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The window to my ritual room was closed. Precious must have come in to make sure no creatures of the night decided my cauldron was a place to roost. Someday we'd have gargoyles again, and keeping our windows shut after darkness fell would be a thing of the past.
I had found the vampire vial and used almost half of my supply getting Broomie recharged. That shadow had taken a lot out of it.
Broomie was working, but a little sluggish. It was more than a little awkward as I maneuvered into a good position to jam my fingertips into the windowpanes to open it. We floated inside and I stepped off, gently putting my broom away. Broomie had served me well tonight and deserved a little peace.
And then I froze.
I was not alone.
I turned as the flames from all the candles flared and illuminated the room.
"I am so sorry," Precious cringed apologetically. "I tried to stop her, Miss Spell. I really did."
Miss Trudy, that head witch of a witch, was standing in the middle of my ritual room. Her bony arms were folded in judgment and her pinched face was screwed in disgust.
"You were not invited here," I stated.
She held up a warrant. "You worked magic."
Of all the... If she even had a clue how much magic I was working and actually cared, she would have shut me down weeks ago. But that was external magic. Lighting the twig was tapping into my own source, and I guess that controlling that which was mine was all she cared about. "It was self-defense!"
"It is always self-defense with you!" she snapped. She then motioned around my workshop in horror. "And this? What is this? This room was locked and sealed! Explain yourself!"
"I have no idea how that happened," I replied, trying to pretend I was just as shocked as she was. "Someone must have broken in while I was gone."
"I broke into it!" shouted Precious. She then backed off beneath Miss Trudy's death glare. "I mean... I was looking for something... and I came in here..."
"Don't get yourself into any more trouble than you already are," Miss Trudy spat. She turned her attention back to me. "Corrupting a minor, Miss Spell?"
"I'll have you know she is doing vocational training with us here at the No Spell."
"Magical training?"
"There is no magic here."
"You flew in the window on a BROOMSTICK," she hissed. "Did you really think no one would notice? Do you think that no one would glance out their window and see you flying across the full moon?"
"I thought maybe everyone would be busy."
She reached out and grabbed my arm. I'm pretty sure she would have liked to have given me a shake, but she stopped herself. "I have been out there fighting for you, advocating for the return of your powers, and I come here and find out that you have been disobeying our command?"
I jerked away from her. "Save me your martyrdom. You know and I know you haven't advocated a blessed thing."
She glared at me, but she didn't deny it. Instead, she turned the conversation back on me. "I felt a spark of fire. What did you set on fire?"
"A branch," I replied, trying to infuse my voice with the ridiculousness of it all.
"You heard her!" exclaimed Precious. "A branch! Is that worth all of this? I know she only would have done it if she didn't have any other choice!"
I gave my apprentice a grateful smile, but also tried to indicate that this was my fight. The last thing I needed was Precious being stripped of her powers because I had screwed up.
Miss Trudy was just getting fired up, though. She stalked toward Precious. "I didn't give her a choice? Me? She was the one who brought all this down on her head. She slayed an innocent vampire! She didn't give that vampire a choice."
This time Precious did not shrink. "I'm kind of okay with that. I'm pretty sure he started it by attacking her—" Precious began.
Miss Trudy tsked. "Young ladies are better seen and not heard."
Out of nowhere, Precious's lips suddenly sealed closed. Horrified, she tried to peel them apart.
"You release her!" I roared.
"Or what?" Miss Trudy seemed so smug and proud of herself.
"There are warlocks and monsters working for the World Walkers who are using magic against innocent creatures here on the Other Side. And you attack my apprentice?"
"Of all the ridiculous accusations—" Her pinched face screwed as if she was fighting back all the things she actually wanted to say to me. Instead, she informed me, "I don't make the rules, I just have to live within them. As do you." She held up the warrant. "I am going to have to report your illegal activity. The coven will make their decision and, most likely, will be here to strip you of your powers permanently," she stated primly.
A cold wash of fear poured itself down my spine. Precious tried to shout out her muffled opposition.
Miss Trudy spared a glance her way, as if she had forgotten she was the one who had gagged Precious. She snapped her fingers and Precious's mouth opened.
Precious didn't waste a moment. Undeterred by the time out, she stepped forward practically swinging. "For what crime?"
"She knows what she has done."
"What? Tried to save us? We are in danger!" Precious pressed, outraged by the injustice. "I just discovered there are ley lines all through the Other Side and someone in the World Walking association has been causing people to sign over all their assets, and then is murdering them."
"I think that sounds like you have quite the imagination, young lady."
Precious threw up her hands in disgust. "Fine! Don't believe me! But when the evidence comes down, I want you to remember I told you so. Or tried to tell you. But you took away my voice. And don't think I'm not going to report that as a violation of your powers!"
Miss Trudy rolled her eyes, as if she couldn't believe she had to deal with my nonsense AND a mouthy young witch. She pointed at me and then at my workshop. "We'll be in to clean this out. Don't touch anything. Your tribunal will be soon."
"Aw, stick a fork in it, turkey," I snapped. "I’m done with all of you."