Her thin, concerned lips softened into a kind smile. “I filled it out a couple of months ago. You may want to take it home. There’s a lot in there and some pretty…personal questions too.” Irene appeared distinctly uncomfortable.
“Oh.” I gave the impression of being taken aback. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
Irene shrugged. “I guess it makes sense. We’re auditioning to grow a warlock.” Irene didn’t sound very enthused. In fact, there was a hint of disgust in there as well.
I cocked my head to the side. “Pardon me for saying so, but you don’t sound very excited.”
Irene swallowed hard, her nervous blue eyes darting toward Lottie’s desk before landing back on me. “The money’s too good to pass up and I…I need it. Not for me, but…” Irene’s words trailed off. “Well, you don’t need to hear the whole sad story. I would imagine most of the women who walk into this room have similar hardships.” Irene offered me a sad smile. “There are worse options out there.”
Indeed, there were. Still, my stomach felt a lot queasier now.
“Irene Golding.” Lottie’s voice held came through loud and clear. “Warlock Danzig will see you now.”
Inhaling, Irene’s chest expanded, her eyes slipping closed before she exhaled and stood. “That’s me. Good luck.” Irene didn’t ask my name. She turned on her heel and walked toward the door Lottie held open. Irene gave the woman a curt nod before entering that room. The door snicked closed behindher, leaving me sitting there, staring at two other women who seemed desperate to ignore me.
I hunched over my stack of papers, curiously reading through them. Irene was right. The questions were invasive and if I’d been a human woman, I would have found many of them downright disgusting. The medical questions were the worst. It really did seem like these women were little more than breeding stock.
Some of the questions seemed sensible. Have you ever had a child before? Have there ever been any fertility concerns? There were a myriad of basic health questions that also seemed reasonable. Page four got a bit more interesting, or perhaps, disturbing. I kind of got the genetic questions, but the rest…what were my measurements? What was my sexual experience and how many partners had I had? Was I open tonaturalconception? Did I enjoy sex? If so, what kind of sexual activity was I open to? The ick factor increased with each sentence and question.
Had Lydia Boone gone through all this? I couldn’t imagine Erasmus’s mother standing for this or being willing to answer the increasingly intimate and downright degrading questions. Curiosity was my kryptonite and I knew I’d never be able to settle until I knew if Niki and Lydia had met the old-fashioned way and procreated or if she’d gone through all of…this. Maybe things had changed since Lydia bore Erasmus. Given how antiquated Niki complained the Warlock Council was, I doubted much had changed beyond what human advancements had to offer.
Bent over the questionnaire, I contemplated my answers. My tails desperately desired freedom. If visible, they’d be twitching like mad. My tails always danced when my mind played and oh how my mind wanted to play with the warlocks who’d see my answers.
Snickering, I began scribbling the most inane and salacious answers I could think of. I got especially creative and explicit when it came to the sexual questions. My pen danced and weaved, writing words as if it had a mind of its own. I received a questioning glance or two from the women seated close by, but they appeared too nervous to offer up more than that.
The minutes ticked by, my mood lightening with each stroke of my pen. I was so engrossed I barely registered Warlock Danzig’s door open, a shaking Irene quickly passing through. She didn’t even manage a goodbye when Lottie offered a congenial farewell.
Now, that’s interesting.I didn’t think. I simply got up, laid my half-finished paperwork on my seat, and followed. Lottie gave me a quizzical look. “I need to use the ladies room,” I politely answered her unasked question. I received a soft smile and knowing nod.
“Down the hall and to the right, dear.”
“Thank you.” I gave a backward wave over my shoulder and stepped out into the hall. Irene’s footfalls were loud and drew my attention not to the right, but the left. I caught sight of the back of her head right before she turned a corner.
I trotted after her. I didn’t know why, but I never questioned my curious instincts. While they often got me into trouble, they just as often led me to something interesting.
Head bent, Irene kept her eyes down, mapping out the floor on her way to the exit. She certainly was in a hurry.
Hustling to catch up, I managed to come alongside her just as Irene’s palm landed on the outer door. She jumped when I wrapped my fingers around her wrist.
“Oh!” Irene turned and yanked her wrist from my hold. I could have held on but let her go.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized, oddly realizing I meant the words. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Irene’s red-rimmed eyes andpale skin didn’t necessarily mean she’d been frightened before I’d latched onto her, but her racing heart and shaky breaths told me something besides me had spooked her.
“No, I’m… I overreacted. I just…” Irene’s eyes warily glanced over my shoulder and down the hall.
A new type of emotion began overriding my curiosity. Anger. “Did he do something to you?” Fury lit me up from inside. Danzig was a warlock and Irene was a human. The power imbalance was enormous. Had he made her do something she didn’t want to do? I thought back to the questionnaire. Had Danzig decided he needed a more intimate interview? If that were the case, then I was about to disappoint Niki terribly. I’d promised to wait until he gave the word toplaywith the Warlock Council. If those asshats had forced something physical on Irene, I didn’t think I’d be able to wait.
Irene shook her head. “No, nothing like that.” She offered up a weak smile when I gave her a questioning expression. “I promise. Warlock Danzig didn’t lay a hand on me.”
I blew out a relieved breath. “That’s fortunate.” For Warlock Danzig, I mentally finished.
Irene nodded. “It wasn’t anything he did, it’s just…” Head hung and pointedly staring at her shoes, Irene heavily sighed. “I was really hoping this would work out. I need the money but…” she viciously chewed at her bottom lip. “I thought it was just a rumor. You know, something ignorant people say.” She sounded so disappointed when she said, “But it’s not.”
“What’s not?” I tilted my head to the side as I studied her reaction. Irene was upset, her tear-stained cheeks made that obvious. What she also seemed was angry.
“Their children.” Irene swallowed hard. “They…Warlock Danzig told me there was a ninety percent chance I’d birth a warlock child. That means there’s a ten percent chance my child would be a necromancer.”
If I’d been in my fur, my hackles would have raised. “Having a necromancer child worries you?” I don’t think I’d been as aware of the prejudice against necromancers before I’d met Niki’s son. I was very aware now.
