Page 10 of This Witch Is Not Wicked

Cillian laughed, and I shot him a glare.

Mother raised her chin, and I was surprised to see anger flashing in her eyes. “Would you like to know why all those women showed up at your work?”

I pushed my spectacles up my nose. “Because you told them to?”

“No.” She took a deep breath. “It’s because that’s the only way to see you. You don’t ever leave that tower. After your lab reappeared two years ago, you moved the healer’s quarters there. You even sleep in the small bed chamber attached to it. We can barely get you to come to our family dinners anymore. You’re hardly even sleeping.”

Her voice had gone wobbly, and I could feel the heated glares from my brothers.

“I just want you to be happy.” Tears welled in her eyes.

Oh, fuck. She was going to cry. I needed to fix this.

“You don’t have to worry about me.” I gathered her in my arms as she sniffled, her head resting below my chin. “I’m happy.”

“I just don’t understand why you spend so much time in that lab. You don’t have a life outside of it.”

I didn’t know how to explain that I simply didn’t have time for anything else. When the previous town healer wanted to retire, my family encouraged me to step up and shadow them, become their replacement. With my love of science and potions, it had made sense. Over the years, though, I’d realized how much I hated this job. But if I admitted that, it would mean having to find a replacement and disappoint a lot of people.

Mother continued to stare at me with glassy eyes. Her bottom lip quivered, and Cillian mouthed “fix this” over her shoulder while Wolfe stared at me menacingly.

I had to think of a solution that didn’t involve me in a relationship.

She took a stuttering breath. “I just want to see you happy and in love like Wolfe.”

“I am,” I burst out.

Mother stilled and slowly looked up at me, hope flashing in her eyes.

Fuck. Why had I gone and said that?

She clutched my shirt. “Really? You’re in a relationship?”

“With who?” Cillian cocked a brow, clearly not believing my lie.

Who indeed. I couldn’t just name a woman because then my mother would expect to actually see us together, see us happy. And any woman I chose wouldn’t want to pretend. They’d want the real thing. I was totally fucked.

“Um—” I scratched the back of my neck, feeling the tips of my ears turning red as Mother’s eyes practically burned through me. “Well . . .”

Screams erupted outside, and we all stiffened before breaking into a run to the windows. Down below, Enid stood in the middle of the street, carrying what looked like one of her flytraps, which was snapping at passersby.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Cillian dragged a hand down his face. “Eight weeks. I gave her eight weeks to get her act together or she’s getting exiled, and now she’s waltzing through town with a giant plant that eats people.”

“I don’t think it eats people,” I said. “It mainly eats insects, but it will bite if agitated.”

Cillian shot me a glare that could kill.

“Wait.” I replayed his words. “Enid is getting exiled?”

Cillian crossed his arms. “Unless she can completely change her reputation in eight weeks.” He tipped his head toward her as she kept walking, ignoring the townspeople yelping and jumping out of her way. “We’ll be holding a town vote to determine whether she stays or goes. Majority wins. I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I’d count on the wicked witch finally being gone.”

I winced. I’d always thought the nickname was a little unfair. It wasn’t her fault we’d landed in her home, and it also wasn’t her fault that the sentient bog acted out. Although it did seem rather loyal to Enid above everyone else.

The plant’s head reached out and snapped at an elderly woman, who fainted. Enid didn’t notice, or if she did, she didn’t care. I snorted. She wouldn’t want to date me. Was probably the one woman in Fairwitch who couldn’t care less if my mother told her I was looking to get married.

My eyes widened as I watched her, an idea forming. She’s the one woman in Fairwitch who wouldn’t want to date me.

Holy shit.