The Burning Witch 3: A Humorous Romantic Fantasy

CHAPTER 35 A DEVIATED DIRECTION

Fin and Kat stepped into Lady Elena’s keep, which was swarming with knights. His Majesty King Brendan Devark was already speaking with Leader Gregory Faucher by the grand staircase, both looking intent and serious.

As they approached, however, the two men moved their attention to the witches.

“Your Grace, Lady Katarina.” Brendan nodded. “How was the duchess?”

Fin let out a sigh and shook his head, still in a state of disbelief over his wife’s unexpected reaction to all their daughter’s news.

“She took everything a thousand times better than my da did,” Kat explained bluntly.

“I never thought I’d be the sane one in our family,” Fin muttered with a partial grumble.

Brendan nodded, relief bright in his eyes over the news.

Leader Faucher, unaware of the gravity of everyone’s stress surrounding Annika Ashowan, brushed this exchange off.

“That is good. Now, we have yet to go into the tunnels, but Mr. Kraft is ready to take us down to start our investigation.”

Kat smiled, unable to hide a glint of excited interest in the mysterious passageways that allegedly ran under Vessa.

“Have you seen the raccoon yet?” Fin asked suddenly while looking between Faucher and the king.

The two men gave him blank looks in response. “No, Your Grace. Though you’ve been talking about it at length as of late.”

“You’ll see what I mean.” Fin waved off their lackluster reactions while already peering around the entrance hall for the familiar he had not been able to stop thinking about. “Where is Lady Elena?”

“She is in her experiment room explaining to the Royal Physician what they have been studying.”

The duke frowned. “Is someone other than knights and the physician with her?”

Brendan gave the duke a mildly irritable look. “She is potentially facing charges for plotting treason or at the very least illegal construction.”

“Yes, but if everything is handled as though she is going to be burned at the stake, I don’t think it’ll be a very fair trial when she may have just been trying to protect the remaining witches here in Troivack,” Fin argued vehemently.

Brendan regarded the duke coolly.

The king didn’t appreciate the implication that he would be anything but fair in his judgment, but he couldn’t deny the previous years of witch-hunting in his kingdom.

“Very well. Lady Katarina, would you mind joining Lady Elena?” Brendan turned to address the noblewoman.

Kat’s shoulders slumped. She’d been excited to join the exploration of the tunnels.

“Actually, Your Majesty, given that Lady Katarina has her abilities and sword expertise, I believe it is safer if she is the one to join us in the tunnels,” Faucher interrupted.

Fin straightened.

It had never happened before that his daughter’s presence and magical abilities had been chosen over his own, though when he glanced over Kat’s uniform and the sword at her side, he couldn’t stave off the swell of pride.

She really had earned respect in Troivack.

“That does make sense,” the duke acquiesced before his daughter could respond. “Well then, I better go tend to Lady Elena. I look forward to hearing about what you all discover, Your Majesty.” Fin bowed and turned his toes to make his way up the stairs to the experiment room.

“What in Gods’ name is that?!”

Fin whirled around, a beaming smile already on his face.

Faucher was staring over the king’s shoulder, and the house witch had no doubt about what had earned such a reaction from the military man.

Sure enough, Reggie the rotund raccoon was waddling toward the stairs.

“I told you!” Fin crowed excitedly.

“How does it move?!” Brendan exclaimed with more emotion than anyone had seen from him in months.

“That cannot be healthy. My Dana would be in a fit if she saw a creature in such a state under someone’s care,” Faucher rumbled.

Even Kat was watching the familiar with her mouth hanging open, utterly speechless.

As the small group watched the raccoon climb the stairs in shared astonishment, they found themselves struggling to wrap their minds around the creature’s existence …

So much so that for a brief moment, all thoughts of tunnels and witches disappeared from their minds altogether as they, too, became acquainted with Lady Elena’s familiar.

Likon sat curled in a ball, his hands pressed over his ears and his eyes firmly shut.

