The Doctor Witch (The Ward Witches) (11 page)

“
They were my family! I never spared a thought for them, so engrossed with how much Linda and my mother hated me that I didn’t think to meet the rest of them. But they were killing my family!”

“
Yes, they were. But Linda’s dead, as is your mother.”

“
But whoever they sold my family out to isn’t!”

“
Don’t worry about that right now. Coven Protection is already working to trace the money. We’ll find that person, and he’ll face judgment and justice. But until then, you’ve got to be strong. I know when the investigation gets further, that they will be prodding you for anything you remember, even if it seemed small or insignificant to you. I’m not going to pretend to understand what you’re feeling,” though he could feel part of it through the magical alignment they shared, and more if he pried into her mind with his magic, “and I know you’ll need to deal with it your own way. But what I propose is that we go to visit Selby in the recovery facility.”

“
That would be good. But I can go alone.”

“
Skylar, you’re hardly in a position to drive. Not to mention that I’d like to see for myself how the reconstructive surgery went.  Again, be strong. Remember that it’s not just you and Selby anymore. You both have me, my siblings, and the rest of the Coven at your backs. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because Selby’s not a witch that we won’t take care of him like he’s one of our own.”

Skylar, eyes full of tears she refused to shed yet, launched herself at Leo and hugged him tightly. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

“
Now drink your tea. I don’t think D has screwed it up too badly. Speaking of, did you ever remove that tea bag, sister mine?”

“
Oops.” She shrugged.  “Maybe I did.”

“
It’ll be fine.” Skylar got up to put sugar in the tea, and remove the tea bag.

“
Now D and I need to talk. Tim will be back in a moment, and until then, drink that tea.”

Dymphna looked resigned, and maybe a little sad, as she followed her brother out of the kitchen.

In the living room, Leo knew D saw what was coming. “You know what I’m going to ask you.”

“
Yeah, I do.”

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You’re going to make me say the words, aren’t you?”

“
You betcha.”

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I know it’s not easy for you, but you’re the strongest water witch we have.”

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Spit it out. You’re already in enough trouble just for being here.”

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I want you to heal Selby Kincaid.”

“
You know...”

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That it will hurt you, and possibly not even work? Yes, I know. But if we could get him into the Coven House, and you do a little bit each time you can... it would help him.”

“
And help Skylar.”

He ignored her jab. “And he might have some kind of information that Skylar doesn’t about what Linda was doing. What if his accident wasn’t an accident? Skylar hasn’t thought of that yet with all the rest of it, but she will. She’s very smart.”

D rubbed her temples, massaging the phantom hurt that was already there. “Bring me to the hospital with you and Skylar. If I think it can be done, even in stages, I’ll get you two to release him into the Coven House, or even here, and I’ll do it. But you’ll owe me big time.”

“
I know. What will it be this time?”

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This time, it’ll be a favor, to be called in at a later date, when and where I decree.”

“
That’s a hard bargain, but you know you’ve got me over a barrel.”

“
That I do. Now let’s all get ready to go and get this over with as quickly as possible. Again, no promises.”

“
I know.”

Forty five minutes later, the trio walked to the reception desk to ask for Selby. As Tim had promised, the security to see him was higher, with each one having to show ID.

“
Two at a time, mind you,” the receptionist called after them as they proceeded down the white hallway. Here and there were some peaceful paintings and posters. But the whole atmosphere was oppressively... clean and sterile, and not just in the manner of hygiene.

Selby looked up from his reader as they came in. “Man, Skylar, it’s good to see you.”

“
I’m sorry it’s been so long.”

“
Hey, I know the extenuating circumstances. And a lot of people don’t get any visitors period. No excuses or reasons they can’t come. They just abandon their relatives here.”

“
Sounds like you’ve got some pent up hostility there, brother.”

“
Just a little. Who’s this?”

“
This is Leo.”

“
Ah yes, the plastic surgeon. Thank you for all you’ve done for me.”

“
You may think differently when Skylar tells you what’s been going on.”

Selby was eerily quiet as Skylar laid out the story.

“
I don’t know if I understand.”

“
I think you understand as well as I do, Selby. We’ve been kept in the dark.”

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No longer, sister. We’ll find the truth.”

“
Of course we will. And the Coven will be here to help us. Speaking of, Leo and his sister Dymphna want to talk to you for a few minutes. Then we’ll catch up on what’s been going on.”

Leo watched Skylar leave, trying not to think about how sexy she was.

“
That’s my sister, man.”

“
I know,” Leo groaned, but the two didn’t have a chance to say anything else about her before Dymphna came in.

“
Leo, you don’t ask for favors by halves, do you?”

“
I know, D. Selby, this is my sister Dymphna. She’s a water witch, and that makes her a better healer than I ever will be.”

“
Oh?” He sounded wary to Leo’s ears.

“
Do you mind if I touch your hand? It may feel a little weird, and I know you’ve got a lot of burns, but I’ll try to be gentle.”

“
That’s fine, I suppose.”

Dymphna’s eyes turned pure white as she laid just the pads of her fingers on Selby’s hand, a sure sign that she was examining his wounds.

