Heir of the Coven (Daughters of the Warlock 3)

He turned away from her and addressed the room. “We will retire to my chambers for the night, but I want everyone back here to convene tomorrow for a full hearing.” His tone left no room for argument.

There was some grumbling, but no one said anything that would dispute him. He turned to me and flicked his wand once again.

The ground moved and I rocked on my feet for a moment, then I stopped.

When I looked around, we were back in my father’s offices, just the three of us. If he could do that without jumping through three portals, why didn’t we do that all the time?

Matlock obviously didn’t like to use his full powers usually, but I was kinda enjoying the fact he was today. It made me see what he was fully capable of. It made me understand his power, but it also made me understand his restraint. If he had all of this power and chose not to use it, that said something about his character.

My purpose coming here in the first place was to find my father, to understand who he was so I could better understand myself. I was learning more about him and me just by watching him.

I collapsed onto his couch, still clinging to my mother’s journal.

“That was intense!” I said, resting the journal on my lap so I could lean back into the cushions.

Tavlor nodded, joining me where I sat. “Yes. But we are still alive.”

“True.” I closed my eyes and let out a sigh through my nose.

Damn, it was good to breathe. Even just for a moment. Even with my heart still beating a little quicker than perhaps was normal.

I heard my father move and opened my eyes to see what he was doing. He sat down on the couch opposite us with his copy of my mother’s journal. He opened the cover slowly, flicked to the first page, bent his head, and began to read.

I sat up, worry making my stomach tighten.

“I’m not sure you’ll want to read all of that, Matlock,” I said.

Should he have the right to suddenly look through Mother’s journal?

When he looked up and met my gaze, there was too much pain in his eyes. But he didn’t say anything, so I got the feeling that no matter what I said, he’d be reading the journal.

But fair warned...

I sat back, realizing he wanted to know what happened to the woman he loved. Who was I to take that away from him?

I swallowed hard, wanting him to realize that she never expected him to read any of her words. Even though she was dead, they were her private thoughts and feelings. It wasn’t right that he was reading them. I was positive she wouldn’t want him to.

“I mean... she was young, and pregnant, and alone. She lashes out a bit... in certain places.”

He flicked over the first page, which, if my memory served, were quite detailed accounts of their couplings. Not that I wanted to remember such things. I just read it over and over again with the intent to get to know the woman who eluded me in life.

He dropped his gaze and went back to reading. “I don’t mind. I want to know everything she went through.” He swallowed. “I feel as though I owe her that much. I wasn’t there when she needed me the most, and I want to rectify that in some way.”

Tavlor’s hand rubbed along my thigh in a supportive move.

I turned towards him. “You did amazing in there,” I said, beaming at him. “Thank you for standing by me.”

He smiled, softly. “Of course. I told you I would.” His eyes flickered. “Did you not think I would?”

I looked down, playing with the fabric of his pants. “I know you said you would... but, you seem to have a soft spot for the Council.”

I hoped that was a nice way of saying he was a bit of a sheep, and he would understand what I meant by it.

After all he’d done for me, the last thing I wanted to do was make him feel bad about his loyalty to the Council. He had every right to feel how he felt. I didn’t want him to think otherwise.

“I wasn’t sure how you’d go if you had to defy them outright,” I added.

It had been a fear of mine, that he would fold when I needed him the most. And from what I’d seen in the past, I believed my fears had merit. He had always succumbed to orders before, always given them respect when they deserved none of it.