Chapter 10 Hector #2
“Swallow your respect, Kai.” Romy took a step closer to him. “We are not ready.”
“We? No, Romy, you aren’t going,” Kai said, fixing his gaze back to me. “Hector and I will be.”
“And you think you can control me because…”
I took Romy’s hand in mine, glad for her stability. “He’s right, Romy. It’s not safe out there.”
“Exactly why I’m bloody going!” Romy added. “Kai is needed here… alive. I appointed him as acting Grand High for a reason, not to mention you are as powerless as the rest of the people here. If anyone is going, it’s me and Hector.”
Kai straightened, his shoulders rolling backwards as a sense of power rolled over him. In an act of defiance, he lifted his palm up whilst his eyes sparked with a ring of cerulean.
I knew what was coming. A gem of water hung above his hand like a tear. Gasps sounded around the room, stealing my attention from Kai in time to watch liquid rise from mugs and glasses, gathering in ribbons that floated towards where he stood.
Slowly, but surely, that tear became a ball, which became a dripping, swirling mass of water.
“Eleanor Letcombe’s grimoire has proven rather helpful,” Kai announced to the astonishment of the room.
“And I pride myself on being a quick learner. It may not be much, but in time it will become the very tide powerful enough to stop Tomin. He wishes to cleanse the world of evil, except it will be my waters that drown him and every spoiled-minded follower of his.”
I didn’t admit it aloud, but I was a tad impressed. Kai had picked up on old magics quickly, although there was room for improvement as the bundle of water spluttered out, falling to the floor and spreading out until the old tiles glistened wet.
“As you already know,” Romy began, lifting her hand like he had, “magic means little anymore. Especially if you want to go against Witch Hunters, we’ll need something bigger.
Less threatening. You conjured a little drop of water, congrats.
My capabilities are, and always will be, bigger than yours.
” As if to prove herself, fire kindled in her hand, followed by a sharp gust of conjured wind.
Romy had trained with me and had two months more practice with old magic than Kai. She was formidable in the face of our enemy, but that didn’t mean I wanted her to come. In fact, neither of them could.
“Kai, Romy. Both of you are staying here. If Tomin wants me, I’ll go to him.” My muscles ached with the need to act—to do something. Emon was a single command away from sweeping me into the embrace of his shadows and taking me to Father Tomin’s location.
I would’ve given that command if Kai didn’t lay a hand on my shoulder… again. Perhaps he knew what I was thinking, and recognised that if he touched me Emon would take him with me too.
“Could I suggest that we can continue this debate in private…” Kai said, head tilting to the onlookers, reminding me of the mess hall full of powerless and fearful witches who had just watched their potential futures mocked on a television.
“I think we are equally traumatised by the events we just witnessed. Except that isn’t an excuse to be arguing amongst ourselves. ”
“There is nothing to discuss,” I said, seconds from yanking myself out of his grip and disappearing into the void. “My decision is final.”
“Actually,” Kai said, lowering his voice as he leaned in close, “it’s not. Because I think, if you are adamant about facing off against Tomin alone, you should know every single movement of his since yesterday’s act of terror before you leave, right?”
I couldn’t place it, but there was something in what Kai said that stilled me to my core. A few seconds of silent pause, and I agreed. “Then make it quick.”
Kai leaned back, hand dropping away. He won, because I gave Emon no command except ‘wait’.
“Follow me, please.” Kai swept a hand towards the exit. “Romy, you too.”
Not that she needed to prove anything, but clearly her display of old magic had been enough to show Kai that she was useful. Even though the one thing Kai and I clearly agreed on, without the need to speak aloud, was Romy’s safety.
I just hadn’t worked out for what reason he wanted to keep her safe yet. By the end of this conversation, I would.
* * *
“If we are going to make a move against Father Tomin, then you should know his movements since the orchestrated attack on the White Tower.” Kai paced at the head of a long white table with the pentagram symbol etched into its surface, worrying his hands together with such vigour it was a surprise to me when the friction alone didn’t start a fire.
“Because that… man has been busy since we’ve gone into hiding, and I have some insight into why. ”
I shared a side-eyed glance with Romy who was sat rigid in a metal chair, body deadly still although her mind was likely whirring. Emon looked to be sleeping in the middle of the table, his obsidian-scaled body no different to a crystal ball.
