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“For those not born in covens, it probably would be. But it is a creed we agree to, a blood binding we must swear to, on rebirth. If we attack our maker without reason, we will be rendered undone. Forcing my hand is in fact the safest way to be rid of me, without Marie getting her hands bloody or risking defeat and death.”
“Does that code go two ways? Can a maker kill her fledglings?”
Her smile was all the answer I needed. Which made me wonder if any of the fledglings she’d killed had been hers, and if not, what had happened to them. As far as I was aware, there were none here in Castle Rock, but maybe she simply kept them well hidden. Or maybe the bloody events of her past had for some reason dissuaded her from creating any more.
“Why did she call the snake, Maelle? Does she simply echo your past actions, or is there something deeper we should know about?”
“A snake featured prominently on my family’s coat of arms, and it is a demon we can call at will. As I have said, it is what I used to cleanse the coven of her fledglings.”
“Can you still call said snake?”
“If I wish.”
“And will you wish?”
She laughed, a deep, almost sensual sound. I shivered, my fingers twitching as I resisted the temptation to rub my arms.
I didn’t get an answer, however. All she said was, “She will not send a creature I can control against me. It is but a show of strength. I suspect it might also be a diversion, but not one aimed at me or mine.”
Which was exactly what Jaz had suggested. “If your daughter attacks you or yours, we need to know, Maelle. The last thing this reservation needs is a war.”
She studied me for a moment, then said. “If you or yours get involved in said war, it will not end well for any of you.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No. A reality. Marie is not one to countenance any interference with her plans, and she is not bound by the same oath I am.” She finished her drink and rose. “Be wary, Elizabeth Grace, because she craves power, and she will take what I do not.”
Will, rather than attempt.
It was a statement of fact that chilled me to the core.
Maelle returned to her spot in the middle of the floor without a backward glance and once again gave her full attention to the contractor fixing the air-con.
I still couldn’t feel or see the magic holding him aloft.
With a deeper sense of foreboding, I slid out of the booth and walked out. The air outside was so hot it hit like a fist in the stomach, and I was sweating in an instant. But as I hurried across the road, thunder rumbled ominously, and while it promised rain there was a part of me that couldn’t help thinking it was a warning.
Things were about to get a whole lot worse.
I jumped into the truck, immediately started her up to get the air-con blasting, then rang Ashworth.
“Darling girl,” he said, his Scottish brogue a little stronger than usual, “what can I do for you on this shit of a day?”
I couldn’t help smiling. “Not a fan of heat?”
“I live in Victoria for a reason, lass, and the predicted week of above average temperatures is five days too many in my opinion.”
I laughed, even though I totally agreed with him. “Well, given the thunder I just heard, it’s likely we’ll get some relief tonight.”
“From your lips to the weather entities’ ears. Are you calling to see how two old men are coping with the heatwave, or is there something more sinister afoot?”
“The latter, I’m afraid.”
“Ah well, you’d best come around and have a cup of tea with us.”
“You’re complaining about the heat, but still drinking tea?” I teased.
“It’s a well-known fact that tea cools you down far better than a cold drink on a hot day. It regulates core temperature and keeps it at an even keel.”
