The Whimsy Witch Who Wasn't - Donna Augustine Page 0,111

Oscar. “Trackers can sense magical signatures. Raydam could’ve pulled this off, but it wasn’t him.”

Oscar nodded. “Like I told Hawk, I couldn’t pick up on a signature of any sort, and hiding a magical signature is definitely something that Raydam can’t do.”

“Can it get back in?” I asked. How was I ever going to sleep again?

“It won’t come back again, not tonight. And I won’t let it have another opportunity.”

It. Why not a he or a she or a they? Hawk did know what was after me. He just didn’t want to say it, and I knew why.

“You keep calling whatever attacked me ‘it’ like you know it’s not a he or a she? And now Oscar is doing the same. What do you think keeps coming for me? You might not know, but you have a guess.” I watched his face, waiting to see any signs of evasion.

He stared straight at me, not a secret to be found, as he said, “I think you already know.”

I hadn’t, not until right then, and was still hoping I was wrong.

“The evil in the Unsettled Lands,” I said, hoping someone would disagree with me. Hawk didn’t. He looked like I’d read his thoughts. Oscar didn’t look shocked either.

I turned to Zab.

He shrugged. “It does make sense.”

Everyone knew, including me now.

I wanted to scream, cry, and groan, to completely and utterly lose it. Instead, I leaned back on the couch and didn’t move a finger or even breathe. If I did anything, I might explode.

Zab fidgeted. “Can I do something for you? Get you something?”

I took a long, slow breath, focusing on looking sane. “No, I’m good. Thanks for coming, but you should go get some sleep.” My voice was so calm that I must’ve still been in shock. I certainly didn’t feel that way on the inside.

“We’re good, Zab,” Hawk said.

Zab turned to me, his eyes going to my neck again, even though it was still covered. I was afraid to see what it looked like myself, the way it he couldn’t stop staring.

With a wave and a last pause by the door, Zab was gone.

Oscar cleared his throat, crossing his arms over his chest. “Maybe I should stay here? This way, if it does come after her again, I can track whatever went after her?”

“No. It’ll be a little crowded. I’m moving her into my place.”

“Your…” Oscar nodded and took another couple of seconds before he said, “Oh. Okay. Well, I’ll take a last lap around, just to make sure I didn’t miss anything before I call it quits.”

With a wave, he was gone as well.

I didn’t move off the couch.

“That thing is trying to kill me. It felt me, the way I felt it, and wants me dead.”

Hawk wasn’t talking, but his eyes said he agreed with all of my statements. So this was real. I’d liked it better when Raydam was my biggest problem.

“Come on,” he said, getting up and waiting for me.

I’d thought his comment about staying with him had been a ploy to get rid of Oscar. He didn’t really mean we were going to share his place, did he? Would Belinda be there too? This was going to get seriously weird. I might’ve been better off going it alone.

He stood waiting by the door.

Okay, so we were doing this. Not that this was anything but awkward. But it was happening. I followed him but then paused on the stairs.

“I need to get a few things,” I said, motioning in the direction of my room.

“I can get you whatever you need,” he said.

If he was feeling any of the awkwardness I was, he didn’t show it. He climbed the stairs to the door that led everywhere. I took one glance backward before following him.

The evil thing wanted me. I’d never be able to sleep there alone right now.

He opened the door, and we were back in the room with the stars above. Was there more to this place? When he shut the door, would it lead to more rooms?

But one thing struck me: there was one bed. It was a big bed, but only one.

“I’ll crash on the floor,” he said.

“It’s big enough for us each to take a side.”

“It’s fine.”

Of course he wouldn’t share a bed with me. Belinda. She’d be livid. Maybe they’d worked out their problems? He’d changed his mind and wanted something more? She was already probably going to be furious we were in the same room. If I was dating him, this