He felt like a child again … hiding by the stairs from the lascivious acts of the brothel he lived in after his parents died. Back then, he had wanted to be glued to his sister’s side at all costs, but after the first month, he couldn’t bring himself to go back down from his room no matter how much he hated waiting alone in the dark quiet.

The beast that he had seen the previous day was prone to random shrill shrieks, and when one of the people or beasts—he wasn’t sure which, as they’d never revealed themselves—came to deliver him his food, he had insisted on being untied so that he could cover his ears that, even in silence, would continue to ring.

Surprisingly, his captors had acquiesced, though Likon had still been forced to be blindfolded during his mealtimes.

He continued waiting in the cavern-esque prison, his mind at last cleared of the effects of Witch’s Brew.

There was a chance he could rush the next person to come check on him and make a run for it, but with the presence of the screeching creature, he wasn’t certain how far he’d get.

He was just about to consider this possible escape plan more carefully when yet another ethereal scream echoed around him, forcing him to clamp his hands down over his ears even harder.

It was a struggle to even remember to breathe against the piercing noise …

Then it suddenly stopped.

Likon’s eyes opened. It had been the quickest outburst yet.

“Good morning, Likon.”

He jumped in shock and turned slowly …

There was his captor sitting in his vacant chair. He blinked in shock.

“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced yet … Feel free to call me Aradia.”

“You … I’ve—”

“Sorry about the sirins, they are quite the noisy bunch. I like to jest that they are a perfect representation of why having birds as pets can be problematic.” Aradia shook her head with a brief laugh.

She wore black trousers, a black tunic, and a leather corset. There wasn’t a speck of jewelry on her, and surprisingly, her hair only touched a short way below her collarbone. Most women wore their tresses long enough to reach their hips …

Her elbows rested comfortably on the arms of the chair Likon had been tied to before as she stared down at him with a kind smile.

“Don’t worry, the sirins won’t make a ruckus while I’m here. If I had another place for them to hide, I would move them to torment you less.”

“I don’t believe for a second that this casual torture is accidental.” Likon unfurled himself to sit more comfortably, propping his right arm atop a bent knee and leaning back against the earthen wall of his prison.

“Believe what you want.” Aradia sighed while eyeing the hole in the ceiling. “I don’t have the stomach for even regular Troivackian torture methods. You’d think I would after all this time …”

“Why are you here?” Likon asked coldly.

Aradia lowered her gaze to him, her expression still gentle. “We’ll be sending our demands for your release soon. I just thought you’d like to know.”

Likon frowned. “What proof of life are you going to give?”

“Mm, I was going to have you sign your name to a letter, but if you refused that, I’d probably take a bit of what you’re wearing or a lock of your hair.” Aradia settled back into the chair as though intending to stay for a while.

“You aren’t worried about getting caught?” Likon bit out next.

Aradia tilted her head back and forth thoughtfully. “I don’t intend to stay hidden much longer, so I’m not too worried.”

Likon’s lip began to curl.

Aradia noticed this and raised a wry eyebrow. “You know, Likon, I’m not all that concerned about you coming after me either, because I think we want the same things.”

He didn’t hide his disbelief.

“I just want Lady Katarina to go home. What’s so terrible about that? Wouldn’t you prefer it as well?”

Likon straightened. “If that were true, why were there so many attacks on her?”

Aradia leaned forward. “A lot of that was thanks to Sam getting involved in politics in the castle. The poisonings? His assassins. The attacks on her carriage? His mercenaries. Kidnapping the prince and prying open her magic abilities? Again, him. Aside from kidnapping you and trying to bind her magic the one time, I haven’t done anything all that terrible.”

“Yet.” Likon’s eyes narrowed. “What if she doesn’t go home regardless of the ransom letter?”

“You think she’d cast you aside just so that she could fight the devil?” Aradia queried with a crease of concern between her eyebrows.

“You aren’t going to succeed in turning me against her.”

“I’m not trying to turn you against her. I’m asking because it would be problematic if abducting you didn’t propel her out of the kingdom,” Aradia explained simply.

Likon felt a small tremor run through his heart …

The woman before him was disconcerting for many reasons.

