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“How did you know I’d even be here?”
“Through the basilisk, of course.”
Meaning they were using the basilisk to keep an eye on things during the day.
It would certainly explain why it’s only moving about during the day,Belle said.They’d have no need for its eyes at night.
Especially if Marie did have a number of fledglings with her.
“I was nowhere near this place when your demon saw me,” I replied.
“No, but we knew you, like all good little witches, could not resist retracing its movements and ensuring there was no human detritus left in its wake.”
Nothing like respecting your food source, Belle growled.
Jaqueline’s attitude is probably a result of spending too much time with her maker and whatever coven remains, rather than mingling with the wider world like her mother.
I’m not sure the wider world or even Maelle’s presence would have made much of a difference. She did destroy the original coven, after all. That’s some pretty heavy attitude right there.
Yes, but why did she do it? I think if we get an answer to that, we’ll also know why Marie is now so determined to return the favor.
Maybe not. As has been said, with great power comes great corruption.
I had no doubt Maelle’s destruction had been a power play, but there had to be something else behind it—somethingotherthan simply deciding she didn’t like the direction Marie was taking the coven.
Of course, I might also be giving Maelle far more credit than she was due.
I crossed my arms and stared at the unmoving figure for a second. She watched me implacably, and it took me a moment to realize she was waiting for me to say something.
“What is your warning?”
“You are not to interfere with what comes. If you do, you will be erased.”
It was the way she said it—so casual and matter-of-fact—that chilled me more than the threat itself. “If what comes is a war between you, your mother, and Marie, then I’ll not only interfere, but stop you all.”
Her smile was derisive. “You can try. You will not succeed.”
“It’s never a good thing to underestimate your opponents, Jaqueline.”
“I neither underestimate nor care what you think. I’m simply here to advise you of our intent. Concentrate your efforts on the basilisk, stay away from my mother, and do not interfere with what comes.”
“Warning heeded.” My smile was every bit as cold and as dangerous as hers. “Now, let me give you one. You need to walk away now, Jaqueline, while you still can. Because I promise you, if you start this, Iwillfinish it.”
She laughed. “Challenge accepted, little witch. Victory will taste sweet.” Her gaze swept me. “Wildly sweet, in fact.”
My skin crawled, but I somehow held back the shudder of revulsion. She bowed her head, a regal movement that reminded me of her mother, and then her image disintegrated. All that was left under the tree were the lingering remnants of her disdain. I sucked in a deeper breath that failed to calm either my pulse rate or my unease, then released the repelling spell and resolutely made my way back up the hill. The instincts that had led me to Jaqueline had once again fallen silent, and I doubted there’d be any point in following the basilisk’s trail any further into the compound.
Was issuing such a threat actually wise?Belle said.
Probably not.
Then why do it?
Because when it comes to power, I suspect neither she nor Marie will respect anything less than utter confidence verging on vanity.
And I suspect neither she nor Marie have any respect for witches at all. Hell, it’s possible she doesn’t even respect the wild magic, given her reference to the wildness in your blood.
That might be nothing more than ignorance speaking. Hell, we barely understand what is going on with the wild magic in my DNA, so they couldn’t be expected to.
