Will of the Witch [Legacy, BK 2 - Completed]

Chapter 3.3

John

Hunter's dad ushered us into his cramped office. Books overflowed from their shelves; more were piled on his desk with stacks of papers and files. He pulled out his wallet and handed Hunter a five dollar bill.

"Why don't you go down to the kitchen and grab a couple of sodas for you and John while I find my checkbook?"

"Uh, sure," Hunter said and glanced at me. "Want to come with?"

I shook my head, keeping my eyes on his father. It was too late now, and I couldn't just leave Hunter with him. "I'm good."

Hunter left after another uncertain look at his father, pulling the door closed behind him.

I was trying frantically to think of what to say. He knew I was a Witch and he knew my name was John. If my family had followed protocol after Ezra and I escaped, they would have sent a notification through the Network so that other Witches knew I was in danger, that if anyone so much as caught a glimpse of me to let them know. Would he put two-and-two together and figure out I was the one missing from the Coven?

Cameron sighed, gripping the back of his desk chair until his knuckles turned white. "I knew you'd find me eventually, but I want you to keep my son out of it. He's normal, he doesn't have any sort of power."

I stared at him, trying to process what he'd said. "Wait, what?"

"You're from the Coven," he clarified, but then added, "aren't you?"

Okay, this was getting weirder by the second. "No, I don't really... Wait, you're not from the Coven?"

He stared at me for another minute, then laughed. "No, I'm not. I left the Coven when I was about your age, a long time ago." Cameron flopped down into his chair but looked up at me. "So you really did just give Hunter a ride back to the city?"

"Yeah, something like that," I said, releasing the tension I'd been holding in my body with a sigh. But then I realized: I wasn't alone. "You left the Coven? So I'm not the only one."

He gave me a sad smile. "You're not the only one to have left. There's a whole group of us, Hedge Witches, we call ourselves. We all have our own reasons we didn't mesh or work well with the Coven's rule. But the Coven doesn't like to advertise that it's lost members unless of course, they died for their 'honorable' cause."

Cameron's tone had turned bitter, but I could hardly blame him. I turned, studying the books on his shelves as his office door opened and Hunter reappeared with a small selection of sodas clutched in his arm.

"Hey, I wasn't sure what you'd like," he said with a shrug.

"Thanks," I said, reaching to take the Mt. Dew.

My pocket buzzed. I froze. Why was my phone buzzing if should've been off still? I pulled it out and found that it was starting up. Panic struck me hard. It'd turned itself on? But how?

I sucked in a breath of air, remembering the call with Frankie last night. She must have told the Coven, and they, in turn, had had the techies trace my phone, even to the point of turning it on remotely.

And of course, they wouldn't have done that months ago when they thought I was dead.

I cursed. "They know I'm here."

"Who?" Hunter asked.

I stared at his father, hoping he'd catch my meaning. "My family. They've tracked me down." I turned to Hunter, shoving the keys to Ezra's car into his hand. "You need to get back to Ezra."

Glancing at Cameron, I took a chance. "Hunter knows where to go, but the Coven cannot get to him. He's too important."

Cameron stared at me. "Hunter? Why would they want him?"

I stepped closer, setting my soda down on a clear edge of his desk before meeting his gaze. "He's a Summoner. You've got to make sure they don't find him."

Cameron's eyes widened, shock stiffening his body as he turned to stare at Hunter.

"John!" Hunter shoved me gently. "That was supposed to stay between us!"

I shook my head at him. "It's different now. Just get back to the house as soon as you can."

Hunter looked at me with uncertainty but nodded.

"I've got to go." I left, heading for the lobby without looking back. 

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