WALPURGIA ✔️

Chapter 5 - Scared, witchling?

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"Finally!", I almost cried as Baldwin carefully got out of bed.

"Monday! I'll meet Genevieve!", I wrapped my arms around my broad man. His barking laughter vibrated through his whole body. I pressed my cheek against his back to calm my beating heart. I was still nervous from yesterday.

"Are you getting ready? Why are you leaving so early?" He turned around and swooped me into his arms. "Why are you awake?", Baldwin kissed my neck. "I'm off to hunt before the meetings." "You can drink my blood, you know that." "I would have had I known you are awake. I won't eat from you when you are asleep." He laid me down with a laugh.

Baldwin kissed the spot where my heart laid and carefully bit me. While he drank, he grimaced. Something bothered him. Was it what I had thought yesterday? "When did we lose our child?", he asked between his gulps.

I breathed out in relief. "The priestess looked straight through me and lied for me. I'm your mother so I'll help you this one time", I explained, mimicking her strange tone. "I guess that showed me to never make up a spontaneous lie." "With your abrupt nature that will be a hazard for you", Baldwin teased and kissed me again.

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Ethan and Charlotte barely managed to dodge me as I rushed after Baldwin. I dished out tasks to every servant, told Charlotte to stay at home and do whatever, instructed Ethan to take care of any Lords if some would show up, and wrapped my scarf over my shoulders.

Charlotte grumbled and fixed it for me, added a hat and then I was allowed to go.

Baldwin struggled to contain his laughter and dubbed me a child with undying curiosity as I followed him like a puppy. He offered me his hand with the warmest eyes and whispered loving things into my ear.

As we made our way down the uneven street of Lyon, Baldwin explained who lived where, from doctors, to midwives to nurses, naming each one of them and telling me how he met them.

Through balls, through orders, through help he needed. He also told me of the most prominent witches and vampires around the town, any green witch that was remarkable, water witches who messed with the other witches, air witches that loved to cause storms at unfitting times and strangely enough relaxed fire witches who took everything slow in live.

Children ran past us in the busy street, mothers chased after them with hurried faces. The bond of yesterday was so clear now to me, and I had to gulp as it was especially bright between a woman and her twins. Vampires, witches, demons, humans; in this hurry, everybody seemed the same.

Baldwin showed me where the demons lived and in what direction the market was. "The most exciting event will come soon", he grinned. "A flood. 4th November." "Will you wrap your arms around me in the middle of the night again?", I teased and earned a dimple grin. "Only if it's in bed", he said in our accent, squeezing my hand softly.

We approached a seemingly normal looking two-story building with a red façade and white windows.

I spotted four other people - this was the Rede.

Two women, two men.

The representatives were waiting outside, scattered around not to be noticeable, arguing back and forth. The witches tapped their feet, electrical bolts rushing in the ground at that. They all glared at the double entrance door.

The air around them was thick, the magic so clearly there I didn't understand how humans didn't spot them in a second.

Baldwin sighed and ran a hand through his curls.