Page 73 of The Witch’s Daughter

I felt like I could breathe again.

“Tisiphone.” I moved toward her, needing to know that we were all right.

She wouldn’t look at me.

“Trish…” Her mom called her name softly, standing by my side. But Tisiphone also didn’t look at Sage.

Her gaze was trained on Kera. That made sense. She was her Alpha, and the only one in this room with the ability to communicate with her telepathically. That old ache reared its ugly head again. If she hadn’t denied me, if we’d sealed our bond, then I’d have my own link with her too.

Sage grabbed my arm for support and I looked down at the witch, realizing how hard it must’ve been growing up and not having the wolf level of communication with her own daughter while others did.

“Alpha Kera and the infamous Sage Cerberus. I’d hoped to meet both of you one day.” Vincent smiled in greeting, seemingly ignorant to the tension in this tent and ignoring me altogether. “When I discovered that Sage had turned down my invitation, I’d worried we were on bad terms, but it seems you sent your lovely daughter in your place. For that, I thank you.”

Sage blanched, clinging tighter to my arm. I could feel her shame shoot through me as if it were my own. I wasn’t sure if she was aware of how obvious it was, but now I knew why Tisiphone refused to look our way.

She was pissed.

Rightfully so.

It dawned on me that this happened more than I’d liked to admit. That they continued to keep Tisiphone in the dark, and kept underestimating her abilities. But didn’t we all treat her that way?

“I was planning to head west after the festival ended to speak with you about your experience waging war on the humans,” Vincent continued. “But here you both are in the flesh. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?”

“What do you know of war, warlock?” A darkness crossed Kera’s face, one I wasn’t intimate with, but I’d seen on some of the elders who’d fought in battles long past.

“As I said, Alpha, I was hoping to speak with you about that.” Vincent turned up the charm on his sleazy smile.

Kera looked past him to Tisiphone. “Come here, Trish.”

Tisiphone gave a slight shake of her head. “I think you should speak with Vincent. At least hear him out.”

I want to hear his skull crack against the ground. My wolf growled.

I clenched my jaw so that I didn’t make a sound when Tisiphone stepped closer to the warlock’s side and he looked at her fondly. The rational part of me understood what she was trying to do, but this was taking it too far.

“Then I’ll ask you the same question.” Kera schooled her expression. “What do you know of war, niece?”

She stood straighter. “I know that what the humans are doing to the witches behind their walls is wrong.” Tisiphone finally glanced at Sage. It was a brief flick of her eyes, but Sage’s grip on my arm relaxed just a bit.

“And I know that Vincent has some ideas that are worth exploring.” Tisiphone batted her eyelashes at the warlock.

I’m going to kill him.

I narrowed my gaze.

That wasn’t like her. Not at all.

Did I know her anymore?

“Fine,” Kera said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Come find me once you’ve built your army.”

What? Both my wolf and I gasped at the same time. After all that… After everything I’d set up and worked for… The trials. This meeting.

No one had even sat down.

I managed to keep my composure as I glanced at Kera. The female Alpha didn’t blink.

Vincent nodded. “We’ll be visiting Cerberus pack soon, then.” He moved back to the tent flap, motioning to Tisiphone. “After you.”