Page 23 of Witchbane

‘We need to make a plan, Rue,’ he said eventually. When I didn’t answer, because I couldn’t think of anything useful to offer, he continued. ‘We’ll ask my father to speak with your grandmother and aunt. Tell them what we’ve discovered and hear their thoughts on the matter.’

It was a start and did give me a little courage. I stood back from him and forced a smile, aware he was also in shock at this unexpected news.

‘I think that’s a good idea. You fetch Pierre and my aunt from the cottages, and I’ll go and call for my grandmother. Let’s meet in the kitchen in a few minutes.’

He gave a quick nod and ran off to do as I’d asked.

I called out for my grandmother, but when she didn’t respond, as she sometimes didn’t, I went down to the spell room in case she was there. Not finding her, I decided she might be in her room. I stopped at the bottom of the staircase and stared up towards our bedroom doors, wishing I didn’t need to go up there yet. Then, bracing myself, I ran up and, after looking from side to side down each corridor and doing my best to ignore the chill that trickled down my spine, I knocked on her door several times.

I heard grumbling first, then footsteps, and my grandmother opened the door. ‘What is it, Rue? I was in the middle of writing up some notes.’

I didn’t ask what they might be for, presuming it to be a new spell, and quickly explained what Jem had discovered. Her face grew pale and she reached out to grab hold of the doorknob to steady herself. I wished I’d been a little less abrupt. I hadn’t meant to frighten her and it was thoughtless of me not to expect her to react this way.

‘Sorry, Grandmama. I should have taken more care with my words.’

She rested her hand on my arm. ‘No,’ she said, her voice quieter than usual. ‘I understand.’

She waved for me to move back and, stepping onto the landing, closed the door behind her. ‘Let’s go down and see the others. We need to decide what we are to do about this.’

We walked to the kitchen in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. Seeing my grandmother react in such a disturbing way mirrored my own reaction. I was in terrible danger if this was how my family and friends were behaving. My fear increased suddenly and for a moment I had to stand still and wait for light-headedness to leave me.

I forced myself to calm down. Somehow, I was certain my family would find a way to protect me. Grandmama and Sorrel were witches, after all. As was I. The thought helped me calm my panic. If nothing else, we had the means to protect ourselves, although how much I wasn’t sure. I needed to trust in our powers. What other choice did I have?

‘The first thing we must do is source our strongest protection spell,’ Grandmama insisted, once we had joined the others in the kitchen. She pressed the tips of her fingers to her lips and frowned thoughtfully. ‘No, we need something different from what we already have about us. If we can find a blurring spell to help us hide you, Rue, then I believe that’s the safest thing to do. If the Witchfinder’s son does come here he’ll need to find you to arrest you.’

She had a point. I went to mark myself with my sigil. It would protect me and give me courage when I looked at it and thought of its meaning.

‘Then,’ Jem said as I left for the spell room, ‘we must all help hide Rue and keep him from locating her.’

I liked the idea, but it occurred to me that unfortunately Theo Le Cerf had been trained by the best. If anyone could track me down, it would be him or his father.

Chapter Eleven

THEO

My determination to come across as professional as possible increased with every step Warrior took as he trotted along the road from the village to the place where I had been directed.

‘You’ll find the entrance to Thistlebury Manor beyond the village, on the right soon after the woods,’ the pretty maid had told me when she snuck outside from the backdoor of the inn and waited for me to tip the young boy who had looked after my horse.

I hadn’t noticed her standing in the shadows until she went psst at me as I went to mount my horse. I spun round, noticing her cheeks redden as I looked at her.

‘Did you want me?’ I asked.

Her cheeks reddened further and she giggled. I didn’t wish to be rude and simply ride away without hearing what she might have to say, so I waited for her to answer.

She glanced nervously over her shoulder. ‘I know where she lives,’ she whispered.

It took me a moment to realise who she was talking about. ‘Do you refer to Mistress Rue Underwood?’

She nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘Would you have a reason for telling me this?’ I asked, interested to know and suspecting this girl wasn’t offering information to help me, but rather to seek revenge on the Underwood woman for some reason.

She shrugged. ‘Maybe.’ When I didn’t respond, she sniffed. ‘Rue Underwood walks around like she’s something special. Though how she believes that when you think who her mother was and what she did, I don’t know.’ She gave a sarcastic laugh. ‘Even her father didn’t love her enough to stay with her.’ She giggled. ‘I’m told he ran off soon after the execution, leaving the girl parentless. What does that tell you about her, eh?’

It told me that Rue’s life had been miserable and filled with difficulties and sadness. I didn’t like the girl’s smug expression. I might not have a profession that was liked by many, but I had no intention of giving the girl the satisfaction of spending a moment longer with her. Whatever issues Rue Underwood had dealt with thanks to her family, they were of little importance to me. All I intended doing was finding her and taking her to my father as I had been instructed.

I ignored the maid’s offer of further gossip about the Underwoods, preferring to keep my investigation professional. ‘I have all I need now, thank you.’