To Kill a Kettle Witch (Novel of the Mist-Torn Witches) by Barb Hendee Read Free Book Online Page B

Amelie moved to follow, dreading the prospect of being trapped inside while suffering from the rolling motion.
    But Jaromir stopped her. “There’s plenty of room on the bench if you want to ride up top with me. I should have thought of this yesterday. I didn’t think on what it might be like inside one of these wagons.”
    Amelie wanted to jump at the chance of sitting in the open air beside Jaromir, taking a turn driving the horses or helping him navigate. But still, she hesitated.
    She’d stopped trying to deny the connection, the attraction, between herself and him, but anything beyond their current friendship was impossible. Jaromir would not allow himself to love any woman. He was married to his job.
    He also had a long series of women in his past, and he was well-known for having a “type.” That type was certainly not Amelie.
    His last mistress had been a lovely, haughty, wealthy young woman named Bridgette. Amelie had learned through the other soldiers that Bridgette was neverallowed to visit Jaromir’s apartments until she was sent for—which was always the arrangement with Jaromir’s mistresses. For about six months, Bridgette had slept in his bed whenever he sent for her, and when he got tired of her, he’d cast her aside like baggage and never once looked back.
    Amelie was not about to become another one of his obedient mistresses until he got bored with her, and she feared letting down her guard.
    As if he could read her face, he turned to walk away. “Suit yourself.” Then he stopped. “Oh, just climb up with me. I don’t want you losing your breakfast.”
    Realizing he was right, she followed him.
    Marcus had been listening to this as he harnessed the horses to the smaller blue wagon. Upon finishing, he headed for Céline and spoke to her quietly. She smiled at him and nodded.
    Moments later, they pulled out of camp with Helga and Oliver in the back of the larger wagon and with Jaromir and Amelie sitting up on the front bench. Marcus and Céline sat together on the front bench of the smaller wagon.
    Tilting her head back, Amelie looked up at the sky. It was a fine late-spring day, and she breathed in the morning air.
    “This is better,” she said.
    “I told you so. I thought as much.”
    Why did he always have to sound so smug? Did he do it on purpose?
    After that, though, she forgot to worry about getting too close to Jaromir and began to enjoy the day. Theweather was almost warm, and the road was dry. They passed forests and fields and villages along the way.
    He did let her drive after a while, and he had a map that he brought out and showed to her.
    She liked the idea of learning more about the geography of the nation in which she lived, and Jaromir had a fondness of maps. He had always had a few in his possession when they traveled.
    “We’ll head straight east for six days,” he said, running his tan finger down a line representing a road. “Then we’ll turn south here.”
    She nodded. She also liked knowing the travel plan.
    And in this fashion the days began to pass. Sleeping arrangements had been simple to decide. The bunks in the larger wagon were wide enough for two people, so Amelie and Céline slept in the top bunk and Helga took the bottom.
    Jaromir and Marcus were allotted the other wagon, but they often slept outside, one on each side of the smoldering campfire. Amelie never asked why, but she assumed Jaromir felt he would be alerted to any trouble more easily that way, and Marcus probably just preferred sleeping outdoors.
    With each day, the routine grew more comfortable and familiar, and Amelie found herself filled with a strange contentment she’d never before known.
    One evening, as she was dicing up some tomatoes for the soup, she found Helga watching her.
    “You’re happy out here?” the older woman asked.
    Amelie thought on the question for a moment. “I am. I don’t know why.”
    “’Cause it’s in your blood. This life is in your blood,” Helga said this