Primalcraft: Crimes of the Father (Book 3)

Chapter 1

"It's a very important activity. We discuss the future of the hedgewitches!"

"Really, what did you discuss last Friday?"

"...Pyramus told me that the lunch lady is having an affair with the janitor."

"Well, that is old news but now we know that you don't just drink tea, you gossip as well," Alex said, holding back a laugh when Jaxon looked thunderstruck by the news.

"Fine," Blake huffed," But I have big plans. We are going to do something amazing, but we lack the manpower to do it. With the help of the new witches, we will be able to achieve it."

"What are you planning?" asked Alex, giving Blake a suspicious look.

"That is a surprise."

"Surprise like the time you decided to paint a nude of Jaxon, or is this a pleasant one?"

"Don't remind me," muttered Jaxon, shuddering at the time his entire family was staring at the embarrassing thing.

"That was punishment for Jaxon, this will benefit all of us," Blake said proudly, feeling eager to start his project but he needs to collect witches first. Dragging the reluctant Jaxon, he waltzes over to the entrance hall where many of the girls were waiting to speak to Pyramus Marshall, the teacher of the Dark Arts and the teacher of Art and drama, and Ciaran MacGreine, who teaches most magical subjects in the school along with being a math teacher.

"And here is the welcome wagon," said Pyramus who had spotted them. He eyed the placard before raising an eyebrow at Jaxon who glared back at him, seemingly ready to hit him with the placard.

The girls glanced over at them, some were a bit shy while others stared with open appreciation at the three boys. Alex gave them one of his award-winning smiles and they giggled, making Jaxn roll his eyes muttering that he was glad he had no sisters.

His dark eyes turning to Blake, Pyramus gave him an encouraging smile. "This is Blake Oakley, our hedgewitch representative among the students."

Blake could feel his cheek heating, most likely making him look like a stop sign, at the mention of him being the hedgewitch representative. He had gained that title last term merely because there were only two hedgewitches among them, him and Pyramus, and Pyramus had refused to represent anything so the task fell onto Blake.

"I want to welcome you to school," Blake stammered, the girls' eyes becoming amused as they waited patiently for him to finish with encouraging smiles. All fears were gone from their faces. Blake just pretended it was the presence of his rabbit Coney who did it and not because he was so unthreatening. "As a hedgewitch representative, I would also like to invite you to our gatherings-"

"Club," Alex coughed from the background and got a few chuckles and a glare from Blake as a reply.

"-that we have every Friday. This Friday will be spent in the conservatory, where there will be plenty of tea and scones underneath the new World Tree."

"That's cute, you are having a picnic," Alex cooed.

"It's not a picnic, it's a very important meeting to welcome any among the hedgewitches," Blake pouted.

"You are having tea and scones underneath a giant tree, that is a picnic."

Ignoring Alex, Blake cleared his throat. "We are still dividing the teacher's job among the adults but we also intend to start up a mentor program where older students can earn some pounds helping some of the younger witches. If you are interested, you will need to go through some tests for the subjects you want to teach. Talk with one of the teachers if you want to take a shot at it, otherwise, we have some older students such as Leon Graycrest who can help you settle in."

Whispered erupted, many seemed eager to the prospect of earning some pounds. Leon had suggested mentorship in order to get the girls integrated more into the schools. Teaching younger students was commonplace in Elan Academy but not common practice in Vale Academy. Leon teaching Blake was the exception to the rule, but only because Blake was introduced to the supernatural so late.

"Any questions?" asked Ciaran politely, when the girls settle down.

"Where is my brother?" asked a dull voice, a raven-haired goth girl stepped forward and Blake knew her as Elaine Harwen, sister of Cainen Harwen, and the heir to the Harwen family.

"Probably sleeping," Pyramus answered. "Your brother has been hogging my bed for the last couple of weeks and I'm ready to put a malison on the bastard if he doesn't let me sleep."

"Well, that sounds like him," Elaine said with an eye roll. "Our family is losing everything and he sleeps through it all."

"Your brother has been very friendly," Blake assured her.

"I'm sure, his friendliness has never been in question, " Elaine sighed. "Only his competence."

"Well, he has never missed one of our meetings," Blake said, though he did not say that was most likely because of the food. The man seemed to come to eat, and gossip.

Almost like she had read his mind," Did you offer him food?"

Blake held back a grimace and Pyramus, apparently sensing the conversation going south, turns to the other girls. "Any other questions?"

"Is there any information to us shifters or is this just a welcome party for witches?" asked a familiar voice, it took a while before Blake could identify the large girl, with tattoos and made up of pure muscles. The only female Alpha, Clover Paddon, stood with the silent and peculiar girl who is always with her. The girl, who Blake remembered as Millie Acker, was staring unblinkingly down at the floor, hardly moving a muscle but seemed alert.

Without thinking about it, Blake pulled Alex forward who looked utterly amused. "Oh, now you want my help."

Pinching him as hard as he can, Blake smiled at the group.

"This is abuse, fine. There isn't much to say to the shifters, Coach Kai will lead the rugby team alongside Coach Freya. We have some pack runs for the wolves and are open to other pack runs for the herds. Otherwise, there isn't much to say," Alex shrugged.

"We welcome shifters as well to our meetings," Blake said, which made many looked shocked like he just had said that the world would end. "I mean, the magic ban for shifters has kind of been lifted so they can come and take a look, besides we have scones. Shifters can eat scones."

Feeling his voice failing him, Blake pulled at Jaxon who looked surprised. "Jaxon will be there."

"I will?"

"Yes."

"Apparently I will be there."

"You are so damn whipped," Alex smirked and dodge a fist coming his way.

Ignoring the two, the group continued as there were no more questions. Overall, he thought that had gone excellent, he didn't throw up even once which was definitively a step up from when he was younger.

"You did well, Blake," said the little rabbit in his arms.

"Thank you, Coney," said Blake." Especially for not talking. Every time you do the students become scared so I thought it would be better if you eased them into it."

"Well, I cannot blame them. I am frightening," Coney huffed, his cheek puffing out proudly. Jaxon frowned at the rabbit and was about to argue, but not wanting to hear more banter this day, Blake rushed off to the principal office, since he had been called.