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“Quite the day,” Elizabeth commented dryly as we walked toward the main house along the forest’s path.
I laughed. “All of our days are like this at the moment. Just one massive rollercoaster after the next.”
“It’s an interesting time in your life.”
“I don’t think this is what they mean when they say your best years are behind you.” I hesitated and added seriously, “Thank you, by the way.”
“Thank you?” she repeated.
“For coming,” I explained and shrugged. “A little warning would have been nice, but I appreciate that you’re trying to help.”
“You’re welcome.” Her smile was small and almost shy.
“Who’s guarding your portal?” I asked.
“No one. I’ve trapped the house. If anyone I don’t know enters, I’ll know.” I nodded, and there was a brief silence before she said, “You didn’t tell me you were in love with your familiar.”
I frowned and asked, “What difference does that make?”
She raised an eyebrow disapprovingly. “She’s a familiar. She might look human, but she isn’t.”
“Ah, yes.” I rolled my eyes. “I completely forgot all that instantaneous knowledge I gained when my ex accidentally let slip I was a witch.”
Elizabeth stared pointedly. She didn’t like the sarcasm, but I didn’t like the disapproving mom look. I’d gone many years without it, and I definitely didn’t need it now.
She huffed and continued, “She’s bound to you for eternity. She can never leave you even if she wants to.”
“You aren’t telling me anything I don’t know.”
“A hostage can’t love you.”
I stopped dead. “What are you talking about? I’m not holding her hostage. I locked her in my house one time because she was tearing the shit out of my t-shirt and I wanted to catch her before she escaped without punishment.”
“Her soul, Charlie.”
“I’m holding her soul hostage?” I exclaimed, but after a bit of thought, I agreed, “Yeah, okay, maybe, but only because it was about to fuck off into the sunset and Zaide would have gone all Romeo on me if she’d died. No one would have preferred that.”
“It’s not my place to say anything.” I rolled my eyes.Not her place to say anything after she’s already said something.She continued, “But I’ll be looking forward to getting to know her.”
I laughed, remembering Clawdia’s fury when I told her about meeting Elizabeth the first time. “I told her you almost dusted me, and she’s a little miffed about it. So good luck with that. She can be a fierce little thing when she wants.”
“Of course you did.” She sighed, but the small curl of her lip told me she wasn’t upset. “Why was she angry earlier?”
“The classic Clawdicat protest.” I sighed. “I may have suggested she was being irrational. And yes, I already know how bad an idea that is, but despite being able to read her mind and feel her emotions, I’m still a dumb man. I can’t be prince charming all the time.”
Elizabeth heaved a long-suffering sigh, as if she’d raised me and was sick of my shit after years of putting up with me. Or maybe I had that effect on everyone regardless of how long they’d known me. But before she could retort, the door to the main house swung open, and Ingrid stepped out onto the porch to greet us.
“Ingrid, you look fantastic,” I cheered with a charming grin, which she returned. “We’re really looking forward to having another look at your library, aren’t we, Elizabeth?”
Drawing Ingrid’s attention to my birth mother was a bad idea, because her face fell into a smooth mask. “Forgive me, I’m afraid we haven’t been formally introduced yet, although I did see you at the meeting this morning.”
Elizabeth had the same bland smile the other council members wore when they were about to be arseholes. “I’m Elizabeth Olsson, the temporary council representative for the witches. I see you’ve already met my son, Charlie.”
Ingrid’s face seemed to freeze and buffer before she blinked, resetting, with her bland smile, which now seemed a bit crazed. “I’m sorry, did you say temporary council representative?”
“Yes.”
I could really do with some popcorn for this show.