The biggest one of all being that …

Everything she said rang with truth.

She wasn’t trying to deceive him.

He had worked near and with liars his entire life, and either she was the best liar in the world … or she wasn’t bothering trying to hide anything.

But why?

“Who gave Aidan Helmer a dragon?” Likon wondered suddenly.

Aradia blinked in surprise, then gave another tinkling laugh. “I did. Aidan liked to parade that poor dragon around as his familiar, but the beast was merely doing my bidding …”

“Why the hell did you do that?” Likon felt a rush of relief.

He needed to validate that the woman before him was indeed a villain.

“I needed to sabotage the war.” Aradia reached up to rub the back of her neck thoughtfully. “Paiste was supposed to turn on the Troivackians if they made it too far, then retreat back to the mountains.”

“Paiste?”

“That was the dragon’s name. Paiste,” Aradia’s expression saddened. “I … He was my friend. I … I never thought he would die.”

The pain in her eyes made Likon hesitate.

He almost felt sorry for her for having sent a dragon to kill thousands of innocent people.

Then again … The Troivackians would have done that regardless. So … what was her true motivation? Was it really all to get rid of witches in some odd, roundabout way?

“While I can guess what has made you so loyal to the Ashowan family, I do wonder if you’re happy with your life. I heard you had a rather … concerning reaction to the news of the prince and Lady Katarina’s marriage.”

“Because I didn’t want Kat to end up like Dena,” Likon blurted before he could stop himself.

Aradia tilted her head. “Dena?”

Likon bit his tongue, refusing to say more.

“Well … even if it was for some noble reason, it was undoubtedly amplified by the fact that you’ve been terribly in love with her for years. Aren’t you tired of the suffering?”

Likon felt his shoulders round as he stared up through his eyebrows at Aradia. He didn’t like how the woman seemed to know so much personal information, and the way she looked at him as though she could see every inch of his soul … It was off-putting.

“Look, I understand. The Ashowan family has become the pinnacle of all that is good in Daxaria. Wholesome while also powerful, thanks to Annika Ashowan. It’s a deadly but effective combination, and they’ve been good to you,” Aradia reasoned aloud. “However, there is nothing wrong with wanting to create a life for yourself outside of them. Sometimes, even if there is nothing inherently wrong with a situation or relationship, it just isn’t the right fit. In a lot of ways, it makes it that much harder trying to break free, because there isn’t a reason to motivate yourself.”

Likon felt exposed.

The woman’s words tore at him and reached his very protected, wounded heart …

All because everything his captor was saying … accurately struck the feelings Likon had struggled to confront for years.

Even as it pertained to his relationship and love for Kat. She hadn’t felt the same way he had for her. Not because there was anything wrong with him, but because it simply wasn’t meant to be … And sure, he knew Annika, Fin, and Tam loved him like a son and brother, but … there was still something that didn’t feel quite right. A sense he couldn’t name that there was always a missing note to what should’ve been a harmonious family life. They were wonderful. All of them, but he wasn’t quite like them …

Likon had struggled with that sense for years. Waiting and hoping for it to change … but Aradia was right.

It was a special kind of torture.

“Likon, regardless of what happens, whether Lady Katarina leaves or stays … You will be freed at the end of this, and you can make your own decisions then.”

He didn’t answer. A firm lump had formed in his throat, and he knew if he spoke, the emotion in his voice would be heard.

Aradia gave him a single, sympathetic, tight-lipped smile before rising from her seat and turning toward the door.

“I’ll see about getting you some beeswax to stuff your ears with,” she called over her shoulder while she knocked on the door to be let out.

“Who … are you really?” Likon heard himself ask while belatedly thinking how he should get up and hold her hostage to be let out with her.

But his limbs felt heavy … and something in him … didn’t want to leave.

Not yet.

Aradia turned back, her eyes bright and her smile gentle.

“Sister of the devil, daughter of the Gods …” She trailed off and let out a weary sigh, as though tired of the title. “I am the first witch. Now, get some rest, Likon. I’ll come visit you again soon.”