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“Let’s keep to these,” she said. “They’ll provide a bit of cover and we can try to break in through a side door.”
Malcolm nodded, then kept close beside her as they crept along the edge of the forest. They neared the house. Lights were blazing from most of the windows. Crows sat upon the roof. Dozens of them. Perhaps hundreds.
“Strange,” Sofia breathed. She’d never seen anything like the crows. With the dark sea roiling behind the house, it painted an eerie picture.
They reached the edge of the trees, but there was still at least fifty yards between them and the house.
“Do you think those crows will send up an alarm if they see us crossing the grass to the house?” Sofia asked.
“Possibly. I’ve never seen anything like it. Animals are attracted to witches, but usually not so many of one species.”
A door opened at the side of the house.
10
Sofia held her breath as she watched the door.
A woman walked out. She had short, messy dark hair and wore jeans and a t-shirt. She dug something out of her pocket. Cigarettes. She raised one to her mouth as she set off across the lawn. She lit it and headed for the water. No familiar followed her, which was strange.
“Will your mind control work on her? We could get information from her. But I’ve got to assume she’s strong.”
“It should. I’m stronger than any of them individually.”
“So is it a good thing or a bad thing that she just walked out?” Did she smell a trap?
“Can’t say. Could be a setup, but they couldn’t know we were coming.”
“It’s so much easier to try to enchant one of them than sneak into the house. Maybe she’ll walk far enough from the house that we can aetherwalk right to her. Then you pull your mind control thing.”
Sofia watched, her breath held, as the woman strolled along the cliff edge that led down to the water. The nearly fullmoon lit her way. It was a lovely night for a stroll, though cold.
Perhaps this was legit.
Either way, they had to try.
“She’s far enough away now. Let’s go.”
Sofia reached out and placed a hand on Malcolm’s shoulder. Once Kitty had pressed herself up against Malcolm’s leg, he took off his cuff and aetherwalked them to a spot right behind the woman.
She spun around, but before she could say anything or attack, he reached out and touched her temple.
Her wide eyes calmed and she stared at them.
“We’re your friends,” Malcolm said.
“Of course.” Her voice was leaden.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Inara.”
“You’re one of the Salem Coven?”
“Yes. The youngest.”
“What do you know about the spell book?”
“Which one?”
