Wild is the Witch (16)

Mom is quiet, and I can tell she’s running through something in her head. “I can give you some supplies to help with that. But I don’t know…I don’t like the idea of you out in the woods by yourself.”

“I’ll be fine,” I say, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice. “He isn’t too far away—I’ll be gone two days, tops.”

But Mom is shaking her head, and my heart drops as I feel my options slipping away. “I don’t want you out there by yourself.”

“It really doesn’t bother me,” I say.

“But it bothers me.” She pauses, then a big smile spreads across her face and I know just by looking at her that I’m going to hate whatever it is she’s about to say.

“If only there were an ornithologist around who could help you.”

“No,” I say. “Absolutely not.”

Mom stands up and finishes her champagne. “It’s a great idea.”

“It’s a horrible idea.” I stand and follow her to the kitchen. “Seriously, Mom, no. What’s he going to do? I’m the one who can track the owl and bring him back here. I don’t need Pike.”

She leans against the kitchen counter and watches me. “There’s no way you can expect to carry all your gear, as well as an owl, down a mountain on your own. If he’s up for it, Pike’s going with you.”

She walks back to the dining table and sits next to Sarah, and I helplessly follow, trying to get her to see my side of this. “He hates witches, Mom. If anything, having him with me is a liability. I can do this on my own.”

“He’s just kidding around, Iris. He’s not out to get you, I promise.”

“You don’t know that,” I say, panic stirring inside me.

Mom gives me a sad look and pats the chair in front of her, but I don’t sit down. I pace around the room, trying not to think about how much time I’m losing to this conversation.

“Oh, honey, is that what you really think? That he’s out to get you?”

“No,” I say, coming to a stop. “Yes. I don’t know.” I sink down into the chair and look at my mom. “I just don’t like him,” I finally say.

“I’m sorry, honey, but I’m not comfortable with you going on your own.”

I look at Sarah, my eyes pleading. “Can you come with me?”

“I wish I could, darling, but I have to be at the café.”

I rub my temples, trying to think of any other solution than trekking through the woods with Pike Alder.

“If you don’t want to go with Pike, then I’ll have to call the council, and they can handle it. With the work they do to conserve the amplifiers in the wild, they can help,” she says. “Come to think of it, I believe Cassandra was stationed here recently.”

The mention of Amy’s older sister makes goose bumps rise along my skin. The last time I saw her was at my trial, watching me with a neutral expression from behind the long oak table. Bile rises up my throat, and I swallow it down.

“No,” I say, too quickly. “Let me do this.”

If Mom gets the council involved, they’ll detect the curse. I would be put on trial for cursing a boy to turn into a mage, the punishment of which is a merciless spell that would destroy my ability to perceive the magic around me.

It would vanish, as if it was never there in the first place.

Just like what happened to Amy.

My body shakes as I imagine the consequences, and I take several deep breaths, trying to stay present. I can’t go through another trial. I can’t lose my sense. I can’t. I’d be losing the part of me that makes me me. I have to at least try to get the owl back.

I get up and move around the room again, running my hands through my hair.

I only have one option, then.

“Fine,” I finally say. “I’ll ask Pike to go with me. But don’t call the council—I want to do this myself.”

“Deal,” Mom says, satisfied with herself. “It’ll be great practice for you.”

“If he’ll even agree to do it.”

“I can help with that,” Mom says.

“What do you mean?”

“Pike’s been bugging me to submit the paperwork to his university so he can work here through the summer and get credit.”

“You can’t be serious. The entire summer?”

Mom gives me an apologetic look. “I haven’t gotten around to it yet and obviously wanted to talk to you before making a decision either way.”

“That’s just…so many days with him around.”

Sarah laughs, a light, breezy sound that would put a smile on my face under different circumstances. She stands and starts clearing the table, but Mom watches me intently.

“I won’t do it if you don’t want me to. This refuge is ours, and we make all the decisions together.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I say. “I’ll see if he’ll agree to go with me first without having to offer him something.”

“A last resort,” she says, barely hiding the smile creeping onto her face. “Smart.”

I shake my head and walk into the kitchen. Pike’s a good intern, I’ll give him that, but I wish Mom would take him more seriously. Instead, I get the impression she’s enjoying this. If she only knew what was at stake.