The Burning Witch 3: A Humorous Romantic Fantasy

CHAPTER 2 OBTRUSIVE OBSERVATIONS

L-Likon, what are you … Wait …” Kat turned from her childhood friend to her father. “If you’re here, and mum is on her way … Did you leave Tam to handle everything alone back home?!”

Fin winced and reached up to rub the back of his neck, while even Likon scuffed his foot against the stone.

“I mean … Clara stayed behind to help … I think? Did Annika bring Clara?” The duke looked to Likon uncertainly.

Likon nodded while continuing to grimace before looking back at Kat.

“Ah … well … He’ll be fine. He’s learned a lot in the past year!” the young man attempted to soothe both his and the duke’s guilt. “Now, don’t I get a hug?”

Kat sighed with a small smile and embraced her old friend. Likon picked her up as he usually did after not seeing her for months at a time, but was forced to put her down more quickly than he was accustomed.

“Oof! You’re heavy now!” Likon laughed as the two pulled apart.

Kat nodded vaguely. “It’s the winter, not much to do but eat … So, I heard that traveling here was a lot more difficult than it normally is!”

Likon raised an eyebrow and looked at Fin.

“I know. She’s acting odd.” The house witch confirmed Likon’s wordless question while his earlier concern returned to his face.

“Or it could be that you two are the ones that keep making it strange,” Kat grumbled while stepping around Likon and closing the solar door behind him.

“Oh, I don’t know. You’ve got some muscle on you; you aren’t as … loud, or expressive … Overall you seem pretty different to me,” Likon observed while Kat led them back over to the couches.

“I’m in Troivack—of course I’ll have toned it down,” Kat reminded while seating herself.

“I know your mother taught you that, but it’s odd that you’re taking it so well,” Fin cited while sitting down across from his daughter and resting his elbows on his knees.

“Alright, well how about we circle back to this mystery of how I’m different later on? You were delayed a long time coming here, Da.” Kat stared at her father somberly. “I really hope you didn’t have to take too many risks.”

Fin met his daughter’s stare head-on. “I’m sorry it took so long. Apparently the storms this year are unlike anything any captains have seen before. Though I can see even here in Troivack there is a good deal of bizarre weather happening given that there is snow on the ground outside.”

Kat nodded. “That’s been a topic of concern here, yes.”

Fin sat back and looked at Likon again, whose stare lingered on Kat before turning to meet the duke’s gaze.

Neither of them had ever heard Kat sound so … mature …

“Well, all that matters is you both got here safely. How is His Majesty doing with both his children being gone?” Kat asked while leaning forward. She knew Eric would want to know, but most likely wouldn’t get the chance to ask the house witch for a while …

Fin pondered the question, his unnerving attention remaining fixed on his daughter. “King Norman Reyes is handling it better than anyone guessed he would. I think at least knowing where they are has helped. How is Eric doing here?”

Kat’s heart leapt to her throat, and she tried to smile vaguely. “Oh, I hear he’s … he’s doing fine. Haven’t seen him too much the past month.”

It wasn’t a complete lie! She’d been training and he’d been off investigating Duke Icarus until the past day or two.

“Mm. Well, I guess that’s good then. Is Alina adjusting well?” Fin questioned next.

Kat barely suppressed a sigh of relief when the topic changed. “She is. She’s definitely the change the court needs here.”

“That’s reassuring to hear. How she would settle in Troivack is something her father is still very worried about. I’m surprised it has been so quiet though … Other than Eric’s kidnapping, I would’ve thought they’d aimed for Her Majesty’s own life.”

“S-Sure … I mean … that … that is a fair … fair thing to imagine.” Kat cleared her throat and Fin’s eyes narrowed.

“Kat, is there a thing or two perhaps you could’ve mentioned in your letters?”

“You both must be tired. I can show you to your quarters and see about getting a meal sent up. Despite today being the solstice, there is an emergency council meeting I must attend now with Her Majesty.” Kat stood back up quickly, her hands folded over her skirts.

