Page 145 of Kingdom of Death and Hope

“Is that all?” I ask. “I am exhausted and I would really like to go back to the house. I was told you were going to talk about why you did what you did and apologize, but I guess I was wrong.”

I stand up, taking a deep breath as I steady myself.

“I hope to never see you again,” I say, keeping my back to her. “Let’s go, Henry.”

“I’m not done with you!” Avira yells as we start walking.

I hold my breath, clenching my hands as we walk away. Avira yells several things but I block them out, keeping my head down.

“We’re here,” Henry says.

“Thanks,” I mumble, and walk into the house before he can say anything else.

CHAPTER 13

“Do you think she’ll come back to talk to me?” I mutter, mostly talking to myself.

“She will until you give her the information she wants,” Mother replies as she sets down a hot cup of tea in front of me.

I wrap my hands around the cup, letting the warmth seep into my skin. It’s been two days since I last saw Avira and I can’t shake off the feeling that something bad is going to happen soon… something absolutely horrible.

“You are never alone now, so you don’t need to worry about her doing something to you,” she says.

“Do you actually believe me when I tell you that she is the witch?” I whisper.

Peeping ears. There is always someone walking by the house who could hear what we say in this house and tell anyone, getting us in trouble.

Mother nods. “In the beginning I didn’t, but after I gave it some thought there were things that didn’t add up. I didn’t have the same connection with her that I do with you. While I cared for her and remembered the pain of giving birth, there was nothing else, but I didn’t question it. Not until you came back all battered and bruised.”

Relief floods through me. I thought she was just putting up a facade. I’ve told her so much in the past couple of months and she has believed me.

How are you feeling? Kieran asks.

Uneasy, I reply honestly.

It’s like waiting for a ticking time bomb and I have no idea when it’s going to go off. Will I ever know?

Because of the witch and not knowing anything?

Yes, I whisper.

I wake up every morning, terrified that she is going to come and take me.

I go to bed every night, wondering if she’ll come in the dead of night and kill all of us.

I know too much… and she knows that.

Why is she keeping me alive?

Why can’t she track the book herself?

Everything is going to be okay. As long as you are always with someone and she doesn’t become desperate then she won’t do anything in public, Kieran explains.

She could become desperate at any moment, though.

She could, but I don’t think she will. She has to play the long game, and her becoming desperate so soon won’t do her any good. If she kills you then she will never find the book.

Why can’t she track the book? Isn’t she powerful?