She lifted the staff and slammed the end of it into the ground in anger. The Varroki had warlocks. The ones who’d survived her attack would be used by witches to ensure that magic continued for future generations. The rest would be killed if they didn’t join the Coven.
Sybbyl debated whether to gather the black mist that allowed her to travel over long distances. She hadn’t yet learned how to pinpoint a specific location, and it used up a lot of magic. There was a chance that she might have to battle Helena or even the Varroki when she found the next bone, so she needed to conserve her magic. That meant she was walking.
Without a word to the Gira, she started in the direction the arrow in the snow indicated. The moment she exited the Grove, she felt its loss. The more time she spent in a Witch’s Grove, the more she wanted to stay. They were known sanctuaries for witches for a reason. Not only did others stay out, but they also gave witches solace and peace, two things they rarely found out in the cruel world.
Since she’d acquired the staff, the properties of the Groves had benefited her tenfold. She wasn’t as happy anywhere else as she was within the confines of those sacred places. Yet, if she were to complete her plans, she needed to leave the Witch’s Grove and travel.
The idea of possessing a second bone of the First Witch made it easy for Sybbyl to leave the Grove. Only a handful of Gira followed her, but it didn’t matter. They could stay behind for all she cared. Then again, the nymphs did come in handy at times. If they wanted to help, she wasn’t going to stop them.
As she moved through the forest, each step brought her closer to her destiny. There wasn’t anything she feared, no one to deter her from attaining her goal of ruling all. She smiled, knowing that she was doing the right thing. No one who had come before her or after would ever know, without a doubt, that they were on such a sure path.
Sybbyl found a road and traveled it. A few hours later, she came upon a small village. She walked through it alone and didn’t hold back her smile when she saw men, women, and children darting for cover. They might not know what she was, but they knew enough to be fearful. That’s just what she wanted.
As she neared the outskirts of the village, four burly men stepped in front of her with menace in their eyes. The Gira remained with the trees, but Sybbyl didn’t need them against men without magic, who thought they could make her cower.
“A beautiful woman such as yerself shouldn’t be travel’n alone,” the largest of the men said.
The other three smiled and leered at her.
Sybbyl raised a brow. “I’m not alone.”
“Ye must be touched in the head,” another said. “Look at ‘er. She be wear’n a crown.”
The men laughed and, behind her, others joined in. Sybbyl returned their smiles. “You should be on your knees before me.”
Their laughter grew, but she didn’t mind. It was a great place to show everyone her power and what awaited the world. Sybbyl felt the magic of the staff mix with her own. She held up her hand, palm out. The ancient spell formed in her mind. Before the staff, she would’ve had to say the words. Now, she just had to think them.
As soon as the spell was complete, magic shot from her hand in red light toward the four men, straight into their hearts. They screamed in pain, a sound that was cut off suddenly as they fell to the ground, unmoving.
Sybbyl then turned to the crowd behind her. “Anyone else want to laugh at my crown?”
One by one, the townspeople dropped to their knees, their gazes downcast. Satisfied, she slowly turned and resumed her walk, stepping over the dead men.
9
Lachlan was pleased with the amount of ground he and Synne had covered that day. What didn’t sit well with him was the fact that they hadn’t encountered anyone else.
He felt Synne’s gaze as she brushed her mare, and he scanned the surrounding area. They had chosen a secluded spot for the night, making it difficult for anyone to spot them. However, it also hampered their view and hindered their awareness of anyone approaching. But he had purposefully remained in the forest for Synne and her connection to the trees. Tomorrow, they wouldn’t be so lucky.
“Does it ever stop snowing?” she asked from behind him.
Lachlan glanced at her over his shoulder and shrugged. “It’s Scotland.”
“Since I’ve never been here before, I’m not sure what that means.”
“It means that the winters are harsh. The farther north we go, the worse it’ll get.” He turned and looked at her clothes. “We might need to get you a warmer cloak.”
“I’ll be fine. It’s better if we steer clear of any villages.”
That made him frown. “Why?”
“The last thing I want is to bring a witch to a village. The Coven is tracking me. No one else needs to be killed.”
Lachlan flattened his lips as he realized the truth of her words. “I didna think of that.”
Synne finished with her horse and came around to stand next to him. “We made up a lot of time today. At this rate, we could find Blackglade sooner than I’d hoped.”
“Those witches found you quickly. Do they use magic to travel?”
“The stronger ones do. Sybbyl can transport places with the staff. Other witches?” She shrugged. “I can’t say for sure. I’ve no idea how they found me, and it doesn’t matter. We need to remain on guard no matter what.”
He gave her a dry look. “That much is obvious.”
That made her smile, her amber eyes crinkling at the corners. “Are we still on your clan’s land?”
“Near midday, we crossed onto Campbell land.” Lachlan walked to his gelding and removed his saddle and bridle. The horses were tied to a tree to keep them close. He rubbed his hands over his horse to brush the day from the gelding’s winter coat and met Synne’s gaze. “Any tips for the next time we run into witches?”
“Don’t underestimate them.”
Lachlan snorted. “I assumed as much. What type of magic can they do?”
“Anything. Everything,” she answered with a shrug. “Some can do a little of all, while others can only do specific types of magic. One of the witches that attacked us this morning had yellow that sparked in her palm.”
“I saw that.”
“Not everyone can. Her magic was yellow. Had she done more, you would’ve noticed it more.”
That made him frown. “So, magic can be seen?”
“Sometimes. Helena’s magic is purple. She can use it so that it sinks into a person like coils and kills them. Great when battling other witches.”
Lachlan finished with the horse and nodded. “That would come in handy.”
“If you’re with me, the witches of the Coven will assume you’re a Hunter. That’s good because they’ll be wary of you.”
“The two this morning were no’ wary,” he pointed out.
Synne twisted her lips. “They wanted us dead. They didn’t care.”
“Then neither will any others.”
She blew out a breath and looked off to the side through the trees and the blanket of snow that covered the ground. “Everything is changed now. I need to remember that. For so long, we were the ones doing the hunting. Now, Sybbyl has changed that. They’re hunting us. I’d hoped she would believe all the Hunters had been killed at the abbey.”