Finlay rose as well, but the hard set of his mouth told his daughter that he was not letting her off the hook, until she raised her hands in defense. “Alina is going to tell you all about certain events herself.”

The duke’s features darkened. “Kat, your safety is tied to Alina’s. What happened?”

Her mind racing, Kat tried to think of some way to throw off her father, some way of getting out of the interrogation, when lo and behold … another knock at the door interrupted them.

Fin didn’t move, and Kat remained frozen in place, leaving Likon to go see who had come in during the tense silence.

“Ah! Lord Finlay Ashowan! I’m so happy you’re here!” Alina entered the room, her face pale but a polite smile already drawn over her features.

Fin finally tore his attention away from his daughter to bow to the Troivackian queen.

“Your Majesty, it is good to see you in fine health. It’s great timing that you’re here, in fact. My daughter here is dancing around the matter of attempted assassinations and informed me you wished to tell me about everything yourself.”

Alina faltered for a single breath, but she regained her composure like the queen she was.

“Ah, I do want us to have a long talk about certain events, but I am afraid that the reason I had to interrupt your reunion is that the council is waiting on Kat to begin the meeting.”

Fin slipped his hands in his pockets. “Why is Kat’s presence in the Troivackian council meeting so imperative?”

While Kat was falling to pieces internally, Alina held her ground. “Because Kat is the only one I trust to take notes for me during the meetings. Now, I am terribly sorry again, Your Grace, but we must be off. A steward will show you and Likon to your chambers.”

Alina turned to Kat, who nodded gratefully back, and the two made an expedient exit from the solar.

Once the two men were alone, Fin looked to Likon. “We’re going to wait until the end of the day, but if they don’t tell me everything, then I want you to turn over every stone in this castle to find out what it is they’re hiding.”

The young man bowed.

He was in complete agreement, as there was a funny bad feeling that was tickling his own stomach.

“Have I mentioned I love you?” Kat gasped to Alina as they rounded the corner of the solars corridor.

“Yes, but you need to say it a lot more often because I just about fainted from that. Gods, I’ve never been on that side of your father’s intensity,” she replied breathily.

“It’s awful, isn’t it? We’re going to have to tell him everything sooner rather than later because otherwise he’ll tear it out of me and that won’t go over well.”

Alina nodded in agreement as the two women made their way down to the council room.

“By the way, how are you feeling this morning?” the queen asked casually with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Kat looked at her friend incredulously.

Alina noticed this and, with a smile, rolled her eyes. “Good Gods, you teased me to the high heavens about my honeymoon. Am I not allowed to do the same to you?”

“You do remember who I married, right?” Kat asked flatly while ensuring to lower her voice.

Alina hesitated then. “Fair point. It is unpleasant when you put it like that … Though you were quite out of it last night, so I’m guessing nothing of consequence did occur between you and my brother.”

“You are correct about that.” Kat gave a small laugh.

“Well, from now on, you two will be sharing a chamber, so don’t be too upset about it.”

Kat blinked as she processed this information, and they descended the last few steps of the grand staircase. “I forgot about that.”

Alina looked at her friend, bemused. “You forgot that being married means you live together?”

“Completely.”

The queen couldn’t help it, she snorted in laughter at Kat’s stricken expression.

The two had reached the council room, however, and so she was forced to cut off her guffaws quickly as the guards eyed them.

“Alright, shall we enter?” Alina looked at Kat, who had miraculously managed to become appropriately serious.

“Yes. I want to know what that arsehat tried to do to me.”

Instead of uttering her agreement, Alina turned to the guards, who proceeded to open the doors for her while she released Kat’s arm.

The two strode in, their masks of impenetrability in place as the long table filled with Troivackian men awaited them.

Kat noticed that many of them were regarding her with interest as opposed to disapproval compared to the last time she was there, and she was feeling quite good about the fact, until her gaze landed on Eric.

