The Witch Collector Part I by Loretta Nyhan

Author:Loretta Nyhan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins

CHAPTER 12

I woke to the smell of my mother’s garden.

Soft, lavender-scented sheets cocooned my body. I pulled them tighter, wanting to draw the scent of my old life closer to me.

“She’s awake,” a voice said from somewhere above me.

I didn’t want to open my eyes. For a few seconds, I’d been home. Reluctantly, I pushed myself up to sitting. The muscles in my arms and chest protested, sending electric currents of pain down my limbs. I groaned and let my eyes adjust to the dim light in the room.

A chunky candle flickered on a table in the corner. Its fragrance—rosemary and cedarwood—mixed with the lavender to settle my nerves.

Miro sat in a straight, hard-backed chair near my bed. An older man sat next to him, and I knew instantly he was Miro’s father. They shared the same thick, dark hair and grim expression.

“This is Dobra, my father,” Miro said. “He leads our coven.”

Dobra was holding a mug, which he passed to me. “Shelley’s been busy,” he said. “I think you’ll want to drink this before we talk. That girl has mastered the art of tisane making.”

I accepted the tisane he offered and sipped it slowly, taking the opportunity to study the room. It was cozy, with shiny oak floors and walls painted a watery blue. The lightest blue to soothe the mind . . .

Weak light filtered through the sheer curtains. “Is it morning?” I asked.

Miro smiled wryly. “I guess you could say that.”

I slid the mug next to a pile of books on the nightstand. “Did you stay up all night?”

Miro glanced at his father, then looked back at me. “We were worried.”

“How did I get here?”

“I carried you to a cab when you collapsed on the stairs. Do you remember any of it?”

I didn’t. The thought unsettled me.

“Don’t upset her,” Dobra said. With my eyes adjusting, I could see Dobra’s face more clearly. His eyes were a mud brown, a contrast to his son’s beautiful, shifting color. “She’s tired. We can talk in a few hours.”

“No, it’s okay,” I said, trying to assure them both. “Did Miro tell you about my parents?”

“Yes,” Dobra said evenly. “He also mentioned that you’re unmarked.”

I looked at Miro, but he only shrugged. “You didn’t think I could keep that a secret, did you?”

“An unmarked witch is rare,” Dobra said. “Your transitions are more difficult.” Dobra stopped, as if unsure if he should go on.

“I need to know,” I said. “Please don’t hold back.”

“Is there any possibility your parents left of their own accord?”

“Definitely not.”

He smiled, but there was a wariness in the way he tilted his head, like he didn’t quite believe me. “I had to ask. Transitions are more successful the closer the parents are to the child, but this also strengthens the force of it. And the effects of the magic can be much harder on the parents than on the younger witch.”

I swallowed my guilt. No wonder my mother was suffering so much. My father, pale and shaking, had probably begun as well.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.