“Do we really have time to discuss, knowing witches are about to be burned at the stake?” I asked, unable to hide the bite from my tone.
Kai bristled, cheeks flaring crimson. “Let’s not pretend that Father Tomin’s little TV appearance was anything more than a way to bait us out of hiding. And, if you’d already left, it would’ve worked.”
“Correct,” I tested. “Trap or not, no witch is going to burn today. I won’t allow it.”
Kai paused only for a second. “A notion we agree on. Trust me, our thoughts on your next actions are lined up. But Tomin is creating a spectacle. He wants eyes on the event… as many as he can. If he didn’t, those witches would already be dead.
Tomin’s treating the burning like a season finale of a beloved show…
giving time to viewers to tune in and watch.
Which, in turn, has given us time to think before we act. ”
“All this we talk when I thought I’d made it clear you are both not coming,” I snapped.
It impressed me to see Kai’s too-calm demeanour shift into something dangerous for a moment. I couldn’t place it entirely, but it was something to do with his eyes—the way an inner light glowed as if he had unfinished business to attend to.
“To be determined,” was all Kai said.
“Then let’s get this over with so we can crack on,” Romy said, an air of authority lingering around her. “Quickly.”
Inspired, and obviously impressed by the woman to his left, Kai jumped into his explanation.
“Tomin was awarded full access to the White Tower before any mortal government. Lucky we still have some witches seeded amongst society, and until they are discovered we will be getting any information we need to see us through to the end of this shit storm.”
“No,” Romy snapped, palms slapping on the table. “I don’t care what you think about this, but those witches must retreat. Right. Now. It isn’t safe for them. Send word, get them all to leave their positions until the shit storm passes.”
Kai’s body sighed, his shoulders slumping forwards and back bowing beneath the weight of so much unspoken authority.
“I have tried, believe me. They have refused. Unlike Jonathan’s previous rule, I don’t intend to be a dictator during my, hopefully, short stint as acting Grand High.
If those hidden witches still in society want to put their necks on the line for the rest of us, then that’s their choice. Romy…”
His voice softened, as did his expression whenever he spoke her name.
If the world wasn’t ending for people like me, I would’ve stuck my nose into why that was. Alas, time and place and all that.
“… I don’t want anyone putting themselves in the firing line of Father Tomin’s very obvious religious cleansing.
I’ve given those witches the option to leave, and the aid from us if the time comes.
Until then, we can only be thankful that we have them in positions of power that will hopefully aid us. ”
Romy sat back, releasing a heavy breath that told of a thousand disapprovals to everything she’d just heard. “Continue,” she snapped, arms folding over her chest.
Kai nodded, mentally mapping out where he’d left off before continuing. “Due to Tomin’s knowledge and awareness of witch-kind, he was given authority to ‘sweep’ the White Tower for witches. Of course we’d all left, and he actually had no desire to find us either. He was looking for something else.”
“What?” I asked, buzzing through my bones, muscle and blood.
“Knowledge,” Kai said, his pale skin taking on a sickly green tinge.
“As you discovered the knowledge about Bahmet during the Witch Trials, it is something that isn’t new information to those in power amongst the Coven.
We have been collecting information on the demon, with the aid of previous Grand Highs.
From all the books, collections and stores of magical artefacts my predecessors have obtained over the years, it would seem that the only things Tomin has taken from the White Tower is any and all information alluding to the demon currently possessing his son. ”
My mind, as it always did, went to Arwyn. My heart skipped beats for him, whereas my mind and soul warred for me to hate him, to want to destroy him for everything he’d done to me.
“Why would he want the information as if he hasn’t already got what he wanted?” I asked.
“To control his newest asset,” Romy said. “You seek that which you wish to understand. Clearly, Bahmet is not playing ball.”
“That’s a solid theory. But I have another one.” Kai’s lips screwed together, his eyes wincing as if he disagreed. “Tomin might be looking to destroy Bahmet.”
There was no stopping the barking laugh that escaped me.
“Well, we can cross that off the list of possibilities. Why the fuck would Tomin want to destroy something he sent his own son to claim? No to mention those Witch Hunters who displayed Gifts… I think we can agree that Tomin is enjoying access to the very power he and his forefathers have hunted for generations.”