Page 48 of A Lady’s Guide to Witchcraft

Chapter Sixteen

“I’ll kill you, Crow.”

Bramble did not speak much, but when she did, she did not mince words.

Briar crouched to gently push Petal’s hair off her face. Thorn scratches marred her cheek. “He’s…” What exactly was he again? Friend? Ally? Distraction? “Well, he’s Dragon, and he’s not here to harm her.”

Bramble glared at him, clearly inspecting him, seeing things only a rabbit witch could see. Her shoulders finally lowered and she nodded once, tersely. “He smells like that’s true. And not like lemon balm.” Warlocks smelled of lemon balm, a soothing, pleasant scent meant to lure you in. “But he also smells like he can’t be trusted.”

Ethan inclined his head, unsmiling, and in complete agreement.

Briar was not sure what to make of that.

“He wants the shields lifted,” she said. “And he wants them lifted before anyone else can mess about with them. So, at least in that, our goals align.”

“For now,” Bramble said as though he was not standing right there.

“For now,” Briar agreed, as though he was standing exactly right there. “You’re exhausted,” she added softly. “Sit down and rest and I’ll bring you something to eat while we figure out what to do next.”

“Your sister can’t stay here,” Ethan said.

“I know,” she replied evenly. The back of her throat burned. “Don’t you think I know that?”

“Has she been here the whole time?”

Briar nodded.

“You are a surprise.”

“Not really.”

“Believe me, you are.”

Briar decided not to comment on that. “To move her, I would need some sort of cart. And a horse. Neither of which I have. Not to mention a place to hide her.”

“I can’t take her to the burrow,” Bramble said. “They’ve already sent Keepers to watch it. Even we can’t hide when there’s that many of them. And our secret places are too far, too hard to reach.”

“I assumed as much. And Sorcha’s castle is too far from here as well, unfortunately.” Sorcha lived in her family’s run-down castle in the hills. It was secluded enough to be safe, but it would take hours to get Petal there, with very little cover to hide them.

Briar made a sound of frustration. There had to be somewhere else.

“You could bring her to my ship.”

Both Briar and Bramble turned to stare at Ethan. There was no way to read his expression. “Pardon?” Briar asked.

“There’s not a person alive who can get onto my ship without my permission.”

He was serious. Bramble tilted her head, staring at him again. “Good.”

Briar blinked. “Good?”

Ethan nodded. “Then it’s settled.”

“Why would you help us?” Briar had to ask. She’d be a fool not to. And a fool to believe whatever he said.

“Like you said earlier: I need to get the hell off this island. Your sister is my best chance. And I don’t trust the Order.”

“Or the other Crows?”