“
Shit. It’s the internal smoke inhalation that’s the worst. It may take a week, but Jackie and Maria can pick up some slack while I’m at or out of the office. So yeah, go do your doctor thing and let’s get him out of here. I’ll call Justin and see if they have a room available over there.” Dymphna stalked out.

“
If you’ll agree to come with us, we’ll accelerate the healing process. It takes a lot out of Dymphna, so we can’t do it all the time, but with these latest developments it seems we’ll need to get you fit as soon as possible. Will you consent to leaving here to go with us?”

“
Sure. I’ll do anything to help catch whoever did this. Plus, if Skylar can visit me more often, that will be all the better.”

“
She does do her magic training at the Coven House each day and spends her evenings and nights at Ward Manor.” Selby gave Leo an assessing look, but didn’t comment. Leo thought it a most inopportune moment to bring up the magical alignment issue, especially since Leo wasn’t sure about the situation himself.

Leo left to get permission to get Selby out while Skylar came into the room.

“
I’d hug you but it looks like that might hurt you.”

“
Yeah, likely. I’ll get your mental hug though.”

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You’ve got it.”

“
Well at least when they get me out of here, there will be better food. I’ve never missed your cooking so much, Skylar.”

She laughed. “Those two were eating little better than this until I moved into Ward Manor. I have a feeling that even when I leave, they’ll want to eat a better quality of food.”

“
Are you sure that’s what you want?” Selby had always been very perceptive. “This witch training has been making you happy. I can tell. Do you really want to give up life in this Coven that they’re talking about and go back to being an underpaid short order cook at that dive they call a diner?”

“
Honestly, I don’t know. I really am enjoying being in the Coven, but where does that put me? And where does that put you?”

“
You shouldn’t be worrying about me so much. I’ve got a good job, remember? Besides, if I wanted to give up that two bedroom apartment, I could get a mechanic’s job just about anywhere. Supposedly, I’m really good.”

“
You are really good. Maybe you’d even find yourself a girlfriend or something. I know you’ve dated, but I think having me around kept you from really looking for something permanent.”

“
Am I that transparent?”

“
To me you are. And don’t think I don’t feel guilty about holding you back from college, from romance, and from all those things you could have had if not for me.”

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Don’t feel guilty. I was the one who chose not to pursue anything else. I had a comfortable life.”

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I just keep seeing how much we’ve been missing out on.”

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This is going way too deep for me. I’ll argue with you about this when I’m feeling better. I sure hope Dymphna can help me out.”

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If she says she can, she will. Dymphna’s a very kind woman despite her first impressions.”

“
I would hope so.”

The doctor treating Selby came in with Leo. “Dr. Ward has been telling me about some experimental healing methods he’d like to try on you. Now if you want to go for it, I’ll sign you out into his care.”

“
I would like to try.”

“
Very well. I’ll get the nurse to prepare the discharge papers now.”  Leo went out with him.

Dymphna came back in. “That stupid delegation is still over at the Coven House.”

“
How long are they going to be at that nonsense?” Skylar asked.

“
However long it takes for them to realize that Seb is always right.” She sounded rueful. There was a story behind that one, but Skylar wasn’t about to ask about it. “But for now, we’ll get him up in that guest room Dave was using.”

“
Alright.”

A few signatures later, Dymphna was taking a cab with Selby back to Ward Manor. It had been decided that Leo and Skylar should go to the apartment and grab everything Selby would need for his stay there.

When Skylar came back into her old apartment, she smiled. It still felt a lot like it was hers, and yet not hers anymore. Selby had been right: this wasn’t really the place for her anymore. She frowned at the prospect. Leo came up with the packing boxes, and when he reached the doorway, looked around as if stunned.

“
What do you think?” Skylar was nervous. This was a place she had taken from a boring apartment and turned into a home. She couldn’t paint the walls, so she had hung brightly colored paintings from a local artist all over the place. The cheap couches, including that bright green one, were accented with large throw pillows. It was cluttered, but in that way that just shows it is a well lived-in home.

“
It’s clear that you decorated it yourself. It’s bold and vibrant, much like you are. I like it.”

She threw her arms around him. “I’m glad you do.” She kissed him soundly, the boxes in his hand falling unnoticed to the ground.

He really did taste good, she thought as she pulled away and Leo picked up the boxes. She knew there was this whole magical alignment thing going on, but she knew it was more than that. He was everything she would have looked for in a guy, and she felt more for him than she had even considered with previous boyfriends. Was that what Leo was? A boyfriend? That seemed too banal for what he was to her.

“
Oh shit,” she muttered. He wasn’t just some crush, she wasn’t just falling for him. She had gone and gotten herself in trouble by completely falling in love with Dr. Pantaleon Ward. Not the smartest move in the book, she chastised herself. But she couldn’t regret it. Sure it was inconvenient timing to say the least, but she knew that love rarely came on anyone’s schedule, and most people spent a lifetime looking for what she just realized she already had.

Especially when he looked at her with concern in his baby blue eyes. “What’s the matter?”

“
Oh, I, uh, stubbed my toe.”

He looked at her critically, and she belatedly started to bounce on her feet as if she was actually hurting. It seemed fitting that she was discovering that she wanted a life with Leo while she stood in the apartment that had been her world for many years.