Hiding from the Coven (Daughters of the Warlock 2)

Tavlor reached out and lifted my chin with his fingers. “No, he’s not,” he said. “He’s researching and covertly asking everyone he knows for favors, finding out what can be done. If we can bring you home and put you rightfully on the seat next to him.”

Tears swam in my vision and I struggled to swallow. Unfortunately, that was exactly what I wanted to hear. And the ice around my heart, my anger, melted like a snowflake in summer.

“But...” I let my voice trail off. I didn’t want to feel sympathy for my father. It would cause all of my emotions regarding him to come crashing around me. It was easier to just be mad.

“There are no buts...” Tavlor corrected. “This is a difficult, and delicate, time. We need to be careful, and we need to do this right. There will be no second chances if your father is hung for treason. Which is very possible if he is caught.”

“Treason?” Bella repeated, as though tasting the word on her mouth and trying to figure out if she liked it or not. “Explain that to me.”

Tavlor let go of my chin and turned towards my sister, allowing me a moment to get my thoughts in order.

If my father wanted me at his side, in the magical realm, then that was where I should be. Fighting to be with him. Fighting with him. Protecting him if he needed it. Not hiding here. Not putting my sisters at unnecessary risk. If my father knew about them, did the Council?

Tavlor explained all the details of my father’s case to Bella and Courtney, while my resolve solidified. I couldn’t simply sit back and wait for everything to fall into place. I couldn’t. It could be years. I couldn’t wait years. I had already done that, thanks to Mother. I needed to act.

When there was a gap in the conversation, I grabbed Tavlor’s hand, wanting his attention, but also needing an excuse to touch him. A spark nipped at my skin, reminding me of all of the possibilities, all of the things that hand had done to my body.

“I want to come with you,” I said. I cleared my throat as my cheeks pinched. I hoped he wasn’t looking through my mind. “Back to the magical realm.”

Tavlor’s frown etched deeper into his skin. “You can’t come, not right now,” he said, his voice firm. “That’s not what I came for.”

“I know,” I said flatly. “But I can’t just sit here and hide for the rest of my life.”

“It wouldn’t be that long...” he said, though I could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

He didn’t know how long this stale mate would continue.

So, I tried another tact.

“How’s the bounty hunt going?” I asked, looking at the nails on my other hand, tr

ying to be casual.

He frowned. “It’s mayhem,” he said. “We’ve had complaints in every realm of people being assaulted, followed, captured. All in the name of this crazy... witch hunt the Council has pushed upon people.”

I stared at him, horror ripping through my chest. I swallowed, but my throat had suddenly morphed into cement. There was a witch hunt going on in the magic realm that was affecting other people This was my fault. People were getting hurt because of me.

I needed to do something about it.

“Then I have to go back,” I said, releasing his hand so I could put mine on the table as I stood up. “There’s no choice.”

Tavlor shook his head. “No.” There was no room for argument in his voice. “It’s too dangerous.”

“For who?” I asked, anger whirling in the pit of my stomach. “How many people are you going to let die in the name of keeping me safe?”

His jaw tightened as I watched him struggle with emotions and thoughts.

I knew he wanted to say that he would let people die if it kept me safe, but his heart wouldn’t allow those words to emerge. He cared too deeply. Especially for those who were helpless in this.

He would always put duty first. And that wasn’t a bad thing.

“Tavlor, I can’t sit here for months, years... waiting for the storm to blow over,” I said, looking into his eyes and pleading with him. “And if my father, or his side-kicks never find a way around the ruling, then I’ll never be able to return to the magic realm.”

Tavlor glanced around. He swallowed. Instantly I knew that what he was going to say wasn’t going to be something I wanted to hear.

“That wouldn’t be so bad, would it?” he asked tentatively. “You’re safe here, I can visit, we can...”

He stopped, I assumed because I was putting as much anger into my glare as possible. My fingers dug into my palms so tightly, they would leave tiny little crescent-shaped marks.