A Crown Of Smoke And Ash - Sloane Murphy Page 0,87

can't see anyone else, so I lean against the hood.

"So, you and Fallon?" I pry, despite previous rebuttals.

"What about me and Fallon?"

"Don't give me that. I guess you worked through whatever it was that you fucked up?"

"Why would you think I fucked up?" I raise an eyebrow at him, because, seriously? "Yeah, fine, I fucked up. But I fucked up a lot, so no, we've not worked through it, but I'm trying."

"You like her, huh?"

"I more than like her, Rem." He hangs his shoulders, and I realize I've not seen him this serious for a while.

"Good. You'd be great together. You balance each other out. If I can help, you know where I am."

"Thanks, little bit. You're already doing plenty." He smiles at me, the Colt I know and love back before me. "Now, where the fuck are they?"

My phone pings with a message from Fallon, and I laugh.

"They're here. We just need to walk a little," I tell him, and head in the direction of the map she sent me.

"Of course it couldn't be simple." He rolls his eyes but follows behind me as we trek across the field until we reach the trees that edge it, and start climbing the steep incline. After a few miles or so, I hear them, and I stop, double checking the map.

"We're here," he says going to move past me but I stop him.

"Just wait, something doesn't feel right," I tell him, but after a few minutes, I get another text, and shake off whatever the feeling was.

"Okay, come on, let’s go. We round the bend, finishing the incline and find a small coven of Witches gathered atop the hill. It's not exactly low down, so I make sure to avoid the edges. It's not so much that I'm afraid of heights, I'm more afraid of the falling.

"Nice of you to finally make it." A woman, who I don't know but looks creepily like Fallon, eyes us both.

"Erica, shut it," Marie barks, before looking to us with a warm smile. “Remy, Colt, welcome. Apologies for my sister, she never did have any manners.” She glares to the woman in question.

“Thanks for having us.” I smile.

“Colt, you know pretty much everyone here already, but Remy, let me introduce you to the rest of my sisters.” She takes my hand and tucks it in her arm as Colt heads over to Fallon, in a small circle of Witches around our age.

“The heirs,” Marie tells me when she sees me looking. “I know you’re only just getting to grips with your own lives and memories, and I’m sorry you’ve been thrown into the deep end with everything, but if I can help I will. One thing to know, while we are the current Witch council, each of our families have been on the council since the War of the Fallen. You will have known their ancestors, and your family have made plenty of enemies in their lifetimes, but you, you are not judged by their actions, just by your own. We, of all the factions, understand what it’s like to be torn.”

I nod at her words as we reach a circle of older women, each distinctly different from the others.

“Remington Bennett, let me introduce you to the Witches Council. Demetera, Angelina, Lizzie, Ilaria, Jodi, and Bree. Some have traveled a very, very long way to be here.”

“It’s lovely to meet you all, and thank you for traveling as far as you have. I know that it is not exactly the most joyous of reasons to meet, but hopefully, we can help each other.” My words are met with a mix of smiles and also some looks of uneasiness.

“Indeed,” Lizzie says, and I startle at her British accent. Didn’t expect that. She really has traveled a long way. “I guess we should get started.”

She turns and Marie pulls me backward with her. “We need to bless the earth, and then ward the ground so that we are not disturbed, or anything far worse, while we convene. You and Colt will stand with Fallon and I since you are our guests.” We walk towards where Fallon stands, and I realize we are still in a circle, just one of a much greater size. Each council member stands with their heir.

The council join hands with their heirs, and Marie clasps my hand while Fallon holds Colt’s, then their chant begins in a language I do not recognize. My hand tingles where Marie holds it, but I try to