The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga by Taliesin Govannon (important books to read .txt) 📕

                “Greetings, ya bastards!” she said with a wide grin, her canines looking fresh and sharp.

                We all cheered, and there were hugs all around.

                                                                                                *                *                *

                I was hanging out in the library with Raina later, her pouring through Seamus’ collection of rare magickal books while I enjoyed more of Gaia’s Fae weed.

                “Damn!” Raina said, turning the page in a hand-written magickal spell-book… also known as a grimoire… and shaking her head. “This guy really had a thing about researching legends of the Sorceress.”

                “What does he say?" I asked, exhaling a thick stream of smoke.

                “Well, he got a lot right.” she began. “For example, not a hereditary position, nobody knows who will be called until the year before they come of age, discerning who is to be the Sorceress is an unknown skill… “

                “Which Vincent can’t help us with, either.” I cut in. “Petronia, Angelique’s first Sorceress, came to her in a vision and pointed them in the right direction. It still took them months to find me.”

                “See?” Raina turned another page. “Shit’s hard.” She read on. “Now here is some interesting stuff.” she said, pointing at the page. “It says here that the ‘Court of the Sorceress’ always includes Fae… that your magick is closely related to Fae magick.”

                “You should know a thing or two about Fae magick.” I said.

                “Actually, I’m still pretty clueless.” she replied. “They’ve built up magickal spell shortcuts over centuries. ‘Say word ‘X’ while focusing your will through the Fae crystal produces ‘Y’ result’, and so on. Most Fae don’t learn the inner workings until they’re much older.”

                “Does it say anything else about this ‘Court of the Sorceress’?” I asked, leaning in.

                “Not very much here… “ she replied, turning a few pages. “It says that the Court has Fae, other Witches, and a Warlord, who directs the legion of the Sorceress.”

                “Legion?” I said, eyes wide. “Past Sorceresses have had legions? Where did this guy hear that?!?”

                “See, there’s this book.” Raina said, turning a few pages back. “I’ve seen it referenced by a few different people… here it is!” she said triumphantly. “It’s called ‘In the Court of the Crimson Cauldron’, and it’s by ‘Geoffrey of Manchester’. Ridiculously difficult to get, some fear that it’s lost… “

                “Oh, it’s not lost.” Tiffany said, walking into the room. She walked over and sat in the last unoccupied chair by the fire.

                “Hey there.” I replied. “How’s Jazzy doing?”

                “Ah, she’s off on a hunt with Seamus and Vincent.” Tiffany said, pulling out her own joint. “Intel just came in on a pedophilia ring that has a video location in a nearby residence. Newborn vampires are very hungry, so they decided to go clear it out.”

                “I know what Vincent does to pedophiles.” I said with a slight shudder. “She’s going to learn from the best.”

                “So what’s this about that book not being lost?” Raina asked, still focused.

                “My Uncle has a copy.” she replied, lighting up. She took a deep hit and then let it out. “He used to read to me from it… or, I should say, from type-written sheets copied directly from a hand-written copy of an original copy that’s currently being held in the most secure location in the world, my Uncle’s private vault… when I was a little girl.”

                “See, this is kind of a strange part.” I said. “I was, like, someone’s childhood bedtime stories!”

                “He got the copy from his Father, and was raised the same way.” Tiffany continued. “It’s why he let Trevor Hawkins… someone who he’s told me he wants to torture on many occasions… into his compound. It’s why he’s showing such devotion to you.  It’s why he’s not charging the three thousand dollars a day that he’d normally charge for someone with my training’s services.”

                “Three thousand?” I said, surprised. “How much of that goes to you, and how much to the house?”

                “It’s always two to one with my Uncle: two thirds to the operative, one third to my Uncle.” Tiffany said. “That’s not just me, it’s everyone who goes on missions for hire.”

                “Wow… so you’re sacrificing some serious bank to be here.” I said, eyebrows raised.

                “It’s an honor to be, if not in the Court of the Sorceress, then Court adjacent.” she replied.

                “Oh, you are in my court, whatever that is right now!” I said firmly. “Everyone who lives in the mansion or on the grounds is a part of my inner circle, and I depend on every one of you.”

                “Thank you.” she said, her voice genuinely touched. “It is, indeed, an honor.”

                “Have you checked your bank account lately?” Raina asked, her own eyebrows raised.

                “No.” Tiffany said. “I haven’t had to spend any money since I came with you guys, so I haven’t been worried about my balance. Why?”

                Raina grinned. “Check it. Right now.”

                Tiffany looked confused but pulled out her smartphone anyway. "Where's the damn app? Oh, here it is!" she muttered, and started pushing buttons once the app opened. A moment went by before her eyes went wide. She almost dropped her phone. "What the serious fuck?"

                “Vincent and Angelique are wealthy.” I said, smiling at her reaction to her bank balance. “Like, stupidly wealthy. Like, governments-would-ask-for-loans-if-they-knew wealthy.”

                “Angelique’s been a vampire for sixteen hundred years.” Raina added. “Now, if there’s something that typifies the economic models that have evolved over the past one thousand six hundred years, it’s that wealth begets wealth. The more money you have, the easier it is to get more.”

                “Vincent’s never given me a total on how much their holdings are worth,” I continued, “but they have enough squirreled away around the world that… let’s just say those news stories about the first trillion-airs? They’re late to the party.”

                “Well, there goes my need to ever work another day in my life!” Tiffany said, putting her phone away.

                “So,