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“Tell that to my body in the morning,” I muttered. Not to mention, I’d never been the scholarly type.
Undaunted by my sass, Nova replied, “A trained witch doesn’t have those kinds of issues and enjoys an extended lifespan.”
“Oh really?” That actually piqued my interest.
“If you remain here, you can discover what your magic is capable of. Learn to defend yourself, maybe even learn to fight.”
“I’m not brave,” I countered. “I can’t even kill a spider without freaking out.”
“Then there is a third option. We take your magic from you, removing the target you present to demons. We wipe your mind of everything you’ve learned, and you go back to your life as if nothing ever happened.”
Do it. Tell her that’s what you want. The coward in me would have given much to go back to my blissful ignorance. However, did I really want to be unaware of the things lurking around me? Did I want to return to a mundane life where all I did was eat, sleep, and go to work?
It would be a life without demon attacks, my sly subconscious reminded. Great, so I could live another thirty or forty years of boredom.
Or I could maybe become one of the heroines in my books...
“You really think I could learn at my age?” I asked.
To my surprise, Cain, and not Nova, replied. “One of our best reapers didn’t get trained until his mid-forties.”
I glanced at him. “You think I should do this.”
His broad shoulders rolled. “Doesn’t matter what I think. This is your life. Your choice.”
True, and yet I wondered if he’d like it if I stuck around. “Let’s say I decide to try but it doesn’t work out. Then what?”
“You won’t be a prisoner here if that’s what you’re worried about. At the same time, should you choose to leave, whether as a trained witch or one stripped, we cannot assure your safety outside this valley.”
“I thought witches out in the wild got a protector.”
“Those who work for the sisterhood do. Those who have opted to depart and live a life away from us don’t get the same perks.”
“Let’s say I agreed to the lessons, where would I be staying?” I asked.
“I’ll have Mizuki show you.” Nova waved her hand, and a door opened as if someone had been waiting behind it for her signal. A petite woman emerged. “Mizuki, can you give Sadie a tour? She will be staying with us and will require a room.”
“Yes, Regina.” The woman, maybe a decade younger than me with long dark hair pulled in a ponytail and an oval face, gave a short curtsy before eyeing me with a smile. “If you’ll follow me.”
I glanced at Cain, oddly reluctant to leave him behind. The man had saved my life, and right now I trusted him more than anyone else.
“You’ll be fine,” he reassured, as if reading my mind. “Mizuki isn’t known for biting. Although she is prone to over-spicing foods.”
Mizuki giggled. “I love the heat. And so do you!”
A strange pang of jealousy hit me as Cain smiled at the other woman.
“Speaking of food, we’ll see you at dinner,” Nova interceded. “Cain and I have much to discuss.”
With that, I was dismissed. I watched Cain walk away from me with Nova to disappear through the same door she’d emerged from.
“Cain is her favorite reaper,” Mizuki confided.
“Is he yours?” I couldn’t help my sour inquiry.
“He’s way too grumpy for me.” The woman laughed. “I’ve got my eye on Barron. He’s got the dreamiest eyes.”
For some reason, knowing she was crushing on someone else appeased my irritation.
