Destiny of the Witch (The Other Witch #4)

56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

I looked dubiously at Benji. ‘What do you mean, you can drive?’

‘Oscar has been showing me,’ Benji said. ‘Now that Oscar is guarding Luna full time, you need a new driver.’ He puffed out his chest. ‘I’m an excellent driver.’

‘Do you have a licence?’ I asked, not quite sure which answer I was hoping for. I did need a new driver, after all.

‘Well … no,’ Benji confessed. ‘Not exactly.’

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling. ‘You’d better get that before you become my official driver,’ I said evenly. ‘The police get grumpy when you drive without a licence.’

Benji sighed. ‘I suppose.’

‘Soon,’ I patted his cold arm. ‘I bet you’ll pass the test really quickly, and then you can drive me everywhere. ’

He brightened. ‘I will pass the exams really fast. I’ve been studying the theory. I know all the signs, like that one there for diverted traffic!’ He frowned. ‘Why are there two diverted traffic signs pointing in the opposite direction? The book did not cover this scenario.’

I looked to where he was pointing and let out a sigh. ‘Frogmatch!’ I huffed. ‘Change it back!’

Snickering, the little red imp grabbed the second sign and moved it back down the road, making sure it pointed the correct way this time.

Bastion slid into the passenger seat, and Benji and Frogmatch joined him in the back.

‘Let’s get this show on the road,’ Benjamin drawled. In an aside to Frogmatch he added, ‘I’ve always wanted to say that.’

I ignored the chatter in the car and moved off, pointing us towards the Home Counties and what would be my Coven for only the next few hours.

It was raining when we pulled up, which matched my suddenly sour mood. It truly was the end of an era. Feeling somewhat melancholy, I parked in the underground carpark, touched the walls and lit up the familiar wards. This Coven tower had been my home for so long; though I was looking forward to the next chapter in my life, the next time I came here it would be as a visitor.

I turned, only to be engulfed in Bastion’s arms. He kissed the top of my head but said nothing. He knew how I was feeling, and he offered silent, non-judgemental, comfort. He always knew the best thing to do to soothe me.

‘Benji, Frogmatch, could you two go up and start packing up my bathroom and kitchen items for me?’ I asked, more to get them out of the way than anything, though it did need doing.

‘Sure thing,’ Frogmatch threw me a cheeky salute.

‘Of course,’ Benji confirmed, proud at being given a trusted job. ‘I’ll bubble wrap your mugs,’ he promised.

The two of them headed on up. I threaded my fingers through Bastion’s and climbed the Coven stairs to where Ethan and Jacob lived. It was early evening, so the family were eating dinner together when I knocked. ‘Sorry to intrude,’ I apologised. ‘Can I come in?’

‘Of course, Coven Mother.’ Jacob gave me a bow and stepped back.

Henry was slouched at the table, looking glum. ‘Everything okay, Henry?’ I asked.

He sighed. ‘Sarah dumped me.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

‘She feels bad about betraying Ria, but Ria hasn’t been in touch with either of us in weeks,’ he huffed.

I sat down. ‘About that…’ I explained the truth about Ria and Shaun as calmly as I could. Ethan and Jacob held hands as I listed some of the horrors Ria had confessed to. ‘She also admitted that she had drugged you, Henry. An infatuation potion. That’s why you felt so desperate to be with her for a while, and then it just … stopped. It wasn’t you not missing her anymore, it was the potion getting out of your system.’

Henry gaped for a moment then brightened. ‘This is great! Sarah will be sure to give me another chance now.’ He pushed back from the table. ‘Can I go and see her?’ he asked his fathers.

They deferred to me. ‘Can Ria’s betrayals be public knowledge?’ Jacob asked.

I nodded. ‘I don’t intend to bury it.’ Instead, I’d use her as the poster girl of what would happen to you if you turned to pain and torture to fuel your magic. Power really wasn’t everything. But the worst of the news was still to come. ‘But there’s more. I’m sorry to say that when Ria started talking, the leader of the evil Coven killed her.’

Henry stilled. ‘Ria’s dead?’

I nodded. ‘I’m sorry.’

Henry’s eyes filled and painful silence stretched. Jacob and Ethan both reached out to touch their son. Henry’s lip trembled. His jaw clenched and he dashed angrily at the tears that fell from his eyes. ‘I know she drugged me and did bad things but we grew up together. She was my first—’ he looked at his parents ‘—kiss,’ he ended lamely.

‘I know. I’m sorry,’ I repeated.

‘Why? You didn’t kill her.’

‘No,’ I agreed, ‘I didn’t. But I’m sorry for your loss all the same.’ I’d told them the truth about Shaun in that I’d said he was the leader of the evil Coven, but I hadn’t said that he was my father. That felt private and it wasn’t something I wanted to spread around. My business was my own.

Henry scrubbed at his eyes again. ‘It’s okay to cry,’ I said suddenly. ‘No one will think any less of you.’

He gave me a wobbly smile. ‘I think I’m in shock. I don’t know what to feel. I need to talk it over with someone. Can I go and see Sarah? Can I tell her about all of this?’

I nodded. ‘Do what you need to do to process it.’ I looked at his fathers. ‘If it’s okay with your parents, of course,’ I added hastily.

‘It’s fine,’ Jacob said softly. ‘But come home tonight. We’ll talk more this evening, as a family.’

Henry excused himself and gave his parents a quick hug. When he had left to spread the bad news, I turned to Ethan. ‘Obviously, as Crone I can no longer maintain the position of Coven Mother.’

He nodded tightly, but I could see tension in the lines of his mouth. Not so long ago, I would have been thinking of Meredith or Hannah to replace me, but Hannah was dead and Meredith would be grieving the loss of her daughter for some time. The last thing she needed was a Coven to run. And besides, some of Jeb’s griping had struck a chord with me. Bar his gender, Ethan was the right person for the role; he’d been doing it for weeks.

I cleared my throat. ‘I would like to ask you to become the first Coven Father.’

Ethan froze then his eyes welled with tears. Jacob let out a sob and barrelled into his husband’s arms.

‘I—’ Ethan started. He shook his head and buried it in Jacob’s shoulder for a moment. Finally he took a steadying breath. ‘It would be an honour,’ he said. ‘Thank you, Coven Mother. What about the application process?’

I shook my head. ‘Your appointment has been ratified by the Coven Council. If you want the job it’s yours, no application process needed. Frankly, you deserve it. I can think of no one else who would better lead our Coven. Your Coven,’ I corrected myself, giving his arm a squeeze. ‘I’m packing up my flat now and I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I can.’

Ethan smiled at me. ‘Thank you for this opportunity, Crone. I promise I won’t squander it.’

‘Of that,’ I smiled back, ‘I have no doubt.’

We had a small party in the Coven common room. I let Ethan handle the announcements – better to start as we meant to go on. After a brief show of my face, I excused myself to carry on packing.

Even with Benji, Bastion and Frogmatch helping, it took longer than I’d expected to pack up my whole life. Nevertheless, in a few hours, we were back on the road again. Despite the late hour, we decided to drive back to Edinburgh, mostly because I didn’t want to step on Ethan’s toes but also because I wanted to start living my life with Bastion.

Edinburgh, that siren of cities, was calling me home.