Hush (Witches & Warlocks Book 2) by R. M. Webb Read Free Book Online

open my mouth and take a breath, hoping something will work it’s way out, but, alas, now I’m just sitting here with my mouth hanging open.
    “That was very impressive this morning. I’m not sure I’ve seen a witch as new as you are kill an entire garden and then bring it back to life quite as efficiently as you did this morning. And the bird. What a nice touch.”
    Well, mystery solved then. “I didn’t mean to kill the garden. Or the bird. I just kind of lost control for a minute.”
    Daya leans forward again and her dress devours her neck. Just kind of crumples up around her hairline like an Elizabethan collar. Makes me think of the Queen of Hearts and I’m pretty sure the next thing out of her mouth will be something like off with her head ! “I wonder if you’ve heard tell of witches that can use both light and dark magic.” She holds up a hand when I start to respond. “I’m sure you have, by now, given how much people like to gossip around here,” Daya says, her raspy voice grating out into the room. “I wonder if you’ve had time to think about how useful those kind of witches would be to people who had the wits to use them. How dangerous they’d be if the wrong kind of people got ahold of one. How dangerous it is to actually be one, for that matter.”
    The door to Daya’s office bursts open behind me and I spin in my chair. Lucy - the vampire ambassador - dashes into the room and draws up short when she sees me in my chair. A smile slides across her face and she bites her top lip. Those silver eyes of hers travel across my face and I remember, a little late, to look away before she can compel me. I mutter the incantation under my breath and look up. I’d love to smile in return, but since my face is currently frozen in fear, she’s gonna have to settle for a look that says: Hello. I’m terrified and uncomfortable.
    “Speaking of danger…” Daya stands, checks her watch and gives Lucy a sly smile. “I thought we said 6:30.”
    “Oh, we did, but I have other engagements this evening.” I don’t know so much threat and innuendo could be crammed into one statement. I shudder, but, you know, frozen in fear and all. “I thought I’d just pop over and see if we could meet early.” Lucy returns her gaze to me and there’s a little mental nudge as she tries to use her powers to get inside my brain. She arches an eyebrow and gives me a little nod of approval when she finds I’ve locked her out. “I can see you’re busy, though,” she says as she turns for the door.
    “Oh, no. Zoe and I are just about done. Stay.” Daya gestures for a chair against the far wall.
    “How is our little late bloomer doing, anyway?”
    “She made quite the display this morning on her first attempt at solo magic. I think we’ll find many uses for our young Zoe.” Sure, this isn’t awkward at all, being discussed by two predators while I sit and listen, a little bunny in an overstuffed chair.
    “If she’s as powerful as she smells, then I can think of a few uses for her. I think I’d like to borrow her once she’s done with her training.” Wait, she can smell my power? That’s wrong on so many levels.
    Daya focuses on me and I feel exposed. I think I liked it better when they were ignoring me. “Zoe, we’ll postpone the nuts and bolts of this discussion until later. You remember what I said about showing off, now. That will only lead you to trouble or trouble to you. There’s a team out in the garden, fixing what you’ve done. Join them. Learn a thing or two from what they’re doing. There’s no reason for you not to get more practice.”
    I stand, eager to be out of the room, eager not to have Lucy smelling my power and Daya insinuating that that she knows that I know about all the genetic manipulation stuff. Or am I just being paranoid? As I reach for the door, Daya speaks up again.
    “Oh, Zoe? I saw your request to leave the Manor unsupervised and I’m afraid I’m going to have to reject