Love, Lies & Blood Ties - Whitby Shadows Series Book 2

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"It's going to hurt, Caitlyn. A lot." Mum's emerald eyes were full of worry. "I don't think you quite understand."

"Did it hurt when you bound me?"

"If you'd been awake, yes."

"Did you sneak into my room whilst I was asleep or something?"

Mum shook her head. "No. We cast a sleeping spell on you so you wouldn't wake up no matter what."

"Can't you do the same again?"

Mum shook her head. "You need to be awake at the end of it to take the potion."

I let out a long breath. "Ok, fine. Let's do it."

"Are you sure?"

I sighed. "Does my magic need unbinding?"

"I'm not sure if it's that much of a desperate need."

"Look, people know who I am and what supposed power I have, yes?"

Mum nodded.

"If I don't unbind myself, they'll most likely find a way to do it themselves. Am I wrong?"

"No. They will most likely kidnap you, torture you, and then make you agree to it."

Luke snorted. "They can try."

I smiled. "Going off that theory, surely I'm best to unbind myself and at least be half prepared for when they decide they want to drain my blood."

"They won't kill you," Hannah said. "If you die, your magic dies with you. They'll likely string you up and bleed you drip by drip so you replace what you lose constantly. Like a tap."

A ball of nausea swirled around in my stomach. "Thanks for that, Hannah."

She smiled. "You're welcome."

I looked at Mum and frowned. "I thought when a witch dies, their magic is released back into the universe to be recycled for future witches to be born with?"

Mum laughed. "You've met Keres."

"Yes...how do you know?"

"Because that's the crap she spins to keep her sheep following her. That is not what happens at all. When a rich person dies, what happens to their estate?"

"It's left to their relatives in the will."

Mum nodded. "Exactly. The family benefit from it. It doesn't get shared out between every other rich person on the planet, does it?"

"No."

"Same with magic. When a witch dies, their magic is dispersed amongst their surviving relatives. You will be noticing things now your dad has passed. That's his magic boosting yours."

"So why is Keres lying? She can't gain from sacrificing all those people."

"Oh, she can if they're relatives."

I frowned. "But how can she have that many relatives?"

"Breeding programmes."

"I'm sorry, what now?"

"It's a gig she's been running for years. She specifically matches witches together and encourages them to start a family. At some point in their bloodline, she will be linked. If the children are of power, she will keep them in the coven. If they're not, she blanks the minds of the parents and sends them out to live as normal humans. Then she will magically 'find them' with an illness, past the age where magic is useful, and sacrifice them."

"And no one suspects a thing?"

"Why would they? She gives them all a little power boost when a sacrifice is made. A temporary one mind, but because they feel the fizz in their veins they believe it's permanent."