we connected.”

“The blood pact,” I murmur.

Blade gives a single nod. “Yes. That’s not all.”

“What?” My heart begins to beat faster.

“Don’t you remember?” Blade asks.

“Remember what?” I demand.

Blade looks at Raith and understanding dawns on Raith’s face. “Ciarah was taken in the Reaping that took place in the early part of the seventeenth century.”

How could I have forgotten that?” I whisper.

“She never forgave herself for getting infected,” Raith says as if speaking to himself.

“That doesn’t mean she’ll be infected this time.” I look from Raith to Blade.

“No,” Blade says gently. “And let’s not forget, Leilah is a different person from Emma.”

“Yes,” I say. “Leilah’s much stronger. I really didn’t think anyone could be taken a second time. Yes,” I quickly add before they can reply, “I know our philosophers and religious leaders theorize about the possibility of being taken in different lifetimes, but…I guess I thought—or hoped—the universe wasn’t that cruel.”

“Now we know,” Blade says.

“And we can’t tell anyone that we know—which would lead to how we know,” Raith says.

Blade scowls. “You needn’t remind us of the danger.”

“I know,” he replies with uncharacteristic humility. “But we need to keep in mind that this lifetime with Ciarah is different than other lifetimes.”

“For more than one reason,” I interject.

“Maybe,” he says. “But the danger of our relationship to Ciarah being exposed is greater than ever before.”

“You just haven’t forgiven her for stabbing you in her last lifetime,” I say.