While he didn’t smile, he did force himself to avert his eyes as Kat could feel a telling blush begin to warm her face.

Brendan sat waiting patiently, and once his wife and her new sister-in-law were seated, began the meeting.

“We should all be celebrating the solstice with our families, so I will make this meeting quick. It has come to our attention that the powder that Sir Seth Herra attempted to throw at Lady Katarina is in fact dried up and ground Witch’s Brew. In its new form, the drug is even more potent, but it requires less of the mushroom to create,” Brendan informed everyone darkly.

Duke Icarus was impressively calm as he listened to the news while feigning concern.

“But … why would they want to dose Lady Katarina? It seems an odd time to want to incapacitate her what with us all there as witnesses,” Viscount Sanchez queried from farther down the table.

Brendan shook his head. “We don’t know yet. Sir Herra is holding his silence thus far in the interrogations, but we will extract the information from him one way or another. It has been a bit difficult, as Sir Cleophus not only knocked a few teeth from his mouth but also concussed him. For now, everyone should be on the lookout for the powder; it still has its distinct smell, so it isn’t likely that it’d be easy to add to any of our food. Even so, members of the elite knights are guarding the kitchens to ensure everyone’s safety.”

The room filled with murmurs.

“Now, on to the obvious matter of ending Lady Katarina’s exile from court.”

The men quieted back down. “She not only won the sparring matches against her peers, but even against one of our best-trained men. Does anyone object to her return?”

No one spoke, and so Brendan nodded in satisfaction, until a younger noble raised his hand. Kat recognized him from the first banquet she had attended in Troivack, Lord Edium, was it?

“With Duke Ashowan here, can we assume that Lady Katarina will be leaving for Daxaria in the near future?”

Brendan lifted an eyebrow. “That has not yet been decided. Our original agreement was to have Lady Katarina join our court for a year, but in light of the threats to her life, that agreement may come under review. However”—Brendan leaned back in his throne, his features gentling ever so slightly—“today is a day of celebration, and so this meeting is concluded. We will discuss the details at length another time. Just be on guard now that we know there was some kind of master plan Sir Herra had with drugging Lady Katarina. Captain Orion has been temporarily detained as he, too, will undergo extensive questioning. Leader Faucher will be assuming his duties until further notice.”

Many men tensed at the last bit of news, but eventually they all began to rise, save for one red-faced nobleman (who had most likely already been sampling some of the festive beverages), who raised his hand.

“Your Majesty, what are we going to do about the women who now wish to learn self-defense?”

Everyone froze.

Brendan only gave a brief tilt of his head before he looked at Kat.

The redhead almost scowled in response.

He was entirely too calm after such a question …

“Lady Katarina is the most appropriate teacher for them, in my estimation. She can hold lessons until she finds a replacement.” Brendan stared at Kat as though daring her to object.

Underneath the council table, Kat’s index finger was rapidly tapping the knuckles of her opposite hand.

“I wouldn’t mind helping, Your Majesty,” she responded while withholding agitation from her voice.

Brendan merely nodded in response, then looked back to his council.

“That is all that needs to be said on the matter for now. Go, and enjoy your solstices.”

Without any other unnecessary pomp, Brendan stood, offered his hand to his wife, and led her out of the council room. The lords all rose in suit, pushing in their chairs, then bowing to Kat and Eric as the throng gradually drifted out of the council room.

The couple loitered at the back of the crowd, casually drifting closer to each other.

When they were within two feet of each other, Kat noticed a swell of tingling fill her being, demanding she go even closer to Eric. Awareness of his nearness was making her thoughts stumble over one another.

“How is your father?” Eric asked quietly, his left hand “accidentally” brushing against the back of Kat’s hand.

“Um. Good. Yes … My mum is apparently coming as well and will be here in a week. They also … They brought Likon.”

The two exited the council room, and Eric risked a small side-glance at her.

