Page 44 of The Powerless Witch
“Nothing major, just a few people letting their guards down and paying for it. We lost seven—one with the vampires, and six with the werewolves. The other targets didn’t pose a problem—they either fled or surrendered. The important thing is that nobody would dare raise their heads anytime soon, leaving us to execute our plan according to our schedule.”
Mariam let out a low chuckle, leaning back into her seat. “You really don’t care all that much about your witches, do you?”
“Not about those without enough sense to keep themselves alive,” Regina replied coldly, and the shiver that ran down my back told me she was probably looking at me. “We almost have all the ingredients you asked for, and my witches are being recalled to participate in strengthening the ward. I assume yours will be joining?”
“Of course,” Mariam replied sweetly. “They will be here on time.”
Silence fell again, and I fought the urge to open my eyes wider. I wanted to see what they were doing, what they were looking at, but whatever it was, I doubted it was worth Regina’s wrath.
Mariam rose to her feet without warning and I thought she’d head for the door, but she started pacing around instead. I held my breath, half-expecting her to come to me, but she paused by the library.
“What about him?” she asked in a too-casual voice. Regina didn’t reply right away and it might have been the fact that I was lying on the cold floor, but it felt like the temperature dropped several degrees as the question hung in the air between them.
“He is…contained,” Regina finally said, and I frowned.
Contained? Who were they talking about?
“He is well, if just as willful. But if the spell holds—”
“It will hold,” Mariam interjected. “As long as the tether shares blood with him and has a strong enough will, it will hold.”
Fuck me! They were talking about Mathias! Mariam knew about him and she wasn’t demanding Regina’s head, but why? My brain was going to explode with questions. The way Regina acted toward the younger woman, the restraint she showed with her…something wasn’t adding up. Just who was Mariam and why did she have so much power?
Mariam moved away from the library, stopping next to my feet. Before I could stop myself, I sucked in a breath, praying to the Goddess she didn’t notice. Mariam crouched beside me, raising the strand of hair that Mathias had adjusted earlier.
“How is she progressing? Will she be ready if I need her?”
“Yes, of course,” Regina replied quickly, circling her desk. “I’ll make sure she is.”
Mariam made a low sound of approval, running her finger over my cheekbone just like Mathias had done before. I shuddered, but kept my face blank, almost sighing in relief when Regina spoke again.
“What about Celeste?”
Mariam got up, striding back to the desk, where she stopped in front of Regina. With her imposing figure and high heels, the Head Witch of the Hallowed Goddess Coven loomed over the shorter woman, but there was something in Mariam’s posture that made her look just as tall.
“Still with the Fae, unfortunately. If their useless princess cannot get her to leave the grove, I might need to go in myself.” Mariam’s voice dripped with frustration. “Don’t worry, she won’t get in your way again. Once I have her, the world will never see her again. Just make sure you hold up your end of the bargain.”
“I know,” Regina replied, but Mariam was already striding out of the room.
I listened to her sigh as she leaned on the desk and let her shoulders slump like the weight of the world was pushing them down. She murmured something under her breath I couldn’t quite catch—something about dead people staying dead—but then she straightened up, her head snapping toward me.
I was so surprised that I forgot I was supposed to breathe evenly. I held my breath, praying for her to leave, but his eyes remained firmly locked on me.
“You are so obvious, it’s pathetic,” she spat with a note of annoyance.
Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself up with a grunt before Regina decided to help me by hauling me across the room. My muscles screamed at the strain, my head spinning the moment I peeled it off the floor. I managed to drag myself to the wall where I sat, trying to decide which one of the two Reginas I should focus on.
“Why didn’t you stop me if you didn’t want me to listen?” I croaked, rubbing my nose since the dried blood there was making it itch. Regina strode closer, looming over me.
“Because I didn’t want you speaking with her.” She sleeked her dress on the back of her knees, then crouched so our eyes were almost on the same level. A smile appeared on her face, wicked and full of mockery. “And because it doesn’t matter, since you will not be leaving this place until you learn, once and for all, not to stray from the path I have set you upon.” She grabbed my chin and squeezed, her eyes boring into mine as she drew her face closer. “I am the only reason you are alive today, Samara. The only reason you are this privileged and strong. I gave you everything, including the breaths you take. You should do well to remember it because how long you live depends solely on me.”
There was no need for a reply. She had said those words many times before. I wanted so hard to refute her, to tell her I would be going on my own path that would take me to my real family. But I didn’t. Especially not when she straightened up and spat. “On your feet!”
The oath that bound me to her will went taut and despite the ache, despite the dizziness and the weakness, I pushed myself up like a doll raised by strings. Regina turned her head to the side and even before she spoke Mathias’ name, he was walking into the room with his hands in his pockets.
“Clean her up and put her to bed. I’m resuming her training tomorrow.” Regina ordered while she strode back to her desk.
“What about the spell?” I gasped as terror swelled into my stomach, making me sway on my feet. Mathias was beside me in an instant, catching me before I slumped to the floor.