Affinity Witch

Chapter 17: Diplomatic Discussions

Grateful her thoughts didn't appear to have shown on her face, and that no one seemed to have noticed her lapse into silence, given Warren's enthusiastic description of something she'd missed, Sabrina took a drink of water.

"So, is our task tomorrow to protect the Nichts?" she asked, collecting herself.

Hermann grimaced, and Jessa reached out to take his hand before answering.

"We're not entirely sure what will be required of us tomorrow," she said. "We just believe it's better to be present and aware of what's happening than to remain purposefully ignorant. The Nichts can do as they like, even if we wish they'd act differently, but it's also important that, whatever happens, the Waldkonig knows we magic users had nothing to do with it."

Sabrina nodded, thinking back to what she'd learned in school about the other covens living on the edges of the Schwarzwald. The Hexen castle was directly east of the forest and below them was the Zurasammen coven; further south still was the Magischer coven, which was similar to the Hexen in that it was composed entirely of women.

North of the Hexen lived the Allein coven, a group of witches and warlocks who kept mostly to themselves and interacted with other magical practitioners only when absolutely necessary. Past them were the Mannlich coven, a group of warlocks Sabrina knew almost nothing about, save they sometimes sent a delegate or two to Hexen festivals, where their not-inconsiderable charms made them the object of more than one young witch's dreams.

She'd heard of a coven of witches who lived far beyond the Mannlich, known as the Trennen coven, but she'd never met anyone from there and wasn't sure she could locate the their home on a map.

Beyond those six, she had no idea if covens existed on the far west side of the Schwarzwald, and she pressed her lips together, frustrated and embarrassed at her lack of knowledge.

"How many covens sent delegates?" she asked, hoping to gain information without broadcasting her own lack of it.

"Including the Hexen, all six major covens are represented," replied Jessa, making Sabrina feel better about her limited knowledge, which at least appeared to be accurate. "I was truly surprised to welcome someone from the Trennen coven, as I've never met a witch from there before, but Hermann and I reached out to everyone we could, at least on this side of the forest." She smiled at Sabrina. "I'll introduce you to everyone first thing tomorrow morning."

"Thank you," replied Sabrina, a flutter of anxiety passing through her chest. Her mother really ought to be here. What would these other important witches and warlocks think when they met her, a seventeen-year-old girl, representing one of the oldest covens in the area?

Some of her worry must have shown on her face because Jessa leaned forward, catching Sabrina's eye. "Everyone's going to be so be happy to meet you. They all know your mother, or are at least acquainted with her, and if Marlene believed you were up to this task, they will respect that and treat you as they would her."

Sabrina forced a smile to her face as she murmured her thanks, reaching for her wineglass and taking a sip of the dark red liquid, forcing her suddenly trembling hand to be steady.

Jessa's words had brought up a very real possibility she hadn't even considered until this moment, a possibility just as awful as being sent to form a romantic attachment with Warren—it was quite likely her mother had sent her here for the express purpose of introducing her daughter as her successor, ensuring the other covens met Sabrina and understood the role she would be playing in the Hexen's future.

A role Sabrina did not want to play.

"Speaking of your mother," interjected Hermann, helping himself to another heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes, "how is she?"