Kat looked at the ceiling to try to distract herself from the potent impulse to reach out and touch her husband. “Da’s already suspicious.”

Eric slipped his right hand in the pocket of his brown trousers.

Despite the festive day, he wore simple clothes. A black coat, and a white tunic with no other finery … though at the very least the pieces were of superior quality; Kat thought he looked rather dashing.

“Try to last until this afternoon. There is the luncheon we have to get through first.”

Kat nodded but felt a burr of stress reappear in her chest before she risked looking at Eric’s profile.

She was irked to see he appeared completely calm.

“Why don’t you seem as worried as I am?”

Eric looked at her with a bemused closed-mouth smile. “I know how to bluff. You really are your father’s daughter.”

Kat looked ahead of herself again and grumbled.

“I thought everyone was upset because I could hide my nonsense.”

Eric’s smile turned genuine as the two continued walking.

“You know how my father is … and it’s not like I’m hiding one or two little things,” Kat reminded the prince when they reached the end of the corridor and stopped.

The two turned and faced each other as servants filed past carrying fresh tablecloths and silver pitchers in the direction of the throne room.

Eric clasped his hands behind his back and locked eyes with Kat. His mild mannered expression faded to gentleness, the adoration in his hazel eyes were making the redhead’s nerves work themselves to a fervor.

“I do know how your father is. In fact, I’ve known him longer than you have.” Eric leaned in slightly, his voice lowering.

Kat put her hands on her hips as she worked to regain control over the urge to kiss him right there in the hall.

Days ago, she had been able to hold a conversation with him without any issue … How was it that after two nights and a simple wedding, she felt so extraordinarily drawn to him?

“You know, husband, I look forward to seeing how you handle him since you’re such an expert on Finlay Ashowan.” She matched his quiet volume, but her tone was no less haughty.

However, the look in Eric’s eyes when she called him husband made her knees weak. His gaze lowered to her mouth, and she began to have trouble recalling why an empty corridor was not a good place to kiss him …

“Kat! There you are. Did you—”

Likon rounded the corner, apparently at first he had only seen the redhead, but once he’d pulled into view, realized she wasn’t alone.

Kat turned her face away from Eric briefly, taking the chance to try to collect herself, and Eric turned and faced her childhood friend while giving a greeting nod.

Likon stared at the pair, momentarily stricken by the peculiar air around them … then remembered he was in the presence of royalty and bowed. “Happy Solstice, Your Highness.”

Eric inclined himself in return. “Same to you. Lady Katarina and I were on our way to the luncheon. The council meeting has just concluded, but I’m sure you two would like time to talk.” He looked at Kat, who was still struggling to meet his gaze. “Good day, Lady Katarina.”

He bid farewell to her politely and coolly, then strode off regardless of Kat belatedly remembering she had to give a small curtsy.

Once the prince was out of earshot, Likon stepped closer to Kat warily. “What was that about?”

“We were talking about the council meeting is all. So tell me, is my brother actually going to be alright managing the new dukedom on his own?”

Likon casually avoided her coy grin as he then offered her his arm.

The gesture caught Kat off guard, and so her face fell and her gut twisted, but when Likon looked back at her, she tentatively accepted his offer to escort her.

“You know how smart your brother is, he’ll sort it out,” Likon dismissed breezily, his face brightening at her touch.

Kat nodded while trying to ignore the discomfort that overtook her at being so close to a man who wasn’t Eric … Every part of her wanted to release Likon’s arm and move farther away but knew she couldn’t.

Likon glanced at her briefly, his pleased expression turning momentarily calculative.

There had been something odd in the way Kat had been talking to the prince …

She had had a look that Likon hadn’t seen before, and it was troubling him a great deal …

Giving Kat’s arm an extra squeeze, they continued toward the throne room for the solstice luncheon and settled into making easy small talk along the way, though the two childhood friends had far more on their mind than either of them wanted to let on.