It was always strange to me how I woke up each morning, breathing and healthy, when so many others don’t get to see the light of day. Sure, the thought was more prevalent after issuing someone’s death, but it didn’t change the fact that my mortality was always a surprise to me.
The sound of the coffee machine was comforting, and I gazed out the window, taking in the lush lawns that were always so meticulously maintained, and saw Corinne. She looked ridiculous, crouched on the grass, a small gardening spade in hand. I doubted the girl knew a thing about gardening - or digging for that matter. And just like that, my mood soured. She had that effect on me, and I could not wait for her to do her little Magick trick and fly back to wherever the hell she came from. I had been hoping that after she witnessed what we did to Olek, she would scurry back to her life, leaving me and mine alone. Instead, I woke up to find her half-crazed in my damn garden.
Her golden satin slip was peeking through the wisp of a gown she had on. How long had she been out there? Judging by the small pile of soil seated next to her, I would assume that she hadn’t been there for a long time, but with her household inexperience, I knew that I couldn’t assume anything when it came to her.
Sighing, I marched out the backdoor, the grass prickly against my bare feet. She gazed up at me, wide eyed and innocent. Her lips were swollen from her nibbling them - something I noticed she did when she was nervous.
“What,” I pinched the bridge of my nose, attempting to rein in my temper, “are you doing?”
“I’m digging a hole,” she answered defiantly. I glared down at her, her robe flung open, revealing her slip that clung to her body, dipping low between the valley of her breasts. Fuck, I shouldn’t be looking at her breasts. I whipped my head away, scowling at this nonsensical creature in front of me. I hadn’t missed the way that Stepen’s eyes had lingered on Corinne last night - how he had handed her his jacket. Him and I would be having words because no one within the organisation was going to touch the Witch.
“Why are you digging a hole?” I spoke through gritted teeth, praying to whatever god chose to aid me on my daily ventures to give me the patience I required to deal with her.
“Because,” she huffed, sounding irritated, “I need to bury this crystal grid to ensure that the very ground your house is built on is protected.”
She had the gall to sound annoyed with me when I was standing out here barefoot on the fucking grass about to assist her. I would never tolerate such insolence from my men. Adding to my own irritation was the fact that not one word that came from her pretty little lips made sense.
“Fine,” I grunted, squatting next to her, “hand me the spade.”
Her eyes flared in irritation as she handed me the instrument she had only just been glaring at. She was fucking insufferable.
I pushed the spade deep into the ground, meeting resistance with every push.
“You need to wet the soil to soften it, no wonder you’re not getting anywhere.”
I pushed up to grab the hose. I knew all too well how long it could take a person to dig a hole when the ground was hard and resistant.
She crossed her arms in defiance, solemnly glaring at the ground, watching the water seep into the soil.
“How long have you been out here trying to dig this hole?” I questioned, refusing to let my smile free.
I had to acknowledge that not everyone had the same upbringing and education that I had. After my parents had died, Arlo had taken me deep into the woods to teach me the many ways to dispose of a body within a ‘natural’ environment. I was seven at the time, and until my late teenage years, I had lessons with Arlo every single Saturday - sometimes in the woods, sometimes in a warehouse, it all depended on what knowledge he was imparting that day. We learnt that we could only rely on ourselves, and even the most loyal could turn in the blink of an eye. If I was prone to forget that lesson, Olek was an apt reminder.
I glanced up at her to see her pretty little scowl firmly in place, and this time, I couldn’t help the smile that broke free. She had no fucking idea what she was doing - the girl may know Magick - even I could admit to that - but she didn’t know life,
“Well?” I pressed.
“Since sunrise,” she grumbled.
“Sorry, Bambi, what was that, you’re going to have to speak up,” I taunted her.
Her eyes flashed in anger and something about her fury had me praying to whatever gods would listen that I wouldn’t have to readjust myself.
“I said, since sunrise,” she hissed. “You don’t have to be a jackass about it.”
I ignored her quip, and once the soil had softened, I bent down and began digging a hole. The crystal grid glinted up at me from the grass, and finally I caved, allowing myself to glance at the intricately woven crystals she had slid along some chicken wire. Did she even know that the hole that she had been trying to dig was far too large for just that.
“How deep do you want it?” I asked, wondering if a crystal grid needed to be buried the same depth as a body.
My chuckle escaped me as I saw her blush furiously. Definitely innocent then.
“I, ah, this is fine, thank you,” she fumbled over her words.
I shook my head, palming my soil coated hands against my joggers, and began to head back to the house. No need to stick around and watch her bury some shit that I’ve come to accept I’ll never understand.
“I need to head out later today,” her voice carried, wavering across the lawn.
I felt my body harden, going rigid in my rage. We were in the middle of a fucking war and she wanted to go out? I pivoted in her direction, striding back towards her.